================================================= Expat Worlds Monthly Digest ================================================= March, 2002 Vol. 4, Issue 3 .....IN THIS DIGEST..... ==== THE STORY =================== (Compliment from the Expat World Newsletter) -=Around the World with Expat World=- ==== EW SPECIAL ================== -=Live and Work (or retire) in the EU=- The Deal of a Lifetime ==== HUMOR, TRIVIA, NEWS AND MORE... == -=Trivia=- -=News Story=- -=Traveller's Tales=- -=Jokes=- ==== THE RESOURCE TIP ============= -=Ditto.com - the leading visual search engine=- ==== INSIDE THIS MONTH EXPAT WORLD == -=Table of Content=- ==== THE STORY ================================== AROUND THE WORLD WITH EXPAT WORLD ENGLAND, WHERE THE PROCTOR GETS THE LAST LAUGH -- From England we have a tale of a student at Cambridge University in England who popped up during an examination demanding that the proctor bring him cakes and ale. The dialogue as recorded goes like this: Proctor: I beg your pardon Student: Sir, I request that you bring me cakes and ale. Proctor: Sorry, no. Student: Sir, I really must insist. I request and require you bring me cakes and ale. At that point the student produced a copy of a 400-year old Laws of Cambridge, written in Latin and still nominally in effect, and pointed to the section that read: "Gentlemen sitting examinations may request and require cakes and ale. A compromise was reached and it was judged that Pepsi and hamburgers were the modern equivalent. The student sat there writing his examination eating and slurping away. However, three weeks later the student was fined 5 pounds for not wearing a sword to the examination as required under the same document! ALASKA'S SECRET MEANS OF KEEPING AND ATTRACTING RESIDENTS -- Not known for it's balmy weather or highest quality of life, Alaska has to be inventive to attract more inhabitants into what is called the "American Icebox." The authorities in the largest, yet least inhabited US state (1.5 million square miles, +400,000 inhabitants) introduced the reversed income tax a while back. Whereas the residents of the other US states must pay federal income tax and often state taxes on top of that, the Alaskans are not only exempted from state taxes, they even get something back from the state each year. It works like this: Each year, each frozen nose gets $50 for each year he has spent in Alaska but not more than a total of 21 years (US $1,050). What EW's been told is that some "clever" people have managed to get on the free give away data base by getting a mail drop address there, giving the computer the impression that they are entitled to the annual handout which comes via check to their "address." SINGAPORE BECOMES A GAMBLERS' HAVEN -- A recent court ruling in Singapore rules that gambling debts are not collectible under law. It makes no never mind even if the casino disguises the money lent to big-time gamblers as a loan or any other cleverly or covertly disguised claim for payment. Not collectible says the chief justice of the Singapore courts. Singaporeans and people who have assets in Singapore have their assets protected from the casinos. The judge said that this is the risk the casino's must bear to do business since it's such a small price to pay for their huge profits. This ruling was finalized with the recent case where a casino in Sydney tried to collect a Sing $ 185,000 debt (US $100,000) from a Singapore businessman who was allowed to play on credit advanced by the Casino. In this case the casino allowed the businessman to use its check cashing facility to cash checks for money to play the tables. Of course, the businessman's checks bounced. In a previous case the court also ruled against a casino ship where a Singaporean went on a gambling junket. He lost about US $85,000 but never paid up and the court turned down the casino's suit to collect the gambling debt. Guess the moral of this story is if you're a big time gambler be Singaporean or have your assets in Singapore so that when Casinos let you play on borrowed or "lent money", you never have to pay-up when you lose. But, watch out for anyone approaching you carrying what appears to be a violin case! ASCENSION ISLAND, A TAX-FREE HAVEN ONE RARELY HEARS ABOUT -- If your not associated with the BBC relay station, the South Atlantic Cable Corporation or the British Defense Ministry you probably can't easily take advantage of a country which has totally abolished income, property, sales, and other taxes on this volcanic island in the South Atlantic (88 square miles and +1,500 English speaking inhabitants) which is administered as part of the British colony of St. Helena. This is the island that Napoleon was banished to. WHAT'S A CAMBODIAN MILLIONAIRE? -- The requirements to be a millionaire in this land of the former Khmer Rouge are very strict. In order to "qualify" to be a millionaire there, says a government official, "you have to have at least five million US dollars in cash or the equivalent in gold. But that doesn't hold back more than 300 such deluxe millionaires who live on a small archipelago called Koh Kong near the Thailand border in the southeast part of Cambodia. The Koh Kong islands just off the archipelago are one giant supermarket, with each island having a speciality like private luxury cars, motorcycles, household equipment, hi-tech goods. From these smugglers havens these goods and the likes of California apples and Chinese herbal medicines are then shipped to the capital city of Pnom Penh. In Cambodia, the rich get richer as the economy grows through the underground economy. The ordinary consumer by contrast grows poorer. Government officials can get relatively rich even though only 10 percent of their income comes from the state coffers, the other 90 percent comes from "donations" from businessmen. More and more foreigners are trying to get rich quick by taking advantage of the catch-as-you-can business in Cambodia. The ones that slip in somehow have to do nothing more than the Koh Kong crowd, that is pay some bribes in lieu of taxes to the bureaucrats who's official salary can be about US $10 per month. Life goes on in Cambodia that has a new market economy without the necessary financial infrastructures. It's not what the economist of the world would prescribe but it's the only working possibility. FIVE STAR PRISON SYSTEM IN GREENLAND -- Been fudging the books or doing some inside trading or robbing a bank and got caught? Better hope you're a resident of Greenland or can get your case heard there for Greenland has the world's best "5-star" prison. It is certainly the most inmate friendly. All residents of this prison have jobs on the outside at market wages and enjoy recreational rehabilitation such as fishing and shopping. The prisons goal is rehabilitation over punishment. What a unique idea!!!!! In the Greenland prison guards take up arms, but only on weekend hunting trips when the inmates themselves are armed. What a far cry from the prisons of the USA. One other advantage of having a five-star prison system is that it keeps the courts from back-logging to a stand still for most criminals in Greenland, not fearing prison, usually confess to everything. US GOVERNMENT FACILITY MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ANTHRAX INFECTION SCARE IN AMERICA -- The FBI has a suspect for last year's anthrax letters but POLITICS are proving stronger than a need to catch the culprit, according to a leading biological weapons inspector Ms. Barbara Rosenberg, director of the Federation of American Scientists' chemical and biological weapons working group, said that according to her "government insider", the FBI has questioned the suspect more than once but is being pressured not to charge him for this person has participated in past secret activities that the US government would not like to disclose. (Editors note: There are many reports of the US government operations testing biological and chemical compounds on their citizens and members of the military). Ms. Rosenburg's comments are the most specific yet on the origin of the letters containing the anthrax that terrorized the US after 911. Her profile of the man that the FBI is dragging its feet in prosecuting include: a middle-aged American, works for a CIA contractor in Washington D.C., has clearance to access classified information and has training or experience in covering evidence. ==== EW SPECIAL ================================= LIVE AND WORK (or retire) IN THE EU THE DEAL OF A LIFETIME In 15 years in the business we haven't had a better offer to pass on to you if you need a second nationality/passport for an EU country. Through much work and special arrangements with an EU country which we can't mention for fear of Big Brother pressure to close this loophole, EW is able to facilitate the obtainment of a EU second nationality/passport. Especially in these times of world duress, a second nationality makes even more sense than in the past. An EU pp makes it even better for it gives you all of Europe to use as your home and/or work place. Expat World newsletter has harped for years about the need and reasons for a second passport/dual nationality.-- personal and financial freedom, freedom of movement, job opportunities, etc. There are literally millions of legal dual nationality citizens whose first citizenship is American, European or Asian. Expat World can arrange for you to have a second nationality from this southern flank EU nation inclusive of passport for the lowest price we've ever seen. Unbelievable at only US $8000. Special arrangements have been made with the authorities in this country to reduce their normal fees on all requests received provided that Expat World submits the applications in groups of 7 at one go. The are no "family discounts" at the 8k price. EW can combine any seven applicants at one go to get this offer for you. For all those that realize the true value and need for a second passport/nationality and especially an EUcountry, probably the best single pp today, AND have $8000 at their disposal, don't lose this opportunity. It won't last long. HOW TO PROCEED: If you are dead serious about taking advantage of this offer send an email to: office@expatworld.net with the words "EU OPPORTUNITY" in the subject heading. We will gather the emails at our office and once we have 7 requests, we will email you more information and application material. You need to be prepared to act fast. THIS OFFER IS NOT FOR TIME WASTERS. It's for the wise, serious world player who wants or needs a dual EU nationality. No crooks need apply. Snooze and you loose! ==== HUMOR, TRIVIA, NEWS AND MORE... ================ TRIVIA The Moscow Metro System is the busiest metro in the world. Around how many people travel through it every day? A: 2 million B: 6.5 million C: 4.75 million D: 3 million Born in Scotland in 1847 and educated in Edinburgh and London, he was the first person to transmit speech from one point to another by electrical means. Among many other things he set up a school for teachers of the deaf in Boston, USA. Who was he? A: Alexander Graham Bell B: Robert Durham C: Thomas Edison D: Louis Howard Latimer (Anwers below) ----- NEWS STORY In Germany, a man was pulled over when authorities thought he was driving drunk, only to discover that he actually had a snake in his pants. The driver began weaving when he felt his 5 foot pet snake crawl up the leg of his trousers. ----- TRAVELLER'S TALES NOSE WHAT HE WANTS: A Taiwanese man asked local doctors to reshape his nose to look like a pig's snout. Surgeons, who were more familiar with making their patients' noses less animal-like, asked him the reason for his request. It would bring him good luck during the coming year for astrological reasons, he explained. The doctors declined, the Taipei press reported. The man was irritated by the rejection. I suppose one could say surgeons put his nose out of joint. ----- A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter. "What are you doing?" She asked. "Hunting Flies" He responded. "Oh! Killing any?" She asked. "Yep, 3 males, 2 Females," he replied. Intrigued, she asked. "How can you tell their sex?" "3 were on a beer can, 2 were on the phone." ----- 1. Save the whales. Collect the whole set. 2. A day without sunshine is like -- night. 3. On the other hand, you have different fingers. 4. I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory. 5. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot. 6. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name. 7. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe. 8. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you. 9. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges. 10. Honk if you love peace and quiet. ----- TRIVIA ANSWER The Moscow Metro System is the busiest metro in the world. Around how many people travel through it every day? The correct answer: B (6.5 million; The stations are decorated with marble columns, chandeliers, and paintings.) Born in Scotland in 1847 and educated in Edinburgh and London, he was the first person to transmit speech from one point to another by electrical means. Among many other things he set up a school for teachers of the deaf in Boston, USA. Who was he? The correct answer: A (Alexander Graham Bell) ==== THE RESOURCE TIP ============================ DITTO.COM - THE LEADING VISUAL SEARCH ENGINE Ditto delivers highly relevant thumbnail images AND the highly relevant web sites underlying these images. In accomplishing this task they have compiled the largest searchable index of visual content on the internet via proprietary processes, nearly 6 million thumbnails selected and evaluated from over 115 million images. Check it at: http://www.ditto.com/ ==== INSIDE THIS MONTH EXPAT WORLD =============== EXPAT WORLD NEWSLETTER (VOL.14 ISSUE 3) Table of Content: - The Seven Best Places to Start an Offshore Business - Bits and Pieces - Words of Wisdom - Expats in Mongolia - How to Get a Free Retirement Check Each Month Courtesy of the US-Government - Even if You're Not a Citizen of the USA - When the CIA Telephones - Around the US World - The United States of Corporate America - "The PAPER PT" for the 21st Century - Dis & Dat - From the Web - Quality of Life Index 2002 - Around the World with Expat World - England, Where the Proctor Gets the Last Laugh - Alaska's Secret Means of Keeping and Attracting Residents - Singapore Becomes a Gamblers' Haven - Ascension Island, a Tax Free Haven One Rarely Hears About - What's a Cambodian Millionaire? - Five Star Prison System in Greenland - US Government Facility May be Responsible for the Anthrax Infection Scare in America - International Snips and Clips - What is an Enclave and How Can You Use It for Your Financial Advantage? - Live and Work (or retire) In the EU - Malaysia Relaxes Retirement Visa Rules to Attract Rich Retirees - Crapper Rapper - International Air Travel - How Safe is it? YOU MISSING SO MUCH Each week the EXPAT WORLD DIGEST gives you just a smattering of what you can find in the EXPAT WORLD newsletter that we produce once a month. Why not get the whole story and subscribe now to our electronic version for just US $30 per year. Go to our website: www.expatworld.net to sign up. ********************************************************************* EXPAT WORLD - the newsletter of international living FREE Trial Subscription at http://www.expatworld.net/ URL - http://www.expatworld.net Email - office@expatworld.net ---------- End of Expat World Digest -------------------------------- To unsubscribe, write to unsubscribe-digest@expatworld.net