Okay, a bit of a ludicrous sounding headline, but one of my reasons here was really trying to think ahead for the sake of the kids, and I reckon Denmark is potentially one of the worlds future commodity resource hotspots.
Right now, per capita, they supply huge amounts of oil and fish products, which generates (my guess), a lot of the excess money that the government uses to fund the welfare state I am so not fond of. anyone who thinks the welfare state is great should live here for a while and see the mindset it creates.
social comment aside, on top of this, they also happen to own a huge chunk of the world's future resource hotspot, the North Pole. Honestly, I hope the government is prepared to do whatever it takes to hold onto Greenland, because that will become a serious wealth generator. Regardless of whether you believe in permanent global warming or just a temporary natural climate change, fact is that the ice in Greenland is receding and the miners are moving in to explore and mine.
Now, and I believe the great Jim Rogers, commodities are going to be hot in the years ahead. Oil is already up to $100 and once those bankers devalue the Euro a little bit, petrol is going to get a lot more expensive here too. And then as for Gold and Silver, overdo it on the currency devaluation and they will be hot and a half.
When you think about the populations of Denmark (5.1m and 100,000 respectively), you can really see how few people will be sharing it out, so if anyone knows any sure fire ways to invest in this potential, aside from mining companies with no earnings (property prices are already VERY expensive up there), then let me know.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
How to Euro Shop Online and Get the Best Prices Delivered to Your Door!
Living in Britain, I'd become used to logging on to the net and ordering whatever I fancied from sites like Amazon, VAT-free and no delivery costs, but two years ago, life took me to Denmark (or rather the missus did!), and boy, was I in for a shock! Get this...a 25% sales tax, or MOMs, as it's called here on everything you buy, including food! Even so, after I'd been here a few months, I naively logged onto Amazon to buy a few English books I fancied. Everything looked fine as I added to my basket, but once at the checkout, the price of all the items more than DOUBLED, simply as a result of where they were being sent to.
So, get this, Amazon is selling the same goods to you, from the same warehouse, but you have to pay twice the price? Why? Well, turns out it isn't Amazons fault at all. You can blame the EU for this one, and this after all those years of cheek we were sold the EU with the excuse that it was going to be a free trade bloc of one big European Nation. Just because your books are going to be delivered to Denmark instead of the UK you have to pay delivery (okay, that one you can cope with) and an extra 25% sales tax. Ha ha, how I laughed as I gave up on my attempted purchase and prepared myself for a life of no reading ever again.
But then I discovered, completely by chance, a rather nifty outfit called Play.com, who based themselves in a small island off the coast of France, called Jersey that has zero sales tax. Better still, these guys even do free delivery to Denmark, and best of all to buy from them (or anywhere else in the world for that matter), is 100% legal, subject to certain limits.
Wow, I was like a pig in.....err excuse me. Anyhow, to say the least I was a very happy man and logging on every other night from thereon buying all of the books I could possibly get my hands on to make up for lost time.
After this I really got into buying a lot of things I wanted elsewhere in the EU, and once you start getting into this buying abroad off the internet lark you'll realise that Amazon is the exception in charging Sales Taxes at the buyers' rate. Most EU based companies will only charge their local rate, 100% legal again. Well, this little bit of info opened up another new horizon! Blimey, I even found a little-used, SECRET way of buying from Amazon and avoiding the Sales tax. 100% LEGAL again, and you can read about it here as I'm happy to give you this secret for free.
Then I started thinking...how many other websites or shopping opportunities are there out there like this? Completely legal opportunities to beat the taxman and keep more of your own money in your own pocket, while buying exactly what you want. Hell, half this stuff isn't even available here! The same probably applies to whatever European country you happen to be living in right now. Am I right?
Now, just think about all those people out there who know nothing about these sites. Maybe this even includes you? You come back from the UK with a holdall full of English books or decent underwear (my partner does!) simply because you think you'll never get the chance to stock up again. Well, forget it! Now you can buy from the comfort of your own home with delivery to your door!
There is now a site of my favourite online shops! These are personally tested and recommended shops with great prices, a fantastic range, and best of all, free or low delivery costs to Denmark and most of the rest of Europe. You can visit it right now at www.expatshop.eu.
So, get this, Amazon is selling the same goods to you, from the same warehouse, but you have to pay twice the price? Why? Well, turns out it isn't Amazons fault at all. You can blame the EU for this one, and this after all those years of cheek we were sold the EU with the excuse that it was going to be a free trade bloc of one big European Nation. Just because your books are going to be delivered to Denmark instead of the UK you have to pay delivery (okay, that one you can cope with) and an extra 25% sales tax. Ha ha, how I laughed as I gave up on my attempted purchase and prepared myself for a life of no reading ever again.
But then I discovered, completely by chance, a rather nifty outfit called Play.com, who based themselves in a small island off the coast of France, called Jersey that has zero sales tax. Better still, these guys even do free delivery to Denmark, and best of all to buy from them (or anywhere else in the world for that matter), is 100% legal, subject to certain limits.
Wow, I was like a pig in.....err excuse me. Anyhow, to say the least I was a very happy man and logging on every other night from thereon buying all of the books I could possibly get my hands on to make up for lost time.
After this I really got into buying a lot of things I wanted elsewhere in the EU, and once you start getting into this buying abroad off the internet lark you'll realise that Amazon is the exception in charging Sales Taxes at the buyers' rate. Most EU based companies will only charge their local rate, 100% legal again. Well, this little bit of info opened up another new horizon! Blimey, I even found a little-used, SECRET way of buying from Amazon and avoiding the Sales tax. 100% LEGAL again, and you can read about it here as I'm happy to give you this secret for free.
Then I started thinking...how many other websites or shopping opportunities are there out there like this? Completely legal opportunities to beat the taxman and keep more of your own money in your own pocket, while buying exactly what you want. Hell, half this stuff isn't even available here! The same probably applies to whatever European country you happen to be living in right now. Am I right?
Now, just think about all those people out there who know nothing about these sites. Maybe this even includes you? You come back from the UK with a holdall full of English books or decent underwear (my partner does!) simply because you think you'll never get the chance to stock up again. Well, forget it! Now you can buy from the comfort of your own home with delivery to your door!
There is now a site of my favourite online shops! These are personally tested and recommended shops with great prices, a fantastic range, and best of all, free or low delivery costs to Denmark and most of the rest of Europe. You can visit it right now at www.expatshop.eu.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Danish Election Results
Forgot to comment on the Danish election results. No surprises there, in fact, I'm pleased to be proved right, since Helle Thorning Schmidt's Socialist party got their lowest ever share of the vote. Great, so Danes are finally getting sick of socialism.
Furthermore, Venstre with their promises of no more tax rises (though taxes can hardly rise much above 70%, can they?), have teamed up with New Alliance (40% flat tax), so you can only be hopeful that something might give, even a bit.
Amusingly enough, the other part of the Venstre coalition is the Danske Folkeparti. Who are opposed to immigration, Denmark for the Danes (well white ones, some might say), and all that. While Alliance are all for more immigrants and more benefits for them, so those two should cancel each other out on this issue.
Furthermore, Venstre with their promises of no more tax rises (though taxes can hardly rise much above 70%, can they?), have teamed up with New Alliance (40% flat tax), so you can only be hopeful that something might give, even a bit.
Amusingly enough, the other part of the Venstre coalition is the Danske Folkeparti. Who are opposed to immigration, Denmark for the Danes (well white ones, some might say), and all that. While Alliance are all for more immigrants and more benefits for them, so those two should cancel each other out on this issue.
Pound in freefall, but the dollar hides it
I must admit that I have been worried about the Pound for some time, what with the trade deficit, budget deficit and now the Northern Rock crisis.
Actually, the trade deficit bothers me least of the problems, as Britain has a large reputation for investing abroad. The others are not so good. especially the Northern Rock crisis, since the implication is the government have magically created the necessary backup reserves out of thin air (is there any other method?)
Now, I notice that in the past couple of months, the Pound has dropped about 6% against the Euro and Danish Krone. This has hardly got a mention, as all the media are going on about the weakening Dollar and the bargains available for those taking a shopping trip to the USA.
So please, Germany and Holland, don't give in to whingeing France and Italy about needing a weaker Euro, and the usual rubbish about generating exports. A devalued currency helps no-one long term.
If it carries on like this, the Euro could become the world's new reserve currency, especially for pricing oil, at least until China is ready to claim its spot.
Just a thought.
As for me, I'm off to browse the internet for some bargains from Britain...
Actually, the trade deficit bothers me least of the problems, as Britain has a large reputation for investing abroad. The others are not so good. especially the Northern Rock crisis, since the implication is the government have magically created the necessary backup reserves out of thin air (is there any other method?)
Now, I notice that in the past couple of months, the Pound has dropped about 6% against the Euro and Danish Krone. This has hardly got a mention, as all the media are going on about the weakening Dollar and the bargains available for those taking a shopping trip to the USA.
So please, Germany and Holland, don't give in to whingeing France and Italy about needing a weaker Euro, and the usual rubbish about generating exports. A devalued currency helps no-one long term.
If it carries on like this, the Euro could become the world's new reserve currency, especially for pricing oil, at least until China is ready to claim its spot.
Just a thought.
As for me, I'm off to browse the internet for some bargains from Britain...
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The truth behind the Miners Strike
Just in case anyone considers me to be some elitist Brit who went to public school, I can honestly say that I come from a North Eastern coal mining background and in fact, my Dad worked in the mines right up to the end in the 1980s and my family was badly affected by the miners strike. In fact, this was probably a pivotal moment in my life for realising the con of socialism and how the world is "every man for himself" whichever way you look at it.
While Arthur Scargill ran the campaign in the style of a World War 1 general, sitting 20 miles behind the front lines sipping claret and sending men and their families to their economic deaths, some of his cohorts really would have come around and put a brick through your window (or worse) had you dared to be a black-leg and go back to work. Ironically, these were the same guys who, a year later, were leaping around at the prospect of 30 grand redundancy money. A little known fact of the miners strike is that many of the collieries closed weren't even on the closure list that had triggered the strike, but a year of being left empty had led to flooding and other high maintenance costs that made it cheaper to pay the men off. And boy, how they all voted for closure when they realised how much money they would get! Sod you "comrade", became the prevailing attitude, and the younger blokes, like my Dad, missed out on the full redundancy and pensions offered to those of more senior years.
God, how Consett was boom town in those next few years. You could tell who the ex-miners were by the new extensions on their houses, new cars and flash new electricals like VCRs, while they all desperately tried to run down their redundancy money enough to qualify for the dole. Years later, you could definitely tell who the ex-miners were by their enormous beer bellies from a retirement life of spending all day in the club.
Socialism? Don't make me laugh.
While Arthur Scargill ran the campaign in the style of a World War 1 general, sitting 20 miles behind the front lines sipping claret and sending men and their families to their economic deaths, some of his cohorts really would have come around and put a brick through your window (or worse) had you dared to be a black-leg and go back to work. Ironically, these were the same guys who, a year later, were leaping around at the prospect of 30 grand redundancy money. A little known fact of the miners strike is that many of the collieries closed weren't even on the closure list that had triggered the strike, but a year of being left empty had led to flooding and other high maintenance costs that made it cheaper to pay the men off. And boy, how they all voted for closure when they realised how much money they would get! Sod you "comrade", became the prevailing attitude, and the younger blokes, like my Dad, missed out on the full redundancy and pensions offered to those of more senior years.
God, how Consett was boom town in those next few years. You could tell who the ex-miners were by the new extensions on their houses, new cars and flash new electricals like VCRs, while they all desperately tried to run down their redundancy money enough to qualify for the dole. Years later, you could definitely tell who the ex-miners were by their enormous beer bellies from a retirement life of spending all day in the club.
Socialism? Don't make me laugh.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Some Men are More Equal than Others
Imagine living in a country that takes huge taxes from you, including a huge cut of your worldwide income.
Imagine that this country prides itself on the alleged principles of fairness and equality.
Imagine then that a chance for the people to decide who runs the country you live in comes around. At last, a chance to make a small difference by voting on the person/party you feel is most likely to improve the lot of the country you live in.
Imagine then that you get told to f**k off since no-one cares what you have to say and you don't even get the chance to vote.
Sounds unlikely? Well, when my Danish partner and I lived in the UK, we could both vote no problem, but move to Denmark and it turns out that foreigners are NOT allowed to vote in the general election.
I can see why, since foreigners aren't brainwashed into Danish socialism from an early age and can see right through it, so imagine the dangers of them enforcing some change for the better, eh?
Funny too that my partner, once she'd lived outside Denmark more than 2 years lost the right to vote in Danish elections. Denmark obviously realises that any Dane living abroad for more than 2 years will be de-indoctrinated in socialist thinking and thus vote sensibly with clear-headed thinking.
Some men are indeed more equal than others, and Stalin would be proud.
Imagine that this country prides itself on the alleged principles of fairness and equality.
Imagine then that a chance for the people to decide who runs the country you live in comes around. At last, a chance to make a small difference by voting on the person/party you feel is most likely to improve the lot of the country you live in.
Imagine then that you get told to f**k off since no-one cares what you have to say and you don't even get the chance to vote.
Sounds unlikely? Well, when my Danish partner and I lived in the UK, we could both vote no problem, but move to Denmark and it turns out that foreigners are NOT allowed to vote in the general election.
I can see why, since foreigners aren't brainwashed into Danish socialism from an early age and can see right through it, so imagine the dangers of them enforcing some change for the better, eh?
Funny too that my partner, once she'd lived outside Denmark more than 2 years lost the right to vote in Danish elections. Denmark obviously realises that any Dane living abroad for more than 2 years will be de-indoctrinated in socialist thinking and thus vote sensibly with clear-headed thinking.
Some men are indeed more equal than others, and Stalin would be proud.
Why are Socialist countries like Denmark so apparently rich?
A lot of people, usually academic economists and fans of socialism who've never actually lived in Denmark make the Nordic model out to be some great utopian society, but they forget two things:-
1) The Scandinavian countries are all very rich in natural resources, even if it is often claimed otherwise. Denmark and Norway are, per capita, two of the world's biggest oil producers. Iceland and Denmark (esp. through Greenland) are two of the biggest seafood producers, then finally Sweden and Finland are so full of trees they supply much of the timber and pulp paper throughout Europe. Without these assets, these countries would run massive trade deficits and be unable to afford their generous welfare state.
2) These countries have successfully monetised many aspects of private family life that was previously outside the scope of inclusion in official economic figures like GDP. Take childcare and elderly care, for example, in Denmark, you'll often find 2 women work as childcarers, and as part of the system they drop their own children off with other childcarers! It's the same as paying someone to paint your house while you pay them to paint yours. A no-brainer for government, since it's more tax-collection opportunities, but bad news for individuals.
Can anyone even put a cost of the long-term social damage it does to families? Funnily enough, Danes are reknowned as "serial mongamists", IE drifting from one relationship to another, collecting kids from various relationships and partners along the way. You almost feel weird here if you keep the same partner for more than 5-7 years (the old 7 year itch, eh?)
1) The Scandinavian countries are all very rich in natural resources, even if it is often claimed otherwise. Denmark and Norway are, per capita, two of the world's biggest oil producers. Iceland and Denmark (esp. through Greenland) are two of the biggest seafood producers, then finally Sweden and Finland are so full of trees they supply much of the timber and pulp paper throughout Europe. Without these assets, these countries would run massive trade deficits and be unable to afford their generous welfare state.
2) These countries have successfully monetised many aspects of private family life that was previously outside the scope of inclusion in official economic figures like GDP. Take childcare and elderly care, for example, in Denmark, you'll often find 2 women work as childcarers, and as part of the system they drop their own children off with other childcarers! It's the same as paying someone to paint your house while you pay them to paint yours. A no-brainer for government, since it's more tax-collection opportunities, but bad news for individuals.
Can anyone even put a cost of the long-term social damage it does to families? Funnily enough, Danes are reknowned as "serial mongamists", IE drifting from one relationship to another, collecting kids from various relationships and partners along the way. You almost feel weird here if you keep the same partner for more than 5-7 years (the old 7 year itch, eh?)
Monday, November 5, 2007
Full Employment for all, the socialist way
I've been thinking about this for a few days and I have the perfect "socialist" solution to much of Denmarks problems, sick of hearing about the rough life the huge number of care-workers have here, (and believe me there are millions of them), how about we all become care workers...for each other?
Thinking about it, it fulfills many socialist criteria; for starters, we'll all get paid the same, secondly, there'll be full employment, and thirdly, what could be more caring and socialist than being a cuddly care-worker?
Okay, okay, I know what you're saying, and yes, long-term there will be minor issues with the fact that the country isn't producing anything to sell to foreigners in return for all the goods we need. but hey, a small price to pay, wouldn't you agree?
Thinking about it, it fulfills many socialist criteria; for starters, we'll all get paid the same, secondly, there'll be full employment, and thirdly, what could be more caring and socialist than being a cuddly care-worker?
Okay, okay, I know what you're saying, and yes, long-term there will be minor issues with the fact that the country isn't producing anything to sell to foreigners in return for all the goods we need. but hey, a small price to pay, wouldn't you agree?
More Notes from the Danish election
Witnessing a Danish election first hand, three things spring to mind
1) The amazing number of candidates in our town, which only has a population of 17,000. Some parties even seem to have two or three potential candidates to vote for. By my reckoning, it looks like half the population of Hobro are standing for election! For a country that claims to care about the environment, they certainly do waste a lot of cardboard and printing facilities on election posters of the candidates. I kid not, no lamp-post has been left untouched. All grinning, smiley, smug faces, the lot of them. Now, where's my air-rifle or dartboard?
2) The age of the candidates. So many of them seem to be young people in their 20s or early 30s. I wouldn't vote for anybody who hasn't had at least some experience of real life in the unforgiving commercial world, but giving people who've done nothing more than come straight out of cushy "political studies" at University with their idealised theories unbased on the realities of the world, (Helle Thorning Schmidt, anyone?) the ability to decide - what's really sad is the power they could potentially wield over us all.
3) On the basis of 1) and 2), comes the conclusion that with suffocating socialism and the forced income redistribution of high taxes, that the only way to get around it is to become a member of the government, get a nift free ministerial car and a load of other freebies, then spend the rest of your life spending other peoples money.
Hey, did I just describe "Animal farm" by George Orwell, or what? (and the stark realisation that I'm "Boxer"?)
1) The amazing number of candidates in our town, which only has a population of 17,000. Some parties even seem to have two or three potential candidates to vote for. By my reckoning, it looks like half the population of Hobro are standing for election! For a country that claims to care about the environment, they certainly do waste a lot of cardboard and printing facilities on election posters of the candidates. I kid not, no lamp-post has been left untouched. All grinning, smiley, smug faces, the lot of them. Now, where's my air-rifle or dartboard?
2) The age of the candidates. So many of them seem to be young people in their 20s or early 30s. I wouldn't vote for anybody who hasn't had at least some experience of real life in the unforgiving commercial world, but giving people who've done nothing more than come straight out of cushy "political studies" at University with their idealised theories unbased on the realities of the world, (Helle Thorning Schmidt, anyone?) the ability to decide - what's really sad is the power they could potentially wield over us all.
3) On the basis of 1) and 2), comes the conclusion that with suffocating socialism and the forced income redistribution of high taxes, that the only way to get around it is to become a member of the government, get a nift free ministerial car and a load of other freebies, then spend the rest of your life spending other peoples money.
Hey, did I just describe "Animal farm" by George Orwell, or what? (and the stark realisation that I'm "Boxer"?)
Thursday, November 1, 2007
At last, A Danish Bargain
Having lived in this country for almost 3 years now, the only thing I'd discovered that is cheaper than the UK is wood. Yep, plain old wood, whether it's for your fire, garden fence or the finished product for building some shelves in your house, invariably it's a lot cheaper. But probably not a total surprise, for a country that is, apparently,25% wooded, has a population of 5 million and is right next to Sweden.
Anyhow, the big news is that I have discovered a commodity that is FREE in Denmark, but costs over £100 in the UK for the identical commodity. What could this commodity be, you ask? Well, I'm not saying...if I do, they will doubtless introduce some kind of tax on it!
Anyhow, the big news is that I have discovered a commodity that is FREE in Denmark, but costs over £100 in the UK for the identical commodity. What could this commodity be, you ask? Well, I'm not saying...if I do, they will doubtless introduce some kind of tax on it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
