I'm beginning to realize that I can't afford to live here anymore (Stanford: home, neighborhoods)

[newtocolumbia]

I always wondered how in the world can majority of people afford a $1000 to $3000 rent and $5000 to $20000 property tax for regular homes and flats? Even if they can, is it worth it spending 80% to 500% of your income just to have a roof above your head? And what are you doing to stop the greed or the overdevelopment which brings the greed and the unreasonable property taxes?

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

Let's hope so. Or another 1989.

Maybe if "The Big One" finally hits, that'll significantly bring down housing prices.....or what's left of them.

It'd probably do the opposite if many homes are destroyed.

[TheGreatCurve]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

It'd probably do the opposite if many homes are destroyed.

Not if most people are dead or flee the area as a result.

Housing prices in the area crashed after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

[bentobox34]

Originally Posted by Majami

Well that's what I mean, since this is ultimately going to mean less taxes paid, or in your case, a check from the government every year.

Nice job backpedaling from saying that the loans are "close" to "interest free" to simply saying that you get "a check from the government every year."

So after write-offs, how much interest do you pay a month?

Let's see... (pulls out tax returns). In 2015 I paid about $3500 in student loan interest. I wrote off $2500 (maximum allowable) from my income which saved me $525 in taxes (state and federal combined). On a monthly basis, I paid about $291 interest per month and got back about $43 per month, or 15% of interest paid.

[jbunniii]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

Not if most people are dead or flee the area as a result.

Housing prices in the area crashed after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

I'm not sure how much of that can be attributed to the earthquake. Housing prices crashed in southern California around the same time.

[TheGreatCurve]

Originally Posted by jbunniii

I'm not sure how much of that can be attributed to the earthquake. Housing prices crashed in southern California around the same time.

I think the earthquake woke people up and made people realize that they could actually be killed if they continued to live in the area, so many got the heck out. Sure, the economic recession that followed didn't help either.

I think the housing crash in Southern California had more to do with the post-Reagan era defense contractor cutbacks.

[abqcd]

Originally Posted by TheGreatCurve

I think the housing crash in Southern California had more to do with the post-Reagan era defense contractor cutbacks.

Sadly, aerospace and defense permanently left California, starting in the early 90s. While the media seems to think that Snapchat, "Yo" and Postmates are "technology", the reality is that aerospace is one of the highest paying and most educated industries, where PhDs are very common.

Sorry, but the websites and "apps" are no more "technology" than incandescent lighting, television or indoor plumbing is today--it's just the way the world works now. Despite what people in SV think, knowing JavaScript and being able to configure Hadoop doesn't actually make you a rocket scientist. I honestly know kids in high school that can do that.

But to be fair, Theranos (if its not a scam), Tesla, SpaceX and some of the deep learning startups, are building some great technology. It's just that Silicon Valley has largely lost its way due to the influx of pension, mutual fund and hedge fund money chasing the next Facebook, Uber, Instagram, Groupon and WhatsApp. At least there is one Elon Musk still alive and kicking who can aim high like Gordon Moore did with Intel in the 70s.

[neutrino78x]

Originally Posted by abqcd

Sadly, aerospace and defense permanently left California,

That's not true at all. We have a vibrant aerospace industry in California, especially in southern California. Although Silicon Valley has a lot of space startups as well.

Made in Space comes to mind, the company that made the 3D printer being used on the ISS.

The Space Review: The Silicon Valley of space could be Silicon Valley

While the media seems to think that Snapchat, "Yo" and Postmates are "technology",

They are. I don't see how they wouldn't be.

Sorry, but the websites and "apps" are no more "technology" than incandescent lighting, television or indoor plumbing is today--it's just the way the world works now. Despite what people in SV think, knowing JavaScript and being able to configure Hadoop doesn't actually make you a rocket scientist. I honestly know kids in high school that can do that.

There are kids in high school who launch rockets, too. I did that in high school.

SJSU refers to their programming degree as Software Engineering, which I think is the correct name for it. A software engineer is still an engineer.

I think "Computer Science" is something of a misnomer. Computers are not part of the natural world, so working with them isn't really science per se. It is engineering.

At least there is one Elon Musk still alive and kicking who can aim high like Gordon Moore did with Intel in the 70s.

Well, Intel is still around and still innovating smaller and faster chips, as is AMD.

[MediocreButArrogant]

Originally Posted by neutrino78x

SJSU refers to their programming degree as Software Engineering, which I think is the correct name for it. A software engineer is still an engineer.

Unless "software engineers" take the same required undergrad classes as every other type of engineer (EE, ME, CE, ChemE, etc), like thermodynamics, statics, dynamics, and material science, they aren't engineers. Computer engineering majors, at least where I went to school, were required to take those classes.

[neutrino78x]

Originally Posted by MediocreButArrogant

Unless "software engineers" take the same required undergrad classes as every other type of engineer (EE, ME, CE, ChemE, etc), like thermodynamics, statics, dynamics, and material science, they aren't engineers.

Hmm well, to me an engineer is a person who applies math and science to create something. So a software engineer is definitely an engineer.

I don't know what thermodynamics and material science have to do with learning to write software programs, but they do take General Physics:

SJSU Software Engineering

Computer engineering majors, at least where I went to school, were required to take those classes.

SJSU has a separate Computer Engineering degree which appears to focus more on hardware. It has classes like Introductory Electrical Engineering Laboratory. So you're probably thinking of that one. Here's their BS in Computer Engineering program:

SJSU Computer Engineering

Here is their BS in Computer Science:

SJSU Computer Science

btw I don't have a degree. I have taken 80+ units at De Anza College. Steve Wozniak went there; it is known in Cupertino, affectionately, as The University of Southern Cupertino. If I end up going into tech it would probably be as a tech vs a programmer. You don't need a degree to do that. In fact I'm better at system administration than a lot of guys who have degrees. I know a few guys with BSCS who don't how to use xcopy, lol. Right now I'm leaning more towards going into the Merchant Marine, but I'm definitely looking for something that pays more than my current job.