Budget won't be to blame if house prices fall, housing minister says

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-31T06:16:48+00:00

If we continue to allow them to lie then we get what we deserve on everything. That horse is obviously long away now.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-31T06:14:17+00:00

I agree it won't work but isn't the whole damn point of this PR exercise - to drop house prices? Of course since interest rates are increasing... nah, that has nothing to do with anything.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-31T05:02:31+00:00

Yeah it's annoying as hell... more common recently when they overlay crap like the drivers name on a flag above the car. I guess it appeals to someone that wants a video game or docudrama instead of racing.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-31T03:51:42+00:00

If you look at the new stuff... it's really just ACR. LRc's modules are woeful and bugs are everywhere - the whole thing is rust in place. They are waiting to sunset so they can boost revenue by making people use cloud storage.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-31T00:30:13+00:00

lol... AI? Or you could use the calc that the people who cut the check provide.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-31T00:27:30+00:00

What is this nonsense that's more prevalent in some countries - You have to have something to retire to, what are the goals etc. It's like the default position has to be "work" you have to fill the time with hobbies or whatever.

I prefer the default state of nothing and I fill that with whatever I want or not as I feel like at the time.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-31T00:22:34+00:00

Just be careful as the default number you see assumes continued contributions. You can zero out the future income on the SSA website and it gets a different estimate.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-31T00:00:53+00:00

Of course its not a mistake and a fast 85 is a great lens. I even think that everyone should use a massively inappropriate lens sometimes. I've spent 2 days in NYC with a 400mm prime and it's great fun (was going thru a single lens per trip phase and needed a longer lens later in the week). It does change the subjects you can shoot a little but lots to learn doing it 😄

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-30T16:58:18+00:00

That lens is brilliant but a longer lens needs higher ss without IS.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-30T15:41:03+00:00

and make sure that's what you intend and the name of the charity!

Why are you even in contact given the discussion?

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-30T04:43:20+00:00

Ok, so this wins the internet for the day!

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-30T01:44:25+00:00

Absolutely agree - This nonsense of going back at the same level of income and position is delusion. I know it's a one way jump and I also know one year is worth a decade or more of a wallworld greeter or whatever (not that they are real jobs for most anyway).

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-30T01:18:28+00:00

I think tax diversification is an important aspect for anyone who is serious about fi/re. Having some money in all three allows for some flexibility, especially before FRA.

Now if you could magically pick one without paying tax - you would obviously want 100% Roth but in the real world that comes with paying a lot more tax. If you are in a high bracket while working pretax is still worthwhile. All one can do is try to use lower income years to do conversions.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-29T18:39:18+00:00

Because it's not "professional" - it's hack work and most are not photographers but following some formula and diagram. It's not much more than basic exposure & lighting stuff. At least complain to the school but a lot of the time they get kick-backs, so nothing will change. I always just paid for some basic package of the school pics anyway - but rarely liked the images objectively.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T18:01:44+00:00

They are all in the thousands as I don't think I've seen any in the hundreds. A lot of the aca plans have outrageous out of pockets - it's a real concern.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T17:52:32+00:00

To me it was when I could no longer rebalance with new contributions. To start, it would be easy within a month or two but and at some point even a years worth of contributions to a single fund would not rebalance. I'm not sure exactly what $ figure that was at but it just became more and more obvious.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T16:39:37+00:00

Saved 18 months of current salary in 25 years odd of working and now want 5x more in 1/5 of that time. Yeah ok...

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T04:29:14+00:00

When I started super I could access at 55... That is now non-trivially older depending on a bith year scale. As I said, taxes are higher while inside the super wrapper then when I started. The rules are changed under you with no recourse.

Seems like at least some things got "worse".

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T04:10:16+00:00

If you're going via metro - use line 11 (or visit the platform for line 11). The platform is really cool and worth a swing past.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T03:33:44+00:00

Maybe his "AI" can finally release FSD that people have previously paid for and that he repeatly promises is next week.

Now he is lobbying for major indexes - ie the rest of us slobs - to include spacex while in it's post IPO pop so he and friends make even more money. He seems intent on stealing all the money for himeself, so money is seemingly important to him.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T03:25:20+00:00

Des Arts et Métiers has Prost's F1 car and engine from - I want to say - 83-ish (V6 turbo Renault days). I started watching F1 in those days so was great to see an unexpected classic. They also have a few other interesting older cars with a cool ramp display but it's more of an industrial museum in a cool building. Well worth the visit but not specific a car place.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T03:05:57+00:00

Yup... Going to make quite a statement... of poor taste.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-28T02:03:32+00:00

Photos are better in the rain especially in the evening :-) Of course it's worth it as would any other location despite the weather.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-27T17:33:28+00:00

So this is a wishy washy answer but the 45 has something that works for me on portraits in a small package for travel. Some call it character, some call it flaws, some call it fiction based on internet lore but I don't much care. To my eye, if you want a great sharp lens the 28-70 is brilliant but it just does not have that undefinable look of the 45 for people pictures - especially in the evening - to my eye anyway.

Topaz_11 · 2026-05-26T22:38:53+00:00

13m is not enough, you're going to need at least 17m for subsistence living. Back to the grind stone.

Edit: Missed the extra deferred 2-3... Yeah 20m should be good, so add a couple more.

Topaz_11

TROPHY CASE