Last May, I went on a trip to California for the first time of my life and of course, as an Apple fan for 15 years, I had to go and see the 1 Infinite Loop with my eyes. I circled the campus looking for a good spot to stop and take a picture and when I came back to the main entrance I decided to just go for the "1" logo, even if there's no mention of Apple at all.
Just as I was looking for my camera, Steve came out of the main doors, said goodbye to some other people he had been walking with and walked to the car that was parked in front of me. It was a black Mercedes. He slowly walked to the backseat door, looking as calm and thin as we have seen him and his chauffeur took him wherever he was going while I was too stunned to do anything else than say "Hey, shit, it's Steve Jobs!"
I can't help but wonder if he'd have autographed my iPad... (but probably not my jailbroken iPhone!)
I was just thinking about this the other day. If I had bought AAPL stock instead of my first iPod, I would be $28,000 richer today.
I was thinking about this too. If I had just bought AAPL stock instead of the first Mac in summer or fall of 1984... wheeew, boy.
The Mac was about $3400 I think. I think Apple's IPO took place in early '84 at about 3 bucks. By summer it was at 1.81 or so, and apparently remained around there for a year. For about 3620 bucks you could get 2000 shares.
The shares split 3 times, so those 2000 shares would now be 16000 shares. At 400 bucks I would now be some 6.5 million richer today.
Many of the affluent, wealthy people do. Thats exactly the type of audience the SL was designed for. You can go all the way back to the 1960's and look at the 300SL Gullwing Benz's that are now worth millions. That have always been lavish/status coupes and always will be.
Driving an SL.. is way to say "I've arrived". The car is also pretty damn cool too. Remember it was the first with the hardtop roof that folded into the trunk. Now everybody is copying that.
I actually saw a McLaren / Benz SLS with the gull wing doors. Some gray haired guy and his woman (in tight jeans) pulled up to the Apple Store. Now that's a car that says, "I've arrived, and I don't have to explain myself."
The Prius is a huge gas hog before it even hits the road. The production of Lithium Ion batteries is an extremely dirty process which leaves a brand new Prius with something like a -200,000 mpg raiting. People should be buying used cars if they want to be green.
Well, he actually lives pretty modest. His home is valued at about $3 million (and interior is supposedly pretty modest and minimal). Granted he has multiple properties, but he chose to live pretty modest for a CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world.
It goes to show you that if you have enough money, you can do whatever you want. I guess that he'd rather give his money to the leasing company rather than pay the taxes on the car in order to get the tags. I guess he'd rather keep Apple's money in foreign banks rather than pay taxes on it. All those things are legal but parking in handicapped parking when you were a healthy person all those years makes one a DB.
I've been to the Apple campus, Jobs would park in the disabled spot ( or closer in the loading bays) when he came in late for a short time - like an hour. Not normally. Those spots were always empty - Apple did not have many disabled workers I assume. ( Many people with those stickers are on disability after all).
If Jobs had a parking space for himself, this would be moot. Also that would be common in most companies, and not just for CEOs. I think Michael Scott ( The Office) has his own parking. Yes i know it is fictional - but half assed managers in regional bland offices in outlying industrial estates often do have their own parking. It is less common in Silicon Valley, so they improvise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by filburt
Well, he actually lives pretty modest. His home is valued at about $3 million (and interior is supposedly pretty modest and minimal). Granted he has multiple properties, but he chose to live pretty modest for a CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world.
And its valued at $3M because of where it is. Put it in rural texas and it is worth $100K. Its a modest house. The gilded Age of Gatsby this isn't. Nor is it the Bell Epoque. He didn't like like the Sun King.
( Part of me wishes the modern rich did build great architecture, something to visit when they are gone).
1) Mostly everyone, not just the 1% If you ask me, those on welfare and unemployment exploit loopholes and the system more than anyone.
2) Those who can afford it.....and even those who can't
3) That happens all the time* (maybe not the sideways part)
*I witnessed a guy park in a handicap spot last week and he RAN briskly around a car driving through the parking lot on his way into the store. He was in the store for at least a half hour.
Ummm... I don't think mostly everyone... pretty much reserved for d-bags and a-holes... Jobs did a lot of great things, but he was both.
Of course fanboys will forgive anything Apple... I'm sure if he had eaten newborns for breakfast the f-boys would justify how it's okay for him to do.
This literally made me LOL. I'm through the first three chapters of the bio and this move fits him perfectly!
Thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning
The bio is great. Worth every penny. It's a brilliant loophole, diabolical as it may seem (the car arrangement, not the bio).
In any case, Mercedes SL AMG? In the bio (not a spoiler) Mercedes is mentioned quite a bit, I can see why Steve likes it. Mercedes sedans are not fantastic, but the SLx/AMG etc. coupes and that kind of stuff (I'm no car expert) is sweet.
I'm surprised that, given his money, Steve opted for the SL-55. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic car, but it's a tad... cold, soulless, mechanical. It's like a PC.
In the same price range, why not a hand built Maserati that exudes personality and can go toe-to-toe (naturally aspirated, mind you) with the German ubercar?
Off topic.
As mentioned in the Bio, these kind of distinctions were quite stark for Steve. Something was either "shit" or "the most awesome thing" (I paraphrase here, of course).
If he fixated on Mercedes then that was his thing, unless Maserati of Lamborghini came out with something "insanely great" or "insanely different".
Quote:
Originally Posted by aknabi
Ummm... I don't think mostly everyone... pretty much reserved for d-bags and a-holes... Jobs did a lot of great things, but he was both.
Of course fanboys will forgive anything Apple... I'm sure if he had eaten newborns for breakfast the f-boys would justify how it's okay for him to do.
Pathetic lot.
Jobs was generally considered an asshole in his interactions with people. This is clear and he allowed this to be documented in the biography as well.
But he was never physically violent AFAIK, nor did he go out of his way to cause harm outside of emotional or business-related nastiness.
What else he was able to achieve while being an asshole, does that balance out his dark side? At the end of the day, that's up to the individual to decide... "fanboy" or not.
I'm surprised that, given his money, Steve opted for the SL-55. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic car, but it's a tad... cold, soulless, mechanical. It's like a PC.
In the same price range, why not a hand built Maserati that exudes personality and can go toe-to-toe (naturally aspirated, mind you) with the German ubercar?
Off topic.
Even Car magazine (UK), which normally prefers British cars, admits the SL55 is a brilliantly engineered car.
The Maserati/Bentley/Aston Martin style car is more special because it's hand-built, but generally those cars suffer from relatively low development budgets and so they have mediocre engineering. So if you are looking for the best of engineering, as opposed to hand craftsmanship, the SL55 is an excellent choice.
Fans of hand-built cars can be assuaged somewhat by knowing that Jony Ive drove an Aston Martin and currently drives a Bentley Arnage.
Certainly the most startling thing about Apple executives is how modest they live relative to their net worths. Jony Ive parks his $340,000 car in front of a shockingly modest house. Yes, I know, it's worth over $1 million, but where he lives that's a solid upper middle class home and no more.
I came to the US with very little money, no English, and today I don't know if I am part of the 1%, but I drive a mercedes GL 550, earn a very healthy income, is that bad?
It seems to me that those who are crying in this forum against the 1% are a bunch of people who love to play victim and they do not want to be and do the things that are necessary to succeed..
Keep crying like if you feel victimized, the more you do it the less you will have..take responsibility for who you are, your results are the direct result of what you think and what you do, to change things, YOU have to change...
Steve did not even even finish college, he was adopted, but his legacy is amazing, he was not a victim, he took control of his destiny.
Do you want great results? STOP complaining and do something to improve your life, do you want to improve the world? start with yourself..
I came to the US with very little money, no English, and today I don't know if I am part of the 1%, but I drive a mercedes GL 550, earn a very healthy income, is that bad?
It seems to me that those who are crying in this forum against the 1% are a bunch of people who love to play victim and they do not want to be and do the things that are necessary to succeed..
Keep crying like if you feel victimized, the more you do it the less you will have..take responsibility for who you are, your results are the direct result of what you think and what you do, to change things, YOU have to change...
Steve did not even even finish college, he was adopted, but his legacy is amazing, he was not a victim, he took control of his destiny.
Do you want great results? STOP complaining and do something to improve your life, do you want to improve the world? start with yourself..
George
I think you're overthinking it. Most of comments are about an asshole who parks in a disabled spot, not an asshole who drives a Mercedes.
Funny how everyone on this thread are making excuses for him. Sure maybe he knew no one worked there was handicapped (Not sure how he would know no visitors would not be handicapped) or maybe he was just a pompous jerk.
The Handicap laws in California are ridiculous!! I used to teach at a dance studio with extremely limited parking, yet several slots had to be dedicated to Handicapped parking. Seriously, at a Dance Studio??? They were always empty, yet I had to be there super early to find parking blocks away so I could teach.... DANCE! And yet they are required to have Handicapped Parking, at a dance studio, not one, not two, but three of ten spaces???!!! (yeah, I know as a teacher I shouldn't park there, the spaces are for students, but sometimes I was a little late, and those empty spaces were never used, what a waste)
If I may ask, allowed by whom? In a private parking lot, I imagine the company can give you such permission.
In a public parking place in most cities, you need a permit to park in spots reserved for the disabled. I think that's the issue - Jobs had no such permit - or perhaps no permit of any kind for his car
He didn't need a permit to park in a handicapped spot. Firstly, he parked in a handicapped place on the Apple campus (Which is private property - so no council permit was required). Secondly, Apple was his business - he was the co-founder, the CEO and the board chairman - he could basically do whatever he wanted. Finally, Apple was profitable because of him - they went into a downward spiral when he left, and their stock price has climbed ever since he returned - nobody in their right mind would risk losing (or severely annoying) him over a piece of tarmac with some paint on it.
Comments
Just as I was looking for my camera, Steve came out of the main doors, said goodbye to some other people he had been walking with and walked to the car that was parked in front of me. It was a black Mercedes. He slowly walked to the backseat door, looking as calm and thin as we have seen him and his chauffeur took him wherever he was going while I was too stunned to do anything else than say "Hey, shit, it's Steve Jobs!"
I can't help but wonder if he'd have autographed my iPad... (but probably not my jailbroken iPhone!)
And the car did have a license plate.
I also don't believe in special handicapped spaces, as I find them to be anti-American. I treat all people the same, including handicapped people.
ORLY? You treat all people the same, but if they have more money than you, then you don't?
I was just thinking about this the other day. If I had bought AAPL stock instead of my first iPod, I would be $28,000 richer today.
I was thinking about this too. If I had just bought AAPL stock instead of the first Mac in summer or fall of 1984... wheeew, boy.
The Mac was about $3400 I think. I think Apple's IPO took place in early '84 at about 3 bucks. By summer it was at 1.81 or so, and apparently remained around there for a year. For about 3620 bucks you could get 2000 shares.
The shares split 3 times, so those 2000 shares would now be 16000 shares. At 400 bucks I would now be some 6.5 million richer today.
Many of the affluent, wealthy people do. Thats exactly the type of audience the SL was designed for. You can go all the way back to the 1960's and look at the 300SL Gullwing Benz's that are now worth millions. That have always been lavish/status coupes and always will be.
Driving an SL.. is way to say "I've arrived". The car is also pretty damn cool too. Remember it was the first with the hardtop roof that folded into the trunk. Now everybody is copying that.
I actually saw a McLaren / Benz SLS with the gull wing doors. Some gray haired guy and his woman (in tight jeans) pulled up to the Apple Store. Now that's a car that says, "I've arrived, and I don't have to explain myself."
The Prius is a huge gas hog before it even hits the road. The production of Lithium Ion batteries is an extremely dirty process which leaves a brand new Prius with something like a -200,000 mpg raiting. People should be buying used cars if they want to be green.
You are incorrect. On every level.
This is how the 1% lives.
Legal loopholes.
New Mercedes every 6 months.
Parks in handicapped spaces sideways.
What sort of a person does this shit?
Well, he actually lives pretty modest. His home is valued at about $3 million (and interior is supposedly pretty modest and minimal). Granted he has multiple properties, but he chose to live pretty modest for a CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world.
It goes to show you that if you have enough money, you can do whatever you want. I guess that he'd rather give his money to the leasing company rather than pay the taxes on the car in order to get the tags. I guess he'd rather keep Apple's money in foreign banks rather than pay taxes on it. All those things are legal but parking in handicapped parking when you were a healthy person all those years makes one a DB.
I've been to the Apple campus, Jobs would park in the disabled spot ( or closer in the loading bays) when he came in late for a short time - like an hour. Not normally. Those spots were always empty - Apple did not have many disabled workers I assume. ( Many people with those stickers are on disability after all).
If Jobs had a parking space for himself, this would be moot. Also that would be common in most companies, and not just for CEOs. I think Michael Scott ( The Office) has his own parking. Yes i know it is fictional - but half assed managers in regional bland offices in outlying industrial estates often do have their own parking. It is less common in Silicon Valley, so they improvise.
Well, he actually lives pretty modest. His home is valued at about $3 million (and interior is supposedly pretty modest and minimal). Granted he has multiple properties, but he chose to live pretty modest for a CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world.
And its valued at $3M because of where it is. Put it in rural texas and it is worth $100K. Its a modest house. The gilded Age of Gatsby this isn't. Nor is it the Bell Epoque. He didn't like like the Sun King.
( Part of me wishes the modern rich did build great architecture, something to visit when they are gone).
What sort of person?
1) Mostly everyone, not just the 1% If you ask me, those on welfare and unemployment exploit loopholes and the system more than anyone.
2) Those who can afford it.....and even those who can't
3) That happens all the time* (maybe not the sideways part)
*I witnessed a guy park in a handicap spot last week and he RAN briskly around a car driving through the parking lot on his way into the store. He was in the store for at least a half hour.
Ummm... I don't think mostly everyone... pretty much reserved for d-bags and a-holes... Jobs did a lot of great things, but he was both.
Of course fanboys will forgive anything Apple... I'm sure if he had eaten newborns for breakfast the f-boys would justify how it's okay for him to do.
Pathetic lot.
Ummm... I don't think mostly everyone... pretty much reserved for d-bags and a-holes... Jobs did a lot of great things, but he was both.
Of course fanboys will forgive anything Apple... I'm sure if he had eaten newborns for breakfast the f-boys would justify how it's okay for him to do.
Pathetic lot.
I bet, though, the head of HTC has his own parking. How'dye like dem Apples?
It is unlikely he would have survived had he had surgery in 2003. The misfortune of having pancreatic cancer killed him, not his "arrogance."
??!?!?!!
have you read the book and or looked into this?
by the time he had the surgery the tumor had spread, that's the real problem! (i though, i could be wrong
Are you sure? We assume he did not but he may have been so arrogant that he parked in the handicapped spot while his reserved spot remained open.
Just great, another idiot making up possible scenarios with absolutely no evidence just to make themselves feel relevant when they aren't.
This literally made me LOL. I'm through the first three chapters of the bio and this move fits him perfectly!
Thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning
The bio is great. Worth every penny. It's a brilliant loophole, diabolical as it may seem (the car arrangement, not the bio).
In any case, Mercedes SL AMG? In the bio (not a spoiler) Mercedes is mentioned quite a bit, I can see why Steve likes it. Mercedes sedans are not fantastic, but the SLx/AMG etc. coupes and that kind of stuff (I'm no car expert) is sweet.
I'm surprised that, given his money, Steve opted for the SL-55. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic car, but it's a tad... cold, soulless, mechanical. It's like a PC.
In the same price range, why not a hand built Maserati that exudes personality and can go toe-to-toe (naturally aspirated, mind you) with the German ubercar?
Off topic.
As mentioned in the Bio, these kind of distinctions were quite stark for Steve. Something was either "shit" or "the most awesome thing" (I paraphrase here, of course).
If he fixated on Mercedes then that was his thing, unless Maserati of Lamborghini came out with something "insanely great" or "insanely different".
Ummm... I don't think mostly everyone... pretty much reserved for d-bags and a-holes... Jobs did a lot of great things, but he was both.
Of course fanboys will forgive anything Apple... I'm sure if he had eaten newborns for breakfast the f-boys would justify how it's okay for him to do.
Pathetic lot.
Jobs was generally considered an asshole in his interactions with people. This is clear and he allowed this to be documented in the biography as well.
But he was never physically violent AFAIK, nor did he go out of his way to cause harm outside of emotional or business-related nastiness.
What else he was able to achieve while being an asshole, does that balance out his dark side? At the end of the day, that's up to the individual to decide... "fanboy" or not.
I'm surprised that, given his money, Steve opted for the SL-55. Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic car, but it's a tad... cold, soulless, mechanical. It's like a PC.
In the same price range, why not a hand built Maserati that exudes personality and can go toe-to-toe (naturally aspirated, mind you) with the German ubercar?
Off topic.
Even Car magazine (UK), which normally prefers British cars, admits the SL55 is a brilliantly engineered car.
The Maserati/Bentley/Aston Martin style car is more special because it's hand-built, but generally those cars suffer from relatively low development budgets and so they have mediocre engineering. So if you are looking for the best of engineering, as opposed to hand craftsmanship, the SL55 is an excellent choice.
Fans of hand-built cars can be assuaged somewhat by knowing that Jony Ive drove an Aston Martin and currently drives a Bentley Arnage.
Certainly the most startling thing about Apple executives is how modest they live relative to their net worths. Jony Ive parks his $340,000 car in front of a shockingly modest house. Yes, I know, it's worth over $1 million, but where he lives that's a solid upper middle class home and no more.
D
This is how the 1% lives.
Legal loopholes.
New Mercedes every 6 months.
Parks in handicapped spaces sideways.
What sort of a person does this shit?
Are you jealous?
George
It seems to me that those who are crying in this forum against the 1% are a bunch of people who love to play victim and they do not want to be and do the things that are necessary to succeed..
Keep crying like if you feel victimized, the more you do it the less you will have..take responsibility for who you are, your results are the direct result of what you think and what you do, to change things, YOU have to change...
Steve did not even even finish college, he was adopted, but his legacy is amazing, he was not a victim, he took control of his destiny.
Do you want great results? STOP complaining and do something to improve your life, do you want to improve the world? start with yourself..
George
I came to the US with very little money, no English, and today I don't know if I am part of the 1%, but I drive a mercedes GL 550, earn a very healthy income, is that bad?
It seems to me that those who are crying in this forum against the 1% are a bunch of people who love to play victim and they do not want to be and do the things that are necessary to succeed..
Keep crying like if you feel victimized, the more you do it the less you will have..take responsibility for who you are, your results are the direct result of what you think and what you do, to change things, YOU have to change...
Steve did not even even finish college, he was adopted, but his legacy is amazing, he was not a victim, he took control of his destiny.
Do you want great results? STOP complaining and do something to improve your life, do you want to improve the world? start with yourself..
George
I think you're overthinking it. Most of comments are about an asshole who parks in a disabled spot, not an asshole who drives a Mercedes.
Funny how everyone on this thread are making excuses for him. Sure maybe he knew no one worked there was handicapped (Not sure how he would know no visitors would not be handicapped) or maybe he was just a pompous jerk.
The Handicap laws in California are ridiculous!! I used to teach at a dance studio with extremely limited parking, yet several slots had to be dedicated to Handicapped parking. Seriously, at a Dance Studio??? They were always empty, yet I had to be there super early to find parking blocks away so I could teach.... DANCE! And yet they are required to have Handicapped Parking, at a dance studio, not one, not two, but three of ten spaces???!!! (yeah, I know as a teacher I shouldn't park there, the spaces are for students, but sometimes I was a little late, and those empty spaces were never used, what a waste)
Go Steve!!!
If I may ask, allowed by whom? In a private parking lot, I imagine the company can give you such permission.
In a public parking place in most cities, you need a permit to park in spots reserved for the disabled. I think that's the issue - Jobs had no such permit - or perhaps no permit of any kind for his car
He didn't need a permit to park in a handicapped spot. Firstly, he parked in a handicapped place on the Apple campus (Which is private property - so no council permit was required). Secondly, Apple was his business - he was the co-founder, the CEO and the board chairman - he could basically do whatever he wanted. Finally, Apple was profitable because of him - they went into a downward spiral when he left, and their stock price has climbed ever since he returned - nobody in their right mind would risk losing (or severely annoying) him over a piece of tarmac with some paint on it.