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I would stay 100% out of American stocks. Where would you be with a 30% loss? Here is a plan: 50% SHY (cash) 10% TIP Bonds 10% EFA International equities 10% FRN Emerging Equities 10% VNQ REIT 10% AMJ Energy MLP This is just an example but I hope you get the idea. I would expect a 10% return...

The Better Business Bureau is worse than useless as a source of honest information for consumers. The BBB is there to protect BUSINESS, not the consumer. Want your business to get a high rating from the BBB? Just join.

Sung to the Cheers theme song: "Where everybody knows your name". I didn't take long to get comfortable in this beach community, 8000 miles away from last "home". Couldn't see this happening in a city. Not sure if it's for ever but the roots are starting to set. :greetings10:

I think your question is too vague. It all boils down to how much risk do you want to take? AGNC pays 19% interest. Risk...you betcha. STHTX is a high yield mutual fund paying about 8%. Look at what happened to HY mutuals in 2008. HYG is similar to above but an ETF. You could set stops to bail...

Filipino food is pretty bad. Make your own the grocery stores have everything. The thing that got me about the Phils was the amount of guns everywhere. Manilla is bad news. The rest of the country just gives me a high level of paranoia. After visiting the Philippines and Malaysia I settled in...

For my Samsung Ace, I like Flashlight, Google Sky Map, Picasa Tool, Magic Seaweed (tides and weather), Yahoo Mail, Double twist (music player) with AirSync (sync with iTunes over wifi), Sound sleep (piano with ambiant sounds to put you to sleep), Youtube and my very favorite, (being a guitarist)...

This thread has been interesting. I think it would have been better if you stated where you are. I surprised by taxes and utility costs for some. I'm in a luxury 2 bedroom condo overlooking a few pools with a five minute run to the beach in Thailand. Rent is $9000 a year. Utilities, internet...

Sounds more like ignoring it rather than embracing it. I've bought 100 shares of DX. So basically I've done nothing. I'd rather be in but one good day doesn't mean a turn around. Who said, "When you don't know what to do, don't do anything?" 60% cash, 40% whatever I had that stayed up before...

Sitting on the sidelines with a lot more cash than I want to have because the market is so flaky. Where do you hide from the volatility? I'll be looking at FAX, FCO and TGINX when the market opens on Monday after a big down day Friday. Anyone see any bargains out there?

Successfully snickering on the other side of the world. :laugh: Market is up today.

You know what I find disconcerting? CEOs shipping jobs out of the US, making ridiculous salaries on top of their corporations paying no taxes. Where is that on the morality outrage scale compared to shacking up with a Thai girl? I love being a rockstar :greetings10: "Cause we all just wanna...

You can take your right arm, hold your arm out straight palm up and twist clockwise another 45 degrees? "You're a better man than I am Gunga Din". I can't rotate my palm clockwise at all. Then, disregard my above post and look for an adams apple.

Yes!!! The most beautiful women in Thailand...aren't. :laugh: Sex change operations are cheap here. A few tells for newbies (I hate surprises): 1. Deep voice or tall- too easy 2. Big feet, hands 3. Something is not right when you look at them. This can be subtle and difficult when under the...

Calling everyone a hooker isn't right. Patong or Pattaya is not Thailand. Most Thais don't have any idea what goes on there. They are overwhelmingly a conservative and modest people.

A little about Visas here in Thailand. Thailand requires that you leave the country every ninety days. If you leave the country for any reason the 90 day clock starts again. There is a whole industry that revolves around quick outside the country visa runs. At 50 you can get a retirement visa...

Sitting around a big table last night in the crowded Aussi Bar with my friends and their girls. The guys are all in their 50's. It was an unusual night because all the girlfriends were there. Looking around, I said to my buddy sitting next to me, "these girls are all beautiful." Average age...

I think fear of change is the biggest obstacle. I think you have to have the right mindset going into a move like this. You need enough money. You need to be flexible and be ready to change the way you think about things. Change is difficult at first. BUT, it hasn't really been all that tough...

I don't see many Americans...period! The place is lousy with Ozzies and Brits. The Thais do like Americans, probably because of our scarcity and reputation from the entertainment business, we're #1. They think everyone from America should be big. I really do get favorable treatment from the...

I'm an Irish Catholic boy from Boston. Answered questions in your quote. There are a number of forums that go into depth on every subject you can think of. The best is at: http://www.thaivisa.com

Let me address a few points: I DON’TMEANATHING Cons: Yes politically unstable but this isn’t Egypt. This political instability doesn’t really affect much. Meet the new boss same as the old boss and they’re all crooked. We’re not on the verge of revolution here. The southern...

Inexpensively retiring to Southeast Asia could easily be a book. I’ll try and keep this reasonable. I think there is maybe a few people out there that are in the same position I was in two years ago now. 59 years old, I had just been laid off from a marketing position in the Bay Area and didn’t...

If you like that "dry heat" and the neanderthal political bent it's a great place. I just don't get it.

I'm more concerned about the strong baht versus the $. There isn't much I can do about that.

I see mistakes every day but I disagree. Some times it's an older men being take care of. That's a small segment I think. Most of the time it's a relationship. It often develops into marriage and children. On one level it is like a business transaction but a very complicated subject of endless...

I wouldn't. Many (most?) of the girls are scamming. Doesn't hurt to look I suppose. Don't believe anything they say and don't send them any money.