Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Part 4 continued: Jim Rodgers, Adventure Capitalist....
Of any of the speakers or presenters I'd encounter over the
weekend, Jim Rodgers has done more of what almost everyone attending wanted to
do, including marrying a much younger woman. I include myself in this group
(save the younger woman part honey!) As for a specific goal I'd love to
duplicate, he and his wife hold the world record for driving around the planet
in a customized Mercedes convertible. (I get all tingly thinking about it.) As
an investor who reaches the heights reserved for Warren Buffet, after his road
trip, which lasted 3 years, (damn, that tingle flared up again. If this keeps
up, I may need a doctor, or perhaps a cigarette.) He moved to Manhattan, but
decided opportunity was elsewhere, and NYC was just too damned expensive.
He moved himself and his family to Singapore, itself a major
destination (dream?) for the expat community, and a banking center overtaking
the Swiss, Once there, he continued investing and writing. He enrolled his now
2 daughters in a school that teaches in Mandarin, and his daughters are fluent.
I could describe further, but I let him tell you instead.
I thought about posting a Glenn Beck & Jim Rodgers
video, but then I remembered I live in New York, as are most of those who would
read this blog. I have heard much of this before, though he has fresh
perspectives on Cyprus and the likelihood of such an action here in the States.
He (and I) predicts another step prior to confiscation of bank accounts and
banking holidays; pension plans would be confiscated first, before bank
accounts. Don't believe it could happen?
Keep in mind that we both reckon banking holidays and the
taking of savings will occur, just not right away. The pensions will be taken,
then when that proves insufficient (i.e., spent like a drunken sailor), money
in the bank would be next. I'm not a high on China as he is, but he's a
billionaire, and I'm not. Until the economic data is more truthful, I wouldn't
invest or look at China as a potential expat destination, but I can't deny his
overall assessment that this is the Century of Asia, with America and Europe
relegated to second-class status. I don't believe this is good, by the way. For
all of her misdeeds, America's influence on the rest of the world has been
comparatively benign. Research the atrocities visited by the British Empire,
The Soviet Union, China's occupation of Tibet, etc., and compare them to
America's behavior. The Chinese Empire won't be quite as gentle, and you can
ask the Dali Lama for a personal testimony.
I loved listening to Jim Rodgers and couldn't believe I was
maybe 20 feet away. He reinforced what Simon and Dr. Paul had already said. At
this point I was nearly overwhelmed and nigh-elated. I had to imagine it was
the end of the session. I figured wrong, of course. Next up? Nigel Farage.
