The Ultimate Expats: International Space Station Viewing




ISS026-E-029296 (24 Feb. 2011)

 By Jamie Douglas

As most of you know, I hope, there is something called the International Space Station that races around the world in an elliptical orbit, roughly once an hour. It passes over everyone on the planet at predetermined times, which anyone can look up on this site:  http://www.heavens-above.com/. In the first paragraph that appears on their home page, there is a way to establish an account (it’s free and spam free) which, after you sign up, lets you enter your city or nearest town, or your geographical coordinates, easily obtained from Google Earth: http://www.google.com/earth/index.html

From there, you can see when the contraption will be highly visible to you for 2-5 minutes. These days it is loaded, with the space shuttle hooking up to it, as well as an automated space freighter already there, a gadget the size of a double-decker bus. That makes for a lot of reflection that will be visible on a clear night, even near big cities. If you can see any stars, you should be able to see the ISS.

For those of you not too familiar with it, I have included an easy explanation of the concept from NASA:                                                                                                   

The first proposal for a manned station occurred in 1869, when an American novelist told the story of how a "Brick Moon" came to orbit Earth to help ships navigate at sea. In 1923, Romanian Hermann Oberth was the first to use the term "space station" to describe a wheel-like facility that would serve as the jumping off place for human journeys to the moon and Mars. In 1952, Dr. Werner von Braun published his concept of a space station in Collier's magazine. He envisioned a space station that would have a diameter of 250 feet, orbit more than 1,000 miles above the Earth, and spin to provide artificial gravity through centrifugal force.

The Soviet Union launched the world's first space station, Salyut 1, in 1971 - a decade after launching the first human into space. The United States sent its first space station, the larger Skylab, into orbit in 1973 and it hosted three crews before it was abandoned in 1974. Russia continued to focus on long-duration space missions and in 1986 launched the first modules of the Mir space station.

In 1998, the first two modules of the International Space Station were launched and joined together in orbit. Other modules soon followed and the first crew arrived in 2000.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/station/index.html





ISS026-E-023340 (31 Jan. 2011)

 

Since then, American Space Shuttles, Russian Rockets and the European Space agency’s Space Trucks have been bringing more and more equipment and supplies to make the station bigger and more livable.

With the pending retirement of the US Shuttle fleet, the stations occupants will depend very heavily on the Russian lifting capability to bring and retrieve personnel from this heavenly outpost, as the European Space Agency’s launches from French Guiana have not yet advanced to manned missions, as they are specializing in launching Ariane Rockets to launch better paying payloads, such as communications satellites, as well as the new European constellation of next generation GPS. This launch vehicle is being built by the ESA, a division of EADS, the same people that build the Airbus commercial aircraft.

So I urge all of you to log in to this little website and take note of the ISS passes over your neighborhood. It is very fascinating to me, at least, to watch this bright heavenly body zoom by overhead, knowing that there is a human presence out there, and I am sure your kids, if you have any, will be amazed by that shooting star.

see also: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Jamie Douglas,

Patagonia, Planet Earth

To contact Jamie regarding this article, email: jamie@expatdailynews.com

Jamie Douglas is an Adventurer, Writer and Photographer with an amazing array of Nikon equipment, and a lifetime of experience traveling and documenting. To contact him for assignments and new adventures. email: jamie.douglas [at] yahoo.com

See more expat articles by Jamie at Expat Daily News Latin America.

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One of the Last Great Train Adventures

photo by Julie R Butler

By Jamie Douglas

Australia, the far away continent, if you are anywhere but there of course, offers a couple of fabulous train rides that truly rank amongst the last great rail adventures. There are several options available on the Great Southern Rail, but for the purpose of this article, we’ll assume that you are starting Sydney.

From the main train station in this modern metropolis, there are twice weekly departures of the Indian Pacific line, which travel across the entire continent to Perth, a distance of 4352KM (2705 Miles). The train stops for short breaks at Broken Hill, Adelaide, Cook, and Kalgoorlie, before ending up in East Perth about 65 hours later, midmorning on the third day, where after a chaotic return of your luggage from the luggage car, you still have to find your own way into the center of Perth. Be aware that the weight of your baggage is limited, as the baggage handlers are restricted to lifting 20KG (44 Lbs), and each passenger is limited to two pieces of that size, which they check. You must bring supplies for the journey in a hand carried bag, which you can stow in the overhead bin or your cabin, depending on which service you select.

(see: Great Southern Rail: Indian Pacific)



Broken Hill
photo by Julie R Butler

After leaving Sydney’s central station, the train slowly makes its way up into the Blue Mountains and cruises overnight to Broken Hill, where it stops for a couple of hours, enough time to go to one of the local Cafés and have some “brekkie”  and try to figure out why they call it “Broken Hill.” It is a mining town, but has quite a bit of charm.

After this short break, it’s off to Adelaide, a lovely city that is the capital of the state of South Australia, and it is a very clean and inviting city. (On our trip, we came back to visit for a couple of days, later.) Again, the train station is not really within the boundaries of the city, but is a short cab ride away. The major thing to not miss here is the central market, which has offerings to please just about anyone. This is the chance to stock up on fresh fruit and beverages before returning to the train, which leaves in the late afternoon.

Your next stop is Cook, which is an abandoned town, where only a few Aboriginals now live and operate a store where candy and refreshments can be had. In the summer time, the temperatures here are brutal, well over 45 degrees Celsius, with the winds literally sucking the moisture out of your pores. Be sure you start your return trip to the tracks in plenty of time, as this is not the kind of place where you want to have to run to catch the train.



Rain on the Nullarbor Plains - photo by Julie R Butler



The scenery out the air-conditioned cars is absolutely spectacular in its vastness. You really get a feel of the outback. After the train departs for Kalgoorlie, you enter the longest stretch of straight rail travel in the world, 478 KM (300 miles) across the Nullarbor Plains, so named because there were no trees found in that region by the early explorers. We did see a few, along dry riverbeds, but most all of it is just devoid of major vegetation. During our journey, which was on the Christmas train, we experienced a major thunder/lightning/rain storm, with very high winds that forced the train to stop for a couple of hours while we witnessed an incredible display of nature’s fury in the middle of the desert. After the journey resumed, we arrived in Kalgoorlie too late to take in any sights, and we ended up sleeping through it on the train. Our train mates returned somewhat disappointed, because everything except one pub was closed.

In the morning we woke up in the wheat belt of Western Australia, which went on for several hours. It was close to ten when we arrived in East Perth, where we had to wait for quite a while to sort out the baggage mess. But all in all, it was certainly one of the great adventures of my life. Many friends were made, good times were had, and life experiences were shared with strangers that became friends, people from all over the world.

There are several other options available as well. You can travel from Sydney to Adelaide, or Perth to Adelaide, spend as much time as you like in that lovely city, and then take The Ghan, another transcontinental train that crosses the Australian continent from south to north, also with several stops along the way, including side trips to Uluru aka Ayers Rock, ending up in Darwin on the Timor Sea.

(see: Great Southern Rail: The Ghan)

Early bookings will get you the best prices and selection, but regardless of your choice, you are guaranteed to have an adventure of a lifetime.

Travel, because the world is round! Hurry, it might flatten out.

Jamie Douglas

Patagonia  

To contact Jamie regarding this article, email: jamie@expatdailynews.com

Jamie Douglas is an Adventurer, Writer and Photographer with an amazing array of Nikon equipment, and a lifetime of experience traveling and documenting. To contact him for assignments and new adventures. email: jamie.douglas [at] yahoo.com

See more expat articles by Jamie at Expat Daily News Latin America. 

We would love to hear your comments on this article email us at editor@expatdailynews.com

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Chaotic Current Events and How Expats Worldwide are Effected

By Jamie Douglas

In the last few weeks, we have seen, in several countries with sizeable expatriate communities, not just from the USA and other Anglo nations, long time authoritarian regimes imploding, while some are in the process of disintegration or exploding into outright civil war, forcing many Expats to grab what they could, and get the hell out of Dodge, or rather Cairo, or Bahrain, or Libya. That infamous domino theory is working its way thru North Africa and the Middle East, and most of those who had to evacuate had to leave virtually everything behind. And you may rest assured that many of them will come back eventually to looted houses and destroyed properties.

Most of these refugees are not retirees seeking a safe haven for their income or a cheap place to sip Mai-Tais while awaiting the grim reaper. In fact they were gainfully employed by multinational corporations, some as petrochemical engineers and professionals in the IT industry, which set them up comfortably with their families, their kids attending private schools, while others from the Balkan nations, Pakistan India, the Philippines etc. were working in more menial jobs, but nevertheless making a better living than they could in their home countries.

The USA decided that instead of donating or selling the surplus grains they were producing cheaply to poor nations, they would turn it into ethanol to feed their hungry SUV’s. All that, while the price of basic commodities such as wheat, corn and rice have gone thru the roof. The Egyptian government was able to pretty much downplay the food riots, where many lost their lives, while the infant death rate from hunger surged worldwide. And now the US House and Senate have decided to mandate an increase in the amount of ethanol in fuel to 15%, which will soon be gobbling up more untold thousands of tons of edible grains.

This is how the USA is destabilizing the world now. It’s the politics of hunger. Even Al Qaeda was caught unaware of the impending fall of the dictatorships throughout the region.

But the fact is, tens of thousands of Expats had to run, taking with them only what they could carry. Then there is also Venezuela, a country in the Western Hemisphere, where there are several hundred thousand Expats from all over the world, many employed in the energy industry, but also in other industries, high and low tech, along with all the retirees living there. Hugo Chávez is the Moammar Gadhafi of the Americas, a former member of the army who overthrew the government and now acts like a totalitarian madman. His gig will be up sooner, rather than later, and I will not predict how that will play out, but you can bet that there will be a mass exodus of foreigners from Venezuela, while the poor masses that are now the backbone of his Bolivarian Revolution will go on a looting rampage before order can be restored. Mark my words!

Now to another subject: the frogs and earthquakes I wrote about a little while back. On Tuesday, February 22, Christchurch in New Zealand was hit by a second and this time very deadly earthquake. The damages are enormous and my sympathies go out to my many friends in Canterbury. The historic Cathedral where the Wizard used to preach his anti-American rhetoric is destroyed, and most of the city is under water, with many still trapped inside the rubble of collapsed buildings, fires raging out of control, with the fire brigade’s efforts severely hampered by all the broken water mains.

Now, a few days ago, a pod of 100 pilot whales beached themselves on Stewart Island, and those that did not die outright had to be euthanized. Over the last few days, there has been a tremendous amount of seismic activity in that region. Note that the last entry was at 10:10 AM, a couple of hours before the mighty one hit.

So with all that seismic activity occurring, it would not surprise me if the beaching of the pilot whales was somehow related to the tremors. But scientists, knowing everything that goes on in whales’ brains, immediately proclaimed that the two events were not related at all! Very interesting. Did the whales telegraph the scientist who made that bold declaration that their pending suicide had nothing to do with magnetic or other anomalies that were happening in preparation of this catastrophic event in Christchurch? Please note that this has happened more than every 4 or 5 years, as the photo in this link illustrates. The last major one occurred on September 23, 2010. The previous big earthquake occurred September 4, 2010, almost three weeks after the last big mass suicide or disorientation of pilot whales. Could they be related? Perhaps! Perhaps not, but for a “scientist” sitting in his office in Auckland to make such a broad declaration, to me demeans the term “scientist.”

My condolences go out to all the families that have been affected, not just by this natural disaster, but also by the manmade disasters in the Middle East and North Africa, where a mad dog has decided that his holding on to power is worth opening fire from aircraft on his own people.

But his day of reckoning is coming. As I suspected all along, the orders to blow up the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland seem to have originated from him. As reported in yesterday’s edition of the respectable Swedish newspaper Expressen, Gadhafi’s former Justice Minister, Mustafa Mohamed Abud al-Jeleil, claims to have proof that it was in fact Moammar Gadhafi who issued the orders for that barbaric terrorist act. Even the Libyan military has turned against him, as in the dramatic case of the two brave Air Force Pilots who defied orders to attack the protestors in eastern Libya from the air, and instead set their Mirage Jet for a course into the ground as they were bailing out. The wheels of justice at the International Court in The Hague grind slowly, but with any kind of cooperation between the European nations that are flying their citizens out around the clock, Moammar Gadhafi will at last be tried for his crimes against humanity. Better late than never.

Reduce our dependence on fossil fuel. Park your gas guzzling SUVs and walk a little more. Your heart and lungs will appreciate it almost as much as your descendants will.

Jamie Douglas

Patagonia

To contact Jamie regarding this article, email: jamie@expatdailynews.com

Jamie Douglas is an Adventurer, Writer and Photographer with an amazing array of Nikon equipment, and a lifetime of experience traveling and documenting. To contact him for assignments and new adventures. email: jamie.douglas [at] yahoo.com

See more expat articles by Jamie at Expat Daily News Latin America.

 

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Buying Mexico Real Estate Through a Mortgage

While most Americans consider a mortgage to be an essential part of buying real estate, few are aware that they, as foreign buyers, can actually buy Mexico real estate through a mortgage directly from a bank in Mexico, as opposed to mortgaging their property back home to pay for their purchase in cash.

Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. Looking from the perspective of taking a loan from a Mexican banking institution, the following are the pros and cons.

Advantages:

· Home Equity – If you take a mortgage from a Mexican bank, you can leverage it against the same property you are buying in Mexico. This means that home equity on a house back in the U.S. is not tied up with the property in Mexico.

· Risk Mitigation – While this is only a factor in the most extreme cases, it is nevertheless a worthwhile consideration. If your mortgage is from a Mexico bank, tied directly to your property in Mexico, you avoid the risk of a "cross-border domino effect" in the case that financial problems concerning your real estate should arise on either side of the border.

· Payment Packages – Buying through a mortgage in Mexico requires insurance on that property. Many banks will offer you a monthly payment package which includes the insurance, making it easier to manage the payments. This is especially true with highly secure and ever more common internet banking and automated payments.

· Variety in Mortgage Plans – While mortgages are a fairly new concept in Mexico, the options have been growing. Buyers can choose from 15-30 year plans with fixed or variable interest rates.

Disadvantages:

· Higher Interest Rates – Interest rates in Mexico tend to be slightly higher than in the U.S., with current rates around 6%. (It seems that rates just went up in the U.S., so the difference is now very little.)

· Stricter Requirements – This includes higher credit score requirements, and a minimum mortgage amount of $100,000 USD. Although there are stricter property qualification rules, there are also many new or newer properties which are pre-qualified, and actually save a few steps in the mortgage process.

· Longer, More Complicated Process – Compared to what Americans are used to from back home, the process of applying for and getting approval for a Mexico mortgage will be longer and have more paperwork involved. This can be frustrating for the unprepared, but for those who go into the process knowing this point and planning for the extra time that may be needed, it doesn't present any real complication or problem.

For most buyers who are leaning towards using a mortgage, the advantages of having financing through a Mexican bank institution will usually outweigh the disadvantages; however, each buyer's case is unique, and it is best to consult an experienced Mexico agent, who can give tips according to what past clients have experienced, or recommend a mortgage expert for consultation.

TOPMexicoRealEstate.com; Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

About the Author: Thomas Lloyd, Founder and President of TOPMexicoRealestate.com

Originally from Indiana, and a graduate of Purdue University in the Krannert School of Management, he holds a degree in management with a speciality in finances. Lloyd has several diplomas and certifications in Mexico Real Estate topics and is one of only a few professionals to hold Mexico's new degree in real estate. This degree is accompanied by a Professional Identification Number, "cedula profesional," which is issued for trained professionals such as those in the medical field, or in law. He has over 15 years of direct experience in Mexico's business culture.

If you are considering Living In Mexico there are hundreds of articles and resources on EscapeArtist that you can browse for more information.

Maps of Mexico

Medical Tourism In Mexico

Jobs Overseas and in Mexico

Vacation Rentals In Mexico

New online Wills service for UK expats in Dubai & Abu Dhabi UAE

Having a valid Will is always important but even more so as an expat in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, where dying intestate automatically means your estate will be dealt with under Sharia law provisions. With this new service clients can submit Will instructions online by completing a secure online Will instruction form on the ‘Dubai Expatriate Wills’ website. Payment can be made online or by bank transfer.

This is more than just a ‘Wills online’ service because the result is not from computer software – the client’s Will is drafted by a real person who is a qualified, experienced and insured lawyer.

A special feature of this online Wills service is that amendments can be made to the client’s Will following the review of the clients online instructions if any instructions need clarification or appear inconsistent. Dubai Expatriate Wills even make suggestions to improve the efficacy of the Will when appropriate. This is all dealt with whilst the Will is in the draft stage and before the final Will is produced for the client.

This aspect of the online expat Wills service is very important as it will help to field any issues specific to being an expat in the UAE as well as any more routine issues e.g. typos.

So expat clients get the benefit of online submission of Will instructions plus the extra security of knowing that their instructions will be checked and assessed by a lawyer as well.

This is an excellent option for Dubai and UAE expats seeking the convenience of having their expat Will drafted online without having to rely on a distant computer generated result.

Bill Ryan LLB (Hons)
Director of Dubai Expatriate Wills

We would love to hear your comments on this article email us at editor@expatdailynews.com

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Expats Living in the Canary Islands are Rediscovering Radio

As much as many expats such as myself seem enjoy living in our newly adopted countries, it is strange what we miss from our countries of origin. Lemon Curd, Persil tablets and Branston pickle are just a few of the items that I know our friends beg visitors to bring when they visit. For me, it is Marmite, mince pies and ‘J’ cloths that ensure that our visitors receive a particularly warm welcome. I also miss BBC radio news as well as radio drama.

I have recently rediscovered radio, bringing with it memories of the illicit thrill of listening to pop radio stations under the bed covers late at night. The breath of fresh air that these radio stations brought to the airwaves gave a new energy for youngsters such as myself growing up during those grey, and often dismal times, in fenland Lincolnshire. Later, it would be Radio 4 that I would listen to during my long car journey to school each day. This was something that I greatly missed when we moved to Spain and the Canary Islands.

Yes, I know that I can easily listen to any radio station in the world via the computer. However, sitting in front of a computer listening to radio does seem to be a very strange and uncomfortable activity and one that I soon dismissed as a complete waste of time. After all, one of the joys of radio is that you can do something else at the same time, isn’t it? How I missed listening to radio plays that seemed to create both colour and characterisation in my imagination in a way that film and television can never do.

Just before Christmas I ordered one of the new Internet radio receivers from the UK. They are not easy to get on the island and the Roberts radio that I wanted had particular features that were unique to the product. As long as I have a Wi-Fi Internet signal, or indeed a wired Internet connection, I can now listen to any radio station in the world. Radio 4, Classic FM, local radio from the Costa Blanca radio, as well as from my home town of Bournemouth are now regular features of my day. How I enjoy listening to the gritty questioning when John Humphries challenges the Prime Minister about the latest budget cuts. Relaxing music and plays, as well as knowing that there are problems at the Cemetery Junction in Bournemouth yet again, as well as hearing what the Mayor of Torrevieja is up to in Spain, help me to maintain contact with places that I still love and have happy memories of.

In addition to all the thousands of radio stations that I can enjoy whatever I am doing in the house, there is also a new, very clever feature, called Last FM. This is a feature built into the radio whereby I can select my favourite genre of pop music and listen to this ‘personal library’ of music without the inane interruptions and burblings from would-be DJs and radio ‘presenters’. It is pure bliss!

I hasten to add that I also listen to Canary Islands News as well as Spanish News, but I tend to pass on the rest. After all, there are only so many TV quiz shows and reality television programmes that any relatively sane person can take. Yes, you can take the Brit out of Britain, but it is hard to take Britain out of the Brit!

If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Barrie’s websites: www.barriemahoney.com and www.thecanaryislander.com or read his latest book, ‘Letters from the Atlantic’ (ISBN: 978 184 386 6459).

About the author: Barrie Mahoney was a teacher, head teacher and school inspector in the UK, as well as a reporter in Spain, before moving to the Canary Islands as a newspaper editor. He is still enjoying life in the sun as a writer and author.

© Barrie Mahoney

Mexico Real Estate & President Calderon's "Year of Tourism"

Mexico's President, Felipe Calderon, knows that tourism is one of the world's most important growing industries. He also knows that since tourism has been booming in Mexico, it has contributed significantly to the country's excellent economic progress. Finally, he also knows that to continue growing as one of America's and the world's favorite destination country, it takes dedication, care and lots of investment; tourists need to know that they are wanted and welcome in Mexico, as well as see real development of attractive features.

All of this is the reason why President Calderon has declared 2011 Mexico's "Year of Tourism."
What does this mean for the expat who buys Mexico real estate? Just about everything good. The following are just a few of the benefits this new focus will bring.

New Activities. Many expats choose to invest in a property in one of the beachfront communities, or little lakefront villages, at least partly because of the many activities already in place to serve the growing tourism industry. These activities include everything from golf courses, movie theaters and bowling alleys to English tours of historic sites or guided boat tours of isolated nature reserves. With an increasing focus on tourism, these will only increase.

New Services. Also with increasing tourism, there is bound to be an increase in services, such as large supermarkets, a variety of stores and products, new international restaurants, and even U.S. consular services. The more important tourism is, the more motivation the locals will have to take English classes, and the more practice they will get speaking English. While most are willing to try to work things out even if they don't know English, and it's both interesting and a matter of respect to learn some Spanish on your side of things, it sure makes the adjustment phase as an expat a lot easier when you can use English for the key necessities early on in your new community.

Infrastructure Investment. Tourism draws international investment into hotels, stores, services and the like. This provides the government with the funds and motivation to invest into good roads and highways, and initiate major projects like new airports. It also means infrastructure for high-quality internet and cell-phone service will be in place. While driving 10 MPH for a few hours down a road full of pot holes to a place with no electricity sounds romantic, the romance soon wears off, and in reality, it's nice to have conveniences. In some parts of Mexico, even developments designed to be "off the grid" have good road access and nearby services; they are environment-focused areas and developments, but still offer a certain degree of comfort.

Increasing Rental Potential. Many Americans who buy Mexico real estate don't use their property all year round; one of Mexico's huge advantages is the proximity to home, allowing residents to live in another country part time even before their job, etc. allows them to escape for good! Many enjoy the balance of enjoying some time in America as well. This means their properties that are not in use during the rest of the time can be rented out to cover expenses, and often even generate a profit. Increasing tourism makes this kind of arrangement that much easier, with higher vacation rental demand.

Increasing Property Value. Increased rental potential means increased resale potential. So does the higher demand which is likely to arise when more tourists arrive and begin to take interest in buying in Mexico. Whether using a property as investment or not, it's always comforting to know that it can be resold at a gain rather than a loss.

President Calderon's direction for 2011 is focused and clear. Part of his statement directed every area of the government – not just the Ministry of Tourism – to make decisions with the focus on tourism in mind. The goal is to make Mexico mean tourism, and tourism mean Mexico.

For expats in Mexico, or soon-to-be expats, there could hardly be better news.

TOPMexicoRealEstate.com; Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely



About the Author: Thomas Lloyd, founder and president of TOPMexicoRealestate.com, has numerous diplomas and certifications in Mexico Real Estate topics and is one of only a few professionals to hold Mexico's new degree in real estate, accompanied by a Professional Identification Number, "cedula profesional." He has over 15 years of direct experience in Mexico's business culture.

If you are considering Living In Mexico there are hundreds of articles and resources on EscapeArtist that you can browse for more information.
Maps of Mexico
Medical Tourism In Mexico
Jobs Overseas and in Mexico
Vacation Rentals In Mexico

Three Property Sales in Three Weeks for Gibraltar’s Ocean Village Marina

In the closing stages of 2010 a handful of high floor apartments in Gibraltar’s Ocean Village marina were released back to the market for sale. Seven sold within the first week to ‘waiting list’ buyers meanwhile, across a three week period in 2011, a further three properties priced between £280,000 and £470,000 have been snapped up. Why the demand? Answer – location location location.

Brian Stevendale, Sales & Marketing Director for Ocean Village explains, “It’s most reassuring that even amidst an enduring global recession, most notable across the border in neighbouring Spain, properties within our multi award-winning residential towers will still sell at high speed. We expected a ‘rush’ at re-release in November, but to have continued strong sales here in 2011 is very encouraging. The reason for this is a perfect location – on both a macro and micro scale.”

Brian continues, “At macro level Gibraltar is proving to be a magnet for extremely wealthy individuals who cannot resist the fiscal advantages of becoming resident here alongside newcomers who’ve flocked to the Rock to work in the plethora of new gaming, financial services and entertainment businesses. Gibraltar is one of the wealthiest per capita income countries in the world, has a stable Government, over 300 days of warm sunshine each year and countless tax incentives including no CGT, no wealth tax, no sales tax, no VAT and low corporation tax of 10% or less. Our 15,000m² World Trade Center planned for neighbouring Marina Bay will triple the office space already sold or leased at Ocean Village and attract even more discerning businessmen to our incredible residential plazas.”

Brian finishes, “At local level, Ocean Village is a coveted address thanks to its abundant on-site facilities from seven swimming pools to a state-of-the-art Health Club. High floor properties also have incredible views of the Rock, Strait and across to Africa just a few kilometres in the distance. Add a Gala Casino, fine dining in a wide range of restaurants, plenty of bars, boutiques and 336 berths from 12 metres to 80 metres on the doorstep and you can see the appeal. Gibraltar’s International Airport with its £100million terminal due to open November 2011 is conveniently within walking distance – Ocean Village really ticks every box.”

For further information on the last remaining properties priced from £367,000 for a furnished 16th floor apartment with views of Gibraltar and Africa, as well as berth availability in the marina, contact Ocean Village’s Sales & Marketing Director Brian Stevendale on brian.stevendale@oceanvillage.gi, telephone 00 350 200 40048 or visit www.oceanvillage.gi.

Ocean Village Wins in the 2010 European Residential Property Awards in association with Bloomberg Television:

· Best High Rise Development EUROPE

· Best High Rise Development Gibraltar – Five Star

· Best Marina Development Gibraltar – Highly Commended

Is Safety an Issue for Americans Living in Mexico?

During the past few months, it's been an ongoing theme that just about every article I've written for Escape From America Magazine or Expat Daily News, at least one concerned reader asks why safety isn't mentioned. This is with good reason; with all the news reports on violence, that seem to be more and more frequent, any retiree or other potential expat has the right to be concerned, and ask.

Why, then, don't I dedicate at least half of every article I write to talking about violence?

The bottom line is, those of us who live in Mexico don't think about it much. Our lives our defined by walks on the beach, bike rides, sports, a relaxing culture, excellent food, etc. Of course, those of us who aren't retired yet work too. As far as problems are concerned, we're much more likely to be thinking about the annoying bureaucracy of government offices; although this only turns up when you have to renew your visa or if you start the process of becoming a permanent resident, it's something we have to deal with far more often than violence. In fact, most of us never experience or witness violence. (Note: it's not seldom or infrequent – it's never, for the majority of us.)

When I write my articles about life in Mexico, or about the different real estate areas people could consider buying properties, I write about the issues that define our lives as expats - the things we think about, the things we do and see.

The worst crime I've witnessed was that when I lived in Mexico City, I saw young Mexican guy being robbed coming out of the subway; he walked away completely unharmed. Petty theft can happen, but that's true in any U.S. city, big or small. Even petty theft, however, is not something we see every day, or even every month or year; especially not here in the main tourist and expat centers. Even Mexican nationals I know are shocked and appalled when they hear that their cousin who lives in another city was robbed, and will remember the event for years to come. It's by no means common, although its by far the worst crime problem that exists for regular residents. You do have to avoid leaving a big fat wallet hanging out of your back pocket, or leaving a purse sitting on a park bench, but this the same common sense you would use in a U.S. city.

This contrasts heavily to the news Mexicans hear of the senseless killings and serial murders that take place in the U.S. on an ever more frequent basis. Sadly and unfortunately, it's often impossible to identify the motivation of these events. When it comes to petty theft, at least you know what their looking for, and 99% of the time, it can be avoided through common sense.

Many expats in communities like Lake Chapala, Playa del Carmen or Puerto Vallarta say they actually feel safer than in their home city.

So, what about the big news reports about dozens of drug-related deaths? Are they exaggerated? The details are definitely not fabricated, and the problem of drug violence is a real one. No one has to invent anything to make these stories shocking.

But news reports fail to put the details into perspective; the headlines of CNN state "Dozens die in Mexico." Mexico is huge. Where did this happen? Who were these people?

The reality is that these events happen mostly up in areas along the U.S. border with 3 or 4 other isolated pockets throughout the country. In virtually every situation of this sort, all the people involved are members of the warring drug mobs. That's why even Mexican nationals in most communities throughout the country feel fairly distant from these problems. (Mexican news papers are actually worse about this kind of exaggeration and lack of perspective than U.S. papers, by the way.)

We also hear the news sometimes that a tourist experiences violence, or even worse, in one of these beautiful paradise locations. No one can deny that these unfortunate things to happen now and then. But again, the events are not put into perspective; when one American is attacked in [name any beachfront city], we forget the number of Americans here at the time. In some of these areas there are upwards of 50,000 expats, and this number is greatly swelled by large influxes of tourists. When the stats are compared, the rate of violent crime against Americans is still much lower here than back home.

The news is much more shocking when it happens to someone away on vacation to relax. News sources know this and capitalize on it to grab people's attention.

While living in Mexico, expats are generally so distant from all of this, that we forget about it. We go home to visit, and are surprised by concerns of friends and family. It's not something we think about, most of the time – usually only when a friend from back home calls or e-mails us concerned about our safety.

If you're concerned about safety in Mexico, start by talking to someone you know who lives here, or comes on vacations regularly. Then come and see for yourself; you'll be pleasantly surprised.

TOPMexicoRealEstate.com; Mexico's Leading Network of Specialists for Finding and Purchasing Mexican Properties Safely

If you are considering Living In Mexico there are hundreds of articles and resources on EscapeArtist that you can browse for more information.

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Egypt Protests: Communication Blackout

By Erin Owen

Note to governments worldwide: if you want to freak out every expat living within your borders, turn off all mobile phone networks and cut off all Internet access. Hey, it worked in Egypt and it could for you too.

I never knew how much I relied on these two relatively insignificant things to keep me *plugged in* to the rest of the world.

Friday morning we woke up to a very normal feeling day. Everyone knew that protests were being scheduled after Friday prayers (which ends around 1:00PM Cairo time). Usually we're up earlier and off to the international church around 9:30AM but I forgot to set my alarm so we got up a bit later and went out for breakfast.

Cairo is always a quiet city early on a Friday morning and this Friday was no different. The streets are mostly empty (as in fewer cars that don't have to stop because of traffic, we're still talking about a mega-city of approximately 20 million people here).

Living in the Canary Islands: Flamenco - the latest weapon!

Recently we have heard about protests in the UK, whether these are students campaigning against the increase in university tuition fees or anti-capitalist groups and other protestors taking direct action against what they see as injustice. Others are holding ‘sit-ins’ in the stores of a mobile telephone company or those owned by a government advisor, whose wife happens to live outside the UK, allegedly for the purpose of avoiding taxation.

It seems that the days are gone when planned protest marches were the province of well-organised trade unions fighting for what they see as just causes for their members. Nowadays we see students and others taking direct action by attacking the headquarters of political parties, banks and government buildings. Protests organised though social networking groups have led to spontaneous protests in well-known UK shops and stores by protestors who see them as legitimate targets for not always peaceful protests.

As with many things, the Spanish do this in another way, and maybe this illustrates just one side of the Spanish psyche that I find fascinating, charming, and often amusing, in my adopted country. A new craze by Spain’s anti-bank protestors is sweeping the nation. As an alternative to the angry UK’s direct-action protestors that are engaged in street violence or fire bombing offices, angry citizens in Spain are calling into banks and dancing a live flamenco show, complete with anti-bank lyrics before disappearing as quickly as they arrived.

Uruguay: New Income Tax and Banking Security Laws

Introduction:

After more than 6 months of debate, on 29 December 2010, the Uruguayan parliament approved Law No 18.718, which makes changes in the Income Tax law. In a previous report this year we set out the details of the changes that the government was proposing. At that stage the bill had caused widespread controversy due to a lack of prior consultation and it was uncertain how many of the changes would actually be implemented. In the end and as a result of agreement with some of the other political parties in Uruguay, most of the bill has been passed unchanged with only minor changes in the provisions regarding bank secrecy. The new law was published in the Official Gazette of 3 Jan 2011 and the law is already in effect.

Healthy Retirement in Mexico; Lifestyle in Playa del Carmen

Good health during retirement has two main aspects. One is access to good healthcare, the other is a healthy lifestyle that includes activity and healthy food. Living in Mexico can offer the best of both. Let's consider Playa del Carmen, located on the Yucatan Peninsula, just south of Cancun, as an example.
The following features in Playa del Carmen will allow you enjoy a good health in retirement, or any other stage of life:

Healthcare. On the whole, Playa del Carmen is home to a large number of specialists who work both in a hospital and in an individual clinic. Among its numerous hospitals of varying size and reputation, there is one international hospital of the highest quality with state-of-the-art equipment and very highly trained doctors, and another one reported to be on the way. While patients have reported high-quality treatment, and a very personalized service that puts American hospitals to shame, prices are accessible. Nearby in Cancun (45 minutes away) there is a larger number of specialists and a several more world-class hospitals of high reputation.

Activity. More and more, the idea of "good health" is focused on activity and a healthy lifestyle to prevent medical complications as much as necessary. Living in Playa del Carmen is ideal for this concept. For retirees who choose a condo in the downtown area, it offers an excellent walk-everywhere lifestyle. The area is small and within walking distance from just about any part of downtown there are 4 supermarkets (including a Walmart), local markets and cafes, restaurants, the trendy tourist area of Fifth Avenue, and, of course, the beach.