spenaroo

The reality is we have been through several generations of real estate flippers. those old homes that had land were demolished and subdivided (the block I am on had this - but they left the original house) those that didn't had updated kitchens and bathrooms thrown in - maybe a wall knocked out. and painted to sell at a premium price. the only ones left untouched are ex-housing commission or rentals that have been left to ruin with landlords not spending a cent in 20 years to maintain the property. (mine was the later - in the same suburb as the former) once again the venn diagram of a first home buyer, and a investor is a circle you see it all the time in the language used in the advertisement - rarely is home buyer mentioned first. most of the blurb is dedicated to returns and tenancy rates etc....

My parents have changed to self managed super. by law it has to be invested and cant just sit in the bank. they have 8 investment properties (2 bedroom units mostly) purchased over the last 5 years. all done in cash from super. when I was looking at units for $400k there was always a full inspection and multiple offers above advertised price to vendors before. (agents were straight up, they knew it was sold no matter what - so why bother creating a fake narrative) property was usually off the market in 3 days. my $440k house though (advertised at $480k) I was the only one to put an offer in...

Its not for a lack of qualified staff. every second girl I was friends with in my 20's did psych. couldn't get a job without a masters minimum. so half ended up working as receptionists at clinics to get some employment and potentially get the leg up on a spot with future openings. some continued studying and are still going for PHD's etc. and others went back and studied something else - that they could get a job in like nursing.

These days I dont think her size has anything to do with it. plenty of petite female police... cant assume its two big blokes anymore just an awful situation. I honestly think our mental health support is shameful in this country - as is the response to abuse. I got really lucky with mine. but dated several girls who are in a similar situation. (in the last year ive dated 5 girls, 3 have been in abusive relationships, 4 had experienced sexually assault. - and they are clean living, intelligent and from a good environment woman) some who go for a stay with grippy socks for a week or two - to get turfed straight back into the same environment as soon as they are no-longer an immediate danger to themselves and its really expensive to get regular counseling - I should be, qualify under a mental health plan (10 sessions a year) But I haven't had a check-up in ages as its not bulked billed - so the out of pocket difference is still $80-100

or Trump is elected, and the world tells the USA to F**K off. they wont deal with another mad-man they lose what credibility they have left - and start pulling support for USA programs. Trumps posturing unites NATO, and increases spending of individual nations... but though alienating the USA to remove their influence. Trump is outraged and tries to fix it through "winning" another war. "i am the best war time president - no one does war like I do - we are going to stop sending aid and end the war through superior might"

I see most of these protest groups as a cult now, stuck inside their own bubble with the beliefs reinforced by the select few - ignoring everyone else's views. "our cause is right - therefore our actions are right"

Oh I have grubby real estate stories too.... had looked at a few properties while in the contract cooling off period. was straight up with all the agents as I walked through the door - it was only a back-up as the cooling off hadn't ended. and I wasn't interested in backing out of the current purchase agreement had one unit - where the agent refused to say the expected price ("what do you think its worth."). then when I finally got him into giving the "ballpark" said he had offers of mid 400's and was negotiating with the parties. offers only open for that day blah blah anyway, he called me a week ago (6 weeks later) asking if I was still interested etc... and driving past the property still has all the signs up. which is strange as most properties in the area/price don't last a week. I dont think it was the property that was the issue... ticked all the boxes (honestly have 5 offers in before the open, usually cashed up investors - agents that actually follow up would normally say the vendor took a cash offer - where mine was subject to finance) I think real estate is the new "finance bro's" with the fake it till you make it, and lack of ethics. it attracts a certain type of people.

buying a new house... I hate dealing with real estate at the best of times. only industry I know where the price isn't the price anyway settlement was meant to be Friday got a call yesterday to say the Tenant hasn't moved out - and wants 2 more weeks. keep in mind id already moved settlement back because apparently no one on their side checked a calendar to see what notice had to be given or that the new date they proposed was a public holiday. I didn't even know it was tenanted till they sent through the contracts - which is why I made sure that everything was subject to it being vacant. the grubs still tried to see if I would settle while the tenant was in place. or if I could move it back 2 weeks. (i physically cant. need to be out of my place next weekend. its the only place on the street not being demolished yet - and holding up a government project. - they aren't going to renegotiate vacancy dates) what a stressful few days. still have no idea if it will settle next week - but my conveyancer is the solicitor who took care of my place being compulsory acquired by the government and is on it - so they better have everything ready, as he is like bringing a cannon to a knife fight.

Religion is interesting... full disclosure I was raised Mormon and stayed till my late 20's even know I don't have any issues with the teachings - its the culture that I cant get behind. it has the ability to help good men become great. but it also attracts those who seek to use it. and im not just talking about power - more the support network and charity of others. its a very wide... quality of people. It always amused me how people would think that someone is better to associate with just because they were a member of the church. .... but we all know never to hire a church member as it never ends well. (so many cases of people getting ripped off etc...)

nah, Turnbulls son has come out and said he thinks the PM sons reference was about him. and it checks out the laws were all changed in 2018. and the statements made included that they couldn't charge the politician as the laws weren't retroactive. that raid was done in 2020 so Shaoquett Moselmane could have been charged under the new laws

Yep, remember in Africa meeting a lot of people named Sar - literally meaning second born from memory

I think there is more to that story then meets the eye, the taipans were relatively modern and still used by NATO... it was to be THE NATO helicopter, I assume all the avionics, and electronics are the latest NATO spec. and as such they don't want it in the hands of the Russians and by proxy, china. who already have copied the Blackhawk as opposed to using the Russian technology. not to mention the fact they completely stripped the helicopters before burying the airframe's makes me think there was more agreements and contracts in play. F16's and Abrams are 70's tech.

I don't know, there is a lot of percieved power/sway to being president.... Trump was still president when the capitol riots happened. sure he still has the hardened supporters. But I don't think it would have anything like the effect it did while he was still sitting president to tell them before - is to tell them that their votes wont count anyway, so why vote

if trump loses again, how does that fit with his self image, the "I only like winners" the whole stolen election bit isn't exactly applicable a second time. It is a shame that I don't think we will get to see his dummy spit. I am convinced he will win again unfortunately

they have been running mousse tubes in off-road bikes for years. problem is there is no adjustment in tire pressure available. so cant let them down when in sand, or pump them up for highways. they aren't really used except by the hardcore enduro guys. Ive never used them, but been told it feels like riding on a flat also an absolute PITA to fit

I think its the end. will the USA survive another trump presidency - yes. will the republican party - maybe, if Trump has a clear successor. This will be his last term - he cant run again after this, so what happens in a few years time when that power vacuum hits? I think at this stage its pretty much guaranteed he'll win. Biden was the wrong choice 4 years ago - and its bitten the Democrats hard. but if they lose - they have a good chance to rebuild and dominate the next decade (if they learn the mistake) the republicans may win trump - but it will cost them a decade of power struggles

Yeah, that's more a union thing. sorry "council or guild" from what I've heard its worse then the CFMEU and the control it has over the Victorian building industry.

why.... chances are the general will make the same mistake. not the first time they have done this. last time they took out an actress/singer https://www.news.com.au/world/europe/chilling-video-shows-russian-actor-killed-singing-for-putins-marines-in-ukraine-revenge-attack/news-story/6844aa416ebbc98259fb8fac8ae82c0d and I seem to remember them doing the exact same attack on a general previous to that

Drakes and Foodland here in SA seem to be doing a good job against them here is South Australia. I normally shop at them as they have a better variety and brands then colesworth (stock local brands over the big labels). it is more expensive - but I certainly think its worth the extra in taste and quality. note these stores are still independently operated/owned. I think the solution is to use the laws they created for pharmacy's. Make it so no individual/trust/corporation can own more then 6 stores. colesworth can then use the same model as the others and franchise it out - which gives an added layer of franchisees to fight against corporate give them a 5 year amnesty period to change to a new model. and funnel the existing supermarkets to investors - hopefully pulling some out of the housing market - a double win

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_axe_murder_incident North Korea is willing to back down... Operation Paul Bunyan[edit] Operation Paul Bunyan Part of Post-armistice Korean conflicts Date August 21, 1976 Location Joint Security Area, Korean Demilitarized Zone, Korea Belligerents United States South Korea North Korea Commanders and leaders General Richard G. Stilwell Lieutenant Pak Chol Units involved United States Army Support Group JSF 1st and 2nd Platoon South Korea 1st Special Forces Brigade Unknown Strength 813 infantry 27 helicopters 1 tank 150 to 200 infantry In response to the incident, the UNC determined that instead of trimming the branches that obscured visibility, they would cut down the tree with the aid of overwhelming force. The parameters of the operation were decided in the White House, where US President Gerald Ford had held crisis talks. Ford and his advisors were concerned about making a show of strength to chasten North Korea without causing further escalation.[12] The operation, named after the mythical lumberjack of the same name, was conceived as a show of force by the US and South Korea and was carefully managed to prevent further escalation. It was planned over two days by General Richard G. Stilwell and his staff at the UNC headquarters in Seoul.[6] Forces[edit] Operation Paul Bunyan was carried out on August 21 at 07:00, three days after the killings. A convoy of 23 American and South Korean vehicles ("Task Force Vierra," named after Lieutenant Colonel Victor S. Vierra, commander of the United States Army Support Group) drove into the JSA without any warning to the North Koreans, who had one observation post staffed at that hour. In the vehicles were two eight-man teams of military engineers (from the 2nd Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division) equipped with chain saws to cut down the tree.[citation needed] The teams were accompanied by two 30-man security platoons from the Joint Security Force, who were armed with pistols and axe handles. The 1st Platoon secured the northern entrance to the JSA via the Bridge of No Return, while the 2nd Platoon secured the southern edge of the area.[citation needed] Concurrently, a team from B Company, commanded by Captain Walter Seifried, had activated the detonation systems for the charges on Freedom Bridge and had the 165mm main gun of the M728 combat engineer vehicle aimed mid-span to ensure that the bridge would fall if the order was given for its destruction. Also, B Company, supporting E Company (bridge), were building M4T6 rafts on the Imjin River if the situation required emergency evacuation by that route.[citation needed] In addition, a 64-man task force of the ROK Army 1st Special Forces Brigade accompanied them, armed with clubs and trained in taekwondo, supposedly without firearms. However, once they parked their trucks near the Bridge of No Return, they started throwing out the sandbags that lined the truck bottoms and handing out M16 rifles and M79 grenade launchers that had been concealed below them.[4] Several of the commandos also had M18 Claymore mines strapped to their chests with the firing mechanism in their hands, and were shouting at the North Koreans to cross the bridge.[13][14] A US infantry company in 20 utility helicopters and seven Cobra attack helicopters circled behind them. Behind these helicopters, B-52 Stratofortresses came from Guam escorted by US F-4 Phantom IIs from Kunsan Air Base and South Korean F-5 and F-86 fighters were visible flying across the sky at high altitude. F-4Es from Osan AB and Taegu Air Base, South Korea, F-111 bombers of the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing out of Mountain Home Air Force Base, were stationed, and F-4C and F-4D Phantoms from the 18th TFW Kadena Air Base and Clark Air Base were also deployed. The aircraft carrier USS Midway task force had also been moved to a station just offshore.[6] Near the edges of the DMZ, many more heavily-armed US and South Korean infantry, artillery including the Second Battalion, 71st Air Defense Regiment armed with Improved Hawk missiles, and armor were waiting to back up the special operations team. Bases near the DMZ were prepared for demolition in the case of a military response. The defense condition (DEFCON) was elevated on order of General Stilwell, as was later recounted in Colonel De LaTeur's research paper. In addition, 12,000 additional troops were ordered to Korea, including 1,800 Marines from Okinawa.[6] During the operation, nuclear-capable strategic bombers circled over the JSA.[citation needed] Altogether, Task Force Vierra consisted of 813 men: almost all of the men of the United States Army Support Group of which the Joint Security Force was a part, a South Korean reconnaissance company, a South Korean Special Forces company that had infiltrated the river area by the bridge the night before, and members of a reinforced composite rifle company from the 9th Infantry Regiment. In addition to this force, every UNC force in the rest of South Korea was on battle alert.[citation needed] Operation[edit] The engineers in the convoy (two teams from B Company and C Company, 2nd Engineer Battalion, led by First Lieutenant Patrick Ono, who had conducted a reconnaissance of the tree disguised as a Korean corporal two days earlier) left their vehicles once the convoy arrived and immediately started cutting down the tree while standing on the roof of their truck. The 2nd Platoon truck was positioned to block the Bridge of No Return. The remainder of the task force dispersed to their assigned areas around the tree and assumed their roles of guarding the engineers.[citation needed] North Korea quickly responded with about 150 to 200 troops, who were armed with machine guns and assault rifles.[4] The North Korean troops arrived mostly in buses but did not leave them at first and watched the events unfold. Upon seeing their arrival, Lieutenant Colonel Vierra relayed a radio communication, and the helicopters and Air Force jets became visible over the horizon. Yokota Air Base in Japan was on alert. The flight-line runway was "nose to tail" with a dozen C-130s ready to provide backup. The North Koreans quickly got out of their buses and began setting up two-man machine gun positions, where they watched in silence as the tree was felled in 42 minutes (three minutes less than Stilwell's estimate),[4] which avoided a violent confrontation. Two road barriers, installed by the North Koreans, were removed,[6] and the South Korean troops vandalized two North Korean guard posts. The tree stump, around 6 m (20 ft) tall, was deliberately left standing.[citation needed] Five minutes into the operation, the UNC notified its North Korean counterparts at the JSA that a UN work party had entered the JSA "in order to peacefully finish the work left unfinished" on August 18.[4] The attempt at intimidation was apparently successful, and according to an intelligence analyst monitoring the North Korea tactical radio net, the accumulation of force "blew their fucking minds."[4]: 81 

Missouri has just banned celebratory gunfire.... let that sink in, its legal to shoot a gun in the air, in the middle of a city

problem is how it effects Russian's in foreign nations, its one thing to kill inside Russia, or have a cup of radioactive tea. thats all targeted and "controlled" 12 shots isn't. that's not a hit-job, that's not calculated. that's just violence could be a spark a movement for anti-Russian settlements in country's. I know Bali and a few others already have issues and want them out.

defenestration is one of my favorite words just the fact that the word exists

Why, Why do Russians think this is a better angle for propaganda. surely you would want all your troops to think the traitor was hunted down and killed mercilessly. its a massive win for sending a message. instead saying its a conspiracy and staged. basically admits that a defector was successful and paid a fortune.... and then well looked after and hidden so well that there is no consequences. surely this is the worst message to put to demoralized and jaded troops. its like the "Ukrainians didn't kill us, it was friendly fire" that makes it so much worse

In January 2023, the United States announced it would transfer Sea Sparrow missiles to Ukraine as part of a military aid package during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Sea Sparrows are fired from Soviet-era 9K37 Buk missile launchers modified by Ukraine to accept them, to counter attacks from cruise missiles and drones. The system, dubbed "FrankenSAM", utilizes three different air defense missiles—RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, plus Patriot missiles and Patriot sensor elements—in combination air defense systems based on older Ukrainian tracked vehicles and the Buk missile system.[14] FrankenSAM was confirmed to be in use in December 2023, and was first used successfully in combat to bring down a Russian drone in mid-January 2024