BBC News UK 1st January ( last night ) 10pm.

[hasj]

I do like Funky Monkey

[benstraat]

Not to worry, I'm all booked for late February, see you shortly Amsterdam, trip 15 here I come.

[worldcitizen1723]

From Dutch news



All change: What’s new in the government rule book for 2013?

Monday 31 December 2012

The start of a new year traditionally means a large number of new laws come into effect in the Netherlands. Here is a round-up of the main changes.

Government subsidies for childcare are being cut.
Parents earning over €118,000 a year will no longer get subsidies for their first child.
Mortgage tax relief can only be claimed on repayment mortgages. Existing mortgages are not affected.
People who sell their home at a loss will be able to deduct interest paid on the negative equity from tax for 10 years.
The maximum mortgage will be fixed at 105% of the value of the property rather than 106%.
Social housing rents can be increased by inflation plus 1.5%.
Taxes on wine, beer, cigarettes and rolling tobacco will go up.
Tax payable on insurance will go up from 9.7% to 21%, costing the average household €100 a year.
The lower tax on ‘red petrol’, used by farmers, is being scrapped.
Companies will get a bonus for employing older jobless people or people with a handicap.
Taxes on cars will be based on their carbon dioxide emissions, rather than catalogue price.
Workers with a company car will no longer have to formally record private mileage.
The health service own-risk element is going up from €220 to €350.
Walking aids for the elderly will no longer be covered in the basic health insurance package.
IVF treatment for women over the age of 43 will no longer be included in basic health coverage.
Advice on diet and stopping smoking will be included in the basic package.
Dental charges will be set by the government rather than dentists.
People with low incomes but high assets will no longer be able to claim cash to help pay for health insurance.
The official retirement age will go up from 65 to 65 plus one month.
The under-16s caught in possession of alcohol will be committing a criminal offence and will face a fine.
!!!!Cannabis cafe owners will have to ensure their customers are officially resident in the Netherlands!!!'mmmm
People working in the public sector will no longer be able to earn more than the prime minister

----maybe up to the mayors....but they kept it on the books

[benstraat]

It seems very unclear and not very important.
It's almost like the government is saying the regulation has to happen but won't actively look for cases of it not happening.
For example there's meant to be a tobacco ban but I've seen members of staff in pubs and coffeeshops smoking cigarettes.

Anyone actually worried for up coming trips?

[worldcitizen1723]

No
Not worried
Just finding the whole thing very interesting
But
It is all set up for the right turn of government
To tighten the screws ( of course that is highly unlikely)
And an election would be necessary... So, not at all worried about '13

[Slaartibartfast]

I got served no problem in Tertuilla and Kashmir Lounge on the 1st and the 2nd, so I'm still planning my trips for later in the year.

[mafufero]

If you trust the mayor's word, then all is well, at least while he's the mayor

http://www.amsterdam.info/coffee-shop-news/

[dconstrukt]

the whole thing is weird, but glad nothings happening.

i was worried there for a bit.

and i'm with ron... fuck the BBC.

looking fwd to end of april

[Dave near London]

The BBC loves all this .....(let us hope the Mayor of Dam continues with his proactive and sensible policy)

[uklad_in_ireland]

BBC new's is useless anyway. The whole of BBC are under the spotlight as for decades they been doing evil things .


Sky news is better .

[mafufero]

Not defending BBC, but isn't SKY owned by Rupert Murdoch, and part of that whole phone hacking scandal? Not sure I would trust SKY either.

I found this BBC documentary on youtube the other day. It's not really about the situation discussed here (i.e. will tourists be allowed to buy pot in coffeeshops in 2013?), but I think it somewhat reinforces Uncle Ron's point about the BBC's views on pot. There's quite a bit of footage of Amsterdam, and the reporter gets to work for a month in Dampkring. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTO_vbl5TCY