icantdrive55

You're completely right about the Bay Area.

1. We need more bike lanes. Sensible lanes. They don't need to be huge.

2. We need to allow bikes on the shoulders of highways. (Got a ticket as a kid)

3. Personally, although I hate regulations, I would like to see all public buildings, and any new, or remodeled commercial buildings be required to provide showers for all employees whom bike to work. They would get an extra 10 minutes before clocking in.

4. Ride a mountian bike in the city. Don't ride a road bike, unless you're very skilled. I've seen so many guys go down. Bike messengers never seem to get hit, or have much trouble, but they are professional bikers--sorry, but they are, and I know some drive crazy.

5. Give a state credit to all employees whom bike to work. (I don't know how you could verify it.)

6. I put my bike in my truck, and drive to San Fransisco daily. I try to park for free, and bike from there. I only use old bikes. The nice ones are stolen. It's not great, but you get used to the routine. Oh yea, since there a huge problem with cvechicles break-ins, take every thing of value out of the vechicle. Open the glove compartment. Put a kill switch in vechicle. And pray your vechicle is there when you get back. I sometimes leave the door open--just too many broken windows for a radio.

I worked a a cafe called Zesto's while I was in high school.

From the outside, it looked wonderful. Really inviting. Wood booths. Just inviting.

We served a lot of speciality coffees, and had a small menu. Moosewood recipe soups, burritos, lumpia's, etc.

It started off doing pretty good business. Then the dentist(who was the financial backer) decided to hang out, and micromanage. After all he was a Dr., and let us know.

Sales were going up, but ge wanted more profit.

His first mistake was to cut back on portions. I never told him, but burrito buyers don't like small burritos. Plus--the cost of rice, and beans don't cost much.

He literally irritated all the workers with his presence. He treated the better/honest employees like dirt. The ass kissers were robbing him blind, but he just thought they were great.

Within a year, workers were stealing, and giving away food. I went down with the ship, and bought the espresso machine in the chapter 7, or 13 fire sale. I still have it.

I learned I would never open a resturant, nor coffee house.

I learned you never cut back on portions.

You don't piss off the help.

There's a lot you just shouldn't do in the resturant business.

Raising prices is fine, if you increase quality, and portions, especially if your demographics are young people.

I always thought if I was forced to go into the food business, it would be a pizza parlor near a college. Cost of ingredients for pizza is low. There's a reason Papa John is a billionarie.

I do regret not opening up a place where young people could dance, and drink. The amount of money people spend in their twenties drinking, looking for that special someone is staggering. If I had what I spent in my twenties on essentially looking for a mate; I could retire.

In the US, many FB'ers friend anyone. I had this girl I worshiped years ago. She finally seemed interested, on a chance encounter. She said, "I'll friend you?" Blah, blah, etc.

I got home, and looked her up. She had 550 friends. I can't figure out if I don't like her now because she rebuffed me years ago, or she has 550 FB friends. And yes--I took into account she might be insecure now, and filled with self-doubt; which would explain why she needs to have a following.

All I know is I don't feel the same way about her as I did before I saw her FB page though. Weird?

I get what you're saying. I would be happy to hit eighty sitting on a couch.

It seems where I live, in the Bay Area, the men seem lucky to live to 65, even the ones that exercise. I don't know why. I sometimes think it's our stressful lifestyle, and not going to church?

I bet your grandparents live in the Mid-West? I spent a month in Joplin Missouri, and was astonished to see so many people over 80 doing just everything.

This one guy was over 90, and still driving his car to see his girlfriend in Florida. The first time I met him, he was working on my buddy's air conditioning, in a shack in his back yard. That shop was sweltering. He shook my hand, and he saw me look at his chest scar. "That's my second. I told the doc to out in a zipper."

I'm too depressed to look up stats. My neighbors are dropping like flies. It's just weird. They are all high income too?

I think the trick is making it into a habit/addiction.

Plus--everyone is physically different. I'm about forty pounds over weight. At this point, I honestly don't know what fat, and muscle. And don't care.

I briskly walk for 30-45 minutes nightly. I have a route that includes a hill. I do sweat. I figure I'm carrying around a sack of flour, so I don't need to push it too hard.

When I get home, my depression lifts. I drink less. I'm less anxious.

I definetly use that brisk walk as a a drug. If your fat, like myself, you don't need to go all out. Your legs are most likely stronger than skinny people--from carrying around that sack of potatoes.

Oh yea, my dad was an electrician. He definetly got exercise at work. It was only when he retired did he need to do a little bit of exercise. He didn't. He just drank. He died too early.

My laboring point is you don't need to exercise to extremes in order to feel a bit better, lower blood glocose, and lower blood pressure. A moderately fat guy can be healthy.

Doctors just look at you physically, and make generalizations. Kinda--like the rest of the world!

Yea, but most of those sensors are needed to get that fossil fuel to burn efficiently, and meet emission mandates.

Electric cars would/could be vastly simpler. Simpler if they don't over engineer the vechicles. The current electric vechicles do nothing for me. I hate vechicles that I can't work on.

My hope is Apple builds a simple, open source, except the assisted driving, vechicle. A vechicle that a weekend mechanic could work on? Something like a 80's Toyota. Just a people mover, that lasts.

My fear is they will build a mac book pro on wheels. I've been told the last thing a buyer cares about is the ability/ease of repair. I just don't get it. I don't like things I can't easily repair.

There will be the day when the good job goes bye bye. Plus, there's a freedom knowing you have a chance at repairing something youself when that warranty goes bye bye?

I would love Apple again if they built a practical electric car. Put a few bells, and whistles in it, but don't it impossible to repair.

"My current solution is to buy pre-paid visa cards to pay for online news subscriptions, which is a huge pain, but necessary after finding out that newspapers will continue to charge even expired or cancelled credit cards. Even after I explicitly cancelled a credit card to try to stop recurring billing, the credit card company will helpfully keep accepting those charges."

1. I haven't resorted to pre-paid Vias cards, but it's a good idea.

2. There has been so many times when I'm thinking about signing up for a website, or service, but the fear of them being "cute", like not charging the correct amount, recurrent billing, making it difficult to quit, and lousy security prevents me from giving money to anyone, except the current monopolies., and only for stuff I really need. As to really need--I don't need that much in all reality.

3. I get those Wall Street Journal offers for $1 for so many weeks. I don't care if it was .01 cents; I don't want to have another thing in the back of my mind to worry about.

It's not about the money, it's about Trust. If I feel this way about WSJ, how are the littler sites suspose to gain trust?

4. I don't have a solution as to how online companies can make money. I just know the minute you hire the MBA, or the "expert", and start underestimating your customers; you're screwed.

Every website should give the customer the option of an immediate purge of all credit card data on the servers, at the time of registration;

"We will sign you up today, charge you $10, and purge you from our database. We would not sell your information. We won't bother you ever again. You have my word--sincerely, the Founders."

You will need to re-register next month. Big deal? Most people will opt for the easy way(keep all info on the customer on the servers), but their will be people like me, that don't want you to have that information on file.

I was just about to sign up for Republic Wireless. It might me the cheapest cell phone service out there. Then I noticed their "new, and improved" billing. It's not new and improved, it's just more money per month. I didn't bite. One lost customer, at least for now.

It's about trust, at this point, for me. I don't think getting certain people to pay is an insurmountable problem, but work on trust, and make the content something they need to pay for? In my youth, I needed quality porn, and that was my last subscription. Pathetic, I know, but even then I made sure they didn't get cute with my Credit Card.

What will be the next website I really need? Yea, it's a problem, but trust should be taken for granted.

Yea--I noticed the same thing. I'm wondering if it would be different if I had a device I could write on, but not buying anymore readers, at least for awhile.

I can bring up parts of a book page in my mind, but I don't think I can do it with electronic readers. I'm not sure, because I haven't been in school for awhile, or needed to bring up something for a test.

When I was in school, I had a hard time memorizing. I started taking notes differently, my recall increased dramatically.

I would doodle on every page. Every page of notes was only written once, and I never re-copied. I tried to make every page a picture. My text books were filled with doodles, and pictures in the margins.

It really helped me.

Now--my books are just taking up too much room. I hate to get rid of them, but might have too. There was a time where I could get any book on the Internet. Those days are gone.

I'm not a big reader either. My books are just reference, but have value to me. I know it's crazy.

"I'm a well-educated programmer and many of my skills are general and abstract enough to adjust to a changing world with relatively little effort."

1. A lot of us think we will be needed, or we will be able desirable to someone, or company.

2. I don't know your backround, but unless your education is in a field where there's a big barrier to entry (medicine always comes to mind); I think even the Ivy Leaguers will feel the rath of automation.

3. Willie Brown is actively wondering what San Franciso is going to do when this current tech boom ends. He doesn't want to add to the huge homeless problem that visible everywhere in that city.

4. I read somewhere that workforce participation is at historic lows, or a 30 year low. I don't know? It's the number of people who can work, but just gave up number. I've looked at the unemployment numbers, and they just don't feel right. I almost feel like they are lying? I know so many able bodied people who are barely getting by. They have multiple jobs because they are young, and have energy. Companies like Uber has no problem finding people who will go into debt in order to "get their side hussle on". It's all so easier when your on your 20-30's. You have a network of friends on for support/networking. I know too many forty year olds that are living off their savings. It's so much harder when you get older.

5. I really fear what will happen to the "well educated" white collar worker finds out their skills are just not needed, or they hit 45 on the tech sector? I honestly don't know what "well educated" is anymore. It makes a much sence as a "Professional Manager"? I can't imagine companies in the future will really care what university you went to. After all, they went to college too. They know what it's all about.

6. My point is we should all be a little concerned. I know well educated guys whom hit 45-50, and just arn't needed anymore. Some try to go into blue collar jobs, but they don't seem to last. (Try to stay somewhat fit. Blue collar work is usually physically demanding. Even working at Cost-co, or Wholefoods is standing on your feet all day long, and construction blue collar jobs--are a bitch on the body.) I have noticed White Collar workers usually come from supportive families, so they don't become homeless. But--many do.

7. I really don't want to debate anyone. I just don't see the availability of jobs like I did in the 90's, and that was during a ression. I do see a lot of cushy tech jobs that I doubt will be there in ten years. Why do I feel like we will soon be talking about the free food Google used to offer its employees? "Remember the good ole days?"

After the free expose on HN, I like the three letter domain.

Didn't know a bit about the company until now.

I do wonder what they paid for the domain? I could almost picture the negotiations, 'Hay--because of Google, the price of three letter domains just arn't worth what they once were. So--here's--$50,000?'.

I love the picture in the article. So wholesome. Where I live, these busses are rented out by rich kids. They party heavily on them. Which is better than the way I partied. Driving around with a jug of wine on the back of a mustang that didn't have a front bumper, nor grill. I just got lucky so many Friday nights.

These trades are not difficult to break into, except if you want to make a livable wage, and that requires a union.

I guarantee anyone of you here, if remotely physically fit, could get a non-union job in construction. Good luck making $10-15 an hour. Even being a non-union electrican is not difficult. The contractor, will many times, train you, but it just doesn't pay more than retail.

You will see a lot of Contractors. It's not that difficult to get a licence. C-6 electrical being the exception. They are checking experience lately, and elevator mechanics--forget the number.

It's difficult to get into a good union, like local 6 in San Francisco though.

Why is the pay so low in construction, even field like Electrical, and Telecommunications? Partly it's because jobs are just hard to come by. And you gave a Huge swath of people who will apply to that job.

A couple of guys just got out of prison on the 70's. "What should we do now? Most jobs like will check out backround. Yes--they could check background then too. Convicts, "Let's start a landscaping company, or work in construction?" Good idea. Many could do these labor intensive jobs, and pull themselfs back into society.

They can't do it anymore, because there is just too much competition. I won't touch that debate.

If anyone reads this, and want to get into construction, apply to a union. How do you know this? Been non-union, union, and Contractor.

If you have some training, getting your Contractor's license is not that difficult. You will have a hard time making a good living off it. Most of you will fail, but the ones that really market themselfs, and have connections will make a living. You will find most people want to pay you the least amount for your labor, and knowledge. The wealthy are the worst. You will be one of those people who pay minimum wage. I have never hired a guy off the sidewalk though--it's just something I won't do. Why will you just pay minimum wage? You can't compete paying livable wages.

United States has had a huge problem with low paying jobs for a long time.

I have known something is very wrong for a long time. I stopped listening to those employment numbers, they just don't add up to what I see, except the "able bodied workers, but gave up" number".

And as my dad said, if you fall into construction; Electrical is still the best, but it's all backbreaking work. Look into being an elevator mechanic--it's a high paying, interesting field--believe it or not. It's basically a union apprenticeship, and unions are only in big cities. A lot of guys want to get into Carpetry because they like woodworking. On most commercial job sites, you won't see much wood. It's all metal studs, and "get it done." If you do custom homes, yes--you will be able to do some woodworking.

You can teach yourself to become an Electrician. Getting licenced by the states is kinda difficult. You can even make over $100/hr. on certain markets like San Francisco. Union companies will hire you now, because the economy is so hot there. You will be called white paper though, and when the good times end--you will go right back to non-union shops, or another low paying job.

I perceive a bleak future.

I was suprised to learn that the main reason Coal Miners are out of work is because of mining automation.

I perceive a world where people just stop buying. Yes--the wealthy will still buy their toys, but their will be a time where so much missery/homelessness; they won't be able to enjoy the luxuries of wealth. Even right now--I feel weird eating in a resturant while a guy outside is hungry.

I feel we will need to open up federal, state, and county land; and allow free camping. (They have made it literally a crime to be homeless.)

I feel a Basic Income will need to be seriously looked into.

I hope we never turn into a country that just overlooks the misery around them. Some days, I feel we have crossed that line.

I think they knew solar is the future, all around the world.

China has massive pollution, and most homes/businesses that have access to direct sunlight. (Yes--I know solar works 50% on cloudy day. It doesn't work well with a lot foliage coverage. China looks barren of trees--sadly.)

My hope is those solar tiles come down drastically in price. My hope is the average roof will be cost effective to put said tiles up.

I think those solar tiles will be Tesla's Trump card. It will probally be in four years, or more in the United States. We will need a new president. (I was for Trump putting Coal miners back to work, until I found out the problem is not regulations, but automation. Actually, I want clean air. We need a better way of supporting people affected by the elimination of old ways of doing things; like a Basic Income.). Sorry about being all over the place, but there are no simple answers. Trump is just finding this out.

I think Tencent saw a long value in the stock, even though their citizens will not likely buy Tesla's tiles. They will buy the cheapest knock-off as usual, but the rest of the civilized world will buy Tesla's product.

(I don't know what patents are on these new Tesla tiles, but I bet they are seen as a valuable commodity, even to a cheating society like China.)

The mobs are not affiliated with New York unions anymore. Yes--for a time it was a big embarrassment.

There are some arcane rules. The nepotism in getting into these unions has been greatly reduced.

(This guys crane looks like it needs more development time. On any big job site, you get to know your Crance Operator. They are lifting huge loads right over you heads. They take their jobs seriously. If this guys crane is better; it will eventually see job sites. Maybe--if it's safe. Yes--unions are slow to move, but for good reason on many cases. People get killed. I don't know all the ins-outs of this guy's crane. I would rather have a trained Crane Operator operating loads over my head. That just might change, but regulatory agencies/unions are not going to run to one guy's contraption.)

Back to union membership. The test is very important. The union test is not usually a hard test, but you need to get every question right. Usually, the other 1/2 of getting into the union is the oral exam. On those boards are union delegates, contractors(many whom would run to non-union labor if feasible.), and in many unions, members of the community. They are trying to make getting into a union fair.

There are many unions in NYC. There are many unions in SF. Both are union towns. I have not crossed picket lines because maids/painters were on strike. I have drove to San Francisco and drove right home. Those old unions do pay their members a very fair wage.

Such a wage that brings a blue collar worker into the middle class.

There's police unions all the way to Window Washer unions.

The average owner/contractor/city would love to get rid of unions. They hate paying those wages.

They would happily hire minimum wage workers.

I have worked a few blue collar jobs that didn't gave unions. It's basically comes down to minimum wage, or a bit above, and at the end of the week; you wonder why you even show up.

It all seems crazy until you're in a union.

There's a reason most developers are very rich. They like to pay the least amount they can legally get away with.

Tech is still relatively new. Wait until the barriers to enter become easier than they are today. Watch what happens to those generous pay packages.

My iPhone 4 takes unbelievable macro pictures. I hate to say this, but better than my Canon 20D, with an L lens. I was thinking about buying a macro lens for Canon, but can't justify the it anymore.

Just macro in my world though. The dslr still takes better portraits, and nature shots.

This will sound pathetic, and it's partially because I don't have much of a life, and spend way too much time with electronics, but one of my biggest regrets is---

Upgrading.

I've always fell for the increased security, and blah, blah, blah, but in the end I have a device, I once used, become slow, programs become useless, or my plethora of USB devises don't have the right updated firmware.

I have a Mac, and a MacBook Pro I'm thinking about wiping clean, and installing the original operating systems. It's just a pain, and yes--I know security is important.

I did finally learn on the IPad, but I'm still not completely sure I'm doing the right thing. I must have hit "tomorrow for 9.3.5---three hundred times. I just don't want to make this devise slower. I paid way too much years ago, and I hate putting things in my electronic graveyard--my closet.

I completely agree, until you have a problem that requires you hook a scan tool up to that diagnostic link.

I have a snap-on mt2500, and two other generic scan tools. I can get hard codes on most vechicles. I can't get certain codes or repair information on many newer vechicles.

The problem arises when you have an intermittent problem, and need access into those propriatiatry systems. The dealerships get software updates, but automotive companies are not required to inform anyone that there's been an change to the existing software.

In states like CA, which are very strict with emissions; failing a smog check because you have on old version of firmware is beyond frustrating. Most people have no idea that the reason they failed is due to an older software. Most smog shops don't even have information the dealerships have. It's a lot of trial and error to get that vechicle to pass those smog checks. It's not right. It should violate The Sherman Anti-Trust Act?

There are many indepent Auto Shops that are hobbled.

They need access to at least the dealership scan tool. I believe Massachusetts is the only state that enacted a "Right to Repair" law. If you live in that state, you can buy expensive dealership repair manuals, and get the opportunity to spend thousands on their scan tools. Just to find out what system/lazy sensor/etc. is broken in a vechicle you bought?

Having to take you vechicle to only the dealership is---un-American?

I'll throw this in too. If you drive an older vechicle don't enter Tiburon after nightfall. They will pull you over for no reason.

The camera was installed because Tiburon had some weird murders. There all involved wealthy residents. In each case the their was no theft. In each case, it appeared the deceased appeared to know the killer.

I understand the frustration of the little police force. I don't understand harassing poor people.

On a side note, the camera was installed before it was routine to have videos on your home. Since their are so many cameras throughout the city now, and on all those million dollar plus homes; take the town's camera down.

What apps do you use to program? I'm too lasy to look it up. Sad--I know.

I wouldn't mind front-end programing on my iPad 2, but found it tedious years ago. I remember thinking this will not work--for real work.

Oh--the drama. Yea, I get it. These days we need some healthy excitement. The iPad Pro is the one product I might buy; if I wasen't so poor, and didn't have a slowly dying iPad 2.

We have the exact same policy in the United States. Anyone can pick up a phone and buy realestate.

No one calls it corruption here. It's just capitalism? This has bothered me for years. I first learned about it in a realestate law class. My hand went straight up. Nothing has changed.

(They passed a feel good measure about a year ago that supposedly vets the money. I can't think of a country I can own realestate with a money transfer.)

"That is partially true, of course. Energy saving makes devices more complex, thus they have more things that can be broken. However, it is also clear that e.g. control electronics is simply not made to last. E.g. they use the cheapest of electrolytic capacitors, which will leak and break in 5-10 years. Using proper ones might cost 1-2 cents more per device. This also means that old dead TVs and stuff may often be repaired quite inexpensively - buy a 0.20$ capacitor and solder it in place - but it is still a frustrating thing that it breaks in the first place."

1. More parts to break--sooner end of life. I agree. Finding that bad capacitor is not easy. First it's hard to find a bad cap to begin with. The repair shops, if your electronic device is under warranty; just replaces the entire control board. It's usually never in stock, and it always seems to take a month or two comming from China.

For the DIY'ers, there's no schematics to be found, and even then it's still very hard to find that faulty capacitor on one of the boards.

End result--the electronic item is thrown out.

I don't know how this is tolerated--on a lot of levels. It's bad for the environment, and just wasteful. T.V sets used to be repairable. It dose bother me. Hell--we used to get a few channels over the air for free. Sometimes--I feel gone backwards?

"With cars I'd still say that despite the added complexity, the endurance of vehicles is simply amazing. We deplore that when the engine control unit fails, we have to replace the entire unit. But overall, you need much less maintenance on modern cars than you needed 30-40 years ago. Oil change intervals have gone from 5 000 - 10 000 km to 15 000 - 25 000 km. And 30 years ago, a car that had 200 000 km on the clock was really really worn out. Nowadays, it may work like it were almost new."

1. Agree. A vechicle with 125,000 miles is not much. (I think my conversion is right?). Rebuilding that modern engine is a lot more difficult than rebuilding a Chevy 350 though. I know Toyota dealership mechanics who can't repair the Prius gas assist engine. They usually just pull a used engine from the scrap yard. I will give Toyota credit on a well designed engine, but working on it is another story.

2. Oil changes--yea I'll give you that one, but honestly, I always felt certain industries pulled those oils change numbers out of the air. I've always changed my own fluids, so that was never an expense.

3. The problem with modern vechicles is that automatic transmission--still. At around 135,000 those sensors, those plates, that OD unit just start to wear out. If it's just a pressures sensor, that's fine, but when it's the Over Drive unit, or the transmission needs a rebuild; that's where the anger sets in. A modern automatic transmission rebuild is not an easy task.

4. The plethora of sensors. I get it. They are needed for emmissions, and performance. And I get a computer. I don't get three computers, and systems so complicated dealership mechanics are learning of the customers dime. I just gave up on an older Dodge that would run at idle. I checked everything. It was a '98 so it wasen't nearly as complicated as todays vechicles. I had to bring it to the dealership, and reflashed reflashed the computer three times for a grand total of $1200. Let me rephrase that, they replaced a bunch of "suspected lazy sensors" before the three reflashes. No it wasen't my vechicle, but a family members who wanted her old truck. I don't usually ever bring a vechicle to a dealership.

4. I do forsee a generation of vechicles that will be scrapped because it makes no sence to fix them. That saddens me. Every time I see a new car commercial, and I see nothing but a electronic light show on the dash, heated seats, automatic cup holders, automatic everything, and I haven't even got to driver assist electronics; I get sad. They all look great, until something malfunctions. I guess this is what the consumer wants in a vehicle. I don't. As my deceased father used to say, "The day I can't roll down my window, put me out. And it's just something else that might break down. I want simplicity."

5. Just thinking about my Bosch washing machine that rings, but doesn't clean the clothes is making my headache worse. Just thinking about the two Mielde vaccume cleaners that are sitting in my garage with perfect motors, but bad blue tooth boards is making me thirsty, but I have no alcohol.

Why would they ever decide to replace a simple switch, and put in a blue tooth board in the handle? Good night people. I need to set up a small distillery in my room.

I'm just a patient, but I see the advantage to paper.

1. Once it's on your digital record--it's vunerable to hackers, or staff sending a patient's information off without their consent--with a tired swipe, or send key.

2. Once a doctor knows you have been on a potentially addictive drug, or had a problem in the past with addiction, or theses days; self medication, good luck trying to get relief from future pain.(pain=physical, and emotional.) About a year ago I went to a hospital with a case of shingles that looked twice as bad as those commercials on t.v. The staff looked at my record, and I could tell they were concerned about something. Yes--I'm on a low dose of a benzodiazepine. They didn't even bring up pain medication. I didn't even ask, but the pain was bad. Here's a script for 3 10mgs of predisone. I walked out of the emergency room with a prognosis of Anxiety on that stapled care instructions. I was so misserable, I didn't care. They mixed up my record with the guy next to my bed.

3. A compassionate/caring doctor will sometimes write things on paper they wouldn't on a electronic document. In the ninties, my long retired family doctor asked me if I tested positive for the AID's virus, he would put the results in sub-script writing only he would know. He was protecting me from being denied insurance.

4. I thought electronic medical records would be available for patients online. I don't know if patients can access them, nor care anymore. I'm so tired of the system, I just don't care much anymore.

I collect, and repair watches. I usually like stories about watches, and the people who cherish them, but not today. I'm just in a weird mood? This popped out, and made me cringe:

"Mechanical watches are far less accurate than quartz watches, but often far more expensive, because their bearings are more intricate. All contemporary Rolex watches, for example, are mechanical."

1. They are not more expensive because of the synthetic rubies that are called jewels. They are more expensive because of the name, and marketing.

2. I've noticed a lot of guys under 35 just arn't into mechanical watches. I do get it. And women--just arn't into watches at all. I don't know why, but sometimes I think it's because we die so early.

3. As it stands now, a guy could go out and spend 10 grand on a watch. The second it goes out of warranty, and needs a service, or a part; it has to go back to the factory, and is repaired at factory prices. Prices like $800 for a mainspring, and service.

4. See the watch comapnies decided to not sell parts to Watch Repair people(like myself), or even a customer.

5. It's like buying a vechicle, and when it breaks down; you need to take it to the dealership.

6. They claim it's for quality assurance, but it's a money grab. In my American eyes it violates The Sherman Anti-trust Act. Yes--a federal lawyer/Investigator agreed, but didn't feel it wasn't worth doing much about. She said someting like, 'It's a wealthy person's problem, and not on my todo list." All the while, those politicians are wearing Rolexes?

7. The bigger watch houses have consolidated. Swatch owns many of the high end watches you see out there. Rolex is separate. I believe Rolex even own the company that provides the oil to those fancy watches. It's called Moebius oil. And they want it used on all their watches.

8. If you get into watches that's fine. It can be addicting. Would I ever buy a new watch I could not work on, nor buy parts for--hell no!

9. If the Watch Industry reads this, your customer base has changed. Lower your prices, and enough to with the games. Customers are tired of the maximum 20% discount you require your boutiques to stick to. They are tired of being told a grey market watch bought at Costco is not really a Rolex, and you won't even honor the warranty. They are not the uninformed Dongle heads of the past. Don't insult their intelligence--they are all carring around a smart phone that tells the time.

10. My parting words are this. I still love my old watches. I hope more young people get into the industry and Shake things up. There something very gratifying about resurrecting an old watch found on eBay. I went from collecting to repairing, and there's definetly a shift of attitude when you know what's under the hood. My everyday watch is a watch I found in a thrift store. Years ago, the lady behind the counrt said the old Timex is $2.00. I took it home and it set on my desk for 5 years. One night I noticed a little fish on the crown. I thought, why would Times brand the crown? I opened it up, and it was a IWC 853. All the markings on the dial were gone. I served it, and wear it proudly. People think it's a cheap watch, and I don't care. I can wear it to the worst parts of the city, and never worry about theft. I look at that chalky dial, and it just makes me feel good. Knowing how to repair it feels better. Sorry about the lenght of this post--depressed, or something?

San Francisco provided good jobs way before the tech revolution.

I would bet they had better union jobs before tech moved in.

You could always live in the outlying areas to commute, and not spend all your money on rent.

Tech bosses decided they liked San Francisco, and the rich enclaves like Marin County.

They decided to set up shop, and hire like no tomorrow. I have never seen more money just thrown away, except in certain areas of government. This did make things worse for a lot of workers. I don't want to say blue collar workers because a lot of you fancy yourselfs as white collar. White collar will always be able to move across the county and find a new shiny job? The problem is your not really white collar. This bubble will end. All those frameworks you memorized will become useless. You will be eventually looking for a union job, or any job. Good luck.

Yes--San Francisco has always been a tough housing market. I think tech needs to worry about where they are going to move to when the current party is over. I'm for better transportation, and more low income housing. All I'm saying is the influx of tech workers did not make the Bay Area better for a lot of us. Tech moved fast and loud, and did disrupt life. It kicked out many with the Ellision Act. It added to traffic. Many displaced workers who didn't look like a young Bill Gates couldn't get that shiny new job. Even those that could probally do a good job.

"One could create empirical metrics based on research output, monetization, patents, keynote speeches, citation counts, etc. It doesn't have to be so fuzzy."

Would it really help the average student? I went to Berkley for a semester, and in some courses we watched the professor on video. He literally phoned it in.

I actually had a better learning experience at my local community college.

This is just my subjective experience.

I have known too many people who literally drank/hallucinated their way through an Ivy League school. They graduate, and don't tell anyone the truth about their fancy college learning experience. There's no test at the end to correlate into an empirical metric. It's just, "I graduated from this UC, or Whatever!".

I would like to see every school that accepts federal/state tax money give their students a standardized test, and future funding would be based on the collective students score. It would have to be a fair balanced test. Instead of I graduated from MIT; it would be I graduated with a 95%.

It might level out the playing field? It would prevent networking--maybe? It would prevent having to "kiss ass"? It would prevent me from throwing up in my mouth when a new Princeton graduate puts on the horned rimmed glasses shortly after graduation, and just expects respect.

He buys a pack of cigarettes for someone else, and happens to rack up a huge medical bill. The Insurance company might have a reason to disavow him? (Trump and disavow?)

He buys a 12 pack, and his kid steals it, and gets into an accident causing front page news. His kid lies, and says dad gave me the beer. (He is screwed.)

He goes onto physical therapy office. One of the legitimate places that, but sounds weird--like the power of hands--whatever. The wife sees the bill and it always stays in the back of her mind forever.

He buys a pressure cooker, and is suddenly profiled?

He pays out of packet for a CAT scan because he's a hypochondriac, and things he has a brain tumor. He is forced to claim he did have a CAT scan on all those pesky insurance forms. (Happened to me.)

Yea some of these are far fetched, but not being able to buy groceries last nights wasen't. My slick new chipped bank card was not recognized by the machine. I usually carry a c-note, but used it the following week because of bank card problems.

I guess the McCarty Era is not taught in school anymore?

So no--I don't want a paper trail either. Hell Safeway knows my diet better than me. (Yes--different card.)

I have always liked GitHub.

I never liked Uber. Buy a nice four door vechicle, pay for maintenance, wear and tear, and make us money. Excuse me, so many of us have a late model four door vechicle collecting dust---just waiting to "Get our side hussle on,". This company, from the earliest days, just reminded me of the terrible jobs that were created in the last eight years. (Yes--the tech jobs are great, but they will go away eventually.)

AirBnB was cute to begin with, until neighbors decided to open hotels.

I like new technology, and new companies, but treat All employees fairly? And just because you have the money for the best Lawyers/political muscle; try to follow laws that could put the average Joe in jail. I couldn't just decide to start a taxi service, or rent rooms out daily? Just crazy?

I'm all for change, but these companies are exploiting for essentially a small group of people. Wait until all the bugs are worked out if their systems--bye, bye Mr.Imbeingpaidwelltoprogram. "Oh--we will always have a spot for you, but at a minimum wage.

Any Toyota truck/car with a 22R engine, with manual transmission.

Old cast iron cookware

Flobee (Laugh, but it cuts hair. You need to experiment with the extensions though. For those that despise the annual haircut, hate the small talk, and that lying response at the end of the ordeal, "It looks great!"; pick up a old Flobee at a garage sale.)

In my world, a old IWC watch with a 853 movement. (I do watch repair, and this might be my favorite movement. The older IWC's don't look flashy, but that movement is well engineered. I can wear my old watch anywhere; only I know what's under the crystal. I never worry about theft.

3/8" Snap-on combination metric/standard ratchet set. The one with the deep sockets, and the standard sockets. Only buy used though. It comes in a red case. (I once went to automotive school. Much of Snap-on is overpriced, but this ratchet set has served me well.

$5000/month is very impressive. Could you share his work routine?

I know one guy who leased a Prius. He didn't get the calls he was promised. He ended up ruining his credit.

I hear these big numbers thrown around, and don't know whom to believe.

Five grand a month is great! Is there something different in Switzerland that would account for his/her success?

My friend who leased the Prius lives in the Bay Area.