patrick.net

RTBA,

A few years ago, Seattle had the 2nd worse traffic in the nation. I don't know if the standing has improved since. I used to take language lessons on the seattle side, while working on the east side. The classes began at 6PM. I was never able to make it on time, even if I left an hour and a half earlier. Eventually, I just dropped it. That probably explains why I still cannot converse in French when the situation calls for it :)

The traffic jam starts at around 7:30 AM and eases at around 10, 4:30 again and eases at around 7-7:30 PM. The jam is throughout the region, not just the highways connecting the eastside and Seattle. So if you choose to live in South Seattle -- say Renton, where houses are cheaper -- and work in downtown, you'll have a tough time commuting by car. Once the rails are built, I expect the commute problems to be eased somewhat. But that's 10 years down the road. (I haven't kept up with the progress. Last time they were building a monorail. But then some people wanted to scrap the whole plan, blah and blah. So the timeline is my guesstimate.)

Many people come to work after 10 and leave after 7. As a teacher, it might be OK for you because you'll have to leave for school early in the morning but be able to finish your day by 4PM.

Peter, you have been pampered :)

RTTBA,
I was in Boston where the wind blew off the ocean. It was arctic cold. The year I was there it broke a 50 year record. It was ridiculous. It was so cold that I decided to stay home and simply sit watching tv with an electric blanket covering me because that year I had a tiny apartment with rattly single pane windows and a hissing radiator that wasn't able to do squat when it was that cold. It was 50 degrees in my apartment for a week. Even taking a bath was unpleseant because the water got cold fast. I decided right then and there that I'd make sure not to move above the NC/ Mason-Dixon line in order to avoid that kind of weather.
I really hated the snow too. It was cool the 1st year because it never snowed back home. But when the stuff melted and became slush, it was nasty. It was also bad when the stuff stuck around for a few months during the height of the winter. I'm very sensitive to my surroundings and the grey dreariness really got to me after awhile. I do have some fond memories though. I remember walking back from work through the burbs and being the only one while it was snowing hard and it was all quite except for a single street light. I also remember one day taking a day off and slushing to the Boston museum of art and spending the whole day in there because it was HUGE.

Peter, you have been pampered

I just cannot stand the heat. I do not mind the chill though. Perhaps I am cold-blooded. :)

SHTF,

I lived in Maine for 3 years. Arguably the winter there is more intolerable than that in Boston. But I found the winter there not just OK but quite lovely. There were days that could freeze your face off if you decided to walk outside. Wind chill was a big factor on those days. But very few days were like that. For some reason, I believe Boston to have more extreme climate than Maine. While still a student in Maine, I visited Boston twice, once around Christmas and once in summer. On both visits, I was surprised how worse the weather was in Boston.

Can a New England native chime in on this?

s/is more intolerable/should be more intolerable/

Appropos of nothing....

...has anyone else noticed the content of spam changing recently?

Gone are the "get a bigger d*ck", or "soft Ci-Alis" ads that clog up my junk mail folder.

Now its all "get a Mortgage" or "Refinance NOW!!".

Maybe mortgages will be the pr0n of 2007...;-)

NF,

Thanks. That sounds about right.

RTBA,

That's why it's important to pick a good location for your work and dwelling. I live within 5-10 minutes from my office by WALK, although I still drive everyday. I don't go around that much these days and my hours are weird. So the traffic doesn't really bother me.

But on a few weekday afternoons when my buddy and I went out for sailing, we had to drive through the jammed streets from Redmond to Kirkland. At 4PM, what usually takes 5-10 minutes by car often ended up taking half an hour or more!

RTBA,

On a closer examination of your criteria, I must say it'll be difficult for you find your ideal spot. For one thing, any place that is desirable for its natural attraction (climate, mountains, etc) and employment opportunities will be crowded and experience traffic jams.

Is 15% considered stingy? I always tip that amount, occasionally 20% if the service is nice or when rounding up (often for drinks at the bar).

I didn't know there's such big difference (in terms of repeat treatment by waiters) between tipping 10% and 20% and above.

What percentage is considered good? 25%?

The other thing is that in Europe tips were always included in the bill. The stupid me still tips there, though. As a matter of fact, on one occasion, the waitress was standing next to me when I was signing the CC receipt. The inquisitive look she cast on my hand holding the pen was like "the guy seems to be from America. He must be rich and possibly clueless. How much is this guy going to tip me?" The stupid me of course tipped. I only got wiser when a much older (American) gentleman pointed out that in Europe I should not tip in general.

But still. I do believe tipping is important to the waiters/waitresses. So even if the service was sub-par, I would generally tip my usual 15%. For one thing, the guy/gal might have had a bad day.

In some sense, I think the European system is not bad. It takes the decision out of the customers' hands. If I like the service, I can and will definitely give extra.

I must confess that on one hand I enjoy tipping more, yet on the other hand I sort feel that that kind of good feeling may be demeaning. How I wish the money transaction never takes place. Sometimes I just wish I had a lot of money and just give it away.

But still. I do believe tipping is important to the waiters/waitresses. So even if the service was sub-par, I would generally tip my usual 15%. For one thing, the guy/gal might have had a bad day.

I think so too. But if I sense that the waiters/waitresses is willfully negligent, I will give $0.00 or $0.02, literally.

In some sense, I think the European system is not bad.

I love that system.

That's why I said earlier (yesterday) that American individuals were quite liked in other parts of the world, because they are generous. Relative high income certainly helps. But I think the culture here is against stinginess.

Sometimes I just wish I had a lot of money and just give it away.

Yes, but giving to restaurant waitpersons is rather low on my charitable priorities.

Not a New England native, but I lived in Boston for 8 (long) years. The weather is nice...for about 10 days out of the year. Winters are brutal. The blizzards and snowstorms aren't so bad - they're actually fun to walk around in, but the 3-4 days after the storm, when the snow melts/freezes into this soot-permeated gray sheet of ice covering the roads, now that sucks. Skiing and winter outdoor sports really require serious fortitude. Growing up skiing in Tahoe, when I first skied in the NE, I wondered why anyone does it. Some days are so cold that you ski one run, go inside to warm up for 30 minutes, go back out, and repeat. Summers are too humid. Dry heat I don't mind, but humidity is unbearable. In between, Spring and Fall can be exquisite, but if you blink, you might miss them.

Peter,

Let me clarify: Giving it away to those who don't ask for it, who don't try very hard to make money, who can live happily in poverty.

Let me clarify: Giving it away to those who don’t ask for it, who don’t try very hard to make money, who can live happily in poverty.

I look at "cost effectiveness" in terms of social utility per dollar.

I think the most Ideal place as far as temps was Santa Barbera area I spent a month there in the spring almost summer time it was mid seventies most days 50's at night.

I like a system that includes the tip as part of the cost of the meal.

Yes, I hate having to do math.

Though I think a rude or negligent server shouldn’t be given a generous tip, though I have rarely run into this in all my years of going out to eat.

It is rare. Perhaps less than 10 incidents ever. And I eat out pretty much every single day.

From MA's link:

This post is basically a cry for help, suggestions, words of encouragement.

Ha Ha. I suggest becoming a monk.

OK folks…you’ve been waiting for another one of these, I’m sure…

He's going to be alright. In the worse case, personal bankruptcy. He and his family will live, albeit humilated by their new-found poverty.

New thread: A cry for help

I’m always surprised by people who complain about tip math. Is this after a lot of booze? It’s easy to figure a tenth, so you just double that for a 20% tip.

How do you double the tenth of 34.78 easily?

Round it up to $35 and double it.

Then divide by 10 to get......$7 :-)

As soon as you asked that I remembered someone making fun of me for knowing PI to 20 digits.

I do remember these

3.14159265358979323846264338327950288

I hope I remember them correctly. I used to be able to do 100 digits. Getting old.

I like a system that includes the tip as part of the cost of the meal.

Though I think a rude or negligent server shouldn’t be given a generous tip, though I have rarely run into this in all my years of going out to eat.

they only tip about 5% here, and that's optional -- because the waiters get $12-15 an hour, or more -- minimum wage by occupation again...

cos of attitude problems in sydney, sometimes the waiters ARE rude and negligent...

jamie kennedy didn't like it: Sydneysiders suck: Kennedy - People - www.smh.com.au

I tip best when the wait person is prompt, don't ask too many questions, and do what they're supposed to do. The one thing that really bugs me about chain restaurants (other than the rather high prices for mediocre food) is that they try too damn hard to be friendly, when I just want good service and not a new best friend. The over friendly or fumbling wait person annoys me because I can't afford to eat out much and only eat out with good friends.

I consider 15% to be standard, 20% to be pretty generous, 20-25% tip is very generous, a 30% tip is when the wait person goes that extra mile. I have to say that 50%+ tip is just to be too much, I go to restaurants to have food, the service should compliment the experience, not dominate it.

I never got a tipping waitress job but I did wait tables at school for two years on and off, and there are idiots there who think eating out means their wait persons are their personal slaves for the evening and wants something special with every course. Their efforts usually get the exact opposite response from the people waiting the tables. I avoid their tables as much as possible and deliberately get to the pushy person last.

ajh,

I'm kind of surprised that America's tipping system is that confusing. Most travel guides and brochures have tipping advice. If you're confused, ask the person eating at the next table and they'll tell you. Usually, 15% is standard for any sit down people where someone comes to take your order. 20% is appropriate if you get nice service.

I've talked to friends who wait tables and they feel that foreigners are just feigning ignorance because they're cheap. Consequently, they hate waiting foreigner tables because they know there's a good chance they'll be stiffed.

I would consider 5% as an insult.

the tip's kind of built into the wages here, that's all... without tips, waitpersons in the US would more or less starve, presumably... no wonder waiters in US think they're going to be stiffed by people from other countries... but there is something to be said for having a built in incentive to work harder, only that it's about 5% :(

Yeah, I've noticed a few English people who have problems with the tipping in the States (see my previous post). I thinkit has to do with the fact that most restaurant bills in the UK have service included, giving the customer the choice in paying more, or not.

I hear you about the dry cleaning thing.

Just remember that food service jobs over here pay ridiculously badly. A 'salary' for a waiter/waitress can be as little as $80 a week basic, which, unless you live out in the boonies, will not cover your costs of living. So, as sucky as it seems, you have to tip them.

To be honest, the cost of eating out over here is so much cheaper than in the UK, that even with the tip, you're still looking at a Pound to Dollar conversion.

Its hard finding places in the UK where you can get an evening meal in a decent restaurant for under 25 quid, a head whereas over here its easy to find really top-notch places for 40 dollars.

Sorry mate, appols for relocating you in the UK ;-)

I think a lot of food sevice staff would love AUD$11 - that's about USD$8.30 - well above the normal minimum wage salary in most states.

Its been a while since I was in Melbourne, but I remember it being much cheaper to live there than in the UK (where isn't?).

I also think its a cultural thing, in the US you normally tip much more than you do elsewhere.

It used to piss me off until I realised that, even with the tip included, my meal was still much cheaper than a comparable meal in London.

Mind, you almost any meal worldwide is cheaper than one in London, so what do I know?

ajh,

Hmm, ugly looks for 10%+? That seems a bit rude of the waiter. It's a bit on the low end, but it really shouldn't get you in serious trouble, especially if it's a small party. When my mom waited tables, she would consider that miserly, but hardly unexpected. I'd be happy to do without America's tipping system though. Calculating tips is not something I enjoy and it's just so arbitrary and seems to reward misers and jerks.

Patience is a virtue isn't that the saying? I think there is definately something happening with the housing market. I think it will not happen in a matter of months. Alot of the current data supports this we see the critical things happening with the stock market since this middle east thing started. I think that situation may weaken the global markets and cause a exceleration perhaps of the impending "bubble burst". I think some true clear cut evidence will be upcoming in 07. One thing to be certain those of us with no dept load and some cash may be in the "cat bird seat".

Here is something that I found on Sacramento Craigslist.

http://www.clearlake.net/forsale/ This shows a $29.5k reduction.

http://www.clearlakeca.net/forsale/

I sorry about my fumbling. Here on my 3rd attempt is the interesting little link that I came across on Sacramento Craigslist showing a $29.5 reduction. $98.5 will get this place today, but it might be less next week.

I agree