Feedback Friday - March 15, 2013

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It's Friday, and you know what that means. Another week has passed in the struggle for personal and economic freedom, and as such another round of queries, comments, and concerns from our valued TDV community. 

On to the feedback...

ZOMBIES, ZOMBIES, ZOMBIES

In Response to: "The Economic Zombie Apocalypse"

One reason that Zombie movies, books, games and now even TV shows appeal to many people is, that they usually display a reset of society. Society in these scenarios is usually depicted as a mindless hoard of already zombie-like creatures with nothing better to do than hang out in malls and leech on each other.  

The zombie apocalypse offers the inclined mind a chance of imagining how he could rebuild society without everything getting destroyed. The cities are still there. The food is still there. So are factories and cars. But in the zombie apocalypse, only the brave and principled people survive. There's usually a whole army of annoying idiots, leechers, people unwilling to adapt to the change, know-it-alls and other scumbags that get wiped out during these movies. The tight-knit group of survivors is only different because they help each other, act honourable and don't let themselves get dragged into the many pitfalls that the "previous" (our current) society offers to them.  

Mentally disengaging from this society and imagining building up a new one is the first step in actually achieving it. So every time there's another zombie movie, or game, or show, I rejoice, knowing that millions of people would rather build a better society than live in this one.

Max M.

Gary’s Response:

That's an intelligent analysis followed by a beautiful sentiment, Max. Undoubtedly, a great appeal to zombie apocalyptic fiction is indeed the fantasty of starting society over with lots of the infrastructure still intact. I think this must hold special appeal to the truly ethical liberty-lovers of the world...because a proper zombie apocalypse would finally mean freedom from the state while being able to put the fruits of the modern world to good use. I can't speak for every voluntaryist and market anarchist out there, but I personally would relish a world overrun by shambling, carnivorous corpses if it meant no more DHS, CIA, FBI, BATF, IRS, Federal Reserve, or Congress.

PERMANENT TRAVELING AND PRECIOUS METALS

Hello Jeff,

How do you combine Permanent Traveling and owning precious metals? I understand you don't trust banks too much, but do you trust hotels and the people they hire? Do you trust your maid while you're away for several months? Or do you not keep any physical precious metals around at all?

Max

Jeff’s Response:

Hi, Max.  Just because I label myself as a Permanent Traveler (PT) does not necessarily mean I am constantly living out of hotel rooms like a homeless person... although with my travel schedule it sometimes does feel that way.  The PT theory essentially just means that you never live in one country long enough for the local gang of thieves known as government to purport to own you and therefore claim the right to extort you via taxes.

I do have an abode in Mexico, but I am just a tourist and Mexico offers a 180-day tourist visa upon entry. I just have to leave every six months in order to retain my tourist status.  I also plan on building a casa and living in Chile for a significant portion of the year at my already reserved address of 1 Anarchist Avenue, Galt's Gulch Chile.  In Chile you can stay for 90 days as a tourist so I will just take a short vacation to Paraguay or Argentina every three months in order to stay within that requirement.

So, as you can see, I do "live" in places and am not constantly in a state of travel without homes.  That said, I don't keep very much gold in my house.  I prefer to utilize private vaults around the world in places like James Turk's Goldmoney.com, Bullionvault.com and Peter Schiff's Europac bank where you can hold your funds in a bank account in gold and access them at any time via ATM.  I find this to be much easier and safer and all of it can be done via the internet.  We wrote the 80-page-plus living document Getting Your Gold Out Of Dodge which gives you dozens of international options to store gold.

If I do find myself travelling with a significant amount of gold, which I do from time to time, I make sure to stay in reputable five-star hotels with a safe and utilize their safes.  I've never had a problem this way.

THAILAND & TAXES

Hi Jeff,

Can you recommend a legal adviser in the Pattaya/ Jomtien area with regards to US and Thailand income tax matters?

In December 2012 I permanently left the perverted USA and have been living in Thailand on a 1-year renewable retirement visa. I want to know if I should limit my stay to less than 6 months a year for any reason.

By the way, I only hold a US passport right now, and want to get a second passport and establish citizenship so I can get rid of the first one.

Best,

Mark, TDV Subscriber

PS - I regret that I did not meet you at Libertopia. I canceled my trip because I did not want to invite any hindrances from the criminals doing business as the Government by associating with peaceful voluntaryists.

Jeff’s Response:

Hi Mark,

I don't happen to personally know a legal/tax adviser in Pattaya but that is what TDV Groups is for.  We now have dollar vigilantes in numerous cities in over 20 countries from Argentina to Uruguay who are more than happy to help you.  We currently have four TDV Groups in Thailand in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket and I urge you to make use of those groups and contact them.  Most dollar vigilantes are expats who are very savvy about realtors, lawyers and almost anything else you need in the area. Paid subscribers like you get access to TDV Groups as a bonus to subscription.

As an aside, I rarely feel jealous of people living in another region as I have a great life and lifestyle in Acapulco, Mexico... but I have to admit a pang of jealousy in this case.  It's been a number of years since I've lived in Thailand and I do have to say I miss it a lot.  I have, however, been invited to be a Keynote speaker at the Gold Investment Symposium this coming October in Sydney, Australia... which isn't too far from Thailand and I think I'll have to find my way back to Thailand this fall!

KILL THE PARTING SHOT

Dear TDV,

I've never liked Parting Shot at the bottom of the daily mailings. They strike me as disrespectful to the writer of the main piece--as if the main story needs further explanation or comment from an editor. The Parting Shot comments often seem forced and have little to do with the main piece. They distract from and detract from the main piece. Give Gibson his own column. I don't really want his editorial comment at the end of every article your other writers contribute.

Jay

Gary's Response:

I do have my own column: Notes from the New Underground Railroad. You can find me there every Sunday on the blog.

Businesses survive by giving customers what they want. So we'd like to hear from the rest of you vigilantes on this. Should the Parting Shot live or die? Send me your feedback here.