5/27    I have a job in Santa Clara and trying to find housing.  Is
        Fremont a pretty bad place to live (in terms of commute time)?
        \_ Assuming you drive it between 0700 and 1000 like most
           commuters, 880 from Auto Mall to Dixon Landing will take
           way too long.  Past that, it should be mostly okay.
           If your company doesn't already do some sort of carpool
           or vanpool thing to/from BART, raise a stink.  Commuting
           via car sucks.  Public transit takes longer, but at least
           you can stay far less surly.
           \_ Get motorcycle.
                \_ We need more organ donors.
                \_ hey, if you ever donate a kidney, a lung, and a cornea,
                  you can be a millionaire for that sacrifice..just to
                  be off topic.
          \_ Where's a good place to start looking for apartments?
              \_ Montana.
                \_ The commute is a bit hard.  Maybe you can telecommute a
                   few times a week.
                   \_ It worked for Mod Flanders until she died.
           \_ it's going to hurt
           \_ any good side street shortcuts?  Is it better on 880
              south of 237 junction?
              \_ the 880 cooridor is prob the worst traffic in the bay that
                 isn't caused by a bridge. the only way around it is to get
                 over to 680. it clears up ALOT right after the stretch
                 from Dixon to 237. -shac
                 \_ Bad as it is, 880/237 is now only like 3rd or 4th on
                    the list of non-bridge-induced traffic spots.
              \_ 880 is damn clean right after 237 and down until it hits 280
                 or so (haven't been much south of there); but job in Santa
                 Clara involves 237 which is also awful for the first couple
                 of miles after the 880. If you're heading south from Fremont,
                 use Mission or Driscoll, and then Warm Springs to take city
                 streets down to Dixon Landing. Dixon Landing itself is packed,
                 but it's still better then rotting on the 880. On average,
                 expect 60-80 minutes (ie from center of Fremont to center
                 of Santa Clara). Definitely not under 40. -alexf [commuting
                 from Fremont for 2nd summer now]
                 \_ Though you must take into account that in terms of any
                    sort of entertainment, you have to drive at least 30
                    minutes just to get OUT of fremont in either direction.
                    All commuting and no play makes Jack a dumkopf
                 \_ What? It took me 90 minutes average to get down from Cal
                    to Nvidia and ATI Research.  I doubt the drive from Cal
                    to Fremont takes only 10-20 minutes.
                 \_ You should also note summer traffic is easier.
              \_ Isnt there still the 101 bottleneck south of 880/237?
                 something like 5 lanes becoming 2?
           \_ My girlfriend takes 50-60 minutes from Palo Alto to Freemont.
              \_ That's against the popular direction; Fremont -> Palo Alto is
                 ~80 minutes (via Dumbarton, at least). -alexf
                        \_ 15 minutes for me (Fremont to Menlo Park) at 8:30am
                           Gotta love the carpool lane.
              \_ Turns tricks in Fremont to afford Palo Alto?  I'd think the
                 PA tricks would pay better.
              \_ Your girlfriend drives slow. More like 50-60 minutes from
                 PA to Berkeley.
           \_ Sure, Fremont is nice, but why do you need to live there too?
              Why not live in Mt View/Santa Clara/S'vale and avoid the
              traffic? You get a consistent 15-minute commute.
              If you're working at Exodus or the new Sun campus
              I can give you some commuting tips/tricks on where to live.
              \_ Fremont is nice?
                \_ Fremont is a pit.  Dunno where s/he came up with the idea
                   that Fremont is nice.  Dirty slum wouldn't be too far off.
                   \_ Bits of it suck... so what?  Bits of every town suck.
                      Much of it is drab suburbia, some of it is nice.
                        \_ Uhm, no.  I'll be kind and say you have a different
                           understanding of 'nice' from me and leave it at
                           that.
                           \_ Mission San Jose is a dirty slum?  You have
                              high standards indeed.
                   \_ it's a shithole, not much better off than union city.
                      the only thing from there was christy yamaguchi, if
                      you consider that anything good.  and the original
                      home of a certain big-eared freak that has plagued
                      the lives of certain berkeley alumni to this very day.

5/27    Where's a good place around here (berkeley) to get a kite?
        \_ telegraph
        \_ GoB?
        \_ there's a guy at the marina who sells kites out of a trailer...
           yeah, they have some crummy ones at games of berkeley...
           if you want more selection you should look online...
           http://www.gwtw-kites.com
           http://www.intothewind.com
           -jlau
        \_ Some of the guys at the SF marina also have pretty good insider
           tips of custom places, either around here, or per mail order
           in various parts of the country.  I'd cruise down there and
           start chatting with some of the more clued-looking ones.  -John

5/28    What's the new grad average salary for UCB EECS for BSCS and MSCS these
        days?
        \_ 50.
        \_ Making 110+ with UCB BA after 3 years.  Not in EE/CS.
           \_ i got my B.A. in public policy last year, and dont know
              how to turn on a computer, but i work for a consulting firm
              where i say the word "e-commerce"  all day, and people pay
              to sniff my asshole.  for this i get 150k plus .5 million
              in stock options, and only have to work one month a year.
                                                      \_ This is where you say
                                                         "Oh, you're joking!"
              gee, i love the New Economy.  especially when your full
              of shit.
              \_ I'm happy for you.
              \_ I doubt this, along with the story.  Must be some jealous
                 CS geek having fun with the consultant stereotype.
                 \_ [moved and formatted]  -motd format g0d
                    \_ I b0w d0wn 2 u, m0td g0d.
           \_ what's the job?
                \_ Public policy.
           \_ 3+ years != new grad
             \_ can't you tell insecurity when you see it? this little one's
                not worth it. let him go.
                \_ Don't be bitter.  You'll catch up after the economy
                   recovers.  I was making 80k 3 years ago as a new grad.
        \_ $5/hour
           \_ What's the CA-state minimum wage?
        \_ Graduated 95 with $35k (low!), but was $40k in 96, $50k in 97, $65k
           in 98, $100k in 99-2000 (changed jobs, this includes 25% bonus)
                \_ Dude, the key is changing jobs. Everytime ye change
                   yer job yer in a better position to negociate because
                   hi-tech nowadays emphasizes on BREADTH instead of DEPTH
                   skill set. If yer stuck in a job because of the options
                   they offer and the IPO they promise, yer stupid.
        \_ http://career.berkeley.edu/SchoolsEngrChem/EngrResources.stm#salary
           This is old.  How much different is it today?
           \_ it's probably grown by ~30% since then [based on hearsay]
        \_ L&S CS: $72K + bonus + stock-options + vacation until July + +++
           \_ Let me guess, EFI or Microsoft? The goal is to deprive
              real companies of CS majors by throwing $ at them.
           \_ Ack!  You made my modem hang up!!!
                \_ ~!@~~~O CARRIER

5/29    Hey, Network Solutions tried to use me as a spam host! Did this
        happen to anyone else?

        Checking for rejected mail hosts:
           1 <DEAD>new-dump.prod.netsol.com<DEAD>