What Do Great Cities Have In Common? San Antonio

March 2012 - What do great/large cities have in common?       

How does my local town (San Antonio) compare to other cities?

LargeFortune 500 Companies
* Toyota
* UT Health Science Center
* USAA
* Rackspace
* Valero Energy
* Tesoro Engergy
* NuStar Energy
* HEB (special)

Professional Sports Team
* NBA Spurs

Minor Professional Sports Team
* Hocky
* Baseball - Misson
* WNBA

Large Military Installations
* Fort Sams/Central Command
* Brooks
* Lackland (survival training)
* Kelly

Higher Education

* University of Texas at San Antonio

* UT Health Science Center
* St. Mary
* IWU
* Texas A&M University at San Antonio

Sporting Facilities

* Golf courses, too many to list

* Bike Trails (Missions, McAlister Park)

* Many Dog Parks
* Hiking Trails (Eisenhower Park)

* Schliterbahn (Water Park)

Sporting Facility
* AT&T Center;
* Alamo Dome
* Race Track

Performing Arts Facility

* xxxx 

Unique Shopping
* North Star Mall; * La Cantera

Scheme Parks
* Sea World of Texas;
* Six Flags of Texas;

Arts
* Witty (needs help)

Others
* Riverwalk





January 2011 - San Antonio Parks Review

These three parks have fairly lengthy hiking trails.

(NW/1604-NW Military) Eisenhower Park (free, dog, no bike).

After 9-11, the only way to enter the park is through the NW Military Dr/1604.  In the summer days, it may not be a good idea to bring your pets to walk on paved/asphalt surface. It may be easier to take the natural trails to the hill top and returning to parking lot/starting point via paved and down hill trails.

(NW/1604-I-10) Friedrich Wilderness Park (free, no dog, no bike)

(South/I-10, 281) Mission Parkway (free,dog, bike) - click here for map

This is linear 7 miles trail. Unlike the Eisenhower Park, you must turn to starting point using the same path.

BAC5437 Sewing

Looking for BAC5437 Sewing specification?

Anmax Chen

台灣政壇知名行政院長孫運璿，生前曾給兒子寫過一封信，這封信最近才流傳出來，並很快的流傳於各大網站，很多父親看後感觸很深，其實這信適合所有人看！

[下輩子，無論愛與不愛，都不會再見]----孫運璿送給兒子的備忘錄

我兒：寫這備忘錄給你，基於三個原則：

（一）人生福禍無常，誰也不知可以活多久，有些事情還是早一點說好。

（二）我是你的父親，我不跟你說，沒有人會跟你說這些事?

（三）這備忘錄記載的，都是我經過慘痛失敗得來的體驗，可以為你的成長省不少冤枉路。

 以下，便是你在人生中要好好記住的事：

（一）對你不好的人，你不要太介意，在你一生中，沒有人有義務要對你好，除了我和你媽媽。至於那些對你好的人，你除了要珍惜、感恩外，也請多防備一點，因為，每個人做每件事，總有一個原因，他對你好，未必真的是因為喜歡你，請你務必搞清楚，而不必太快將對方看作真朋友。

（二）沒有人是不可代替，沒有東西是必須擁有。看透了這一點，將來你身邊的人不再要你，或許失去了世間上最愛的一切時，也應該明白，這並不是什麼大不了的事。

（三）生命是短暫的，今日你還在浪費著生命，明日會發覺生命已遠離你了。因此，愈早珍惜生命，你享受生命的日子也愈多，與其盼望長壽，倒不如早點享受。

（四）世界上並沒有最愛這回事，愛情只是一種霎時的感覺，而這感覺絕對會隨時日、心境而改變。如果你所謂的最愛離開你，請耐心地等候一下，讓時日慢慢沖洗，讓心靈慢慢沉澱，你的苦就會慢慢淡化。不要過分憧憬愛情的美，不要過分誇大失戀的悲。

（五）雖然很多有成就的人士都沒有受過很多教育，但並不等於不用功讀書，就一定可以成功。你學到的知識，就是你擁有的武器，可以白手興家，但不可手無寸鐵，謹記！

（六）我不會要求你供養我下半輩子，同樣地，我也不會供養你的下半輩子，當你長大可以獨立時，我的責任已經完結。以後，你要坐巴士還是賓士，吃魚翅還是粉絲，都要自己負責。

（七）你可以要求自己守信，但不能要求別人守信，你可以要求自己對人好，但不能期待人家對你好。你怎樣對人，並不代表人家就會怎樣對你，如果看不透這一點，你只會徒增不必要的煩惱。

（八）我買了十多二十年的六合彩，還是一窮二白，連三獎也沒有中，這證明人要發達，還是要努力工作才可以，世界上沒有免費午餐。

（九）親人只有一次的緣分，無論這輩子我和你會相處多久，都請好好珍惜共聚的時光，下輩子，無論愛與不愛，都不會再見。

By: Anmax Chen

Hunting Rifles, M4 and M16

Kentucky rifle
* musket with rifling
* percussion cap

1873 springfield trapdoor rifle
* black powder
* corrision

1886 Lebel Rifle (French)
* smoke less gun powder
* increase velocity

Winchester, repeating rifle

Cartridge

Krag

Mauser G98
* 8mm

Lee-Enfield
* 10 rounds 
* .303 round

M1903 Spring field
* bolt action
* 2700 ft/sec  5 round 
* 8.7lb




Savage MK II
Price: $421
Cartridge: .22 LR
Smallest Group: .109
Trigger Pull: 3 lb. 8 oz.

Savage 93R17
Price: $399 
Cartridge: .17 HMR
Smallest Group: 1.00
Trigger Pull:  2 lb. 11 oz.

# # # # 

Questions - M4 carbine vs M16  Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16


M14 enters service during Korean War 1959-1970
M16 enters service during Vietnam War 1963 cira 
        M16A1

        M16A2
        M16A3
        M16A4

M4 enters service /2010 - design and manufacturing
        M4 - shorter version of M16A2

How To: Nissan Altima Repairs - Head Light / Oxygen Sensor P0420

 -- 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5S      --- 

-- Headlight Repairs/Bulb Replacement -- 

There are 4 fuses 15A for each of the head lights. These fuses are located near the windshield wiper fluid reservoir tank.  The black box, is label with the fuse diagram.

H/L R/H Low

H/L L/H Low

H/L R/H Hi

H/L L/H Hi

--- L/H - driver side headlight -----

replacing the light bulb can be accomplished without remove the entire head lamp assembly.  It's misleading, thinking the headlamp is held up by the 2x 10mm bolts, holding the lamp assembly to the frame.

The short easier way:

1. remove the air filter assembly (unlatch the air filter box, remove air filter, and move/away the air intake)

2. remove the 1 single bolt, connecting the air filter box to the frame.

3. remove the air intake duct sitting on top of radiator (remove 4 plastic tabs), and disconnect it from the air filter intake box

4. pull the air filter intake box, straight up.

Follow the headlight wires, and disconnect the housing, seals etc.  One-for-One swap for new parts.

Fully connect the wires, be sure that the light bulb is properly grounded first. Do not test the lights until, the light bulb is in the light assembly, and grounded.

 -- OXYGEN SENSORS      --- 

The repair manual/suggests the following for resolving ODBC II code P0420:

Service Engine Code  P0420
- check for leaks (affecting sensors), wiring etc
- replacing rear/down stream oxygen sensor first
- replacing up stream oxygen
- replacing the catalyst converter

REPAIRS:

PART 1:  BUY PARTS
      --- AutoZone, O'Reilly  offers BOSH OEM fit up stream sensors for $100
      --- SAME PLACES - BOSH OEM FIT sensor for down stream sensor $90
     ---  get a tube of "high heat" anti-seize compound
     --- A bottle of PB blaster spray to loosen metal/sensors

PART 2:  TOOLS
     -- 10mm and 12mm socket wrench
     --  hex key (to remove engine conver)
       -- adjustable wrench (to remove oxygen sensor)
     - flat screw driver (to un-click wire harness connector)
      -- Floor jack and JACK STANDs (to remove down stream sensor)


PART 3A: - REPAIRS, UP STREAM SENSOR

-- replacing front/up stream oxygen sensor second ( first - was jn error)

* remove the engine plastic cover (4 hex screws), easier access to remove the o2 sensor connector
* remove front heat shield 4 screws 10mm
* carefully unhook o2 sensor wire from the heat shield clip
* electrical connector - rotate/un-clamp (gray)
* use a flat screw driver to un-clip the connector and pull back
* locate the black bracket (holds the sensor and the engine plastic cover mounting point)
* the 02 wire is too short, either (cut it first), or rotate the bracket, so the bracket can be slide off.
* bracket is hold by 2 bolts - 12mm, remove the top one, and loosen the bottom one
* rotate the bracket and un-clip the 02 sensor connector
* remove the o2 sensor on catalyst converter 

PART 3B: - REPAIRS, DOWN STREAM SENSOR

* JACK UP the vehicle safely (passenger side)


 -- Engine Oil Change ----
Oil Type - 5W-30
Capacity - 4 1/2 qts, with filter change
Capacity  - 4 1/4 qts - without filter change
Oil filter - Frame TG7317 (Tough guard 6x of average dirty holding-retaintion)
              or Frame HM7317 (high mileage)

 -- Windshield Wiper Blades ----
02-05 Altima         26 driver / 17 passenger

Seriously, Really, Shipping Me etc

What's the easiest way to express your expression without dropping F-bombs?

1. Seriously
2. Really
3. Shipping Me?

1. Absolutely
2. Definitively
3. Totally
4. Yes
5. OK

Engine - fuel system clean up - polyether amine PEA

PEA - polyether amine is the only known chemical capable of effectively maintaining clean engine/free of carbon build up in fuel injectors and rings.

These are the products known to have polyether amine as the active ingredient.

BG44 -???
Chevron Techron Concentrate
Chevron Techron Pro-Guard
Red Line SI1- SI2

Will PEA - polyether amine kills/damage engine?  I guess not, if it is already added to existing fuel system for the past 20-30 years. Just like anything, too much of the good thing, it will turn bad, right?

Why Techron Pro-Guard, - use it every 1000 miles? Why not every tank? Was it because it is not free?

sports jersey - types; Authentic; Swing Man; Replica

In short

======

Authentic - The actual jerseys, stitched number,

Swingman - Numbers/Letters stitched on
Replica - Numbers/Letters are screen prints

Examples of actual specs
====================
Authentic
·  100% 190-gram polyester

·  60% recycled fabrics

·  Sleeveless jersey

·  Engineered ClimaCool® mesh material with mapping conducts sweat from the body

·  Stitched-down twill player number

·  Heat-applied twill player name

·  Heat-applied twill team wordmarks

·  Embroidered NBA Logoman® on upper left front

Swing man

• 100% polyester
• Sleeveless jersey
• Resembles on-court NBA jersey in cut and aesthetics
• Screenprinted twill custom name and number on back
• Screenprinted twill team name and custom number on front
• Back neck taping
• Updated NBA Swingman® jock tag
• NBA Logoman® on left chest

Replica -

• Body: 100% polyester reverse dunk flat-back mesh
• Arm Openings and Collar: 100% polyester flat-knit rib
• Screenprinted team name and player number on front
• Screenprinted player name and number on back
• Updated jock tag above left hem
• Back neck taping
• adidas® logo and NBA Logoman® on chest

National Parks Tour

Most visited national parks - top 10

Acadia National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Teton National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Olympic National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Yosemite National Park

Zion National Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Parks_of_the_United_States 

Travel - Nearby - 840 miles

CO - The Great Sand Dunes

      

      Depart San Antonio + 7:30 =500m = Amarillo Tx 

      Depart Amarillo + 6:00 = 390m = Alamosa

      Great Sand Dunes National Park is located 35 miles northeast of Alamosa, Colorado, reached by U.S. Highway 160 and State Highway 150 from the south, or from State Highway 17 and County Lane 6 from the west.

      Computer road mapping programs sometimes cannot fully distinguish types of roads or trails, and may route visitors via either Mosca Pass (hiking trail) or Medano Pass (high-clearance 4WD only). The only paved access to the national park is via the two routes listed above.

  

      camping = Pinyon Flats Campground is a National Park Service campground located one mile north of the Visitor Center. It is open May through October.  $20/night

      (4) SA departure - 3:30 pm - stop over Amarillo

      (5) Amarillo  departure - 7:00 am -  arrive park = 2:00 pm

      (6) Park /Camp Full Day

      (7) Part Departure - 8:00 am - arrive SA 10:00 pm

      [TOTAL JOURNEY = 1 PTO]

Travel - Nearby - 1,240 miles

UT - Zion National Park

     T Depart San Antonio + 6:30 =450 m = Carlsbad, NM  (3pm)

     F Depart Carlsbad+ 1:30 = 75m = Roswell (8a-11pm) (12n-3p)
     F Depart Roswell + 5:00 = 340m= pass Albuquerque/Gallup
     S Depart Gallup+ 6:45 = 365m= Zion National Park
     S park/camp full - 4 pm depart

Travel Sequence

Travel Sequence

Alaska - Katmai ; Glacier Bay; Kenai Fjords; Lake Clark; Wrangell –St. Elias;Denali;Kobuk Valley; 

Texas Big Bend - Guadalupe Mountains -

 New Mexico - Carlsbad Caverns -

Colorado - Great Sand Dunes - 

South Dakota - Badlands - Wind Cave -

 Wyoming - Grand Teton - Yellowstone - 

Utah -  Zion - Bryce Canyon  -Capitol Reef- Canyonlands- 

(back) Colorado-  Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Mesa Verde -  

Arizona - Grand Canyon - Petrified Forest -  - Saguaro

Washington - North Cascades; Olympic; Mount Rainier (north to south)

Organ - Crater Lake

Parks, by States

Arizona 

    - Saguaro - Petrified Forest  - Grand Canyon

Texas 

    -Big Bend - Guadalupe Mountains 

Montana 

     - Glacier

Nevada 

    - Great Basin

New Mexico 

    -  Carlsbad Caverns - 

Utah 

     - Zion  -Bryce Canyon -Capitol Reef- Canyonlands

Colorado  

   - Great Sand Dunes - Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Mesa Verde -

South Dakota

     -Badlands - Wind Cave - Wyoming - Grand Teton - Yellowstone

Washington 

      - North Cascades; Olympic; Mount Rainier (north to south)

Organ 

      - Crater Lake

Parks - info

Wilson Mountain Trail, Sedona

Wilson Mountain Trail, Sedona

Mt. Wilson in Sedona

Wilson Mountain Trail: The route continues southwards over open grassy flats and reaches the junction with the alternative (2.8 mile) path from Midgley Bridge, 1.8 miles from the starting point at the Encinoso picnic area. Unlike the largely wooded and sheltered North Wilson Trail, the southerly route (the Wilson Mountain Trail) is much more exposed though equally steep, winding across sunny slopes bearing typical chaparral vegetation including manzanita, yucca, cacti and oak. Past the junction, the trail heads directly towards the mountain, bending north then south and finally north again, climbing the bushy hillside up to a shallow ravine at the edge of the plateau, which is followed to a saddle in a wooded area, where the path forks. Some parts of the ascent are through thick groves of new trees that will need regular trimming to keep the trail from becoming overgrown. The junction is next to a metal box (containing firefighting equipment) chained to a tree, and a sign which indicates the two choices - Sedona Overlook (0.6 miles) to the south or North Canyon Overlook (1.7 miles) to the north.

Antelope Canyon, Page Arizona (north AZ)

Antelope Canyon is the most-visited and most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest. It is located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona. Antelope Canyon includes two separate, photogenic slot canyon sections, referred to individually as Upper Antelope Canyon or The Crack; and Lower Antelope Canyon or The Corkscrew

Glacier - San Antonio, 1,900 miles

Most visited national parks - top 10

• Acadia National Park
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park
• Grand Canyon National Park
• Grand Teton National Park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Olympic National Park
• Rocky Mountain National Park
• Yellowstone National Park
• Yosemite National Park
• Zion National Park

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Parks_of_the_United_States 

Travel Sequence

Alaska - Katmai ; Glacier Bay; Kenai Fjords; Lake Clark; Wrangell –St. Elias;Denali;Kobuk Valley; 

Texas Big Bend - Guadalupe Mountains -

 New Mexico - Carlsbad Caverns -

Colorado - Great Sand Dunes - 

South Dakota - Badlands - Wind Cave -

 Wyoming - Grand Teton - Yellowstone - 

Utah -  Zion - Bryce Canyon  -Capitol Reef- Canyonlands- 

(back) Colorado-  Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Mesa Verde -  

Arizona - Grand Canyon - Petrified Forest -  - Saguaro

Washington - North Cascades; Olympic; Mount Rainier (north to south)

Organ - Crater Lake

States

Arizona - Saguaro - Petrified Forest  - Grand Canyon

Texas -Big Bend - Guadalupe Mountains 

Montana - Glacier

Nevada - Great Basin

New Mexico -  Carlsbad Caverns - 

Utah - Zion  -Bryce Canyon -Capitol Reef- Canyonlands

Colorado -  Great Sand Dunes - Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Mesa Verde -

South Dakota -Badlands - Wind Cave - Wyoming - Grand Teton - Yellowstone

Washington - North Cascades; Olympic; Mount Rainier (north to south)

Organ - Crater Lake

Wilson Mountain Trail, Sedona

Mt. Wilson in Sedona

Wilson Mountain Trail: The route continues southwards over open grassy flats and reaches the junction with the alternative (2.8 mile) path from Midgley Bridge, 1.8 miles from the starting point at the Encinoso picnic area. Unlike the largely wooded and sheltered North Wilson Trail, the southerly route (the Wilson Mountain Trail) is much more exposed though equally steep, winding across sunny slopes bearing typical chaparral vegetation including manzanita, yucca, cacti and oak. Past the junction, the trail heads directly towards the mountain, bending north then south and finally north again, climbing the bushy hillside up to a shallow ravine at the edge of the plateau, which is followed to a saddle in a wooded area, where the path forks. Some parts of the ascent are through thick groves of new trees that will need regular trimming to keep the trail from becoming overgrown. The junction is next to a metal box (containing firefighting equipment) chained to a tree, and a sign which indicates the two choices - Sedona Overlook (0.6 miles) to the south or North Canyon Overlook (1.7 miles) to the north.

Antelope Canyon, Page Arizona (north AZ)
Antelope Canyon is the most-visited and most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest. It is located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona. Antelope Canyon includes two separate, photogenic slot canyon sections, referred to individually as Upper Antelope Canyon or The Crack; and Lower Antelope Canyon or The Corkscrew

Glacier - San Antonio, 1,900 miles

Words -

caricature - Dennis Kucinich suffers primary defeat in Ohio

Austerity - Greece 2012 debt

pescetarian diet  - (no air, no land anaimals) but animal under water is ok

effusively - Jeremy Lin, New York Nicks 

Jeremy Lin -

Linsanity

Linsation

Linderella

Linmania

Linstigator

Lintastic

Linrascible (irascible)

Lincredible

Lintersting 
Linpossible


Linternet


Lin Ling + Prosper
Lin Your Face

 

Estimated Number of Millionaire States in the United States and State Income Tax Rates

What is the definition of millionaire? Net Assets? As individual or as household?
Life time potential income? or a Snap shot of current financial status? Who knows

But, these are the facts:

On high average of 5% of households of Hawaii  to the low average of 3% of southern states - that's a lot of people around you that are millionaires.

For a city of one million, with the average household size of 2.5 (lots of single people) then

1,000,000 people
@ 2.5 people per household, then
400,000 households
@  4% households are millionaire, then
16,000 households

What does it take to be a millionaire household in a southern state (Texas, Oklahoma?)
House = paid off = 250,000
Retirement #1 401K = 300,000
Retirement #2 401K = 300,000
Extra saving, investment = 150,000
That's a millionaire household


income tax rates:

Georgia 6% over $7,001,  income of $110,000 & $220,000 house = 6,600 & 2,200 = 8,800
Texas 0 % over 7,000, income of $110,000 & $220,000 = 6,600 tax

Louisiana 5%
If your income range is between $12,501 and $50,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 4%.
If your income range is $50,001 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is6%

Wisconsin 6.5%
If your income range is between $19,401 and $145,460, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 6.5%.
If your income range is $145,461 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is6.75%.

California 8.5%
If your income range is between $26,822 and $37,233, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 6%.
If your income range is between $37,234 and $47,055, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 8%.
If your income range is between $47,056 and $1,000,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 9.3%.
If your income range is $1,000,001 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned i

Virginia 5.75%

If your income range is between $5,001 and $17,000, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is 5%. If your income range is $17,001 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is5.75%.

Georgia 6%
If your income range is $7,001 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is6%.

Oklahoma 5.5%
If your income range is $8,701 and over, your tax rate on every dollar of income earned is5.5%.

Tier and Bins? ULEV Was Simple

Tier2 Bin5-A / LEV II ULEV?  I am troubled by the complexity of emission standard already.  The "trouble" began when California, Massachusetts and few other states decided with higher "tougher" emission standard than the federal standards.

So, what is Tier and Bins?

The emission standard applies to light weight vehicle
Tier 1 = old standard, or the initial set of standard
Tier 2 = phased in between 2004-2009, and the current standard.

Bins = from 1 to 10, 1 = cleanest, 10=least clean

# # # #

Why Bin matters? I don't know, except it says how clean the car is.
Why people always use the scale 1 to 10? Why 1 to 5? or why not just "not good", "ok" "better"?

Zero, partial (mix/hybrid - doesn't say how clean when running combustion engine),
Ultra Low, Low, and barely meet the standard low.



Tier =

The cost of keeping porch light 24 hours a day

The average cost of electricity is about $0.13 per kw hours.

Running a typical compact florescent 13 watts (or the brightness of a 60 watts incandescent light bulb)  costs
9.36kw = $1.22/month = $14.60/year


Most of photo sensing doesn't work well with CF, the on-off cause flickers and burning up light bulbs instead.

The alternative solution would be using timer devices,  12 hours on/off  = $7.00/year.

Tall hardy trees - a symbol of longevity

Tall hardy trees - a symbol of longevity take time to grow.  Therefore we are harvesting ancient trees 200-300 years, or thousands year old tree.

Cedar - Great specie of wood for furniture

Yew - It is not a common tree in North America

Olive - This is a surprise to me.

Cypress - Many of the thousands years old can be found in protected national parks

Oaks - slow growing trees, can be found at many local nursery shops

End of Year - Food for thoughts

Why is it more expensive to cook at home than cheap take out food?
* breakfast at Big D - small coffee, and a simple sandwich $1.98 plus tax
* lunch at Big D - spicy chicken sandwich, fries and big drink $3.00 plus tax
* dinner at Big D - side salad, mac-double, yogurt and big drink $4.00 plus tax
=====
Less than $10- a day, no need to cook, to wash dishes..

Why is it more expensive to diesel power car than gasoline?
* if "torque" is not a big deal, many gasoline power car is a lot cheaper to operate than VW Jetta.
* Diesel = 3.80/gallon, Gasoline = 3.00
* Diesel = 42 mpg, gasoline needs to get 33 mpg to have same fuel costs
* Diesel engine cost more than gasoline, - so what's the point of driving diesel, if the cost of operating is the main objective


Old network router still runs, but no good
* the network security has improved, the old router doesn't work well with new Windows 7 security setup.
* the a/b isn't as good as the g/n network setup, the effective operating range is a lot shorter.

How much horse power HP to move along at highway speed?

http://ecomodder.com/forum/tool-aero-rolling-resistance.php

Taiwan Chiayi 計程運價：

計程運價：起程1500公尺100元，續程每300公尺5元
計時運價：時速5公里以下每3分鐘加收5元
夜間運價：起程1250公尺100元，續程每250公尺5元
夜間計時：時速5公里以下每2.5分鐘加收5元


Any taxi ride = Minimum fee of NT$100.

If you travel over 1 1/2 KM, then

try this method = 75 basic fee and then average of NT$18 -NT$20 per KM

# # # #

For a 25 km journey = NT$500, round trip of NT$1000

To make the taxi cab to wait for you, then 1 hour wait time = (60/3) * NT$5 = NT$100

Make a taxi driver to wait for 5 hours = NT$500

The taxi  trip = NT$1,500 = US$50

 # # # # 

Highspeed rail train ticket (non-reserved seats) for the journey between Taipei and Chiayi NT$1,040, round trip NT$2,080.  For two people = NT$4,160.

The total trip NT$1,500 and NT$4,160 = NT$5,660 ~ $190 total trip charge

Used for Less than $3,000 Best Value for Family Cars - $27,000 or less; Trade-offs, 2 CRV for 1 Q5

May 2013

2010 Honda CR-V EX-L  18KD / 36KM
24KM * 7 + 36KM = 200KM / 20KD  (4HD/repairs) = 10YR @ $1,000 per 10KM

2008 MB E350  22KD/36KM
24KM * 5 + 36KM = 156KM / 18KD (5HD/repairs) = 10YR @ $1,200 per 10KM



























Best value for new (new used) cars


Really! 99 (1999) - 2005 Buick Park Avenue

Great highway mileage - 30 mpg / fairly reliable
Big and comfortable ride, large rear seat legroom





Used Sport Cars - 4 years / 50K miles

(Last update 2012, June)

Used Sport Cars - 4 years / 50K miles
2007/2008 Porsche Cayman
Edmunds.com (T25; P27.8; R30.5)
aol auto 5.8s



Newer Near/Luxury Sedans - 2/3 years / 30K miles

2010 Genesis 4.6 (with sunroof)
Edmunds.com (T26,P28; R29.5)
aol auto 5.8s  CR 13/31/20 mpg


Brand New,

2012 Nissan Altima 3.5S (technology, sunroof, leather)
Cars Direct  - last year model (M=33.5, TMV=27.0)
aol auto 5.8s  CR 17/32/24 mpg






The costs of owning a car go way beyond the initial acquisition expenses.

One would argue how much money do you really need to spend on transportation, and how much of that translates into real meaningful benefits. A reliable CRV 2WD, LX runs about $20K and a luxury Q5 runs over $40K.

A typical vehicles, or cost of ownership, is composed with the following expenses
1. acquisition cost - (interests, payments)
2. Insurance, title, inspections - Some states assess taxes base on the value of vehicle, where as some states treat them all the same.
3. Operating cost -  fuel, repairs
4. Depreciation - when it comes to trade-in, or upgrades, some vehicle depreciates at an alarming rate in the early years and tapered off over time.  Holding on to cars like these a bit longer may lessen the depreciation  cost, but it also translate into higher repair costs.

For example:
2 CRV LX, and 2 Q5 for 5 years, 75K miles

1 & 4 (net costs)
CRV = $42K new, trade-in $22K, interests = 5K = $25K / 5K a year
Q5 = $86K new, trade-in $32K, interests = 10K = $64K / 13K a year

2 (tax, basis)
The difference is minimal, unless you're in the states where tax, fees are based on the value of vehicles

3 (operation cost)
Fuel costs - premium fuel costs more, but it also relates higher performance engine and lower fuel economy.
CRV = 26 mpg
Q5 = 23 mpg
@ 3.30 gallon/regular fuel, The CRV translates 2200 / 400 a year

Repairs?  It's a very subjective measurement.  Honda has been a reliable brand, German cars tends to have many small mechanical problems and expensive maintenance costs.


# # # #
The bottom line = if you have $10K extra of disposable income then having finer things in life is for you.



MID SIZE FAMILY SEDANS
------------------------------

FORD FUSION
CHEVROLET MALIBU
CHRYSLER (200?)


HONDA ACCORD
TOYOTA CAMRY
MAZDA MAZDA6
SUBARU LEGACY
HYUNDAI SONNATA
KIA OPTIMA

VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

Product life cycle for cars and trucks

In the early 80's, the Japanese car makers followed a typical 4 years cycle.  Now, it's 5 years with a typical 3rd year face-lift. The luxury vehicles have a even longer product life cycle of 6 years.  The product changes are even more subtle than ever.

No more 1986 Ford Taurus like design changes.

The new vehicles were typically introduced in September, but it new models are coming to market through out the year. There is no more "bargain" model -end discount in the summer.

# # # #

Acura MDX 2011 (6 years) 2007
BMW 3-series 2006 (6 years) 2012
BMW X-5 1999-2006 (6.5 y), 2006-2013
Chevrolet Suburban 8th gen 1973 (19 years) 1992 (8 years) 2000 (7 years) 2007
Lexus LS 1989 (5 years) 1994 (6 years) 2000 (6 y) 2006
Honda Accord 82-85 (4y), 86-89 (4y), 90-93 (4y), 94-97 (4y), 98-02 (5 y), 03-07 (5y), 08-??

Inexpensive Printers - Price Drops

Brother MFC-7460DN All-In-One Laser Printer with Networking and Duplex Printing - $140

http://www.buy.com/prod/brother-mfc-7460dn-all-in-one-laser-printer-with-networking-and-duplex/220058467.html

Brother HL-5340D High-Speed Laser Printer With Duplex - HL5340D - $120

http://www.buy.com/prod/brother-hl-5340d-high-speed-laser-printer-with-duplex/210869253.html

Samsung CLX-3185 Color Laser Multifunction Printer w/ Copier, Scanner, 17ppm Mono/4ppm Color Print & 2400 x 600dpi Resolution $90 (special) $240 http://www.buy.com/loc/holiday-superstore/16125.html?sku=217139017