Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”pharg”]Periodically a series of discourteous exchanges erupts all over this discussion forum. Often it seems to be sweikert925 and a series of his antagonists. [/quote]
Can I be more courteous in my exchanges? Yes, I suppose so. But once someone abandons all pretense at courtesy toward me I feel less constrained to be so with him.Another admirable trait that Winston Churchill had was a refusal to practice unilateral disarmament. That’s the one I prefer to emulate.
If some are going to continue to show their contempt and condescension toward Costa Rica, its people and its government then I am going to continue to point that out and push back against it.[/quote]
Quite admirable Steve…. but perhaps once you get to know the way the country works and how their politicians are running the show you might not feel so benevolent. For now we’ll leave it at that… Cheers!
[quote=”pharg”][quote=”sweikert925″]And, as usual, once you run out of logical arguments you resort to childish insults.[/quote]
Periodically a series of discourteous exchanges erupts all over this discussion forum. Often it seems to be sweikert925 and a series of his antagonists. For me, I see them as nonconstructive pissing contests. It reminds me of one of Winston Churchill’s (many) quotes – Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip.
More tact in disagreements would be a nice change.
PEH
[/quote]Just a slow day on the boards to discuss real issues. Besides I had some extra quarters to toss in the sweikert925 machine to provide some local entertainment. He’s predictable… defends the Chinese without addressing their history and issues on human rights or the environment… makes excuses for criminal politicians in CR by deflecting the issue with other criminal politicians as if to make it sound acceptable … anything to be contrary. It’s just his way. He’s gonna be a big hit in CR for about 2 years.
So what might your feelings be about CR getting cozy with the Chinese? Good, bad, or neutral? How about the short and long term implications of the agreements being crafted?? Does CR benefit in the long term or do they end up on the short end of the deal? Is the control the Chinese are requiring as part of their generosity something the politicians in CR should be concerned about as some have made issue with?
BTW… Love the Churchill quote. But sometimes a more direct effort is required.
Here is another Churchill quote…. one I like.
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
Seems he had a good grasp of both direct and less direct methods of expressing discourse with people over issues.
Nice of you to try to provide multiple choice questions…. but it seems you like to take control by limiting one’s answers to the choices YOU impose.
I’ll answer this one… wrong about anything…. YES… believing a meaningful exchange could be had with you on any topic… I knew that when you blew off the Boston Tea Party as an inconsequential event in American history in a prior exchange.
I have a multiple choice question for you…
Did you take your psych medications today?
1. Yes, but they don’t seem to be working.
2. Yes, and I feel fine…. the voices are guiding me through my day as usual.
3. No, I think I left them on the spaceship I was abducted on last night.
4. No, I don’t need them I know better than the doctors.
Have a wonderful day there Buttercup! 😉
[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”Imxploring”] And fools are quick to grab the money without considering the consequences. [/quote]
The nations of Central America have more reason than most to know that, since for decades they have danced to tunes that were composed on Wall Street.
Why is it that you always assume you are smarter than the government of Costa Rica?[/quote]
I think you’ll find quite a few people that have had up close and personal dealings with the government in CR that will share my opinion that they consider themselves considerably more competent and smarter than the government of CR…. perhaps a poll is in order??? LOL
Want to chime in Scott?
If the recent past leadership of CR is any indication you might want to reconsider your support of their intelligence and intentions… two recent presidents have gone to jail for lining their pockets on “deals” they entered their government into while running the show in CR… so the intentions of these folks is always in question… and the deals with the Chinese have the same smell to them…. and it’s foul.
[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”Imxploring”]That depends on your definition of “independent”…. [/quote]
Not really, CR still had a free choice to take that deal or not.
[quote=”Imxploring”] Like Don Oscar and his move to establish relations with China..[/quote]
Which was a better deal for CR – recognizing reality, accepting that the Beijing government was in fact the legitimate government of the Chinese mainland and getting something in return? Or doing that and getting nothing for it, as almost all the other countries had done by 2007? Seems to me Arias’ move was pretty shrewd.
Which option would you have picked if you had been in Arias’ shoes?
A) Gone on ridiculously pretending that the Taipei government was the legitimate government of mainland China
B) Recognized Beijing, but without getting anything in return
C) Recognized Beijing, but getting something in returnI suspect I may not get an answer from you on this one.[/quote]
So a former Noble peace prize winner aligns his country with one that is well know for its “challenged” human rights issues and complete lack of respect for the environment…. two traits CR allegedly holds dearest…. seems reasonable doesn’t it?
Yeah…. but he got a free stadium… and allows a foothold for Chinese influence and control…. and a flood of crap products to fill the shelves in CR.. the local hardware store is stocked with dollar store quality goods… all garbage. Hasn’t trade with the Chinese done wonders for the US? No problem there right? I can’t wait to see what it does to CR considering the lack of regulation, control, and testing of Chinese products now flooding CR.
Seems Don Oscar talks out of both sides of his face…. but him and his brother quietly left the public eye afterwards… guess there was more than a stadium in the deal.
And already the Chinese feel they can dictate their will in CR…. Luckily some of the politicians see where this is headed and have raised issue with it. Perhaps there is a glimmer of hope…. but I fear that’s only wishful thinking!
[quote=”sweikert925″]As long as Costa Rica remains an independent country rather than a province of China, your worry would seem to be a bit exaggerated.[/quote]
That depends on your definition of “independent”…. seems the opponents of the lasted Chinese “deal” have correctly pointed out that CR is being issued a commercial loan at a market rate but are being subjected to the dictate of the Chinese on who they must hire to do the work… in this case a Chinese firm (with questionable credentials)… which will no doubt be sourcing equipment, materials, management, and manpower from yet other Chinese firms…. that doesn’t really sound very “independent” does it?
As to Scott’s point… who needs bullets to fight a war these days… the Chinese have reserves that are being used to fight and conquer countries. And fools are quick to grab the money without considering the consequences. Like Don Oscar and his move to establish relations with China… one must question its true intent being fully aware of their record on human rights and contempt towards the environment.
Looks like another “Deal” with the Chinese that creates reasonable questions.
Lawmakers could approve $395 million Chinese loan to expand Route 32 as early as this week
[quote=”johnnyh”]Recently Costa Rica’s president Solis went to Washington District of Corruption to receive his marching orders, but I’m wondering if he is being a realist specially as China seems to be the growing economic star. I came upon an interesting article some may find illuminating.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-16/us-vs-china-study-opposites
Needless to say, I was quite impressed by President Solis and his fluent English, which by the way tells me he was educated in the USSA, and would be prone to play by the latter countrie’s rules and accept its inflation. Any thoughts?[/quote]
The old saying “Money talks and B.S. walks” is the new policy in CR…. and the Chinese are throwing an awful lot around… but they’re slick… It’s not walking around money that the politicians can pocket… It’s “in-kind” cash… a stadium built by Chinese workers… police cars built in Chinese factories… New Dock facilities, New refineries, and other public works projects and promises that will be done by Chinese companies using Chinese materials, management, and most likely workers. By the time that the challenged leadership in CR realizes what’s going on they’ll be so deep they’ll have no way out.
Don’t be fooled by Solis… he’s as big a fool as Don Oscar and Laura… he’s playing with a snake… and at some point you always suffer the bite!
China doesn’t want conquests… it wants consumers… and by merging its foreign policy with it’s economic policy of world expansion it has the US beat hands down!
The country is being flooded with cheap Chinese goods and products. The same crap that has killed the US markets and created the trade imbalances. China needs to keep their people working and they need consumers. Even the “trade” deals that have been announced between China and CR have been a joke.
The Chinese have a ton of cash reserves to spend… so finding friends while keeping those fangs hidden should work very well with the current gang running CR and most of Central and South America.
[quote=”Scott”][quote=”Imxploring”][quote=”Scott”]Sorry to be rude but do you really think that gardeners and housekeeper in Costa Rica understand currency fluctuations?
Few business people do…
You start paying them in dollars and their wives and husbands will be telling them that you are probably ripping them off…
It’s been my experience that most gardeners and housekeeper in Costa Rica don’t have a bank account so where do they change those dollars into colones?
Answer: In a place where they’ll probably get ripped off with the exchange rate which is not what you want.
Don’t complicate your life! Pay them what they expect to be paid in the money that they expect to be paid in …
Just my dos colones …
Scott
[/quote]Perhaps I’m employing over – qualified gardeners and housekeepers…. they seem pretty sharp and have a good understanding of the colon/dollar exchange rate and how it impacts them….they also have bank accounts… perhaps I’m paying them too well! I’m thinking perhaps I should cut off the free wifi and dumb them down a bit! I knew introducing them to the Internet was the beginning of the end!!! LOL[/quote]
Just don’t show them the article in today’s [url=http://www.nacion.com/economia/finanzas/Pension-exdiputados-millones-anos_0_1467253271.html]La Nacion[/url] about the pensions that some of the diputados are earning in Costa Rica…
208 ex-legislators who are – on average – earning a pension of 5,000,000 colones per month (US$9,206.74) and which automatically increases by 30% (Yes! THIRTY per cent) per year!
According to the article, nobody could join this ‘plan’ after 1995 but even so 208 people earning $9,206.74 per month is a total of US$1,915,001.92 per month just for this small group…
Mind-boggling!
[/quote]
Trust me…. they know their government is full of thieves… but that’s not any different from the US or most countries in the world today. It’s the kind of environment that leads to revolutions.
[quote=”VictoriaLST”]Hell Scott (can I say that here?) that’s not rude mainly because I don’t understand it either. But you have a point – better to not confuse things. I am confused enough for everyone.
As to the price of pizza at Moya’s, I usually just make my own 🙂 Want a slice?[/quote]
Interesting offer…. I might just take you up on that… although Moya does have some great toppings! 😉
[quote=”Scott”]Sorry to be rude but do you really think that gardeners and housekeeper in Costa Rica understand currency fluctuations?
Few business people do…
You start paying them in dollars and their wives and husbands will be telling them that you are probably ripping them off…
It’s been my experience that most gardeners and housekeeper in Costa Rica don’t have a bank account so where do they change those dollars into colones?
Answer: In a place where they’ll probably get ripped off with the exchange rate which is not what you want.
Don’t complicate your life! Pay them what they expect to be paid in the money that they expect to be paid in …
Just my dos colones …
Scott
[/quote]Perhaps I’m employing over – qualified gardeners and housekeepers…. they seem pretty sharp and have a good understanding of the colon/dollar exchange rate and how it impacts them….they also have bank accounts… perhaps I’m paying them too well! I’m thinking perhaps I should cut off the free wifi and dumb them down a bit! I knew introducing them to the Internet was the beginning of the end!!! LOL
Barbara Wrote:
“As a former realtor and a person that does not trust government period….they are pushing the valuation to get you to the luxury tax level so you can pay another tax for the services you get here.”
Could you tell me WHAT “Services” that might be??? LOL I must have been away when they started providing service in CR because I haven’t seen it…. an urban legend perhaps??
The “Luxury” tax is one of the most confusing taxes these clowns have put in place…. and if I’m not mistaken it was “earmarked” for programs that would never benefit anyone that paid it. Just another ill conceived program that perpetuates the reputation the folks running CR are earned.
[quote=”VictoriaLST”]I saw a post about this on FB and was confused. I have to admit that I still have some confusion (although you have helped).
My biggest concern is being fair to my gardener and housekeeper. Should I, at this point, pay them in dollars or colones. It sounds as if paying in colones is to my benefit but will hurt them. I want to do what is best for my employees, so it sounds like paying them in dollars is best. Right?[/quote]
I too have the same issue. If YOUR income (which I’m guessing it is) is in dollars, and the dollar rises, then paying them in dollars would be fairer. I’m sure they won’t have an issue with it. Any exchange rate variations may very well be gobbled up by rising prices for goods priced in colones anyway. At least with them being paid in dollars the impact on them will be minimal.
I had an experience years ago when I custom ordered some furniture from a fellow in Tilaran. We agreed on a price in dollars… but when delivery time came the dollar had dropped against the colon and he wanted more money. Not a lot but enough to get my attention. When I asked if he would have “dropped” his price on delivery had the exchange rate gone the other way there was that momentary pause and a slight smile on his part that told me the issue had become moot. He didn’t have a very good poker face! We settled on the price we agreed to when the items we ordered.
Paying in dollars… if that is what your income is based on allows you to budget and avoids the problem with folks you care about and the impact varying exchange rates have on them.
I wonder if the price of the Broken Ceiling Pizza at Moyas will be going up?? LOL
It appears that the government in CR can no longer afford the needed monetary commitment required to keep the dollar down. As such dollar earners will most likely see a benefit in buying power while those earning in local currency will see a decline.
How it impacts local businesses, products, and ultimately prices will be a function of how interconnected they are with either currency.
The other variable in CR is that either currency is almost interchangeable in day to day transactions, right down to having breakfast in a little local soda in the sticks. As such the impact of a “float” will not be a mathematical exercise in economics but to some degree an emotional one as to how it is perceived by the public and the financial sector.
The tourism/tourist sector should see a gain as they price most goods and services in dollars yet pay their expenses in colones.
That gain may be a wash however if locally priced items rise quickly and swallow up the dollar gain in the exchange rate.
The impact on real estate may be muted for a while as things settle out.
Like the Swiss Franc situation, at some point the required effort to MANIPULATE a market becomes even too great for governments to undertake.
Its quickly becoming every man for themselves with the central banks. It might be a very wild ride for a while.
