Brother Can You Spare A Dime

Listened to Faith, Listen WOP, Older and now Songs FTLC.....I think this one summarises the last few hours......

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij3ba71gtrU

Dow 20,000

As we cross Dow 20,000 you should read this about Dow 116,200

- http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dow-20k-shows-why-a-21-year-old-forecast-for-dow-116200-in-2040-still-makes-sense-2016-12-20?siteid=rss&rss=1

Oriana

Interesting article worth reading


- http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/20/africa/orania-south-africa-afrikaners/index.html?

Beijing smog

You would think there has to be some money to be made in solving this problem……?
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-17/china-orders-beijing-factories-to-shut-or-cut-output/8129752


 

Reddit

You have to love what a rabbit hole Reddit can be.

Read this post

https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/5iexyv/if_fire_is_a_reaction_limited_to_planets_with/?

Which lead to this blogger

http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2010/02/23/things_i_wont_work_with_dioxygen_difluoride

Which sucked up at least an hour of my time on this and other posts of his :)

Fed move

....huh? the 0.25% Fed Rate rise was 100% predicted.....what the heck did aussie traders find out at 2pm that made the dollar move this much??

Build a new Melbourne every decade

http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/build-a-new-melbourne-every-decade-or-face-more-congestion-20161211-gt8x8c.html


The older I get the more I fail to understand why Australia doesn't understand the need for more than 2 big cities and 5 country towns.

Until we realize that Canberra, Bathurst, Orange, Port Macquarie, Nowra  etc etc MUST be allowed to expand into fully fledged cities with self sustaining industry and jobs we are stuck in a vicious cycle of trying to squeeze more and more people into an expensive situation in Sydney and Melbourne.

Its time for Australia to grow up.

We need more #Tier2cities and we need them now.

SQEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

ITS SNOWING IN NYC :)))))))

ITS SNOWING IN NYC :)))))))


SQUEEEEEEEEEE, #BRB

Thankfully I have a wife who humours my need to go out for a walk the first time we get snow each season.

I think I'll miss moments like this when we go home to Australia.

Samsung KILL ALL code push

Well we got the KILL ALL code push text message today.

.....very interesting that EFF/ACLU/Consumer rights groups are mute here.

Basically when Tmobile pushed out the 60% charging update I was like ok……and used a custom cyanogen ROM to restore my rights but after this current announcement for the 19th of Dec deadline where all Note 7’s will be prevented from charging…..wtf??

Basically I’m over it and placed the order for the Huawei Mate 9- http://amzn.to/2hdvx2l and am done with Samsung, screw it. As someone who currently has 2 samsung tv’s, 3 monitors, 2 blu ray players and 2 Note 7’s……I’m unlikely to ever purchase Samsung again for a very very long time. Put that in your cost model and tell me how it works out for you.

Grey Market

Interesting that grey market buyers in Australia changing brands they reship can change the market value so much

- http://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/how-life-for-milks-market-darling-turned-sour-in-china-20161208-gt7a3i.html

Interesting read

Interesting read

- http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/10/business/dealbook/goldman-sachs-cerberus-lonestar-europe-mortgages.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

I guess I come down on the side of....."fortune favours the brave" and the current tenants could have purchased in 2008 in the downturn......and saying now that things are rosy......they want to buy in at 2008 depressed prices....or continue renting at depressed 2008 prices doesn't help with reality.

As for Ireland missing out on their taxes.....this is why we need to be in a consumption based tax economy, its the spending point that is taxable not the back end profits when you can incorporate anywhere else in the world and sub out profits (one of the reasons I'm strongly for stamp duty in NSW property purchases even though it hurts personally every time we buy).

Samsung bricking ALL Note 7 devices

Proving yet again you never really own "connected software" and just 'rent it'

FU Samsung US - http://thenextweb.com/gadgets/2016/12/09/samsung-may-distribute-update-brick-note-7-next-week/

I am kind of curious to know whether phones running Cyanogen mods if T-Mobile can still push the update through to brick your phone.

It brings up a really interesting question for consumers as we move into an IOT pervasive world……when after the sale do the rights belong to the consumer? When do you have a situation where a vendor can “reach in” and withdraw a consumers rights??

Where is the ACLU when you need it :)

and yes in case you are wondering what i'm replacing my Note 7 with.....I ordered the Huawei Mate 9 through Amazon where they are selling the unlocked international dual sim version with 6gb ram and 128gb rom for only $899 - http://amzn.to/2hdvx2l 

The real question is do I dump Tmobile once this unlocked "fully paid for" phone arrives.

Suspicious 0bservers

This is why i watch Suspicious 0bservers weather video most days, he's on to some interesting ideas and always interesting to watch.
- https://www.youtube.com/v/4pbFe1HODbU?version=3 (eg around 1.58min mark)

and a few hours later this happened http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/08/us/california-pacific-ocean-earthquake/index.html

Clonezilla

Used Clonezilla before?

Neat app to “clone” a drive to another drive.  - http://clonezilla.org/

I used to use “backups” to do this when swapping out drives etc but came across a problem where I needed to go from a spinning disk to a smaller ssd drive…… clonezilla to the rescue using the ICDS option in expert mode, more detailed description here - http://www.seanwingert.com/blogs/clonezilla-clone-bigger-smaller-drive-eg-ssd

Worked like a charm. 

Bill Gross

Great comment in this post by Bill Gross on the distortion of the current market

"Promote capitalism – even though government controlled, near zero percent interest rates distort markets"http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-12-06/bill-gross-reveals-global-establishments-overall-plan-eight-simple-steps

Never truer words have been said

S/V RAN

Been watching one or two of these S/V RAN sailing videos every lunch, the earlier southern ocean video series is well worth watching

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owSj45-pG8g#t=1585.8889243

Blackstone @Home files for IPO

I know this is USA residential focused.......but interesting to think about what could happen to Sydney rents if something similar happened in Australia.......

- Blackstone's single-family rental division files for IPO

Sao Paulo - Sunday Mix

I'm #NowListening to ‘São Paulo Sunday Deep Tech House Sexy Mix 27.11.16’ by WilHvlm - https://soundcloud.com/wilhvlm/sao-paulo-sunday-deep-tech-house-sexy-mix-271116?

Arrival

Just watched #Arrival tonight

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Awesome movie, excellent non linear way of presenting the movie, go see it, not your normal "aliens" style movie (though i have to wonder when seeing it if its not funded by the same 'people' who funded Contagion and its preparing us).

Rupee swapout

Every article i read about the Indian bank note swap makes me ponder......how would the USA go if something like this was implemented.


http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21710838-crackdown-indias-black-economy-makes-life-harder-everyone-india-grapples

Debt collection

Interesting listening

- http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/11/16/502350206/episode-574-the-buffalo-talk-off

Patreon

If you want to see how Patreon is supposed to work.....check out some of the posts Amanda Palmer has been doing the last few months (just read her post on Leonard Cohen).


I know it takes a special type of artist to make it work but you are seeing the downfall of "the back office record industry crumbling right in front of you".

Mike Tyson

#NowWatching #MikeTyson on HBO....amazing effort considering the guy isn't an actor or a comedian, well worth watching!

Proprietary Thecus motherboard goes bad

Be aware however when buying something like this that you are buying proprietary hardware....

I recently had the unfortunate experience of having a Thecus N7700 motherboard go bad on me (after 28 months) and whilst i knew it was out of its warranty period what i didnt realise is that to replace the motherboard would be a $395 fee.

Yep you got that..... $395

Almost 50% of the original cost of the unit to replace a part that unfortunately couldn't be sourced from anywhere else.......

Because this motherboard is proprietary i was basically stuck with no other option but to pay the fee to get my data out of the N7700 drives and onto a non propriatery Server 2008 Raid 6 based system where if a motherboard goes it can be replaced with any off the shelf motherboard no problems.

How many dogs does it take to change a light bulb?

1. Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?

2. Border Collie: Just one. And then I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.

3. Dachshund: You know I can't reach that stupid lamp!

4. Rottweiler: Make me.

5. Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.

6. Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please! Oh wait, I forgot already, what needed changing?

7. German Shepherd: I'll change it as soon as I've led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven't missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.

8. Jack Russell Terrier: I'll just pop it in while I'm bouncing off the walls and furniture.

9. Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I'm sorry, but I don't see a light bulb!

10. Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.

11. Chihuahua: Yo quiero Taco Bulb. Or "We don't need no stinking light bulb."

12. Greyhound: It isn't moving. Who cares?

13. Blue Heeler: First, I'll put all the light bulbs in a little circle...

14. Poodle: I'll just blow in the Border Collie's ear and he'll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

No there arent 4% of apartments in Melbourne empty

No foreigners aren't stealing your apartments.

No foreigners aren't warehousing empty apartments (cause they don't care about returns.....?)

No foreigners aren't ......

Hard to believe this think tank is actually funded and keeps getting articles written about their findings.

This whole article (and the same report for the last 8 years) is garbage and based on bad maths.

How many of you have actually read the Prosper Australia report?

When you do you'll be astonished how bad the raw assumptions are.

GIGO is all i have to say.

(Garbage in, Garbage out)

http://www.domain.com.au/news/rental-affordability-index-supply-not-meeting-demand-from-lowincome-tenants-20161122-gsusfh/

http://www.prosper.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Speculative_Vacancies-2014_final.pdf

Lost all respect for democrats and their whinging

I've officially lost all respect for democrats and their whinging this week.


Trump didn't win, Hillary LOST.
Over 5m more people voted for Obama in 2012 and over 10M MORE IN 2008!!!

If you don't vote you truly do end up with the government you deserve....... see you all in 2020 folks until then STFU.

Bank of Mum and Dad

Only going to end in tears.....

- http://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/nab-and-westpac-say-more-parents-guaranteeing-kids-loans-20161122-gsut7a.html

I cant understand how people aren't needing to cut back on spending on holidays/tv's/new cars etc based on how expensive Sydney properties are getting.

Unless while i wasn't looking people got major pay rises the amount of money being spent on debt repayments (/or investors rent) has to affect the economy in the long run.

Don't get me wrong, happy to profit from it in the mean time......but worried long term what this means for Australia........

Westworld / SNL crossover

Lol at the #SNL skit with the #Westworld take out of malfunctioning Anderson Cooper, feels like could actually happen after the weird week we've been having.......

Brooklinen

Nice one #Brooklinen ,subway ad that was definitely designed by a local New Yorker.

Pseudo Echo

Wow that Pseudo Echo are still around and touring in Australia this summer

- https://www.songkick.com/artists/330651-pseudo-echo

and yes i did play Funky Town, Listening and a few other tracks just now :)

Clean shutdown for windows server 2008 :(

Ugh just found out that you cant use a "rescue disk" to reinstall windows server 2008 IF you cant log in, basically from the log in screen there is no way to "shut down gracefully" the server.

If you power cycle to get to boot......
- unclean shut down therefor rescue disk asks you to restart cleanly.....

Which of course you cant because you've been locked out of your server and cant log in. :( !!!!!


1/ Always have an emergency login account for your server with admin status
2/ Add a red shut down button on windows server 2008 via a gui setting (or via registry hack here)


- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkPtAaTE3KQ

Parking

Cant park but i drive a truck and i'm an Amaericaaan so fuck ya and the hydrocarbons your mother rode in on.....

SNL election night

Lol im #NowWatching Dave Chappelle on #SNL with the election party skit.....cracking me up funniest thing ever.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHG0ezLiVGc

Patreon

If you want to see how Patreon is supposed to work.....check out some of the posts Amanda Palmer has been doing the last few months (just read her post on Leonard Cohen).

I know it takes a special type of artist to make it work but you are seeing the downfall of "the back office record industry crumbling right in front of you".

Cheers,

Dean

Vancouver steps up to the table to take a bite out of investors yet again

lol not content with a 15% Asian tax (ok.....supposedly any foreigner.....but we all know it was an anti-china tax) Vancouver have stepped up to the plate yet again......."empty home tax"


http://www.calgaryherald.com/vancouver+slaps+year+empty+homes+about/12372683/story.html Vancouver slaps $10,000 a year tax on empty homes. Lie about it and it’s $10,000 a day!!


To be fair though....you think you have it tough in Sydney try this game out and tell me how you go http://www.crackshackormansion.com

Leader of the Free World

Today a woman truly did become leader of the Free World - https://www.facebook.com/LivePoliticalChat/photos/a.283627485041706.65277.159480727456383/1261699577234487/?type=3

Election Night

A lot of very scared people watching the results coming in.........way closer than anyone expected.

China's 'citizen scores'

China's 'citizen scores' gets people banned from flights, just like Black Mirror.
https://www.facebook.com/techinasia/videos/1237807566257654/

The irony is that when people learn countries (and goverments) are fungible and people can relocate easily to other countries and locations then governments become less and less relevant.......

Tmobile sucks

I'm so pissed Tmobile they just pushed through a software update limiting my SamsungUS Note7 to 60% battery power.

FU JohnLegere !!!

Proving yet again you never really "own" connected software and just "rent it"

Will be rooting my Samsung Note 7 this weekend and restoring back to 100%

The irony is every time I answer a call, text message, turn on my phone I see this message reminding me how much I hate Tmobile and how they treat loyal customers.

Sounds like Ginia Bellafante is a little jealous......

Destroying an 11-Apartment Structure to Build a MansionBy GINIA BELLAFANTE NOV. 4, 2016


- http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/nyregion/destroying-an-11-apartment-structure-to-build-a-mansion.html?_r=0

For the past two years or so, my daily comings and goings have taken me past a building on my Brooklyn Heights block ripped down to the studs by a developer with the ambition of returning it to the market as a five-story brownstone for $18 million.

More here

My response


Wow....jealous much.

Let me ask you a question Ginia.....the developer(/prospective owner) of this property created jobs for all of the workers for the last 2 years and in the process created over $10m of revenue for the local economy.

How many jobs did you create over the last 2 years?

How much did you personally pay in taxes over the last 2 years.

I have no relation to this property (but live in the area a few blocks over and have walked past this building since it got announced) and will never be able to afford a home like it however my response is.....hey if its your money....go for it.

Who says millionaires should be forced to live in Scarsdale?

Brothers in Arms

Forgot how much i liked Dire Straits, especially the Brothers in Arms track.
- http://amzn.to/2fsC35g  

Good memories of us stealing (cough 'borrowing') a friends older brother's mini and crusing the General Holmes Drive on the way to Bondi Beach in the middle of the night  :)

Ashley Dyball

The ridiculous part about this is if he went to fight for Daesh or Al Nusra.....he's already be locked up even though our allies the USA are funding them (though they dont talk about direct support the way they do the YPG).

So George Brandis what you are basically saying is you are supporting one type of terrorist....but not the other type.

- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-25/ashley-dyball-challenges-afp-to-arrest-him-for-fighting-in-syria/7962118

It would be interesting to hear David Hicks take on this........

Cheers,
http://www.LivePoliticalChat.com/dean.collins

A master at work

If you have some time to spare....be prepared to be amazed (oh and if you don't shed a small tear in the last 30 seconds......you have no soul)

violin making / fabrication d'un violon (mirecourt) from baptiste buob on Vimeo.

Don't watch this unless you have time to spare.

Samsung Note 8

I wonder if T-Mobile will also be offering the 50% upgrade to the Samsung Note 8 in conjunction with Samsung Mobile USA

- http://www.reuters.com/article/us-samsung-elec-smartphones-idUSKCN12O0GP

#Note7user

Magical times

We really do live in magical times.....

5TB external USB hard drive only $109

How much would this have cost 5/10/15 years ago....?

http://promotions.newegg.com/neemail/guerrilla/LP/16-OCT/index-landing_wow_17.html?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=GD101716&nm_mc=EMC-GD101716&cm_mmc=EMC-GD101716-_-index-_-Header-_-SeeAll&et_cid=29627&et_rid=12893958&et_p1=&email64=ZGVhbkBjb2duYXRpb24ubmV0

Samsung Note 7

Smaller display, no stylus, no iris unlock, no reversible usb3.....thanks but i'll be sticking with my Note 7 thanks.

http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8082&idPhone2=7945&&idPhone3=7821

Anyone wanting to setup a class action for happy Note 7 users who want to keep their devices please feel free to get in touch. #LegalUseRights

Scary picture

.....I see cranes....I see cranes everywhere

http://www.domain.com.au/11-136-homer-street-earlwood-nsw-2206-10900219?

(this is looking down on Wolli Creek and Tempe area)

and yes yes I know that with increasing immigration and increase births etc....Sydney is still short the number of apartments it needs......but looking at a view like that is scary as an investor :eek:

Piano lessons

Listening to the Deep Dark Robot song Speck this morning and realised i wished i actually learnt to play the piano when i was a kid when i had the opportunity, sorry mum  :)

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvVPBCZzPME

Wikileaks 10 years on

Worth a read (and a donation if you have the means to do so.....)

- http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-we-believe-in-what-we-re-doing-a-1114774.html#ref=rss

Friday Music - Imogen Heap

What the heck ever happened to Imogen Heap??

Economy must be doing just fine

The New York economy must be doing just fine, been chasing a NYC contractor for a quote to replace our rear deck.


They missed the first two appointments (was nice enough to email saying got held up cant make it), took about a week later before made the initial inspection.

Ok all good there I'm thinking.


Chased them up for the quote two weeks later.......yep you'll have the quote next Tuesday, hmmm ok.


Tuesday came and went....still didn't hear from David Salerno , waited a few days, then called him the following Monday.


Today I get this email.....



"Dean,

Thank you for your email and phone call. 

We have a specific protocol to follow. 

As I submitted your structural concept to our engineer / expediter we learned your building falls under the auspices of the Landmarks Preservation Committee.

This demonstrates a significant commitment of time and expediting- with dramatically inflated the cost of the project. 

Considering the volume of projects we already have pending with LPC, regrettably we wish to be withdrawn from consideration for this project. 

There is no charge for the consult or time spent with the engineer. 

 

Best Wishes, 

David 

David Salerno
New York Roofscapes, Inc.
www.nyroofscapes.com
NYDCA Lic#1446431

1330 6th Ave - Suite 23
New York, NY  10019
(212) 653-0662
(212) 653-0950 Fax
(631) 903-7152  Cell"

Gee uhm thanks.....you aren't charging me for wasting my time for 6 weeks. OK Dokey. Thanks I guess......

:(

Brian Ritchie in Possum Bay Tasmania

Randomly came across this video about Brian Ritchie living in Tasmania this afternoon while browsing - https://vimeo.com/31006327

Very cool to watch considering going to see Violent Femmes next Friday night.

Its part of the Sandcastles video series - http://www.sandcastlestv.com/season/02/episode/08

Lego "Flybrix" Drones

lol i dont have kids and i'm thinking should go out and get some kids just so can get away with buying this.
:)





https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/22/kids-can-build-a-lego-drone-with-flybrix-kits


A company called Flybrix is putting legos on the wing. The San Francisco startup today began selling build-a-drone kits for kids age 14 and up comprised of: LEGO bricks, boom arms and motors that don’t require soldering, and other off the shelf and Flybrix-designed parts.

Once assembled, Flybrix drones are lightweight and meant to be flown indoors. They can be operated with a Bluetooth flight control app for iOS or Android smartphones, or a manual flight controller purchased from the company. Flybrix drones are also, notably, “crash-friendly,” meaning they can be re-assembled time and again as kids experiment with their designs, and learn how to pilot them.

Friday Music - XTC

Awesome mix, dont know who put together this list, but been a fun listen most of the afternoon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfsYSPCNWCw&index=1&list=RDmfsYSPCNWCw

Heart - Heart

Realised i had a hole in my cd collection last week

- http://amzn.to/2dhD7qV

Just arrived in the mail and blasting out Track 1.......how have i lived this long without a copy on my media server.

#SorryNeighbours

Syrian peace deal

Moscow denies Russian or Syrian planes struck aid trucks
- https://www.facebook.com/LivePoliticalChat/posts/1207361552668290


Its a sad day when we can no longer trust either govt....

How did we get here

Tesla liability?

Tesla must rebrand AutoPilot as 'advanced cruise control' because to call it anything else is bullshit.
- https://www.techinasia.com/tesla-blame-death-chinese-driver

Friday Music - Deep Dark Robot

If you are old enough to remember "Morphine and Chocolate" and "Whats UP" then you probably know who Linda Perry is.

Got 40 minutes to spare? check out (but try and watch it all contiguously)
"Deep Dark Robot - 8 Songs About A Girl"

1 Gbps internet in New Zealand

Yep remember when Malcolm Turnbull told you that the govt wanted to spend too much on internet and who needed that kind of level of service.......yeh turns out NZ does.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11709487

ATO and 6 year absence rule for PPOR capital gains tax

Excellent article explaining in the ATO and 6 year absence rule for PPOR and capital gains tax.

Well worth a read.


http://www.yourinvestmentpropertymag.com.au/tax-strategy/beware-the-pitfalls-of-the-principle-place-of-residence-exemption-and-the-6year-absence-rule-222559.aspx

17/22 Ness Avenue, Dulwich Hill

I just watched the auction video for 17/22 Ness Avenue, Dulwich Hill
https://www.facebook.com/randwmarrickville/videos/941605099273559

We were thinking of bidding on it but didn't end up getting sorted in time.

I was prepared to pay up to $649,000, Jodie wanted to spend $675,000 (but I wouldn’t have let her do that) as 4% gross and 3% net roi is our minimum returns as you can see in the calculations below.

http://www.domain.com.au/17-22-ness-avenue-dulwich-hill-nsw-2203-2012999245  
 

Lol people are losing their minds……. at $726,000 way way overpaid. Basically overpaid by a brand new car (or two)....think about that for a moment.

I did some quick sums basically @$500pw rent with 20% deposit of $145,00 and $34,000 stamp duty and legal costs this will be cashflow negative for about 6.5 years……and that’s without interest rates moving so basically they will be losing roi month in month out for about 10 years and never see an investment return until they sell it.

I hope they like golf......

Great work by the sales team though, the vendor must be ecstatic.   :)

Building approvals

Wow that's a crapload of additional houses, would have been better if was normalized against immigration and additional population from births etc.
eg. its not as dramatic as you would think.

This said.....Sydney is full and people need to accept they need to start moving to Melbourne....

- http://www.propertyobserver.com.au/financing/interest-rates/57793-september-rba-chart-pack-gives-interest-rate-insights.html

EM Drives

Can someone ELI5 the issue here?

Eg isnt is just "capturing" the electrical (either nuclear or solar) and the "opposite reaction" actually occured "previously" and is stored energy (or store momentum as in this case).

I dont get what the big deal is here

- http://www.sciencealert.com/the-impossible-em-drive-is-about-to-be-tested-in-space

- http://emdrive.com/ 

Geoff Lawton

Worth listening to for an hour even if you arent into farming - http://www.geofflawtononline.com/videos/video/2-mollisons-manual-in-a-nutshell

#ThinkBigger