A priceless line from today’s online Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: “Whoever is on welfare in Rotterdam must now do at least something to receive his money.”

Yikes! But that is how severe this global recession is—even the Netherlands must contemplate those two most dreaded words: welfare reform. Those on the dole—including foreigners—may even have to take on such undesirable jobs as picking up trash in order to keep those checks coming. Naturally critics are calling this “forced labor.” (links in German)