The Daily Populous

Vancouver declares 5% of homes empty and liable for new tax

After introducing a 20% tax on foreign buyers, the city in western Canada is continuing to tackle housing affordability.

Thousands of homes in Vancouver have been declared unused and liable for a new empty homes tax as part of a government attempt to tackle skyrocketing home prices and soaring rents.

The story of No 20: how does a London family home end up empty in 2018?

Properties deemed empty will be subjected to a tax of 1% of their assessed value.

Vancouver has rolled out a raft of measures to cool prices and improve housing affordability in the country’s most expensive real estate market.

In 2017 the provincial government of British Columbia raised its foreign buyer tax from 15% to 20% to target offshore investors blamed for pushing up prices.

Nearly 61% of the homes declared empty in Vancouver were condos, and other multi-family properties made up almost 6%, according to the city government. »

We Can Now Store Light as Sound, And It's a Game Changer For Computing

Authored by sciencealert.com

This is because they, in theory, would process data in the form of photons instead of electrons.

We say in theory, because, despite companies such as IBM and Intel pursuing light-based computing, the transition is easier said than done.

Another pulse of light, called the 'read' pulse (blue), then accesses this sound data and transmits as light once more (yellow). »

Terry Crews’ Sexual Assault Case Against Adam Venit Rejected by City Attorney

Authored by thewrap.com

Prosecutors will not file charges against Adam Venit, the WME agent accused of groping Terry Crews, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office said Wednesday.

Crews filed a sexual assault complaint against Venit with the Los Angeles Police Department in December, and the case was referred to the district attorney’s office, which subsequently referred the case to the city attorney’s office for misdemeanor filing consideration.

Also Read: Terry Crews Sexual Assault Accusation Sent to District Attorney by LAPD. »

The creator of Pepe the Frog is suing Infowars

Authored by cnn.com

(CNN) Pepe the frog, the once-innocent cartoon that was appropriated as a mascot of the alt-right, is at the center of a new legal battle.

Matt Furie, the character's creator, is suing Infowars, the media company helmed by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

In the lawsuit filed Monday, Furie alleges copyright infringement stemming from a stylized poster sold on the Infowars website. »

Eggman Introduces Legislation to Create a “Right to Repair” for Electronics

Authored by a13.asmdc.org

The legislation would require manufacturers of electronics to make diagnostic and repair information, as well as equipment or service parts, available to product owners and to independent repair shops.

People who can’t afford the high price of manufacturer-based repair services are increasingly forced to prematurely replace durable goods, such as phones, TVs, and appliances.

"The bill is critical to protect independent repair shops and a competitive market for repair, which means better service and lower prices. »