#real estate business analyst

[poddar123]

How to Progress ahead with Mathematics?

[astrocafecoffee]

💫Your future spouse's career based on your Juno persona chart 💫

✨ For entertainment purposes only. Enjoy.✨

🌜what to check?

- just check your Industria (389) asteroid in your Juno persona chart.Find out in which house it falls in!!

Why this asteroid?

- Juno persona chart tells about your future spouse and Industria(389) asteroid is a long term career related asteroid. So this asteroid in your juno persona chart can give a insight about your future spouse's career.

🌜SOME SHORT TERMS I USED HERE :

- FS = FUTURE SPOUSE

-JPC = JUNO PERSONA CHART

Leshh go!

🌆 Industria in 1st house of JPC : 1st house represent one's identity, personality and how they present themselves to the world.This asteroid in 1st house suggests that their career may be tied to their personal identity and innovative spirit. Now some possible career of your fs-

*Entrepreneurial scientist - they may excel in entrepreneurial pursuits within the scientific community. They may innovate new technologies, products that have a significant impact in their field.

* Industry leader - they maybe known for their innovative idea and proactive attitude to their work. They can easily be a leader of their respective industry.

* visionary consultant - they may excel in their field as a respectful advisor, who offers solutions to businesses or individuals seeking guidance.

* Creative director- career in creative leadership such as creative director in advising, film, fashion, or design.

* makeup artist

* Model

* engeneering

* design/ work in media.

🌆 Industria in 2nd house of JPC : Their career may be closely related to their values resources, managing or utilising assets and their sense of stability. Some possible career of your fs -

* wealth management specialist - they helps individuals or organizations maximize their financial resources and investments through innovative and strategic approach.

* Creative Financial analyst - specialised in creative or innovative analysis methods.

* Financial innovator- innovates new financial products, services or strategies.

* asset manager

* Entrepreneurial investor

* can sing well

* accountant

🌆 Industria in 3rd house of JPC : 3rd house represents one's communication style, mental persuits, and interaction within immediate environment. When this asteroid in your 3rd house this can indicate that your fs may excel in the career of innovative communication methods or technologies. Some possible career of your fs -

* They may into journalism, media, broadcasting, or public relations where someone uses their creative ideas.

* technology writer/ blogger: their career path may involve writing / blogging about technologies or industry trends or sharing their ideas with wide audience.

* Workshop/ educational outreach programs.

* small business owner

* excel in troubleshooting skills, problem solving abilities, explaining complex concepts in simple terms.

🌆 Industria in 4th house of JPC : their career tied to their home , family roots, and emotional well-being.some possible career of your fs -

* career in real estate - specialize in designing sustainable, eco friendly, or technologically advanced buildings.

* e- commerce, consulting, freelance work.

* Family councillor or therapist - they may help individuals and families navigate challenges, fostering harmony and growth within te hone environment.

* interior designer

* Home renovation specialist

* Family owned business owner.

* childcare provider

🌆 Industria in 5th house of JPC : 5th house is associated with creativity,joy, children and hobbies. It governs one's individual approach to work, self expression and personal fulfillment. So your fs career strongly related to this area of life. Possible careers -

* creative artist/ entertainer - Excels in creative profession like music , theater , film, writing etc.

* event planer- organizing wedding, festivals or social gathering.

* teacher/ coach - inspiring or guiding others in academic subject/ sports.

* youth councillor - natural affinity to work with young people and helping them to discover their talents.

* atrs nd crafts business owner.

* fitness instructor

* dance teacher

* entertainment industry professional.

🌆 Industria in 6th house of JPC : 6th house is associated with employment, daily task, health and service to others. So possible career of your fs -

* health care professionals - career related to healthcare, nursing, doctor, medicine, and pharmacy.

* nutritionist/ dietician - helping others to improve their dietary habits , manage health condition.

* fitness trainer/ coach - motivates others to adopt healthy lifestyle.

* administrative professional - may indicate talent for efficiency, attention to detail, making career in administrative or office management appealing.

* environmental scientist

* social worker

* reasearch assistant

🌆 Industria in 7th house of JPC : 7th house is related to marriage, buisness partnership, legal matters, and one-on-one interactions. Possible career domains of your fs-

*legal professional - career related as mediators, legal consultant, specialization in areas such as contrat law , family law or dispute resolution.

* business consultant - expertise in the area of strategy, negotiation, and partnership development.

* marriage and family therapist - helping couples navigate challenges, improve communication and strengthen their bonds through therapy or councilling sessions.

* international business manager

* foreign affair specialist

* event coordinator

*public relation specialist

* human resources manager

🌆 Industria in 8th house of JPC : 8th house is associated with themes such as mysteries, psychology, healing, emotional connection. So possible careers of your fs -

* psychologist/ psychotherapist - your fs may excel in trauma therapy, helping others to navigate profound emotional experiences , uncover hidden truth.

* forensic investigator/ crime analyst- they may be focused on uncovering hidden truths and solving mysteries.

*massage therapist - specialize in modalities such as deep tissue massage, craniosacral therapy or helping clients release emotional/ physical tension through healing.

* reasearch scientist - may excel in fields such as psychology, quantum physics, or consciousness studies.

* occultist - astrologer, tarot reader, or spiritual councillors.

* healer/ energy worker

* heal others through their respective fields. Can be. Singer too .

🌆 Industria in 9th house of JPC: 9th house is associated with themes such as higher learning, expansion of horizons , seeking truth, broadening one's perspective through travel/ exploration. Possible careers of your fs -

* international relations specialist - involve promoting international cooperation, resolving conflicts, forming mutual understanding between nations and cultures.

* spiritual teacher/ guru- your fs may pursue careers as spiritual teachers, gurus, mentors, guiding others on their spiritual journey.

* tour guide

* philosopher

* religious leader - may pursue careers as priests, ministers, guiding and supporting communities in matters of faith and spiritual growth.

* global NGO worker

* foreign language teacher

🌆 Industria in 10th house of JPC: 10th house is associated with themes such as career aspirations, social status, reputation, and professional achievements. This asteroid influences the individual's approach to career, public image, authority, ambition. So possible careers of your fs -

* media personality/ influencer - television hosts , journalist, bloggers, social media influencer , reaching a wide audience.

* creative director/ artist - artist, designer, performers.

* CEO

* startup founder, business owner, or self employed professionals.

* legal professional/ lawyer

* educational administrator

🌆 Industria in 11th house of JPC: when your industria asteroid in this house your fs may excel in the career of social network, group affiliation, humanitarian causes, collaboration etc. So possible careers of your fs -

* social entrepreneur - creates innovative solutions to adress social challenges.

* Tech entrepreneur, start-up founder.

* content creator - social media influencers, bloggers, using their platforms to inspire/ educate peoples.

* environment activist

* advocate

* community organizer

* designing educational platforms , or promoting digital literacy.

🌆 Industria in 12th house of JPC: 12th house is often associated with hidden strengths, spirituality, and working behind the scenes. So possible careers of your fs -

* they might work in reserch and development, data analysis or logistical planning behind the scenes.

* astro- spiritual researcher

* music industry

* astrologer

*song writer.

* mystical or spiritual advisor.

* environmental conservationist.

⚡ Note : these are only some possibilities of careers of your fs. And guys check the degrees to , it's like cheery on top 💌

🌜Don't forget to check my other observations too 👀

That's it guys , see you soon 💝

- piko 💖

[leviathan-supersystem]

BEIJING — China’s struggling real estate developers won’t be getting a major bailout, Chinese authorities have indicated, warning that those who “harm the interests of the masses” will be punished.

“For real estate companies that are seriously insolvent and have lost the ability to operate, those that must go bankrupt should go bankrupt, or be restructured, in accordance with the law and market principles,” Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said at a press conference Saturday.

“Those who commit acts that harm the interests of the masses will be resolutely investigated and punished in accordance with the law,” he said. “They will be made to pay the due price.”

That’s according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language remarks published in an official transcript of the press conference, held alongside China’s annual parliamentary meetings.

Ni’s comments come as major real estate developers from Evergrande to Country Garden have defaulted on their debt, while plunging new home sales have put future business into question.

In 2020, Beijing cracked down on developers’ high reliance on debt for growth in an attempt to clamp down on property market speculation. But many developers soon ran out of money to finish building apartments, which are typically sold to homebuyers in China ahead of completion. Some buyers stopped paying their mortgages in a boycott.

Authorities have since announced measures to provide some developers with financing. But the national stance on reducing the role of real estate in the economy hasn’t changed.

This year’s annual government gathering has emphasized the country’s focus on investing in and building up high-end manufacturing capabilities. In contrast, the leadership has not mentioned the massive real estate sector as much.

Real estate barely came up during a press conference focused on the economy last week, while Ni was speaking during a meeting that focused on “people’s livelihoods.”

Ni said authorities would promote housing sales and the development of affordable housing, while emphasizing the need to consider the longer term.

Near-term changes in the property sector have a significant impact on China’s overall economy.

Real estate was once about 25% of China’s GDP, when including related sectors such as construction. UBS analysts estimated late last year that property now accounts for about 22% of the economy.

Last week, Premier Li Qiang said in his government work report that in the year ahead, China would “move faster to foster a new development model for real estate.”

“We will scale up the building and supply of government-subsidized housing and improve the basic systems for commodity housing to meet people’s essential need for a home to live in and their different demands for better housing,” an English-language version of the report said.

next time you complain about how things are in America, consider that if you lived in some kind of scary communist country like China, you wouldn't even get to fund a bailout for the real estate company owners who ruined the economy like you can (whether you like it or not) in the good old US of A! 🇺🇲

[obsidian-pages777]

Pick a Card: Career Guidance

Top Left to Right--> Pile 1, Pile 2

Bottom Left to Right--> Pile 3. Pile 4

================================================================================================

Pile 1

Current Situation: The Chariot

You are determined and focused on your career goals, moving forward with purpose and direction. There's a sense of control and determination driving your actions.

Challenges: Five of Wands

You may be facing competition or conflict in your workplace. There could be differing opinions and struggles that make it hard to progress smoothly.

Advice: Strength

Rely on your inner strength and patience to navigate through challenges. Maintain self-control and approach conflicts with compassion and understanding. Your resilience will lead you to success.

Ideal Careers:

Leadership Roles: Positions such as a manager, director, or CEO, where determination and leadership are crucial.

Entrepreneur: Running your own business where you can harness your drive and overcome competition.

Project Management: Roles that require strong organizational skills and the ability to navigate conflicts and challenges.

Military or Law Enforcement: Careers that require discipline, determination, and the ability to handle conflict and stress.

Athletics or Coaching: Where physical and mental strength, as well as resilience, are important.

================================================================================================

Pile 2

Current Situation: The Hierophant

Your career path is currently influenced by traditional structures and conventional methods. You may be working within an established system or organization.

Challenges: Seven of Cups

There may be confusion or too many options available, making it difficult to choose the right path. Avoid getting lost in illusions or wishful thinking.

Advice: The Hermit

Take time for introspection and seek inner guidance. Reflect on your true goals and values before making decisions. Solitude and self-reflection will provide clarity.

Ideal Careers:

Education: Teacher, professor, or academic advisor, where traditional knowledge and guidance are valued.

Religious or Spiritual Leader: Priest, minister, or spiritual counselor, providing guidance within established belief systems.

Legal Profession: Lawyer, judge, or paralegal, working within the structures of the legal system.

Research and Academia: Careers that involve deep study and reflection, such as a researcher or academic.

Counseling or Therapy: Roles that require introspection and helping others find clarity, such as a therapist or counselor.

================================================================================================

Pile 3

Current Situation: Ace of Pentacles

A new opportunity or beginning in your career is emerging. This could be a job offer, a new project, or a chance to start something new with strong potential for growth.

Challenges: The Devil

Be wary of falling into negative patterns or becoming too attached to material success. Avoid temptations that could lead to unethical behavior or burnout.

Advice: Page of Swords

Approach new opportunities with curiosity and a willingness to learn. Stay vigilant and gather information before making decisions. Be clear and honest in your communication.

Ideal Careers:

Finance: Banker, financial advisor, or investment analyst, where new opportunities for growth are abundant.

Real Estate: Real estate agent or property manager, involving new ventures and potential for substantial growth.

Technology: IT specialist, software developer, or tech entrepreneur, where continuous learning and vigilance are key.

Journalism: Reporter, editor, or content creator, focusing on gathering and disseminating information.

Consulting: Business consultant or analyst, providing strategic advice and insights to businesses.

================================================================================================

Pile 4

Current Situation: Three of Cups

Collaboration and teamwork are currently significant in your career. You may be part of a supportive group or network, enjoying camaraderie and shared goals.

Challenges: Four of Pentacles

There could be a tendency to hold on too tightly to security or resources, leading to stagnation. Fear of change or loss may be preventing growth.

Advice: The Star

Stay hopeful and keep a positive outlook. Trust in the universe and your vision for the future. This is a time for healing, inspiration, and aligning with your true purpose.

Ideal Careers:

Event Planning: Event coordinator or wedding planner, where collaboration and teamwork are essential.

Human Resources: HR manager or recruiter, fostering a positive and collaborative workplace environment.

Creative Arts: Artist, musician, or performer, involving collaboration and shared creative goals.

Non-Profit or Community Work: Community organizer, social worker, or NGO worker, focusing on collective well-being and humanitarian goals.

Healthcare: Nurse, doctor, or therapist, providing care and support with a focus on healing and hope.

[zvaigzdelasas]

Real estate tycoon Truong My Lan faces the death penalty in a trial that began Tuesday over alleged fraud amounting to $12.5 billion — nearly 3% of the country’s 2022 GDP and Vietnam’s largest financial fraud case on record.

The 66-year-old chair of the real estate company Van Thinh Phat allegedly used “thousands of ghost companies,” paid bribes to government officials and violated banking regulations, according to a government document. She is accused of illegally controlling the Saigon Joint Stock Commercial Bank between 2012 to 2022 and using it to embezzle $12.5 billion, the document adds.

Another 85 people are being prosecuted in connection, including a former State Bank of Vietnam official accused of accepting $5.2 million in bribes. Lan was arrested in October 2022 and could get a death sentence if found guilty.[...]

Lan’s arrest is among the most high-profile in an ongoing anti-corruption drive in Vietnam that gained momentum since 2022. The so-called Blazing Furnace campaign has seen thousands of officials and business executives come under investigation. It reached the highest echelons of the Vietnamese government in January 2023 with the resignation of former President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and two deputy prime ministers for the “political responsibility” of corruption scandals during the pandemic.

But analysts added the anti-corruption drive has also dampened Vietnam’s economic outlook and made foreign investors jittery at a time when the southeast Asian nation has been positioning itself as the ideal home for businesses looking to shift their supply chains away from China.

5 Mar 24

[allthecanadianpolitics]

On a crisp evening last November, Regina’s business elite mingled among gleaming Hot Rods in a spacious private hangar on the outskirts of the city. With a view overlooking a giant car collection from a skydeck lounge, they dined on racks of lamb and ribs catered by an upscale steakhouse whose regular menu includes $140 steak. The main attraction of the night, apart from the classic Cadillac sedans and custom Chevrolet convertibles, was Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.  In town for the private fundraiser, he was hosted by the Semples, Saskatchewan’s richest family who are invested in real estate, agriculture, construction, mining, and pipeline equipment. According to a local political analyst, the family business dynasty mistreats workers and acts like the province is their “personal fiefdom.”  Major donors to the Conservatives and the reigning Saskatchewan Party, their connections have helped them secure millions of dollars in contracts from provincial and federal governments.  Their guests in November, who were encouraged to donate between $1,500 to $1,700 to the Conservative Party to attend the fundraiser, were a who’s who of the province’s business elite, including nearly a dozen real estate developers.

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[ya-boi-haru]

You know what, I like you, let me share my headcannons/thoughts on an AU I recently mentioned...

Fable smp Coffee Shop AU...

• Sherb runs a 24/hr (or late opened) Cafe, The Alchemist Brew. They specialise is mixing different coffee flavours to create a new taste and can even create one for a persons specific need or even mood.

The people that have often come in say it was exactly what they needed; students coming in to study found they work best with Icarus' creations - jokes that they put a focusing chemical drug in it. People on first dates say they added an ingredient that was a big ice breaker for them to bond over. A few cases come in home sick and the drinks taste like home somehow.

• Rae runs another cafe in a different part of town. It's a more traditional place, more old fashioned, rustic aesthetic.

Rae got to take over this place a lot sooner than he thought.

His mother went missing when he was young and his step-dad, Fable, left a few years ago. Icarus' was supposed to take over the buisness but they wanted to do their own thing, especially since Rae and Icarus had different ideas on how they should run the place.

So Rae runs the Gilded Cafe. While keeping the more traditional things on the menu, Rae also explores the history with Coffee. Makes ones how they would make it 30, 50, 100 years ago and happily, shares it with their customers.

• Athena is learning how to open their own bakery (Flour Garden) with Jamie. They offer their goods as a trial to both Gilded and Alchemist Brew Cafe. This way they get to try new foods and have people taste test them and both Cafes get a unique item on their menus each week. The feedback from customers is always appreciated and it sparks new ideas for foods and types of foods.

• Momboo runs a flower and tea shop, The Pink Tulip, both as a seperate transaction but has a talent for getting sweet tastes out of nature's prettiest petals

• Which is a dramatic comparison to her sister, Ocie/Kai, who runs a bar, Sea Dragon, iconicly known for its underwater sailor/pirate aesthetic and strong drinks to match

• Wolf is a business analyst and has helped with the businesses as well as a few others around town

• His partner, Centross, helps manage the Sea Dragon. A couple years ago, he tried to start a buisness with Icarus and Easton (who is a real estate agent), but it crashed and burned real quick. Wolf talked to Kai and she was generous enough to help Centross get back on his feet and they ended up working really well together.

• Aax works in the Gilded Cafe with Rae. He came to Rae looking for work - one in a new town with no connection to the Telchin company. They were awful, treated their employees terribly, and they would use special artificial chemicals in their drinks to make it taste like flavours (Hazlenut, vanilla etc), never the real thing, even their machines were designed to cut corners with brewing.

• Ulysses is still with Telchin, casual, but is still in the town with his Partner. He used to be able to do beautiful coffee powder art, but since the accident in the shop he can't even hold a cup steady.

• Will runs little a Cafe - The Traveller - based on flavours around the world, some places he's been lucky to actually travel to. Seven helps him run the place and really good with machines so they never have to worry about things breaking.

• Now all these businesses have their challenges, but Icarus feels they have an extra one...

A night club across the street 2 doors down, "The World Port". It's an exclusive place and Icarus had heard a few things about it.

It's a jack of all trades types of place, has accommodation for any events, Bachelor party's, birthdays, buisness meetings, heck even wakes.

Icarus' problem is that - for some reason - the owner recommendeds The Alchemist Brew to their customers as a place to sober up. Which would be fine if that didn't mean nights of drunks coming in, making a mess and passing out. They somehow get their mail mixed up as well, and The World Port is loud and makes it hard to focus on work.

• The World Ports concept is to be a place for everyone. It's main area is a bar with a dance floor and great music. They have sectioned off rooms, identified by colour, each room can accommodate for certain events. You could hold 3 different events in once.

• Smaller Headcannons/Notes:

• Caspian comes into the Gilded Cafe as a place to write his stories. He started going there for the nice coffee and cozy vibes, but the manager seems really nice and passionate about his work, so he kept coming in and is now a regular. And the Barista working there is cute nice to talk to as well

• Rae grew to appreciate the small talks with Capsian while on shift. He's even made it into a few pages of Raes sketch book - that will never see the light of day - but that has nothing to do with anything! Rae always draws random customers for practice! Despite Aax pointing out that he draws Caspian more.

• Aax and Rae are dating and are peeking interest in Caspian.

• Wolf and Centross are dating, though Centross is showing interest in Kai. He would deny it to hell and back even though everyone can see it.

• Icarus gets new ingredients/inspiration from their friends. Athena and Jamie's creations, Momboos flowers etc

• During the business Icarus, Centross and Easton tried to run, Icarus made a purple drink that turned out to have an addicting side effect. Part of the reason thee business failed.

• Since the World Port is exclusive, Icarus can't get in to talk to the owner. However, there have been times when they've come into the Alchemist Brew, and Icarus has just not been in there at the right time to see them.

• If they don't want to deal with maintenance companies, the other owners ask Seven to come over and fix their equipment, especially if it should be a simple fix.

• Galahad works at The Traveller and suggested their own mix of a spicier blend

Feel free to add onto or suggest things!

[reasonsforhope]

"During the global coronavirus pandemic, China built dozens of makeshift hospitals and state quarantine centers, some out of steel container boxes. They became closely associated with the anxiety of mass testing and the fear of sudden lockdowns.

Now, cities are turning the huge centers into affordable housing units for young workers in an attempt to revive the country's economy post-COVID...

Just over a year ago, these apartments were used very differently: for medical triage and quarantine facilities. Beijing alone built 23 of these makeshift facilities, designed to hold up to 23,000 people at a time.

"It was not very cold yet but they told me to pack my belongings," remembers Hudson Li, a Beijing resident who was quarantined in one of these facilities, called fangcang in Chinese, in October 2022...

Less than two months after Li was quarantined, Beijing lifted most of its COVID restrictions. Li says he still associates the fangcang with a feeling of helplessness and fear: "It has been over a year already, but I definitely have PTSD from the pandemic, from the fear of scarcity and having to stock up on a lot of medicine and food."

Attracting young tenants with low rents

Now the fangcang across the country are undergoing a minor transformation and turned into apartment units for young graduates like Li. The changes are an effort from local authorities, who have been tasked with restarting economic growth and supporting small businesses after nearly three years of ruinous lockdowns.

Populous cities like Beijing are also trying to bridge the housing affordability gap between high real estate prices and low salaries, on average, for young workers. In the northeast corner of the capital city, near its airport, one fangcang with more than 4,900 units has been rebranded the "Jinzhan Colorful Community" — a reference to the bright hues of paint — and now offers amenities like a canteen where residents can grab a cheap meal before or after work.

Another fangcang facility, in the northeastern city of Jinan, has been turned into 650 units for skilled workers inside an industrial park.

"Given that the current overall [COVID] epidemic situation in the country has entered a low level, revitalizing the fangcang for other housing purposes is worth learning and thinking about all over the country," Yan Yuejin, a housing analyst, told Chinese media.

The fangcang, once a symbol of containment, are now supposed to represent dynamism and growth.

"I have complex feelings about this. The facilities were built using public funds and not rented out transparently," Li says. "But I do have to say you will not get anything more affordable than these apartments. They are very price competitive."

A list of rental prices for a Beijing fangcang converted into apartments shows most rooms are Rmb1200 (USD $170) a month, low for Beijing."

-via NPR, December 9, 2023

[feminist-space]

"Two landlord lobbying groups are petitioning the Supreme Court to overturn New York City’s rent stabilization law, which would allow further countrywide challenges to rent control. Real estate billionaires friendly with court justices are backing the move.

...

Samuel Stein, a housing policy analyst at the Community Service Society, an anti-poverty organization in New York, said that if the Supreme Court were to overturn the rent stabilization law, “It’s the end of New York City.”

“Rents would go up significantly around the city,” he continued. “There will be a tremendous amount of displacement. You will have a lot of people leaving New York City, you will have a lot of homelessness, you’ll have a lot of overcrowding.”

A high court ruling wouldn’t just reshape New York, but would also pave the way for legal challenges to the dozens of rent control laws that exist around the country, and many more currently being considered. For example, in 2024, Californians will vote on a ballot measure to repeal the state’s ban on rent control.

At least one group petitioning the court to take the case has substantial ties to both Harlan Crow, the GOP megadonor and Justice Clarence Thomas benefactor, and Paul Singer, the hedge fund billionaire who provided an undisclosed private jet flight to Justice Samuel Alito.

...

The challenge to New York’s rent stabilization law was brought by two major New York landlord lobbying groups: the Rent Stabilization Association (RSA) and the Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP).

The two organizations spent a combined $4.7 million lobbying as they pushed to block the passage of a sweeping tenant protection law in 2019. The law, which expanded rent stabilization from just New York City to any locality in the state that chooses to opt in, made it more difficult for landlords to remove units from rent stabilization and added new protections to rent-stabilized units.

Just after the law passed, the groups sued the city and state, arguing that the new law and New York City’s existing 1969 rent stabilization law are unconstitutional.

The lawsuit from RSA and CHIP was dismissed by lower courts, most recently the federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals. But the groups claimed that their intention was always to reach the Supreme Court.

...

O Over the summer, a flurry of corporate lobbying groups and conservative think tanks submitted amicus briefs urging the Supreme Court to take the case. One of these think tanks has close financial ties to the Supreme Court’s billionaire benefactors.

The ties to Crow, a Texas real estate mogul, are salient as Congress urges the Justice Department to investigate Thomas’s alleged repeated violations of federal ethics laws, in part by accepting a series of undisclosed luxury gifts from Crow over two decades.

...

CHIP and RSA themselves represent major corporate landlords in New York, even as they have often claimed to be the voice of mom-and-pop landlords. (The two groups are reportedly considering merging.)

Major real estate and corporate lobbying groups are urging the high court to hear the case, including the California Business Roundtable, the Real Estate Board of New York, the US Chamber of Commerce, the National Apartment Association.

The Supreme Court will decide on the petition on September 26. If they accept it, justices will decide the case during their 2023–2024 term."

[leobebestevens]

my headcanons on what the sp kids professions are! (just my opinions)

stan: engineer. he likes working with his hands so he started in a construction job but soon had enough money to go to college and ended up loving it. sometimes, when stressed about home life or finances, he throws himself into work to distract him, which he's trying to stop doing to spend more time at home.

kyle: criminal justice lawyer. he loved debating, and saw a lot of the behind the scenes of what a lawyer does because of his dad. he takes on a smaller case load than he did so he can spend time with his kids. he used to be a public defense attorney but now works for a private law firm.

kenny: tattoo artist. he didn't go to college or art school but managed to get an apprenticeship with through a friend of a friend and is now a staple in their area.

cartman: car salesman. he can get anyone to buy anything and makes a ton of money off of it. he does have a reputation as a scumbag but every once in awhile he makes a really good sale to keep customers coming in.

butters: preschool teacher. he liked the idea of hanging out with little kids all day and he ended up being really good at what he does. the kids love him and the parents trust him.

wendy: chemist. she has her doctorate in chemistry and sometimes teaches courses at her alma mater, yale. since she's been out of school, finally, she spends a lot of time enjoying her hobbies again and hanging out with her two cats, glitter and sparkles.

bebe: hair stylist/cosmetologist. she does all kinds of hair (including textured hair) and she likes doing fun colors the most. when you sit in her chair you hear all of the gossip going around town and you can't help but tell her some of your own. she gives the best advice and everyone loves getting their hair done by her. some people think she's a bitch but she proudly accepts that title.

clyde: real estate agent. he's charismatic and relates to all kinds of people. his clients recommend him to other people so there's never a shortage of people who want to work with him.

tolkien: financial analyst. he liked learning about stocks and other aspects of finance and so he decided to double major in finance and business. he is still the richest of all of them.

tweek: cafe owner (bakery/coffee shop). tweek's cafe is a staple in south park, plenty of people stop by for their morning coffee and tweek likes spending time with the regulars. a lot of teenagers (including kyle's son, bebe and clyde's daughter, and kenny's nephew) work there and tweek is a great boss.

craig: aerospace engineer. he works at NASA and really enjoys it, though it is a lot of hours and so he tries to keep a healthy work life balance and spend as much time as he can at home with tweek.

jimmy: late night talk show host. everyone in south park and tons of people across the US tune in to listen to him talk. he's a very personable and well liked guy in general and he has a lot of fans.

[mariacallous]

China’s economy is performing dreadfully. The post-pandemic bounce was far smaller and briefer than the Chinese government had anticipated. Despite recording a respectable, if diminished, official growth rate of 5.2 percent in 2023, the reality may have been much slower, with some analysts estimating growth was no more than 1-2 percent. Some indicators showed modest improvement in the first few months of 2024, but the economy still appears to be sputtering, with growth now highly dependent on exports.

Along with the economic slowdown has come a collapse in confidence in China’s trajectory, both at home and abroad. The quantitative data is stark, showing a sudden drop in confidence by consumers and producers in the spring of 2022 following the Shanghai lockdown. Consumers’ outlook improved briefly when the zero-COVID policies ended in late 2022 but has hovered in record-low territory since. Various indices for domestic business show a recent modest recovery, but the numbers are still far off their historic highs.

This data may understate the depth and breadth of the uneasiness that Chinese citizens have about the country’s present and its future—concerns I heard in person during an extended research trip this spring.

The struggling economy—and the collapse of the real estate sector—is the No. 1 issue, but I heard surprisingly frank complaints about zero-COVID and the messy exit, the extended attack on private tech firms, the heightened attention to ideology, an unrealistic pursuit of technology self-reliance, and growing tensions with the West. These fears translate into weak consumer demand, restrained business investment, and efforts to move wealth and family abroad.

One question came up again and again: Why hasn’t the leadership done more to boost the economy and restore confidence? And by leadership, many were actually implicitly referring to a single person, Xi Jinping. The end of term limits, the shift of governance to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organs under his control, and the outsized attention he receives in official media give the Chinese populace (and the rest of the world) the impression that he is fully in charge.

Beijing has not stood still; it has expanded credit, put forth multipoint plans to reassure the private sector and foreign business community, reduced restrictions to buy a second home, and toned down the wolf-warrior rhetoric. But a substantial portion of people I encountered—which is not a scientific sample—have not been impressed, with these steps still adding up to too little, too late.

There were four views that commonly came up on why Xi and other top leaders haven’t taken a different approach, which we might dub “The Four Nos” in Chinese political style. The first is, “He doesn’t know.” Some have speculated that Xi is being kept in the dark about the sour state of the economy by cadres who do not want to give him bad news for fear that he would blame the messenger. And so, the thinking goes, they only provide him with sanitized, positive reports.

One source said they heard that working-level officials at Zhongnanhai have told outside researchers to only submit positive reports. Another said senior officials who control the paper flow to Xi are aligned with the security and propaganda apparatus, so his reading pile reflects their biases. But others with whom I spoke strongly disagreed that Xi and other leaders are not well informed. One expert who has submitted research to the party-state said they were told to provide unvarnished analyses because the leadership wants to receive contending views.

The second idea, “He doesn’t know what to do,” is based on the premise that Xi and other top leaders are well informed but they are facing a variety of problems that are not easy to fix. The list is long—the real estate crisis, ballooning local government debt, the plummeting fertility rate, rising inequality, disaffection in Hong Kong, and expanding tensions with the West and most of China’s neighbors—and solutions are far from simple.

Moreover, the leadership is now composed of the “B-team,” including many with limited central government experience, and policymaking has become so centralized in the CCP that coordination across the bureaucracy and between Beijing and the localities has become harder, not easier.

Multiple confidants said they have heard that on some issues, the leadership has had long debates about how to solve problems, delaying decisions and the rollout of new policies. For example, the leadership apparently identified a weak stock market as a problem in the summer of 2023, but new steps were not rolled out until early 2024, when the head of China’s securities regulator was replaced. Even more challenging is figuring out ways to address one problem that don’t worsen others or coming up with an overall plan that finds a balanced approach.

Solving the real estate mess—and the imbalances in the economy—may be the quintessential example, as it is visibly obvious how difficult it is to find a policy path that effectively navigates the conflicting interests among all of the stakeholders, including the central government, local governments, developers, homeowners, financial institutions, and other economic sectors. In the same vein, the Third Plenum was reportedly postponed from January 2024 to the summer because of a lack of consensus.

Some sources emphasized the drop in quality of top officials, negatively comparing Premier Li Qiang to his predecessor Li Keqiang, who died suddenly last fall. The vice premier in charge of the economy, He Lifeng, is viewed as less capable than his predecessor Liu He.

The third option, “He doesn’t care,” is rooted in the hypothesis that Xi’s top priority is strengthening the CCP’s monopolistic hold on power and his own personal political dominance. Although the media shows him visiting factories and holding discussion sessions on various economic challenges, his own daily schedule may be dominated by managing security and political issues, including personnel decisions, not the economy.

This was by far the least popular option among Chinese interlocuters, but those who held it believed it passionately. Their core impression was that Xi appears willing to sacrifice the economy for the sake of nationalism and CCP dominance. Moreover, Xi is not alone; he was selected as Hu Jintao’s replacement, as one said, “to not be Mikhail Gorbachev,” not to promote rapid growth. Tellingly, the holders of this view tended to be older (above 60); they highlighted apparent similarities in the personalities of Xi and Mao Zedong and parallels between the two periods in their common emphasis on ideological purity and class struggle, which resulted in substantial social and elite tensions.

The final answer, “He doesn’t agree,” speculates that the issue is not Xi’s insufficient access to information, indecisiveness and incompetence, or a lack of interest but rather that he and his lieutenants disagree with the criticism that the current policy line is incorrect and not up to the challenge. In fact, their view may be that given the loss of reliable access to Western technology, markets, and finance, China has no choice but to prioritize developing domestic technologies and gaining as much leverage over global supply chains as possible.

Even more important, Chinese leaders could point to some evidence that their plan is working—dominance in electric vehicles and batteries, the world’s longest high-speed rail system, the C919 single-aisle commercial jet, a series of highly popular internet platforms, the BeiDou satellite system, and more.

A plurality of informants chose this last option. They believe Xi has strong views about the centrality of controlling advanced technologies for both China’s economic and strategic needs and is intensely implementing this vision. Hence, the shift in investment from real estate to advanced manufacturing and intensive party-state support for emerging technologies that could both fuel growth and strengthen the country’s security. Where others see ignorance, incompetence, or disinterest, they see clarity of purpose and decisiveness.

Yet advocates of “He doesn’t agree” are split into two camps. Most who choose this option believe the Chinese leadership has made a strategic blunder by moving in a decidedly statist direction with massive industrial policy and betting so much on controlling the technologies of the future. The turn away from liberalization and insufficient attention to households and consumption, from this view, mean lower productivity, higher debt, slower growth, and, to boot, greater tensions with other advanced economies.

Others who landed on this choice have the opposite reaction. They, in fact, agree with the Chinese leadership’s approach and believe critics are neoliberal ideologues instinctively opposed to an activist state and unfairly dismiss major signs of technological progress. Perhaps not surprisingly, some—though far from all—in this latter camp whom I heard from work in government-based research organizations.

These beliefs matter. If one of the first two options—“He doesn’t know” or “He doesn’t know what to do”—is accurate, then the current path is the product of unintentional mistakes, and all that is needed to generate change is providing the leadership with better information and more effective plans to address the country’s economic woes. How those outside China see this also determines how China should be approached on other issues. It would support the notion held by some officials in Washington that it is important for President Joe Biden to have direct conversations with Xi to ensure he has an accurate understanding of U.S. foreign policy on issues such as Ukraine and Taiwan.

But if Xi and other top leaders don’t care about the economy or disagree with the criticisms, then the current trajectory is the result of an intentional plan, and new data and policy reports with alternative strategies won’t make much of a difference.

It’s possible the leadership will prove critics wrong, but if not, there are two potential sources of change. The first would be a major economic crisis that would create a political reckoning: The current leadership could recognize its mistakes and change gears, some other elite faction could crystalize and replace the current team, or, least likely, the public could rise up in protest and try to unseat the CCP entirely. While there may be more brewing under the surface than outsiders can see, none of these scenarios seem plausible in the short to medium term.

The second source of change would be for China’s leadership to be presented with a far more benign international environment in which the United States, and the West more generally, provided credible reassurances that it would return to being a reliable supplier of technology, markets, and finance; unconditionally recognize the CCP’s authoritarian system as legitimate; and accept Beijing’s sovereignty claims over the South China Sea and Taiwan. But the chances of this shift occurring are even smaller than any of the domestically driven scenarios.

One reason the West is unlikely to become more accommodating is because foreign business executives and officials, when surveyed in and outside China, usually picked “He doesn’t agree.” From the vantage point of overseas boardrooms and capitals, Xi appears in total political control and determined to press ahead with this strategy, with any adjustments being minor tactical shifts to minimally placate domestic and international critics. As a result, they believe they must be more, not less, resolute in standing their ground.

Though far from scientific, this informal survey suggests hardening divisions between parts of Chinese society and its leaders as well as between Beijing and other capitals. That means there’s little chance of bold new action—but the contradictions between the leadership and opposing domestic and international perspectives presage more tensions and conflict to come.

[tomorrowusa]

Russia makes money primarily off of fossil fuels. It does have decent agricultural exports but those alone could not pay for Putin's war machine. So disrupting Russia's oil and gas industry is a way of reducing the country's revenue which allows it to conduct an illegal war of aggression.

Hostile drones have been winding their way across the Russian landscape this winter, striking refineries and related oil and gas infrastructure all the way from the Baltic Sea in the northwest to the Black Sea in the southwest. Drones attacked both the Ilsky and Afipsky refineries in Russia's Krasnodar region, east of occupied Crimea, on Feb. 9, less than a week after another refinery in Volgograd, the largest in southern Russia, was hit. Further attacks have struck other refineries and oil depots near the Ukrainian border, as well as much deeper into Russian territory. Though Ukraine does not typically confirm its actions outside its borders and Russia has not officially acknowledged drones were the cause of these incidents, media reports have identified Kyiv's hand in the attacks occurring with regularity as Moscow's invasion of Ukraine nears the two-year mark. Analysts say the drone attacks are demonstrating that oil and gas targets of economic significance are not out of reach, even far from the front lines of the war. 

The late Sen. John McCain nailed it.

Late U.S. Senator John McCain once derisively described Russia as being "a gas station masquerading as a country" — a jibe underlining the critical importance of oil and gas products to Moscow. Indeed, Russia draws heavily on its resource reserves to support the state. The International Energy Agency says Russia's oil and gas export revenues accounted for 45 per cent of its federal budget in 2021.

Of course a lot of that fossil fuel money gets siphoned off by corrupt oligarchs who use it to purchase superyachts and expensive real estate in Western countries.

A January attack on a Novatek facility in Ust-Luga halted gas processing operations there for several weeks. The plant processes gas condensate into various fuel products that are exported to customers in Turkey and Asia, according to Reuters. Sergey Vakulenko, a former strategy executive at Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of the larger Russian energy firm, believes the Ust-Luga episode may illustrate a bigger problem for Russia than a temporary disruption to production at a single facility. In a recent analysis published online, Vakulenko reasoned that if small drones can get all the way to Ust-Luga, which is hundreds of kilometres from the Ukrainian border, there are some 18 Russian refineries at risk of being targeted, and they account for more than half the country's refinery production. He's not the only analyst noticing this concern for Russia's refineries.

And because hundreds of thousands of competent Russians have (wisely) fled the country and others are being used as cannon fodder for Putin's war, it takes longer to repair facilities damaged by Ukraine.

And the fossil fuel industry mostly has to fend for itself.

Maxim Starchak, an independent expert on the Russian defence and nuclear industry, says regulations have been put in place to restrict drones from flying close to "the most significant fuel and energy sector facilities" and operators are using electronic warfare systems to defend against drone threats. But Starchak said Russian energy firms must foot the bill for expenses related to defence of their facilities. "Moscow will not specifically help," he said, noting Russian authorities may hold firms accountable for not putting measures in place to protect their facilities.

So that burden cuts down on revenue as it adds to the cost of doing business.

One thing Ukraine has been innovative at is drone technology. It's become one of the world's leaders at that.

As Ukraine continues to fight to repel Russian forces from its lands, its military leaders have signalled drones and related technology will be needed to win the war that seems to have no end in sight.

And Western countries find it easier to provide additional drones to Ukraine than to send tanks and cruise missiles.

So Russian convict troops can luxuriate in the ruins of Avdiivka while their oil refineries back home get blown up by Ukraine.

EDIT: Speaking of fuel, just saw this at NPR.

Putin's regime is 'running out of fuel,' a Russian opposition activist tells NPR

[head-post]

Russia nationalises UK property company Raven

Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office filed a lawsuit to nationalise the Russian assets of UK-based Raven Russia, according to Russian media.

This will mark the first time that the exit of a major foreign company has been cancelled, as Raven previously withdrew from Russia through an MBO (management buyout). The mechanism has been an exit strategy for large Western companies since the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022.

Raven Russia is the country’s largest owner of warehouse real estate with a portfolio of 1.9 million square metres. The company owns 17 logistics parks, of which 10 are in the Moscow region and the rest in major cities with a million inhabitants. According to The Bell, analysts estimate the market value of the company’s Russian business at RUB 75-100 billion ($1-1.3 billion).

The founders of Raven Russia are British investors Anton Bilton and Glyn Hirsch. However, after the outbreak of war, the company was delisted from the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM). The company was subsequently sold to its Russian executives Igor Bogorodov and Yaroslav Shuvalov and renamed Phoenix Property Group.

Now, the Prosecutor General’s Office has filed a lawsuit demanding that Raven Russia’s business be transferred in favour of the state. The office has put forward two claims: the purchase of such “strategic assets” as logistics terminals in Russia without special government authorisation, and the illegal re-registration of the company from Cyprus to the UAE after the MBO exit.

Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree paved the way for the nationalisation of foreign assets. The authorities have already taken measures against Finnish and German energy companies Fortum and Uniper, as well as brewing and dairy companies Carlsberg and Danone.

Read more HERE

[wolfliving]

New York City real estate, 02024 AD

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/06/nyregion/pharmacies-vacant-drugstores-retail.html?smtyp=cur&smid=bsky-nytimes

An empty Duane Reade, steps from Wall Street, darkens a landmark office building.

A former Walgreens in a condo in Murray Hill has been closed for over seven years.

A boarded-up Rite Aid in Astoria has attracted a homeless encampment in its parking lot.

They’re all examples of zombie pharmacies, the city’s living dead.

Scores of chain drugstores that once anchored shopping hubs across New York City remain shuttered even as much of the city’s storefront real estate has bounced back from the Covid-19 pandemic. Many could stay that way for years to come, because of ironclad leases, the difficulty of finding new tenants for the sprawling spaces and seismic shifts in the drugstore business, brokers and industry analysts said.

The result is over a million square feet of prime real estate collecting dust in some of the busiest commercial districts, according to a new analysis of the city’s pharmacy market. And critics say the stores have become neighborhood eyesores that attract illegal activity and detract from nearby businesses.

(...)

The pandemic forced many New York landlords to reduce rent and consider different tenants, which benefited many businesses, especially restaurants and cafes, services like nail salons and, for a time, a run of illicit smoke shops, he said.

But big pharmacies have gone in reverse. In 2014, after years of aggressive openings, the major drugstore chains had 656 locations in New York City, according to the Center for an Urban Future, a nonprofit think tank that tracks retail. Now there are fewer than 370, according to Live XYZ.

The industry has changed drastically in recent years, said George Hill, an analyst at Deutsche Bank who covers pharmacies. Pharmacies are now being reimbursed at lower rates for drug sales, which make up three-quarters of store revenue, while online shopping has cut into sales of convenience items like toothpaste and deodorant.

A major retail trade group had cited a surge in theft as a major contributor to store closures, but later admitted that its analysis was overstated. That perception, however, has been costly.

The most common reason is a concept called “dark rent.”

Pharmacy companies are seeking to cut their losses by shuttering unprofitable stores that have high labor costs, Mr. Hill said, but in most cases they are obligated to continue paying the rent long after the store closes, or goes dark.

Most of the pharmacies that have closed in recent years were signed to 10-, 15- or even 20-year leases, at rents that often exceed today’s rates, brokers said.

In these cases, a landlord has almost no incentive to seek a new tenant, allowing the store to sit empty for months or years, said Aric Trakhtenberg, an associate director at Newmark, a real estate firm....

[kmadrigalsoto]

𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 / 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

Name: Kimberly Madrigal Soto

Faceclaim: Kylie Verzosa

Gender & Pronouns: Cis Woman & She/her

Age: 32

Birthday: July 20

Occupation: Executive Assistant (Mayor's Office)

Neighborhood: Midtown

Does your character have a secret? Moved to Wilmington to live a modest lifestyle, when she’s actually an heiress on the run

Would you be willing to have this secret used against them at some point in the future? Yes

𝐈. 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘

Being born into a family that had built a legacy in all of Southeast Asia was a double edged sword for Kimberly Soto. At a young age, failure wasn’t an option and expectations from others was the reality of it all. Of course, this wasn’t her fault as she had no control over the family she was born into, but a part of her felt torn as she experienced both appreciation and self-loathing of such privilege. For starters, money does buy happiness as she never understood the concept of debt as everything was handed to her. However, that was a hefty price to pay as her fate was already decided for her. 

You see, the Soto Industries are Southeast Asia's largest conglomerates, with interests in department stores, supermarkets, banks, hotels, real estate and mining. Kimberly’s father is the eldest of four siblings that had inherited a portion of her grandfather’s business and from there has been making it a family tradition to ensure the Soto name doesn’t die out. Unfortunately for him, Kimberly’s heart and mind was far from all this. Sure, she maintained good grades, was heavily involved in extracurricular activities and stayed out of trouble in the public eye for her family’s sake. However, as Kimberly grew older, she had felt a longing for such a sweet escape and more importantly, her freedom. 

Her rebellious phase didn’t kick in until she was in university, exposing herself to Asia’s nightlife while studying for her bachelor’s degree and soon her MBA. With the goal of not having to rely too heavily on her family’s wealth, Kimberly earned her own, yet unnecessary side income by working her way into being a known DJ in Asia’s club scene under the alias MS K (pronounced: Miss K). By the age of 27, she had graduated from her MBA and was thrown into Soto Industries as a Business Analyst before working her way up within her professional growth. It was nepotism, the end of her nightlife, and her need to please people that got her to a Director role at the prime age of 30. However, all it took was a bit of a push for Kimberly to leave it all behind.

Her father expected her to be wedded by now and was in the process of setting her up with another business heir. However, before they could even meet, Kimberly had left for the United States as she’d secretly been obtaining a work visa behind her family’s back. With a legal document curated by her lawyer that outlined her terms and conditions, as well as a name change to Kimberly Madrigal, the Soto heiress left without another word and went no contact upon her arrival to her new home. Now she’s residing in Wilmington as an Executive Assistant in the Mayor's Office and is trying to maintain a quiet and quaint life away from the limelight. 

Or at least she hopes.

𝐈𝐈. 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

LAST NAME CHANGE: Currently known as KIMBERLY MADRIGAL, rarely discloses her full legal name unless needed (i.e. in legal documentations, etc.)

EDUCATION: Has her Bachelors in Business and completed her MBA in the National University of Singapore (NUS)

Has been living and working in the US for two years now

Hobbies and interest include gaming (PC/Console), still djing and creating mixes, shopping, travelling, astrology, karaoke, eskrima (filipino martial arts)

Wants to get a tattoo, but is scared of commitment - same goes with getting a pet

The drastic career change from a director level role to an administrative one was something Kimberly got used to as she enjoyed not having to make any decisions for herself or the greater good of a company and instead treated her admin role as an 'organizational game'

UNKNOWN: Doesn't really know what her true passion is and hopes that through her interactions and a new environment that she'll be able to do some self-discovery

IGNORANCE IS BLISS: She knows that she's living a lie and will have to eventually face her family in the future, but for now no news is good news and she's just vibing out

[curiousorigins]

So we all know about the older generation freaking out about the birth decline right? And that one of the reasons has been that they're worried about not enough people around to care for them in their old age.

(Hence one reason why supposedly there was a push to revoke Roe V. Wade because that would magically solve it. [even though lots of women died of birth related complications prior to Roe and now people are literally getting themselves sterilized to prevent that fate.])

But anyways, I have a new theory, it's about real estate. If people are truly dying faster at a significant rate than people are being born, then one, a lot of us will be inheriting property. Two, there may be an excess of real estate very soon, if birth decline trends continue.

What is one of the hardest things in a person's life to attain, property a place to live. Which has definitely been used to control people.

There's also a fact that real estate up until fairly recently was considered one of the safest ways of investing money. Most people would rather sell their home than not pay their mortgage.

What are the two ways that rich people make money without labor or control their workforce (if they're even business owners at all.)?

In interest, via people paying for their mortgages and in owning and renting property. Who's going to bother renting if there's a bunch of houses? How worthwhile will their many acres be if there's a ton of empty houses? Their land won't be gaining value just by existing in their names anymore.

If a true excess of houses happens, then the main money in real estate ventures will actually be in repairing them, maintaining them, and customizing them. All jobs that would be considered blue collar work that actually requires real labor.

The rich people paid various analysts to say that a declining birth rate would make the old people not get care (Which makes sense because the party that serves the richest also tends to be voted for via old people.) So they chose a fear that most of their voters would care about to take advantage of...

But yeah, it's about real estate and banks and not making interest anymore for doing nothing but holding onto resources. Also obviously the less people there are, the more valuable all laborers would be too. When there's more people than jobs, that's an employers market, right? They can lowball their workers and the workers have to go for it because they need a place to live and eat. Where there are more jobs than people, that's an employees market. Where the main negotiation actually favors them, because they are hopefully empowered to know that the company needs them more than they need that company.