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Posts by AmerTchr  

Joined: 13 Jan 2013 / Male ♂
Last Post: 9 Apr 2013
Threads: 4
Posts: 201
From: From the USA, living in Gdansk
Speaks Polish?: Nope.
Interests: Reading, Computers, Shooting, Travel, History, LIFE.

Displayed posts: 205 / page 1 of 7
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AmerTchr   
7 Apr 2013
Classifieds / Language exchange group, Tricity [60]

We need more Polish speakers.

Meeting time has been Thursday AM but other times are possible if we can get more participation.

I would be fine with Saturday lunch along Dluga somewhere or right around the parking lot, maybe even meet up on Monte Cassino somewhere once a month for a change of scenery and to start building a satellite group.

Meeting on Thursday, 10:00am at Cafe D' Or on Dluga. If you want to propose a different time we need to hear from you.
AmerTchr   
6 Apr 2013
News / Barbara Piasecka Johnson, Maid Who Married Multimillionaire, Dies at 76 [57]

Perhaps they saw a gold digger and he didn't.
Like I said, how many young women marry someone much older who is poor?

And we will never know.

He married her after living with her for a time then left his money to her and not his children who already had trust funds that made them wealthy. They settled, both groups felt "they won" and everyone lived happily ever-after. The lawyers all got new houses and it could be that one of them divorced his wife and married his mistress........

Justice is served......
AmerTchr   
5 Apr 2013
News / Barbara Piasecka Johnson, Maid Who Married Multimillionaire, Dies at 76 [57]

You "love" the fact that Ms Johnson married into a fortune and that Mr. Johnson's kids were cheated out of many millions of dollars?

I don't know ZImmy, I "love" the story as well and am happy for her and her husband too.

Sounds like they had a good life and she did what she could to bring culture and happiness to many.

As for the children, they had a party afterward and, courtesy of their trust funds FROM THEIR FATHER are comfortable.

Bill Gates is clear that he doesn't intend to leave his children billions but supports philanthropic projects worldwide. His statement was that he expected to leave them around 10 million or so (think that was 2003 or so dollars) and trust funds to make them comfortable but not super-rich.

Sounds okay to me, it's his money.
AmerTchr   
3 Apr 2013
Real Estate / Is it possible for a bank to prevent you from selling your apartment at a logical price? [17]

Maybe next time he'll think twice before signing a mortgage agreement.....?

Maybe not.

Just had a quick talk with my accountant and I'm actually impressed by the quick overview of bankruptcy in Poland. It does take place for both businesses and individuals and calls for strict accounting as to assets and liabilities

You guys are lucky to have a strict system that views non-payment of contractual obligations seriously. That should make your retail banking system stronger than some of the western ones which lost sight of reality by over-extending and -valuing of various assets (including integrity) securing loans.

Well done Poland!
AmerTchr   
3 Apr 2013
Real Estate / Is it possible for a bank to prevent you from selling your apartment at a logical price? [17]

You guys have a lot to learn about what banks will and will not be willing to do.

How do you think banks fail? They are in business to make money, not provide public services (wait until you discover credit unions). When the market reaches sufficiently widespread turmoil, the banks have just as much incentive to negotiate away from disaster as the individual.

Yes, "walk away" has a price unless you were lucky enough to have someone/institution not require a personal guarantee. You'll take a hit on your credit, possibly have assets seized, perhaps sustain a judgment on future earnings or, face a bankruptcy. This is mentioned above.

If you are solvent, then of course you should pay your bills and get through it if possible. If you are wanting out for some reason (go back and read the OP) then pay your exit costs according to the contract you signed and move on. The bank did nothing wrong as long as the contract was legal.

The point you aren't getting is that when YOU decide to stop paying because of perceived circumstances (value of property, exchange rate fluctuations, loss of income, financial crisis (personal or societal), etc. there are going to be consequences. That is what the guy in the OP wants to avoid but has to face up to eventually. The consequences may be great or small depending on the banks competence and his motivation/eagerness/necessity/whatever to get out from under the mortgage.

Many people, even a few bankers now and then, think there is no renegotiation. Call their bluff.

When you deposit a million zl in the bank they like you, when you owe them a million and they are facing a substantial loss, then they're even nicer.

There's no such thing as a free lunch. - Milton Friedman
AmerTchr   
2 Apr 2013
Real Estate / Is it possible for a bank to prevent you from selling your apartment at a logical price? [17]

the property will be in foreclosure for years, bank will sit on it till the price will rise to 300k.
as i said banks will not take a lose willingly it has to be force.

This (renegotiation and acceptance of loss) happens everyday in the US and I am pretty sure it is the same here as well. Banks take losses everyday. The only "force" either party is subject to on renegotiation (other than pre-agrred triggers) is the realities of the marketplace unless you have some crazy regulation otherwise.

Foreclosure can go on for years but the man is no longer paying the note.
AmerTchr   
2 Apr 2013
Real Estate / Is it possible for a bank to prevent you from selling your apartment at a logical price? [17]

it is the story of banks having assets on their books worth x amount but in reality is worth much less but as far as bank is concern is worth x and that shows they have more assets then liabilities so the bank is solvent and the executives can get bigger compensation but the reality is that the financial system is on verge of collapse and yes bank can dictate the amount of money you can list the apartment for, special if you do a short sale.

Not quite.

Assuming the bank/mortgagee holds a lien on the property (almost universal unless you purchased the property on a purely personal guarantee), they probably can't stop you from trying to sell your property for a price. They CAN stop the sale from being completed until and unless you re-negotiate the terms or are prepared to pay off the mortgage per your contract on completion of the sale.

Before you giggle too much at how stupid that is, you need to back up a step or two.

There are alternatives here for both the bank and the man.

1. The man can sell his apartment simply by going to the bank and declaring his intention to sell it at market price and pay the difference which will pay off the mortgage as originally allowed for as an early payoff in the mortgage agreement/contract. If I was the banker, I would require him to put the expected difference in an escrow account pending the sale. Any offers he gets would require either depositing more money into the forfeiture account or getting the banks agreement to accept a loss. The bank will make the sale conditional on being the recipient of the proceeds then close the escrow account by withdrawing the balance to pay off the loan, refunding any credit for additional payments during the sale process.

2. The man and the bank can attempt to re-negotiate the loan for lower value or (bank's second choice) give the bank all of the proceeds from the sale and then carry the balance as a personal loan, possibly providing other forms of security or payment(s) in kind.

3. If the bank was silly enough to NOT have the man personally liable for the loan but only has security through a lien or chattel arrangement, then the man can say okay and give them the property. Then walk away and never look back.

People do this sort of thing every day. Sometimes both parties agree to it, sometimes one party is forced by the other and sometimes both parties are forced by contract conditions, or triggers, to do so.
AmerTchr   
31 Mar 2013
Travel / Gdansk Easter - open on Sunday / Monday? [9]

It's great unless your family is on the other side of the world and you are sort of sitting here looking at the courtyard needing some contact with the world to rmeind you about the importance of humanity.
AmerTchr   
30 Mar 2013
Classifieds / Language exchange group, Tricity [60]

We usually meet at Cost Coffee, Dluga location, on Thursday mornings at 9:30 or 10:00 am.

PM Ziutek to get on the email list for notices of times and changes.
AmerTchr   
30 Mar 2013
Food / can I find curd and sour cream in Poland? [24]

Check the fat content on the label or packaging. Higher is better (with regard to taste). I also suggest a little salt, some garlic, onions and/or pepper, you should get a better flavor and taste. Experiment and enjoy.
AmerTchr   
25 Mar 2013
Law / The right to own guns: would you support such legislation in Poland? [2315]

jasondmzk: I don't want you to have one legally. I don't want you to have one at all.
so what?

What you see in this sort of exchange is the truth of the matter. It's not about safety or security, it's about controlling people and the fears of those wanting to control you.
AmerTchr   
25 Mar 2013
Law / The right to own guns: would you support such legislation in Poland? [2315]

So much for rationality.

People on this forum who are "in Europe" both as citizens and as expats have repeatedly posted about their wish that the laws were relaxed so your assertion that "no one" misses it is patently false. There went your credibility.

It's pretty clear who lives in a fantasy world. Enjoy the butterflies.
AmerTchr   
24 Mar 2013
Law / The right to own guns: would you support such legislation in Poland? [2315]

Well of course theier was a long guerrilla war against the Russians. Hand guns are even more obviously irrelevant to freedom

You have an interesting version of history and make the same glaring mistakes as most of the antis. The smarter ones don't push this theory since it destroys their own argument as they present their "facts". I particularly love your "Try shooting down a drone with an AR-15" fantasy.

Facts are that every generation believes it is different, Hitler presented arguments that society had progressed to the point where individuals could trust the state for protection as did Stalin, Mao and conquerors since the dawn of time. History is full of rulers (not always despots) who had faith in their armies and secret police. The vast majority of these attempted to disarm their populations.

The facts are that Afghans, Libyans, Syrians, Viet Cong, Laotians, Iranians and countless other populations have rebelled or held out against these all-powerful forces you claim exist. Drones, tanks, F-18's, A-10's, artillery, etc. are far less useful in urban warfare against non-uniformed personnel who don't conveniently stand around in formations waiting to be attacked or move through the countryside in precise columns along known roads to little fortresses scattered around the area of operations.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have indeed worn out the US military. Our people are tired, dispirited, divided and nearly broke from fighting that war. You may think they "failed to evict" but the reality is that the army left and the people are still there, armed by the way.

Your scenarios make no mention of the facts that rebellions almost always involve defecting forces from the armies and other branches (better go back and read up on Libya and Syria for instance). Neither do they allow for the effect of a high percentages of well-trained combat veterans in the population who have trained not only on the weapons they use, but also on the weapons they would be up against. Like many ignorant individuals, you continue to ignore the dispersion of thousands of armored units, tanks, helicopters, aircraft, command vehicles, communications equipment and heavy weapons throughout our territory. The President doesn't keep the keys to those thousands of vehicles under his pillow at night. BTW, handguns are very effective in CQB situations, unless of course overwhelming numbers are pouring through the door. As a tool for insurgency, counter-insurgency, assassination and terrorist operations they are pretty effective. You might want to read up on the Fort Hood shootings for instance. LA had to mobilize dozens of police officers to take down two criminals with AKs. Other armed personnel, in large numbers and body armor stopped that situation. There's a reason the military organizations of the world still issue millions of handguns to their personnel. But hey, write your country's armed forces and tell them how stupid they are for issuing such "ineffective" weaponry in this modern age.

Finally, while many Europeans just cannot grasp the concepts of political reality, it would behoove you to read up on the percentages of red/blue, liberal/conservative, pro/anti and other likely dividing factors. This might give you the picture that, God forbid the US suffer another Civil War, it will divide the country nearly in half ideologically. You should also read up on how the military feels about the current administration. While the nanny governments have successfully cowed their populations into a "accept our decrees, resistance is futile" mindset, things in the US just may not be as pat as you think they are based on your societies and ill-conceived fantasies.

Hence, the importance of the Second Amendment.
AmerTchr   
23 Mar 2013
Law / The right to own guns: would you support such legislation in Poland? [2315]

Well, there is a discussion because someone, sometime ago brought it up....for discussion. You seem to be participating in it.

I know I didn't come here to argue, most of the comments amuse me with their childishness, irrelevance and inaccuracies.

What is involved in getting a hunting license IN POLAND, what are the seasons/animals IN POLAND and, finally, where do people hunt IN POLAND?

Anyone IN POLAND ever gone to another, reasonably close country for hunting?