

Don't believe everything you read/hear about Spain - egiva
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2012/05/cheap_spanish_vacation_the_euro_euro_is_keeping_spain_way_too_expensive_for_tourists_.html

======
egiva
Look, I've lived in Spain for a long time and obviously I see what's happening
here. But I'm from California and I read/see/hear what the US press says about
Spain. DO NOT BELIEVE IT! Most reports, and unfortunately this report as well
in Slate, are more gut-check types of articles, with little background, facts,
or true reporting.

For the curious, here's one BIG fact that all the press write about spain, but
is totally false:

Reports state that Spain has 24%+ unemployment. FALSE! Unemployment figures in
the US are pretty reliable (minus structural unemployment) - but in Spain the
official figures are totally bogus. MANY PEOPLE work the system here -
basically declaring themselves as unemployed (in order to collect the State's
very generous unemployment insurance benefits), while continuing to work
"illegally" - ie in the undeclared/un-oficial black labor market. Obviously,
the government loses revenues in the form of unpaid social security payments,
but 24% unemployment here is a total myth. I'm not sure why the press doesn't
point that out.

