<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

how is new york the "TRUE" melting pot of the country? i really don't get it...do you guys have the most minority? noo..cuz why? cali does...do you guys have the most different kinda ethnicities?? noo..cuz cali does..so..please explain to me how NY is the TRUE melting pot of the country....no hate on NY or nothing..

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NY is a true melting pot, more so than Cali, for a couple of reasons. As a state as a whole, yes Cali has more "minorities". But what that doesn't tell you is the breakdown of minorities. In other words, the vast majority of minorities in CA are Asian or Hispanic. Within those groups, you can trace the majority from Mexico, China, Japan, and Korea.

NY, on the other hand, has a much more diverse minority population. There are a ton of people there from all over the world: Africa, Haiti, India, Pakistan, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, China, Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, etc. You name the country, there's a pretty strong representation there in NY. When I'm in NY, I feel like I'm the minority, and I'm a WASP caucasian born and raised in America. Perhaps you need to visit NY again - you'll see what I mean. Keep in mind also, that "downstate" NY differs completely from "upstate" NY. Downstate NY is the melting pot (NYC, Long Island, Westchester). Upstate NY is like the Midwest - few minorities, lots of WASPs.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

you know..how u made the point "oh..so the british people are ignorant and selfish too since they use the english system?"..not to burst your bubble or anything...the ENGLISH people actually converted themselves to the metric system as well

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I checked it out, and I stand corrected. You are correct sir. Hey, I admit when I'm wrong (unlike some people).

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

(i am british and american) we american are the only nation left behind with some stupid english system cuz

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Hmmm, British and American??? With a screenname like "takuyaah"? OK, so maybe you're a Brit of Japanese descent - certainly possible. But that doesn't explain how your English is so poor. I haven't met any Brits who completely butcher the English language like you do.

Example:

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

majority of cars in america are from US company..which means..one of the big 3...ford...GM...chrysler...u know what..in my very very humble opinion..i do not think they make better cars than japanese do..i do not think they make cheaper car than japanese do..

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No offense man, but you didn't write a single sentence there correctly. That's very unusual for a Brit.

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so..why do american keep buying some expensive...american car that is not reliable? i dunno..please someone tell me...

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Please tell me what the hell you are talking about, because it makes no sense! Last I checked, Americans were paying large premiums for Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

and no better how much u want it...g35 is not IDENTICAL to skyline..they are just based on the same chasis...thats it...no more no less...

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Dude, you're just plain WRONG there. The G35 is the same as the Skyline in Japan - they simply moved the steering wheel to the other side. I'm talking about the new Skyline, not the old one.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

and who cares about skyline anyway..it was always overblown in GT3 and stuff..thats pretty much it...

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So now you're comparing cars in a video game?!? Dude how old are you? 12?

2003 G35C, 6MT, DG/G, Aero/Nav/Premium
2002 Corvette Z06, Electron Blue/Black

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

yo no comprendo. en english por favor.

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Let's just say that it wasn't nice, and if I translated it to english, every word would be censored out by the board software... [img]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/img]

2003 G35C, 6MT, DG/G, Aero/Nav/Premium
2002 Corvette Z06, Electron Blue/Black

 

dude.......du ma, cac mai.

if you need a translation, ask one of your vietnamese friends : )

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

NY, on the other hand, has a much more diverse minority population. There are a ton of people there from all over the world: Africa, Haiti, India, Pakistan, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, China, Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, etc. You name the country, there's a pretty strong representation there in NY.

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I've lived in Manhattan for over 30 years, and unrelated to this thread, I was just thinking the other day about how this town has EVERY ethnic group and socioeconomic extreme on the planet. From ravaged homeless people to multi-billionaires and everything inbetween. People from every country in the world. Lots of them.

The amazing thing is that all these people from all these diverse backgrounds live here together, shoulder to shoulder, with VERY little friction. Manhattan is in my experience (and I've traveled much of the world) the most truly egalitarian society anywhere, and one of the best kept secrets is what a great place to live it is.

Sure it's dirty, noisy, hyper, expensive, and yes there's a small minority of pretty pushy, impatient types that one has to learn how to deal with (develop a thick skin for use when necessary), but unless you're a drooling lunatic, YOU'RE OK! No need to drive the "right car" for example. NYC's a walking town and many people don't have cars at all. If you've got one, even if it's a beater, that's great. If you've got a shiny new G35C like I do, that's great too, but you'll earn very few "points" among anyone you care about because of it. Same goes for your clothes, your home, etc. People are judged for who they are, not what they have. I REALLY like that.

Sorry for the mostly off topic comments, but your remarks brought the subject to mind...

 

i have friends in nyc and visited there quite often when i was on the eastcoast. sure, it's a great city--always alive and lots of fun stuff to do. but i don't think i can ever live there permanently. it's so expensive to live there. sure, the average salary is higher but it's offset by the cost of living. my friends and i went to buy groceries for thanksgiving one year and it came out to almost $150 for about $75 worth of groceries anywhere else. for crying out loud, a cup-o-noodles cost like $2 there (normally like 3 for $1 back home). also, i can't stand how the club bouncer's are so snobby--only allow certain ppl in. most of my friends and i never had problems getting in since we always came with a big group of girls. but some of my other friends who didn't fit the profile of your basic new yorker-stylish-look always had problems getting in the clubs. as far as true melting pot, i think yes as far as the city itself, but only nyc. the state as whole is far from it compared to cali where there are several major areas that are diverse (san diego/la jolla, o.c., l.a., s.f., san jose, sac-town, etc.)

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

i can't stand how the club bouncer's are so snobby--only allow certain ppl in

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Maybe it's just me, but I've never been interested in going to clubs where one gets "sized up" and allowed/disallowed entry based on appearance. It goes against my grain, so I don't frequent those places. I have no idea whether I'd be let in or not.

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

Maybe it's just me, but I've never been interested in going to clubs where one gets "sized up" and allowed/disallowed entry based on appearance.

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To add insult to injury, once you're accepted by the bouncer and allowed into the club, you then have the privilege of paying $50 just to get in the door, then paying $10 per drink all night long. It's very easy to blow $200 in one evening at a NYC club, and that's going conservative.

Uh, no thanks...

2003 G35C, 6MT, DG/G, Aero/Nav/Premium
2002 Corvette Z06, Electron Blue/Black

 

not that i would still go nowadays, guys. i'm too old, i think. all the girls now going clubbing are like in college still. i'm married too: ( i just brought it up cuz that's one of the things that i think nyc sucks and needs changing. siet, let's see how picky the clubs get when ppl get bored of going to that particular club.......stupid snobs. reminds me of back before the civil rights movement in the south when store owners would refuse service to blacks. duh, stupid....a customer is a customer and all that matters is that he/she spends money.

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

i dun think i ever looked at a boxster and says.."man..its a woman's car"...i would to a z3 or miata...or mustang now days.....and i don't really think the look has anything to do with it since everyone's taste is different..i used to like civic's when i was 5...and guess what? it changed... some people...just dun care about the things that we care about (bangs for bucks to be exact)...ya..they probably thought of it before..."oh..i could've got a g35..or s2000...which is faster...but you know what..i want a PORSCHE...cuz its PRESTIGIOUS" its kinda like...i dun care if you have a rocket fast geo...i have an infiniti..so..you know what...i don't care... =) personally i do not think the boxster s is "awful performance for its price range" performance is kinda opinionated as well..since maybe its bad 0-60...but the boxster is famous for its handling and stuff...you just have to look into that...to be honest...if i am rich..i have 60 grand for no better use...i would get the porsche...maybe an M3..but i will NEVER get a japanese car and fix it up so that it has better performance.... what can i say...japanese cars just don't have that kinda...power...as it comes to status of a person..its kinda like...its so different when you say..."i drive a porsche/mercedez"...than..."i drive an infiniti" i am not hating on japanese car(i have 4 and getting the g in a month)...but..its true...some people just don't care...


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that's why i said: if you want a status marker, get the porsche.

 

In reply to:
that's why i said: if you want a status marker, get the porsche.

Hey get back on topic!!! We're talking bout melting pots and clubbing.

 

lol..if you are a broke ***..you shouldn't be in at a club in the first place....i just went to vegas for the weekend...blew 1K (500 hotel, 400 food, 200 clubs)...another 500 on the games...(i did win on the t-wolves vs kings bet, roulette raped me) the point is...dun judge how fun a place can be just cuz you can't afford to go in...i NEVER had any trouble going into a club...dun be so stingy and always tip all the bouncers you see ...they r usually pretty friendly after that...

and to reply to you z06ified...i only compared the skyline to video games because i said VIDEO GAMES TEND TO OVERBLOW THE PERFORMANCE OF SKYLINE....in real life..if u put a skyline with evo and sti...evo and sti would win..but in the video games? noo...skyline is like...a godly car in the games...its NOT a real awd for crying out loud

its nice that you admit when you r wrong..thats cool man..on the other hand..i need to admit that i was wrong about the skyline thing since i haven't been to asia for couple years now and i didn't know about that...so ya..skyline = g35....

i dun feel like i need to explain my dual citizenship to anyone and why i dun try to correct my spelling/grammar when i type...i dun really feel like i need to cuz i am just typing like i am chatting online.and i am not typing a research paper..on top of that i am usually multi-tasking while i am typing... so..if u understand..good..if u dun really understand what im saying..then...read it again..don't need to dwell on the grammatical errors or typos...thats not what the languages are based on...i am not japanese of any kind..so..you can rest your case...13 years british citizen...if you really feel the urge to be ****...run a spell/grammar check on my post..and then read it...just to make yourself happy

i agree with you with the point of how NYC has the MOST types of minority living together in the SAME neighbourhood...if its true...i think thats amazing...i personally never lived in NY...so..i can't say anything about that...buts thats cool i guess...oh ya..what is WASP?

i just don't understand why the big 3 (gm/ford/chrysler) sold so many cars in US while the quality/price is not the top choice...if you think about it...european/japanese cars are sold everywhere in the world successfully...why can't american cars do the same? if they are really that good? are they higher quality than german cars? are they higher value (bangs for the bucks) than japanese cars? i dunno..u tell me..

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

dun judge how fun a place can be just cuz you can't afford to go in

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Fair enough. I guess some people think its worth it to blow a few hundred a night on NYC clubs. It's not worth it to me. Part of it is, I've been there and done that already and I just don't see the entertainment value in it anymore. In other words, I could think of a bunch of other more fun things to entertain myself with for the same or less money. Vegas is worth the dough to me, because the entertainment is better there - yeah, it can be expensive, but you get a lot of bang for your buck.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

i only compared the skyline to video games because i said VIDEO GAMES TEND TO OVERBLOW THE PERFORMANCE OF SKYLINE

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You must have a PS2 then. The only racing game I play is Project Gotham Racing 2 on the Xbox. In that game the Skyline is a middle range car at best, and in its class it is not the best car, so at least they didn't over-hype it.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

...oh ya..what is WASP

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WASP = White Anglo Saxon Protestant. Basically white people from northern and central Europe, like England, Germany, Scandinavia, etc. My background is German and English, so I'm about as WASPy as they come.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

i just don't understand why the big 3 (gm/ford/chrysler) sold so many cars in US while the quality/price is not the top choice

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As for quality, the big 3 all produce vehicles that are ranked among the top 5 or top 10, and in some cases #1 in their respective categories in J.D. Power's Initial Quality studies. Most studies have shown that the quality gap between Japanese and U.S. makes has narrowed so substantially that its almost insignificant, on average.

As for price, in general, the big 3 offer far more value for the money than imports. For example, you can get a Chevy Malibu, Pontiac Grand Am, or a Ford Taurus for a lot less money than a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, especially when you factor in rebates and incentives. So I don't know why you think American cars are overpriced??

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

if you think about it...european/japanese cars are sold everywhere in the world successfully...why can't american cars do the same?

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Well, they do. GM sells cars all over the world, as does Ford. Both are very large in Europe, South America, Australia, the Middle East, etc. Ford typically sells under their own brand throughout these countries, while GM sells under different brand names that most Americans aren't familiar with such as Opel, Holden, etc. Opel is just as much GM as Chevy is. Chrysler is now German, so you can now include all the Daimler brands sold worldwide among them. The new 300C is going to be sold in Europe for the first time. Should be interesting to see how it does now that its built by a German company.

The only area of the world where the big 3 are really weak in market share is Japan and China. Japan has a definite anti-American car bias that is tough to break. Some people have said that if American companies made quality products with right hand drive, they would sell in Japan. That's B.S. The big 3 do make quality cars (now), they have tried selling right hand drive models in Japan, and the Japanese don't want anything to do with them.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

are they higher value (bangs for the bucks) than japanese cars? i dunno..u tell me..

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Depends on the model, and what you're priorities are. Would I rather have a $20k Neon SRT-4 over a $20k Toyota Corolla? You bet I would! Would I rather have a $25k Pontiac G6 over a $25k Toyota Camry 4 banger? Absolutely. Would I rather have a $35k Infiniti G35 over a $35k Cadillac CTS or a $35k Lincoln LS? Yep. [img]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/img]

2003 G35C, 6MT, DG/G, Aero/Nav/Premium
2002 Corvette Z06, Electron Blue/Black

 

thanks for replying ...for the video game thing...hmm..i think we have somewhat a generation gap or what not...but like..you have to know...if you ask people in asia (maybe some european countries) which is the best car from japan...they probably would say skyline...my problem with it is...i do think its a really nice car...but whenever they put skyline head to head with other cars.. skyline never won...rx7...evo..sti..u name it...ok..so..they have mod-ablilty to get it up to like 900hp...not very realistic for much of us..and i believe the hype is many many generations of video games ....skyline in japan is not a real awd car...like evo or sti...where evo and sti are mechanically awd....skyline is computarized awd...not as raw in my opinion...and in project gothan city 2...dun they have like..porsche and ferrari and stuff? of course..it doesn't really match up...but i am saying...japan had this "top class" cars...namely rx7..evo...sti...skyline....supra..nsx...(all supposely around 280hp by some deal between makers) and i dun think skyline should come up being idolized like that since it does not perform all so greatly...(its my favorite car still)

thanks for explaining wasp thing...

in my humble opinion...JD power's name is louder than it should as well..i read alot of there "research" and stuff...alot of bs...i am a stats/math major...when i read it..i just always think about the credibility of reports...hmm..JD powers...has some really intereting way to find out result that is prone not to be significant of what they claim....but anyhow...if u wanna use jd power...we will..

check this out
http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/images/2004037b.gif

clearly not even one of the american big corp made it over industrial average.....ya..you can probably argue the particular make in the corp is better than others...but at the same time..then i can argue a particular model in the make is better than the other model...and then..goes down to series...and what not..so..you can't really do that..i am just saying...when you add everything up...and get the average...a japanese car is prone to give u the best value and being the most reliable of what you can get for your money...and again..JD powers is so crappy...problems per 100 cars?? u know what...if i drive a 8000 neo..and if it rattles...i am not gonna do anything about it....but if i drive a 100K porsche ....and the same thing happens...i will make sure that i go back to the dealer....so..i don't believe they can measure it like that...on top of it..japanese cars are known to out-last other cars in a long run...so maybe you are right about "initial quality" is probably insignificant...but can you say the same when they hit 100K miles?....<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by takuyaah on 05/10/04 05:56 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

http://250901-http://www.jdpa.com/pr...04037bfull.gif

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

i got this off the jdpower.com

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Got what? Can't see anything.

JD Powers is not the end all of quality rankings, but there aren't too many other organizations who evaluate and rank quality. So its not the best or most statistically accurate, but its practically the only one. If you have a better measurement, lets hear it.

2003 G35C, 6MT, DG/G, Aero/Nav/Premium
2002 Corvette Z06, Electron Blue/Black

 

and to reply you on your srt vs corolla..and all that...i think you've got a point..but its also personal preference.....i think i will totally get some american cars in the future (namely corvette, viper, de ville.....esculade) but i probably just gonna drive it like i stole it for 3-5 years..and ditch it...cuz u know what..i love the raw performance..but i dun think i would like the problems it will give me after that...you know what im saying?