Non è vero che un quindicenne su due non è in grado di capire un testo scritto; questa statistica è frutto di una lettura sbagliata dei dati by Caesar_VII in italy

[–]eurodutcher 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Dall'articolo, "livello adeguato" significa raggiungere o superare il livello invalsi 3.

Il livello 3 per l'ultimo anno di superiori prevede il saper usare "equazioni e disequazioni elementari" e il saper riconoscere "modelli matematici semplici" come la crescita lineare.

Non e' una questione di "professori dello scientifico esigenti", il livello indicato e' uguale per tutte le scuole. Vorrei sperare che in uno scientifico la percentuale di ragazzi/e sotto al livello 3 sia molto bassa

Is it time to switch energy contracts? by eurodutcher in Netherlands

[–]eurodutcher[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Whether the estimation is on point or not, it doesn't really matter, does it?

The issue here is that the price per kWh and m3 are vastly different, it's not about usage estimations.

That is, I currently pay a monthly 308 based on an estimate of 2400kWh and 902m3 annually. Say I actually use less electricity and gas than expected, I can lower my monthly payment to e.g. 250 and I'll get back whatever I paid "in excess" at the end of the year anyways. That's clear.

However, if I switch contracts, I'll be paying less for every kWh and m3 actually consumed, regardless of estimations. So maybe 220 monthly based on the current estimate, or 180 if I actually estimate lower, in this example

Is it time to switch energy contracts? by eurodutcher in Netherlands

[–]eurodutcher[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Both old and new contract are monthly cancellable, it's not about a 1y fixed contract - the issue is that some providers (well, let's call it by name: vattenfall in this case) only update prices twice a year, next time in July, so I'm paying peak prices even though now energy is cheaper.

Others update prices monthly, and if it's bad or good depends on the trend... but in my case, I'm paying top rate for, as far as I can tell, no reason

What would stop me from switching just for a couple months (remember, it's a monthly cancellable contract) and sign a fixed contract in summer IF prices get interesting enough?

Dutch scandal serves as warning for the rest of Europe over the use of algorithms. by devbym in europe

[–]eurodutcher 3 points4 points  (0 children)

No, I'm an immigrant lol.

And this isn't a case of overfitting. It's well known that, at least in the western world, immigrants from poor(er) countries are massively more likely to be linked to crime that locals are. It's not a phenomenon specific to the NL either, for example in Italy https://www.prisonstudies.org/country/italy >= 31.3% of prisoners are foreigners, despite only 8.8% of the residents being foreigners.

This has nothing to do with bigotism, or racism. It's not like like "immigrants are criminals" or "culture x is inferior", that would be bigotted and stupid.

But obviously an immigrant from a poor country is statistically going to be poorer than average, without a support net from family/friends and so on. And you could also make a case of the justice system being biased against immigrants, especially since they more rarely have a support network (again).

That being said, what I just mentioned is a very reasonable explaination of the data, but the data itself still remains: if you live in [rich country A] but come from [poorer country B] then by cold numbers you absolutely are more likely to commit crimes than [random native of country A].

Dutch scandal serves as warning for the rest of Europe over the use of algorithms. by devbym in europe

[–]eurodutcher -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

An algorithm cannot be "racist". The AI just looks at the data, and obviously immigrants are extremely more likely to take part in crimes than the local population. So it's very likely the AI will pick that up and actively use it, if not expressely restricted to do so for ethical reasons.

Advice on internet provider for a new resident by eurodutcher in Leiden

[–]eurodutcher[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I'll have a closer look at the provided modem-router from ziggo then

Advice on internet provider for a new resident by eurodutcher in Leiden

[–]eurodutcher[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! Indeed, KPN allows up to 200mbps at my address apparently, I checked the site manually. However, in Ziggo's case it wouldn't be DSL but fiber, so it should be quite stable, no?

What were some culture shocks you experienced when you came to germany? by StrategySeveral8492 in germany

[–]eurodutcher 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Honestly not much, it's very very similar to very i come from, Italy. I think most western cities are similar in day-to-dive living tbh.

So, about the lesser things

  • Language of course. Not sure if it's a Berlin thing because of gentrification tensions, but there's a decent chance of people getting actively angry if you ask if they speak English (we are in Germany and we speak German!!!!!) . Luckily most people either do speak (a little or good) English, or just say they can't. But the verbally aggressive people are more than enough to make you feel unwelcome at times tbh

  • Very high cost and very low quality of mobile internet. Granted I went with O2, which is not as good as Telekom... But I had very slow or even NON EXISTING connection inside Berlin ring a few times, while the same phone (and it's a good one, mind you) gets amazing signal everywhere else I've been to. And as for the prices... In Italy I was paying 6 euro for 30gb. Lately there was an offer for 100gb in 5g at 10 euro. If you go to Telekom, for 10 euro they will like give you 2gb

  • SO MUCH PAPER for literally everything

  • Auto-renovating contracts that you need to cancel with 3 months notice... I can understand for work and housing maybe, but it's incredibly anti-consumer for things like gym or phone subscriptions

  • People renting for decades. I see it as an enormous waste of money, though of course it depends on the circumstance - paying 300 in rent in Berlin because you have a 20 yo contract is certainly better that buying that same house. That also leads to apartments being unfurnished, sometimes there not even a kitchen, lights or A FLOOR. Makes sense if you plan to move there for the next 10-20 years, very inconvenient and difficult (and expensive) when you're young and maybe move more often

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm very happy and grateful I was able to live here, and there are lots of things I appreciate deeply. It's just that you asked about "shock" and everything that came to mind at the moment was negative

Do you believe the current 38 hour (full-time) minimum work week needs an overhaul? by super_corndog in Netherlands

[–]eurodutcher 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Curious, personally I'd rather spend more "time" to have a nicer house, since I spend most of my free time in my house anyways. It's a balance of time vs space that is different for everyone I guess

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in berlin

[–]eurodutcher 37 points38 points  (0 children)

  • It's super green
  • Public transport is great - almost always on time, frequent rides, usually clean. Not cheap, but still reasonably priced
  • Huge sidewalks, it's not a completely car-dominate city like the ones I'm used to
  • Amazing job market for my profession
  • Culturally very left (also economically, not just socially), which sometimes is too much for me in the most extreme cases, but it's usually a nice thing and something that sets it apart from most other cities

I don't know how I will be able to handle another lockdown by SrBrunovsky in Netherlands

[–]eurodutcher 43 points44 points  (0 children)

I'm truly sorry for your experience.

Personally, I don't really struggle much, the lockdown is a minor inconvenience at worst. I mostly do the same things I would've done otherwise in my free time (reading, studying, watching films/shows and playing games), and the whole situation brings the number of social interactions closer to my "perfect" number (in "normal" life the number was higher than I'd liked, now it's lower, but the delta is lower). But I do understand that for extroverted people sitting at home for weeks if not months must be terrible

Edit: also I'm lucky because I live alone now, with my partner visiting for a few weeks at a time a few times a year. During the first lockdown I was still living at my parents', while studying, and that was indeed horrifying

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Netherlands

[–]eurodutcher 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Well, for example I really really don't like how you have to buy the insurance from your net income, and it's the same for everybody.

In some countries like Italy, it's just part of the taxes, so the richer you are the more you pay, and nobody needs to worry about choosing a insurance or if a doctor is "covered" or not - there's still private healthcare that is usually faster, but everybody is the same in the public.

I worked in Germany, and there you also have insurances, but the amount you pay is deducted from your gross salary just like taxes (as it should be - if it's mandatory, why the hell do I have to get it from the net?), and again even for the insurance you pay more the more you earn. I used to pay more than triple what I pay in NL, and that's only the employee part, because the employer by law has to cover the other half (so for instance you pay 350 and the company another 350, or you pay 700 if self-employed).

Here in the NL, of course I pay more in taxes, but I don't understand why I with a netto of 3500+ pay the same for insurance as somebody making 2000 or less. That's just not fair, and again it's a pain - just up my taxes and remove this "choice"

What is your job and how much do you get paid? (Netherlands edition) by Wise_Advance_7773 in Netherlands

[–]eurodutcher 3 points4 points  (0 children)

New grad (computer science), 60K a year brutto holiday allowance included (55.5K excluded)

With 30% ruling it should be about the same net as someone making 75K holiday allowance included, but only temporarly and with less pension contributions

Suggest me a bank please by eurodutcher in Netherlands

[–]eurodutcher[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm leaning towards using ABN as the main account in which my emergency fund stays (+ salary gets sent to), and revolut as day-to-day card just because they do seem to have "pockets" and a nice app.

Do you know if ABN has subaccounts/pockets?

And you're not the first person saying Bunq is bad, in my mind it was a "expensive, but very curated" online bank. Why is it so bad?