utilitus

Just to note that it seems possible to easily pay Jocotepec municipal predial online with a US (e.g. BofA VISA) credit card running on USD.  See: jocotepec.gob.mx .

The online forms involved expect local phone and address information, while I only have an undeveloped lot, but US details could be shoehorned into these data fields - the system claimed transactive success. The system  then stated that a copy of the receipt will be sent by registered mail shortly - it would be a bit surprising if it turns up here in California.  I will check back online in a few days to verify that the transaction actually took per the Joco system, in addition to talking with the credit card division to assure that the forex payment makes sense.  

In Joco anyway, it is permitted to skip at least one year of predial tax and pay 'double' every two years, and possibly more, if one prefers to pay in person, as I have for years when I get down to SJC.  This new on line facility seems to obviate that pilgrimage, though I aways enjoyed the friendly staff.

For US citizens and maybe others, a little known (but for me over 20 years a very dependable) solution to forex dynamics and interest rate differentials is the US entity EverBank. It offers foreign currency cash accounts that are FDIC (i.e., US government) insured up to USD250k, and if you treat your holdings of such three-month CDs as long term, forex fees are minimal.  Over the last few years the USDMXN has depreciated about 20% while such CD accounts have paid around 10%/yr.  This trend is likely to continue, if at a more modest rate, inho.  See: https://www.everbank.com/diversified-investing/foreign-currencies

It's a different beast entirely, but a Forex account allows one to buy and sell currency pairs with generally tiny expenses, 24 hrs/day, except for weekends.  

When I purchased a view lot in SJC maybe five years ago, I too was anxious about paying my (absurdly small) property tax bill, given that I visit lakeside about every two years.  Then I learned that one can delay payment for a year (at least), paying two years at once (in the Jocotepec municipality office, anyway).  Municipal staff couldn't be nicer or more efficient when I do eventually show up.  Don't know anything about auto fees.  

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/mexicos-minimum-wage-to-rise-20-in-2024-president-says

27 minutes ago, tomgates said:

www.insuremytrip.com

If you are of Medicare age, most supplements and advantaged plans will cover emergency situations outside the US if they are 90 days or less. 

It may be 90 days under some coverages and scenarios, but per https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/coverage, "What's included in foreign travel emergency care? When you travel outside the U.S., most plans cover emergency health care, with a lifetime limit of $50,000. Plans may:

First, Sr. Mostlylost has long struck me as by far the most generally informative contributor to this site, providing perspective deep into all manner of situations.

Second, although I was peripherally involved with the then tiny Bay Area Etherium community prior to the projects' public launch (because I was curious how such programmed contracts would handle 'knowledge representation' of real world physical facts), I don't know anything about BTC, other than owing some and being one of the few people to have actually used it for an international grey-market transaction (which made it past US customs just fine.)  Point is, ML's mention of certain unfamiliar specs above got me interested, and google did the rest. 

I am currently negotiating a lease of about 25 acres/10 hectare of our ranch east of Napa to a developer of 'solar farms' who would build a 5MW facility.  If one such BTC rig burns 3MW, how many sunny hours would be required?  This facility is estimated to currently cost over USD5M to build...

11 hours ago, Mostlylost said:

A 140 TH/s system costs about $16k US and would use about 3KW an hour. 

Seems like the price for such a rig has collapsed to about USD3k. See: https://www.asicminervalue.com/miners/bitmain/antminer-s19-xp-140th  

Remi, it's a continuing financial story, suggesting that TP service might suffer into the future, as credit gets tighter worldwide.  Maybe such service problems are starting already, but service in built-out areas should continue at some level.

See: https://www.bloomberglinea.com/english/totalplays-bonds-plunge-as-investors-evaluate-capital-spending-plan/ 

"Total Play Bonds Sink Further Into Distressed as Cash Burn Grows"

- JPMorgan cuts recommendation on bonds to underweight

- Mexican internet and cable provider is increasing spending

See: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-02/total-play-bonds-sink-further-into-distressed-as-cash-burn-grows#xj4y7vzkg

Was curious about the experience of the climate Lakeside as the rainy season approaches and settles in.  According to one weather site, tonight for instance at it might reach the mid-60s F, at 71% humidity, a point at which one could probably feel it.  Does any stickyness get stickier as the season progresses, and how long does this pattern persist?  Especially invite comments by Californians like myself.

I'll just mention that if anyone wants a humidity-fueled psychedelic experience, try Bali.  I sweat so much my clothes never got dirty.

Thanks

"To easily identify a coral snake, remember this rhyme about the sequence of its' color bands: Red touches yellow, kills a fellow. Red touches black, venom lack."

Last December I extracted Euros from BNP Paribas ATMs with my Schwab Bank card at branches in France and Italy in English.  While I can't recall any specific details of the transactions and don't have their printouts handy, the net result was that the well-practiced 'decline' appropriate to Lakeside seems to have authorized an unfavorable rate.  As always, Schwab picked up the ATM charges, but next time I travel I will go online to research the optimal protocol for local cash extraction (from machines rather than myself).

Come to think of it, the wad of Euros I brought home has appreciated 9% in the meantime, more than compensating for such ATM skullduggery...

1 minute ago, ibarra said:

They simply care if you have covered a patio or not.

Yes, of course.  But knowing what to expect is an aspect of 'financial' engineering...  And there can be surprising rules and exceptions. Off the subject, but I hope that Mexico revives a wholesome version of the Maquilladora program to produce solar gear as the Chinese wear out their welcome in the US, because Mexico of all the oil producing nations is reportedly running out the fastest.

5 minutes ago, ibarra said:

IMHO Use the website provided and see if your property size increased from last year.  

Thanks for the sensible suggestion, which would provide information at any stage of such a project (though I would not bet the ranch on a casual bureaucratic inquiry in any country.) This home-design project has been in the planning stage for years (when I was last at Lakeside a year ago I visited the U. Guad. engineering dept.) and it will be 'deeply' engineered in advance rather than cobbled together over time.  

I wonder...would a raked, 35 sq mt solar panel installation suspended 2-3 mt over a walkable roof qualify as taxable 'roofing'?

"The EMA panel said although there is already an approved vaccine for preventing the disease caused by the dengue virus, Takeda's vaccine showed wider protection for young children and those aged above 45 years."  As discussed on this site previously, the first dengue vaccine has narrow and complex applicability - how this new vaccine improves on it probably requires more time and *ouch* more cases.

See: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-regulator-adopts-positive-opinion-dengue-vaccine-2022-10-14/ 

and

https://www.takeda.com/newsroom/newsreleases/2022/takedas-dengue-vaccine-candidate-provides-continued-protection-against-dengue-fever-through-4.5-years-in-pivotal-clinical-trial/

56 minutes ago, Mary Woods said:

1101001011010011100101010101010...

But seriously, the informed commentaries (such as those of the estimable LQ above in this thread) that I've seen seem to indicate that a generic router attached to the SL gear would support an affordable ethernet cable (say Category 6) of 100 meters, which should include the gentle bending required to fit the cable to your indoor gear, plus, if needed, the burial of the cable in some cheap PVC pipe to reach the neighbors house, and then their installation. 

I did such an installation to my office in the redwoods, and at 100 mt (the published maximum spec) there was no signal slowdown for DSL.  Goofy people everywhere use WiFi unnecessarily, but if it were appropriate in your situation, I don't know if it would effect performance.

There are Microwave systems for a few hundred bucks that require line of sight and many have a range of a mile or so that might interface with SL - some of them are considered 'plug and play'.  

I've always thought this kind of facility sharing was a great idea, with the right partners...

8 minutes ago, Beebee said:

Castor bean plant; very beautiful and deadly to eat.  I'd wear gloves when pulling out young plants.  

UC Davis cooked up a data sheet on the CB: https://wric.ucdavis.edu/information/natural areas/wr_R/Ricinus.pdf

34 minutes ago, Natasha said:

rats don't eat insects, nor live plants!   but they'll "homestead" wherever they get the chance, and do their food searches elsewhere

Thanks for the input.  Some sources indicate that some species of rats enjoy fruit and insects, though the only published material referencing (using the local collective noun) a rodent 'plague' Lakeside I came across describes an infestation last November around poorly managed garbage in Joco, which sounds like the classic case.

Got a cryptic email from a neighbor on the hill in SJC suggesting that my undeveloped lot was hosting rats (just wait 'till I move in...).  If this is true, the only possible food sources would seem to be animal or vegetable. Is there a 'plague' of delicious insects currently in progress?   In the later category, the only candidates would be grasses and the two meter tall specimen shown below, which does seem to produce fruit of some sort.  Can anyone please comment on these factors? TIA!

On 7/26/2022 at 7:37 AM, chapalence said:

I will mention, when I say "pump" I mean they use pressurized equipment to force the poison far down and throughout the soil.

This treatment is for termites, not ants. 

Our ranch east of Napa has shown evidence of tunneling termites about every decade.  The last time it happened several years ago, there was some talk about using a convenient 'baiting system'.  Check it out (without recommendation):  https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef639#:~:text=The bait station housing is,other termites to the station.

Sr. Luis' combination of character and skills sounds exceptional.  But how, customarily or just pragmatically, does one gladly reward such service?  Is a liberal cash tip straightforwardly appropriate and welcomed?

(When Ilox was introduced, as a phase of due diligence, I found online that their linemen made about US$20/day.)

Hopefully, such vendors aren't expecting any "dangling"...

I've seen one or two 'store-bought' domestic elevators Lakeside - looked like miniature versions of the cars in the Embarcadero Hyatt in SF.  I always waste volumes of time researching ideas and options to death, including in this case browsing the vast industrial production of the PRC via Alibaba (and "I get ALL my knock-off Moncler items from AliExpress!").  Youtube captures a number of 'hlilbilly Hilton' elevator projects.

11 hours ago, Lou Quillio said:

"I'll be back..." - LQ

Please do report back - I'm trying to find an engineer to help design a new house featuring among other gizmos a small exterior wall mounted passenger elevator to a rooftop garden, and any frame of reference provided by an actual thoughtful design and installation would be very interesting.

As to livability or SJC property values, I don't know authoritatively, but I get a good impression after several visits.  I've had a small lot on Cutzalan (off Dominguillo) well up the hill for about five years and nice middle-class homes have sprouted up all around it (maybe 50% gringo), to the point where I'm waiting to build to verify that a splendid view will survive such development (looks likely because it's so steep).  Other, larger Racquet Club style houses are sprouting up a hundred meters away, and you may enjoy one of them. Note that there are no supermarkets in the area AFAIK, though I think I heard a rumor that there was such in Joco - closer and less traffic than points east.