A terrifying year ahead?
Jan 3rd 2012 | 9:06 pm
#61
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 19,367
From: Mallorca
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
Exactly. I don't know anyone who is on the poverty line in both countries. Employment is only around 8 or 9% in both too. Bit different from Spain who saw another increase in December.(now over 30% in andalucÃa!) In the last 4 weeks I have been to London, Kingston, Guildford, Farnham, Portsmouth and Marbella. All the UK places have job ads in shop windows and restaurants. Queues to get in eating places. Marbella was sort of dead, although it always was in Dec. Was nice to walk in shops though and not have anyone in.
Florida, I have a place there fully rented for over 2 years. Also have relatives there, one has a business and another employed. Most decent jobs provide private medical insurance and if you are self-employed it doesn't seem a large outlay for medical as there is no national insurance equivalent. eg. when we were in business in the UK we paid 7% NI on profits up to a certain amount and from what I have read Spanish self-employed are highly taxed. It is ok. googling US stats but until you actually spend a lot of time there you realise that they have a much better lifestyle. Hear that Orlando isn't doing so good, but it's a crap place unless taking the kids to Disney. Most of the busineses there doing badly are Brit owned...they suffered from the spanish bubble.
Florida, I have a place there fully rented for over 2 years. Also have relatives there, one has a business and another employed. Most decent jobs provide private medical insurance and if you are self-employed it doesn't seem a large outlay for medical as there is no national insurance equivalent. eg. when we were in business in the UK we paid 7% NI on profits up to a certain amount and from what I have read Spanish self-employed are highly taxed. It is ok. googling US stats but until you actually spend a lot of time there you realise that they have a much better lifestyle. Hear that Orlando isn't doing so good, but it's a crap place unless taking the kids to Disney. Most of the busineses there doing badly are Brit owned...they suffered from the spanish bubble.
for Europeans, being unemployed is not such a bad thing (in some cases, a godsend), since the welfare state pays for thier well-being (and we know plenty of people who are living happily "on the dole"), so the European voter is naturally less concerned about it.
Unemployed Americans aren't given anywhere near the same levels of "entitlements", so 9% unemployment in the US is actually much worse for public sentiment than 40% unemployment in Spain.
It's an election year over there... Prepare to constantly hear that the US is in worse condition than any country in the world. Vote for me! I will fix it!
Jan 3rd 2012 | 10:12 pm
#62
Senior Moment
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 20,459
From: On the edge
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
I'm talking about the 2000w oil radiators that you can buy from any electrical place and plug in to the wall. So in effect its an electric radiator, and its still far far far cheaper than the prices you are paying for gas considering we have ours on most of the day. However everyones house is different so it is, I agree, difficult always to compare
Jan 3rd 2012 | 10:35 pm
#63
Banned
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 19,367
From: Mallorca
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
I dont have oil either.
I'm talking about the 2000w oil radiators that you can buy from any electrical place and plug in to the wall. So in effect its an electric radiator, and its still far far far cheaper than the prices you are paying for gas considering we have ours on most of the day. However everyones house is different so it is, I agree, difficult always to compare
I'm talking about the 2000w oil radiators that you can buy from any electrical place and plug in to the wall. So in effect its an electric radiator, and its still far far far cheaper than the prices you are paying for gas considering we have ours on most of the day. However everyones house is different so it is, I agree, difficult always to compare
So, for us, gas is a LOT cheaper. Roughly half the cost of electric heat (and it's much warmer in the house). I'm told that oil is even cheaper than gas...
Because energy is becoming so expensive (and due to the corruption in Spain, the energy companies are able to extort overcharges and double-charges), we are now considering whether the cost of installing solar might finally be a more economical alternative.
Last edited by amideislas; Jan 3rd 2012 at 11:49 pm.
Jan 3rd 2012 | 11:52 pm
#64
Thread Starter
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,753
From: Alicante province
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
Some good news at last, for me anyway, the pound is now over 1.20 Euros and rising.
Jan 4th 2012 | 12:21 am
#65
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 19,367
From: Mallorca
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
I'd expect the Euro to crash against the dollar, but if the Euro tanks to the pound and other "non-Eurozone European currencies", then that is a very bad sign for the Euro.... but ironically, a ray of hope for Europe.
Not necessarily a good economic indicator for the UK...
Jan 4th 2012 | 12:40 am
#66
Retired and loving it!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,211
From: Ontinyent - Valencia region (campo)
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
Yeah! Didn't he predict that the world would end on 21st December 2012
... and to be more specific, some others have got this down to 11:11 in the morning of that day!
Let's all just enjoy ourselves 'till then. My son wants us to REALLY enjoy ourselves and spend al our money (such as it is) - maybe that's going a bit too far?
... and to be more specific, some others have got this down to 11:11 in the morning of that day!
Let's all just enjoy ourselves 'till then. My son wants us to REALLY enjoy ourselves and spend al our money (such as it is) - maybe that's going a bit too far?
Jan 4th 2012 | 12:48 am
#67
FreeThinker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 9,702
From: the moors and levels
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
Yeah! Didn't he predict that the world would end on 21st December 2012
... and to be more specific, some others have got this down to 11:11 in the morning of that day!
Let's all just enjoy ourselves 'till then. My son wants us to REALLY enjoy ourselves and spend al our money (such as it is) - maybe that's going a bit too far?
... and to be more specific, some others have got this down to 11:11 in the morning of that day!
Let's all just enjoy ourselves 'till then. My son wants us to REALLY enjoy ourselves and spend al our money (such as it is) - maybe that's going a bit too far?
Jan 4th 2012 | 1:17 am
#68
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 12,053
From: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
so who do you suggest we sacrifice to ensure that new page is written by the gods ??
Jan 4th 2012 | 1:51 am
#69
Retired and loving it!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,211
From: Ontinyent - Valencia region (campo)
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
http://www.december2012endofworld.com/nostradamus-2012
Jan 4th 2012 | 2:24 am
#70
Banned
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,824
From: Living in a good place
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
Jan 4th 2012 | 2:38 am
#71
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 7,749
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
They live on today as the people of Mexico and Central America
However, in the 16th and 17th C hundreds of thousands of single Spanish men arrived in the region and took concubines and starting having children a. to provide workers for the land with Spanish blood (the fabled caste system) and b. to spread christianity
So nowadays, maybe over half of Mexicans have Spanish blood somewhere, but most of them are still 90% or more Mayan/Aztec or other indigenous races.
The powerful "white European" Mexican and Central American ruling class families were mainly Spanish families who moved in their entirity to the region and didnt mix their blood with the natives
Thanks to wikipedia for the knowledge
Jan 4th 2012 | 3:27 am
#72
FreeThinker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 9,702
From: the moors and levels
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
Nah! May have been them as well but see here for his prediction of the comet ending it all
http://www.december2012endofworld.com/nostradamus-2012
http://www.december2012endofworld.com/nostradamus-2012
Jan 4th 2012 | 7:46 am
#74
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,249
From: Valencia
Re: A terrifying year ahead?
Nah! May have been them as well but see here for his prediction of the comet ending it all
http://www.december2012endofworld.com/nostradamus-2012
http://www.december2012endofworld.com/nostradamus-2012
