#Torrens Title System

[terra-drone]

My gripes with Rift Apart

Consider this a review of Rift Apart (PC ver). After playing this game twice on Renegade Legend, I have... opinions. Being a fan of the franchise since Going Command/Locked & Loaded, I admittedly have some strong biases for both the PS2 saga and the Future Trilogy for various reasons. But before I go lambasting this entry into the franchise, a TLDR summary;

Pros:

The game is pretty and well executed on a technical level (for the most part).

The platforming and movement is refined and a step up from previous titles.

Cons:

Quite literally almost everything else.

Also has a propensity for crashing (both freezing and blue screen of death).

Movement & Platforming

One of the core aspects of RaC that I am happy RA got right. The movement is buttery smooth and chain daisying from one platform to the next using wall runs, dashes and rift pulls is excellently designed. The addition of the dash function adds an extra dodge ability that was absent in previous entries although granted we can still use the age-old side jumping while aiming/shooting.

I do wish however that the hoverboots were more integrated into the platforming since most of the time you only ever need it for super long leaps or the timed step puzzles. Something like the jump pads from ACIT would be nice to see paired with the new wall run and dash mechanic. You hardly need to use it outside of Savali and Torren IV and the last part of the Nef Mech fight.

What I wished they truncated however was the glide mechanic the hoverboots had. Given that the hoverboots could both glide and make you go fast, it makes this better than whatever Clank could possibly offer. @erablisme has done a wonderful breakdown on this matter (see here), but essentially having the hoverboots be an upgrade of both the charge boots and fulfilling Clank’s contribution to Ratchet’s mobility (gliding) renders Clank, from a gameplay standpoint, moot. It renders Clank into nothing more than a glorified backpack/exposition device, which beats the entire purpose of the franchise’s own title.

Gameplay

Weapons

The arsenal, while fun to use, is too bloated. A lot of the guns overlap in functionality:

Shotguns: Enforcer, Pixelizer, Void Repulser

Seeker/Turret weapons: Agents of Doom, Bombardier, Mr Fungi

Crowd Control: Topiary Sprinkler, Cold Snap

Grenades: Shatterbomb, Bouncer

Rapid fire: Burst Pistol, Blackhole Storm

Lock-on weapons: Drillhound, Richochet, Buzzsaw, Lightning Rod

Heavy hitter: RYNO, Negatron Collider, Warmonger

Do we really need multiple weapons that do the same thing just with different particle effects?

The level up mechanic, while a staple of RaC games, is frankly outdated by this point and actively hinders the game. If anything, it punishes players for sticking to guns they enjoy once they hit max level. It makes the motivator for using weapons not be its function but rather to chase that arbitrary level cap. Plus, there’s no telling what the level up actually did for a weapon aside from damage buffs.

It’s not like they couldn’t do away with this feature, Deadlocked made the guns increase so many levels it frankly deemphasises them in favour of choosing the best weapon for any given scenario, ItN decreased the max level to 3 (6 on challenge) in favour of more meaningful weapon upgrades, and ACiT had the Constructo weapons and mods (which Deadlocked also had called Omega Mods) that incentivises experimentation on what combos worked best while allowing you to spice things up post max level. Why not tie weapon upgrades to collectibles? They already had the Raritanium collection, sprinkling effect mods for weapons throughout the locations shouldn’t be too difficult. They already did this for the armour system, so why not do it for the weapons too? Heck, why not make all the weapons customisable like the Constructo weapons? It would solve the bloated arsenal problem.

Enemy Design

The enemy design in this game just isn’t great. While it makes sense considering you’re fighting an army so it’s obvious they’re gonna have standardised units, you would think they would spice up their combat stratagem when they know they couldn’t beat our protagonists by throwing the same old shtick over and over. Instead, we keep having to fight the same miniboss Juggernaut over and over and over again. Sometimes there’s two of them! Make it three during the Juice fight!

It’s not a problem with just the Nefarious troopers, it’s an issue across multiple factions too. Across all three factions (Space Pirates, Goons & Nef’s army), they all follow the same formula; 

the one with the gun: Pirate Corsair, Goon, Nef Lasertrooper

the one that does melee: Space Pirate & Shield Pirate, Goon Rusher & Undead Goon, Nef Slugger

the tiny short range/melee swarmer: Cutlassies, Robomutt, Nef Trooper

the vehicle one: Goon Dropship, Nef Dropship

the flying one: Zoom Goon, Nef Sniperbot & Blitztrooper & Sniperbot

the heavy flying one: Vroom Goon, Nef Peacekeeper

the rinse repeat miniboss: Pirate Marauder, Nef Juggernaut

While stylistically different, they don’t differ much from how they shoot/do damage at you. It would have been great if they did some things different from one another. Some really simple fixes;

While I think giving shields to pirates makes little sense, it is some variety at least. Expand on that. Maybe make the Goon Rusher actually rush towards you faster than the others, or make the Nefarious Slugger can do 360 attacks or have more range since it’s a) a robot, and b) basically has the Scorpion Flail for arms. 

Make the Vroom Goons try to ram you instead of just having to avoid the taser things it shoots cuz that’s the exact same thing that the Nefarious Sniperbot does since all you need to do to avoid both attacks is sidestepping it.

Make the Pirate Corsair shoot high damage while the standard Goon does horizontal strafing rapid fire compared to the Nef Trooper’s vertical one

Make the Zoom Goons dodge your attacks, maybe give it a ground pound that opens it up to attack so it's at least somewhat different from the Nef Peacekeeper other than being a slightly squishier variant.

For a game so pretty it is bizarre they couldn’t put more effort into gameplay itself. The repeating minibosses get stale very quickly since once you’ve figured out a tactic that worked, it is rinse and repeat across the whole game.

Two Protagonists, Same Shtick

The gameplay doesn’t differentiate itself between Ratchet and Rivet. They play the exact same way, with the exact same arsenal, and the exact same progression. What is the point of having separate playable protagonists if they’re just gonna end up the same? You could replace Rivet with Ratchet and vice versa for 90% of the game and nothing would change. It would be something if they had separate weapons or separate movement gimmicks that make them distinct, but we didn’t get that for some reason.

Character Issues

The character writing is just abysmal, even when compared to the Future trilogy. While the Future trilogy (and by extension A4O, FFA and ItN) had plenty, and I mean plenty, of plotholes from a worldbuilding standpoint, the character writing was solid and fairly consistent. I cannot say the same for RA. Some examples;

Ratchet(?) & Clank(?)

I can hardly recognise Ratchet as the same character we had over the PS2 and PS3 instalments. He feels more like the 2016 reboot version just haphazardly retconned as the ItN version that RA was supposedly a continuation of. Being afraid of being a washed-up hero was Qwark’s thing, not Ratchet’s. Why would he even care? The man was downright tired of being a hero come ItN. And why is he even worried about meeting the Lombaxes? He saved Polaris multiple times and beat Tachyon, y’know, the reason why they left in the first place? The reason he gave up searching for the Lombaxes was because he had more going on with Talwyn and was assured the Lombaxes would do just fine without him. Why the sudden change of reason? What, is acknowledging Talwyn one too many female characters for Insomniac?

And why would Clank, despite knowing Ratchet not wanting to pursue the Lombaxes, go out of his way to make a whole ass parade about the Dimensionator? If he was just trying to cheer Ratchet up from his fear of being a washed-up hero (which, again, made no sense for his character) he would have just done the parade and given him the Dimensionator in private. The entire premise of Rift Apart hinges on the fact that Clank decides to give Ratchet what can be considered as a WMD since the Lombaxes used the Dimensionator to get rid of the Cragmites in an open public setting. Had he not done this, had he not told Qwark he wanted to surprise Ratchet, Nefarious probably wouldn’t have found out about the new Dimensionator, and the entire game wouldn’t have happened.

Another gripe I have with how Clank was handled was that his Zoni heritage was conveniently forgotten about. They could have tied the Zoni more deeply into the mysticism of the RaC universe and be the reason why he was able to fix the dimensional anomalies, but instead it was tied to Gary and... the Lombaxes. Huh.

Rivet, or as I like to call her, “Furbait”

There is so much missed potential with Rivet. Where to start? Instead of a grizzled, closed-off survivor of a robot dystopia, we just get miss middle-of-the-road, clearly made for pandering, furbait. Design wise, she would have been perfectly serviceable had this NOT been a robot dystopia. The only physical giveaway to show that she was a survivor/rebel fighter was her arm. It is the only thing that shows she’s a rebel fighter survivor. Her suit is well made, her eyelashes are on fleek, her hair is silky smooth, her tail is all fluffy and clean. Nothing about her says she was a survivor. No scars, no dirt, nothing other than the obvious robot arm. It is lazy. Lazy and stupid.

Her personality doesn’t make sense for the universe she supposedly inhabits either. Heck, no one in this franchise fits well in this robot dystopia, tbh. She distrusts robots due to past experience, yet  is chummy with both Clank and Kit (and by some extension, the Zurkons & Pierre) relatively quickly. For someone who should have gone through a lot of adversity, she hardly acts like it. She’s confident, has a lot of friends, and whatever negative aspect she does have (which is just distrust instead of the obvious robot racist she should have been) that would have given her an opportunity to grow as a character is watered down and conveniently forgotten, so she hardly grows as a character, if any.

Ultimately, Rivet boils down to being “What if Ratchet, but a girl?”. There’s work put into trying to make her her own thing, but there’s also the narrative yanking her by the collar to be Ratchet’s other self. She’s the last Lombax in her dimension, she also wonders where the Lombaxes went, and she’s trying to be a hero. At that point, how is she any different than Ratchet? They don’t even differ much personality wise for a version of Ratchet who never met her Clank, so to speak. One would think she would be the spunky RaC1 Ratchet since it was meeting Clank that got Ratchet to grow as a person. Instead she’s just your lovely neighbourhood Rivet, friend to all except robots except the ones she meets I guess. What is the point of having two main characters if they are just gonna end up the same?

Kit

While arguably the better other of the new duo, she has issues as well in the writing department. She had the most growth out of our titular cast, however how she got there is ramshackled at best. 

In comparison to Clank, he was a defective warbot, which made sense why he was small. Kit on the other hand was tailor made by the supposedly competent Emperor Nefarious, so why does she have a cutesy mode? Why does she even have a character crisis from hurting Rivet, for that matter? Stopping rebels was what she was designed to do, and she suddenly gained a conscience from doing her job? If Kit is so effective at what she did, why did Emp Nef stop at making just one of her? Shouldn’t there be multiple Kit models roaming about? She could mow down hordes of newer Nefarious Troopers and Juggernauts, so why didn’t Emp Nef expand on that?

These inconsistencies make Kit as a character start falling apart as soon as you give it more scrutiny than a surface level glance. The writers could have easily solved these issues by just alluding that she might have been an outdated model, or was damaged and abandoned on Savali where Gary and the monks fixed her up and gave her a new purpose — protecting the Archives. Instead of an exterminator, she became a guardian. They could have taught her how to be more “human” as it were, too,  which would tie up nicely to why she regrets her actions in her previous line of work. Instead, they went with the “Oh no, what have I done, I did my job and injured a trespasser, now I’m gonna be a recluse on Savali” route.

She doesn’t gel well with Rivet either because the only one actively having something to overcome was Kit. Had Rivet been written better (having to overcome her prejudices, letting go of her past trauma, solving her trust issues) it could work with Kit growing out of her self doubt and regrets, but it just isn’t there. Plus, there weren't enough scenes of them together to build towards that conflict resolution that would make their friendship more believable. She has more of a relationship with Ratchet than Rivet.

“EmPeRoR” Nefarious

He is boring. Simple as. There is no driving motivation to him other than “conquer everything”. We could have gotten an Ultron (which would make a perfectly sensible callback to the Biobliterator shtick our Nef pulled from UYA) but we just end up with a sassy English bastard with the personality of wet bread. There was no fun interplay between him and our Neffy, anything to make both their personalities shine as they work together or grind against each other, it just sucks.

The Plot(holes)

Imma just list it down.

How does a helmet clearly designed to fit a Lombax head is supposedly “one size fits all”?

How did the fish kid Rivet saved in the intro made it around Nef City in the first place if this was supposedly a robot dystopia that eradicated all squishies? What, was he just having a stroll, taking some fresh dystopian air? Could have made it that this was a fellow rebel she was tasked to save cuz he had some intel that he swiped and Rivet decided to use herself as bait to draw attention away from him so he could get the intel out of there, but no.

On that matter, why do planets like Savali and Torren IV still have organic inhabitants?

What was Skidd trying to achieve by hacking the propaganda blimp? This served no purpose at all narratively since it didn't even turn any robots against the Neffies.

Why was Skidd even in Nef City, for that matter? What was his original mission that he was going undercover for? Busting Rivet out of prison? Couldn’t be, since he made no mention of it.

Why did none of Emp Nef's cronies question our Nef just popping in despite looking clearly different? He’s a whole head shorter and the wrong colour. What, do they not have colour vision?

How did Emp Nef know about the existence of the dimensional map? He barely knew about the Dimensionator so how does that make sense?

If Ratchet already has hoverboots, why couldn’t he dash/sprint with it until he gets to Savali?

Where and when did Rivet get a rift tether?

Where and when did Rivet get a pair of hoverboots?

Wasn’t the Space Pirates/Decadroids designed by Tachyon? Why do they exist in this dimension? Why aren’t they allied with Emp Nef since they too are robots? None of this is explained.

Where did the Lombaxes of Rivet’s dimension disappear to? Did they have a Tachyon-like threat in this dimension too? Did Emp Nef wipe them out? Don’t know, and the game doesn’t bother explaining it cuz Rivet is supposed to be girl Ratchet and nothing beyond that.

Why would Emperor Nefarious announce for the whole galaxy to see where he was going during the finale? Did he lose that much intelligence in the short timeframe we’ve known him? This is the guy who conquered the galaxy?

Why would he leave a portal for our protagonists to conveniently follow him through? 

Where did that telekinetic abilities of him suddenly disappear to?

Where was this dimension’s Lawrence counterpart? That stupid little secretary is so dumb as to not recognise her own boss she couldn’t possibly be the Lawrence replacement.

Environmental Storytelling & Worldbuilding

Environmental storytelling & worldbuilding has never really been Insomniac’s strong suit. RA is pretty and all, but aside from Blizar Prime, none of the other locales did anything different from Ratchet’s dimension. If this was supposed to be a galaxy where Emp Nef has conquered it all, you would think that there’d be more neon, more cyberpunk, more Emp Nef aesthetic, more robots flying about. Instead, we just got the same thing we had from Ratchet’s dimension, just in prettier graphics. It is set dressing with no story to tell. It's a puddle pretending it was an ocean. While I appreciate seeing the graphical glow up the locations got, it’s a missed opportunity to actually show the impact Emp Nef had. 

Take Nefarious City for example;

How was Ratchet able to move around Nef City without raising alarms? This negates the entire point of Rivet needing a robot disguise in the first place.

Why does a static statue in the middle of a city have a terminal that activates a platform that leads to Emp Nef's office in the first place?

On that note, why is an EMPEROR working from an office? Where’s the throne? The grand palace and palisades? The royal guards? If he’s an authoritarian that likes to take control, where’s the giant screen with a hundred monitors that watch every inch of Nef City?

Why does Emp Nef have a tiny four seater shuttle? If he needed to commute planet-side, wouldn’t he have something more posh? More grand? A Rolls Royce of shuttles instead of what can be considered a slightly pricier but still shitty Tesla model? They could have made Ratchet or Rivet have to steal a fighter jet and that would make infinitely more sense than what we got.

The same can be said with the inhabitants of this universe. They only exist to serve as plot devices or to point the protagonists to the next goal rather than actual people. There is no culture, no differing beliefs, nothing to tell you about what they are about or what they do. If all they exist to do is to be exposition devices/mission pointers, what was the point of even making distinct characters? Then again, the Future trilogy suffered the same problem with environmental characters being practically stand-in cardboards so points for consistency, I guess.

Verdict

Essentially, Rift Apart is a creatively bankrupt, designed-by-committee tech demo for Sony Playstation. What used to be a franchise that does satirical commentary on capitalism that later tried to delve into narrative/character driven sci-fi story, has ended up being the most capitalistic-designed entry imaginable. Which is unfortunate because I want to like this game. God, do I want to like it.

Did I enjoy playing it? When it works and doesn't crash on me, sure.

Do I like it enough as an entry to the franchise though? No, no I don't. The gameplay hardly expanded on the RaC formula, and the narrative just killed it for me.

But of course, that's just me. If you enjoyed RA, more power to ya. If you told me to play it again, I'll probably do it. It's just not for me for the long run.

[eggshell-skull-rule]

Real Property

We hoped and prayed that Hemlig would be able to buy us a house during this semester. To have wiggle room in my schedule and to properly understand the undertaking I elected to take a single subject this semester: real property law. Also because of tenancy drama.

I began Real Property in 2022 and got about half way through it before I dropped out ("withdrew without fail", it didn't affect my GPA but it is on my academic transcript). So I had the first few weeks' worth of notes already written. I also wrote and passed an assignment very similar to the one due in T-6 days. Feel the tranquility.

As we really are now going through the process of buying and registering title of a house, there is a part of me that wishes I started law school a few years earlier so I could deal with all this myself (I was very impressed by Conveyancer Jack).

Oh and fun fact: do you live within a Torrens title system? This is where the government (or a private entity- booooo) holds a register of titles to guarantee "ownership"? This is a South Australian legal export.

[rebusel]

Understanding Real Estate Law in the Philippines with Rebusel

Introduction:

Do you want to make real estate investments in the Philippines? Knowing the legal environment is essential whether you're a seasoned investor or a first-time purchase. Although Philippine real estate law can be complicated, you can confidently navigate it if you have the necessary information and tools. We'll go over the foundations of Philippine real estate legislation in this blog article and explain how Rebusel, a top real estate marketplace, can help you along the way.

Rebusel: Streamlining Real Estate Transactions:

In the Philippine real estate market, Rebusel is a shining example, providing a smooth and easy way for people and companies to purchase, sell, or lease real estate. Rebusel has completely changed how properties are advertised and sold in the nation with its intuitive design and large listing selection. Rebusel offers a one-stop shop for all your real estate needs, whether you're looking for a large estate in the countryside or a charming apartment downtown Manila.

Understanding Real Estate Law in the Philippines:

The Philippines has a complex legal system that includes numerous statutes, rules, and local ordinances that regulate real estate transactions. Here are a few navigational must-haves:

1.Property Ownership: In the Philippines, land ownership is restricted to Filipino citizens and corporations possessing at least 60% Filipino ownership. Condominium apartments may be purchased by non-Filipinos, but not land. Rebusel makes sure that real estate listings follow these ownership guidelines, giving sellers and purchasers peace of mind.

2.Title Registration: In the Philippines, land registration is governed by the Torrens system. A title issued by the Land Registration Authority (LRA) grants the registered owner indefeasibility. In order to provide prospective buyers with transparency and peace of mind, Rebusel authenticates property titles.

3.Contracts and Agreements: In real estate transactions, purchase agreements, leases, and deeds of sale are crucial legal papers. With Rebusel, parties may develop, review, and execute contracts online in a secure manner, speeding up the process and guaranteeing legal compliance.

4.Zoning and Land Use: Development rules and land use classifications are enforced by local government units (LGUs) through the implementation of zoning ordinances. Rebusel gives purchasers comprehensive zoning information so they can make decisions that are in line with how they want to use the property.

5.Taxation: A number of taxes, such as value-added tax (VAT), capital gains tax, and documentary stamp tax, apply to real estate transactions in the Philippines. Rebusel reduces buyer and seller tax-related shocks by collaborating with reliable tax professionals to offer tax estimation tools and advice.

6.Dispute Resolution: The legal system or other dispute resolution procedures may be used as a last resort in the event of disagreements or conflicts. In order to provide quick dispute resolution, Rebusel works with real estate law specialists to provide mediation and legal support services.

It can be difficult to navigate the Philippine real estate market, particularly for inexperienced investors or purchasers. But when you have Rebusel as your reliable ally, things go much more smoothly and openly. Rebusel gives people and businesses the ability to successfully manage the complexity of real estate law in the Philippines by fusing state-of-the-art technology with legal experience.

How Rebusel Can Help:

With a large selection of homes available for purchase and rental nationwide, Rebusel is one of the leading real estate marketplaces in the Philippines. Rebusel has what you need, whether you're searching for land for development, commercial space, or residential real estate.

Having access to a large database of properties with thorough details and images is one benefit of using Rebusel. It's simple to look through postings, evaluate costs, and narrow down your search results according to your criteria. It's never been simpler to find your ideal house with Rebusel's user-friendly UI.

Additionally, Rebusel offers helpful tools and advice to assist you in navigating the difficulties of Philippine real estate transactions. Rebusel collaborates with industry professionals to offer financing alternatives and legal counsel, ensuring a seamless and clear transaction for both buyers and sellers.

Conclusion:

Rebusel not only transforms the purchasing, leasing, and selling of real estate in the Philippines, but it also raises the bar for openness and legal compliance. Rebusel is your key to unlocking the abundant opportunities in the dynamic Philippine real estate market, regardless of your level of experience as an investor or your first-time experience as a house buyer.

[speedysearch2]

Demystifying Land Titles in British Columbia (BC) and Alberta (AB)

Are you in the process of buying or selling property in British Columbia (BC) or Alberta (AB)? Understanding land titles is a fundamental aspect of real estate transactions in these provinces. In this blog post, we'll delve into the key differences and similarities between Land Titles in British Columbia and AB to help you navigate the real estate landscape with confidence.

Land Titles in BC:

In British Columbia, the Torrens system governs land titles. This system ensures that property transactions are transparent and well-documented. Here are some crucial aspects of land titles in BC:

Land Title Registration: In BC, land titles are registered with the Land Title and Survey Authority (LTSA). This ensures the security of property ownership and streamlines the process of buying or selling land.

Title Search: Before entering into any real estate transaction, a title search is typically conducted to verify the current owner, legal description, and any encumbrances on the property.

Property Information: Land title records in BC contain detailed information about the property, including the legal description, registered owner, and any charges or liens on the property.

Land Titles in AB:

Alberta, on the other hand, operates under the Torrens system, making property transactions straightforward and secure. Here's what you need to know about land titles in AB:

Land Title Office: The Alberta Land Titles Office is responsible for maintaining land title records in the province. This centralized system ensures the accuracy and security of property transactions.

Title Search: Before any property transfer or transaction, it's crucial to conduct a title search to confirm ownership, legal description, and any registered encumbrances.

Property Information: Land title records in Alberta contain comprehensive information about the property, such as its legal description, registered owner, and any registered interests or caveats.

Key Similarities:

While there are some variations between land titles in BC and AB, they share several essential similarities:

Security: Both provinces offer secure and transparent systems for land title registration, protecting the rights of property owners.

Title Searches: In BC and AB, title searches are a standard practice to verify property ownership and uncover any potential issues or encumbrances.

Property Information: Whether in BC or AB, land title records provide detailed property information to facilitate real estate transactions.

In conclusion, understanding the land title systems in British Columbia and Alberta is crucial when buying or selling property in these provinces. Both BC and AB operate under the Torrens system, which ensures transparency and security in property transactions. Conducting a thorough title search is a standard practice in both provinces to confirm property ownership and identify any encumbrances. By familiarizing yourself with the land title systems in BC and AB, you can navigate real estate transactions with confidence and make informed decisions regarding your property investments.

To know more about Land Title in Alberta. Please visit our website: speedysearch.ca

[furmity]

I've had a horrible vision of when I get back to uni: lovingly writing 2000 words on the more bizarre aspects of Torrens title* for my tumblr followers to not read while entirely neglecting my estates assignment.

This must not be.

[*As close to absolute land ownership as we can have with the Crown: guaranteed by the government but the registrar is privatised here in S.A., the birthplace of this internationally used system- anyone? isn't that strange?]

[female-buckets]

Ukrainian superstar Alina Iagupova led Fenerbahce to a Turkish SuperLeague Championship last year. She also won the EuroLeague regular season MVP two years in a row in 2020 and 2021. She's led the Euroleague in scoring two seasons in a row, too. She's the first non-American player to win the scoring title since Penny Taylor in 2010-2011. And she's the first European player to do it since Gordana Grubin in 2003-2004. This is the kind of company she's in as a EuroLeague scoring champion...

Only 5 women have ever won multiple EuroLeague scoring titles. Razija Mujanović, Clarissa Davis, Katie Douglas, Diana Taurasi, and Alina Iagupova. Mujanovic was a 6'8" center. But the other four scoring champions have quite a bit in common. They're all big mean guards. And Alina, at 6'1" with what looks like 190 lbs of muscle... she's definitely the biggest. And if you think all that size makes her slow, think again.

This year, Fenerbahce has put together a SuperTeam. They're doing everything they can to challenge UMMC. Here's how well each competitive roster is represented in the top 15 Euroleague stats.

Avenida 2 scorers: Kahleah Copper 1st, Katie Lou Samuelson 14th 1 assister: Sylvia Dominguez 13th 1 blocker: Bella Alarie 14th Top 15 total: 4 | Top 3 total: 1

Dynamo Kursk 2 scorers: Natasha Howard 4th, Arike Ogunbowale 14th 1 rebounder: Natasha Howard 1st 2 thieves: Eva Lisec 5th, Epiphanny Prince 9th Top 15 total: 5 | Top 3 total: 1

UMMC 2 scorers: Jonquel Jones 8th, Allie Quigley 13th 2 rebounders: Jonquel Jones 6th, Emma Meesseman 15th 2 assisters: Alex Bentley 10th, Alba Torrens 12th 2 blockers: Jonquel Jones 7th, Maria Vadeeva 8th Top 15 total: 8 | Top 3 total: 0

USK Praha 2 scorers: Brionna Jones 2nd, Maria Conde 7th 2 rebounders: Alyssa Thomas 4th, Brionna Jones 12th 2 assisters: Alyssa Thomas 2nd, Teja Oblak 7th 1 blocker: Dragana Stankovic 2nd 2 thieves: Alyssa Thomas 7th, Brionna Jones 11th Top 15 total: 9 | Top 3 total: 3

Fenerbahce 3 scorers: Kayla McBride 3rd, Alina Iagupova 11th, Satou Sabally 14th 2 rebounders: Elizabeth Williams 5th, Satou Sabally 10th 2 assisters: Alina Iagupova 3rd, Olcay Cakir 5th 2 blockers: Elizabeth Williams 1st, Satou Sabally 13th 2 thieves: Alina Iagupova 15th, Elizabeth Williams 15th Top 15 total: 11 | Top 3 total: 3

With so many stars on the team, Alina doesn't need to carry the scoring burden this season. She's averaging 16.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.6 assists. She's more than a scoring machine. She's an incredible facilitator as well. She can carry a team when she needs to but she loves to set up her teammates.

Don't be fooled by UMMC looking like a mid-level team here. They are a SuperTeam. They're such a SuperTeam that each superstar does a fraction of what they'd do on a regular team. But when the EuroLeague final four comes around, the superstars go all out and cut through everyone.

But UMMC, despite all that Russian money and all those superstars, is not a perfect system. And when UMMC faces Fenerbahce in the Euroleague final, Fenerbahce will expose that imperfection. UMMC might have Russian money, but Fenerbahce has Ukrainian legend Alina Iagupova.

I'd love to see Alina play in the WNBA. But the LA Sparks have her WNBA rights. And that's terrible.

The Sparks are the WNBA team with the worst management in the league. They also design their roster around a certain "image." And Alina does not fit that image at all. She came to Sparks training camp in 2019 which happened to be a disaster year for that disaster team. The coach, the manager, and the star player Candace Parker were all at war with each other. Alina went home because she wasn't getting payed enough to put up with that bullshit. She didn't complete her contract. So now, if she wants to play in the WNBA, she has to negotiate with the LA Sparks. Awful.

There's actually a number of international players in the same position as Alina. The WNBA is not an attractive league for foreign players to play in. Until the WNBA fixes that, it won't be the league with all the best players, just the best Americans.

[96thdayofrage]

It has taken 150 years for the reparations conversation to be given the seriousness it has always been due. Yet often overlooked in the discussion is that African-Americans, realizing the 40 acres was not forthcoming, worked to buy their own land after the war—land that served not only as a source of income, but as a bedrock of physical safety and familial stability over generations. That land has since been, in many cases, weaseled away from their heirs through dubious legal manoeuvres. And the weaseling continues today.

By the turn of the 20th century, former slaves and their descendants had amassed 14 million acres of land. Black agriculture was a powerhouse; per capita there were more black farmers than white farmers. But by the turn of the 21st century, 90 percent of that land was lost. Some of that can be chalked up to the Great Migration, when southern blacks fled to northern cities to escape the racist violence and systemic oppression of the South. Less known is the story of those who stayed in rural areas and their efforts to hold on to their land within a legal system that seemed designed to shift it — and the generational wealth it represented — to white ownership.

The legal avenues for finagling land from black farmers vary by state and the circumstances surrounding the property and its ownership. Here’s a sampling of how it works.

Heirs Property

Whether due to distrust of the legal system or lack of access to legal resources, freed slaves and their descendants often lacked a will transferring ownership of their property when they died. This means the property became “heirs property”—ownership is split equally among all known descendants; over time, the property is further split among the descendants of the descendants, creating over the course of generations a quagmire of ownership among hundreds, even thousands, of heirs. To use heirs property as collateral on a mortgage, to subdivide it, to develop it—and any number of other things of a legally binding nature—is difficult without first identifying and tracking down every heir, and gaining consent from each one.

Partition Sales

The descendants of slaves are by no means the only people dealing with the intractable issues associated with heirs property, but they deal with it in disproportionate numbers, at least in southern states (an estimated 40 percent of black-owned land is heirs property). For many Americans, property ownership is an unequivocal key to building and maintaining wealth across generations. But compared to property owners in possession of a clear title, heir’s property owners face tremendous practical and financial barriers to deriving wealth from their land. Oddly, one of the few things heir’s owners can do without the consent of all the other owners is to sell their portion of the property. The problem is that if just one owner sells, real estate laws in many places provide the new non-hereditary owner with a variety of means to obtain the entire property, often at below market rates—a process commonly referred to as a partition sale.

Torrens Acts

Historically, many states had what’s called a Torrens Act, which were originally intended to simplify title registry. But in a strange legal idiosyncrasy, these laws also serve as loopholes that allow third parties to force families off their land through partition sales. This is because when one owner/family member sells, Torrens rules help to shield them from recourse by other owners/family members, who in some instances may not even be notified of the sale until they are served an eviction notice.

Tax Sales

In high-demand areas where land value has skyrocketed (much black-owned heirs property lies in tourist areas along the coasts of North and South Carolina), property taxes go up accordingly. But if your goal is to stay on your land, rather than flip it, and you’re on a fixed income, chances are you at some point you’ll be unable to afford your annual property taxes. The county then has the right to put the property on the auction block—a common way for developers to access land from families who don’t want to sell.

Progress?

Some states have repealed Torrens legislation, but it is still a common means of dispossession within southern US. There is also a movement afoot to reform regulations governing partition sales, with a law called the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, which according to ProPublica has now been adopted in 14 states. Another small sign of progress is a measure in last years Farm Bill that allows owners of heirs property to apply for various USDA programs, such as loans and crop insurance, for the first time.

CORRECTION, May 14, 2020: An earlier version of this story stated that the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act had not been adopted in many southern states. At the time, five southern states had adopted it. We apologize for the error.

[doggendoodle]

Well, here we are.

The Torren Pokémon League.

It’s been a wild month. I started this playthrough at the very start of February, and this is the first time since I first beat the game, years ago, that I’ve made it anywhere near this far.

I’ve had a lot of ups and downs - I’ve tried out more than 12 team members, and considered plenty more... but in the end, I decided to stick with the team that’s seen me through most of the game, and it’s been that way ever since Amphitrite City.

Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you...

to the Third Augur’s team.

First up is my starter, Io the Delta Venusaur! Named after the moon of Jupiter, this crystal frog has shone a light down the right path for the entire playthrough (bar one battle where we switched him out for Mew, and subsequently discovered that that was a terrible idea). He had to spend 12 levels not evolving so we could get Moonblast early, but he was an absolute champ during that time, and it more than paid off!

Our second member is a little unorthodox, but received through Wonder Trade as a Level 1 baby in Shade Forest - HiJack the Delta Volcarona! Named for the computer virus vibes, he packed a massive punch even as a Delta Larvesta, and he hasn’t slowed down since! His Ability being Levitate means he has no weaknesses, which is very useful.

Third up, Olympia the Marowak! Named for her mountainous resilience, and for the Olympic Torch, she’s consistently shrugged off confusion and paralysis, and hit back even harder, ever since Telnor Cave where we first caught her as a Cubone. There were times where I considered replacing her, but I can confidently say that I’m glad I didn’t!

Fourth on the list is Tungsten the Durant! Originally named Fire Ant, and much later after the fire-resistant metal, for the way he stood up to a Firebreather in Midna Mine all by himself (he did faint eventually, but he took down one Fire-type all by himself!). This boi is fast as fuck, and hits like a truck, and he’s more than earned his place on the team.

Our fifth fighter, Cleaver the Delta Scizor! We received her in a trade on Route 3 as a Delta Scyther, and she’s kept the name her original trainer gave her, because of the way she cleaves through enemy Pokémon with her Tough Claws Ability. 

And the only team member we caught after Metchi Town, our last-second Safari catch, Lokharic the Feraligatr! Named after the Draconic writing system, Iokharic, he’s a ferocious beast that lives up to his name’s mighty meaning!

And the items shown here aren’t necessarily the only ones we have on hand - Io, Olympia, Cleaver and Lokharic all have Mega Evolutions that we can switch out between battles, depending on who’ll be the best against each Elite Four member. 

This is it. The final obstacle standing between us and the title of Champion. Look out Torren, here comes Katie!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Heirs' property: how southern states allow white land developers to steal reconstruction-era land from Black families

Back in 2017, The Nation ran a superb, in-depth story on "heirs' property," a legalized form of property theft that allows primarily rich white developers to expropriate land owned by the descendants' of Black slaves.

Now, an in-depth Propublica investigation returns to the American south and its landgrabbing white grifters, with a piece that blends the personalities of the brave Black landowners who are willing to serve long jail sentences rather than cave in to legalized theft (brothers Melvin Davis and Licurtis Reels are two of the longest-serving inmates for civil contempt in American history, having spent eight years in lockup for refusing to knock down their ancestral homes).

To understand how heirs' property expropriations work, you have to place them in the context of Black expropriation, which starts with the expropriated bodies of kidnapped Black people who were enslaved, and continues through the ages: the (marshy or arid) properties deeded to formerly enslaved Black people who carefully worked the land and prospered until white mobs came and chased them away with arson, murder and threats; many of the ones who stayed were chased off with massive tax-hikes directed at Black landowners (in South Carolina, property taxes levied on Black lands went up as much as 700% in a decade; Hilton Head had thousands of acres of heirs' property and now it has fewer than 200).

As the remaining property owners began to die off, they were (correctly) mistrustful of white southern lawyers, so they did not draw up wills, leaving their family land to their descendants through a regime called "heirs' property," under the incorrect view that this would keep the land in the family. Instead, as those descendants flew Jim Crow only to find themselves frozen out of home ownership through redlining, they became targets for predatory wealthy land developers who could exploit the complex and unfair law governing heirs' property to seize and expropriate hundreds or even thousands of acres at a time.

The main system for doing this is called "partition": if a single heir with even a tiny claim to family land can be found and convinced to sell their title, the developer can use the courts to force a sale of the whole family property, and the "cash poor, land rich" people who live on the family land are unable to outbid their expropriators.  

This is exactly as bad as it sounds: consider Wendy Reed who lost her family home in Summerville, South Carolina because she was late paying a $83.81 tax bill -- the property was purchased for a mere $2,000 by a powerful local politician and resort owner named Thomas Limehouse (owner of a nearby luxury resort) for $2,000. Reed was unable to stop the sale by paying her $83.81 because her grandmother had died intestate.

The intersection of partition actions and unclear titles from intestate family elders is bad enough, but it gets especially toxic when mixed with an antiquated, discredited law called the Torrens Act, which allows would-be expropriator to pay a court-appointed lawyer to review their claim to a title and seize land without going through a full court procedure.

14 states have passed laws limiting evictions and partitions and many have repealed the Torrens Act, through model legislation called the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, but eight southern states still support and encourage this kind of white-on-Black land-theft. One notable culprit is North Carolina, especially Carteret County, whose 70,000 residents are 94% white, but whose losers in heirs' property cases are 42% Black.

I've previously said that the difference between "grifters" and "con artists" is that "Grifters put on the veneer of respectability. A grifter doesn't pick your pocket, he gets you to sign a contract full of dirty fine-print. He buys off the judge. He operates out of a 'made town' where the cops are all on the take. The grifter doesn't mount a one-man performance piece. He constructs an immersive LARP in which all the trappings of law and order are present, but filtered through a dream-logic where if he has to pick your pockets, it's only because you don't respect the law enough to empty them voluntarily. A grift is what happens when a con-man hires a lawyer, or a judge, or a legislature, or the President."

In a companion piece, Propublica's Lizzie Presser shows how states can easily stem the tide of disposessions with commonsense legal tweaks. The fact that they don't do this tells you everything you need to know about whether this is an accident or a deliberate campaign of legalized theft.

https://boingboing.net/2019/07/15/made-towns.html

[diyconveyanc]

Understand the importance of the torrens title for your property. Get help and advice for the better security here.

[argumate]

apparently the Torrens land title system was strongly opposed by the legal profession who were profiting from the immense complexity of the common law system, which was drowning in tangled lawsuits over property transfers that stretched back generations, as proving you owned a piece of land involved tracing the title all the way back (to what??) and each link in the chain could be challenged, like a lawyer-based proof-of-work system; ghastly!

[daniellevel12]

Buying a Turks and Caicos Land For Sale

In a sense, buying a Turks and Caicos land for sale is like buying an insurance policy. There are numerous benefits to owning property here, such as freehold title, robust building code, and safe and secure environment. However, there are also certain things you should know before you buy a piece of land.

Buying a turks and caicos land is like buying an insurance policy

Buying a Turks and Caico land is a bit like buying an insurance policy. In the Turks and Caicos Islands, you need to be careful because land development is a mess. The planning process in the area is not very good, and the building code and zoning maps are rarely followed. That means you cannot expect consistency of development or continuity of use in your property. For example, a residential area may be approved for high-rise commercial buildings, and a natural park may be cleared out.

First of all, you need to know what taxes are charged on Turks and Caicos land. Property taxes in Turks and Caicos are minimal. You will have to pay only one time stamp duty, which ranges from 6.5 percent to 10 percent depending on the price of the land. While this may seem like a lot, it is much more reasonable than property taxes.

Land in the Turks and Caicos Islands is registered through the British Registered Land system, meaning that each plot is individually numbered and a specific owner is registered on the land. The land registry office processes applications for land transfers, easements, and restrictions. Despite the fact that the Turks and Caicos Islands do not have a tax system, it still has laws in place that protect land owners.

It is freehold with free and clear title

This Turks and Caicos land is a freehold with free and clear title, which means that you have full ownership of the property. This includes the land, the buildings, and any improvements made to it. This is very different from leasehold property, where you only own the buildings and not the land itself.

If you wish to build on this Turks and Caicos land, you must first obtain a lease. If you are renting your land, you will need to pay rent to the landlord on a regular basis. This is important to protect your investment. If you don't, you may not be able to keep the property.

Buying a Turks and Caicos Land For Sale also free of taxes and exchange controls. You do have to pay Stamp Duty when you purchase it, but this is a small price to pay compared to property taxes in the United States. In case you are wondering what else you need to consider before buying this land, check the Land Registry Department and inquire about ownership. For a small fee, you can get all the information about the property's owners.

It has a robust building code

If you're looking for a tropical destination with a building code that rivals the standards of Florida, you've come to the right place. The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory located in the Atlantic Ocean. The local building code has robust requirements for the construction of a home, and is much more stringent than those in other countries.

If you're thinking about building a home in Turks and Caicos, make sure to check the building code before deciding on a location. The island's zoning maps and building code are generally ignored by developers. As a result, it's hard to expect consistency or continuity of development. For example, some residential areas have been approved for high-density commercial structures, and others have a lot of land cleared for development.

You'll also want to look for restrictions on building height, such as those on Providenciales. The island's land registry uses a Torrens style system, which means that there are restrictions for constructing on certain parcels. The local land registry department has offices on Providenciales and Grand Turk. Those restrictions are usually reflected in the title, and may include charges, duty, and restrictions on sale.

It is safe

There are a few things to consider when buying Turks and Caicos land for sale. First, you will want to ensure that you purchase property that has been well-built and has low risks associated with environmental damage. The Turks and Caicos building code is very strict and parallels the building codes of Miami-Dade County in Florida. However, it is possible to find buildings in the Turks and Caicos that have significant integrity problems. These include rebar corrosion, termite damage, and improperly constructed roof and foundations. Electrical wiring and grounding issues can also be a concern.

Another thing to consider is whether or not you'll be able to live in the property in the Turks and Caicos Islands. While this Caribbean island does not impose any restrictions on foreign ownership, it is important to know what the regulations are regarding residency and voting rights. You should also know about any restrictions on business ownership and employment.

[tuggerahaustralia]

Torrens Title Duplex Close to everything!

[manlyaustralia]

Torrens Title Townhome with house-sized backyard

[wyongaustralia]

Perfect First Home or Investment