patrick.net

The Indian women here in Sunnyvale certainly aren't Americanized much yet. Don't blame them, their traditional clothing looks a lot more comfortable than our stuff; same thing with the hair and makeup, they don't want to look like Bollywood among their community. Most are arranged marriages and they may or may not be here permanently, though all do seem to be making US citizen babies as soon as possible.

Indians strike me as very conservative, at least the ones able to make it here.

Back in 2000 I didn't see any Indians up in Cupertino, but down here in Sunnyvale 2005-2010 life is different. . .

Back in 2006 I was talking about the housing bubble with an Indian coworker. He was fully vested into the Dream but I was saying the bubble was iffy and it might souffle like it did in the 1990s (this was some months before I learned of Casey Serin, which flipped me into an increasingly bigger housing bear as more shoes dropped in 2007).

Misstrial says

None of them have looked to me like they do botox or fillers (which are expensive treatments) or have complex layered haircuts with highlights and lowlights. Its all quite basic.

You've gotta be kidding. How much do you spend on Botox? And if you're spending so much, that it affects your real estate purchasing powers, than you really are too vain, or too ugly to save, or both.

There still exist many women, regardless of ethnicity, who take care of themselves without being overly extravagant and vain. What you consider plain are simply people comfortable with their looks and not desperate to paint thick layers of paint all over their face every morning. Posts like this remind me of the vanity and ignorance of our country.

ih8alameda says

Misstrial says

None of them have looked to me like they do botox or fillers (which are expensive treatments) or have complex layered haircuts with highlights and lowlights. Its all quite basic.

You’ve gotta be kidding. How much do you spend on Botox? And if you’re spending so much, that it affects your real estate purchasing powers, than you really are too vain, or too ugly to save, or both.
There still exist many women, regardless of ethnicity, who take care of themselves without being overly extravagant and vain. What you consider plain are simply people comfortable with their looks and not desperate to paint thick layers of paint all over their face every morning. Posts like this remind me of the vanity and ignorance of our country.

I know, that post cracked me up. I am a woman, I am 40 years old and I wash my face and put on some lip gloss. Use a good moisturizer and some sun screen. Buy good shampoo and conditioner at Costco for $20 that lasts me for 6 months or more. A $50 hair cut every couple months.

I must look like a hag.

Troy says

The Indian women here in Sunnyvale certainly aren’t Americanized much yet. Don’t blame them, their traditional clothing looks a lot more comfortable than our stuff; same thing with the hair and makeup, they don’t want to look like Bollywood among their community. Most are arranged marriages and they may or may not be here permanently, though all do seem to be making US citizen babies as soon as possible.

Young women from india do not wear saris or laangas here. Its only the older women over the age of 50 or so that do (from what I have seen).

Nothing like jeans and a tee to be comfortable - this is something women wear all over the world. As far as traditional clothing being more comfortable (which I personally have worn on a daily basis for 5 years) try changing a baby's diaper, cooking, or bathing small children swathed in yards of loose fitting fabric.

As far as those older women who focus on my post regarding cosmetics and self-care only, go back and read my post.

I STATED THAT IMO INDIAN AND CHINESE IMMIGRANT WOMEN HAVE CHOSEN OR HAVE BEEN TOLD TO GREATLY LIMIT FASHION & BEAUTY CARE IN ORDER FOR THEIR FAMILIES TO SAVE FOR PROPERTY. THAT IS MY POINT.

The insults I have received here must be a generational thing, since I am younger and have no problem being understood by my generation (X'er). Its only older people who tend to extrapolate and read into comments and come away with various denunciations, total answerism, and condenscending snark.

~Misstrial

ih8alameda says

Misstrial says

None of them have looked to me like they do botox or fillers (which are expensive treatments) or have complex layered haircuts with highlights and lowlights. Its all quite basic.

You’ve gotta be kidding. How much do you spend on Botox? And if you’re spending so much, that it affects your real estate purchasing powers, than you really are too vain, or too ugly to save, or both.
There still exist many women, regardless of ethnicity, who take care of themselves without being overly extravagant and vain. What you consider plain are simply people comfortable with their looks and not desperate to paint thick layers of paint all over their face every morning. Posts like this remind me of the vanity and ignorance of our country.

Who said I used botox and where did you get that idea? And what's with the financial comment bash? I manage my own 6-figure financial portfolio. And what's with the "ugly" assertion? What a cheap shot. I don't boast about my looks, however, I'm not called "Miss Trial" for nothing. Think arrestingly beautiful. Yep. The fact that you came up with that accusation tells me that you are the one who doesn't look too cool.

In the future, try not to read too much into posts.

Thanks.

~Misstrial

I have known some Indian colleagues who rented out their homes in not-so-good school districts and moved to apartments in Cupertino. I don't know how these renters play the role in real estate prices there. In Sunnyvale, I can rent 2b/1b for $1400; the same goes for $1700 in Cupertino, thanks to all those parents who think they are missing the ticket to HYP (Harvard, Yale and Princeton) for their kids.

raindoctor says

I have known some Indian colleagues who rented out their homes in not-so-good school districts and moved to apartments in Cupertino. I don’t know how these renters play the role in real estate prices there. In Sunnyvale, I can rent 2b/1b for $1400; the same goes for $1700 in Cupertino, thanks to all those parents who think they are missing the ticket to HYP (Harvard, Yale and Princeton) for their kids.
Become a lock smith! Lock into a secure future!

My neighbors are indian and chinese. My landlords are chinese. I have been told by them that Cupertino schools are the reason they want to live here. They really want their children to get a good education.

In fact, after school, I don't see the kids wandering around or running around the association. They are at home studying and doing homework. The parents consider this to be a favorable situation and for this, they are willing to pay a lot more for property.

~Misstrial

Misstrial says

My neighbors are indian and chinese. My landlords are chinese. I have been told by them that Cupertino schools are the reason they want to live here. They really want their children to get a good education.

In fact, after school, I don’t see the kids wandering around or running around the association. They are at home studying and doing homework. The parents consider this to be a favorable situation and for this, they are willing to pay a lot more for property.

I am not against for good education. What's happening in Cupertino has happened in India and China: parents put kids through summer tutoring like Algebra, geometry, physics and chemistry. When these kids go back to the classroom, what happens to the other kids that haven't taken summer tutoring? Do teachers care about the kids that haven't taken summer classes by private tutors?

An Indian colleague told me another truth about Indian Education system. Even though millions compete for admission to best undergrad schools like IIT, 90 percent of these kids there that take these entrance examinations for IIT have not taken the rigorous training that the other 10 percent kids have taken--and this training usually starts when these kids were in their 6th grade or so. The real competition is between these 10 percent kids. That's what happening in Cupertino and elsewhere.

Every parent wants a leg up in the competition. Julie Koo sends her kids to 4 private tutors during the summer. Deep Patel sends his kids to 7 private tutors. Asha Rao sends her 14 yrs old kid to South America on some non profit's mission because she wants her kid to differentiate from other kids who apply to Harvard. There are some specialists out there that sell their services like "How to get into Harvard, Yale and Princeton": they cost $30K or more; you gotta use their services at least 5 years before kids apply to the best schools.

Interesting topic and comments. Disclosure: I am an Indian immigrant.

It is common knowledge that most Indian (and probably Chinese) immigrants who come here are mostly well educated professionals and such earn a lot more than the average white person in this country. That explains their cash flow, for one thing.

Other than that, while Indians do go on occasional vacations and buy new cars (Honda or Toyota only please), they are better at household finance than the average native-born American. For instance, most of them pay off their credit card balances in full every month, save well for their retirement etc.

Like someone noted above, they also don't waste money by paying for makeup, botox, costly clothes etc. I don't see that as compromising beauty. It is possible to simply and beautifully dress and make up yourselves without throwing money around. If you don't get that, that would explain a lot :)

Same for food. Indian families might dine out once or twice a week, but mostly they cook at home. This is healthier for their bodies and wallets. Plus, they would probably pack lunch to work. Americans spends hundreds of dollars a month just by dining out twice a day. I mean, even look at hot lunches in school - most of them would be bought by white children. Why? Are you telling me that parents cannot a better lunch than what is offered in schools? I mean, at least pack a PB&J and a juice box, for god's sake!

One area where Indians (and Chinese) have been injudicious is in the purchase of houses. They have gone nuts due to peer pressure and overpaid. This crash is teaching some very important lessons. Trust me, these lessons will be passed on from this generation to the next.

GammaRaze says

One area where Indians (and Chinese) have been injudicious is in the purchase of houses. They have gone nuts due to peer pressure and overpaid. This crash is teaching some very important lessons. Trust me, these lessons will be passed on from this generation to the next.

I bet. Many Indians who graduated from Fremont and matriculated to Pleasanton gonna learn good lessons when ARMs reset--probably in 2012 or so.

GammaRaze says

Interesting topic and comments. Disclosure: I am an Indian immigrant.

It is common knowledge that most Indian (and probably Chinese) immigrants who come here are mostly well educated professionals and such earn a lot more than the average white person in this country. That explains their cash flow, for one thing.

Other than that, while Indians do go on occasional vacations and buy new cars (Honda or Toyota only please), they are better at household finance than the average native-born American. For instance, most of them pay off their credit card balances in full every month, save well for their retirement etc.

Like someone noted above, they also don’t waste money by paying for makeup, botox, costly clothes etc. I don’t see that as compromising beauty. It is possible to simply and beautifully dress and make up yourselves without throwing money around. If you don’t get that, that would explain a lot :)

Thank you for understanding my point.

imo, generally (there are always exceptions of course), caucasian women tend to give into pressure from advertising, TV shows (such as Oprah or Rachel Ray) promoting this or that sort of medical treatments for appearance, magazine covers, and the whole 9 yards of trying to keep up with the latest fashion.

To do this costs a huge amount of money and to be quite frank, I would not have the portfolio I do if I had my hair done every 2 months. Right now, for example, I am saving for another car - all cash - and in order to leave my financial assets undisturbed, I am going without buying new clothes/shoes, and makeup and haircuts for a year. This is what I have to do and its OK with me.

The immigrant families have caught on to the fashion angle and how clothing budgets and other things can really keep one from reaching those financial goals.

Something to learn from, imo.

~Misstrial

Misstrial says

Think arrestingly beautiful.

unless you look like angelina jolie i seriously doubt it. bay area women think they are hot, when they are not. the vast majority are 5s or 6s thinking they are 8s or 9s. lol.

i have this theory their small amount of disposable income gives them an exponentially inflated self worth.

VanillaSky says

Misstrial says

Think arrestingly beautiful. Yep.

unless you look like angelina jolie i seriously doubt it. bay area women think they are hot, when they are not. most are 5s or 6s thinking they are 8s or 9s. lol

omg, here it comes...another slam. You know, not everyone on the internet is unattractive. Get a life.

~Misstrial

raindoctor says

I am not against for good education. What’s happening in Cupertino has happened in India and China: parents put kids through summer tutoring like Algebra, geometry, physics and chemistry. When these kids go back to the classroom, what happens to the other kids that haven’t taken summer tutoring? Do teachers care about the kids that haven’t taken summer classes by private tutors?

An Indian colleague told me another truth about Indian Education system. Even though millions compete for admission to best undergrad schools like IIT, 90 percent of these kids there that take these entrance examinations for IIT have not taken the rigorous training that the other 10 percent kids have taken–and this training usually starts when these kids were in their 6th grade or so. The real competition is between these 10 percent kids. That’s what happening in Cupertino and elsewhere.

I so agree with you.

Have you read the recent WSJ article on engineering education in India? If not, may want to take a look at it.

For my own children, I use tutors among other enrichment activities, so I understand.

Best to you.

~Misstrial

Misstrial says

VanillaSky says

Misstrial says

Think arrestingly beautiful. Yep.

unless you look like angelina jolie i seriously doubt it. bay area women think they are hot, when they are not. most are 5s or 6s thinking they are 8s or 9s. lol

omg, here it comes…another slam. You know, not everyone on the internet is unattractive. Get a life.
~Misstrial

you're not nearly as attractive as you think.
you're probably a worse driver than you think as well.

women have super inflated egos around here.
i attribute this to all the tech geeks drooling over the average women (compared to the rest of the country who actually have attractive women).

frolic says

@tude, In general most of the Indians and Chinese, and Asians in general have a tendency to save their money rather than spend it. Its part of their upbringing and culture. So the folks you know are the exception and mostly a small percentage of Indians here.

Americans were raised to be conservative and prudent with money too. However, those values do not last when certain social phenomena takes effect.

GammaRaze says

One area where Indians (and Chinese) have been injudicious is in the purchase of houses

I agree.

Misstrial says

my view is that indians and chinese are able to afford to live here and buy in simply because the women either choose not to or are forbidden to spend money on themselves for self-care (ie: fashion & clothing, manicures, salons, jewelry, treatments, makeup, the whole thing).

How much do you figure non-chindian women spend on fashion, makeup, etc. that prevents them from buying a home in Cupertino? A typical Monta Vista home now costs somewhere around $1.3M. And you're saying some jeans and blush are preventing white families from buying there? That doesn't seem very logical. Same goes for the chindian families being able to afford there. You still need to be bringing in some serious money to be able to afford a mortgage on a $1.3M house. I don't think cutting out some shopping is going to do it.

ch_tah says

How much do you figure non-chindian women spend on fashion, makeup, etc. that prevents them from buying a home in Cupertino? A typical Monta Vista home now costs somewhere around $1.3M. And you’re saying some jeans and blush are preventing white families from buying there? That doesn’t seem very logical. Same goes for the chindian families being able to afford there. You still need to be bringing in some serious money to be able to afford a mortgage on a $1.3M house. I don’t think cutting out some shopping is going to do it.

Hair every 2 weeks and others would cost about $1000 a month. $1000 can service an additional $200K mortgage.

you can also buy a $1000 bottle of wine every day.
that works out to $365k per year for wine.
what's your point.

no normal person pays $12k/year on hair unless they are a complete and utter moron.

E-man says

ch_tah & Misstrial,
I believe it is spelled Monte Vista with the “e” instead of the “a”, but I don’t live in Cupertino so I could be wrong
Be formless, shapeless, like water - Bruce Lee

You are.
http://www.mvhs.fuhsd.org/

There are a few possible reasons why Chindians can afford Cupertino, etc.
1) Serpentor is right and they really can't afford it, used teaser rates and overextended themselves or are more comfortable spending a larger percentage of their income on housing
2) They have buttloads of cash from the homeland
3) They are comfortable with multi-generational households where you have 4 breadwinners versus 1 or 2

It's probably a good mix of all 3. I seriously doubt it is because of option 4) they don't buy expensive jeans, purses and makeup.

raindoctor says

Hair every 2 weeks and others would cost about $1000 a month. $1000 can service an additional $200K mortgage.

ch_tah says

How much do you figure non-chindian women spend on fashion, makeup, etc. that prevents them from buying a home in Cupertino? A typical Monta Vista home now costs somewhere around $1.3M. And you’re saying some jeans and blush are preventing white families from buying there? That doesn’t seem very logical. Same goes for the chindian families being able to afford there. You still need to be bringing in some serious money to be able to afford a mortgage on a $1.3M house. I don’t think cutting out some shopping is going to do it.

Misstrial says

In the future, try not to read too much into posts.

Miss Trial,

That's my entire point, to think that someone is unable to afford a bay area home (minimum $700 in the areas we've been talking about) because the women are not allowed to make themselves pretty is such an illogical statement. Normal people, other than rain doctor apparently, do not spend a significant amount on hair and makeup. Have you seen how most of the homeowners dress? male and female, asian and non-asian.

Good luck with your portfolio, with your financial sense, I have a feeling you'll need it =)

@ch_tah,

It is more of 1). I know a few who bought $1.4M homes in Pleasanton. Their lifestyle is:

--two incomes ~ 240K in total per year
--two kids
--the guy's parents also live with them and take care of house chores and other stuff.
--they work in Sunnyvale/San Jose area. 3 to 4 hrs commute everyday.
--bought home in 2007 with teaser rates: 4b/3.5b, 3000 sq.ft with 10,325 lot, $1,325,000
--sold their old home in Fremont in 2007 (probably made $200K profit)

VanillaSky says

you can also buy a $1000 bottle of wine every day.

that works out to $365k per year for wine.

what’s your point.
no normal person pays $12k/year on hair unless they are a complete and utter moron.

I know a woman who runs a salon. Her clients spend $200 per visit. During the boom years, they used to come every 2 weeks. If you work in an industry, where you need to keep up with your colleagues, yes, you need to spend the money for that. No one complains about spending money on learning a new technology, trick, hobby, etc. Same with hair and other things.

My point is this: there are many factors that play a role. A woman who makes $100K can spend $12K a year at best. This $12K in a two income family can service another $200K in mortgage.

Sure, the women you know don't spend that much. So what? What's your point? To each, his own. There are people who spend $1500 a month on an apartment while making $2000 a month after taxes: are these guys as rational as those who spend 12K off 100K on hair and looks? Depends on who you ask.

Sounds like the folks from China/India are doing what most 1st gen immigrants have done in the past i.e sacrifice on personal expenditure to estb a good home...not entirely a bad idea..

Also, when comparing or generalizing vs the "non chindian" population, its like comparing apples with oranges. Am sure when compared to their peers in their jobs they are pretty similar in terms of where they live etc..

Disclaimer: I am an immigrant of one of the nationalities under discussion in this topic! I am female! And not ugly! And don't need botox because my Asian/Indian diets and genes do NOT make me old and wrinkled in my 30s and 40s . That being said, there are frugal "dowdy" people and "yuppy fashion conscious spendthrifts" in every single race and location and country. Misstrial, what you said amounts to the same thing as saying "All blacks are ...", "All Mexicans are ..." etc with an addendum of "in my neighborhood, this is what I observed".
My husband and I have advanced engineering degrees. I am in middle level engineering/management. My husband is in the upper echelons of his company. We bought our house in cupertino in 99 (admittedly old, crappy million+ $ house) and we drive new european high end cars. We pay off our credit card bills and do NOT buy botox shots, BUT, buy premium gas for our cars and take expensive vacations and send kids to professionally run day cares (read $$$$$). We shop at Cupertino Whole Foods, eat lunch out every day of the week. And this is a high end lifestyle despite there being no makeup involved (I don't wear any) and no botox shots and not because we save a few hundreds on high end haircuts - but because our family income is ~= $300K per year (not showing off, just the sum of 2 salaries in our positions in this profession) and we still get considerable stock options and we manage our investments. Every new neighbor who has moved into my neighborhood in the last 10 years seems to be Indian 9 out of 10 times with an occasional Chinese/Vietnamese thrown in. They are all dual income families with tech background or the wives are in HR or Marketing for tech companies and the family incomes seem to match or exceed ours.

So, the reason that there are million dollar houses selling like hotcakes in the good school districts here are because there are matching incomes in this area, still. Despite what you read on the internet!

What I have seen in recent years is this: I worked with 4 prominent bay area Networking companies in the last 3 years. All the people in the teams I worked on (pure engineering technology jobs) were Indian with an occasional Chinese or Taiwanese engineer thrown in. This is because according to my sources, most Chinese engineers left the US to move on to better pastures in Asia where the action is and the growth opportunities are. It is the young Indian engineers who are still sticking around in the Silicon Valley. So, the demographic is going to change more as this trend continues.

@misstrial

"As a result, most asian (ie: chinese) and indian women I see around town and in Los Altos are quite dowdy-looking and look like they cut their own hair or have cheap haircuts. No manicures. The one thing indian women spend money on is facial waxing. Sorry, this is not a criticism, but the situation as I see it as a female. Interesting how immigrant women work in nail salons though."

If White women do not look beautiful, their behind is fried and their men will get another one. Hence, they have to spend money on beautifying themselves. With Asian (Chinese) and Indian women, once they get married, they stay married forever no matter what (there are exceptions). Hence they do not care to spend money on looking better. Have you ever seen a married Indian woman jogging or even trying to be in shape? Never. It is because they have "job security" in their marriage like public sector employees. (Chinese women do not have to lose weight because they are genetically slim and trim).

bayhousehunter says

Every new neighbor who has moved into my neighborhood in the last 10 years seems to be Indian 9 out of 10 times with an occasional Chinese/Vietnamese thrown in. They are all dual income families with tech background or the wives are in HR or Marketing for tech companies and the family incomes seem to match or exceed ours.

Regarding dual incomes, I would ask is that any different than decades past ?

Many wrongly still believe in the myth DI is something new, yet has been around for many decades.

I'm an Indian engineer living in bay are since 2000.
Here is my perspective on the Indian tech community :

- Most Indians who came around 2000, had no clue in anything in US, be it buying car, or house or investment. Most of those folks were raised in India during the "socialism" period which ended in early 90s. So most did not know many things in capitalistic society in US.
- So they followed what their friends recommended. Like buy only toyota or honda cars, schools are good only at Cupertino or Fremont mission district, and so rent or buy house only there. Or maximize in 401k and then lose 25% in 2008.
- In 2005/2006, many of my Indian friends thought I am either poor or I have a lot of liabilities back home that I preferred to rent. That's because my friends' friends told them why to buy now, right now. I still rent, mainly for the freedom I want, my Indian wife is in sync with me on that. I chose to invest money in Indian real estate where I could make good money. To me, mortgage slavery for an expensive house is not worth, there are better things in life.
- Indian men and women of that generation mostly grew up in a frugal way where savings is the most important thing. So make up or skin care etc were never a huge priority. E.g. most Indians would see a dentist when there is a real problem in his/her teeth. IMO, in everything in life, one needs balance. Too much or too less does not work.
- The most important thing to them is the "feeling of success". And the meaning of that is mostly superficial to most of the Indians who came during that phase. Big house in an expensive area (whether such a big house is environmentally needed for a family of 4 is not an issue to them), expensive bed room for their kids (even though parents are quite frugal), and expensive new cars are the goals. I have seen people forgetting ethics, honesty in the rush of making money.

But the Indians coming now (much less in numbers), who grew up in a middle class family in globalized Indian settings, are quite different. They spend more on themselves as they are the product of consumerism.

Another thing to note, there broadly 3 categories of Indians here, South Indian tech community, North Indian tech community, and the small-business community (Gujaratis, punjabis). The business community is here for a long time, they understand capitalism all too well, are quite successful without showing that off. The South Indian tech community folks spend more on housing and education of their kids, spend very little on themselves, the North Indian tech community spends much more on themselves, North-South cultural difference is quite visible in bay area.

I myself is quite happy renting, saving, and spending on what we (I and my family) like and enjoy.

raindoctor says

I know a woman who runs a salon. Her clients spend $200 per visit. During the boom years, they used to come every 2 weeks. I

you can't add. $200 two times a month is $400/month. it's not anywhere close to $1000/month.

and $200 is not anywhere near high end for women's hair.

VanillaSky says

$200 two times a month is $400/month. it’s not even close to $1000/month.

cash or credit card.. and as we have all heard about people holding 10-20K in CC balance due.

thomas.wong1986 says

bayhousehunter says

Every new neighbor who has moved into my neighborhood in the last 10 years seems to be Indian 9 out of 10 times with an occasional Chinese/Vietnamese thrown in. They are all dual income families with tech background or the wives are in HR or Marketing for tech companies and the family incomes seem to match or exceed ours.

Regarding dual incomes, I would ask is that any different than decades past ?
Many wrongly still believe in the myth DI is something new, yet has been around for many decades.

Dual Income is not a new thing. But, now it has become the norm (with stock market busts and economy tanking) that dual income families are those that are buying "overpriced boxes" in "good school districts" in my neighborhood.

@newbie:
It is because they have “job security” in their marriage like public sector employees. (Chinese women do not have to lose weight because they are genetically slim and trim).
You are correct - divorces, remarriages, dating in old (middle) age, child support etc are almost non-existent in my community. I was loathe to point this out earlier because I felt it was controversial. But now that it is in the open, there is no need for these "dowdy" women under discussion to primp constantly or stay "sexually appealing" as they age because they are out of the dating scene for life.
Most of the Indian women that I know who jog do it because they have high cholesterol and their doctor advised it :)

Perhaps none of you meant anything negative by it, but to me the term "Chindian" sounds a bit demeaning. It is my first time seeing this term so 've looked up dictionary.com, and there is no entry. Did this term spawned out of NorCal region?

caven says

Perhaps none of you meant anything negative by it, but to me the term “Chindian” sounds a bit demeaning. It is my first time seeing this term so ‘ve looked up dictionary.com, and there is no entry. Did this term spawned out of NorCal region?

Lighten up Francis! The first time I saw it was on this site. It's easier than typing Chinese/Indian. Nothing more, nothing less.

ch_tah says

caven says

Perhaps none of you meant anything negative by it, but to me the term “Chindian” sounds a bit demeaning. It is my first time seeing this term so ‘ve looked up dictionary.com, and there is no entry. Did this term spawned out of NorCal region?

Lighten up Francis! The first time I saw it was on this site. It’s easier than typing Chinese/Indian. Nothing more, nothing less.

Oh I'm not offended by the term, I don't sense anyone is using it in a degrading manner. But what you've said is exactly my point... I wouldn't like it if I'm being referred to as Ames or Ricans rather than American. Even though it is easier to type, I still prefer being referred to as an American. Let's move on, back to topic please.

I don't see anyway the income of these Chinese/Indians couples trippled since 2000. So it purely a bubble. It would have been that way even without Chinese/Indians in Cupertino.

bubblesitter says

I don’t see anyway the income of these Chinese/Indians couples trippled since 2000.

If history is any indication of overpaid employees in tech, as in out of control spending. It will as usual result in a hard pull back. As such we seen that happen around SV many times over.
HP when they hired Mark Hurd, or Yahoo hired Carol Bartz, resulted in cost cutting that was pretty brutal for some. I know of a few who havent regained their prior income levels or equal position. We also saw Intel cut over 1000 mid level positions, and currently will see Cisco do the same.

No! it certainly does not jive with what is actually happening in the real world since 2000.

I don't think tech jobs are overpaid.

Microsoft just bought Skype for $8.5 Billion.
If Skype has 1000 employees, that is $8.5 million for each employee !

The problem is everyone wants to be a programmer back in the 90s.
The supply is just too high.

right.. all those employees get the same number of options and the venture capitalists get nothing. Ha

and their HQ is in Luxembourg. How that affects Bay Area real estate is beyond me