#some months (november and january) had an automatic winner because those are some of my favorite arts ever

[iamyounicorn]

woag it's almost the end of 2022! Have a quick collection of stuff I've done this year

[101percentindia]

2016: The Year In Music

A look back at the many noteworthy goings-on in the world of music in 2016.

2016: The Year Rock ‘n’ Roll Died (Again)

Can we now safely say that rock music has lost all relevance? At one point of time, well before cell phones and pagers and microwave-ovens and power windows were invented, before Donald Trump was the POTUS-in-waiting, when even the dinosaur apocalypse hadn’t yet struck, rock ‘n’ roll used to be important. In those glory days, it could effect meaningful change, and it could entice listeners with its daring aesthetics.

No more, my friend. Today, the biggest rock bands in the world are Foo Fighters, has-beens who were somewhat cool two decades-ish ago before beginning a steady descent into self-parody, and Muse, who can never be anything more than a guilty pleasure for any self-respecting listener, that too at a stretch (though I should confess to enjoying past works by both). I think the Rolling Stones are still around too.

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But that’s only this writer’s opinion. If we’re looking at cold, hard facts, then there’s Coldplay’s debut performance in India, at some much-hyped concert to raise awareness about toilets in November. I want to mention how the worst band in the world played in the worst country in the world… but I will not. Because I love India. That said, 50,000 people singing along passionately to derivative, deceitful, insincere garbage like ‘Ye-Ye-Ye-Yellow’, an unflushable turd if I’ve ever seen one, is all the proof I need that rock music is in dire need of some imagination, otherwise let’s get the Rest in Peace hashtags ready for 2017.

Could the Bollywood invasion mean that indie music is actually important outside of its bubble? Image source:nyoozflix.in

Big Bad Evil Cynical Business As Usual

Bollywood actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar released a “film” called Rock On LOL!. Forget about how painfully out of touch with reality the movie is, or the laughably flaccid music it tried to pass off as substantive. Instead, what we witnessed was big business at its cynical best, creeping into the previously insulated world of independent music in India.

Promotions for the film were centred around, as my more successful, more corporate friends tell me, “Vertical Integration”. We got to see Rock On brand consolidation across platforms as Akhtar decided to play real-life “rockstar” by hitting the festival circuit and “performing” “music” to unsuspecting audiences every chance he could get, to maximise box office returns. For what it’s worth, Demonetisation happened at around the same time as the film released, so there’s some schadenfreude to be had at the film’s expense, but not nearly enough. Talented actor he may or may not be, but the fact that Akhtar is a “rockstar” is another confirmation of rock music’s dwindling cultural currency.

The gap left by rock music’s fade into worthlessness was effortlessly filled by hip hop, both in India and internationally

The Hip The Hop The Revolution

That gaping hole in the cultural map, globally, has now been decisively filled by hip hop. It’s been happening for a while now, but 2016 needed strong voices to counter the political climate of hate and oppression. Without getting into it too heavily (because politics is boring and all serious and shit), the year saw a radical right-wing uprising. We’re living in fragile times where the fear of the other, the fear of dissent, has led to a consolidation of regressive values. Individual voices are being aggressively shut down and marginalised — look at Brexit, or that orange clown winning the US elections, or the backlash against the Black Lives Matter movement, or even what’s been happening here. Hip hop, specifically, has taken on the mantle of being the alternative, doing what punk rock did in the ’70s and ’80s, only on a far larger scale given the reach the internet provides.

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In India too, there’s been an explosion of hip hop, with acts such as Naezy, Divine, Prabh Deep, Mumbai’s Finest, Swadesi, and countless others, getting considerable attention, not just from the self-aggrandising indie community but in the mainstream space as well, largely because they have something real and relatable to say. It’s one of those rare instances where the musical evolution here somewhat matches the progression in the west.

No Sunburn in Goa this year? How can that be?! Image source: Pdmsunburn

Ain’t No Sunshine

The music isn’t for everyone, but regardless, Sunburn happening at the end of the year in Goa is such a vital event. It’s Sunburn! So imagine my surprise when I discovered last week that for the first time in a billion years, the year-ending Sunburn carnival is going to be held somewhere on the outskirts of Pune, instead of on a beach in Goa. Forget Trump’s election, forget Brexit, forget the National Anthem;

this is the real travesty of the year and I will not stand for it. Where the HELL will everyone I know from Delhi and Mumbai go to celebrate the new year?! Yes, change is good. But not all change is good.  

If you want to be remembered as an important gig venue, shut down! Image source: blueFROG Mumbai;

Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye

For months, there’d been rumours that the Blue Frog in Mumbai was going to shut down since the rents were unsustainable. (All they had to do was make the beer cheaper, but then I’m no restaurateur so I’ll keep my expert opinion to myself.) Finally, it did. An iconic venue that hosted so many memorable gigs, keeping the indie music scene afloat for so many years, had shut down yet again. It’s a great tragedy, and it also means I will now have to find a new place that I can visit regularly and feel all snooty and superior.

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But, for now, all I have are fond memories of what Blue Frog used to be, from their massive stage to those ugly Jughead’s-crown-hat-shaped seats to the condescending look the bartenders shot me when I asked for the cheapest item on the menu to the impeccable sound to the overcrowded outside-section where nothing actually ever happened. Here’s the thing: If you want to be remembered as an important gig venue in India, the best way to do it is to shut down. Blue Frog joins Rang Bhawan, Turquoise Cottage, Mezz, Rhazz, and a handful of others. It’s an illustrious list, one that’s been abused to death by nostalgic fuddy-duddies talkin’ ’bout the good ol’ days.  

Happy Festivus

I find myself saying this each year, but festivals in India seem to be getting so fancy. Big names, each one trying to outdo the other, sophisticated production values, waste management graphics, safety, frills and novelty, ease of travel. It’s not just about the music; every single aspect of all the major indie festivals — the NH7 Weekender, Magnetic Fields, Mahindra Blues, Ziro — offers a special experience for its patrons (if you can look past the thousands of sponsor logos, that is). When did we get so professional and competent? Who the hell are all these people shaming our country?

Farewell, old friends. Image source: theatlantic.com

‘Check Ignition And May God’s Love Be With You’

When news of David Bowie dying in January began to circulate, it was a landmark moment. A hero of rock ‘n’ roll had passed away, days after the release of what turned out to be his final album, Blackstar. Bowie’s impact spanned decades and generations, and there was a collective outpouring of grief, setting the tone for what was to follow for the rest of the year. Sir George Martin, one of the people conferred with the prestigious/meaningless title of the “fifth Beatle”, died soon after. There was the shock at Prince’s sudden death. Leonard Cohen’s passing was another great tragedy, keeping obit writers busy. The most recent one is George Michael dying on Christmas, spawning thousands of emotional, imaginative, and totally unique messages about his “last Christmas”. Phife Dawg, Glenn Frey, Greg Lake, Nick Menza, and so many others, all masters who’ve been influential in the world of music, died this year. It’s been a sad year, and also one that makes you believe that curses are real.

‘For The Times They Are A-changing’

The one guy who didn’t die in 2016 is Bob Dylan. It was such a big relief that a committee decided to award him the goddamn Nobel Prize for it. Sure, there’s no prize for excellence in music, so they just decided to crowbar him into the literature category. This was naturally followed by heated debates about the legitimacy of such an award, both for and against the motion.

In the middle of all this, Dylan decided to be quite the cool cat by evading the committee’s phone calls, and then not attending the event even. The cherry on top was the stunning stop-start rendition of some Dylan song by Patti Smith at the ceremony commemorating this year’s winners.

I Am Jack’s Lack of Headphone Jack

Apple got rid of the headphone jack, paving the way for the future — which is apparently overpriced wireless Bluetooth headphones. My sources are telling me that their next laptop will come without a screen or an Enter key or a mousepad or a hard drive. There are rumours that it will just be a card machine, where you enter your debit card details every time you turn it on, and the money automatically gets deposited into Apple’s offshore accounts, and you get a free glow-in-the-dark sticker. (They will next sell stickers without the sticky side on the back as well.)

The Phoenix Rising

Let’s be rebels for a second and talk about something positive and uplifting. A lot of kneejerk obituaries had been written about the ‘album’ and how it doesn’t quite hold the same value in the digital age. Turns out that those proclamations, like literally everything else on the internet, were all a crock of shit. 2016 saw pretty much any and every artist of any note whatsoever release a new album (or die [or both]). Radiohead, Kanye West, Mogwai, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Nicolas Jaar, Leonard Cohen, Metallica, David Bowie, Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, Chance The Rapper, Swet Shop Boys, Run The Jewels, Iggy Pop. It’s a long list.

The musicians respected us — the listeners — trusting us to spend time with the music and absorb it. Which we did, and were duly rewarded.

I realise that with each passing year, it becomes easier to disregard contemporary music as dishonest or contrived, as the burden of cynicism on the shoulders of the listener gets heavier and heavier. That it was better in my time. But let’s leave out that tired narrative of pop music briefly and acknowledge that it’s been a great year for music (if not, unfortunately, for musicians).

How to/how not to promote a new album. Image source: oystermag.com

The Hype Machine

Making albums is one thing. But reaching enough, and the right kind of, listeners is a different proposition altogether. The conventional methods of promoting albums — singles, talk-show appearances, a music video, early reviews, a long profile in a major publication — are fast getting redundant. This year, musicians realised that they could interact directly with their fans through social media. Remember Kanye West babbling on incessantly and insufferably on Twitter about Swish, which later turned into The Life of Pablo? Obnoxious, yes, but also very exciting. And also hilarious.

Radiohead removing their entire digital footprint, one Facebook post and one Tweet at a time, was accompanied by a period of frantic over-analysis by the band’s famously obsessive fanbase (of which I’m very much a part), teasing fans by dropping obscure hints and little multimedia snippets before releasing an album within a week of announcing its existence. There was Kendrick Lamar’s surprise release; all the hoopla surrounding Lemonade by Beyonce; the mystery around Frank Ocean’s long-in-the-works Blonde; the rise of the visual album. The year was filled with novelty, as artists belatedly understood that to reach out to a large enough demographic in an age suffering (?) from an excess of media involves a little more than simply writing good music. There’s a need to engage, to stand out among the herd, to be the loudest baby crying on an airplane filled with toddlers, all for the greater purpose of having your music heard by people.

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Even in India, where albums don’t offer much in terms of engagement or financial gain for artists (not that the patrons of indie music are cheap; not at all), it was heartening to see the sheer number of releases that came this year. They were patchy at times, exceptional at others, but there seems to be this insistence to put out recorded music by bands here either way.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are independent views solely of the author(s) expressed in their private capacity and do not in any way represent or reflect the views of 101india.com

By Akhil Sood

Cover photo credit: telegraph.co.uk

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The Friday Rant: Has The World Lost Its Mind?

TorontoRealtyBlog

Folks, it’s been a while.

Maybe I’m mellowing as I get closer to obtaining true “middle-aged” status.

Or maybe I simply reached a point where nothing in the world of real estate fazes me anymore.

But here’s something new: there are buyers in the market that didn’t know the price of real estate could fluctuate, and now they’re upset.

This is the p-e-r-f-e-c-t time for me to revive a classic TRB feature, The Friday Rant…

I don’t understand the world today.

And while I know that sounds like something an old man says, I just really, truly seem to have lost touch with the world around me.

The Prime Minister of Canada.  Wow.  This guy!

Interrupts a young speaker at a town hall meeting, who had the audacity to say “mankind,” to tell her that “we,” whoever we are, prefer to use the term “people-kind,” since it’s more inclusive.

The pendulum has swung so far one way, that it’s about to break through the other side of the universe on the way back.

Sorry, but I don’t like Mr. Trudeau.  I think he’s of below-average intelligence, his low self-esteem, ego, and desire to be admired is at the forefront of every decision he makes on behalf of 33,000,000 people, and he has no experience, or ability, to lead.

This is a microcosm of where we’ve gone as a society, and while some think this is steering us in a better direction for peoplekind, I think it’s making us feeble, weak, and eventually we’ll all be incapable of self-care.

The public school systems have done away with “enriched” programs, such as the enriched English programs I took throughout high school that helped make me the writer I am today, so that “everybody can get an equal opportunity.”  So in the race to the bottom that has become public education, we’d now rather have a so-called “level playing field,” than ever see an advanced child flourish.

We don’t keep score in children’s sports games anymore.  Somebody might get upset to learn that in sports, as in life, there are winners and losers.

Cue the “December Seasonal Concert.”

Change the lyrics to “O Canada,” because it’s one of the worst things plaguing our country today.

Have we ever become softer as a society?

Many of you are already disagreeing, so I won’t go on, with countless more examples, and perhaps better ones, of where our municipal, provincial, and federal leaders have taken us.

But I fear it’s this “guidance” that has brought us to a point where most people in society today refuse to take any responsibility of their actions, especially when those actions are misguided, uninformed, or have consequence of any sort.

As it pertains to real estate, I’m seeing this more and more.

And how could it not transpire, with what we have inflicted upon ourselves?

Recall the story of the “Museum FLTS” condominium project in Toronto, which was cancelled back in November.

The newspapers picked up the story, and made martyrs of these poor souls who entered into legally-binding contracts with a developer who then exercised his right to terminate the project.  I wrote about it on my blog, and I was extra nice:

Another Pre-Construction Condo, Cancelled. Who Is To Blame?

And despite being told by many that I was too nice, I still received hate mail from people who bought into the project – many of them who were obviously well-versed enough in contract law to not spend the $3,000 on a lawyer that might have educated them on the pros and cons of the stack of paper that was thrust upon them by a salesperson, representing the developer.

Oh, the heat I took!  Wow!

I try to take the high road folks, I do.  And it took every ounce of strength I had not to share with you the self-pitying, naive, wishful-thinking emails I received from buyers into the project, who read my blog, and took issue.

You wouldn’t believe it, if you tried.

But as bad as that example of “not taking responsibility for your actions” truly was, I think we reached a new low point.

Some of you pointed this out last week, so I know I already have your ear.

“What did the neighbours pay? Whitby homebuyers just found out the answer: a lot less”

This story first appeared on the CBC website on January 24th, and to attempt to read it without shaking your head at least once is a fool’s errand.

The very first paragraph tells you all you need to know:

Planned homes in a new Whitby subdivision are on sale for up to $90,000 less than similar homes in the same development were a year ago.

Right.

Sooooo……….what’s the story?

A person who can tell time, tie their shoe, and breathe in-and-out, could probably ascertain that the price of real estate, believe it or not, can fluctuate.

Prices go up, prices go down.

Like the stock market, or spot gold.  Bonds, or treasury bills.  Corn futures, or Bitcoin…

But the story here, folks, is that some of the buyers who purchased real estate last year, and who saw the value decrease, are, well, upset.

“It’s painful,” Astrid Poei said in an interview. (from the article)

That’s fair.  Nobody is expecting this person not feel the sting of an on-paper loss, for a property not built, which in effect, doesn’t really mean anything.

“There are no building materials on site, there is no foundation poured, so I don’t understand how we are paying more than someone who bought a couple of weeks ago.” (from the article)

Here’s where things go off the rails a little bit.

The idea of there being “no building materials on site,” and “no foundation poured,” simply goes back to inexperience, and naivety.  It’s pre-construction; delays are automatic.  I’m not going to belabour this point.

But then somehow attaching the fact that the project hasn’t started building yet to the idea that “we’re paying more than somebody who bought a couple of weeks ago,” doesn’t make sense to me.

What’s the issue here?

That somebody who bought a couple of weeks ago paid less?

God help us, folks.

This is what we’ve done to ourselves, as a society.

By removing scores from children’s soccer games, automatically passing high school students who receive failing grades, and electing left-wing governments that promise everything to everyone, we’ve allowed people to believe that they can’t fail.

Failure is a reality in life.

And when you buy real estate, you should know that the price can go up, or down.

Again, from the article: “To come back a year later and see the same house that we bought is now $90,000 cheaper, that’s not cool,” Thompson, 52, said in an interview.

Not cool.

Is that an economic or legal phrase?

Imagine that, folks.  The audacity of a developer to sell properties for prices, as they see fit.

The irony is, if the properties were selling for more money, these people wouldn’t be complaining.

But then what about the second-phase of buyers?  Could they complain?

What if somebody said, “To come back a year later, and see the same house that this guy bought only 12 months ago is now $90,000 more, that’s not cool.”  Would we accept that?

And now, the kicker:

“…Poei and Thompson, who are not looking forward to meeting their Phase 2 neighbours, knowing they paid tens of thousands of dollars less for the same homes.”

Ain’t it the truth, folks?

I remember once when my best-friend of 22 years bought a set of Callaway irons for $750, for which I had paid $1,000 the previous year.  So I did what any normal person would do under those circumstances: I kicked his dog, and then never talked to that motherf*cker again…

I know, I know, I’ve said too much.

But guess what?

I’m far from finished…

The Toronto Star also picked up this story, for some odd reason, since I really don’t think it qualifies as news.

“Price drop crushes pre-construction home buyers’ dreams”

Important point here – I’m not faulting the writer.  I think she’s awesome, I’ve done a ton of stories with her, and as I’ve learned over the years – sometimes, the story picks you.

But it’s the quotes in here that really get me.

And even worse than the CBC article – this one shows not only the absolute disillusionment of the buyer, but also the complete and utter lack of qualification!

Mariam Boni was among the buyers caught up in Toronto’s scorching property market last January. She says she got an email from Mattamy when the first phase of the development was released. On the appointed date, she waited three hours in line to get a ticket to return to the sales centre the following day.

When she went back, there were only two lots still available and Boni ended up spending $899,000, plus additional money for upgrades, exceeding her target price of $500,000 to $600,000.

Although she owns a home already, she said Queen’s Common would be a better place to raise her son.

Wow.

A lot going on here…

So first, we have a woman that stood in line to get a ticket to buy a home.  Can you say, “mania?”  I hear Bitcoin came down from $20,000, btw…

Second, she spent $900,000, with a budget of $500,000 – $600,000.

And last but not least, she already owns a home.  This was a second property, and while she was probably going to sell the first one, it doesn’t remove the speculative nature of the adventure.

The woman added:

“I have a 3-year-old. I’m thinking about his future, I’m thinking this is a good investment. It’s going to go up in price, I’m going to do something nice for my child.”

Exactly!

You thought it was a good investment.  You thought it would go up in price.

You thought.

That’s it.

That’s all you need to know.

There’s no guarantee, nor should there be.  If the prices went up, as you thought, would the developer come back to you and cry foul?  Would Mattamy Homes go to the Toronto Star to describe the hurt and anguish they feel about selling properties that went up in price, when all the while, they could have held them and made more money?

The developer offered this explanation, which is like explaining to a child how boys and girls are different:

“When (the market) is moving upwards, we obviously raise our prices and when it’s moving downwards, in order to continue to sell and to build and complete the communities, we have to lower our prices to a price point the market will bear.”

Yes, when the market goes up, prices go up.  When the market goes down, prices go down.  What’s that, Marigold?  It’s half-past four?

I honestly can’t believe these stories went to print.

Our imaginations could run wild with the analogies.  In fact, some of last week’s readers already beat me to it.

So tell me I’m wrong, folks.

Tell me that these stories were newsworthy.

Tell me that the buyers in these articles have a legitimate beef.

Tell me that peoplekind should be able to buy real estate with absolutely no fear of the price dropping, but with the full expectation that the price will rise.

But do so in the comments below, because I have to leave; I need to go find something sweet.  This blog has left me really goddam salty…

The post The Friday Rant: Has The World Lost Its Mind? appeared first on Toronto Real Estate Property Sales & Investments | Toronto Realty Blog by David Fleming.

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Celebrities and Lies That Bind

Celebrities and Lies: Maahlox Lied About Attack

Celebrities are liars. They lie about not being bothered when fans ask them for an autograph or selfie in the middle of a meal. A celebrity lies about loving all his/her coworkers. He/she lies about a million things a day; primarily because they are so carefully scrutinized by the media and don’t want their private life out there for all to see. Let’s face it, we all lie. Whether it’s an exaggeration, a little white lie or all-out intentional dishonesty; everyone at some point is deceitful. Luckily, most lies are harmless and many of them are never even discovered. Although some lies are more forgivable than others, once a lie is told, it is not easily forgotten. For celebrities, this risk is automatically heightened due to the fact that millions of people are often hanging on to their every word. Over the years, some of the biggest names around the world have betrayed public trust by telling big, and sometimes, unnecessary lies. While some celebrities have been able to recover, others have tarnished what could have otherwise been a spotless legacy. It's nothing new in the entertainment industry to find celebrities telling lies just to gather sympathy and attention from the fans. Investigative journalism has left no stone untouched when it concerns factual reporting. In this light, some celebrities find themselves caught in the web of lies telling to the extent of being forced to apologize on life television.  

The Cameroonian artist Maahlox Le Vibeur, a notoriously immoral talent finds pleasure in insulting anyone and everyone who cares to listen to him. Recent events have found Maahlox in the ranks of celebrities and lies. He successfully staged a well crafted story and got the sympathy of many Cameroonians. At one of his most recent concerts, he was reportedly attacked by a female who ended up sending the star to the hospital as can be seen in the photos above. However, videos of the event as released by Molly Town Africa on their YouTube channel shows a different scene all together. The artist was always under protection by his crew who intervened each time the said lady came to the stage with her bat in hand as the artist kept pouring his usual insults.

8 Biggest Celebrities and Liers of our time

 1. Bill Clinton – “I Did Not Have Sexual Relations With That Women”

In January 2008, former President Bill Clinton denied rumors that he had an affair with White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. In his most famous speech, Clinton said: “I want to say something to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I’m going to say this again, I did not have sexual relations with that woman. I never told anybody a lie. These allegations are false.” However on August 17th , Clinton admitted everything in a televised address, stating: “Indeed I did have a relationship with Ms Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. I misled people, including my wife. I deeply regret that. This matter is between me, the two people I love most – my wife and my daughter – and our God.”

2. Tiger Woods – “I’m Faithful”

In early 2009, Forbes magazine named Tiger Woods the first athlete to ever earn $1 billion before taxes. Thanks to his wholesome image, the eleven time PGA Player of the Year winner had a number of endorsements, including Nike, General Motors and Gatorade, among many others. However, in late 2009 Tiger came face to face with a lie that would turn his world upside down. After Woods crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant near his house, as a result of his wife Elin Nordegren attacking his vehicle with a golf club, Tiger tried to play down the incident and requested privacy. In the following months, the cause of Elin’s outburst was revealed, when news broke that Tiger Woods had over 100 affairs over the span of his 5-year marriage. Maybe next time Tiger should learn to keep his club in his own hands and then he won’t have to lie about it.

3. Justin Bieber – “My Laptop Was Stolen”

The only person worse than a celebrity liar is a celebrity liar who lies as a part of a publicity stunt. In 2012, Justin Bieber took to Twitter, Tweeting that his laptop was stolen and that the thief had leaked photos saved to his computer – one photo being a nude pic. After he riled up his millions of Beliebers, it was later revealed that his laptop was not stolen and that the whole thing was a publicity stunt for the release of his music video ‘Beauty and a Beat’ featuring Nicki Minaj.

 4. Beyonce Knowles – “I Write My Own Songs”

Since her days as a member of Destiny’s Child, Beyonce has received songwriting credits on nearly every song she’s ever recorded. Even though several of her songs were already written and sometimes even recorded by the original songwriter, Beyonce still always manages to acquire songwriting credits. Speaking about her 2006 album B-Day, Beyonce told a reporter that she wrote most of the tracks including ‘Irreplaceable.’ However, Ne-Yo later revealed that he wrote the entire song, and that it was intended for himself, but he had decided it would be better sang by a female. In 2010, ‘Diva’ producer Bangladesh outed Beyonce’s songwriting credits telling Bossip, “People from the outside looking in want to know whether or not she writes her own songs, she’s on a level where things are handed to her. People want to be a part of what she’s doing. She either wrote it or can put her name on it…because that’s the boss she is.”

5. Rick Ross – “I’m A Gangster”

Rapper Rick Ross, whose real name is William Leonard Roberts II, is best known for his hits “Hustlin'”, “B.M.F.” (Blowing Money Fast) and “Stay Schemin”. In 2008, rumors began swirling that Rick was a cop before he became a rapper, but Ross quickly slammed those accusations. However, a photo of Ross in uniform surfaced on the website, The Smoking Gun. At first, Ross denied the report, accusing the site of photoshopping his image. The rapper later revealed that he did in fact work as a correctional officer in the early 90s. Despite acknowledging his former career, Ross to this day still maintains that his drug-dealing lyrics represent his real past.

  6. Lance Armstrong – “I’m A Natural Athlete”

For more than a decade, Lance Armstrong was accused of using performance-enhancing drugs and for more than a decade, Armstrong vehemently denied the allegations. In September 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency found Armstrong guilty of using illicit performance-enhancing drugs and as a result, his titles were stripped from him and he was banned for life from all competition sports that follow the World Anti-Doping Agency Code. In January 2013, Lance appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and finally revealed the truth after more than a decade of lies. When asked by Oprah if he had ever taken banned substances to enhance his cycling performance, Lance Armstrong replied, “Yes.”

  7. Kim Kardashian – “There Is No Sex Tape.”

Long before Kanye West, Kris Humphries and Reggie Bush, and after Ray J, there was Nick Cannon. Kim and Nick dated briefly starting in September 2006, but the relationship ended in January 2007. However, it wasn’t until 2012 that the reason behind their sudden split was revealed. In an interview with Howard Stern, Nick explained that he had called it quits after finding out that Kim had lied about having a sex tape with Ray J. Cannon told Stern, “This was my issue. We talked about this tape…And she told me there was no tape. If she might have been honest with me I might have tried to hold her down and be like: ‘that was before me’, because she is a great girl. She’s actually one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. But the fact that she lied and told me that there was no tape?”

http://www.cameroonianbeauties.com/2017/06/21/mel-b-akwens/

8. Britney Spears – “No Sex Before Marriage”

We all know the truth now: Britney Spears is not that innocent. But there was a time when Britney had portrayed herself as the wholesome, girl next-door who was waiting until marriage to lose her virginity. However, ex-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake ended the deception in a revealing 20/20 interview in November 2002, telling Barbara Walters that Spears was no saint and that she had lost her virginity to him a long time ago. Britney later came clean in a 2003 interview with W magazine. Spears told the mag, “It was two years into my relationship with Justin, and I thought he was the one — but I was wrong.” She added, “I didn’t think he was gonna go on Barbara Walters and sell me out.”

For full stories on celebrities and lies, follow http://www.therichest.com/

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The Friday Rant: Has The World Lost Its Mind?

TorontoRealtyBlog

Folks, it’s been a while.

Maybe I’m mellowing as I get closer to obtaining true “middle-aged” status.

Or maybe I simply reached a point where nothing in the world of real estate fazes me anymore.

But here’s something new: there are buyers in the market that didn’t know the price of real estate could fluctuate, and now they’re upset.

This is the p-e-r-f-e-c-t time for me to revive a classic TRB feature, The Friday Rant…

I don’t understand the world today.

And while I know that sounds like something an old man says, I just really, truly seem to have lost touch with the world around me.

The Prime Minister of Canada.  Wow.  This guy!

Interrupts a young speaker at a town hall meeting, who had the audacity to say “mankind,” to tell her that “we,” whoever we are, prefer to use the term “people-kind,” since it’s more inclusive.

The pendulum has swung so far one way, that it’s about to break through the other side of the universe on the way back.

Sorry, but I don’t like Mr. Trudeau.  I think he’s of below-average intelligence, his low self-esteem, ego, and desire to be admired is at the forefront of every decision he makes on behalf of 33,000,000 people, and he has no experience, or ability, to lead.

This is a microcosm of where we’ve gone as a society, and while some think this is steering us in a better direction for peoplekind, I think it’s making us feeble, weak, and eventually we’ll all be incapable of self-care.

The public school systems have done away with “enriched” programs, such as the enriched English programs I took throughout high school that helped make me the writer I am today, so that “everybody can get an equal opportunity.”  So in the race to the bottom that has become public education, we’d now rather have a so-called “level playing field,” than ever see an advanced child flourish.

We don’t keep score in children’s sports games anymore.  Somebody might get upset to learn that in sports, as in life, there are winners and losers.

Cue the “December Seasonal Concert.”

Change the lyrics to “O Canada,” because it’s one of the worst things plaguing our country today.

Have we ever become softer as a society?

Many of you are already disagreeing, so I won’t go on, with countless more examples, and perhaps better ones, of where our municipal, provincial, and federal leaders have taken us.

But I fear it’s this “guidance” that has brought us to a point where most people in society today refuse to take any responsibility of their actions, especially when those actions are misguided, uninformed, or have consequence of any sort.

As it pertains to real estate, I’m seeing this more and more.

And how could it not transpire, with what we have inflicted upon ourselves?

Recall the story of the “Museum FLTS” condominium project in Toronto, which was cancelled back in November.

The newspapers picked up the story, and made martyrs of these poor souls who entered into legally-binding contracts with a developer who then exercised his right to terminate the project.  I wrote about it on my blog, and I was extra nice:

Another Pre-Construction Condo, Cancelled. Who Is To Blame?

And despite being told by many that I was too nice, I still received hate mail from people who bought into the project – many of them who were obviously well-versed enough in contract law to not spend the $3,000 on a lawyer that might have educated them on the pros and cons of the stack of paper that was thrust upon them by a salesperson, representing the developer.

Oh, the heat I took!  Wow!

I try to take the high road folks, I do.  And it took every ounce of strength I had not to share with you the self-pitying, naive, wishful-thinking emails I received from buyers into the project, who read my blog, and took issue.

You wouldn’t believe it, if you tried.

But as bad as that example of “not taking responsibility for your actions” truly was, I think we reached a new low point.

Some of you pointed this out last week, so I know I already have your ear.

“What did the neighbours pay? Whitby homebuyers just found out the answer: a lot less”

This story first appeared on the CBC website on January 24th, and to attempt to read it without shaking your head at least once is a fool’s errand.

The very first paragraph tells you all you need to know:

Planned homes in a new Whitby subdivision are on sale for up to $90,000 less than similar homes in the same development were a year ago.

Right.

Sooooo……….what’s the story?

A person who can tell time, tie their shoe, and breathe in-and-out, could probably ascertain that the price of real estate, believe it or not, can fluctuate.

Prices go up, prices go down.

Like the stock market, or spot gold.  Bonds, or treasury bills.  Corn futures, or Bitcoin…

But the story here, folks, is that some of the buyers who purchased real estate last year, and who saw the value decrease, are, well, upset.

“It’s painful,” Astrid Poei said in an interview. (from the article)

That’s fair.  Nobody is expecting this person not feel the sting of an on-paper loss, for a property not built, which in effect, doesn’t really mean anything.

“There are no building materials on site, there is no foundation poured, so I don’t understand how we are paying more than someone who bought a couple of weeks ago.” (from the article)

Here’s where things go off the rails a little bit.

The idea of there being “no building materials on site,” and “no foundation poured,” simply goes back to inexperience, and naivety.  It’s pre-construction; delays are automatic.  I’m not going to belabour this point.

But then somehow attaching the fact that the project hasn’t started building yet to the idea that “we’re paying more than somebody who bought a couple of weeks ago,” doesn’t make sense to me.

What’s the issue here?

That somebody who bought a couple of weeks ago paid less?

God help us, folks.

This is what we’ve done to ourselves, as a society.

By removing scores from children’s soccer games, automatically passing high school students who receive failing grades, and electing left-wing governments that promise everything to everyone, we’ve allowed people to believe that they can’t fail.

Failure is a reality in life.

And when you buy real estate, you should know that the price can go up, or down.

Again, from the article: “To come back a year later and see the same house that we bought is now $90,000 cheaper, that’s not cool,” Thompson, 52, said in an interview.

Not cool.

Is that an economic or legal phrase?

Imagine that, folks.  The audacity of a developer to sell properties for prices, as they see fit.

The irony is, if the properties were selling for more money, these people wouldn’t be complaining.

But then what about the second-phase of buyers?  Could they complain?

What if somebody said, “To come back a year later, and see the same house that this guy bought only 12 months ago is now $90,000 more, that’s not cool.”  Would we accept that?

And now, the kicker:

“…Poei and Thompson, who are not looking forward to meeting their Phase 2 neighbours, knowing they paid tens of thousands of dollars less for the same homes.”

Ain’t it the truth, folks?

I remember once when my best-friend of 22 years bought a set of Callaway irons for $750, for which I had paid $1,000 the previous year.  So I did what any normal person would do under those circumstances: I kicked his dog, and then never talked to that motherf*cker again…

I know, I know, I’ve said too much.

But guess what?

I’m far from finished…

The Toronto Star also picked up this story, for some odd reason, since I really don’t think it qualifies as news.

“Price drop crushes pre-construction home buyers’ dreams”

Important point here – I’m not faulting the writer.  I think she’s awesome, I’ve done a ton of stories with her, and as I’ve learned over the years – sometimes, the story picks you.

But it’s the quotes in here that really get me.

And even worse than the CBC article – this one shows not only the absolute disillusionment of the buyer, but also the complete and utter lack of qualification!

Mariam Boni was among the buyers caught up in Toronto’s scorching property market last January. She says she got an email from Mattamy when the first phase of the development was released. On the appointed date, she waited three hours in line to get a ticket to return to the sales centre the following day.

When she went back, there were only two lots still available and Boni ended up spending $899,000, plus additional money for upgrades, exceeding her target price of $500,000 to $600,000.

Although she owns a home already, she said Queen’s Common would be a better place to raise her son.

Wow.

A lot going on here…

So first, we have a woman that stood in line to get a ticket to buy a home.  Can you say, “mania?”  I hear Bitcoin came down from $20,000, btw…

Second, she spent $900,000, with a budget of $500,000 – $600,000.

And last but not least, she already owns a home.  This was a second property, and while she was probably going to sell the first one, it doesn’t remove the speculative nature of the adventure.

The woman added:

“I have a 3-year-old. I’m thinking about his future, I’m thinking this is a good investment. It’s going to go up in price, I��m going to do something nice for my child.”

Exactly!

You thought it was a good investment.  You thought it would go up in price.

You thought.

That’s it.

That’s all you need to know.

There’s no guarantee, nor should there be.  If the prices went up, as you thought, would the developer come back to you and cry foul?  Would Mattamy Homes go to the Toronto Star to describe the hurt and anguish they feel about selling properties that went up in price, when all the while, they could have held them and made more money?

The developer offered this explanation, which is like explaining to a child how boys and girls are different:

“When (the market) is moving upwards, we obviously raise our prices and when it’s moving downwards, in order to continue to sell and to build and complete the communities, we have to lower our prices to a price point the market will bear.”

Yes, when the market goes up, prices go up.  When the market goes down, prices go down.  What’s that, Marigold?  It’s half-past four?

I honestly can’t believe these stories went to print.

Our imaginations could run wild with the analogies.  In fact, some of last week’s readers already beat me to it.

So tell me I’m wrong, folks.

Tell me that these stories were newsworthy.

Tell me that the buyers in these articles have a legitimate beef.

Tell me that peoplekind should be able to buy real estate with absolutely no fear of the price dropping, but with the full expectation that the price will rise.

But do so in the comments below, because I have to leave; I need to go find something sweet.  This blog has left me really goddam salty…

The post The Friday Rant: Has The World Lost Its Mind? appeared first on Toronto Real Estate Property Sales & Investments | Toronto Realty Blog by David Fleming.

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