"Manhattan" a New York City Travel Page by thinking

The entire world lives in this city. It is the great city, but that doesn't mean we like everything here in the capital of extreme capitalism.

The average, very small (700 sq feet) one bedroom New York apartment averages $3,000.00- $5000.00 a month in rent, and does not include parking ($1000.00 monthly + 24% tax) or eletricity or water. HOWEVER, rents are falling since 180,000 jobs have been lost in investment banking, and will continue to be down for years.

If you prefer to purchase the average small apartment, the midddle class should think $1 million dollars or more. Of course, the financial crisis is taking its toll here too.

The Europeans purchased apartments due to the exchange rate, and others positioned themselves hoping to ride the housing bubble which will in a year or two resemble the dot.com bust.

The rent alone is more money than most people with Ph.D.'s or JD's make a year in the city. Rent is paid with after tax dollars, and New York State extracts not only a State tax, but a City Tax as well. Don't forget to add in the sales tax of 8 1/4% on most transactions, except food and medicine.

Worker's pay half of their social security, while the employer pays the rest, and medicare taxes all earned income no matter how much you earn.

It was shocking to find out you now have to pay $7.95 to talk to a customer service agent
in India in order to pay your bill, or call an 800 number to see if you can return something.
Here you will get the feel of the Bush administration's meaning of "privatization" and "outsourcing" which is a code word for everything for the capitalist and nothing for anyone else.

Of course, if you don't need to earn income through working, then you are much better off, and need less after tax dollars.

In New York, only half the population has a driver's license, as their is no need to own a car here. Lots of people walk, take the bus, the subway or a taxi.

New York State also has the dubious honor of having the most overweight population in the USA.
It is also the capital of some of the sickest people on the planet.
No where is there as many diabetics as there are in New York
No time except eat junk food since all of your efforts are on survival.

New York is after all, the Specialty Food Capital of the World. There is something to eat every 50 yards. It is a city of consumption, where having more than you need is never enough. What else
must you do in your life except consume to help make the capitalist profitable.

The very best documentary on NYC I have ever seen is Rick Burn's "The History of New York." It is worth your time to see this before you come here.
See http://www.pbs.org for how to purchase the video.

This is the "River Walk" next to FDR. I walked along it either in the morning or the evening when I was in Manhattan.

The lower left hand corner shows a photo of my former building,Waterside Plaza, http://www.watersideplaza.com which is on the East River. I do not recommend the building.