Smart software enabled real estate

Read this really interesting article in the paper version of Fortune magazine on the weekend.

 Love that they are spending an estimated $600,000 in renovations each and every day......talk about economies of scale (and that their software can predict rehab costs to within 5% on average).

Wonder if something similar would fly in Australia.
 - https://fortune.com/longform/single-family-home-ai-algorithms/


Cheers,
Dean

So you worked your 40 quarters.... but its time to go home-what happens to all that Social Security you paid?

The only 2 countries they WONT send SS to is North Korea and Cuba.

This is whether you are a citizen or not.


There are certain countries where you have to "Proof of life" yourself after 6 months (at an embassy etc Ukraine Uzbeckistan etc etc).


But if you have "earned your own" Social Security (eg 40 quarters) and are a citizen of these countries
https://www.ssa.gov/international/countrylist1.htm
or
https://www.ssa.gov/international/countrylist2.htm


Then you will keep getting paid after 6 months even if you have given up citizenship and are no longer a citizen/resident of the USA.


All the information is here https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf


Or use this tool https://www.ssa.gov/international/payments_outsideUS.html


There is a good article on tax withholdings etc here at https://www.investopedia.com/advisor-network/articles/social-security-benefits-nonus-citizens/ (short answer is they withhold 30% and then you have to file taxes to get some of it back).


Its pretty simple really.

"Iran" targets oil tankers

Excellent reporting by @Tina_Davis on @BloombergTV about the very suspect choice of targets......well done. Thank you for being a real reporter and not chowing down on what we are being fed.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-12/oil-holds-near-lows-on-u-s-stockpile-build-poor-demand-outlook

It heartens me to see how many social media comments there are after Pompeo's press conference from the State Department where ordinary people are calling out the USA on this BS and his claims.......but it also saddens me that so many many people no longer trust their government.

It shouldn't be this way.

 :(

AFP raid ABC News in Sydney :(

“In a free state, there should always be an inquirer asking on behalf of the people.” - John Norvell


https://twitter.com/deancollins/status/1136275555261833216



Very disappointed in the Australian government tactics here. The fact that these articles are written last year but the raids were held off until after the election disgusts me.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/04/world/australia/journalist-raid-annika-smethurst.html?


If your decisions can't handle a little sunlight.....then should you be doing them at all?


Shame on you ScoMo

Sydney Harbour

Wow how crazy still the harbour is for this shot.

Nothing to worry about huh....

For all those people who said Assange had nothing to worry about and he should go to Sweden and face the made up rape charges......i give you todays NY Times.


Just as Wikileaks' editor in chief anticipated, the DoJ has revealed that a grand jury in Virginia has returned a new 18-count superseding indictment against Assange that includes violations of the Espionage Act. Significantly raising the punishment threshold (from a maximum of 5.5 years under the previous indictment to the prospect of a DEATH SENTENCE for violating the Espionage Act).

- https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/us/politics/assange-indictment.html 

This country is messed up. If the government is killing innocent people and cant handle the sunlight.....is what your government doing in your name appropriate???

AI generated video

Video created from a single photo frame. https://twitter.com/chrisgrayson/status/1131582612303175681

Phenomenal !!

Dump subsidised commodities onto the 3rd world market

BTW....Trade Wars are easy to win right?

Australian election

Australian election post mortem happening now....but most of it is just plain wrong.

Any politician who says they lost the election because of the media or advertising deserves to lose.


You only have to look at AOC and Trump on how they get their message out to realise that people truly can be reached if you have something decent to say.


Personally i think neither party had anything innovative to offer this election and thats why people voted for the stability of the existing incumbents.....but thats just my opinion....and everyone has an asshole as well.


Basically Labor lost/ the LNP didnt win it, until Labor realises their mistake.....will happen again. As for blaming people rejecting labors plans for holding onto Dividend Imputations......uhm yep because paying tax WHICH WAS NEVER OWED IN THE FIRST place is dumb.


Its would be like saying.....so sad you are owed a tax refund this year....you should have planned better.....we'll hold on to it until next year and you can have it back then (unless of course.....the ATO owes you a tax refund that year as well.....thanks for being a good aussie).


This said.....democracy won eg everyone voted, we all got our Democracy Sausages, no one died at the end of a bullet/bomb, and thats a great thing and something to be thankful for


:)

Luckin Coffee IPO

Am I the only one who questions why Luckin Coffee a company with only stores in China .....raises money in the USA on Nasdaq??


Why not raise money in China if @luckincoffee is such a hot commodity?