[an]

tg, you should get this: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/24/2012-chevrolet-camaro-zl1-first-drive-review/#continued

forget the Porsche. This is what I would call a Secretariat.. This car makes all BMWs seem like mules. It plays with the big boys in the Nurburgring. Also, Ferrari license this suspension from GM. Not to mention, it’s American 🙂

[an]

If you must have excel, I like this template the most:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/results.aspx?qu=amortization&ex=1&origin=TC001056620#ai:TC010073881|

I actually modified this one to also calculate tax saving as well, based on my own tax bracket. Within this one, it’ll show you how much you have left on your loan after each month. You then can just subtract that from your estimated price and yield your equity.

[an]

[quote=Aecetia]Amazing. I did not think you had to have human collectors. I think most of the South Bay is unmanned or unwomanned and they just use cameras to collect the scofflaws who do not pay, but I could be mistaken.[/quote]
I was in Florida last year at Disney World and they still have manned/womanned toll booth. Maybe it’s a east coast/west coast difference.

[an]

Yes.

[an]

[quote=pri_dk][quote=AN]I don’t know if the guys at NSA is anymore qualified in digital security than the guys at Norton, Symantec, and other digital security software companies.[/quote]

I think the NSA has a handful of the very best mathematicians surrounded by an army of mediocre bureaucrats collecting “middle class welfare.”

…or, based on sdr’s numbers, likely “upper-middle class welfare.”[/quote]
But I have to believe these digital security firms also have at least a handful of the very best mathematicians as well. After all, their software are being used by many many companies. If they don’t have the best working for them, then they wouldn’t survive, right?

[an]

[quote=pri_dk][quote=sdrealtor]As soon as the word risk comes up, she automatically takes it to mean financial derivitive engineers and their ilk on Wall Street. I beleive in the capitalistic ideals this country was founded on. That taking risk with ones time and money to innovate is what should be rewarded. Instead of going to work with ATT (pre-privatization/break up of Baby Bells) that could mean joining a start-up in SD called QCOM not knowing if you would have a job next month. It could mean taking a job at a biotech start-up working on a cancer drug instead of working for the state toxicology lab. It could mean going to college and med school (most dont make it) instead of becoming an EMT. It could mean opening a new restaurant like Panera Bread instead of working as a cook at the employee cafeteria in the County Services building. When people take risk like that they more often than not fail and those that succeed should be rewarded. That is how innovation and progress occurs. That is what made this country great and will keep it great instead of being another failed Socialist regime like the USSR, East Germany etc.[/quote]

Well said.[/quote]
I second this as well. sdr took the words straight out of my mouth.

[an]

[quote=sdrealtor][quote=CA renter]
Of course, I’ve heard that the “real” cream-of-the-crop in tech end up in places like this, but we can’t really know what they are getting paid. I’m guessing it would be even more difficult to get hired here than at Google IF one is qualified.

http://www.nsa.gov/careers/jobs_search_apply/hirerequire.shtml%5B/quote%5D

Not true. Havent you heard? The CIA and NSA are shuttering their operations because of the success of their Facebook initiative[/quote]
To add on top of that, I think guys like Brin, Page, Gates, Zuckerberg, Jacobs, Yang, Jobs, Wozniak, etc. are what I’d consider true cream of the crop. I don’t know if the guys at NSA is anymore qualified in digital security than the guys at Norton, Symantec, and other digital security software companies.

[an]

[quote=CA renter]Take them away, and you’ll see high turnover rates (which I’ve explained before will break any govt employer before any “pension crisis” will), and a far less motivated workforce.[/quote]
Really? Then how come we’re not seeing this problem in the private sector at good companies? Companies who treat their employees well. The one I see with high turn over rates are the crappy employers who don’t respect and treat their employees well. Those also tend to go under as well. This might not be a bad thing, whipping the public employers into shape to keep pace with the good private employers.

[an]

[quote=CA renter]They found that those in the public sector were, on average, making at or below what comparably qualified employees in the private sector were making.[/quote]

and

[quote=CA renter]Public employees tend to be the most qualified employees in their respective fields. Of course they expect to be compensated for it.[/quote]
are two totally different thing.

Also, what’s the definition of qualified? Those who are most efficient? Those who have the most patent? Those who streamlined their jobs the most? Those are the characteristics I would consider for being qualified. If they are the most qualified, and the kind of service I get from DMV vs AAA or USPS vs FedEx/UPS say that they either measuring the wrong qualification or these qualified people are not performing at their peak level.

I know a few public sector engineers in both the school system and the Navy. I wouldn’t say they’re the most qualified. I’ve seen their tools getting dulled every year they’re in the public sector. While the one in the private sector, if you let your tools get dulled, you’re gone. Those I know who are in those public sector advise me not to get into there (I did consider switching at one point). Their reason is, if I get in, I can’t get out. My tool set will be dulled and the skills I gain in the public sector won’t be very applicable to the private sector.

Just because someone is not doing something doesn’t mean they can’t talk about it. If you follow your suggestion, then you should “step up to the plate” and be an investment banker or stop whining. Or better yet, you can apply to become a CEO of those banks or private equity firms. Is that a good argument to you? BTW, my skill sets is absolutely not applicable to public sector jobs. So, even if I wanted to, I can’t switch, unless I want to go back to entry level Engineering. The longer you work in an industry, the harder it get for you to switch. Even between different industries in the private sector. Not sure about other profession, but engineering tend to be very specialized as you gain more and more experience.

BTW, in engineering, do you know where the most qualified tend go go? It’s Google, Apple, Facebook, Qualcomm, Microsoft, etc. (depending on where they want to live). Those are where the cream of the crops go. Not to the public sector. Just talking to those who are doing engineering in the public sector, I’d be pulling my hairs out trying to deal with the bureaucracy. Also, with the speed that they’re moving at, I’d be bored out of my mind.

[an]

[quote=flu]GET THE PORSCHE. GET THE PORSCHE. GET THE PORSCHE…[/quote]
I totally agree with flu. GET THE PORSCHE 😀

I also agree with him that the new 6 series looks way better than the current one.

I’m not sure which Porsche you were looking at, but the new Boxster looks way better than the current one.

[an]

I didn’t miss that point. I hear that point all the time. I wanted to believe in that point. I test drove the 330 back then before I got my G35. I wanted to get the 330, but I just can’t overcome the value factor. This C&D review reaffirms it. A $36k 328i without leather and power/heated seat or a similarly priced G37 have leather, powered/heated seat, navigation, backup camera, etc. The list is long. I test drove the 335 and 328 a year or two back and I like the 335 but can’t pull myself to like the price. The 328 is feel so weak, even coming from my G35. I didn’t feel anything special WRT to the handling. The manual gear box is better though, so is the clutch.

BTW, Limited Edition G37 is $41k, 10% less than a fully loaded 328i.

For you to consider the SRT8 does give me a glimpse into what kind of a driver you are and how hard you’d push your car in the turns. Maybe my previous cars have full coilovers and I was spoiled by having a real race suspension. These stock suspension really come down to preferences but they both will be equivalent once you toss on a nice KW3 coilovers.

I too test drove the X5 before buying a MDX. Again, it came down to price. Didn’t feel much of a difference in term of handling or ride. While the SH-AWD from Acura put the AWD in the X5 to shame in snow and incline.

FYI, BMW 3.0 I6 is NOT the best 6 cylinder in the world. That title is reserve for the RB26DETT in the Skyline or the Supra 2JZ-GTE. Those two engines will wipe the floor on BMW’s I6, it’s not even a close competition.

BTW, rumor is BMW is dropping the I6 in favor of a V6. So, there goes the inherent buttery smooth I6. FYI, I6 are smooth because of the inherent balance nature of a I6, not because of some BMW magic.

[an]

[quote=CDMA ENG]Hmmm…

38K is what the offered 3 of us… This is Circa 1998.

And damn near everyone I knew lied about thier offer letter… heheh…

But the three of us all had the same offer letter… pretty general letter…

My uncle was at the main building on the I5 and my aunt still resides over at the light house… Best damn office in the US…

Yeah they like it… But I needed money and 38K wasnt enough for SD…

Main building is always very busy… I am not sure how it is anywhere else…

CE

P.S. That was for BSEEs… Your friends had masters?[/quote]
Nope, we all have BSEE. The person I know in North Island with friends at SPAWAR told me (back then) that they have been making SPAWAR pay much more competitive. Maybe your offer was before they decided to be competitive. A lot of his friends jumped from North Island to SPAWAR because of the drastic increase in pay.

I don’t doubt people would lie about their pay but two have two people lying and giving me the same number is a huge coincidence if it’s not true. We were pretty open about our initial offer back then. So I didn’t doubt them.

[an]

TG, I know what you mean about Mercedes’ repair bill. My wife had a C240 once upon a time and when she brought it in for an oil change, they say it’s due for some basic service where they mainly just check stuff, change the oil and air filter, and they want $900 for it. I bought better brake pads for that car and found out Mercedes doesn’t install parts, you’d have to buy it from them. I think they wanted around $1k for that too. I end up getting a shop installed the better than OEM pad for much cheaper.

That’s one thing that I like about Infiniti. You can buy your own parts and have them install it. I trust them more than just some no name shop on major repair. But you can save a lot of money by buying the parts online and skip those “services”. I usually just ask them what are the major things that need to be replaced for that particular service. I then go buy the parts online and have them install it. They end up inspecting the car anyways and I save a bundle.

[an]

[quote=flu]http://www.sdbmwcca.com/[/quote]
I used to autoX a lot and I see those BMW and Porsche club all the time at the Q. However, having my first taste at a real track, I’ll never do autoX again. When the kids are grown, I’ll convert my G35 into a track car and get a CPO M5 as my daily driver. You get so much more bang for your bucks at a real race track. But you do go through tires and brakes very quickly. Reduce some weight, toss this on: http://www.jimwolftechnology.com/TTINFO/ttindex.htm, upgrade the suspensions and my G35 should be able to embarrass my future M5 :-D. My brother is a big track geek as well with a 400WHP Evo. I’m hoping to learn a thing or two from him and go with him to the many track days.

[an]

[quote=flu]TG, I’ll settle this once and for all. Just get this.

IT’s > 335 > G37 > 328

[/quote]
Haha, I’ll concur with that ranking and I’d take that M5 too. Just DOOOOO IIIIIIIIIT :-D. I might pull the trigger on that one in 3-4 years as a CPO. 2008 M5 CPO are around $40k today, so that’s what I’m expecting this 2011 M5 will be at in 4 years.

[Author]

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