Why I'm tired of living in Angeles City, where to move to?

[Rock]

However, Mark is right that with the great exchange rate there, I could probably live in Ukraine on my income. The visa issue is easy to deal with there, and plus since I speak basic Russian, I can function there without much of a language barrier.

Are you sure? I just checked Ukraine IMF CPI for the last few years. According to the stats I looked at, these were the increases:
2005: 13.6%
2005: 9.1%
2007: 12.8%
2008: 25.2%
2009: 15.9%
2010: 9.8%

Assuming 2011 inflation is at same rate as 2010, average costs in local currency terms have gone up by 2.4 times. If something cost 1,000 Hryvnia (UAH) back in 2005, it would cost about 2,400 UAH today on average. Now lets factor in local currency depreciation against the US$.

In 2005, the US$ would buy on average for the full year, 5.3 UAH; today it buys about 8.0 UAH.

So, if something in Ukraine cost 1,000 UAH back in 2005, that would have been US$188
Today, that item would cost, on average, 2,400 UAH or US$300. That's a 60% increase over 2005 prices in US$ terms!

Don't be naive about inflation. The world is becoming an expensive place all over for us Americans. When considering cost change in a country, you need to consider exchange rates and inflation together. Looking at just one can distort the picture. And oftentimes, prices for tourist consumption rise faster than the official CPI rate.

I'm curious to see Mark's answers to my cost questions for common tourist services.

[E_Irizarry]

Mano im cool with you lol. Tu eres unos de los hombres mas entretenidos aqui. Tengo mi respecto contigo. No se escribir espanol tan bien hehe. You're bring the positive energy here in the forum all the time. I love that shit hermano keep it up

Awwwwwwwww Hubo una falta de informacion entre tu y yo. Favor de perdonarme. Te brindo muchisimas gracias papo. *Pega aca* (por las manos)

[Winston]

However, Mark is right that with the great exchange rate there, I could probably live in Ukraine on my income. The visa issue is easy to deal with there, and plus since I speak basic Russian, I can function there without much of a language barrier.

Are you sure? I just checked Ukraine IMF CPI for the last few years. According to the stats I looked at, these were the increases:
2005: 13.6%
2005: 9.1%
2007: 12.8%
2008: 25.2%
2009: 15.9%
2010: 9.8%

Assuming 2011 inflation is at same rate as 2010, average costs in local currency terms have gone up by 2.4 times. If something cost 1,000 Hryvnia (UAH) back in 2005, it would cost about 2,400 UAH today on average. Now lets factor in local currency depreciation against the US$.

In 2005, the US$ would buy on average for the full year, 5.3 UAH; today it buys about 8.0 UAH.

So, if something in Ukraine cost 1,000 UAH back in 2005, that would have been US$188
Today, that item would cost, on average, 2,400 UAH or US$300. That's a 60% increase over 2005 prices in US$ terms!

Don't be naive about inflation. The world is becoming an expensive place all over for us Americans. When considering cost change in a country, you need to consider exchange rates and inflation together. Looking at just one can distort the picture. And oftentimes, prices for tourist consumption rise faster than the official CPI rate.

I'm curious to see Mark's answers to my cost questions for common tourist services.

Yeah but that doesn't mean all prices are double. Some things gotta remain cheap for the masses. You can find different prices if you shop around. Moscow is listed as super expensive too. Yet I found 20 dollar hotels there and cheap ways to do things. You can't base everything on statistics. That's a nerd's way of doing things. lol

Also, where there's a will, there's a way. You gotta stop living in fear. There are ways around most things.

[Winston]

BTW, I'm not going to keep going in endless debate circles about this subject. You've said your piece and I've said mine. Let's leave it that. You can direct your posts to other members who want to chime in.

Yeah but you never answered my key question. Instead, you sidetracked and focused on my defensiveness instead. That is nonproductive and irrelevant. I thought you were smarter than that? We should focus on the key issues here.

Can you calmly and logically answer a few simple key questions that address the core issues here?

1. You claimed that weather has miniscule affect on health, and that it only affects out of shape people. Therefore, in your judgment, my health problems are due to my habits and not the AC environment. What is your basis for that?

And how do you EXPLAIN why I rarely ever got sick in the US and my health was better than average there, as I explained before? How does that factor into your hypothesis? Can you factor in this data?

Is it your position that in Washington, I would not experience any improvement in my health and well-being at all? If so, why?

And how do you explain the three links I posted above that showed that weather does affect health and that heat and humidity are a dangerous combo to exercise in? Do you really think it's ok to exercise while drenched in sweat with no cold wind or breeze to cool you off? That's not unhealthy to you?

2. Also, how come during a whole year in Russia, I never had to see a doctor for any ailments? How do you explain that? See how much more normal and healthier I looked in Russia in the pic below, compared to the way I look now.



As you can see, my face is not bloated or tired with sweat and fatigue and heat exhaustion. Incidentally, you and Rock have met Ladislav in the Philippines. If you remember, he always looks exhausted, bloated and is sweating all the time, and has a look like he is always in a "rush" to do everything, never living in the now or present moment. And when he moves, he has to breathe heavily because he is always near exhaustion. That obviously is not healthy. I can also see that the weather has affected him too. And he admits it too.

3. As to soy, you didn't answer my question (neither did you obdo). If soy is bad for you and kills brain cells, then how do you explain why most of the population in Asia have eaten it for ages without any ill effects?

Anti-soy people have not addressed that.

Now, can you answer the above serious questions logically, rationally and objectively, without denial or cognitive dissonance?

I don't dodge serious questions. So why do you need to?

[Rock]

However, Mark is right that with the great exchange rate there, I could probably live in Ukraine on my income. The visa issue is easy to deal with there, and plus since I speak basic Russian, I can function there without much of a language barrier.

Are you sure? I just checked Ukraine IMF CPI for the last few years. According to the stats I looked at, these were the increases:
2005: 13.6%
2005: 9.1%
2007: 12.8%
2008: 25.2%
2009: 15.9%
2010: 9.8%

Assuming 2011 inflation is at same rate as 2010, average costs in local currency terms have gone up by 2.4 times. If something cost 1,000 Hryvnia (UAH) back in 2005, it would cost about 2,400 UAH today on average. Now lets factor in local currency depreciation against the US$.

In 2005, the US$ would buy on average for the full year, 5.3 UAH; today it buys about 8.0 UAH.

So, if something in Ukraine cost 1,000 UAH back in 2005, that would have been US$188
Today, that item would cost, on average, 2,400 UAH or US$300. That's a 60% increase over 2005 prices in US$ terms!

Don't be naive about inflation. The world is becoming an expensive place all over for us Americans. When considering cost change in a country, you need to consider exchange rates and inflation together. Looking at just one can distort the picture. And oftentimes, prices for tourist consumption rise faster than the official CPI rate.

I'm curious to see Mark's answers to my cost questions for common tourist services.

Yeah but that doesn't mean all prices are double. Some things gotta remain cheap for the masses. You can find different prices if you shop around. Moscow is listed as super expensive too. Yet I found 20 dollar hotels there and cheap ways to do things. You can't base everything on statistics. That's a nerd's way of doing things. lol

Also, where there's a will, there's a way. You gotta stop living in fear. There are ways around most things.

Well in my experience as a world traveler who often goes budget level (as opposed to backpacker level), official inflation generally understates total costs as a traveler. Last year, I went to Barcelona for a few days. A well located hostel cost 60 Euros per night for my own room. Simple daytime meals were pushing 8-10 Euros. McDonalds there had prices around twice as high as Taiwan's. Spain used to be a cheap country. Not anymore. And US$ prices in Switzerland have more than doubled in just 2-3 years. Most cities in Africa are expensive once you factor in accommodation and food. As I've said before, Rio has more than tripled in US$ prices over last few years (not stats, real boots to the ground experience as an expat and investor). And Bangkok has doubled.

Whose the one living in fear and inactivity? I've visited nearly 50 countries while you've been stuck in Angeles + Chiayi + a trip or two to the States. When I travel, I don't wanna waste all my time finding slum options. I'm not keen to stay in people's living rooms or a hostel room with 5-7 others. I travel to live and be free, not suffer and be restricted. Like it or not, the world is becoming more expensive for travelers with US$. Even airfares have gone up substantially. Acknowledging that is not fear mongering. Its a big-picture statement of reality.

BTW, please tell me where a US$20 hotel can be found in central Moscow. That sounds insanely cheap.

[E_Irizarry]

I cannot even front. I had put on some serious weight in the Philippines when I was there. When I used to live in Davao City, I loathed the local food. The BBQ wouldn't even satisfy my 4 1/2 year old niece, and she's only 45 lbs. - which is normal weight for her age and height. (I don't know her height in number).

In loathing the local Davao food, I always ate at Mickey D's TWICE A DAY and tearing up Filipino sweets (that's how bad the local food was. Even durian fruit smelled like trash and tasted slightly better than trash lol). Yup, I was living vicariously via that "Super Size Me" documentary dude for a couple of months.

The only time I didn't eat like that is when my 45-year old aerobic instructor lady would buy seafood fresh from the merchant market off Samal City (and island city right off the coast of downtown Davao City) and prepare it for me. Mind you, she wouldn't ask me if I wanted the food. She had taken it upon herself to buy the food and paid to get on the jeepneys, not asking nor stealing a peso from my house. She'd get back 2 hours later and cook enough for two meals. Very docile. Never bitched once and we f***ed right after she cooked and cleaned. What a woman! :O) I miss you, Estrellita. *sigh* She's still alive, but I still miss her. I wish I met her when I had just touched down in PH.

[NorthAmericanguy]

Here is a link on stress fractures to give you an idea about what I suffered: http://www.runnersrescue.com/Metatarsal ... unning.htm

Actually, my case was worse because it was not just a stress fracture but a cleanly broken bone due to collapsing on my foot in exhaustion in the wrong positin, having it turn sharply inwards, and having the tendon cut hard into the 5 metatrsal bone. It took awhile to recover from that but I've been back to full running speed for many months now. The cause of my fracture was 1. a sudden increase speed work 2. weakened bones due to extreme diet coke drinking (7-9 cans a day) and vitamin D deficiency. I stopped coke and all soft drinks cold turkey and started taking 10,000 IUs of vitamin D per day since then. I will get a revised bone density test done in a few more months.

Yea, soda is very bad for you.. It actually leaches the vitamins and minerals from out of your body.

[Winston]

Well in my experience as a world traveler who often goes budget level (as opposed to backpacker level), official inflation generally understates total costs as a traveler. Last year, I went to Barcelona for a few days. A well located hostel cost 60 Euros per night for my own room. Simple daytime meals were pushing 8-10 Euros. McDonalds there had prices around twice as high as Taiwan's. Spain used to be a cheap country. Not anymore. And US$ prices in Switzerland have more than doubled in just 2-3 years. Most cities in Africa are expensive once you factor in accommodation and food. As I've said before, Rio has more than tripled in US$ prices over last few years (not stats, real boots to the ground experience as an expat and investor). And Bangkok has doubled.

Whose the one living in fear and inactivity? I've visited nearly 50 countries while you've been stuck in Angeles + Chiayi + a trip or two to the States. When I travel, I don't wanna waste all my time finding slum options. I'm not keen to stay in people's living rooms or a hostel room with 5-7 others. I travel to live and be free, not suffer and be restricted. Like it or not, the world is becoming more expensive for travelers with US$. Even airfares have gone up substantially. Acknowledging that is not fear mongering. Its a big-picture statement of reality.

BTW, please tell me where a US$20 hotel can be found in central Moscow. That sounds insanely cheap.

Well the thing is, I've heard that everything has become insanely expensive many times, 5 years ago, 10 years ago, etc. Yet when I went there, it wasn't true. Many people say that. Even many years ago people were saying that too. It's nothing new to say that. People probably said it in 1898 too. lol

I told you, I NEVER intended to settle in Angeles. I wanted to finish my website and then travel. That was my plan 3 years ago. But then I added more and more to it, which took a long time, and other things got in the way, delays, new hobbies, distractions, and time moved so fast, etc. Long story. I'm not in the mood to rehash it ok? It pisses me off to think about it.

I guess I sort of have an OCD thing where things have to be done in a certain order. If they are not, then I feel anxiety and try to finish the order I planned them in. But a million things get in the way, and time moves fast, and I'm always fatigued, and get distracted by new hobbies, and the years just go by. It's hard to explain. But staying in AC and Taiwan so long was NEVER a part of my original plan. For some reason, I'm not able to execute my plan the way I envision. Perhaps something in my subconscious mind is blocking me and causing delays too. But my conscious mind does NOT want it to be this way ok? So please don't bring it up in a condescending manner.

Near metro station Prospect Mira, in the building where Traveler's Guest House is, is a Russian hotel for $20 that includes breakfast. It is cozy and comfortable, and amazingly, it is cheaper than the hostel in the same building which charged $25 for a dorm room that you shared with other guests! I couldn't believe it. But it isn't advertised and only Russian people usually know about it. There are tons of unadvertised hotels in Moscow. Also, in the outskirts of Moscow are cheaper hotels too. They lie around the metro stations along the outer ring. One example is Izmailovsky Park, a huge hotel complex of 4 or 5 hotel buildings. I stayed there for $30 a night. I also know a hostel one metro stop from the Red Square for $10 a night called Galina's Flat. The owner knows me and has heard my stories while we cooked in the kitchen.

But expats will tell you that you have to spend at least $100 a night to stay anywhere in Moscow, which is not true. For some reason, macho dominating know it all expats like to inflate numbers and pretend that everything is expensive. I don't know why. They are weird and make me uncomfortable.

So you see, I have beaten the naysayers in the past. I have a knack or sixth sense when it comes to finding deals. I told you this before.

Why do you want to know about Moscow? You have no plans to go to Russia.

Here is a site with more info on budget travel in Moscow:

http://www.cheap-moscow.com/

Well I am comfortable in hostels and used to them, so I am fine with them. You can find cheap hostels on http://www.hostels.com. There is a wide variety to choose from. I even found a hostel in New York City for $25, believe it or not.

[NorthAmericanguy]

BTW Winston, just looking at you and considering your race, I'm pretty sure you have healthy bone density. Osteoporosis or well below average bone densitiy (less severe) afflicts East Asians less than whites for some reason and tends to be a bigger risk for overly thin people.

Ah, the bone density depends on race, sex, and diet.






"This graph shows the average bone density for African American (Black) men and women and for Caucasian (White) men and women. The bone density is quite a bit higher in the African Americans. It is also higher in men than in women. Asian persons tend to have bone density that is as low or even lower than Caucasians. Hispanic people have bone density that is about the same or a little bit higher than Caucasians."

http://depts.washington.edu/bonebio/bonAbout/race.html

[NorthAmericanguy]

I cant comment about the possible effects of a vegetarian diet, but I cant see how not eating meats is a good thing. The caveman ate meats and its part of what our bodies are accustomed to. Most people who I know that are vegetarians are that way for religious reasons. I cant fathom why anyone would avoid tasty and healthy meats as part of a healthy diet if not for religious reasons.

Yea, I don't know why people avoid meat either as there are good places to get high quality meat.

[well-informed]

Aay just forget it Winston. Just forget it Winston , you win that's it. I don't want to deal with your shit anymore, its like arguing with a kid. I like the forum and its members too much to get banned again. Because if i say, what i want to say in my mind about you you're just going to lash out and kick me out even though i'm somewhat right. I thought you'd be the type to take criticism and apply it to better your life, but you seem to not care what anyone says. I'm not trying to insult you or anything; but if you're going to tell me that you consider yourself healthy, please inform us of the cannabis that you may or may not be smoking. (I don't smoke so keep your judgements to yourself)

* I don't need qualifications, i have my eyes. You think i was looking at a healthy man in Baguio City.
* I never EVER said the environment wasn't a factor in one's health. Reread my post
* I could go to Angeles and be fine. Not like i am here in the states, but i definitely wouldn't get the pains and aches you get
* Correction you can't kick my ass Winston. Sorry you're 38-39, i'm 20... end of story

Like E said, this website serves as a place to co-intel information and i commend you for making this website possible

[Fenix]

Breaking news, Winston, you are getting older!!!! What a f***ing revelation! Of course you are not going to look like you did back in 2002. Take care of yourself better. I have known a vegetarian girl and she was almost obese. Just because you are vegetarian doesn't mean you are healthy. I don't want to tear you a new asshole today. I will let others have fun.

You need to stop blaming everything/everyone else for your problems. Be a man for once, dude. Tired of hearing you piss and moan, bitch and groan. Sound like a damn 4-year old. Will you ever accept responsibility?

I find it funny how you tell Rock to stop living in fear, but you are the biggest p***y on this forum and you are the founder. What kind of shit is that? You are such a hypocrite.

[Winston]

And Winston, you're an absolute clown when it comes to taking advice. Arguing about soy? Really? Anything to avoid changing your habits! I've mentioned how bad soy is for you at least 10 times on here. Soy is nature's excitotoxin, which means it works like aspartame or msg and kills your braincells. Which means you get slightly dumber everytime you consume it. Just like diet soda or any other product using aspartame. Most soy, like most corn, comes from the USA or Argentina and is not even natural but genetically modified! It has high ammounts of estrogen, which helps effeminate you and makes it easy to put on weight. It's largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. Soy is also very hard to digest. They started feeding soy products to the inmates of one prison in the USA and within a few days everyone became physically ill, basically laying in the fetal position all day. Test this out by eating one or two servings of soy beans (totalling 200-300 calories) and you'll have to lie down from a severe stomach ache.

Look, let me spell it out for you. The U.S. media advocates Soy as a "health" product. When was the last time the mainstream media said anything that was true? AVOID SOY FOOD like tofu, because you get more than enough of it in packaged foods. At least check if it is fermented which is much less unhealthy.

Total BS! I've got news for you! I've eaten A LOT of soy, nearly everyday, since the 1980's, yet it's never had any ill effects on me. Why are you lying about this?

You paranoid conspiracy nut!

Lots of articles say that soy is healthy. Take a look:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles ... -body-good

Soy Does a Body Good
Eating soy-based foods is one of the simplest things you can do for your health. High in protein, low in fat, and packed with isoflavones, soy can lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease, and there may be a host of other benefits as well.
By PT Staff, published on March 01, 2001 - last reviewed on December 05, 2005

In recent years, psychologists and other health professionals have made us realize that our health depends largely on our behavior. Eating soy, it now appears, is one of the simplest things we can do to boost our health.

Once revered as a sacred crop in China, soybeans are one of the richest plant sources of protein. In fact, the World Health Organization considers it on par with meat and dairy proteins. But not only is this low-fat dietary protein great news for vegetarians or dieters, a growing body of research indicates that soy may help prevent many chronic diseases. Many of its therapeutic benefits are believed to come from its vast stores of isoflavones. These bioactive plant chemicals function like weak estrogen -- a female hormone necessary for normal growth and development -- by adjusting the hormone's effects when levels are too high or low.

To get the most out of soy, health experts suggest eating whole foods like tofu, soymilk and tempeh because they contain higher levels of isoflavones than processed foods or supplements. Fortunately, there are now a variety of soy and tofu products that are both convenient and tasty. Soymilk can be found nationally in refrigerated sections of supermarkets, and it easily replaces cow's milk for both drinking and cooking.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles ... thy-is-soy

Soy is the epitome of health food: Perhaps only yogurt has a stronger reputation as a food that Americans eat primarily "because it's good for you."

Touted as being a heart protector, cancer fighter and a safer alternative to hormones during menopause, soy has long been seen as a miracle food.

Yet the soybean has gotten a bit of a bad rap, thanks to studies linking soy's estrogen-like chemicals with breast cancer. As a result, many women now shun the food and some men believe tofu will make them less manly.

No need to panic. The research linking animal fat to heart disease and cancer are far stronger than those connecting soy to any health problems. So, if you are considering substituting soy for meat or milk, the soybean still shines in comparison, according to Ethan Balk, associate director of the Tufts-New England Medical Center's Evidence-Based Practice Center, who reviewed the studies in 2005.

Here is a balanced article:

http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/soymessina

Its conclusion:

Should You Eat Soy?

Based on the bulk of the evidence soy appears to be perfectly safe for nearly all healthy individuals when it is consumed in reasonable amounts. We would say that a reasonable amount of soy is two to three servings per day. Women who have had estrogen-positive breast cancer may want to be somewhat more restrictive in their soy intake but, if they are already eating and enjoying soyfoods, there is not enough evidence of any harmful effects to suggest that they need to avoid all soy.

So then why do you and Mr S cherrypick only the articles that are anti-soy? What is your basis for cherrypicking?

[Winston]

Breaking news, Winston, you are getting older!!!! What a f***ing revelation! Of course you are not going to look like you did back in 2002. Take care of yourself better. I have known a vegetarian girl and she was almost obese. Just because you are vegetarian doesn't mean you are healthy. I don't want to tear you a new asshole today. I will let others have fun.

You need to stop blaming everything/everyone else for your problems. Be a man for once, dude. Tired of hearing you piss and moan, bitch and groan. Sound like a damn 4-year old. Will you ever accept responsibility?

I find it funny how you tell Rock to stop living in fear, but you are the biggest p***y on this forum and you are the founder. What kind of shit is that? You are such a hypocrite.

That pic was from 2005 dummy. Sure I looked younger, but I always have. The extreme heat and humidity EVERYDAY in AC definitely has taken a toll on me, as Steve said. Once I'm out of it, I will look far healthier.

Are you approaching this objectively?

Did you read all my points above? I never had health problems in the US or Russia. How do you explain that?

How am I a p***y? Would a p***y be brutally honest like me, and say "I'm going to kick your ass"?

Would a p***y say this: f**k YOU SHITHEAD! I'LL THROW A LIGHTNING PUNCH TO YOUR HEAD RIGHT NOW! RIGHT NOW MAN!!!!!! RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!

Why are you lying? Why are you making false statements? f**k you!

[Winston]

Aay just forget it Winston. Just forget it Winston , you win that's it. I don't want to deal with your shit anymore, its like arguing with a kid. I like the forum and its members too much to get banned again. Because if i say, what i want to say in my mind about you you're just going to lash out and kick me out even though i'm somewhat right. I thought you'd be the type to take criticism and apply it to better your life, but you seem to not care what anyone says. I'm not trying to insult you or anything; but if you're going to tell me that you consider yourself healthy, please inform us of the cannabis that you may or may not be smoking. (I don't smoke so keep your judgements to yourself)

* I don't need qualifications, i have my eyes. You think i was looking at a healthy man in Baguio City.
* I never EVER said the environment wasn't a factor in one's health. Reread my post
* I could go to Angeles and be fine. Not like i am here in the states, but i definitely wouldn't get the pains and aches you get
* Correction you can't kick my ass Winston. Sorry you're 38-39, i'm 20... end of story

Like E said, this website serves as a place to co-intel information and i commend you for making this website possible

Just answer one question: Why was my health good in the US and Russia? How come I never needed to see a doctor there? How come I had no ailments?

Just answer that. You keep avoiding it, cause you want so badly to pick on me. Steve told me that too. You're just looking to bully me. What a dickhead. You are turning this forum into a gangster schoolyard.