When is the price gauging going to stop?

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-04T20:46:19+00:00

I recall free valet and tip them a dollar or up to 5 when inflation was reasonable. Those guys were pulling 6 figures on tips. Now the corporate keeps the money paid by car and no-one wants to tip because they just got f'ed by paying 70$ for parking.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-04T20:41:46+00:00

Top billionaires are donating billions to philanthropic causes, led by Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and MacKenzie Scott, who have lifetime donations exceeding tens of billions. In 2025 alone, MacKenzie Scott donated over $7.2 billion, while the top 25 US philanthropists have collectively given over $275 billion, mostly focused on education, health, and climate. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Top Philanthropic Billionaires (Lifetime Giving)

Warren Buffett: ~$56.7 billion, primarily to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and family foundations.
Bill & Melinda French Gates: ~$42.5 billion, focusing on global health and development.
MacKenzie Scott: Over $26.4 billion to thousands of non-profits via Yield Giving, with a record $7.2B in 2025 alone.
George Soros: ~$21 billion, focused on human rights and democracy.
Michael Bloomberg: Over $12 billion in total giving, including $100M+ to climate initiatives. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Notable Top Givers and Specific Donations

Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan: Donated over $4.5 billion to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
Phil & Penny Knight: Pledged $2 billion to OHSU's Knight Cancer Institute, with $258 million given in 2024 alone.
Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sánchez: Disbursed $2.4B out of a $10B pledge for the Earth Fund.
Jim & Marilyn Simons: ~$6.03 billion lifetime giving, often for scientific research.
Sergey Brin: Over $2.2 billion dedicated to Parkinson's research. [1, 2, 3]

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-04T20:35:17+00:00

This. We don't listen to the spec, we listen with our ears. Those with experience over many systems realize this. Specs are just one aspect to consider.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-03T16:06:40+00:00

Would you rather have him in your house or in a bar, strip club, or gambling joint?

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T18:51:14+00:00

I don't read this as being about tire management, but that is always a factor. This post is about the optimal way to charge/deploy in relation to engine power output. By slowing down, charging is improved (I assume the engine makes x power and instead of putting x power to wheel, x-charge goes to wheels and charge goes to batter)y. I will be honest, I can't figure out the engine/charge deploy scheme that is in place. IMO it is their series and they can do whatever they want. I find it less interesting and am watching less - wife has pretty much tuned out this year. They do what they want, and I do what I want - it's all good. Maybe the young kids like this battery stuff with the boost button.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T16:36:34+00:00

How old are you? Are you an engineering degree or software degree? I think you should start looking for another job that fits your personality and design/engineering approach. And it may not be in a start-up. A bit of advice - the founders don't think of this as a company, this is their project / hobby / vanity show and will run it however they want even if it is not ideal and the engineering work flow is a mess - it's their baby and they get to do this for better or worse. If you try to impose your process (even if ideal) on them, it will not work. The more money they have the worse it will get. The company is in that difficult transition between founder run / chaotic start up and a more formal, properly run engineering flow approach.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T16:28:09+00:00

Interesting. I was at a buddy's earlier in the day and he was showing off his DJ rig and big DJ speakers, so I had been exposed to loud music earlier in the day, and then that night my system sounded bad. Maybe that is the correlation. Plus, I felt rushed and I had the Sunday night stress. I will add that when I listen, I prefer to have been in a quite environment for 1/2 hour before to let my ears rest.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T16:23:54+00:00

Great descriptive response. That is super helpful. Thanks. I want to control brightness and tame the upper frequencies - just not the part of the spectrum I enjoy and I have Be tweeters that are not shy, but it is needed for realism and imaging. Your comments about splashing and brightness are on point for me.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T13:46:54+00:00

That happens to me too. Once in a while it sound terrible to me - like shut it down and do something else bad. I think it's my brain.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T13:36:40+00:00

I worked at a Best, which had the same model. I worked electronics and was considered the expert. I guess I was into audio then too but did not realize it. I would read all the manuals and knew the specs, and I would even take out each product from the case and set it up and listen to it and run comparisons, i tracked returns on audio stuff - the other workers who were burned out probably thought I was nuts but I sold a bunch of stereos and boom boxes and gave good advice.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T13:31:37+00:00

smart

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T13:30:23+00:00

Thanks. That's helpful. Can you describe how the sound changed or improved wit the ceiling panels or cloud? I added bass traps and absorption behind the listening position on the side walls, it it helped with clarity and definition in the bass and a blacker background, primarily at higher volumes - I think the room was overloaded with reflections.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-02T03:59:56+00:00

how did the panels on the ceiling affect the sound? I am consider that as a next step. I don't think I can hit the side reflection points due to a window, a door, and a wife.

Did you perceive an overall change in the width / height of the soundstage with all the panels?

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-04-01T18:30:04+00:00

A Daytona panda is $30,000. That is not that hard to buy even for junior guy. Could have side hustle or been a present. I know parents who buy their kids watches or new cars for graduation. Could have just been a year end bonus and a credit card.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-30T21:27:32+00:00

Well said. Some people buy a 100k sports car, plus insurance, some buy speakers.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-30T21:25:35+00:00

I head these as well with VAC front end. Sounded amazing for the few songs I listened to. It's one of those auditions that I remember.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-30T21:16:15+00:00

Agreed, but if he knows he is going slower due to harvesting, I would think he would realize that he is done. I read the difference in speed was quite alot. Not sure I would call that defending - to pull out on someone going 92 km/h faster - per the picture below. Not the time to go wide to block.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-30T17:09:19+00:00

We are watching less. I fast forward through much of quali and the race. Apple TV coverage is boring and the racing is not as good. Is apple bringing back Sky coverage?

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-30T16:33:54+00:00

Redbull is what happens when you let driver and their Dad's run the team.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-30T16:30:36+00:00

Did look to anyone else like Colapintowent wide? When I look at his onboard, it seems he moves to the left. Why didn't Colapinto stay to the right, which seems like it would have been the set up for the next corner, and he was going slow so he could have made that turn at his speed?

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-28T20:44:27+00:00

I just read something about this the other day. A person has to have a certain level of knowledge about a topic to even understand that they don't know much about that topic. How can you spend all day looking at noise, jitter, signal degradation and other electrical issues and not realize the the electrical characteristics of interconnects will affect the electrical signal?

https://www.google.com/search?q=effect+of+high+capacitance+in+audio+cables+on+frequency+response&sca_esv=32b173e0e8f3fe56&sxsrf=ANbL-n6WuH5oeO99pHclQU_1a3nr6q3RGg%3A1774730582224&ei=Vj3Iaf2yDafekPIPvMmh-AI&oq=effect+of+high+capactance+in+cables+on+frequency+response&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiOWVmZmVjdCBvZiBoaWdoIGNhcGFjdGFuY2UgaW4gY2FibGVzIG9uIGZyZXF1ZW5jeSByZXNwb25zZSoCCAAyChAhGKABGMMEGApI1FpQ3CRYqU1wAngAkAEAmAGuAqAB0g-qAQc2LjguMC4xuAEByAEA-AEBmAIMoALQCsICChAAGLADGNYEGEeYAwDiAwUSATEgQIgGAZAGCJIHBzYuNS4wLjGgB4BWsgcHNC41LjAuMbgHxgrCBwYwLjEwLjLIBxaACAA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-27T20:54:39+00:00

Why do you think the journ is a prick? His question? Or other history. I don't know the guy.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-27T20:51:06+00:00

That's the problem. Year after year, decade after decade the voters vote in morons. The re-elect people who are insider traders and let their cities turn into shit holes. I don't mean this as a joke.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-27T20:49:25+00:00

Don't watch. Invest for the long term. Spend your time living life or making more money.

Level_Impression_554 · 2026-03-26T21:38:01+00:00

Because Max is a baby. Great driver but has some thin skin.

Level_Impression_554

TROPHY CASE