1

Expat Files – 01.08.16

-A seasoned gringo Expat (with a Brazilian wife) living in Brazil tells us some horrifying personal stories of the general insecurity and rampant crime taking place in the country. It seems even the so-called nice, upscale residential and shopping areas are not exempt from frequent robberies, assaults, general crime and lawlessness. Beside the crime problem, there are many reasons why Brazil does not make my list of Expat destinations.

-Today we have more good reasons not to drive a late model car of distinction or SUV in Latin America. If you do, you’ll be a target.

-To Tint or not to Tint: the truth about those ubiquitous Latin American dark-tinted (extremely dark) car windows. Should you do it to your own car? What if no cars had tinting? Is it a good or bad thing?

-What’s Latin America like for supersized and very tall gringos and Expats? For example: is it easy (or hard) for a six foot five inch guy to get around in a mostly down-sized Latin America? Yes, some buildings really are architecturally unfriendly to tall people. In older buildings, even six-footer’s occasionally bump their noggins

1

Michael Snyder – Financial Armageddon Approaches: U.S. Banks Have 247 Trillion Dollars Of Exposure To Derivatives

Did you know that there are 5 “too big to fail” banks in the United States that eachhave exposure to derivatives contracts that is in excess of 30 trillion dollars?  Overall, the biggest U.S. banks collectively have more than 247 trillion dollarsof exposure to derivatives contracts.  That is an amount of money that is more than 13 times the size of the U.S. national debt, and …

1

New study shows a child’s brain absorbs twice as much cell phone radiation versus adults

A recently published study shows that a child’s brain can absorb twice as much cell phone radiation as that of an adult. It confirms that cell phone radiation is absorbed deeper into children’s brains than previous outdated cell phone test methods have suggested. The world now has more than 7 billion cell phones. Given the links between cell phone radiation and a number of …

1

Eliott Negin – Starbucks’ Deforestation-Free Pledge Not Worth Beans

Starbucks has a bigger problem than the controversy over its new red holiday cup. It’s still buying palm oil and other agricultural products that might be linked to tropical forest destruction, and a coalition of science, environmental and labor organizations isn’t happy about it. Today that coalition sent a letter to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (above) urging him to strengthen …

1

Expat Files – 12.11.15

– When a few Latins have small casual business meetings they often meet up in the local greasy spoon or McDonalds. However, when a first-world person is involved in a meeting suddenly the climate changes. The Latin contingent will do a ridiculous “upscale” shift to Starbucks or the I-Hop. Why might that be? Could it be the “gringo advantage” or I-Hop disadvantage?

– Authorities might close down an airport for a few hours during a crisis or emergency. Last week such a shutdown happened at Tucuman airport in Panama (Central America’s busiest airport). You’ll never guess why, not in a million years…

-More on the teetering Latin real estate house of cards. Concerning Central America: it looks like the coming collapse will start with Panama…

-Argentina’s got a new President, and the old thieving one (Kirchner) is being a very bad sport about turning over the reins. Meanwhile the currency is collapsing and many Airlines are no longer accepting their steadily devaluing peso.

-There are 100 reasons why Chicken bus drivers have the most dangerous jobs in Latin America.

-What happens to gringos and expats when they get issued parking tickets and/or moving violations? Naturally the transit fine system is on manana time too, even so, should you be worried?

-What happens when Latin businesses try to copy first world businesses?

1

Expat Files – 12.06.15

-There are many thousands, of US government slugs posted in Latin America; contractors, embassy personal, military support, security people, clandestine operatives and more. Most of these govt drones seem to be clueless about the severe problems within the Big Brother police state they are part of. In fact , most are just putting in their time waiting it out for that fat pension (while they bury their classist snouts deep in the public trough). But what about those few enlightened govt. insiders living and working in Latin America who know the system can’t last and is about to implode? Today we have a story of one such guy…

-Vigilante groups: occasionally Latin citizens get so pissed off at their lazy ass cops, they the law into their own hands…

-We all know people stateside who live day to day on their credit cards and are absolutely terrible with money. Unfortunately, today Latin America today, credit card mania has arrived with a vengeance (within the middle classes and above) and now the whole individual and family society seems to be on the edge of insolvency.

1

Expat Files – 12.04.15

– How to determine if gringos have invaded or permanently spoiled yours or some other expat’s Latin Paradise

-Bad first- world trends that are slowly forcing their way into Latin America

-When clueless gringos (joiners) find comfort in mush-brained, pin-headed organizations like Democrats or Republicans abroad, it’s time to pack your bags and find another more sane Latin Paradise. Why people like that listen to this show I’ll never know. I get emails form them so I know that some do!

-Guess what? Under-educated, brain-washed gringos on the tourist trail in Latin America(and their wired, AD kids) can now get their multiple flu vaccines and Ritalin down here too.

-Some tips and suggestions regarding medical tourism in Latin America

-New, fresh expats are known for gathering good info well before they come down, but some are stubborn and just don’t follow good advice. Often excessively frugal gringos (former backpackers and do-gooders?) come down and make really stupid, life-altering, mistakes. Today we have some stark examples…

-Latin Restaurants: the Good, the Bad, and the moderately Filthy

1

It’s All About Food – Beverly Bennett, Pure Power of MACA – 12.01.15

Part I: Beverly Bennett, Pure Power of MACA

Maca—grown in the high plateaus of the Andes mountains in central Peru and Bolivia—has been cultivated for over three thousand years. Widely praised as a superfood and credited with boosting stamina, energy, libido, and fertility, maca also functions as an adaptogen, a natural substance that stimulates the body to heal whatever is out of balance. Maca has been recommended for decades by both conventional and alternative health care practitioners worldwide.

Beverly Lynn Bennett reviews maca’s nutritional and healing properties and all its available forms. She thoroughly covers how to incorporate powdered maca into daily meals and provides 32 scrumptious recipes, including beverages, morning meals, snacks, sides, main dishes, and treats. Incan Maca Hot Chocolate, Garden Guaca-Maca-Mole, and Maca-Miso Dressing are just a few of her delicious offerings.

1

Expat Files – 11.20.15

-Police road blocks with cops stopping certain vehicles are a common site in Latin America. Today we have a roadblock story you just won’t believe. In this story those pesky first-world “do gooders”are at it again.

-By the way, don’t be afraid or be worried if you get pulled over at a roadblock. The cops are generally nice… nice and lazy and nonthreatening, especially “off the tourist trail”. Cops really do like to bond and talk to gringos. You might even get asked nicely to a buy them coke or a gallon or two of gas. Note: none of that niceness is certain if you’re stopped in Mexico.

-A road trip story and some driving tips for gringos and expats who chance driving their car through Mexico and/or parts further south.

-The nuances of the famous “altiplano” areas explained. Yes, there are many more altiplano regions than you might think- and some are much better suited for Expat living than others. You really need to know these details…

-Today an email from a Canadian expat explaining why he can no longer live in his own corrupt first-world country… and why he much prefers the ever so predictable small-time corruption of Mexico to the big time corruption of first-world states like his.

1

Expat Files – 11.13.15

-Thinking of exploring or travelling long-term through Latin America? If you’re moving around, how can you get your snail- mail and packages from friends, family delivered as well as stuff from outfits like Amazon.com? Can you get that stuff shipped from up north? Yes, and it’s easy secure and inexpensive, that is, if you know the ropes ahead of time.

-Coming down to Latin America affords you a second lease on life in more ways than you can imagine. For one, if you plan correctly (and from the beginning) you can start your life in your new Latin country with a very small, nearly anonymous, footprint as well as a clean slate. Yes, you do have a chance to start fresh, so don’t blow it…

-With regular gasoline prices in the states averaging about $2.30 a gallon, how does that translate to local gas prices in Latin America?

-More about the most recent barrage of hotel-salon, one-day seminars promising slick diplomas, guaranteed to make attendees experts in something or other: though really designed to part gullible Latins from their hard-earned pesos.

-Today an email from a former Mormon asking for a few of my own weird Latin American Mormon tales. Of course I will oblige…