Euro thoughts for 2017

[wyouser]

The Euro appears to be trading today at .9411 to the dollar. With the turmoil in Europe over the migration issue and the problems with banks(  ie-Italy) What are your predictions for 2017 for this currency?

[bimetalaupt]

Jan 12, 2017 15:32:46 GMT -5 wyouser said:

The Euro appears to be trading today at .9411 to the dollar. With the turmoil in Europe over the migration issue and the problems with banks(  ie-Italy) What are your predictions for 2017 for this currency?

I think $1.00 will be more like 1.00 EURO!

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

What about dollar worth more than euro??

[bimetalaupt]

Jan 15, 2017 22:28:07 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

What about dollar worth more than euro??

I think $1.00 will be more THEN 1.00 EURO!

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

THEN it will be time for a quick trip to Germany.

[wyouser]

Would not be so bad right now....it sucked when we were $1.66 to the Euro. (But way cheap for them to come here.)

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

True that! And there are apparently some pretty good deals on trips to Europe right now as well. Also, there is a good chance that if the euro is worth less then the dollar, your choices of places to visit will more limited. A place like, Neuschwanstein Castle out of the way, it will be okay.

[wyouser]

If you visited Neuschwanstein, did you take the time to visit Hohenschwangau right next to it? It's pretty awesome too.

[wyouser]

I dabble a wee bit in some foreign currencies. FTI never had much faith in the future of the Euro. I wonder about putting a bit more into the Swiss Franc.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

I only went to the castle. The goal is to make it there by the end of 2018 to explore the whole area... I haven't asked FTI what his current thoughts on the EU are, but it doesn't look good for the EU.. that's why I want to make it before end of 2018.

[wyouser]

Probably right on. If you do go, check out both castles, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. There is info on both online. Also check out the Wiesskirche (meadow church) it's about 20-25 minutes north of Neuschwanstein. It is a baroque church setting in a meadow and will knock you socks off when you step inside. That road going north is also labled the Romantic Road. Check out stuff that listed there online. The walled cities of Nordlingen and Rothenburg O D Tauber are worth seeing. There are also a number of castles along the route. Neuschwanstein is also not far from Linderhof (anther castle of Ludwig II and the only one of four he built that is totally finished. Oberammergau is not far away either and is close to Garmisch-Partenkirchen (below the Zugspitze which is the highest mt. in Germany)i

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Dude! Thanks!

And after all that, might have to hit Switzerland; depends on if the Mrs. and I can get someone to look after the four hooligans.

[wyouser]

One little heads up if you are going to Switzerland from Germany. Catch the island of Mainau on the German side of Lake Constance (Bodensee) Beautiful gardens and...Palm Trees! It's wild because you look across the lake at the Swiss side and there are the Alps with the glaciers. (And the castle residence there serves fantastic pie/ cake with ice cream. Pie alamode in Germany tends to cost less than a cup of coffee) Mainau is only about an hour from the Rheinfalls in Schaffhausen (no Niagra Falls but still impressive) If driving its a short day to catch the falls hit mainau and drive nearly to Neuschwanstein. You can do Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau , the Wiesskirche and make it to Nordlingen in one day too.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Again, thanks! You obviously have spent a ton of time over there. Or perhaps a travel agent?

Also, if you have sirrus radio; Frank will be on SIRIUS Channel 124...POTUS Monday January 30th @ 8:40 AM LIVE form Washington D.C.

[wyouser]

Jan 26, 2017 17:50:40 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Again, thanks! You obviously have spent a ton of time over there. Or perhaps a travel agent?

Also, if you have sirrus radio; Frank will be on SIRIUS Channel 124...POTUS Monday January 30th @ 8:40 AM LIVE form Washington D.C.

Hey thanks!  (Actually a soon to retire insurance agent.. I have a German Major from those dark ages long ago and I dearly love southern Germany)

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Nice, so you're the guy connected to everyone!

Sorry, is it a language degree or a history. I have always wanted to learn German. There is a large community around here, I think they speak what is called low German though??

I hear ya about southern Germany. My dad's father's family originated on the Apls side of the boarder, but they still call it German..

[bimetalaupt]

Jan 26, 2017 17:54:25 GMT -5 wyouser said:

Jan 26, 2017 17:50:40 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Again, thanks! You obviously have spent a ton of time over there. Or perhaps a travel agent?

Also, if you have sirrus radio; Frank will be on SIRIUS Channel 124...POTUS Monday January 30th @ 8:40 AM LIVE form Washington D.C.

Hey thanks!  (Actually a soon to retire insurance agent.. I have a German Major from those dark ages long ago and I dearly love southern Germany)

I used to have 6th Cousin (Georg Pfiffer)that made pianos in Munich to sell in Paris.  As every boy I loved going to see Ludwig the Mad "New Swan" castle. He changed a poor area to a very rich area with this building he paid for out of his own Money.    

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Jan 28, 2017 10:58:20 GMT -5 bimetalaupt said:

Jan 26, 2017 17:54:25 GMT -5 wyouser said:

Hey thanks!  (Actually a soon to retire insurance agent.. I have a German Major from those dark ages long ago and I dearly love southern Germany)

I used to have 6th Cousin (Georg Pfiffer)that made pianos in Munich to sell in Paris.  As every boy I loved going to see Ludwig the Mad "New Swan" castle. He changed a poor area to a very rich area with this building he paid for out of his own Money.    

U and the duchess,E&K?... We should all have a good time.

[wyouser]

Jan 28, 2017 9:48:38 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Nice, so you're the guy connected to everyone!

Sorry, is it a language degree or a history. I have always wanted to learn German. There is a large community around here, I think they speak what is called low German though??

I hear ya about southern Germany. My dad's father's family originated on the Apls side of the boarder, but they still call it German..

I ended up with 3 majors , One in the German Language, one in history (centering around German History, , And one in Political Science, (also focused on Europe and International Relations. ) There was also an English minor tucked in there primarily centered on English Literature that influenced German Lit. I learned "High" German. I do have a problem where our family originates with the Swabian Dialect. Bavarian is a bit tough too but all I ran into there will speak to you in high German when they find you struggling with a dialect. Our last two trips there I actually hit a "high" point for me. For 30, maybe 40 seconds I can confuse an occasional German into momentarily thinking I'm either Dutch or Swedish before my American accent comes through.  

[bimetalaupt]

Jan 30, 2017 11:31:11 GMT -5 wyouser said:

Jan 28, 2017 9:48:38 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Nice, so you're the guy connected to everyone!

Sorry, is it a language degree or a history. I have always wanted to learn German. There is a large community around here, I think they speak what is called low German though??

I hear ya about southern Germany. My dad's father's family originated on the Apls side of the boarder, but they still call it German..

I ended up with 3 majors , One in the German Language, one in history (centering around German History, , And one in Political Science, (also focused on Europe and International Relations. ) There was also an English minor tucked in there primarily centered on English Literature that influenced German Lit. I learned "High" German. I do have a problem where our family originates with the Swabian Dialect. Bavarian is a bit tough too but all I ran into there will speak to you in high German when they find you struggling with a dialect. Our last two trips there I actually hit a "high" point for me. For 30, maybe 40 seconds I can confuse an occasional German into momentarily thinking I'm either Dutch or Swedish before my American accent comes through.  

I learned High German  via Swiss early and again In Midland , Tx where a friend taught German Literature.  German is so much a local use of words that are vastly unique 

[973beachbum]

So what happens to exports when/if the dollar goes even higher?

Most of my investments are in stocks.  Wouldn't a weaker dollar actually be better for exports and a stronger dollar better for imports?

and not to get political but isn't most of what gets sold in the US now imports and what is grown exported?

[wyouser]

Jan 31, 2017 20:09:32 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

So what happens to exports when/if the dollar goes even higher?

Most of my investments are in stocks.  Wouldn't a weaker dollar actually be better for exports and a stronger dollar better for imports?

and not to get political but isn't most of what gets sold in the US now imports and what is grown exported?

We do have an export market for manufactures goods. Caterpiller or Boeing would be examples. A stronger dollar makes the price of our stuff higher.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Jan 30, 2017 11:31:11 GMT -5 wyouser said:

Jan 28, 2017 9:48:38 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Nice, so you're the guy connected to everyone!

Sorry, is it a language degree or a history. I have always wanted to learn German. There is a large community around here, I think they speak what is called low German though??

I hear ya about southern Germany. My dad's father's family originated on the Apls side of the boarder, but they still call it German..

I ended up with 3 majors , One in the German Language, one in history (centering around German History, , And one in Political Science, (also focused on Europe and International Relations. ) There was also an English minor tucked in there primarily centered on English Literature that influenced German Lit. I learned "High" German. I do have a problem where our family originates with the Swabian Dialect. Bavarian is a bit tough too but all I ran into there will speak to you in high German when they find you struggling with a dialect. Our last two trips there I actually hit a "high" point for me. For 30, maybe 40 seconds I can confuse an occasional German into momentarily thinking I'm either Dutch or Swedish before my American accent comes through.  

So you're an expert on the Normans then.
I'm not sure which dialect my grandfather chose not to pass on. However, with what you're saying here, it was probably "high" German because the Mennonites and Hutterites(sic) wouldn't have understood him anyway..

Congratulations on passing yourself off as Dutch. I went through on an educational tour at the end of high school. Even when I tried saying, Ich spreche kein Deutsch; I got looks like..

[wyouser]

Feb 1, 2017 12:52:14 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

Jan 30, 2017 11:31:11 GMT -5 wyouser said:

I ended up with 3 majors , One in the German Language, one in history (centering around German History, , And one in Political Science, (also focused on Europe and International Relations. ) There was also an English minor tucked in there primarily centered on English Literature that influenced German Lit. I learned "High" German. I do have a problem where our family originates with the Swabian Dialect. Bavarian is a bit tough too but all I ran into there will speak to you in high German when they find you struggling with a dialect. Our last two trips there I actually hit a "high" point for me. For 30, maybe 40 seconds I can confuse an occasional German into momentarily thinking I'm either Dutch or Swedish before my American accent comes through.  

So you're an expert on the Normans then.
I'm not sure which dialect my grandfather chose not to pass on. However, with what you're saying here, it was probably "high" German because the Mennonites and Hutterites(sic) wouldn't have understood him anyway..

Congratulations on passing yourself off as Dutch. I went through on an educational tour at the end of high school. Even when I tried saying, Ich spreche kein Deutsch; I got looks like..

I hear that. The first time I went was as part of a university study group in 1971. I remember sitting alone in a hotel lobby, early one morning. reading a paper when this guy sitting across the room says, in English, where you from?  I say "I'm an American (in German too), and he goes (in English) "I know that, but what state?" In my mind it's going; how the hell does he know that?

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Feb 1, 2017 12:57:47 GMT -5 wyouser said:

Feb 1, 2017 12:52:14 GMT -5 Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger said:

So you're an expert on the Normans then.
I'm not sure which dialect my grandfather chose not to pass on. However, with what you're saying here, it was probably "high" German because the Mennonites and Hutterites(sic) wouldn't have understood him anyway..

Congratulations on passing yourself off as Dutch. I went through on an educational tour at the end of high school. Even when I tried saying, Ich spreche kein Deutsch; I got looks like..

I hear that. The first time I went was as part of a university study group in 1971. I remember sitting alone in a hotel lobby, early one morning. reading a paper when this guy sitting across the room says, in English, where you from?  I say "I'm an American (in German too), and he goes (in English) "I know that, but what state?" In my mind it's going; how the hell does he know that?

I always love traveling South. My Canadian accent apparently gives me away.

Went from London across the channel by hovercraft to Paris. Then into Lucerne, a short trip through Austria (can't remember the place right now), and then through Germany to Munich. The only place that I had trouble with English was in Paris and a few shops in Lucerne.. Although I'm not sure they couldn't understand, as much as they were Parisienne .

[wyouser]

!971 we attempted to cross the Rhine at Breisach and cross into France. We hit the French side and this French Border Fellow asks for documents including those for "Le Auto." He rattles some French off at us , None of us could respond in French (English German or Spanish yes) He motions us to stay put and walks away. Now we are discussing this amongst ourselves. We are attempting to cross into France in the province of Alsace-Lorraine. Now this is the German Speaking part of France. This Border guy doesn't know any German? We wait about 45 minutes and finally an American couple cross the bridge. They speak French. We ask them to ask what's going on. The French border guy tells them to tell us we can't enter France because our insurance papers are in German. (Ok, we bought the car in Germany with insurance that's supposed to be good in Western Europe It just didn't say so in French....I always thought that interesting. See, we did the same thing going from Austria into Northern Italy. The South Tirol in Italy is also German Speaking. Those guys had no problems with our car papers (course the border guys seemed way more interested in talking to the female members of our group- 5 cars 22 students 15 of which  were women) than bothering with we 7 guys or our "German" papers for the cars...

[wyouser]

Talk this morning of attempts by Trump to increase the velocity of money  and to reduce the impact of Dodd-Frank especially for small banks. Also talk of value of dollar and energy prices creating less of a headwind. I think we boom. Also think I'll back off some on my flirtation with the Euro.....maybe a little more into Swiss Francs this year.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Feb 1, 2017 18:22:57 GMT -5 wyouser said:

!971 we attempted to cross the Rhine at Breisach and cross into France. We hit the French side and this French Border Fellow asks for documents including those for "Le Auto." He rattles some French off at us , None of us could respond in French (English German or Spanish yes) He motions us to stay put and walks away. Now we are discussing this amongst ourselves. We are attempting to cross into France in the province of Alsace-Lorraine. Now this is the German Speaking part of France. This Border guy doesn't know any German? We wait about 45 minutes and finally an American couple cross the bridge. They speak French. We ask them to ask what's going on. The French border guy tells them to tell us we can't enter France because our insurance papers are in German. (Ok, we bought the car in Germany with insurance that's supposed to be good in Western Europe It just didn't say so in French....I always thought that interesting. See, we did the same thing going from Austria into Northern Italy. The South Tirol in Italy is also German Speaking. Those guys had no problems with our car papers (course the border guys seemed way more interested in talking to the female members of our group- 5 cars 22 students 15 of which  were women) than bothering with we 7 guys or our "German" papers for the cars...

I hear what you're saying. The crazy thing is it even extends to Canadian French. The ones on our trip who did know some Canadian French were essentially no better off in Paris then the rest of us. They actually got at some places..

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Feb 3, 2017 11:37:39 GMT -5 wyouser said:

Talk this morning of attempts by Trump to increase the velocity of money  and to reduce the impact of Dodd-Frank especially for small banks. Also talk of value of dollar and energy prices creating less of a headwind. I think we boom. Also think I'll back off some on my flirtation with the Euro.....maybe a little more into Swiss Francs this year.

Debt will stop a boom in the near term. But the Great Stagnation will end in a BOOM, no doubt about it. Although, 3.5% GDP will seem like a boom compared to what the last 5 years have been.

The Franc will probably be a refuge for cash across Europe in the coming years; Le Pen(sic) in France should be interesting.