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mike92104
Participant[quote=jimmyle]Why the diesel version of any car costs so much more than the gasoline. The diesel premium is even more than the hybrid premium. You can understand the hybrid premium with the massive battery and additional electric motor.
2014 Volkswagen Passat Sedan–MSRP from $20,845
2014 Volkswagen Passat Diesel–MSRP from $26,295I wonder if the out of the door differnce is much smaller than the MSRPs suggest.
[quote=AN][quote=evolusd]On the topic of cars, what do you guys think of the trend of more diesels in USA? Seems like you get the gas mileage benefit of a hybrid, but don’t sacrifice the driving pleasure as they tend to have tons of low end torque.
Audi A3 TDI sedan looks pretty cool.[/quote]I’m loving the fact that there are more diesels in the US now. Although, all of them have been gearing toward MPG instead of performance. I’d love to see one that gear more toward performance.[/quote][/quote]
Diesel engines have to be made much more robustly to handle the nearly double compression ratio. Also, most are going to Common Rail Injection which use a Bosch fuel pump that runs over $2000 (capable of producing something like 20,000 lbs of pressure), and they all need a turbo which adds another $2000 or more.
Then you have to deal with the EPA . . . . .
Participant[quote=paramount]@flu: When I bought my 328 it had about 2 days of factory warranty left. I did have the full history, it was a lease return. I remember that the heads had been replaced, which was a known issue with the 328.
The code was something like: engine (or coolant) did not reach operating temp.[/quote]
Sounds like a thermostat. I’m not sure how difficult it might be on a bmw, but it’s a pretty easy/cheap fix on most other cars. Spend a few bucks and get a Chilton manual at an auto parts store and look it up, or search for your car make + thermostat on google.
On the electrical gremlins, I would check that the negative battery cable is tight on the battery. I’ve seen several cars with strange electrical issue that were fixed by proper grounding. I work on all my own cars, and the difference in cost vs going to a mechanic or even worse a dealer are staggering.
ParticipantI agree with the outrage. Cops need to use force to defend themselves or other, but there is no justification in using violence to force someone to submit to your will. He was obviously not going anywhere, and I don’t have a problem with paying the officers for a little more time to avoid beating citizens.
Participant[quote=FlyerInHi]Oh and talking about sharing data without consumer permission, it’s already happening. How do you think you can log on to different services using your google or Facebook account?
You may think that only by signing on, you’re giving your permission. But the databases are already connected. Some DBA guy with the right permission can get to the data.
For all we know, the NSA could be connected the same way Facebook is connected to amazon.
I do wish you luck in passing legislation to force businesses to delete all data but for thr minimum necessary for billing purposes.
I think the opposite is true. When you die, your kids will still be able to see what you bought at Lowes last year.[/quote]
Just lay down and take it.
Participant[quote=FlyerInHi]We will see who is right.
From Apple to Facebook to google and other businesses, customers are being tracked and followed for marketing purposes. If the data is stored somewhere, the government can access it. And businesses are more than willing to share.
[/quote]Businesses are compelled to share it. I think they would rather keep it to themselves and not share any of it. They spent quite a bit of money to collect it, so why would they want to share it?
Participant[quote=FlyerInHi][quote=mike92104]
Why not laws preventing the storage of any of our personal communications or metadata not needed for billing purposes?[/quote]
good idea… but good luck with that.
The business community will not support it because that will eliminate all marketing efforts. That would be the end of location marketing, and individually targeted marketing, big areas of growth.
And what? you want to regulate how businesses keep data on their consumers? That sounds like socialism!!![/quote]
I think business will work within the will of their customers. If they don’t want data collected, and are willing to go elsewhere, businesses will concede. The only reason I see this idea failing is when sheeple decide that nothing can be done about it, and accept it.
Participant[quote=FlyerInHi]Not sure what the point is. The perpetrators will go to jail.
Zimmerman is going free for a killing that he could easily have avoided. Big difference.[/quote]
Trayvon could have avoided being killed by not attacking Zimmerman.
Participant[quote=spdrun]FlyerInHI – What’s the need for a consortium? A single database introduces a single possible point of failure. Why not just have the individual carriers store the data (for a limited time, not to exceed several years!!!!!!!!!), subject to release upon court order? Civilian courts, of course, none of this FISA Star Chamber nonsense.
Secondly, some level of crime (and yes, even terrorism) is the price we pay for a relatively free society. I’d rather have law enforcement’s hands tied and civil liberties respected than “solve lots of crime.”[/quote]
Why not laws preventing the storage of any of our personal communications or metadata not needed for billing purposes?
Participant[quote=CA renter]
As private enterprise entered the war zone at unprecedented levels, the amount of corruption ballooned, even if most contractors performed their duties as expected.
According to the bipartisan Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the level of corruption by defense contractors may be as high as $60 billion. Disciplined soldiers that would traditionally do many of the tasks are commissioned by private and publicly listed companies.
Even without the graft, the costs of paying for these services are higher than paying governement employees or soldiers to do them because of the profit motive involved. No-bid contracting – when companies get to name their price with no competing bid – didn’t lower legitimate expenses. (Despite promises by President Barack Obama to reel in this habit, the trend toward granting favored companies federal contracts without considering competing bids continued to grow, by 9 percent last year, according to the Washington Post.)”[/quote]
Just remember that somewhere in the chain is a corrupt public official allowing this to happen. They’re probably getting a huge cut, and or campaign contributions to look the other way.
Unionized public workers are a problem. As I’ve said before, I am pro-union for the private sector. That’s because I believe the union has to play a role in the health of the company, or face bankruptcy when people choose not to buy their products or services because those labor costs have been passed on. In the public sector however, the lack of need for profitability or efficiency means the unions can keep asking for more and more while those costs are simply passed on to the taxpayer who has no choice but to pay them.
Participant[quote=ctr70]Also, in terms of racial profiling…90% of black homicides in this county come at the hands of other blacks. Is that due to racial profiling?
Blacks are 13% of the U.S. population and commit a disproportionate amount crimes such as robbery, aggravated assault and property crimes. Is that due to racial profiling? Is the elevated high school dropout rate for blacks due to racial profiling? Is the fact that 75% black households growing up without their fathers due to racial profiling?[/quote]
This unfortunately is all due to poverty in my opinion. Something all this racial PC BS does nothing for.
ParticipantI somewhat agree. I do see unions as an important part in improving worker safety and standards of living. However, they have to keep demands reasonable. If labor costs are through the roof, and the company can’t make a profit and folds, the union loses as well.
I was a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stagehand Employees. Since they’re an international union, there are a lot of differences between the local chapters. The local I joined was #153 in El Paso, TX. We maintained goof relationships with all of our clients, and were quite often complimented in how well and how quickly we did our jobs (quick is important when you show is loading out at 1am and has to be in Phoenix by 8). As such, we never had an issue with getting work and getting new clients.
When I moved to San Diego, I contacted the local here and decided they were nothing but a gang of thugs. No promoter would use them if they could avoid it, and non union arena’s such as Cox, Coors, Viejas, etc got contracts for many, many more shows than the Sports Arena (It doesn’t help that the Sports Arena is a dump). The difference was amazing, and I chose to leave the union.
My point is that there has to be a balance. Companies will always try to pay the lowest wage possible, and I think it’s great that employees have the option to organize and bargain collectively, but when they run the company into bankruptcy, it’s their own damn fault.
My problem with public employee unions is that the “company” will never fold. Labor costs simply continue to soar sucking up more and more tax money from the public until they scream. At that point they’re all labeled as “greedy republicans” that don’t want to pay their “fair share”.
ParticipantI could give a flying F*%$ about the consequences. I see Snowden as a patriot. None of the other traitors were trying to inform us that our government had begun to spy on it’s own citizens.
July 19, 2013 at 2:29 PM in reply to: OT – Janet Napolitano appointed head of University of Cal system #763670Participant[quote=Hobie]
My largest concern is policy changes to allow more foreign students to be admitted and offered generous fin aid rather than Calif natives and other US citizens.
It is what it is.[/quote]
My understanding of that policy change was to admit more foreign and out of state students to raise revenues. By limiting the number of resident students, the UC system keeps the tax money it gets without having to spend it on CA residents.
Participant[quote=UCGal][quote=mike92104]i too think Zimmerman profiled Martin, but not racially. I think any young man wandering around the neighborhood in the rain at 2am is odd and suspicious.[/quote]
How about a young man walking home from 7/11 at 7pm. (not 2am).
That’s the actual timeline.[/quote] You’re right, I had my facts wrong. At that point it would be a matter of Trayvon’s actions, and it’s hard to know exactly what Zimmerman saw, or felt was suspicious. -
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