What does a million dollars buy you (not much in Silicon Valley unfortunately)

When I was in Mountain View, I met a guy who bought a home in Palo Alto in the 1960s told me that before that area became Silicon Valley it was farming land-its why many of the homes and apt buildings are not built with modern conveniences (double paned windows, thick walls.) They were never designed to be million dollar homes or even executive style accommodation lol Make me wish I were alive to have bought up a bunch of homes in the 1960s lol

The place I rented back in Mountain View best described the no upgrade necessary for the very high rent mentality of most landlords!

-Myabuy Man

Myabuy

The difference between Silicon Valley myth and reality!

Wondering when Silicon Valley will understand that people who work there (unless their an employee of a huge company) cannot afford to live there. I remember living in Mountain View and talking with people working downtown who had to live about a 1hour drive away (some had to take a few buses) to get to work. I went to mountain View for Myabuy but learned a lot about the difference between the myth of Silicon Valley and the reality of living there.Income inequality does exist even in 1 of the richest parts of CA.

Just an observation from a former Mountain View resident, who did make some good friends while living there....

Another sunny day for myabuy.com in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida-hopefully:)

Referring to the wacky weather in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Its been sunny, rainy, chilly, cold and warm. Who knows what to expect next. This weather reminds me of the climate in Mountain View, CA-not a good thing. There the weather dropped 20 degrees from afternoon till evening. Well time to sign off and see what this day will bring weather wise!

-Myabuyer

Sorry for long delay-I am no longer in Mountain View, California

I left Mountain View, CA partly because I saw the writing on the wall-housing prices were and still are way overpriced, the cost of living is still super high and I do not think this can be sustained in the economy-even before the housing collapse. I feel bad that this is the situation-I do not want to any city in U.S to suffer, particularly in Mountain View where I did make a few good friends.

Hopefully the situation in all of California will get better! I am now in Palm Beach, FL-there is housing situation here too, but I feel the potential for success is as good as that in Silicon Valley. There is not a big high-tech industry but taxes are lower, and housing is very much so. I will try to maximize the advantages available in Palm Beach so that it benefits myabuy.com!

A bankrupt state-how depressing!

Are you also ashamed that the State of California is bankrupt! I feel bad for everyone that is suffering because the rules to get a budget or bill passed are so asinine it's a joke. There is no way 2/3 of politicians will agree on anything-particularly if there is no incentive for the 1 or 2 state senators that seem to never say yes dig in deep. They do not care. I doubt our governor cares either. It is like he is playing a game of chicken-but if no one backs down he WILL be exposed as the most UNQUALIFIED governor in the U.S.-that is saying a lot considering some of the hacks that are Governors now (Jindal of Lousiana, Sanford of South Carolina anyone.) 

I find it a joke that Time once picked our California governor as one of the best in the U.S.-what the heck are they smoking! If anyone really thinks he is qualified to be governor-surprise California is bankrupt under his watch! I would be ashamed if I made California a laughing stock to the outside world-but I am not governor.  The whole situation stinks for all the people depending on the State for help-I feel particularly bad for California college students. They got the short end on this. I doubt many colleges accept IOU's in lieu of tuition.

Our governor took a huge dump on California and he DOES NOT take responsibility. He needs to grow a pair and stop being a spineless worm. Did the steroids cause his balls to drop off. lol Stand up to the 1 to 2 people in the Republican party who refuse to budge. If he does not he can add coward, to the list of unflattering things expressed by residents-maybe not in this area but judging from the TV demonstrations he is not a popular fellow.

Sorry for the off topic rant-but more people in Mountain View and surrounding areas should be speaking up-this affects everyone including us in Silicon Valley! If you do not express your opinion-nothing changes. This is not idealism but reality.  

Viva myabuy.com and god speed.

The great western migration (aka why California economy is in deep doody!)

I noticed that there are a lot of people leaving California-not me personally- I just got here in 2008. But others are finding that life out West is not as prosperous as it once was. Perhaps it is because California (the 8th largest economy in the world) is bleeding red ink. What is most sickening is that the states b-rated actor/steroid abuser/body builder Governor (the man who rode into office due to a bogus recall and is leaving with his tail between his legs.) Many people I met here are counting the days till he leaves office in 2010. He cannot run again but even if he could I doubt anyone would vote for him. Why am I talking about the lame duck governor of California in this blog-because he is making the state poorer and that affects business everywhere-Mountain View and Silicon Valley is not immune. It affects me personally with his plan to impose higher sales tax (8.75%) while cutting benefits to everything else that matters in our day to day lives-healthcare, education, public services. I hate the 8.25% sales tax California has now-if they are gonna raise it should go to helping the economy and not to cover a lame duck governors bad mismanagement. 

Yes there is a reason why people are getting the hell out of California-cause the unemployment is over 10% and all Californians are about to pay more out of pocket and get less. People with less money to spend adversely affects business-all businesses including web, brick and mortar, service industry-everything. I know that the worse is yet to come for Silicon Valley (it is inevitable considering the sorry fiscal condition of the State) and when there is no more money to squeeze out of the few businesses and people that decided to stay-then "it" will really hit the fan. 

But regardless of what happens in Mountain View, Silicon Valley or California myabuy.com will prosper and survive. Being self funded I am used to doing more with less-and concentrating on making a better site rather then putting lipstick on a pig and hoping no one notices the difference. 

Till later my pretties:)

Chief myabuyer

Mountain View, myabuy, and me!

I recently thought of moving myabuy from Mountain View to another city either in Silicon Valley or closer to San Francisco. But the more I think about it Mountain View is the best place to be in this economic climate. Google and Mountain View now have a symbiotic relationship-if Mountain View goes downhill and turns into a dangerous place filled with crack whores and gang bangers it negatively affects Google.  If Google starts to lose money this negatively affects Mountain View because they rely on Google to help build their city as the unofficial Silicon Valley headquarters. 

I am sticking to Mountain View. Google will not let Mountain View become a failed city/town filled with crime, crack whores and gang members. The cities surrounding Mountain View have no safeguard. 

Even if Silicon Valley is not perfect or filled with friendly, polite residents, the city of Mountain View is the creme of the non perfect crop- and that is worth something to me and myabuy.com.

Adios, ciao, domo, sawadee, sayonara from the Chief

Chief Myabuyer

Another cold day out in Mountain View...

Hi y'all,

Happy belated New Years! It's another cold day out in Mountain View, CA. I have not updated this blog in a while-sorry about that.

My first new years in Mountain View came and went... nothing special happened:(
Still single-this sort of sucks the more I think about it-but it does give me options. I try to see things in a different light-not being attached actually may help me as an entrepreneur. I can take chances that most sane guys-or those attached and responsible for a significant other will think twice about if not avoid it altogether. If I want to spend my money on my site myabuy.com-which I am doing now- I can do so with a clear conscious-knowing I do not have to justify the decision with my companion.

My site is why I will stay in Mountain View for the near future-I spent too much time, and tolerated too much shit to have a few unfriendly, socially retarded townies drive me out. Some locals may not respond to my saying hi or engaging in small talk-that is their problem. I am here for business-not to make friends, get a girl or be the life of the party. It would be nice if that happens-but I am not counting on it.

Well I hope everyone reading this had a happy new year! Peace out and stay savvy.

Your friendly neighborhood,

Myabuyer

Chillin' (literally) in Mountain View...

It is getting colder and colder here in Mountain View. The temperture has dropped into the mid 30s-hard to believe I am living in California!

I got no plans for Christmas yet-but I will be sending out ecards to friends and potential clients soon. I like to keep in touch with people who helped me out in the past-so few people fit that description, particularly when building a startup company. Most are looking to take as much money as they can from you and run. 

I found many professionals more interested in bilking startups out of as much money as they are in stealing the "idea" itself.  Most are too dumb or lazy to even examine your "idea"-they seek a quick payoff and will say crap ideas are works of genius-for them money is money. Crappy ideas make them the same amount as good ones.

I find that many professionals of such low caliber dominate the sponsored search results on google. I do not know why but some of the worst companies I have ever had the displeasure of doing business with are the heaviest sponsored pay per click advertisers on the major search engines. Many may be forced to advertise on pay per click because they cannot keep existing customers satisfied. 

Myabuy hates these type of "professionals" but unfortunately they outnumber the honest ones by a large number. 

Chief Myabuyer signing off-to all a good night!

A cold bleak day in Mountain View...

Well it is freezing in Mountain View now. I am chilly just typing this. I notice that most apts in this area are built in the same cheap way-with paper thin windows that let in drafts, and no insulation whatsoever! 

This may help anyone planning on coming to Mountain View-paying more does not result in higher quality building standards. Also be prepared for the gut wrenching PG&E bills both in Summer and winter. I wonder if the owner of this building would ever live in this apt unit-I highly doubt it. 

Being cold is not good for the mind. When i have to try to get warm it wastes time. I hate wasting time-that includes time wasted on the web- waiting for pages to download, trying to get rid of annoying banner ads, removing the pop ups that seem to lurk on every mainstream site.  

I wonder if the sites allowing pop ups to sprinkle my screen realize how annoying this is. I wonder if they would tolerate and enjoy the pop ups if they were in the users place. Very little online is worth enduring the hell most people go through just to read the news, or go to a site.

That is a pet peeve-why do SO many sites force the viewer (me) to endure some wretched commercial or unwelcome ad that I have to click "X" on, just to get the content I desire. Do these sites know how much of my time they are wasting. Perhaps it is some experiment-how many hurdles with a person go through to get to the content they want. 

When myabuy.com is fully launched (soon now) web users will realize much time the sites make them waste to get what they desire. I welcome web users to experience the web without obstacles, hurdles, and pop ups, rollover ads, and banner ads- better then anything anyone can imagine.  

Cheers!

Chief Myabuyer-

the man behind myabuy.com!

Still cold and dealing with another doubter!

It is still pretty darn cold in Mountain View. Coming from the East Coast I am used to cold, but still. 

Also dealing with another doubter-a friend who suggested I find a job in the area and give up on my web 2.0 dream myabuy.com for now. I did not reply to his email but alas I do not agree with him. First I came to Mountain View for myabuy.com-that is it. Not for the weather-which is not as good as LA or Southern California. Not for the women-who are not remarkable either-and certainly not for the down home hospitality. I came to do business and make myabuy.com a success. 

I am starting to realize that social life in this area is not important. I can develop a nice one later. Making life long buddies in this area should not be a priority either- I have more then enough friends both in Southern California, on the East Coast and in pretty much all the major Asian powers or emerging superpowers. They are true friends-not business contacts, or casual buddies. 

Myabuy.com is shaping up pretty well. In a startup determination is a big factor-at least in my case. I have had more people tell me to give up on myabuy.com and get a 9-5 job then supporters. They seem to think that I have all the time in the world. Well I just turned 30, and me and my family have sacrificed a lot to help me get to this point-I am not going to settle for a 9-5 job.  Their sacrifices will not be in vain. 

It is my time for myabuy.com to shine-and prove to the doubters that myabuy.com is more then just a far fetched dream-it is the future of the web.

xoxo.

Chief Myabuyer

Its getting damn cold in Mountain View!!!

I did not realize how cold the mountain View area can get. It is too cold for me to get to sleep-and considering many apts (including mine) still use single pane, thin windows I am feeling every bit of it.

I notice apts in mountain View believe it necessary to include basic utilities like free central heat-in my apt I am lucky to get free hot water and trash pick up. WTF is that about. It is not like living costs in this area are cheap. or that the apts are super nice and luxurious.

I often wonder if the owner of this building would ever live in my unit-my guess is no way. He would be as cold now as I am. I know there are people who are living in far colder places then Mountain View, but still...

With my web 2.0 site myabuy.com geting close to launch and completing an online MBA at University of Wales I have a lot on my mind already-and the darn cold is not helping!

Catch up with whoever reads this blog later. I will be trying to get some rest-if possible.

-Chief Myabuyer

Myabuy.com brings order to the chaos of the Internet. P.S.-I came up with that slogan just now:-)

I hate rude people!

I hate some of the rude people I meet in this area. At a drugstore I made an offhand comment to an old lady who was browsing the ice cream freezer that "finally the ice cream is on sale it used to be $3.99" and she nastily replied " I do not need a running commentary when buying ice cream". I was shocked at the reply and did not say respond even though my first thought was "who the fuck is this wrinkly hairy old crank." I may be new to this area but I know a hairy old crank when I see one.

That is the tough thing about moving to a new area like Mountain View. It is considered impolite to respond to nasty comments with one of your own. The police here seem pretty strict. In Baltimore I could have said a number of nasty things to that old crank and no one would think twice. The police wouldn't give a damn, and I would not even get any stares from those passing by.

I guess the freedom to express myself in whatever way I see fit is what I sort of miss about baltimore. In this area people are very P.C. Baltimore is more of a free for all where no one person is off limits (including the old cranks.)

A lesser man may be reluctant to open his mouth to people he does not know, but not me. I am still relatively new to this town and the only way I am gonna meet nice people is if I try to start a conversation (although next time i will avoid cranky old hags like that lady.) LOL

While this may not have much to do with www.myabuy.com, the more people I know here, the better my life will be as I build the web 2.0 site. Bye for now. XOXO

-Chief Myabuyer

A word of warning when visiting the Silicon Valley area!

For those of you thinking of moving to Silicon Valley a word of warning. The area takes some time getting used too. The atmosphere adds a lot of stress at least for me.

After living for 5 years in Baltimore, Mountain View and to a lesser extent San Jose and the surrounding areas are very different. For example here everyone recycles. This is a good thing but it also makes throwing out the trash much more of a chore, Where I lived in Baltimore (first in Charles Village and then Roland Park) recycling was not really an option. Garbage was garbage. You could find all sorts of shit in the trash, from tree branches to pieces of furniture.

Of course in Baltimore people tend to not confront each other about garbage matters. There really is no social pressure to recycle when no one else is. I know I would never risk getting beaten up or mugged lecturing a total stranger to separate their paper and glass. It could happen and it is just not worth it.

From first hand experience I know trash is the least of Baltimore (and most other cities) problems. Here in Mountain View it is different. I mean I see old women actually crushing cans and cardboard with their feet, just so that it fits in the recycling bin. Is it the social environment that causes such altruistic behavior? Heck in Baltimore you would not catch any person, young or old going through much trouble for their trash. Of course in Baltimore it is hard to find a recyling center either. Why bother going through your trash if you are not going to get paid. LOL

There are a lot more tips I have learned since moving here (believe it or not Sunnyvale does not live up to its cheerful name) Sunnyvale is mostly strip malls, big box retailers, car dealerships and more fast food outlets within a 5 mile radius then you can ever imagine. How they can all stay in business is beyond me.

A burger from Carls, Jr is the same as one from Burger King, Anyone that tells you different is full of it. Carls, Jr. is a fast food in California although there is food and business model is pretty much the same as any other fast food chain. They do serve some exotically named burgers, some of which cost twice as much as a Whopper. FYIthey taste about the same.

Well Ciao for now.

_Chief Myabuyer

The Chief Myabuyer has a new breakthrough-at 4:03 AM LOL!

Well I am up late and came up with a new breakthrough idea for myabuy.com. Although I am so very tired right now, I thought I would share this in my blog, just to put it on record. 

Although it is getting cold outside in Mountain View, the PG&E gas company is raping me in fees and charges despite the fact that I have no huge energy consuming appliance in my place, I will adjust. 

I really hate dealing with PG&E but unfortunately they have a monopoly in this area, and I have to pay for gas/electricity where I live.

Well I went off on a tangent there. I figure that my breakthrough idea may be out of the box but that may be a good thing. More on the breakthrough later... gotta get to sleep:) 

Peace!

Chief-Myabuyer 

Not your typical Start Up

Why am I here?

I came to Mountain View, CA to assist my web 2.0 start up Myabuy.com. 

 Many assume web start ups are funded by big venture capitalists who throw millions of dollars at companies that may or may not succeed.

This is not why I came though. While it would be nice to have millions of dollars thrown my way by Venture Capitalists, I have never sought Venture Capital help with this atypical web start up. 

The Millions of dollars the lucky, very few start ups receive come with a Catch-22. Your start up is not entirely yours anymore. In many cases you go from being the majority shareholder(s) to minority shareholders who may be seen as expendable. 

Many friends assume I came to Mountain View, California to seek Venture Capital funding but that is not the case. I came to an area that I had only been to once before to immerse myself in Silicon Valley culture, make connections and learn from entrepreneurs who had "been there and done that."

I want my start up to be a success, and unlike some of the more stubborn entrepreneurs out there, I know I still have a lot to learn. Money and Venture Capital funding comes and goes but accurate business insights last forever. 

 That is why myabuy.com and the company I founded Myabuy, LLC is an atypical start up.  I did come to Silicon Valley to make my fortune but more importantly I want myabuy.com to make it's mark on popular culture. To create a site that has a positive lasting legacy in the minds of Internet users worldwide.

-Chief Myabuyer