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[quote=”sprite”][quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”sprite”]
US News media has an agenda. [/quote]Of course they do – their agenda is to make as much money as possible. Do you really think Rupert Murdoch is bowing to the demands of the US or any other government?
If the US media are lackeys of the federal government then why are they so quick to pounce on stories such as the NSA monitoring case?[/quote]
Silly boy! The US media did not pounce on the NSA story. They were forced to report it by one reporter and this is old news for most of us anyway. It only seems like news to naive people like you who swallow some or all the lies that the government and the lackey media spew out.[/quote]
Please take note that the original story and release of this story was by the Guardian…. an English newspaper. You have to wonder why it wasn’t a US based new organization?
The “good” economic news last week was the job numbers report. What they failed to say was that most of the 195,000 jobs created were in sectors of the market that pay little and don’t provide for individual security or growth. THAT type of “growth” will never bring the economy around. Unemployment is a problem… UNDEREMPLOYMENT is even a bigger issue!
As to the housing market… once interest rates start to rise whatever gains housing has made will disappear.
[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”sprite”]
US News media has an agenda. [/quote]Of course they do – their agenda is to make as much money as possible. Do you really think Rupert Murdoch is bowing to the demands of the US or any other government?
If the US media are lackeys of the federal government then why are they so quick to pounce on stories such as the NSA monitoring case?[/quote]
Just remember that up until a month ago the “nuts” out there that were claiming that the US Government was monitoring phone calls and email were dismissed as paranoid conspiracy junkies….. not the case any more.
Face facts…. governments lie all the time. And it’s not always to keep secrets that need to be kept for good reason. Just this week the State Department LIED about John Kerry’s whereabouts repeatedly and only came clean when confronted with overwhelming proof.
I don’t think any of us could justify their actions as in the best interest of the public or necessary to maintain national security. If they’re willing to try to lie to us about something so innocuous as this what do you think the chances are you get the truth 75% of the time?
[quote=”costaricabill”]Wow, where you been Sweikert?
After a 9 day hiatus you are back! I was worried maybe you decided to move to another country or blog, or maybe you were in rehab for a “WLCR addiction”.
9 days, man that was enjoyable! In the 9 days previous to your disappearance you had 27 posts, then nothing ….. “cold turkey”, truly an admirable feat, man!
But it looks like you fell off the wagon – 4 post just this morning on only one topic……. what next??
:D:):lol:[/quote]He’s been down in the bunker…. seems Chicago had another warm spell and the lead started flying again! Duck and run time in his home town this last week! With as many people actually hit by bullets (was it 30 or so?) you can’t help but wonder how many shots are flying around that don’t hit someone!
So that begs the question… just what the heck is going on in Chicago? General lawlessness? Gang violence? The start of some type of race or social economic civil war?
But I’m off topic…. we’re talking about gay marriage right? Why focus on people (and children) being gunned down in the streets at an alarming rate!
An interesting story about how the Chinese work. Seems their expansion into Africa isn’t going as planned.
Wonder if the politicians in Nicaragua and Costa Rica read the NYT?
That’s a big one! I love seeing those 60 something guys with the 30 something Ticas…. then the little Tico. The usual path involves a break up after the baby is born…. then she’s back with the boyfriend she never stopped seeing.
Silly gringo is now on the hook making payments and getting visits from the local police when he doesn’t make his payments promptly! And don’t even think about running back to the states. That will cost you too!
Funny, I might be wrong, but I think the payments are called a “pension”…. I guess it fits since it’s sort of a retirement plan for the Tica and her boyfriend…. all courtesy of that older gringo looking for love!
Best advice is if you’re coming to Costa Rica to go spelunking be sure to use protective equipment and have good strong illumination to see where you’re going and what you’re getting yourself into. Sometimes those tight passages are very easy to get into but extremely difficult to get out of after you’ve explored them.
Just a few for now. The common one’s I’ve noticed.
1. Only associate with, and befriend other expats.
2. Only drink and eat at expat owned establishments.
3. Consider spanish a foreign language forgetting they’re in a foreign country.
4. Don’t attend or participate in local events or fundraisers.
5. Don’t take the time to sit and talk to Ticos that might be learning english or might want to learn something about the US.
6. Don’t take note or call folks in town by their names. Remembering the fellow at the gas station, hardware store, or bank goes a LONG way!
7. Don’t take an interest in the school, people, or town you’re living in.
Come now david…. what kind of entrepreneur are you…. you should have pitched the reality show idea to some TV producers before mentioning it here! Now someone else is going to jump all over your idea!!!! 🙂
[quote=”VictoriaLST”]I have been reading your posts and they lead me to think that you do not enjoy being educated. You probably never read anything about Jiryas Joel. And I never suggested that Jews were bad or worthy of contempt, but then accusations seem to be your tactic.
Nevertheless…..
Want to beat your wife? Abuse your children? This is Kiryas Joel, state law does not apply here, so go ahead.Want to claim a property tax exemption as a house of worship? No problem. We will have a minyan meet in your home for a service. After all, the state laws don’t apply here.
Don’t want to follow the state educational curriculum? Don’t want your children to learn English? Don’t want your daughters to get an education? No problem. State laws don’t apply here.
Election day? The rebbe will tell you how to vote, you don’t even have to know the names of the candidates. (A voting bloc like that can and does sway elections.)
Want to work in the diamond district and not claim income? No problem. Cash is king and you can still get your welfare and food stamps.
The best man at our wedding was my husband’s college roommate and Jewish. One of my bridesmaids was Jewish. I am not criticizing a religion, I am criticizing behavior.
All that having been said, I am finished with this thread and your nonsense.[/quote]
Have to admit (having some first hand knowledge) that some of your points are also true when dealing with some of the “closed” jewish communities in NYC as well as in upstate NY. The same can also be said and applied to segments of other religious and ethnic groups that represent the far extremes of such groups however.
[quote=”sweikert925″]Speaking of furniture appropriate for living in Costa Rica, can I assume that bringing my oriental carpets with me when I move is not a good idea? I’ve seen lots of pictures of houses in CR and noticed that they never seem to have carpets. Is that because of mildew?[/quote]
I have several carpets on the floor of my home on Lake Arenal… all synthetic fiber. Breaks up the hardness of living on all tile floors. Moisture is an issue so natural materials are not really an option. Most I brought from the states as carpets in CR do not provide much selection and are rather expensive.
This might not be an issue in the dryer areas near the beach. Think seriously before bringing your stuff to CR when relocating. Besides the cost and potential for breakage the items you bring might not be suited for this environment. Friends brought a shipping container of stuff only to see most of it destroyed within a couple of years. Leather couches and moisture don’t do well…. neither did the baby grand piano!
[quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”sweikert925″]According to the IRS:
11. Are US citizens living abroad subject to the individual shared responsibility provision?
Yes. However, US citizens who live abroad for a calendar year (or at least 330 days within a 12 month period) are treated as having minimum essential coverage for the year (or period). These are individuals who qualify for an exclusion from income under section 911 of the Code. See Publication 54 for further information on the section 911 exclusion. They need take no further action to comply with the individual shared responsibility provision.
Since you seem to understand the situation far better than I do, I have a question.
My income is from Social Security and a pension of under $500 per month. I never joined Medicare but opted for Caja when I found out about it.
Am I going to be required to participate in the shared responsibility provision? :?[/quote]
Even if your current intention is to never to return to the US you should have registered for Medicare when you turned 65….. you never know if at some point you will be forced to return to the US for medical care and be subject to the new rules.
[quote=”Rf2cr”]We are looking for a high quality leather sofa & love seat, traditional (not modern) styling. Any suggestions on where to start looking? We are trying to limit our search time to one overnighter.
All assistance gratefully accepted.[/quote]
Leather up by the lake? Are you sure about that? 🙂
Have a safe and enjoyable time in your travels Scott. And remember, don’t accept drinks from strangers while out and about… you wouldn’t want to wake up in a bathtub of ice in a strange hotel somewhere missing a kidney someone removed after slipping you a mickey. It happens all the time…. I read it on the internet, so it must be true! 🙂
[quote=”ratus”][quote=”imxploring”][quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”ratus”]Greetings all, we have been searching the net and this site for a definitive answer as to how much does CAJA cost? I have read that it is based on income, but I CAN’T seem to find the percentage that is used. I saw 13% but that seems high ….if for example you have a 3000 a month pension do you pay $390 a month? Is that for a couple?
TIA[/quote]
Wife and I both receive monthly SSA totaling near US$3000. We pay CAJA about $122 or 4%.[/quote]
A few questions to clarify your numbers.
1. When did you process your residency application, was it before the new rule requiring mandatory participation and the apparent change in the way the residency applications where being written showing the income amount not just a statement that you met the minimum requirement?
2. How much income did you show on your application, did you include both SSA incomes (for you and your wife) or just one which was enough to satisfy the $1000/month income requirement?
3. Are you utilizing or did you join under the group rate that ARCR was able to offer for participation in CAJA?
[i]#1 Answer =[/i] It was after.
[i]#2 Answer = [/i]We are Canadian and 8 years away from our government pensions, the only pension, for now, is my wife’s, in the amount of ~$4000,00 / month.( gross)
[i]#3 Answer =[/i] ARCR so longer offers group rates.
But we do qualify for investor residency and are in the process of getting quotes on the CAJA costs, applying via the investor route.
[/quote]Thanks for the info. Please share with us the quotes you get since using the pension route for residency might not be as desirable if your gross pension is being hit with a 13% charge for mandatory CAJA participation.
[quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”ratus”]Greetings all, we have been searching the net and this site for a definitive answer as to how much does CAJA cost? I have read that it is based on income, but I CAN’T seem to find the percentage that is used. I saw 13% but that seems high ….if for example you have a 3000 a month pension do you pay $390 a month? Is that for a couple?
TIA[/quote]
Wife and I both receive monthly SSA totaling near US$3000. We pay CAJA about $122 or 4%.[/quote]
A few questions to clarify your numbers.
1. When did you process your residency application, was it before the new rule requiring mandatory participation and the apparent change in the way the residency applications where being written showing the income amount not just a statement that you met the minimum requirement?
2. How much income did you show on your application, did you include both SSA incomes (for you and your wife) or just one which was enough to satisfy the $1000/month income requirement?
3. Are you utilizing or did you join under the group rate that ARCR was able to offer for participation in CAJA?
Thanks
