finguanzo
Well-known
Thanks for screwing up my retirement Cal.. 🙂
New York July NYC Meet-up?
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Randy,
Read the cover story in the June 30th-July 13th "New York" magizine. It provides the smut and presents how the specific New York laws, government policy and a series of loopholes have created shelters for crime barrons, oliaches, drug dealers and of course the guys who make money the old fashioned way (by stealing it) the wealthy.
The article outlines why NYC is used as the place to create basically could be considered a "bunker" in case they need to escape their home country, and why in particular ownership is kept in the black to avoid any risk of confiscation. They even teach you how to launder money. I'm not at that level yet. LOL.
Cal
zauhar
Veteran
Cal, I will look for it.
The question that astonishes - how are these b**stards making this much money, while as Dan points out it's getting harder for even well-educated people to find a job that actually pays a salary? I can only imagine that as you suggest there is a small elite that is basically feeding like parasites off the rest of the population. But in a world of 7 billion 'small fraction' still translates into many millions, and they all want to congregate in NYC, SF, London, etc.
Here's a data point that sticks in my mind - when I graduated in 1986, the 'standard' starting professional salary for someone with an advanced degree in metro NY was $50K - IN 1986 DOLLARS. Now my students are lucky to get that kind of money in 2014 dollars!
Randy
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Fidel,
Sorry again to my friends a generation or two younger. You guys will have to fix all the problems my generation created. No Social Security for you. Right now I'm scamming on how to maximize my Social Security benefit. Also know that my father, a poor iliterate illegal immigrant lived to be 94 after having a very hard and brutal life. I figure a slacker like me should easily live past a hundred.
"Row hard and live long Fidel."
Here's my scam. If I stop working or get fired when I'm 66 years old, which is only a decade from now, I'll apply for Social Security and then defer payments until I am 70. I think because I will have two pensions and I will have enough money in my 403B (non profit) that I can coast through 4 years. For each year I don't collect Social Security I get an 8% increase in my benefit, but the catch here (meaning loophole) is that if I can't wait till 70 I get all the back payments as a lump sum (plus cost of living adjustments). The trick here if I get a lump sum is how to tax shelter the lump sum. If I hold off till seventy I will get 4X8%=32% increase to my social security benefit for the rest of my life. Add this up for thirty or more years particularly because I'm spitefull and stuborn and I screw the American public yet again.
Anyways, I'm sure I'll be able to continue gaming the market. All I need is an internet connection, the Wall Street Journal, and a Scottrade Account. "FTW," I say.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Randy,
"Maggie" (not her real name) tells me that grad students that graduate from Fordham Law School which is kinda highly ranked, but not top tier, are not getting job offers. I know someone in my building who is perhaps 30 who went to Columbia Law School and he stated that he has $300K in student loans. It seems that in 2005 when I got my MFA in Creative Writing I was able to refinance a variable interest rate into a record low fixed rate, and the terms because I owed so much money was extended to 23 years instead of the normal 10 years.
It seems that the government screwed a lot of students by closing down the refincing. Also know that somehow because I'm a clever guy I somehow had the hospital where I work also reimburse my tuition at an expensive private school. This added income was taxed, but it definately created a windfall every semester that deeply enriched me. The lawyer who graduated from Columbia got a job, but he informed me that only some of his loans were able to be refinanced, and basically he is kinda paying a variable credit card rate on most of his student loans. Here is a very smart hard working man, who does not really see how he can ever afford a house because his life is already mortgaged.
I know all of these threads are way off topic, but know that there is a very stong sense of homelessness in my life due to a vast disruptions in my childhood that have a lingering sense of uncertainty. Understand that in my work that began with the credit crisis when I first felt compelled to document how NYC was changing. It has been an obsession that shows a sense of abandonment and loneliness, but this is offset by the life I capture doing street photography.
To further explain it is much more important to me to get the shot than to print and display, which I think many do not seem to understand. Like this topic we will sort it all out at a later time, but we are living in extraordinary times where deep profound change is happening.
Cal
JChrome
Street Worker
There are definitely issues. Key among them is the untenable costs of education. But then every industry has it's bubble and it's my belief this one will burst.
I'm applying for a grad degree in Computer Sci from Georgia Tech. It's the least expensive I could find and at $7000 I think a bargain 🙂. There's also a lot to be said for a free library card. Another reason I love startups, they care much less about the brand name of a big university. Don't get me wrong, they still like it. But (at least in my company) it's a meritocracy.
Regarding the housing situation - it's just insanity. Here in Williamsburg there was an 850 SF 1 bedroom for $1.1 M. This is off the Lorimer stop, not even close to Bedford. But then again... wait a couple years when we're in the bowels (bowelry?) of another recession. Its not a question of if, it's a question of when. So let's be prepared.
I'm applying for a grad degree in Computer Sci from Georgia Tech. It's the least expensive I could find and at $7000 I think a bargain 🙂. There's also a lot to be said for a free library card. Another reason I love startups, they care much less about the brand name of a big university. Don't get me wrong, they still like it. But (at least in my company) it's a meritocracy.
Regarding the housing situation - it's just insanity. Here in Williamsburg there was an 850 SF 1 bedroom for $1.1 M. This is off the Lorimer stop, not even close to Bedford. But then again... wait a couple years when we're in the bowels (bowelry?) of another recession. Its not a question of if, it's a question of when. So let's be prepared.
Lauffray
Invisible Cities
Were you able to shoot much this winter Cal ? We had a brutal season and you guys must have had it pretty rough too
Range-rover
Veteran
Your right John, Last week my Mom went to NYC with a friend and
they went over to 8th ave. and 57st, she felt so bad everything she
knew was pretty much gone her office building was there but every
thing else, even the Horse's Tail is gone! all you guys are right it's
just times are a changing.
Bob
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Jerome,
Thanks for inquiring. Because of my rare disease I had to stay indoors a lot and avoid the cold. The days of going shooting all day in the bitter cold can no longer be part of my life.
Although last winter was brutally cold, I improved my health a lot by getting more fit by using the gym in my building. Also somehow have evolved into a very different photographer due to self reflection and a lot of critical thinking. I really got focused and centered on what is important to me and my work.
I sold an overhauled M4 and 35/2.8 Summaron to a friend; sold a M3-DS that had a brand new "L" seal that had Leica Germany factory service; traded a Noct-Nikkor to become more Leica-centric; acquired a nice black paint MP with 0.85 VF'er, bought a late black version 28/3.5 Canon in LTM; and bought a 90/4.0 Marco Elmar.
Been doing a lot of exploration of "Near City" section of Brooklyn near the Barclay's Center. This redevelopment project is a game changer. Brooklyn is now the "Creative Capitol" of NYC, and Maggie and I intend on setting up a real big move. We are looking to rent a floor through two bedroom apartment in a brownstone in either Park Slope, Fort Green, Clinton Hill or Boreum Hill. I intend on setting up a studio in one of the bedrooms to print big. I have tens of thousands of images to edit through which is mucho crazy ( about 7 years worth of work). I say I created quit a mess to sort though, but I intentially put off printing because I always intended to print big for exhibition, because I was unwilling to compromise quality, and because to do exceptional work one needs the time, space and money.
Mark Cuban once said, "Go big, or don't go at all." This was always my intent and all the planning and sacrifice I think will lead to big impact. The change in my life due to health issues has had a very positive spin and added growth as a serious photographer. Even though I have not been shooting as much as in the past, I've become a much better photographer.
BTW I'll be visiting Montreal in late August for five days. Maggie is a skinny bitch who is also a fashion maven. There's a kinda fashion week going on while we will be there.
Cal
stompyq
Well-known
Meetups today. See you all at Puck fair at 1
dshfoto
Well-known
see you there
Lauffray
Invisible Cities
Cal it's so great you turned this into such a positive thing (I sound like a sap, but I mean it)
Also, if you have time and want to go shooting in Montreal, definitely let me know, I should be around in August
Lauffray
Invisible Cities
jsrockit
Moderator
Small meet-up... typical for July though.
NY_Dan
Well-known
Hi John, I really wanted to come -- but just wasn't able to. 🙁
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Jerome,
Thanks for the offer. Montreal is a likely a retirement destination because of the "underground city" that seems specifically built to shelter me from the cold despite the colder climate. Learning French via full immersion into the second largest French speaking city is a typical "Calzone" move.
Been performing lots of retirement financial planning, and I should have a very nice retirement that includes afluence, but I have to stay fit to remain healthy. Twenty miles of tunnels that interconnect the city, mass transportation, and even a commuter railway give me plenty of winter mobility.
Because "Maggie" has a PhD, and I have two masters degrees it seems that we will likely be able to get full-time resident Visas, and we will exceed the income requirements. Montreal is also not far from NYC which is another draw.
"Maggie" and I will only be in Montreal for 5 days. Not a lot of time, and it will be during some fashion event. I'll be shooting the Monochrom and also a Rolliflex.
Cal
Post-Script: BTW I finally bought a 2005 black paint MP, but with a 0.85 VF'er. Last week I shipped the MP to Sherry to get overhauled and have the 75mm frames stripped out. It came with a hazy VF'er that also had the vertical alignment slightly off. Anyways I was always impressed by your black paint MP.
zauhar
Veteran
Had to haul my kid to camp yesterday, hope you all had a great time.
Randy
Randy
gdmcclintock
Well-known
How big is big, Cal?
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
George,
So far 18 1/2 by 18 1/2 shooting the square, wet prints on 20x24 for museum framing. At this size using a tripod makes a big difference in the sharpnes and detail. At Chelsea Photographic 20x24 is their size limit. The museum framing utilizes a 4 inch boarder so a framed print is impressive.
I have a Besseller 23C (non XL) enlarger and German glass so all I really need is the space to set up a darkroom. I'll be able to print 20x24 at a lot less than $150.00 a print that Chelsea charges for a print on fiber paper.
With the Leica Monochrom I think I can print some images 20x30. Getting the MF resolution isn't so hard with the MM, but getting the broad tonality of film is the challenge. I like using yellow filters to capture the contrast with image capture. I don't want a lot of post processing that adds digital artifact, and I find that using filters gives me better tonality, broader histograms, and limits clipping in both the shadows and highlights. My 3880 can only print up to 17x22, but I can get the few gigantic prints made for me. Also I don't like shooting above 800 ISO due to the increase of digital noise.
Cal
JeffNYC
Well-known
sorry to miss this one.