I’ve taken a massive jump and just updated my local cable / T.V options to now include “english CNN”.
That’s right…..for the first time in the last 10 years I’m planning to “tune in” to America’s #1 news channel ( is it? ) on my on free will.
I just can’t sit this one out as…….from a global perspective the current “news” out of The United States and “how it may affect me” is certainly worth a couple extra pesos. Currently I’m watching Obama reading from a teleprompter/ cue cards on the latest reductions in the “food stamp program” now squeezing MILLIONS of Americans already struggling to keep food on the table.
I understand the “upper class” being what…..2% of the population? Then the middle, and of course the lower.
How long will it be, before the scales are tipped to reflect a 99 to 1 percent ratio, where there is no middle class??
You’ll have Uncle Ben, Obama and the Wall Steet clowns – and a nation of slaves no?
I’ll do my best to keep my observations / comments “respectful and objective” but……it’s been an hour and a half and………
I’ve got to get out of here.
I’m going for a walk.
P.S – I just got back from the local grocery store where I bought enough food for myself and the “future Mrs Kong” to last a week.
35 buck by my math.
Hey Kong, are there food stamps in Mexico?
Hi Andrew.
Not that I’m aware of no.
This link gives some info on the health care system, of particular interest the affordability and quality.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Mexico
More Americans should do as you have and move to a cheaper place to live; myself, I’m moving to Sth East Asia, either Thailand, the Philipines or Bali in Indonesia, but I’m favouring Thailand because of the world class hospitals. I can rent a unit for $200 a month, a house for $400, and eat restaurant class food for $2 to $3 a day. Utilities cost about the same as here in Australia, maybe a kittle less.
In Australia I’m paying $1,100 a month rent alone. I’m on an aged pension which does not support me here, but in South East Asia I’ll be able to save at least $800 a month on my pension.
More Americans should do as you have and move to a cheaper place to live; myself, I’m moving to Sth East Asia, either Thailand, the Philipines or Bali in Indonesia, but I’m favouring Thailand because of the world class hospitals. I can rent a unit for $200 a month, a house for $400, and eat restaurant class food for $2 to $3 a day. Utilities cost about the same as here in Australia, maybe a kittle less.
In Australia I’m paying $1,100 a month rent alone. I’m on an aged pension which does not support me here, but in South East Asia I’ll be able to save at least $800 a month on my pension.
I’ve been eyeing Thailand for some time now, and have “almost” pulled the rip cord a couple of times.
Being able to make a living via the computer offers some wonderful freedoms. It’s really too bad there aren’t more opportunities for “more people” to do so!
Graphic design is mobile, as well copywriting and a host of other things – but all pretty competitive and inconsistant.
You will certainly get a “much larger bang for your buck” there in Thailand – and enjoy learning / living within another culture as well!
Mexico has been fantastic as costs are low, and the people , food , culture , weather etc…..all fantastic!
Yes, a lot of expats make enough from blogs/websites to live on if they don’t have a pension. Travel and food blogs are popular, they make a little money each month. There are some who write and sell info books on “Live in Thailand on $500 a month” for instance. Setting up an internet cafe is another.
Many work as English teachers (in great demand).
I know one Aussie who lives on a disability pension in Thailand (he’s epileptic). Because its not a retirement pension he must return to Australia every 6 weeks (if only to return the same day). A return airfare from Bankock to Darwin is only about $500 so he manages OK, and he supports a family there as well.
Hey Kong, I don’t know what you have available to you in your neck of the woods but I don’t waste my time with CNN. Fox News blows all the other cable news channels away by ratings . If CNN is all you have available then I might rely on something else to form my opinions but I know you’re smart enough not to believe everything you hear. Most of these news channels are now left leaning and have a hard time getting past their ideology.
I’m looking at it for exactly those reasons – to see just “how far” / “ridiculous” it really is.
I’d be hard pressed to believe / buy a single word of it frankly, but am interested to get a “read on it” as there is just so much “up in the air” there now.
Looking back at only the past few months, with Syria (getting stuffed by Russia) then the government shutdown, and the debt ceilling, now this Obamacare fiasco – it’s almost hard to beleive.
Perhaps next we’ll catch Obama having a long term affair with a woman connected to Al Qaeda or the Bin Laden family, and he can trash his “family value” vote as well.
Debt ceiling / default issues already “just around the corner” again.
I have all of them Kong. Sky news, Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN, Fox News etc. Whilst I tend to fog over after watching them for a bit their news feeds are first rate. Announcements on the second they come out. It depends thro what eyes you view them tho. Good luck keeping calm.
Ps. I don’t know if you do requests on your articles but would it be possible to do a “if – then” kind of blog? More specifically – global money movements. I’m still wet behind the ears on such things and you seem to be the gaffer (please excuse the suckin up). Your opinion on such things would be most interesting.
The news is a welcome change here, and if anything I hope to put some of my cynicism and skepticism to rest.
Being off the reservation this long, it’s safe to say I’ve developed ideas / views of my own that are just as likely “wack” so…..I try to keep a very open mind.
I like where you’re going with the “if – then” Andrew -but may ask that you get a bit more specific. I’ll do my best.
Do mean to ask something like: “if in fact the rampid UFO sightings in the U.S.A are really Chinese harnessing / reversed alien technology from generations past – then it’s fair to say you’d better start looking to convert USD to Yuan?”
Keeping things light here as always.
Fire away Andrew – I’ll give it a shot.
Many thanks. I’ll have a think.
Okie dokie here we go.
If the US is downgraded again then …..
If the Nikkei 225 sells off on Monday (their time) then ….
If the UK raises interest rates then ……
If the US inflation increases then ….
If China reduces it’s US bond buying by – A LOT then ….
Your thoughts on likely money movements would be most interesting. It’s mostly for education in understanding how money flows. My sincerest thanks.
Well Andrew – I bet you can answer most of these for yourself, and lets also keep in mind – not each and every “move” in markets comes with a handful of a larger implications right? For example…Nikkei sells off on Monday – zip / nada – no biggy. It’s just another day in the markets.
Reduction in China’s bond buying – tough to wrap our heads around “alot” vs “a little” vs “more than before” etc….
A downgrade of the U.S “will” bring with it some serious implications ie…..selling of U.S dollar as well U.S debt.
UK raising rates = good for the currency ( as it is in general )
So……in general I don’t really look at each and every single detail of every economic tidbit planet wide, but moreso – try to develop a “macro view” of “where I think things are headed in general” – then do what I can in real time – to slot these little details / shifts “into the framework”.
I’m “short humanity and long interplanetary travel” as my overlaying fundamental view ( and that’s no joke ) so…..where the “rest of this” fits in – I frame it all with that in mind.