Robert Paul Leitao on Apple soars to $348.22: A new record close - 'David: That’s my understanding. From Annuities Academy: https://www.annuityacademy.net/annuity-types/qualified-longevity-annuity “Enter the QLAC — the Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract. A QLAC is a specific type of deferred income annuity that the IRS has blessed with a special feature: the money invested in a QLAC is excluded from RMD calculations. It’s one of the very few legal ways to reduce required minimum distributions. Another way to think about it: a QLAC takes a slice of an IRA and converts it into a guaranteed future pension. In the meantime, the IRS can’t force withdrawals from that slice. It’s longevity insurance purchased with retirement-account money, wrapped in a tax-friendly package that Congress specifically designed for this purpose.”'
on Saturday Apple audio: On things as they are (1982) - 'This audio is absolutely remarkable. Does anyone know where this talk took place (or who discovered it)? Virtually everything Steve says here is widely quoted (eg, in the Steve Jobs Archive) as being from speeches he gave in the MID-90s. It’s fascinating that SJA had no idea he said all of it in 1982. I have long believed that people don’t understand how much Steve had figured out by 1985. There is a tendency to dismiss Steve in his first gig at Apple as naive or immature. When Steve used to come to The Boston Computer Society (in 1981, 1982 & 1984) he always seemed to me to be ~20 years ahead of everyone. I think he had figured out by 1982 a lot of what the iPhone would become in 2007 (though I believe—from a talk he gave in 1982 at the Rosen Personal Computer Forum—he imagined it earlier on as more like an iPad mini). Steve held onto a seemingly failed vision for years after he was fired from Apple. But he never stopped believing in it. It raises a question: If one has a deeply developed vision for something important but it’s not working, how do you know when it’s time to let it go vs. time to never stop believing?'
on Selected Duo video reviews: Gruber, Brownlee, Tong - 'I’d like to see a video of ordinary people being given a Duo to use for ten minutes. Gauging their reactions would be a much better review than all these so called experts who would nitpick over whether the Mona Lisa was really any good.'
on Apple soars to $348.22: A new record close - 'So a QLAC allows you to kick a can down the road out of the RMD requirement?'
on Apple soars to $348.22: A new record close - 'Robert, are QLAC distributions taxable? and if so, how are they better than simply doing annual Roth conversions of $200–300K up to the top of the 24% tax bracket and having totally tax free growth in the Roth account?'
on Made for Duo apps - 'Of course, the above list will grow rapidly as Duo-mania hits every shore, city, and social media group. Haters decry all the hubbub, saying “it’s just a phone” “why do people even bother to line up for something in short supply?”, “lining up is so 20-teens, it’s easier to just have it delivered or wait” Haters also remain insanely jealous that Apple products engender this demand and desire behavior (outside of the reseller purchases for profit making) precisely because Android models don’t have nearly the interest and sales, passion yes, and mostly because there are few official stores to queue up at. When none of them except Huawei invest in major stores as focused gathering places, there’s no place for humans to have fun and enjoy a social event spontaneously created by users and fans, and supported by attention from the maker like Apple does. Secondly, like other population factions, when they don’t like something, they just dismiss it as marketing, sheep / herd behavior, juvenile behavior so as to make themselves feel better about why their own fandom and favorite makers can’t generate that kind of enthusiasm. Samsung even mocked it in ads. Well, after Apple smashes new Foldable release records, and then proceeds to outsell Samsung Fold 8’s and then Fold 8 AND Ultras combined (assuming Foxconn / Apple factory is humming), Apple could (but won’t, not their style) answer Samsung USA’s mocking ad campaign of: “Let us know when you’re done reheating our leftovers” and “We’ve been folding since 2019” With “We tossed your leftovers and stole your lunch money” and “hmm, “Folding since 2019”, ~25M total folds over 8 years to date, and Duo could sell over half of that in its first year.”'
on Apple soars to $348.22: A new record close - 'Taxes never take it all. My tax strategy is to make more than my tax obligation, much more.'
on Gene Munster: The Duo lines are surprisingly long - 'I went to see it in the late afternoon. No lines. Easy to try one out. It feels really nice in the hand. The screen is beautiful. The “snap” you hear when it closes is really satisfying,. I found it just slightly disorienting, things are not where I expect them to be. I think if I got one I would adapt quickly.'
on Gene Munster: The Duo lines are surprisingly long - 'I’m went to see the Duo for myself, and I took to it right away. Next gen will be even better. The Apple Store employee told me a line started forming the night before, and everything sold out by morning.'
on Fearing riots, 7 French Apple stores to close Saturday - 'This has unfortunate merit. Hence upvoted.'
on Fearing riots, 7 French Apple stores to close Saturday - 'hi, Gregg, I think you meant: “The tax cuts only raise our national [debt] and widen the wage gap.” …which the middle class will end up paying….'
on Fearing riots, 7 French Apple stores to close Saturday - 'iPhones broken down for parts are still valuable. See the iPhone theft epidemic in London.'
on Fearing riots, 7 French Apple stores to close Saturday - 'When you give people a free lunch, and convince them that they deserve the free lunch, it’s only a matter of time before they want a bigger free lunch.'
on 'I heard an audible crack, and the screen broke right along the hinge.' - 'David, let’s hope that is the case, and I am not seeing any similar comments online, nor YouTube… Regards, Brian M'
on Fearing riots, 7 French Apple stores to close Saturday - 'I’m a little surprised that the NFL is going ahead with it’s Sunday game there.'
