Boo Hoo age and other crap

[John Fountaine <jfount@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

OK, well I feel the need to put in my .02 here.

First I feel sorry for all of the young silicon valley types who are making
all of the big bucks.  Back in the day, i was 19 years old and managed to
make some awfully good money in the real estate game, then operation desert
storm came and the well ran dry.  I learned the hard way, that just cause
you got it today, don't mean it's gonna be there tomorrow.

As a police officer in the Silicon Valley (yeah I know I just unzipped my
fly for cop flames and the like), I have had occasion to talk to many
middle aged men that were formerly high paid computer executives, who filed
bankruptcy and were now struggling as security guards just to live, because
they were laid off in the bad times and can't find a job because of the
"young guys who do it for half as much".  Just remember guys, someday you
will be that middle aged guy looking for work.

Now, about the "age discrimination" some of you experienced.  My opinion
is, in a word...suffer.  Life is tough, go get a helmet.  Dealerships are a
business.  I went to Stevens Creek BMW dressed like a scrote (cop slang)
and was still treated like gold.  The only reason I didn't buy a car there,
is becase I got a better deal elsewhere (thank god and the forefathers for
a free market economy).

My reason for buying a BMW?  I wanted my wife to drive a heavy car with
lots of metal around her.  She has to commute and because I love her and my
children want somthing safer.  BTW I don't know about any consumer report
studies, but my practical real world experience with traffic crashes is
they are all devastating, but simple physics still apply.  I have seen lots
of cheesy japanese and american cars in crashes, that don't fair well.
Overall, the bigger European machines seem to come out with fewer or more
minor injuries.   No studies, just my eyes.  As a matter of fact, I got
crashed by an S 10 puckup head on in June, while driving my commuter POS
(98 Mazda Protoge).  The 60 MPH total impact speed landed me 8 days on my
back and 2 months of light duty and $9k in damage to my car.  I am getting
rid of that thing and buying a Mercedes deisel for my commuter.  Heavier
and more steel=better survival odds.

Do I like driving the Bimmer?  You bet!  Do I drive it fast?  You bet-when
it is safe to do so.  Do I have a superiority complex because I drive a
BMW?  No way.  As a matter of fact,  If I would have read some of these
buttheaded posts before buying it, I may have been turned off of these cars
totally.

My point?  Mostly rambling, but sick of reading "BMW vs Honda crap" and
"boo hoo I am a punk kid who has more money than brains (read that, life
experience not academics) and feel slighted"  Its time to demonstrate how
deserving you are of the finer things in life and quit pissing and moaning
when everything doesn't go your way, OK boys and girls?  After all, there
are lots of people out there who may be just as deserving (or moreso) of
some of those finer things, they just may not have the means.

John
yeah I got a Bimmer...BFD...

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