Money
photo:Richard Harris
"The financial wealth of Belgians is at an all-time high, totalling €966.3 billion at the end of March this year. Net financial wealth, meanwhile – calculated by deducting household debt such as mortgages – fares extremely well too: €759.4 billion, higher than in June 2007, before the credit crunch. With Belgian property wealth valued at €1,100 billion, this put the country’s global wealth in the region of €2,000 billion. The most significant factor contributing to the record high financial wealth is the Belgian households’ well-documented propensity to save – €20 billion a year on average, with half that amount going to savings accounts."
Or 2 million euros per person.
"The financial wealth of Belgians is at an all-time high, totalling €966.3 billion at the end of March this year. Net financial wealth, meanwhile – calculated by deducting household debt such as mortgages – fares extremely well too: €759.4 billion, higher than in June 2007, before the credit crunch. With Belgian property wealth valued at €1,100 billion, this put the country’s global wealth in the region of €2,000 billion. The most significant factor contributing to the record high financial wealth is the Belgian households’ well-documented propensity to save – €20 billion a year on average, with half that amount going to savings accounts."
Or 2 million euros per person.
photo: Richard Harris
Under the raw concrete arches of one of the butt-ugly 70's European office buildings on Law Street, a homeless man has set up his bed. He's been there for months if not longer. As I ride by on my bike on my way home from work, I've noticed this little what I call "begging shrine." I haven't wanted to take a picture of it while he is there but today only his bedding was there. When I have seen him there he is always asleep. I've never seen him actually man his post so I guess he is depending on the unprompted kindness of strangers.
Under the raw concrete arches of one of the butt-ugly 70's European office buildings on Law Street, a homeless man has set up his bed. He's been there for months if not longer. As I ride by on my bike on my way home from work, I've noticed this little what I call "begging shrine." I haven't wanted to take a picture of it while he is there but today only his bedding was there. When I have seen him there he is always asleep. I've never seen him actually man his post so I guess he is depending on the unprompted kindness of strangers.
photo: Richard Harris
A disturbing trend has been developing. Long ignored by grasping US multinationals, Brussels is slowly being assaulted. First, Starbucks opened at the airport, then at Central Station. At least they are, so far, limited to those two touristy places and God knows the coffee is superlative here and we don't need any stinkin' Starbucks. Then Abercrombie & Fitch opened this Summer not long after Tiffany's made the move. And now the Hard Rock Café has taken this lovely building on the corner of Hatmaker's Street and the Grand' Place.
A disturbing trend has been developing. Long ignored by grasping US multinationals, Brussels is slowly being assaulted. First, Starbucks opened at the airport, then at Central Station. At least they are, so far, limited to those two touristy places and God knows the coffee is superlative here and we don't need any stinkin' Starbucks. Then Abercrombie & Fitch opened this Summer not long after Tiffany's made the move. And now the Hard Rock Café has taken this lovely building on the corner of Hatmaker's Street and the Grand' Place.
February 13 2012 | Money - Brussels | 0 comments
Americans In Europe: How To Unlock And Consolidate Pensions
Americans In Europe: How To Unlock And Consolidate Pensions
photo: Richard Harris
I just received an email asking me to promote this event. Before I publish the information let me provide this disclaimer: I know nothing about the people and the organizations concerned. I assume that this free seminar is presented to create clients for the organization.
The title of the event is above in this post's title.
The event is Wednesday March 14th at the NH Hotel in Diegem (near the airport) at 7pm.
"For more information or to reserve your place, call +32 (0) 2 711 0050."
"For interviews, more information or hi-res images, please contact:
e: george@georgeprior.co.uk
t: +34 636 978 880"
Mr. Prior is "confident that this would be of great interest and very helpful for many Americans in Belgium."
This event is produced by the deVere Group
"The deVere Group is the world's largest independent international financial consultancy group. International investors and expatriates employ deVere Group to find financial services products that suit their medium to long term requirements for investments, savings and pensions. With in excess of US$8 billion of funds under administration and management, deVere has more than sixty thousand clients in over a hundred countries. Their independence and ability to offer financial products that are tailor-made to fit an individual's needs are behind their success. www.devere-group.com"
I just received an email asking me to promote this event. Before I publish the information let me provide this disclaimer: I know nothing about the people and the organizations concerned. I assume that this free seminar is presented to create clients for the organization.
The title of the event is above in this post's title.
The event is Wednesday March 14th at the NH Hotel in Diegem (near the airport) at 7pm.
"For more information or to reserve your place, call +32 (0) 2 711 0050."
"For interviews, more information or hi-res images, please contact:
e: george@georgeprior.co.uk
t: +34 636 978 880"
Mr. Prior is "confident that this would be of great interest and very helpful for many Americans in Belgium."
This event is produced by the deVere Group
"The deVere Group is the world's largest independent international financial consultancy group. International investors and expatriates employ deVere Group to find financial services products that suit their medium to long term requirements for investments, savings and pensions. With in excess of US$8 billion of funds under administration and management, deVere has more than sixty thousand clients in over a hundred countries. Their independence and ability to offer financial products that are tailor-made to fit an individual's needs are behind their success. www.devere-group.com"
According to the Guardian, President Obama has agreed to write the preface to Nelson Mandela's private diaries which will be published in October. The announcement last fall that the Mandela opus was going to be published sparked a bidding war.
The Guardian: "The announcement that the American president will be contributing a foreword is likely to send hype around the title higher still. 'We always had a hope that Obama might do it and a plan that we would put a call in,' said Jonny Geller, literary agent for the book at Curtis Brown. 'Now it's been delivered the quality exceeds the hype. It's brilliant.'... Combined, the pair are likely to have a huge impact on this autumn's best seller charts."
The Guardian: "The announcement that the American president will be contributing a foreword is likely to send hype around the title higher still. 'We always had a hope that Obama might do it and a plan that we would put a call in,' said Jonny Geller, literary agent for the book at Curtis Brown. 'Now it's been delivered the quality exceeds the hype. It's brilliant.'... Combined, the pair are likely to have a huge impact on this autumn's best seller charts."