tomtom33 has left 2655 comments

tomtom33 comments on Is a WILL written outside of Colombia legal?

My best guess is that a will done by a good law firm in any western country could dispose of any assets held anywhere. My US attorney knows that I live in Colombia and has not said anything about re-doing my will. And that guy has taken very good care of me for over 20 years now.

tomtom33 comments on Is a WILL written outside of Colombia legal?

I doubt that it would matter where a beneficiary lives.

tomtom33 comments on Colombia president: Interpol report is strong evidence of Venezuelan support for rebels

"This is very much true, however the US is just as guilty in this case especially for sponsorship of state terrorism. Colombia being its current major benefactor. The US has looked to other way when Colombia military has been involved in terrorism support of the para-militaries. Why? because it would affect money going the the Military contractors. which is a huge lobby in D.C." If it is not okay to support one of two major factions in Colombia because both factions may be dirty, then is what to be done? Stand by and do nothing? Or maybe just flush.

tomtom33 comments on Cartagena Airport to Cartagena Terminal de Pasajeros?

Yeah, and you should get from Centro to the terminal in around one hour and 15 minutes more if you are lucky and it is not rush hour.

tomtom33 comments on

Welcome back. I hope you stay.

tomtom33 comments on Global Depression is coming! Will Colombia's isolation protect it?

I guess you didn't grow up in Minneapolis, then. That was a little far west to be considered a part of the rust belt. I was born in Minneapolis but grew up in eastern Wisconsin. Milwaukee was definitely part of the rust belt. When I came home from school in northern Minnesota in the mid-50s, we didn't have a TV. I listened to Sergeant Preston on the radio.

tomtom33 comments on Hostage Release

What war?

tomtom33 comments on Hostage Release

No, the only reason that the hostages were taken in the first place is that some people will pay in one way or another for their release. If everyone refused to pay anything for any hostage release, there would be no more hostage-taking. The French or whoever can pay the FARC to release all the hostages tomorrow. The next time the FARC needs money. What do you suppose that they will do?

tomtom33 comments on Global Depression is coming! Will Colombia's isolation protect it?

Actually a pretty high percentage of US citizens have portfolios in the form of retirement accounts. I remember the 70s gas lines and stagflation very well. The situation was a whole lot more grim in those days. A girlfriend of mine got a home mortgage in the later 70s at around 13% and felt very lucky.

tomtom33 comments on six months in colombia and six months in usa

I am just a simple retired bum. Fortunately, I have a good US CPA firm and a good US law firm. And I am trying to establish good Colombian professional help. Thanks for the tips, Frank.

tomtom33 comments on six months in colombia and six months in usa

Frank, PM sent.

tomtom33 comments on six months in colombia and six months in usa

Actually I doubt that any two DIAN officials could give the same answer. But I believe that the potential taxation of worldwide income doesn't really come into play until you have been in Colombia for 5 years with over 180 days of residence in each year. I say potential because nothing is certain in Colombia. I have not exceeded that 5-year mark yet. I have filed returns with DIAN for the last 4 years and used Colombian accountants to make the filings. I intend to continue to spend more than 180 days per year in Colombia. If at some time in the future I get bit by Colombian taxes badly, I will pay. Then I will assess my future options.

tomtom33 comments on Colombia president: Interpol report is strong evidence of Venezuelan support for rebels

Unfortunately, some in the world tend to overlook little things like support of terrorism when it is in their national interests. Russia, China, and France have continually obstructed the efforts of others to sanction Iran. Let's hope that no one interferes here. Of course the other SA lefties mean little.

tomtom33 comments on Global Depression is coming! Will Colombia's isolation protect it?

The sky ain´t falling. Things have been a whole lot worse in the past, and there was no global depression.

tomtom33 comments on Getting away with it

Douglas, flying back and forth may have worked years ago, but it does not any more. A friend of mine was one day over about 2 years ago. The fine was US$100.

tomtom33 comments on six months in colombia and six months in usa

Atre, of course it is realistic. Many of us here do it. My condo in the US stands empty for 8 months. My car sits in the garage with the positive battery terminal disconnected and Stabil in the gas tank. All US bills are paid electronically, and my mail is forwarded to a buddy's house. In Colombia, my novia handles all the bills. My house in Colombia is sometimes occupied by my novia when I am gone. No one rents the house, either. Both homes are fully furnished, and I do not schlep anything back and forth. It is really not a lot different from many people in the northern part of the US who have winter homes in Arizona or Florida. I just went a little further south.

tomtom33 comments on six months in colombia and six months in usa

I have been spending 8 months in Colombia and 4 in the US for about 5 years. But I prefer Colombian cities, first Cartagena and now Medellín. There are dangers in the mountains as well. And the dangers in the tourist zone of Cartagena are virtually nil. For now this split works great, but it may differ in the future.

tomtom33 comments on Getting away with it

I believe that the time limit is 6 months in any calendar year. Trips to VZ or Ecuador are meaningless.

tomtom33 comments on Can I retire at my age with my savings

And you may not be touching your principal, dwr, but inflation is touching it.

tomtom33 comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Now I see. Everything is the fault of the US drug addiction. Addiction can be connected to tsunamis if you want to stretch enough.

tomtom33 comments on Can I retire at my age with my savings

In my younger days, yes. I quit alcohol 24 years ago. My heart surgery prompted me to quit tobacco 14 years ago. Weight has always been a problem for me. Women? Unfortunately my desires are waning a bit there as well.

tomtom33 comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

There are a lot of things that the US is not handling well. What has this to do with Colombia? And drug addiction and the legal/penal system are two totally different problems. Indonesia has some problems as well.

tomtom33 comments on Can I retire at my age with my savings

I spend about 4 months per year in the US and the rest in Medellín. I get all my regular exams and prescription meds in the US. I pay out of pocket for anything in Colombia. My two bigger expenses in Colombia so far have been around 1.4 million pesos for laser surgery to try to repair a retinal tear and around a million for a colonoscopy. US surgeons had to finish the work on the retina. I have temporarily given up on Colombian health insurance after Coomeva screwed me. Frankly, I am uninsurable in the US if I tried to get different coverage. If I was a Colombian insurance company, I wouldn't insure me either. But Coomeva was more interested in stealing my money.

tomtom33 comments on Can I retire at my age with my savings

At age 44, the elephant is just beginning to appear. Health care. At age 59, my health care costs including US insurance run around 3 million COP per month. 250K doesn't go far. Of course if you never get sick and have no insurance, maybe you can make it. In my situation between the ages of 44 and 59, I had 2 heart surgeries(stents), retina surgery, cataract surgery, and tons of meds. I don't even know what that all cost, but I can assure you it was more than 250K.

tomtom33 comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

"Is USA capable of handling drug use, is Colombian requesting extradition of drug users to Colombia? Is the USA sending movie stars or regular citizens, known of consuming drugs to do charity work, or to do time in Colombia ?" What about the price of tea in China?

tomtom33 comments on Spending the night on the Rosario Islands

The secret to Cartagena is February. The heat is tame and there is no rain. Most importantly, the crowds are gone. Beach on Castillo Grande as there are very few vendedores. But if the beach was very important to you, you wouldn't be in Cartagena in the first place.

tomtom33 comments on Bush Touts His Record(?) On Latin America--Serious,,,LOL

Do you suppose that the younger generation has a clue what they want? Even if they could figure that out, could they accomplish what they want? It matters little who is elected President. The only hope is us.

tomtom33 comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Thank you. I understand where you are coming from. However, I do not believe that the impetus for continuing to keep drugs illegal has much of anything to do with campaign contributions from these contractors. Call me Pollyanna. If any legislation to legalize drugs were to be introduced in my lifetime, that bill would be DOA for other reasons.

tomtom33 comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

They buy them.

tomtom33 comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

I agree with legalization. But I can't quite see how US politicians are profiting from illegal drugs. Guess I'm a little slow.

tomtom33 comments on Colombian paramilitary warlords extradited

Money doesn't talk very loudly in the Federal prison system. The guards are well-paid Federal employees. And the system is very transparent. In other words, it's hard to pull shit in a glass house. The US legal and penal systems are far from perfect. But we will never get perfect. Will we?

tomtom33 comments on I Am So Happy For The Metro Cable (Line J)

This is the new one. It opened in March of this year.

tomtom33 comments on 60 Minutes - The Price of Bananas

Damned if you do and damned if you don't. No matter what is done any time, any where someone is not going to like it.

tomtom33 comments on I Am So Happy For The Metro Cable (Line J)

You must have gone during the week. On the weekends, it is slowed down to take 20 minutes each way. I went on a Sunday.

tomtom33 comments on Bogota Police advises of a new scam targeted at gringos

They are having issues. I just noticed a different link to be used for sets marked private(I think) and sent it to you.

tomtom33 comments on Furnished Apartments in Medellin

I just rented my 140 m2 apartment in Conquistadores to a friend for 800K per month. The apartment is partially furnished, but he will have to buy a mattress and a TV. Guess I should have rented through you.

tomtom33 comments on Moving to Colombia

Not many and not much.

tomtom33 comments on Buy a Business...Ecuador or Colombia

Or he could just go to any casino and lay it all on red.

tomtom33 comments on Bogota Police advises of a new scam targeted at gringos

I'll be in Wisconsin from June 4 to the end of Sept. Every Sat. and Sun., weather permitting, I am parked on that sandbar all day long. Drop on by. The bead business is brisk. I just sent you a link to view my summer fun photos. Check your Yahoo! e-mail.

tomtom33 comments on Bogota Police advises of a new scam targeted at gringos

She's a Gringa. I spend summers with her and friends on a river sandbar. They love to earn sets of beads.

tomtom33 comments on Bogota Police advises of a new scam targeted at gringos

With burrOs? Damn Elmo.

tomtom33 comments on Laureles - 33 Nightlife Area / Property

Those multi-purpose things can provide a very good cardio-vascular workout. Me likes.

tomtom33 comments on Laureles - 33 Nightlife Area / Property

I noticed some exercise equipment on the pool deck.

tomtom33 comments on Spending the night on the Rosario Islands

I rented a private lancha for my trip to Playa Blanca. I went with 2 amigas, and the three of us were relatively tout free. But we were pretty much off to ourselves.

tomtom33 comments on Another positive for Colombia's Medical Care

My guess is that they all do it. Most of my US care is provided by the UW Hospitals and Clinics. I have had some pretty major surgeries there that were paid for at much less than 50% of what was billed.

tomtom33 comments on Portraying of Colombian men & women on PBH

One way or another, you pay. Paying by the piece is usually much cheaper.

tomtom33 comments on What happened to the "edit"

Actually there may be a bit too much emphasis on who said what about what may or may not happen. Does anyone, except for the very few, really read those old posts and give a shit? I certainly do not. My focus remains firmly on my next meal.

tomtom33 comments on Another positive for Colombia's Medical Care

And here I was feeling sorry for my health care providers because they only got a small part of what they billed. My US insurance is provided by a risk pool underwritten by the State of Wis. No provider can bill me for anything more than what my risk insurance pays.

tomtom33 comments on Buy a Business...Ecuador or Colombia

Differently or not at all. It is damn hard to make any kind of living here.

tomtom33 comments on Another positive for Colombia's Medical Care

The big difference is that you have recourse in the US. If you don't have a good lawyer, you can access the insurance commissioner's office in the State in which you had the problem. No US insurance company has ever beaten me out of anything. And they have lost money on me, big time.