patrick.net

The worst thing about those boomer bosses is that many don't even get the hostility against them. Come on! If you don't pay or train your employees, if you throw all your at them while you disappear for 3 hour long lunches, if you don't acknowledge or promote people on merit...the Gen-Xer wage slaves will notice and they will skip town at the earliest possible time.

your = your work

Oh, somebody (let's hope facetiously) now suggest to Casey to put the houses to rent for very cheap but with no intention of actually renting. So Casey can make money off of application fees.

Casey replies:

"PolarBear… that’s pretty creative! A bit on the shady side with pretending to rent it out… but creative indeed!"

That's the sound of "morality" at work.

Where the hell does this kid go to church? The bank of crooked moneylenders? The Moonies? Realt-whore house of worship?

This kid definitely has the *winning* personality that FAB described a few days ago. He is a psychopath.

Hopefully he will do it. Then he can expose himself to housing discrimination lawsuits, on top of everything else, when his applicants see that the house has remained vacant.

HidingintheBronx Says:

> Sometimes - especially when they (SUV Drivers) tailgate
> me because their car is so “big” and “macho” - I think
> about going out and buying an 92 caprice, putting the
> taxi cab bars on the front, and going out and seeking
> my revenge.

The big fat boomers that think they are “Big” and “Macho” on their motorcycles have been drving me nuts so I bought a 97 Buick Park Avenue from a guy that looked like me with a fake ID and never re-registered the car:

http://tinyurl.com/knzv3

While we're discussing boomers, does anyone care to comment on a theory/question that I have?

My theory is inspired by my boomer parents, who, back in the 60's and 70's, were dropped out hippies to the extreme. My mom lived in a tee-pee for a while, my dad joined a commune, both smoked pot and hitchhiked a lot. You know, pretty typical hippy stuff.

My theory is this: in the late 60's and 70's, the counterculture encouraged people to drop out--move away from the city, live in the country, grow enough food to support yourself, etc. At the same time, the country experienced radical price drops for housing in cities, as well as a weak economy.

So my question is pretty simple--was this casual? And then, when Gen-X was born and decided to move back to the city, did this help create the generational perception that real estate always goes up? (And did it help get the economy back on track too?)

p.s. If it comes as a relief to anyone, my parents still live in Mendocino county which is pretty hippie, even now. Not all boomers are complete hypocrites...

@FormerApt Broker:

Not only does a Muni bus weight 10 times more, it also has 30+ times the passenger load - so in fact does less damage to the road than your average single-occupancy eedjit-in-an-SUV, on a person to person basis.

I hate SUVs.
If ever there was a poster child for the mindless consumption that this country seems to have descended into, then a photo of a single-occupied SUV, driven by someone with a cell phone glued to thier ear, while speeding and tailgating has to be in the top 10 of applicable images.

Satan drives an Escalade, of that I'm sure. And I'll bet he never uses his signals, either ;-)

"Will we read next that he has married ‘lonely girl’?"

If I were Casey Serin, I would get a mail order bride in a third world country with corrupt officials and no extradition laws, sell those remaining homes to cash-only vultures at cut-rate prices, stash the loot in a Swiss bank account and then get on the next plane outta Dodge. Bankruptcy won't protect him from the criminal fraud charges.

"Satan drives an Escalade, of that I’m sure. And I’ll bet he never uses his signals, either"

Ten bucks says that he's got spinny wheels, too. :)

I saw a show on pbs a few months ago about consumer psychology and they interviewed all these SUV owners and asked them why they purchased an SUV. They said things like “It’s sporty”, “outdoorsy”, “safe”, etc.

That was one of the best shows ever.

It's all about the Reptilian Mind. This guys is frickin' awesome:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/interviews/rapaille.html

What's wrong with traditional market research?

One example I can give you about reptilian: mothers. I've done a lot of work for people that market products to mothers, right? Women in America have a different program that starts kicking in when they become mothers. When a woman becomes a mother, the reptilians take over. Suddenly she is a mother first. The husband is second; the baby is first. Suddenly she feels at the gut level that she has to be permanently aware, in charge, protecting this child, for the child to stay alive. And this is like a divine mission, so this has become a very strong priority which is very reptilian. The code for mothers, for me, is total paranoia. Total paranoia. Mothers know that you can't stop watching, being careful, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They feel the danger before anybody else. Now, sometime[s] they behave in a very irrational way, so if you try to ask them, "Tell me how you behave in this situation," and so on, well, they're going to tell you something that makes sense. But if you are really right there when something happens, you see suddenly the reptilians take over -- bingo. And that what is interesting.

Wow

speedingpullet Says:

> Not only does a Muni bus weight 10 times more,
> it also has 30+ times the passenger load - so in
> fact does less damage to the road than your
> average single-occupancy eedjit-in-an-SUV,
> on a person to person basis.

The Muni bus will do more damage “and” more damage per person to roads. For an example you can try at home drop a one pound weight on your wood desk from five feet up 60 times, then drop a 10 pound weight twice and see what does more damage…

> I hate SUVs. If ever there was a poster child for the
> mindless consumption that this country seems to
> have descended into, then a photo of a single-
> occupied SUV, driven by someone with a cell
> phone glued to their ear, while speeding and
> tailgating has to be in the top 10 of applicable images.

With the exception of idiots (like Satan) that drive the big “Bling Machines” the people that drive SUVs are just regular people who can’t afford a second car. If you gave most SUV owners a little Lotus Elise or a Mini they would only drive the SUV when they were hauling stuff, towing the boat, going camping or going skiing. The problem is that most people “need” a SUV on a regular basis throughout the year and can’t afford to rent one twice a week every time they need to do things like pick up 20 white powder coated metal closet poles and 20 new boxed bedroom light fixtures, lock up four mountain bikes while eating lunch or pick up ten 20" monitors to donate to the computer lab of a Charter School (I drove the SUV three times in the last week for the above reasons).

P.S. There is a photo of Satan’s Escalade on the link below:

http://tinyurl.com/l8goq

FormerAptBroker - Yes, indeed, different weights will do different damage.

Having earned a degree in applied mathematics proving this, and other mindbending things - like how to find the length of a toliet roll by measuring the thickness, or how heat dissapates on a flat metal surface over time - i can attest that a Muni bus is very very damaging to road surfaces, especially if you drop them from a height ;-)

But I think you're missing the point: for every drop-from-a-height Muni bus catasrophe, you need to compare 30 SUV drops. Not to mention that each person on the Muni bus isn't driving thier SUVs while on the bus. 30 times less gas, polloution, consumption etc...a saving of 'more than enough money' (a scientific term) to pay for road damages, should said Muni bus go Dukes of Hazard on your ass.

As for 'needing' and SUV...judging from the stuff you carry around, you more than qualify for needing one! But I doubt you're 'normal' in that regard. Ok, that sounds bad, I'm not questioning your sanity - but 'most people' commute/grocery shop/go to the beach/parks/etc..in SUVs. Hardly the purpose they were intended for.

For that matter - you'd be amazed at the ridiculous amount of crap you can shoehorn into a Nissan Centra if you fold down the back seats: standard lamps, flatware bookshelves, 8' long planks of wood, curtain rails, tables, wheelbarrows, compost, etc...I know this because I've done it myself.
Ok, so driving home with a lampshade in your ear isn't too much fun, but it can be done. Most people really only need the carrying capacity of an SUV once or twice a year, and Budget hire vans for $80 a day.
As eurbed's piece says - its all about the Reptillian Mind - most people don't need an SUV, but they want one...and will find justification for it, one way or another

...and nice pic! Although I'm pretty sure Satan's Escalade would be metal flake black with hand-painted flame details.

It's child's play to reconstruct the anti-boomer rhetoric here into its equivalent 1960s form.

The tailgating asshat in 1958 wasn't in an Escalade - it was a Fleetwood Sixty Special, not that it matters. And in 2041, members of your own generation will develop a thousand-yard stare over their checkbooks in the grocery checkout line. You, of course, will have a remotely sensed smartcard, but your generation will be the subject of rants (crisply intelligent) by people a bit younger than your nieces and nephews.

Enjoy yourselves. Your stint in the barrel awaits.

FAB,

Like many others here, my beef with SUV lies in how they are used and their sheer number. I hate big trucks like F-150s even more and wish the government require special licenses and extra fees.

I'm also no fan of 18 wheelers on highways and heavy construction trucks, esp. when they take up 40% of the road during rush hour. I would certainly support a move towards upgrading railroad infrastructure and move more of the long haul transportation to the rails.

I think that's a pretty consistent position for me. Much more consistent than people who buy FWD SUVs on some vague notion of fighting the soccer mom midlife crisis and of safety.

(Also, there should be a special layer of hell for women who rear end while talking on the cellphone and an extra special layer if they're driving a large SUV or large truck)

astrid,

The rail infrastructure of the US is currently being upgraded. There was a piece in either the Economist or FT, I forget which now, that claimed there's currently more $ (infl adjusted) going into US rail infrastructure than during any period since the late 1800s. There was a woman from Union Pacific on CNBC last week practically begging laid off auto-industry workers to consider moving South or West to work for the RRs. She said they can't find enough workers, even though they pay slightly more than the auto mfgs, have equivalent pensions, and workers enjoy special tax breaks.

Astrid and Randy,

I'm a big supporter of improving U.S. railroads both for passengers and freight. The investment is happening as Randy points out. It is certainly very needed as well. For example, they say it takes a frieght train longer to get through Chicago on it's way to New York than it took to get here from LA. I'm unable to find the article that detailed how they are upgrading some of the busiest interchanges currently manned by an operator who has to manual switch track just as it was done almost 100 years ago! Anyway, here's my link for passenger rail in the midwest: http://www.midwesthsr.org/index.htm

Paul

Ha Ha,

FED is always on speculator's side and against savings, reason and prudence.

This is close -

http://www.aar.org/Create/Create_main.asp

Randy H and Paul,

Thanks for the information about trains. That sounds like very good news indeed!

Bap33,

Sorry. I'm all for people who can justify owning an SUV or a truck (people who drive unpaved roads a lot or people who really needs to tow large objects on a regular basis. But I don't buy the safety arguments, especially in light of the danger SUVs pose to other drivers and pedestrians.

SQT,

Your situation doesn't sound very egregious :) Just don't talk when you're in a bad traffic situation or while backing out of a parking spot. The current crop of mini-vans and wagons are super nice though. They're actually more family/kid friendly since they generally offer more storage space and are easier for kids to get into.

I don't think SUVs are evil per se, though I think the evidence against "sporty" SUVs like the Cayenne or the X5 are pretty obvious. SUVs are big vehicles that are purpose built and should be driven respectfully by knowledgeable drivers. I admit that seeing women yakking away on a cellphone while driving a hulking SUV out of busy parking lot, that really sets me fuming.

Randy, FAB and all you savvy finance type folks,

My cousin (an international business undergrad in China) is looking at US grad schools. I recommended that she look at finance and accounting programs, since she is very good at math, meticulous and has a near photographic memory. She's too young and her English is too academic (since she's never been out of China, though allegedly her English is quite good) to take on MBA or law school, so something math-centric makes more sense for US grad school.

Do you folks have any recommendations? I know there's generally a lot more money in finance, especially for bilingual Chinese/English speakers, but I think there's also a steady demand in China for auditing and high level accounting. I also worry that there's been a little too much focus on China and financing lately, so that if she goes in now she'll face a lot of competition when she gets out of school.

Anyone?

Hiding,

Hmmm, I didn't even think about the Firefly angle, though I do love the show. I'm a major nerd.

Must work in the holy hand grenade for my next comment...

PS - just to make Peter P jealous, I ate local blue crabs two nights in a row. 99 cents a pound and pretty darn near perfection. The meat and the roes were succulent and very delicious.

(Oh darn, forgot to work in the holy hand grenade...help, anyone? anyone?)

Hiding,

Thanks. I hope so. I found my economics classes to be the most enlightening classes I've taken, since they explain so much of human behavior.

My cousin is still a bit immature to be as self motivated as your friend. Mostly, it's just the lack of practical experience and knowledge (just a systemic problem with Mainland Chinese education). Probably nothing that can't be fixed with a little law and economics education, a couple years of subscription to the Economist and the New Yorker, and a good mentor (because all my uncles seem to teacher are F1 racing and Chinese business dinner etiquette).

She should go a lot further than me, since my mom tells me she has all the great qualities my mom wish I had.

teacher = teach her

Did I mention she got perfect marks for grammar on her TOFEL? Her English grammar is probably better than mine.

PS - just to make Peter P jealous, I ate local blue crabs two nights in a row. 99 cents a pound and pretty darn near perfection. The meat and the roes were succulent and very delicious.

Blue crab... :|

RE: Railroads

I've been to Germany quite a few times. I have never, ever gotten a rental car (although the AutoBahn does tempt me). Germany's local light rail, the S-bahn, is nearly perfect. You could set your watch to the trains, +/- 3 minutes. For longer distance travel, I know for a fact you can get from Munich to Paris with about $65 if you book far enough in advance, and that's without a European discount card.

For anyone who thinks that an SUV makes you safe in the snow, try an Audi quattro AWD in the Alps. Flawless. Even in a collision I'd bet that the Audi is safer, and it gets excellent MPG on a turbocharged diesel plus abundant low-end torque. What you'd need an SUV in Cali for is beyond me, as you guys have very low mountains, no snow and primarily highway driving.

goober,

I can believe it. My mom's old Volvo got in a low speed collision with a big truck once. My mom's Volvo came out without a scratch while the truck's front was completely smashed up. Structural integrity and side impact airbags can do a lot to protect passengers, even against much more massive objects. SUVs, particularly American SUVs, have relatively poor passive safety features and do a poor job of protecting their passengers.

Astrid,

Your friend could look into the emerging field of Financial Engineering. U.C. Berkeley has a leading program. It's a relatively new official degree, so there's some risk in the degree being misunderstood or unrecognized. However, I'm seeing it requested more and more, and not just by big finance but also places like GE.

Oh, I should mention that Financial Engineering is very very very (I cannot overemphasize) math centric. It's the kind of advanced degree that appeals to quantum physicists looking to make some money in their careers.

Hiding,

I think Marxism is very useful as an explanatory theory for many social sciences, especially for social historians and modern lit majors. But in my experience, Marxists and pure Libertarians do not make good teachers. They let their doctrine get ahead of observable reality.

I'm no math whiz so my knowledge of economics is extremely elementary compared to the finance whizzes on the board. I do find concepts like scarcity, supply and demand, game theory, communal goods and bonding behavior to be extremely useful in understanding contracts and tort law. It's even kinda helpful for tax law and crim law. Constitutional law and admin law, on the other hand, confuses me to death.

Randy,

Thanks! Will definitely look into it. That sounds very interesting and comes with the added benefit of being close to me and only a 12 hour flight from Shanghai.

I'll have to ask my cousin about her desireable level of math though. I know she is very good at math (she's all around very studious and quite smart) but I'm not sure she's quantum physicist material. Her math and English are definitely good enough for traditional finance type courses.

SQT,

My hopes that Sac home prices drop quickly and steeply, so you afford both the home and vehicle of your dreams. :-)

SQT says: "Granted, there’s the mini-van, but honestly, any van I’d like to drive I can’t afford. Nice Honda or Toyota vans with the dual sliding doors can go for $30k new."

You need to test drive a Kia. Seriously. Two friends of mine have decked out Kia minivans. Leather seats, dual sliding doors, better safety ratings, a 100K powertrain warranty... all for 2/3 the cost of an American minivan.

In my mind, Kia basically killed Dodge, Chrysler and Ford for very good reasons. The Detroit Big 3 just build bigger, gas guzzling vehicles. They are expensive and they aren't even guaranteed as long. One of my buddies had a problem with his Kia, and they were in and out of the shop for zero cost on that warranty. You can't get that kind of service with a U.S. manufacturer anymore.

But I overall agree--I would rather have a Toyota 4Runner than any sort of a minivan, especially if gas mileage is comparable. One looks like a beaten down soccer-dad compromise, and the other looks like a woodsman-conquers-the-city converted truck that's due for an offroad victory lap on the town square of suburbia.

goober,

Sorry but I think UAW and other manufacturing unions are the sort of ossified self interested groups that Democratic party needs to move away from, pronto! Service unions, on the other hand, are doing some interesting things and working to reinvent themselves.

Brand,

Darn, you beat me to the Kia recommendation! I had heard good things about Kia too and wanted to do more research before recommending it to SQT.

My wish about cheap homes stands.

Hiding,

(Yeah, I'm quite horrible. I really am the queen of OT, I once threadjacked half a post to yak on about Japanese chef's knives)

No problem. I'm not one to disregard precedent (economics provides reasons for sticking to even bad precedent and bad laws). I think the problem with the 19th century formulation of natural law was that it looked in places where value was variable and difficult to quantify. Also, it was based on psuedo-science rather than observable and repeatable human behavior. I know the social sciences are considered "soft" sciences today, but they're still far more evidence driven than head shape measurements.

Furthermore, the basis of contracts and tort law is property, which is intrinsically connected with the foundations of economics. Economics certainly helps understand the interests of the parties and of the State. This is even more striking when we move to legislative laws that directly governs economic life, e.g. the UCC or taxation or antitrust. The legislative law and even the courts do occasionally take notice of the changes in economic reality, so knowledge of economics can be a useful tool of persuasion and decisionmaking.

At least that's what my profs tell me...

Hiding,

Really! Does that mean American made Bimmers and Benzes are actually better than German made ones?