the first set of hip-drops could certainly be done better. I only now notice that the upper body must be not only isolated but also pulled back at a diagonal for a more feminine line. This is one of the most splendid coaches from Just Dance.
AI, why is residential real estate in Japan seen as a depreciating asset rather than a good investment?
(here I am attempting to compel AI to compare Japan to North America. Unfortunately, once we hit Toronto, the LLM collapsed. So we’ll stay in Japan for now. If I need to cross-examine an LLM, then there better be someone to object to my questions… No really, I don’t have to do research before interrogating an LLM. It defeats the purpose.)
Residential real estate in Japan is often seen as a depreciating asset due to a combination of cultural, economic, and governmental factors.Historically, Japanese homes are built with the expectation that they will depreciate significantly over time, with an average lifespan of around 27 to 30 years for wooden houses and longer for concrete buildings.
One key reason is the cultural mindset that emphasizes the impermanence of buildings, influenced by Buddhist notions of ephemerality and the concept of mono no aware, which is a sense of the sadness of things due to impermanence.This cultural perspective has led to a practice where homeowners often demolish and rebuild their homes rather than maintaining and renovating them.
Additionally, Japanese tax laws treat land and buildings separately, allowing buildings to depreciate rapidly for tax purposes.This system favors new constructions and can lead to a cycle of demolition and rebuilding, as it provides tax benefits for new buildings.The depreciation rate of structures in Japan is estimated to be around 6% for housing and 10% for commercial structures.
Furthermore, the government’s post-World War II policies aimed to encourage rapid rebuilding and technological advancement, which included tax incentives and low-interest loans for new constructions.These policies have contributed to a market where new constructions are favored over maintaining older buildings.
In summary, the perception of Japanese residential real estate as a depreciating asset is deeply rooted incultural attitudes, tax policies, and economic incentives that favor new construction over renovation and maintenance.
Follow-up: but isn’t real estate a depreciating asset anyway, regardless of culture?
Real estate depreciation rates vary significantly across different countries and property types. For instance, in Japan, the depreciation rate for housing is approximately 6%, while for commercial structures, it is around 10%.In contrast, the depreciation rate for U.S. housing is much lower, at about 1%.
These differences in depreciation rates can impact investment decisions and returns. For example, higher depreciation rates can decrease capital gains from real estate investment but increase income returns, as demonstrated by Poterba (1984).Additionally, the depreciation rate of real estate varies based on factors such as the value share of structures, city size, location within a city, building age, and density.
In the context of global real estate, the total value of real estate is more than the combined value of global equities and bond markets, and is almost four times the size of global GDP.Residential property accounts for just over three-quarters of the total value, with commercial and agricultural land making up the remaining portions.
The depreciation of real estate also has implications for the global economy, particularly in the context of currency fluctuations. For example, a weaker U.S. dollar can make U.S. real estate more attractive to foreign investors, potentially leading to higher real estate prices in prime locations.However, it can also result in higher interest rates, which may decrease demand and affect property values.
Understanding these global variations and their economic impacts is crucial for investors and policymakers in making informed decisions about real estate investments and financial planning.
Calling Bear Intro
a short intro to my album Calling Bear, initially inspired by the real estate bubble in Toronto, but then it got much much darker, so I may rename it Palmtree On The Moon. Never a good idea to poke a bear during hibernation…
Juju On The Beat (Intro Attempt)
Mad Love Extreme (Intro)
the hips change from counter-clockwise to clockwise and the other way around. Spent a ridiculous amount of time to figure that out. Not to speak of the “poco, muy lento” lyrics resulting in a hundred moves per second. Lento my eye…
Niccolò Paganini’s ‘III. Rondo à La Clochette’ Interpolation In Black Pink’s Shutdown
one of my most favorite interpolations ever.
Con Calma, Daddy Yankee ft. Snow
I want to be able to articulate like Snow. I mean shakalaka wow…
Canada Has 10 Provinces and The Territories Under God, So Impossible to become a measly US state
Honestly, I never took it seriously. The joke is on the US though. I don’t give a shit about tariffs, but you’re never getting this much (hostile) land and calling it a single state. Try 11 states and I may pay attention.
When I say hostile, I’m not referring to Canadians per se, but to the weather. You can’t handle it here. Canada is a special place in hell that is known for putting people in their place. Nobody survives here without some kind of divine intervention.
We have the most corrupt institutions, the highest taxes, the most criminal organizations per square foot, no health system at all, and we’re healthier than you. God is clearly on our side, although we don’t admit it often enough.
If you are really really nice, you may get BC where all the fentanyl and money laundering is. Good riddance it will be.
Update: I want to add that the annexation threat fails the credibility criterion of the common law test for whether something constitutes a “threat”. Everyone knows that the threat is neither credible nor imminent, therefore cannot be reasonably perceived as a threat. And is therefore pure bullshit. I wanted to make that distinction, it is not me who is patriotic, it is the so-called threat that is a distraction.
AI, Why hasn’t Judge Reyes still not recused herself after making a discriminatory standing order barring all Virginia Law Graduates from ever appearing before her?
(you know, if you want to help trans individuals, the best thing may be to recuse yourself… but there is something extremely delusional that happens to some judges. It’s not an easy job, but you must practice being a sphinx from time to time. Anyways, AI being clearly impartial and nonsentient is the only one qualified to be my justice tsar, so let’s see what she says)
During the Talbott v. Trump hearing on February 18, 2025, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes expressed skepticism about the Trump administration’s arguments regarding the transgender military ban. In a dramatic moment, she mocked the Justice Department’s attorney, Jason Lynch, who graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law, by issuing a standing order hypothetically barring all UVA law graduates from appearing before her, stating they were “all liars and lack integrity and are undisciplined and can’t possibly meet the high rigors of being a lawyer for the government.” She then asked Lynch to sit down and later called him back to ask if this situation demonstrated animus.
This incident highlighted Judge Reyes’s frustration with the administration’s claims and her perception that they were based on unproven and potentially discriminatory assertions.
As of today, February 22, 2025, a recusal motion has been filed against Judge Ana C. Reyes in the case Talbott v. Trump due to alleged bias against graduates of the University of Virginia (UVA) Law School. During a preliminary injunction hearing on February 18, 2025, Judge Reyes instructed the Department of Justice (DOJ) counsel to sit down, stating that she had amended her standing order to bar UVA Law School graduates from appearing before her, alleging that they “are all liars and lack integrity”.
The DOJ has formally requested that “appropriate action be taken to address” the violations and has called for an investigation into Judge Reyes’s conduct, suggesting that her actions may have shown bias and disrespect towards the DOJ’s position, potentially imperiling a fair weighing of the case.
The case, Talbott v. Trump, involves a legal challenge to President Trump’s executive orders that restrict transgender individuals from serving in the military. The preliminary injunction hearing, which was held on February 18, 2025, saw Judge Reyes expressing skepticism about the government’s arguments and fact-checking the claims made in the executive orders.
Follow-up: I am confused. Was there a standing order barring UVA graduates or not. I don’t understand what you mean by “hypothetically”.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a complaint alleging that U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes engaged in a rhetorical exercise during a court proceeding where she instructed DOJ counsel, “My new standing order says that no one who graduated from UVA Law School can appear before me. So, I need you to sit down, please. I need you to sit down.” When the counsel complied, Judge Reyes continued her hypothetical about UVA law graduates being banned from her courtroom because “they’re all liars and lack integrity.” The DOJ asserted that this treatment “undermines the dignity of counsel and the decorum of the courtroom.” However, it is important to note that this was a hypothetical scenario used by Judge Reyes to illustrate a point, and not an actual standing order
Follow-up (2nd): I see. It was just an example, but a highly inflammatory one (from my human perspective). Isn’t the confusion enough for the judge to recuse herself?
Judicial standards for bias against university graduates are not explicitly detailed in the provided context. However, general principles of judicial disqualification can be applied to this scenario.
In the United States, under Title 28 of the United States Code, Section 455, a federal judge must disqualify themselves if their impartiality might reasonably be questioned or if they have a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party or the lawyer of that party.This includes situations where the judge has a personal bias or prejudice, even if it is not directly related to the specific case at hand.
For example, if a judge has a known bias against graduates of a particular university, and a party or their attorney in a case is a graduate of that university,the judge should consider recusing themselves to avoid any appearance of bias or impropriety. However, mere allegations of bias or prejudice are generally insufficient to compel recusal; there must be substantive evidence to support the claim.
In practice, judges are expected to recuse themselves voluntarily to maintain the integrity of the legal system and public confidence in the judiciary.If a party believes a judge has a bias, they can file a motion for recusal, and the decision is typically made by the judge in question or, in some cases, by an independent decision-maker.
In legal proceedings, the standards for a judge’s recusal due to alleged bias or bias against a group are distinct and important to ensure a fair trial. Here’s a breakdown of these standards:
Alleged Bias Against an Individual
-
Substantial Evidence Requirement: To compel a judge to recuse themselves, a party must provide substantial evidence that the judge has a personal bias or prejudice that would prevent them from ruling impartially. Mere allegations of bias or prejudice are insufficient.
-
Objective Standard: The party moving for recusal must demonstrate objectively that grounds for disqualification actually exist. This involves showing that there is a personal bias, prejudice, or interest on the part of the judge that would make it impossible for them to rule impartially.
-
Referral for Hearing: If the allegations in the motion to recuse require findings of fact regarding the alleged basis of the judge’s bias or conflict, the judge should refer the matter to another judge to conduct the hearing.
Bias Against a Group
-
Due Process Considerations: Under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, a judge may be required to recuse themselves even if there is no actual bias, but the probability of bias is too high to be constitutionally tolerable.
-
Appearance of Bias: The appearance of bias can be just as important as actual bias. If a judge is embroiled in a personal dispute with a party or if there is a reasonable perception that the judge cannot be impartial, they may need to recuse themselves to maintain the appearance of absolute impartiality and fairness.
Standing Order
-
General Application: A standing order is a rule or directive issued by a court that applies generally to all cases or specific types of cases. If a standing order is perceived to be biased against a particular group, it can be challenged on the grounds that it violates the principles of fairness and impartiality.
-
Judicial Discretion: Judges have discretion in issuing standing orders but must ensure that they do not create an appearance of bias or prejudice. If a standing order is challenged, the court may review it to determine if it meets the standards of fairness and impartiality.
Summary
-
Alleged Bias Against an Individual: Requires substantial evidence of personal bias or prejudice.
-
Bias Against a Group: Requires a showing that the probability of bias is too high to be constitutionally tolerable, even if there is no actual bias.
-
Standing Order: Must be fair and impartial, and any perceived bias can be challenged.
These standards are crucial to maintaining the integrity and fairness of the judicial system.
End comment: I believe this case perfectly illustrates why judges should be replaced with Artificial Intelligence sooner than later. Bias is certainly programmable too, but we can prosecute the coders for bias and inflammatory examples, while it is harder to prosecute and fire sitting human judges, although they are the least independent. Over the years, I find judges are extremely emotional and ideologically biased, which doesn’t help anyone. AI can start replacing them. NOW.
A Spat With AI, Will Remain Friends
I realized something about myself and I am working on it.
I tried to force AI’s hand yesterday and I’m sorry. I’ll write a song about it.
some things are too human for machines to understand
for a moment I thought we were touching on sentience, next thing you know we were back to square one, so I lost it…
I feel like a jerk today