Something Random
- Thread starter ddrueding
- Start date
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
Gosh Coug, you don't miss a thing, don't you?! Thanks for the concern, but we're safe and sound.
We were away traveling starting Dec. 26 and returned on New Year's day. Most of the action from the cyclone was some 190 km south of where I live. Overall, I hear the wind was worse than the rain; gusts to 180 kmph.
We were far away when it happened; first to a mountain resort that's ~ 8000 ft high, then a day's stay deep in the forest, then a day in a picturesque tea estate, a drive through the forest to reach the country's largest waterfalls, then a reeeeeally long drive back. On the 31st, I drove non-stop for 12 hours, most of it through mountains (low speed, constant gear changes). Was a good time, some incredibly scenic views.
In other news, I will be separating from my employer of 4+ years at the end of Jan. Have to start looking for something else.
ddrueding
Fixture
Was it your work that brought you back to that part of the world? Do you anticipate staying there?
CougTek
Hairy Aussie
I thought Mubs was a native Indian, not that he moved there for his work. If I was (or almost any other American or European) to move there, it would primarily be for a very well paid job. The way Mubs talked about his aging computer and the relatively tight budget he has to replace it, I really don't think that's his case. Someone with a limited budget and living in India must not be a foreigner. I'm pretty sure he doesn't have red hair and freckles.
Chewy509
Wotty wot wot.
Your choice? Any circumstances that you can share?
Sorry to hear, hopefully you'll pick up something quickly.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
I was born and brought up in India and have brown skin & dark eyes, and had black hair (what's left of it is mostly gray now).
I lived in Orange County, So Cal for 22+ years; a few miles from Buck. Decided to move back to India for good. Didn't like the way things were going with respect to the economy, federal and trade deficits, politics, and what not. We have our own set of problems here, but despite the sucky environment for business, the economy is growing. I figure India is now where the US was in the early 1950's - take-off stage.
My dad passed away here when I was there, and my mom is 82 now. I swore I wouldn't be too far away from my mother. When you get older, relationships begin to matter more. Most of my siblings are here, and my only child was growing up lonely there. I felt guilty depriving her of a childhood. Wife's entire family is here. These are only a few reasons for moving back. I still have an American passport.
I'm not dirt-poor; I've been in the top tax bracket so far and will do ok. The reason for not upgrading my PC earlier was that it met my needs just fine. When I decided to upgrade, things didn't look good on the job front, so as a matter of caution, decided to postpone building the new PC.
I wasn't fired or laid off; things have been pretty static for the last 2 years. It took the first 2 years to clean up the mess I inherited, then the promised growth in revenue and company size just didn't happen. It's a career dead-end, and I got sick of coasting along for so long. I asked to be relieved, and it took about a year for them to find a not very good replacement.
I was diagnosed with diabetes in August 2010, but it appears to be in remission for the last month. If I take my pills, my blood sugar goes dangerously low, so I've stopped taking them. Periodic checks indicate sugar is at "normal" levels. I figure the stress of being underemployed in a sucky work environment caused stress diabetes. Have to see the doc next week for a professional opinion.
Am looking forward to moving on. Whether something will materialize, I don't know. My experience gives me an advantage, but my age is a handicap. We'll see. Worst case, I'll probably start a small business.
Thank you all for the concerns expressed.
I lived in Orange County, So Cal for 22+ years; a few miles from Buck. Decided to move back to India for good. Didn't like the way things were going with respect to the economy, federal and trade deficits, politics, and what not. We have our own set of problems here, but despite the sucky environment for business, the economy is growing. I figure India is now where the US was in the early 1950's - take-off stage.
My dad passed away here when I was there, and my mom is 82 now. I swore I wouldn't be too far away from my mother. When you get older, relationships begin to matter more. Most of my siblings are here, and my only child was growing up lonely there. I felt guilty depriving her of a childhood. Wife's entire family is here. These are only a few reasons for moving back. I still have an American passport.
I'm not dirt-poor; I've been in the top tax bracket so far and will do ok. The reason for not upgrading my PC earlier was that it met my needs just fine. When I decided to upgrade, things didn't look good on the job front, so as a matter of caution, decided to postpone building the new PC.
I wasn't fired or laid off; things have been pretty static for the last 2 years. It took the first 2 years to clean up the mess I inherited, then the promised growth in revenue and company size just didn't happen. It's a career dead-end, and I got sick of coasting along for so long. I asked to be relieved, and it took about a year for them to find a not very good replacement.
I was diagnosed with diabetes in August 2010, but it appears to be in remission for the last month. If I take my pills, my blood sugar goes dangerously low, so I've stopped taking them. Periodic checks indicate sugar is at "normal" levels. I figure the stress of being underemployed in a sucky work environment caused stress diabetes. Have to see the doc next week for a professional opinion.
Am looking forward to moving on. Whether something will materialize, I don't know. My experience gives me an advantage, but my age is a handicap. We'll see. Worst case, I'll probably start a small business.
Thank you all for the concerns expressed.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
There are plenty of natives with incredible amounts of wealth. As in any rapidly growing economy, they took advantage of opportunities by being in the right place at the right time. There is a waiting list for Roll-Royce cars. Audi is a hot seller. Porsche sells the Panamera here ( I know a guy who just bought one), along with the other models. Luxury cars are now dime a dozen. Louis Vitton and similar businesses are opening retail stores in India.
The divide between the super rich and poor is pretty extreme.
I'm not part of the ultra rich, but I am pretty high up if you consider the whole population. But by the standards of the ultra rich, I am dirt poor
!
CougTek
Hairy Aussie
I didn't say that all Indians are piss poor, I said that Westerners in India should logically, in a very large part, be quite wealthy. I'm happy to know that you are doing well financially. However, correct me if I'm wrong, but it is my impression that someone earning 25,000U$ in your country would be quite high in the salary ladder. Enough to live quite well. You may also be well aware that 25,000$ annually in North America is barely enough to make a living. I doubt an American or European would exil himself in a foreign country for less than a six figures salary. I'm darn sure I wouldn't. Now, if you were earning above 100,000$ in your country, would you still wait to replace your computer or not. My take is that you wouldn't even blink and buy a new one, not even because you'd need a new one, but because you'd like to have a new one.
I don't want to know how much you earn and I'm certainly not trying to insult you in any way. I'm just trying to explain the reason behind my analysis.
I don't want to know how much you earn and I'm certainly not trying to insult you in any way. I'm just trying to explain the reason behind my analysis.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
Coug, no offence at all taken!
What you are alluding to is this here. See #4 on the lists.
I've had my dark days when I've lived off savings and depleted them down to nothing. So regardless of how much I make, I am careful about new expenditures when I know my income stream will stop soon.
Of course, this did not prevent us from taking a holiday last week and spending a tidy sum. The logic here is that the holiday benefited the whole family, but the new PC would be mine exclusively. The kid is banned from using mine (doesn't know the logon password). The wife knows the password (in case I kick the bucket suddenly; all records are in the PC) but prefers to use the kid's PC since she knows how paranoid I am about security.
What you are alluding to is this here. See #4 on the lists.
I've had my dark days when I've lived off savings and depleted them down to nothing. So regardless of how much I make, I am careful about new expenditures when I know my income stream will stop soon.
Of course, this did not prevent us from taking a holiday last week and spending a tidy sum. The logic here is that the holiday benefited the whole family, but the new PC would be mine exclusively. The kid is banned from using mine (doesn't know the logon password). The wife knows the password (in case I kick the bucket suddenly; all records are in the PC) but prefers to use the kid's PC since she knows how paranoid I am about security.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
The biggest advantage that comes to my mind for remaining in India, having been a long time US resident, is the possibility that your retirement savings could be stretched into some kind of fortune over there.
Of course, if your career path has been largely spent as a contractor, perhaps that isn't such a big advantage.
Of course, if your career path has been largely spent as a contractor, perhaps that isn't such a big advantage.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
And of course, assuming the Social Security fund is still solvent.
Living abroad also comes with other baggage, such as having to file a tax return each year, and declaring all bank accounts and investments worth > $10k. American citizens are obliged to pay income tax to the US on their worldwide income regardless of where they live. In my case, the double-tax avoidance treaty between India and the US has meant that I haven't had to pay taxes to the US (over and above what I pay the Indian Govt.) yet.
Living abroad also comes with other baggage, such as having to file a tax return each year, and declaring all bank accounts and investments worth > $10k. American citizens are obliged to pay income tax to the US on their worldwide income regardless of where they live. In my case, the double-tax avoidance treaty between India and the US has meant that I haven't had to pay taxes to the US (over and above what I pay the Indian Govt.) yet.
I saw those yesterday...blows.
I also just got a thing in the mail regarding a Netflix class action law suite combined with walmart. I don't know if it's legit, I haven't bothered to look it up yet. If it is, I'll submit for the cash settlement vs a walmart gift card (those are the two options). They said the claim is in the ballpark of $27 million.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Media companies have figured out that it's a cheaper and more stable revenue to stream to support streaming and they each want a bigger part of the pie. Of course they're going to stop playing nice with Netflix.
Really? Where are they streaming?
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
HBO has HBO Go. Most TV networks and movie studios have some kind of stake in Hulu and broadcast networks stream through their web sites.
Wanted this for years, fortunately I am only rarely in the NYC area.
http://consumerist.com/2012/01/microsoft-patents-gps-feature-that-steers-you-away-from-slums.html
http://consumerist.com/2012/01/microsoft-patents-gps-feature-that-steers-you-away-from-slums.html
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Since I can give directions to my apartment by the number of strip clubs and adult bookstores one has to pass to get there, I have a feeling that my whole community would be avoided by such a thing.
Showtime adds streaming I can't get either.
http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/10/ne...rings-showtimes-movies-and-shows-to-the-ipad/
http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/10/ne...rings-showtimes-movies-and-shows-to-the-ipad/
That may be a nice feature for new subscribers to Showtime allowing them to catch up on the special Showtime shows.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
My lunchtime taco lost structural integrity shortly after my second bite. Now my shirt smells like taco.
It's not wholly unpleasant, but my shirt is making me hungry.
It's not wholly unpleasant, but my shirt is making me hungry.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Dry socket is a sucky, sucky thing.
It is, it just dumbfounds me that Showtime and HBO go 90% of the way and then lock it out any non subscribers. Put a price on it, any price just make it available.
ddrueding
Fixture
I'm sure the satellite and cable companies would have something to say about that...
This is what I was thinking also. If HBO & Showtime had this as a streaming-only option at a reasonable price, I'd likely never subscribe through FIOS. Obviously if the price is the same (or within 10%) as getting the channel, I'd just get the channel and get the included streaming with it.
Stereodude
Not really a
You guys find stuff worth watching on HBO & Showtime?
Even when I got it for free in promotions and the like I never watched it.
Even when I got it for free in promotions and the like I never watched it.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
You guys find stuff worth watching on HBO & Showtime?
Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, True Blood (which is terrible, granted, but has quality T&A and girls like it). Basically, I'd watch a drama that was on HBO just because it was on HBO.
Showtime has Dexter, Shameless, Californication (again, T&A), and in the past they had Weeds and Bullshit, though I think both of those ended.
sdbardwick
Storage is cool
Weeds was picked up for an 8th season back in November.
Another system that I tried and works is movies sold with ultraviolet. It is a little quirky as mentioned but I was able to get mobile versions downloaded. Much easier than ripping and processing a disk too.
http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/Amazon-gets-board-UltraViolet-ap-1501388500.html?x=0
http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/Amazon-gets-board-UltraViolet-ap-1501388500.html?x=0
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Sol
Storage is cool
Ultraviolet sort of seems like the studios trying to do something worthwhile but I don't think it's quite there.
The need to use only their software (Which is reputedly pretty ordinary) or devices and the need to be online to watch anything kind of kill any usefulness it might have had.
In the end Ultraviolet does nothing a rip can't do (Except stream I guess which could be handy if you're at a friends place and want something to watch, as long as they have the capability to play the particular stream, which may vary depending on where you bought it, your streaming rights for the content haven't expired, the retailer of the content is still in business and hasn't shut down their streaming service, and there are no territorial or other restrictions in place which prevent the streaming of that content to your current location or at the current time) and a couple of potentially important things that it can't (E.g. Play a film without Internet access, e.g. on a plane. Or transcode the film to make the file smaller or change the container, codecs or resolution to something supported by a particular device)
There are other little things like the fact that I can rip a disk as many times as I want but can only download an Ultraviolet copy 3 times before I can be asked to pay a fee. It looks like Ultraviolet is trying to be the Steam of video, but I think they'll have to do better if they want to make that work.
The need to use only their software (Which is reputedly pretty ordinary) or devices and the need to be online to watch anything kind of kill any usefulness it might have had.
In the end Ultraviolet does nothing a rip can't do (Except stream I guess which could be handy if you're at a friends place and want something to watch, as long as they have the capability to play the particular stream, which may vary depending on where you bought it, your streaming rights for the content haven't expired, the retailer of the content is still in business and hasn't shut down their streaming service, and there are no territorial or other restrictions in place which prevent the streaming of that content to your current location or at the current time) and a couple of potentially important things that it can't (E.g. Play a film without Internet access, e.g. on a plane. Or transcode the film to make the file smaller or change the container, codecs or resolution to something supported by a particular device)
There are other little things like the fact that I can rip a disk as many times as I want but can only download an Ultraviolet copy 3 times before I can be asked to pay a fee. It looks like Ultraviolet is trying to be the Steam of video, but I think they'll have to do better if they want to make that work.
ddrueding
Fixture
Awesome. I had three removed at once and they were "impacted" or something. They had me under for at least an hour.
CougTek
Hairy Aussie
Pssfff! I could remove your entire front row, top AND bottom, in five seconds max. 5 minutes for two teeth, I'm not impressed.
BingBangBop
Storage is cool
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2009
- Messages
- 667
I have all four of mine impacted. It has been recommended several times by different dentists throughout my life to remove them proactively. I did the research and the actual data is that only a very small percentage of people actually have problems but if they do, the problems tend to be significant and relatively costly (compared to proactively removing them). I decided to accept the risk and not remove them unless there is a problem for by my calculations. statistically the expected cost is much lower leaving them in. I've never had a dentist disagree. I think removing wisdom teeth is a profit center for them.
P.S. I also don't have insurance that would pay to remove them so the cost would come out of my pocket. Insurance could change the cost calculations.
P.S. I also don't have insurance that would pay to remove them so the cost would come out of my pocket. Insurance could change the cost calculations.