iamshack

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 6, 2011 -> 08:58 PM) I hate you and your perfect vegas weather. Dammit. I drove a Range Rover sport supercharged today and the new Jeep GC. Jeep did some real nice things with that car, but i still feel like spending almost 50k on a jeep is a f***ing rip off. One thing is for sure, I really am going to miss my G. I am going to try out the FX50 to see if maybe that alleviates the slowness I feel with every SUV I drive. Yeah, talk about an impractical car. But I am a single guy with no kids that lives in Las Vegas...if there was ever a place where having that car would work...this is it. I'm going to take a serious look into these...I imagine the insurance is really bad...but 0-60 in 4.4 seconds...amazing styling reminiscent of the old 550's... yowzas... As for the RR, I took a look into those after you mentioned them the other day. It looks like if you're going to get a used one, you want to go 2010 since the interior was redesigned. Awesome SUV...definitelty would look into them if I was in a more extreme climate, but here, well, there are a million of them around town and I just don't need it's off-road and winter weather capabilities. Definitely a nice vehicle for your needs though. I like what I have seen of the Jeep GC's too, and I will always love the Wranglers, but I agree, overpriced. Let me know what you think of the FX50.

Hey Rock, was settling in on the idea of the A5 and then I stumbled across this...mercy... Ebay -2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Jan 6, 2011 -> 07:47 PM) Kind of related, kind of not. Didn't want to make a new thread, but if there needs to be one, please help mods. Anyway, I'm looking to break into the IT/IS industry. I'm currently going to school(only one more year left) for Computer Information Systems with a concentration on Database Management. The thing is, it's tough to break into the industry. I've been looking for a job in IT/IS for awhile and even help desks position request 2-3 years experience for Level 1 support. Anyone got any good tips? I'm not sure if this holds true with the IT department, but just apply for what you think you are capable of doing. It won't hurt. These employers seem to want Einstein and Werner Von Braun working for them, so they put all these qualifications and what not on their job descriptions. Find out what is customary in your industry in terms of schooling, certifications, experience, etc., but don't be afraid to apply!

If you guys all wear Sox hats, you're going to look like a bigger bunch of nerds than Sqwert is already making you look like... I'm pretty sure you'll all be able to find the group of 12 dudes with no hope whatsoever of picking up a woman, standing next to Lost and his group of 17 strippers. Have fun guys! And I kid, of course!

QUOTE (Tex @ Jan 6, 2011 -> 01:53 PM) Balance the pay today with what it may do for you down the road. I accepted a promotion that resulted in less real dollars but it put me on a career path I wanted more. Basically my compensation went from my direct sales to the company's bottom line. I made less in year one, but the move more than paid for iteself in years 3 and beyond plus putting me in position to leave and accept a much bigger role with another company, something I could not have done without the experience. Money may not be the only reason. Definitely true, Tex. Trying to juggle a few different options right now in terms of directions to go, but the timing is hard to align. Taking a bit of a risk whether I take this position or not, because it is a promotion from my current position but there is another position on the horizon that I want more. So I either take this one and miss out on something potentially better, or I pass on this one and potentially end up staying right where I'm at now, with no promotion at all.

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 09:19 PM) My only problem with Fisher is he wanted Collins starting over VY before all the drama started, while VY clearly has his flaws the offense was more dynamic with him under center and you have a future with him while Collins is at the end of his days. I think Fisher's stubborness might cost him the job, but maybe Titans should cut ties with Young as well. Yeah, my feeling about Fisher has nothing to do with Young. VY is clearly a bit of a headcase and/or primadonna, so I am not sure I would want either of them there if I was in charge. The Titans have one of the best rb's in the league, a solid defense, and they still were horrible. Somewhat similar to Minnesota I suppose. I'd be looking to bring in a younger, fresher leader if it was up to me.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 09:07 PM) Good luck dude. I just did that and walked away from my job on tuesday to start at a competitor and my company finally came around today, too little too late. Hope it works out for you. Thanks. The thing I have going for me is I'm perfectly willing to stay in my current position and wait for the next opportunity if need be. Good luck to you as well, I'll be interested to hear how things go at the new company.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 07:13 PM) Oh yeah, in my profession this is a must. I always check out the feedback from people on that site as well. It helps to know if you are also going to do a drug screen... I've got a lot of vices, for whatever reason, that is about the only one I don't indulge in.... Have my strategy down and am willing to walk away from the offer if they don't give me what I feel is fair. Going to ask for an increase of about 35%, which is probably a bit on the high side, but considering they are asking me to give up some perks, including my schedule, take a lower bonus structure (which is going to cost me about $5k a year), and they specifically talked about me doing some work on the regulatory side of things and putting my legal training to work, I feel like it's fair. I'd probably take about a 29% increase, but once you factor in the reduced bonus structure, in gross pay that's more like a 25% increase. That would be well within the range they posted in the listing, and well within the market value for the position. If they won't pay up, I'm going to walk away, because there is another opportunity around the corner that I am more interested in.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 05:40 PM) If the 14th amendment does not give equal protection under the law to women because that was not the original intent of that amendment, then why does the 14th amendment give equal protection under the law to corporations? See, this is where you get into trouble by trying to apply things written in the Constitution to more current or modern events, developments, thoughts, philosophies, etc. Yes, you can usually find a way to tie in the spirit of the Constitution to cover the ever-expanding list of freedoms and persons and everything that comes along with social and cultural development as societies and cultures mature. But eventually, a few years pass, and something else happens that calls into question these ideas, and scholars or judges go back and analyze the letter of the law and discover, why, low and behold, it was never in the letter of the law to begin with! Why have we been applying this Amendment to such and such a group this entire time? I really believe you have to allow the legislators to do their job, and that is where I agree with Scalia. Let's face it, while the Constitution is an amazing, beautiful, thought-provoking and groundbreaking document, perhaps decades ahead of its time, it has been drafted and amended by men who had no way of anticipating the rapidly evolving and changing world in which we live in now. It needs to continue to live on in spirit, but we can't look for, or try to stretch it to mean or intend things it simply never did. That's what our legislators our here for now. This is why we elect them and pay them.

QUOTE (dasox24 @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 07:31 PM) The Titans will either trade or cut Vince Young. I guess Fisher won that battle, which he should have. He's a great coach and they would have been dumb firing him to please VY. Edit: Apparently Bud Adams is still undecided on if he'll keep Fisher or not. I think he'd be dumb to get rid of him. http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id...nts-from-titans I'm not sure it's not time for the Titans to part ways with Fisher. Yes, he is probably a great coach, but sometimes both parties just need a change. I'm sure John Foxx is a great coach, but I think it's best that he and the Panthers go their separate ways.' Sometimes things just get stale. Of course, with the labor issue looming, this may not be the year to break things up because they are stale.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 03:45 PM) Look up that specific role at your company on glassdoor.com and it will give you a salary range. Ask for the top end of it. Funny you mention that....it is very difficult to find salary info in my industry because positions are called all kinds of different things, and there are all kinds of different bonus structures involved and what not. But I did a search and actually pulled up the exact same job at my company. The range it displayed which was fairly small from low to high ($7k), and what I was going to ask for was right smack in the middle of that range. So I suppose I am on the right track. That website is interesting...I had no idea that sort of data was available.

QUOTE (HeGone33 @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 03:24 PM) There are a ton of variables here as Chet said, my advice would be to do salary research for the industry and job you have, specific to your geographic area. My employer just conducted the research on their own, and bumped those at my level up another level to keep us competitive within the market. Have you thought of the possibility they would want someone to jump from level one to "senior analyst" so they don't have to pay the typical "senior anaylst" salary? A few things: 1) My industry is kind of bizarre. I work for the utility company in Nevada, in what is called the "Resource Optimization" group. I am what is called a real time power trader. There are only 10 of us in the entire state of NV, all within my office. There are usually 1-3 major utility companies in each state, so as you can see, there aren't that many people that do what I do. There are also energy marketing groups, which are basically banks or other financial/investment/energy related companies like Citibank/Barclay's/ Shell/JP Morgan/Merrill Lynch, etc., located in Houston and NYC. So it is difficult to get data like that specific to geographic areas, since we are really the only data points available in the entire state. Secondly, we are probably compensated at my company below the market, or on the lower-end of the range. The company can do this because the people in our group are isolated. I would literally have to leave the state in order to take a position elsewhere. I put up with this now because I have a pretty cush position and I get gobs of time off. I feel that my quality of life is greater than it could be at most other companies. But if I took this position my schedule would change and be less favorable, so that would be a factor. Thirdly, they are only hiring internal candidates for this position, and I know who the others are, and I don't think they really want to hire any of the others, so I probably have some increased bargaining power there. I would be coming from another position, but I guess the natural progression would be to move up 1 level, which I would be. As for the jump in levels, it's really not as big of a jump as it sounds. The first level is "analyst," the second is "senior analyst," the third is "staff analyst," and the fourth is "consultant." Then above that is management level.

QUOTE (Chet Kincaid @ Jan 5, 2011 -> 02:54 PM) It's totally dependent on the type of job you do now vs. what you would be doing in your new role... time you have with the company... new responsibilities... the size of the promotion... etc. Yeah, I was expecting someone to say this... I didn't want to bore you guys with all the details... Let's just say it is a fairly reasonable promotion. I have been there 2.5 years. I was approached by the leader of another group within the company as asked about my interest in this position. I would basically be going from what is an level 1 position to a "senior analyst" position, which is a fairly decent step up. New role would have more responsibilities and duties, but I don't want to make it seem like it is taking on an incredible amount more than I did before.

Yesterday afternoon I interviewed for a different position within my company that would be considered a fairly decent promotion for me. I am very confident they will offer me the position when they complete the interviewing process. What kind of raise should I try and negotiate for? 10%? 20%? 33%? What does everyone feel about this?

Didn't like the decision to kick the fg instead of going for the td at the end of the half there.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 05:38 PM) Sounds like Mallet might not be the sharpest tool in the shed. Not only that, but he has a very bad temper. He gets pissed off easily and starts throwing the ball all over the field at times. Remind you of anyone?

Went and test drove the Audi TTS today. Have to say that is a freaking beautiful machine. The A5, S5, and S4 are really sweet. Had to get out of there before I did anything crazy and signed any papers. Definitely can rule the S5 out, because they will chip an A5 for me for about $1200, which makes it performance-oriented enough for my tastes to go with that and save about $8-10k. Very nice cars though, has all the gadgets I would want, like, nav and satellite radio, iPod interface, bluetooth phone, etc.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 04:54 PM) Russell wasn't a terrible college QB. He definitely had a s***load of talent. Oh I agree...he was an awesome physical specimen, but I think he was always considered a very high risk/reward kind of player. Luck, from everything I am reading and hearing, seems to be a much safer pick, fairly similar to Bradford last year, but with even greater skills. Although I suppose a lot of people thought Ryan Leaf was a sure thing too...

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 04:49 PM) Tell that to Al Davis. *sniffle* Are you comparing JaMarcus to Andrew Luck?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 04:40 PM) I wouldn't write him off either, but I wouldn't Press my Luck for him. (hehe). Yeah, I think they have to take Luck with the first pick. Clausen doesn't have the potential IMO that you pass a guy like Luck for. I don't think there have been too many teams that have been burnt by taking the "lock" or consensus superstar player even though they had a potentially good or solid player already at the position. If you have a chance to get a potential superstar at the most important position on the field, you take him, and sort the rest out later.

QUOTE (GoSox05 @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 03:18 PM) What rookie qb wouldn't have stunk on that Panthers team. They are awful top to bottom. As horrendous as Clausen looks, he does have some talent. I remember he looked just as awful his first year starting at Notre Dame. Not that college and the NFL are the same, because they aren't, but he made the leap in college, and I am not willing to write him off yet in the NFL.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 10:29 AM) We watched the episode last night where Don bought a new car and took the family out for a picnic. He proceeded to toss his beer can and Betty left all the trash on the grass as they were leaving. My wife and I were like wtf. Were people completely ok with littering back then or something? Was just weird to see. They do stuff like that on purpose, just to point out the contrast in the way things were. That's why whenever there is a scene in a doctor's office, the doctor is smoking. People smoking in elevators. The kids in season 1 wearing the dry cleaning plastic over their heads. The kids always fighting in the car and jumping over the seats without any seatbelts on. The pregnant women smoking and drinking. It's one of the reasons I like the show, to see how our parents and grandparents lived... It was kind of strange seeing Jon Hamm in The Town last night because I am so accustomed to him being Don Draper.

I worked for Daley's Office as an intern for a few years while I was in law school. At least at the time, property taxes were a huge deal to him. He would literally do anything to avoid raising them.

QUOTE (Chi Town Sox @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 11:41 AM) The lady on the show "Barefoot Contessa" on the Food Network, I HATE her Now why are you going to beat up a woman who could make you such amazing meals...

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 4, 2011 -> 07:31 AM) I think some of the rules and expectations surrounding NCAA football are a joke, just like the writer is saying. But I disagree with his overall stance that the players should be compensated financially. College football is not minor league football. The NFL wants it to be - but it still isn't, and shouldn't be. These are universities, first and foremost, so the idea that players should be paid to play (beyond what other students get through scholarships and assistantships) is stupid. If the NFL wants a minor league system, then they can pay to create one. And the argument that players should be able to cheat or break the rules or laws because they rake in money for the school is intentionally keeping one eye closed to the math. A football team at a university rakes in money... which then goes out the door to more scholarships, to allow more students to go to school and get an education. So the money these players help rake in is really benefiting them anyway. Its just the full circle. Its amazing to me that people talk about players raking in millions, and then dismissing the tuition, room, board and even job oppportunities that these pay for. Last I checked, tuition/room/board/part-time job at a university like OSU or other schools would typically cost something like $50k-$100k over four years for out of state residents, not to mention the huge value having a degree at all gives these players. Even if you split up the million dollars (net) that a very successful program might rake in, each player would STILL get less money that the value they currently receive. And how about the fact that a lot of these athletes would likely not be able to get in OR afford school if it weren't for these programs? I'm sorry but people whining for the players here as if they are victims is laughable. That's from the perspective of the University. But... I also have zero problem with players finding ways to make money outside of the university, as long as it doesn't interfere with the operation of the team or the school. Getting free tattoos, selling memorabilia, etc., I think should be perfectly fine. Its immature and stupid, but that's what 19 year olds go through, and they need to learn their way through the life lessons. As long as they aren't actually cheating in the games, or cheating the school in some fashion, then I see no reason why its not OK. These players are adults - treat them as such. Don't coddle them or write a zillion stupid little rules they have to follow, and don't allow them to take something of great value and then complain when they don't get more. Let them make money outside of school however they want to, even if its immature and idiotic - as long as it doesn't result in cheating on the field or breaking real, actual laws (not NCAA rules). The set-up is f***ed up, no doubt. But not in the way the author states. Well the reason all these rules exist, and they have gone back and forth between trying to make a set of simple rules versus a list of complex rules, is that the universities and their boosters continue to find their way around them. It isn't like the athletes started just demanding cash one day. The money became so great for these schools that they began doing everything and anything possible to recruit the best athletes possible and to trick the NCAA while doing so. Finally, the NCAA had to try and rewrite the rules and instituted stronger penalties, including inserting the famous Repeat Offender or "death penalty" clause into the rules, allowing them to suspend an entire program for a year or more. After SMU got hit with the death penalty and it basically ruined their program for 20 years, I think the NCAA realized that such a penalty was probably not a particularly good idea. Which sort of leads us to where we are now. Schools still try to cheat, and the NCAA still tries to stop them. But this recent pattern of the NCAA just clearly advancing its own interests, despite them making the most foolish arguments in a lame attempt to justify them, while not showing anywhere near the same regard for the kids involved is ridiculous. I think the author was pretty spot on, actually.