Northtek

Thanks, yes I spent most of my career as a producer for several TV shows, to show my age, I started out on Open mike with Mike Bullard. All the shows I worked on was on national networks, it was considered about as far as you could go in that area, yes it consumed most of my time and I lost a lot of years with the kids, which I regret the most. Hopefully your son doesn't have that problem. Unfortunately I was working with Astral Media and it was bought out by Bell, so I was told the only way I could continue was to move to Toronto. By that time I had already sacrificed to much time with the kids and decided it was not worth it, so I bought my own equipment and started a media company of my own. That way I can have time with the kids before they went off to college. Which I am glad I did as it gave me independence from the networks and I no longer needed to fully support their narrative under threat of losing my job like a lot of my friends are having to endure. Hopefully your son will have better luck as there is a lot of pressure to choose between having a career and compromising your ethics. I tried for the last 3 years, but unfortunately, covering the news, I was told there is no room for personal ethics anymore. I loved my work, but I simply could not support what they were asking me to do. So here I am, starting fresh and hoping to get back to the basics, which is developing independent content that will focus on something positive and can hopefully benefit someone. Unfortunately I am an ideologist that believes people and hoping deep down we are better than we are being portrayed in the news.

Great, I am glad you cleared that up. Ok now that Elvis has left the building, I would like to clarify a couple of things. Primarily is this project is not intended to try and advertise, sell, or in any way financially benefit in this region. Simply because our market is in Canada and the budgets we need are easily obtainable there and would require far less effort than here. Plus that is where our target audience will be. Simple truth is this, retirement in Canada has become more of a dream than reality, so more Canadians will be looking for alternatives to this growing problem. Mexico stands out as a possibility as the weather is favorable and flights back and forth are relatively affordable, not to mention the cost of maintaining a good life style here is so cheap. Secondly, I will not be focusing only on the Chapala area, as there are a lot of new developments around Mexico, especially the Guadalajara area. So as much as I would like to showcase the region more, as it would benefit a lot of business, including this site, it seems there are too many people more concerned about how things will affect them and couldn't care a less on how it would bring in much needed income to local business. Not to mention this site as it relies on advertising and growth of users. So driving traffic to this site will not make any sense, unless the administration gets a handle on people trying to drive that traffic away. We are going ahead with this project regardless of what people think or what snarky responses they make, so it makes it easier to use this site as a place to send people, but its not the only one. I will release filming dates for Chapala soon, but for now we are looking for people to interview on two topics, one is called "my Mexico", where people can share there experiences and give insights on how to live better here. The other will be "day tripping" where we will follow expats to their favorite places to visit and explore. Look forward to hearing from everyone.

I have to respectfully disagree, mainly because comments like "leave us alone" is anything but useful, as it implies people are not welcome. Seniority does not imply ownership, plus being an old-timer and seeing other examples, also doesn't give you insight as to what I maybe doing, it may seem simular, but it is not. So maybe I am wrong on what this site is intended to do as I thought it was here for people to connect and share ideas and it seemed like a good way to reach out and let people know what is going on and participate if they choose. But if you have no interest or desire to know, then easy enough, there are plenty of threads here that you can participate in. Many people have shown interest and provided feed back, which is great, as it gives me feed back and benefits this site as it increases traffic, plus engages users that want to be part of the conversation unfortunately you have injected yourself into the conversation for no obvious reason other that to mock and now threaten "and I can always block you", so if you are a" happy and contented person" then you would have allowed us to continue this conversation as it is doing no one harm, we are not advertising, trying to sell, or doing anything other than exchanging ideas. I am hoping to bring a little fun and excitement, it might not be new, but it will be different. Also if I am violating a board rule then point it out as I am not aware of any that I am braking, otherwise I am sure the moderators would let me know. with that said I would like to point out the old saying That, "If you have nothing nice to say, Try not saying anything at all" because there is no reason people should shut down a conversation, just because it isn't a topic they want to talk about.

If you want to be left alone, then why are you here? just to incite hate or disrespect others? If all you have to offer is negative posts like this, what is your point? or do you just expect that everyone should be miserable? Like seriously people, if all you want to do is spread your negative and toxic comments or show everyone how hateful you really are, then why dont you just sit at home and scream in the mirror, that way you have the audience that you really want, someone that thinks just like you.

Show formatting. We are going to break up the show into segments that can be tied together for a half hour show and used individually for airing on YouTube and other platforms. As the show progreses, we may have more in-depth topics that may extend longer, but not very often and probably will be considered special episodes. The reason for this is 2 fold, one being that people want to be entertained and not have to commit to a lengthy topic, Secondly, I think there is enough bad news in the world and I am hoping we can create something that is in the feel good area. So controversial topics wont be explored as we already have enough of that. Topics that will be included are as follows, Food and culture, housing and design, Travel and destinations. Basically this that will hopefully inspire and excite us. With that said, we will be asking for patience as a project like this is going to take some time, as we do initial filming, find people that would like to be featured, and research material for the show. Also purchase newer equipment as it all didn't survive the trip hear. This will be fun experience and will be reaching out to all those that expressed interest in the next 2 weeks.

Ok Update time. The direction of where this is starting to head is taking shape. It will be a half hour video to conform to broadcast standards so that it can also air on tv. It will be hosted by one Expat, one Local, so a balanced view of both sides of the experience can be explored. This probably will evolve as time goes on, but as for now we will be focusing on positive aspects and trying to make this a fun experience for everyone. The opener is done and can be viewed at

Yes I understand the challenges, but I also understand the benefits as well. There will always be challenges and we have faced them since the beginning of time. Every civilization has either overcome or perished, that is the reality of life. So yes you can sit back and say change is not needed because things work for you, but its not up to you or me or anyone group to decide what's best for everyone else. Change is inevitable for growth to happen, Challenges will be overcome, and people will prosper. The rising tide lifts all boats, except those too tightly anchored in the past.

Lol, that's funny. When I was going through school so many many years ago, I got a part time job at Best Buy, at that time it was still Future shop, I got into trouble because I was actually fixing the computers. They told me "we dont do that here, we just say you need to upgrade". Needless to say, I didn't last long as I didn't fit in their "culture" as they said. I still consider it a good experience as I knew I needed a strong background in computers for doing media, but I was surprised at how shady and cult like the atmosphere was. But the actual reason I was "let go" is the guys from corporate came in for a store inspection and one of them asked me what I thought about working there as a career, I said something with out thinking and walked away, but apparently I told him "the only future here is in the name" I dont remember even saying it as I was distracted, but needless to say, it didn't go over well. Dont get me wrong, I still buy stuff from Best Buy as a lot has changed since then, but I would never use their service center.

I mainly use SSD's now. Mind you SSD is a broad term, and there are a variety of them, but they are cheap, fast and pretty reliable. But they do have their drawbacks in the amount of times it can read/write data. But over all fast. As far as experience goes, I would say advanced. more so than you will find in any PC repair shop.

This is probably the truth, as much as I am hoping to blow the doors off other productions, and mostly my own, the chances of it actually making a difference are slim to none. Will it be fun? absolutely, will it be informative? as much as it can be, will it bring people by the droves? I doubt it very much. So for everyone that is concerned that a hoard of people will be inspired to move here, you can relax, it wont happen. Truth is at best, all it will do is help people already planning to come here anyway. Plus its not just about Chapala, as there are a lot of new developments in and around Guadalajara. But in the off chance that things go exceptionally well, then look at it this way, your property values will probable go through the roof.

That is great there is local support, however if anyone does find themselves in this position, by all means seek out local help, but once files are extracted, hold onto the drive after. As doing media work, I can tell you that my computer needs far exceeds the average user and I go through hardware pretty quickly. Hard drives being one of them, so I have had to learn data extraction simply because of necessity. One thing I can tell you is that its rare a drive is damaged beyond repair and is often still good enough to be used as a backup storage device. But dont take my word for it as I will be more than willing to put my words to the test. If you do have this problem then absolutely take it to whom ever you trust, as supporting local businesses should always be supported. But once it done, make sure they give you your drive back. One reason is for data security. Then PM me and I will be more than happy to check if the drive is no longer viable for free. if it is, then I will mount it as an external drive so you can use it as a backup. If not then no harm no foul. We can then ensure the drive is degaussed and not future data is retrievable.

ahh yes the infrastructure debate. it never gets old. Problem with this argument is this, Infrastructure is a problem for most countries and not just Mexico. Truth is that it has been bad, it is currently bad, and will probably continue to be bad. It was bad before most of us got here and has little to nothing to do with us being here, but it didn't stop those that use this argument from coming themselves. Hypocrisy anyone? I understand that having expats here will have its pros and cons, every situation does. Before I decided to come I heavily considered what my impact would be verses the benefits. because I always look before I leap and what I found out surprised me. One is the Mexican people have been overwhelming supportive in their reception and explained to me what happens when an expat moves to the neighborhood. Now this could just be this neighborhood, as I didn't explore this extensively. But this is the benefits I was told the locals receive. Primarily is local businesses thrive as expats bring a level of disposable income that is not usually found, Secondly, is safety and security of the area, which really surprised me and will be looking at it more in-depth later, but I am told that police presents in areas expats go get better response time and better coverage and it makes local residents feel safer. There is more and I will be covering them in future content as it is a top concern of mine in that we offer more pros than cons for the local residence. But if your intent is to detour other from experiencing life here because you might be inconvenienced in some way, then you need to ask yourself why its ok for you and not others? yes this is a rhetorical question as we all know the selfish only see things that benefit them and not others.

Yes , to be honest, the videos that I have seen are on the boring side and not very descriptive. Thankfully that is something I have never had a problem with, in fact the best compliment I have ever received is when I was with the CFT, which was a TV show that ran for 4 years nationally in Canada and the US. The compliment was "wow I didn't know fishing competitions were so exciting" which I can say they are not. Watching people fish had to be the most boring thing I had ever experienced, so I had to learn how to make it exciting, which I did, because no matter the content, it needs to be entertaining, otherwise no one will watch it. Which is what I plan on doing, because if I am going to do it, then it should be a good and fun experience for everyone involved. Plus it needs to be informative and entertaining. That's why I just cant be some guy with a camera, because there is a lot more than just filming pretty pictures. I will be including vast amounts of research into the subjects and incorporating, the latest 3d animations, after effects graphics and design elements. combining areal and ground footage, interviews and commentators, and so on. The production level needs to be at the same standards as any other production on National TV. As that is what I am used to and will settle for nothing less. Some might see this as bragging, but its not, it a simple state of fact as I have pride in everything I do, so if I am going to do it then I am going to do it well. Plus it will be fun for everyone involved, it usually is.

What is LCS?

Thanks everyone for your input, I will try and respond directly as soon as I can, but I am just happy to see we can engage on a topic that seems to be on a positive note as I think this type of conversations help this site as well. I know controversy sells and generates traffic, but I think we can unite just as well as divide and I think we already have enough things that divide us. So thanks again and hopefully we can create something that brings excitement and we all can have fun with.

This is exactly one of the biggest questions so far, as many people as me about how I could move to a place with out family and friends and how the separation has affected things, its one of the first questions people face when making the decision to move abroad. So I do think its one that should be asked, from both perspectives, So Thanks Honey Bee.

This is one of the areas I will be showing as I am pretty much embebed as they say, as where I am is 100% locals, I am the only "gringo" around, in fact I haven't seen or spoke to anyone that wasn't a Mexican national. So I can tell you that I have had a lot of preconceptions lifted. Honestly I have been so welcomed and treaded so well here that I have come to appreciate the locals with a level of respect that I didn't expect. Mind you my wife is a local and her family is from here, so her mother refers to me as her "favorite gringo" which is funny to me. Also I am relearning to live life mexicana style and its great.

"Retirement is a reinvention" love it, that's exactly what I need to do, Thanks and all the best to you

Thanks Kiko that is the plan regardless

well I think being original in this day and age is a tall order, but I have been looking at this from many perspectives. I think having personal accounts is great but it only scratches the surface. the goal is to have a comprehensive look into the possibilities of life here and explore the people and culture that makes this part of the country unique. Plus things are not static, there are new developments that even the locals are not aware of. For instance I was talking to someone about Punto Sur or south point in Guadalajara and how good dinner was at one of the restaurants. They had no idea of the new malls and restaurants built there and how well it was designed. My wife loves it there and is now are go to place for a night out. Even friends back home were impressed by the video I sent back as they never thought Mexico was so well developed. So if your thinking I am only planning on interviewing expats to get their perspectives, well that is just a small fraction, as there is so much to experience here, the people, the places, the culture, the history, the entertainment, the architecture, and so much more. As far as calling myself a journalist, its only because that was what I was basically, an investigative journalist, or at least that is the closest description. unfortunately that is a title I have abandoned as it has been hijacked by you tubers and lost all meaning. Now I am just a guy with big toys planning to have fun with it as much as possible.

I had this issue plenty of times, I just bought an enclosure for the drive and use it as an external drive. that way I can extract any data and then use it as a back up. HD enclosures are very cheap. you can buy them off amazon for about $10

yeh no, to this, it will probably go on YouTube for hosting but monetization has been turn off. But as far as new people, well that is an eventuality, unless you plan on setting up road blocks. People will come regardless, but it would be better if they were informed. As far as other videographers and version 4, I have no idea what the history is on that, all I can say is I am not considered nor have any desire to be a videographer, vlogger, influencer, or youtuber. The closest description would be Journalist but I think the last couple of years has left me thinking its time to do something else The reality is this, I have the equipment that I dont want to sell or just sit around collecting dust and just because I dont want to do the news anymore doesn't mean I want to do nothing. I am also not going to say that if I can make money, that I wouldn't do it because that is just stupid, I just haven't figured out that part yet. So for now this is just a pet project to keep me busy.

Ok lets try this again as the last one went off the rails. Thanks again to Moderator 2 for trying to keep things civil. After going through recommendations from the last post it seems we can benefit others with informative video productions on the Expat experience. So I will be starting soon on creating videos of life in this region and gathering input from both Canadians and Americans on why they choose to move here, what hurdles they had to over come, what they love about the region, what advise they can give to future Expats that are looking for a better place to retire and so on. Yes I realize this site provides this information in text format, but its not easy to find for one and does not give a visual in-depth experience to those that would like to consider this a future home. So if anyone would like to participate and share their experiences, please do. Some of the things I will be covering are Places of interest and daytrips Housing Design and features hurdles faced and how to overcome them Food and dining Cost of living and affordability Safety and security Mexican People and culture and others This is intended to be about enjoying a better life in the area and help those back home that are interested get a better understanding, so I urge all those looking to turn this into some kind of political debate, please refrain.

yes, it was my favorite so far, I was along the amazon, but not exactly sure where as it was a very remote area, but did spend a night in Caracas, I was not allowed to go out much as the situation was a little crazy.

because the original idea was to come up with ideas to showcase the area, highlight places of interest, and share any experiences people have that might help people understand the community and coexist better. you know, help each other. So I think everyone else got it. So if you thought I was here to tot my own horn, yeh no, I am fine. maybe could have written it better, but I also know it doesn't matter how it was written as people will read into it anyway and try and make it out to something its not. But to everyone else, I thank you for your input and looking forward to meeting everyone.