10 year GC is useless, don't you agree?

[PRAHA]

exchange useduci

Get a truck, go to Mexico, buy it there, sell in U.S. You will be MUCH better off.

LOL. I was born and lived in Eastern Europe. I can tell you plenty of stories, how you will end up, trying to do business... In short, you don't have "ties", you are toast.
Yeah... Tell Germans about it... Or Frenches. They'll rip their asses laughing. Well, there is an exception though... Greece... Wanna start business there?


Ok, tired to argue. You and I live on different planets.

Im also from EE and I know what you talking about ..but things did change in the last decade or so ..is not like the "old days" ..even in Romania and Bulgaria ..screws are tighter now ..its not so easy to extort or bribe at whim anymore or to have "ties" just so you can do business

regarding taxes ..I said EE not France or Germany -but anyways even if they do pay high taxes THEY GOT SO MUCH BACK -FREE EDUCATION just ONE THING they have -and I'm not taking about some crappy US style "college " but serious technical /science college and full 4-5 years studies with masters studies

about shipping fruits or anything else edible from mexico -we both knows its impossible to pull that one off because of various US regulations which prohibit such "ventures" ...so I don't know why you said it would be better than shipping fruits from spain to france when its in fact impossible to do so at the first place

food os cheaper in EE from 4-10 times than in the US and at least half the price than in FRANCE/GERMANY

for example 1 litter of milk in US is around 90 cent to 1.50 (depends of brand ) in france as low as 0.60 CENTS -in GERMANY as low as 0.45 cents

12 eggs in the US is around 2.50-4.50 dollars
in GERMANY around 1.50 dollars
in france as low as 0.90 CENTS

loaf of bread is around 2 dollars in FRANCE or GERMANY ..in the US AROUND 3.50 -7 DOLLARS

I can go for long like this

US food prices I can even compare with EE food prices ..as I said its just plain crazy how much is more expensive in US than EE..and EE in general HAS A VERY LOW FOOD PRODUCTIVITY than US and VERY HIGH COST OF LAND CULTIVATION NOT TO EVEN CALCULATE GAS PRICES WHICH ARE DOUBLE IN EE THAN US ..ALSO FARM SUBSIDIES ARE 3 TIMES HIGHER IN US THAN EE and still FOOD IS CHEAPER ..I mean use your head .

about GREECE ....dont forget that GREECE has only 10 million people -even if you calculate all the population of the countries who are facing severe economic problems in europe (spain/ireland /portugal) total combines population fot hose countries is only about 56 million people -in total far less than part of US population who is receiving food stamps or some other kind of welfare
their total economic loss is less than 2 trillion dollars (still high ) but you have to compare that to 16 trillion US gap
it does not look that bad ...

 

[Vorpal]

12 eggs in the US is around 2.50-4.50 dollars
in GERMANY around 1.50 dollars
in france as low as 0.90 CENTS

I paid $1.29 for a dozen eggs yesterday, and this was at a local convenience store. Supermarket prices would be significantly lower. Mind you, I live in NYC, where food prices are considerably higher than elsewhere in the US. The prices you've quoted are most likely for organic eggs. If you're paying that for ordinary eggs, you're being hosed.

A loaf of bread for $3.50 - $7.00? Where are you getting these numbers??? Are we talking gourmet bread?

 

[Jackolantern]

US food prices I can even compare with EE food prices ..as I said its just plain crazy how much is more expensive in US than EE..and EE in general HAS A VERY LOW FOOD PRODUCTIVITY than US and VERY HIGH COST OF LAND CULTIVATION NOT TO EVEN CALCULATE GAS PRICES WHICH ARE DOUBLE IN EE THAN US ..ALSO FARM SUBSIDIES ARE 3 TIMES HIGHER IN US THAN EE and still FOOD IS CHEAPER ..I mean use your head .

US food subsidies are oddly designed to increase prices, not lower them. The US generally subsidizes farmers by buying up large quantities of crops at artificially high prices, or paying farmers to burn crops or to NOT farm on available land in order to decrease the supply -- lower supply, higher price.

Whereas other countries that subsidize farms tend to do it in ways that decrease the production costs for farmers, like interest-free loans or subsidizing equipment purchases, and the farmers can then pass those savings on to consumers.

 

[-me-]

Im also from EE

Czech, I guess?

and I know what you talking about ..but things did change in the last decade or so ..is not like the "old days" ..even in Romania and Bulgaria ..screws are tighter now ..its not so easy to extort or bribe at whim anymore or to have "ties" just so you can do business

You've just proved my point. The fact that situation changed from terrible to bad does not make much difference when compared to the U.S.

regarding taxes ..I said EE not France or Germany -but anyways even if they do pay high taxes THEY GOT SO MUCH BACK -FREE EDUCATION just ONE THING they have -and I'm not taking about some crappy US style "college " but serious technical /science college and full 4-5 years studies with masters studies

Cool. Let me ask you this. Why the Europeans go to the U.S. colleges, then? Instead of using the free option in the home countries? Just curious.

about shipping fruits or anything else edible from mexico -we both knows its impossible to pull that one off because of various US regulations which prohibit such "ventures" ...so I don't know why you said it would be better than shipping fruits from spain to france when its in fact impossible to do so at the first place

Try and do a reality check. Come over to any border state, go to a grocery store and check all Made In labels in the Fresh Produce department. I can pretty much guarantee you, that Made in Mexico will be on almost everything, except may be one section, with a proud banner - Proudly grown in .... (fill in the state name). So, don't tell me it's impossible. It's absolutely possible... Again, do the reality check.
(yes, I live in one of those states, two hours from the border).

food os cheaper in EE from 4-10 times than in the US

Mind to compare the salaries as well?

and at least half the price than in FRANCE/GERMANY

It's qute pointless to pick a couple of examples and make such statements. Would you mind comparing the entire picture. Just for starters - gas prices, taxes, cloth...
Otherwise, there is no point to discuss it.

for example 1 litter of milk in US is around 90 cent to 1.50 (depends of brand ) in france as low as 0.60 CENTS -in GERMANY as low as 0.45 cents

two gallon jars for $5+ tax. Do the math.

12 eggs in the US is around 2.50-4.50 dollars

$4.50 is a top for organic. Regular is about $1.00-$1.50 Buy it in bulk and get even a better price.

loaf of bread is around 2 dollars in FRANCE or GERMANY ..in the US AROUND 3.50 -7 DOLLARS

hand made with love. LOL
Regular is a way cheaper.

I can go for long like this

so far, I have seen nothing.

US food prices I can even compare with EE food prices

boring...

about GREECE ....dont forget that GREECE has only 10 million people -even if you calculate all the population of the countries who are facing severe economic problems in europe (spain/ireland /portugal) total combines population fot hose countries is only about 56 million people -in total far less than part of US population who is receiving food stamps or some other kind of welfare
their total economic loss is less than 2 trillion dollars (still high ) but you have to compare that to 16 trillion US gap
it does not look that bad ...

Sure, it doesn't. They have election this week. Some experts say , the euro will not survive this summer. But it does not look that bad... Or does it?

 

[PRAHA]

Czech, I guess?
You've just proved my point. The fact that situation changed from terrible to bad does not make much difference when compared to the U.S.

Cool. Let me ask you this. Why the Europeans go to the U.S. colleges, then? Instead of using the free option in the home countries? Just curious.

Try and do a reality check. Come over to any border state, go to a grocery store and check all Made In labels in the Fresh Produce department. I can pretty much guarantee you, that Made in Mexico will be on almost everything, except may be one section, with a proud banner - Proudly grown in .... (fill in the state name). So, don't tell me it's impossible. It's absolutely possible... Again, do the reality check.
(yes, I live in one of those states, two hours from the border).


Mind to compare the salaries as well?
It's qute pointless to pick a couple of examples and make such statements. Would you mind comparing the entire picture. Just for starters - gas prices, taxes, cloth...
Otherwise, there is no point to discuss it.
two gallon jars for $5+ tax. Do the math.
$4.50 is a top for organic. Regular is about $1.00-$1.50 Buy it in bulk and get even a better price.

hand made with love. LOL
Regular is a way cheaper.
so far, I have seen nothing.
boring...
Sure, it doesn't. They have election this week. Some experts say , the euro will not survive this summer. But it does not look that bad... Or does it?

europeans going to US colleges mostly got free studies trough some programs
I think almost 70% of them got some sort of grants from US gov.
and I think (read somewhere) that almost 99% is studying less than 3 years in US versus full time studies (4-5 years in Europe) and mostly they take "business/marketing/management " faculties -means nothing productive
anyways numbers of students from EU are in decline last 5 years or so in the US -I think they compromise less than 10% of total foreign students i US at the moment

about EU food prices ..its a fact that food is cheaper in EUROPE and way cheaper in EE
even in UK food is cheaper than US ..no point to argues about that ..you know it true and I know you know .

about Greece ..I dont think they gonna fall out of euro zone so it won't be any downside for anyone who would like to do business there -I would only recommend that they should stick with tourism or shipping /transport -both of those are solid based industries which are growing even during crisis

about mexican products -reality check would be on the border when you try to import mexican food to US -it will be very brief and painful experience -your haul will be tossed into dumpster and your fined on the spot
I mean come one you know that there is a monopoly for everything in US -there is big players in place already -if you individually try to import food from mexico to US you need a tons pf permits and licence (average waiting period 6 months )+ bond+ insurance + certifacates from both you and your suppliers in mexico (also years to obtain )..in Europe you don't need all of that -you are in business if you have a truck and some cash

about EE I share some of your grudge ..I left for similar reason but now I do business there with no problems and no ties to anyone and my current business is based on that -I sway investors from US to EE ...I got idea on this forum as a matter of facts ..lots of people thought that I'm crazy or something but I'm going strong for a second year with many more prospect clients than I can handle ..

 

[TheRealCanadian]

about EU food prices ..its a fact that food is cheaper in EUROPE and way cheaper in EE even in UK food is cheaper than US ..no point to argues about that ..you know it true and I know you know .

I am impressed by your utter absence of any supporting evidence besides your own opinion. Please tell me that this isn't caused by the awesome "free" education you received in Europe.

 

[-me-]

PRAHA,
I was talking about the actual official licensed business, not about smugling a box of tomatoes in the trunk.

As for the rest of the discussion... You have your opinion, I have mine. You try and compare the highest prices in the U.S. with the lowest prices in Europe on a very select set of foods. It's quite pointless, my friend. Same applies to the educational standards.. Of course, you can get one isolated case and apply it on the entire "go away from free education" phenomenon. But, it does not prove your point, as you understand.

Having said that, I leave you in piece in your dream world.

P.S. God bless Greece and euro... I hope they will do well... also, Spain, Italy, Ireland and so on....

 

[PRAHA]

PRAHA,
I was talking about the actual official licensed business, not about smugling a box of tomatoes in the trunk.

As for the rest of the discussion... You have your opinion, I have mine. You try and compare the highest prices in the U.S. with the lowest prices in Europe on a very select set of foods. It's quite pointless, my friend. Same applies to the educational standards.. Of course, you can get one isolated case and apply it on the entire "go away from free education" phenomenon. But, it does not prove your point, as you understand.

Having said that, I leave you in piece in your dream world.

P.S. God bless Greece and euro... I hope they will do well... also, Spain, Italy, Ireland and so on....

it proves all of my "opinions" 100% I dont even know why we argue when you know I'm right on every point but for your own reason you decide to ignore the facts ..but thats your problem
anyways I make my business by advising people where and how to invest money and I have tons of interest from recent immigrants as well as US born investors
(and US is no the place to invest at the moment -period )
we not gonna even go there .
smuggling one box of tomatoes is not what I had in mind and you know very well what I'm talking about and if you are from EE than you know how its been done and what kind of business it is and how much you can make and how fast and that you dont need permits due to "open borders" policies in EU and different prices
its not a "one box" operation for sure but rather TIR truck affairs -

my food prices quoted for US are from local SAFEWAY which are pretty low by US standards
about free education -well what can I tell you ..Im sending my son next year to study in Germany
..I just dont see the point to pay thousands of dollars for some sub standard schooling or to saddle him with debt which he is gonna be repaying for decades

about my taxes-I paid 37% in the US for not being incorporated and being self employed -its like that -I was shocked too and went to local IRS office more than few times -they went with me over every point and at the end I had to pay ...taxes are not that high compared to germany and france but the problem is that in germany and france they have minimum (living ) wages and those categories of (middle class earners) pay actually far less taxes than US citizens in the same earning bracket
only if you cross over 3000 euros per month in those countries you might get hit with 35% tax but again if you have a family of 3 or 4 it goes down to 27% or if your spouse is not working goes down even further
of course in EE as as I told you I paid taxes only twice -I was exempt because government is stimulating self employment (in my case 5 years not tax on income + they gave me some money for tools and direct stimulus of around 3000 euros -one time help)

if you really think about starting a business in europe I can give some points
there is a for example opportunity to buy credit card processing company in EE for not so much money
or to start bicycle rental business in EE capitals(local gov. financial help)
or make boilers (yes there is market for domestic industrial products -unlike in the US )which could be started with gov. grants and very low bank loans and very small amount of money

if you dont like to be tied to one place you can trave to one europen festival to another and transport tourists or revelers (35major festivals in the period of may-august)+around 100+ local or ethno festivals or sell something (like t shirts for example)-gain unlike US no permits or insurances or licence is needed

about IRELAND/GREECE/SPAIN etc . ....well those countries are in dire straits but there are other countries which are doing rather well in the EU ..so they would pull them out ..but in the US all the states are equally bad -economy wise so there is a nobody to pull them out (china mybe ?-lol)..
also there is one very lucky break for EU ..EU is still group of countries and not an"union" so there is always more opinions and more ideas than in "federal" two party state where there is difference between those two are marginal

 

[nwctzn]

Yeah yeah, the EU is great! Let's see when Germany, the main driving force of the EU, and German citizens will have enough of bailing out other EU members and pull the plug. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Then we will see if the ex-EU members or the USA is in better shape.

 

[PRAHA]

Yeah yeah, the EU is great! Let's see when Germany, the main driving force of the EU, and German citizens will have enough of bailing out other EU members and pull the plug. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Then we will see if the ex-EU members or the USA is in better shape.

well I dont think you will see that in your life (BTW germany is not "bailing "out rest of europe but rather buying it ..big difference -if you were from europe you will know whats going on ...about better shape -us or eu ..I dont think there will be winners of this "contest"...I think us is in worse position for very simple reason -6 times bigger debt than eu ,not enough political ideas or politicians with vision or just plain responsibility .also outsourced manufacture to the tune of 10-12 millions jobs ..and around 13 million illegal and worse of all rising gas prices which would cripple mobility of the working population ...
you have 1/5 of the nation on some sort of welfare ..and depleted SS funds..how log you think it could go like this ..and politicians are saying that taxes still wont go up !!...

 

[nwctzn]

well I dont think you will see that in your life (BTW germany is not "bailing "out rest of europe but rather buying it ..big difference -if you were from europe you will know whats going on ...about better shape -us or eu ..I dont think there will be winners of this "contest"...I think us is in worse position for very simple reason -6 times bigger debt than eu ,not enough political ideas or politicians with vision or just plain responsibility .also outsourced manufacture to the tune of 10-12 millions jobs ..and around 13 million illegal and worse of all rising gas prices which would cripple mobility of the working population ...
you have 1/5 of the nation on some sort of welfare ..and depleted SS funds..how log you think it could go like this ..and politicians are saying that taxes still wont go up !!...

I am originally from Europe and know what I am talking about. Also I travel to Europe frequently and still have many relatives living in the "beautiful" Euro-zone who keep me updated about the situation over there.

Also, I would be cautious using a phrase like "you will not see that in your life."

My elementary school teacher told me: "You never see in your life that West Germany and East Germany are united." Well, look how things turned out. Not only are they united, they have become again a main economical power.


--

 

[PRAHA]

I am originally from Europe and know what I am talking about. Also I travel to Europe frequently and still have many relatives living in the "beautiful" Euro-zone who keep me updated about the situation over there.

Also, I would be cautious using a phrase like "you will not see that in your life."

My elementary school teacher told me: "You never see in your life that West Germany and East Germany are united." Well, look how things turned out. Not only are they united, they have become again a main economical power.


--

my teacher in school used to say "america /capitalism will destroy itself soon" -was he right ?-what do you think ?
there will be always something in europe -some sort of "organization" of states based on free trade so you also should not be using expression of "ex eu countries " -thats the thing you not gonna see for sure (nor your grandchildren .

not saying that the eu is beautiful but now in this crisis it has advantages over us

 

[nwctzn]

my teacher in school used to say "america /capitalism will destroy itself soon" -was he right ?-what do you think ?
there will be always something in europe -some sort of "organization" of states based on free trade so you also should not be using expression of "ex eu countries " -thats the thing you not gonna see for sure (nor your grandchildren .

not saying that the eu is beautiful but now in this crisis it has advantages over us

Looks like your teacher was inline with my teacher