Would take KY or maybe TN over Costa Rica any Day, a known for an unknown, and seasons I understand. I love this land, Michigan born, I didn't realize what a great state it is (landwise) till I left it decades ago. Had to leave Detroit, cuz it's just so damn sad. Or was in the 1970-90's anyway. All i remember is slush and wet snow, but the summers were great. Wonder how the UP of MI is doing jabwise...
My mother’s family is old Kentucky pioneering with Daniel Boone. I last saw Ky in 1976. I last visited Costa Rica I think in 2003. I completely understand the difference between tourism and living. I went to Oaxaca with a friend who moved there and I have a great story. He returned. I scoped out the situation and never could live in Mexico. I like warm weather but detest humidity and CR is perhaps a bit more humid than KY. I noticed no insect issues whatsoever in CR. I have Ray informing me casually about the environs he dwells in and so CR.😀
When I bought my small house in rural KY in 2014, I had to cash in my retirement savings (paid in full with cash), but without it, I would be homeless now. My original rent went up to $1,860 from $740 in nine years... My property tax also went up from $260 to $425 since last year, but that's only $40 a month.
Here, in rural KY, everything is in cash, and workers working privately also collect unemployment benefits and whatever else.
I realized today I should make money from a podcast. This Bohemian Life. I have existed on the edge of the razor more years than I care to realize. Like an old time Yankee I use it up, make it do, or do without. Lucky for me there are so few things I want. The old order existing is decomposing. Totalitarianism replacing it but without a human face but the face of a machine. Long time coming of course - the entire 20th century was aimed to create this New Order. And now it's hour has arrived.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Good luck on that one eh. Agamben: So, what is the State of Exception? The State of Exception is a space, as you know, of suspension of the law, therefore an anomic space, without law, which however is included in the legal system. This general definition is interesting, but it is interesting if you really try to specify what the mechanism is through which the State of Exception works. Well, from a technical point of view, what we can say is that in the State of Exception or Emergency there is a separation of the law from the enforcement of the law. What do I mean by this? Something very simple: the State of Exception is a state of law in which the law is in force — it is claimed to be in force — but it is not applied, it has no actual enforcement, it is suspended. And — this is an important point — decrees and measures that do not have the nature of law acquire the force of law. Therefore, measures, provisions, decrees that do not have the force of law acquire law enforcement.
So, you see, what happens, what’s at stake in a State of Exception, at the end of the day, is a fluctuating force of law, separate from the law.
Do you understand what transformation this implies in the legal order, which is assumed to be founded on law, what this fluctuating force of the law, separated from the law, means? First of all it means a real eclipse of the law, because a law separated from its enforcement is no longer a law.
We have to be careful of the things we are used to. How it works is that the of the law is replaced by a set of ambiguous clauses and formulas that you have heard many times: “for reasons of security”, “state of necessity”, “public health”, “public order”. Jurists have known about these ambiguous formulas for a long time because they have not just been invented. Just think of the committees of public safety in the French Revolution. These clauses have the particular feature that, being ambiguous, they need someone to determine them, to decide upon their concrete meaning. And this someone is precisely the one who sets up the State of Exception.
Bet that they will be glad they cashed them in, as the 401ks may be worthless soon anyway, or much much more devalued through these next few years. Also, it's good, because most 401k's are invested in the Big5 baddies like Blackcrock Gooble etc. For the folks who invested their 401ks more carefully, I am actually regretful for them, but have to say, welcome to my world.
I remember in the 1980's my CPA told me "Never put money into a 401k or IRA"
He said that at the drop of the hat the GOV would raise the exit tax to 100%
The advice was always to get your wealth out of the system and stash it out of uncle-schmuels hands, he was a Chinese accountant;
I agree the 401k's will be worthless either way, whether cuz you can't get your money out 'tax-free', or the underlying STONKS are worthless paper, not unlike USA real-estate
Today they say hyper de-flation, but when the USD collapses then its all free-fall into hell
...
So even those self-directed in IRA/401k in the best of the best, the broke as fuck GOV that can't even pay interest on its +$30 TRILLION USD DEBT, can tax that Ira/401k money to cover their interest debt and they will;
...
The real interesting question would be if you pull your cash out of the system, where does it go? Buried in gold where nobody but you knows? Diamonds?
The IRS/SEC now has released all stock-ownership to 3,000 corporations who will know who has assets so the 'vulture lawyers' can feed into "Search Services" asset disclosure and know who has wealth to be robbed.
Never been a better time to have assets "Out of the System", but where & how? Problem say in USA is that even while physical gold can be obtained, its not like there is a gold-shop on every corner that trades without record, like say in ALL of ASIA, goldshop are as common has neighborhood pharmacy's;
...
Baby Jeebuz said it best "Whose face is on that USD paper money you hold?" That's right, uncle Schmuel, Schmuel giveth, and Schmuel taketh backeth
Yeah but the environment is barely hospitable. I probably would have relocated to Costa Rica. :)
Would take KY or maybe TN over Costa Rica any Day, a known for an unknown, and seasons I understand. I love this land, Michigan born, I didn't realize what a great state it is (landwise) till I left it decades ago. Had to leave Detroit, cuz it's just so damn sad. Or was in the 1970-90's anyway. All i remember is slush and wet snow, but the summers were great. Wonder how the UP of MI is doing jabwise...
My mother’s family is old Kentucky pioneering with Daniel Boone. I last saw Ky in 1976. I last visited Costa Rica I think in 2003. I completely understand the difference between tourism and living. I went to Oaxaca with a friend who moved there and I have a great story. He returned. I scoped out the situation and never could live in Mexico. I like warm weather but detest humidity and CR is perhaps a bit more humid than KY. I noticed no insect issues whatsoever in CR. I have Ray informing me casually about the environs he dwells in and so CR.😀
Just make sure you aren’t home when the ants come visiting...
When I bought my small house in rural KY in 2014, I had to cash in my retirement savings (paid in full with cash), but without it, I would be homeless now. My original rent went up to $1,860 from $740 in nine years... My property tax also went up from $260 to $425 since last year, but that's only $40 a month.
Here, in rural KY, everything is in cash, and workers working privately also collect unemployment benefits and whatever else.
Those applying for jobs are demoralised and self blaming, because the propaganda tells them that it's their personal failing.
A Substack author was writing about homeless begging Venezuelans in his US city, with the example of a Venezuelan man with a young child.
That US southern border is a worry, and yet would have been easily fixed.
I like the phrasing in this post Stegiel "portend a weaker financial future for the growing number of individuals"; subtle way of saying destitute.
I realized today I should make money from a podcast. This Bohemian Life. I have existed on the edge of the razor more years than I care to realize. Like an old time Yankee I use it up, make it do, or do without. Lucky for me there are so few things I want. The old order existing is decomposing. Totalitarianism replacing it but without a human face but the face of a machine. Long time coming of course - the entire 20th century was aimed to create this New Order. And now it's hour has arrived.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
"The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity."
About sums it up.
Zealots have passion; me, I just want to be left alone.
Good luck on that one eh. Agamben: So, what is the State of Exception? The State of Exception is a space, as you know, of suspension of the law, therefore an anomic space, without law, which however is included in the legal system. This general definition is interesting, but it is interesting if you really try to specify what the mechanism is through which the State of Exception works. Well, from a technical point of view, what we can say is that in the State of Exception or Emergency there is a separation of the law from the enforcement of the law. What do I mean by this? Something very simple: the State of Exception is a state of law in which the law is in force — it is claimed to be in force — but it is not applied, it has no actual enforcement, it is suspended. And — this is an important point — decrees and measures that do not have the nature of law acquire the force of law. Therefore, measures, provisions, decrees that do not have the force of law acquire law enforcement.
So, you see, what happens, what’s at stake in a State of Exception, at the end of the day, is a fluctuating force of law, separate from the law.
Do you understand what transformation this implies in the legal order, which is assumed to be founded on law, what this fluctuating force of the law, separated from the law, means? First of all it means a real eclipse of the law, because a law separated from its enforcement is no longer a law.
We have to be careful of the things we are used to. How it works is that the of the law is replaced by a set of ambiguous clauses and formulas that you have heard many times: “for reasons of security”, “state of necessity”, “public health”, “public order”. Jurists have known about these ambiguous formulas for a long time because they have not just been invented. Just think of the committees of public safety in the French Revolution. These clauses have the particular feature that, being ambiguous, they need someone to determine them, to decide upon their concrete meaning. And this someone is precisely the one who sets up the State of Exception.
Yes, happening/happened.
Never felt so unsafe as when all the enforcers are keeping us safe.
Any day now WHO runs the pandemic clown act.
Bet that they will be glad they cashed them in, as the 401ks may be worthless soon anyway, or much much more devalued through these next few years. Also, it's good, because most 401k's are invested in the Big5 baddies like Blackcrock Gooble etc. For the folks who invested their 401ks more carefully, I am actually regretful for them, but have to say, welcome to my world.
I remember in the 1980's my CPA told me "Never put money into a 401k or IRA"
He said that at the drop of the hat the GOV would raise the exit tax to 100%
The advice was always to get your wealth out of the system and stash it out of uncle-schmuels hands, he was a Chinese accountant;
I agree the 401k's will be worthless either way, whether cuz you can't get your money out 'tax-free', or the underlying STONKS are worthless paper, not unlike USA real-estate
Today they say hyper de-flation, but when the USD collapses then its all free-fall into hell
...
So even those self-directed in IRA/401k in the best of the best, the broke as fuck GOV that can't even pay interest on its +$30 TRILLION USD DEBT, can tax that Ira/401k money to cover their interest debt and they will;
...
The real interesting question would be if you pull your cash out of the system, where does it go? Buried in gold where nobody but you knows? Diamonds?
The IRS/SEC now has released all stock-ownership to 3,000 corporations who will know who has assets so the 'vulture lawyers' can feed into "Search Services" asset disclosure and know who has wealth to be robbed.
Never been a better time to have assets "Out of the System", but where & how? Problem say in USA is that even while physical gold can be obtained, its not like there is a gold-shop on every corner that trades without record, like say in ALL of ASIA, goldshop are as common has neighborhood pharmacy's;
...
Baby Jeebuz said it best "Whose face is on that USD paper money you hold?" That's right, uncle Schmuel, Schmuel giveth, and Schmuel taketh backeth