Amazon HQ2

[bing101]

I think it's a no brainer that Toronto is out for obvious reasons, even though Toronto is more of the kind of place they belong. Techies have made SF and Seattle soulless and sterile places, and well, Toronto is a soulless place already.

By that definition, no city has a soul. Seattle has a lively culture that has absorbed the tech scene over the last few decades and adapted to it, rather than trying to fight it.

I don't know, but cities such as Seattle and San Francisco (which the techies have now exclusively rebranded as "SF") used to have cultural identity before, but have since been replaced by the sterile tech culture. In other words, what we like to call gentrification. That is how you ruin a city.

The grunge movement is slightly before your time, but Seattle not too long ago was associated with the grunge scene, like of course Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. Let's not also mention that Jimi Hendrix was from Seattle.

I once read that Amazon owns roughly 22% of all office space in Seattle, that seems to be quite shocking in my opinion. Perhaps Seattle ought to be remained "Amazonia".

I'll be blunt and say that I really dislike tech culture, and especially the title "software engineer" but that's a story for another day.

Don't believe everything you read from the national news media, or even the Seattle media for that matter. There is a noticeable bias against Amazon and the new wave of tech, but a hypocritical pass given to older tech (Microsoft, mainly). While Amazon does lease a lot of office space in Seattle proper (it only owns a handful of buildings), Seattle is very used to being a one-company town. In various eras, it was lumber, mining, shipbuilding, aerospace, and even tech. If Amazon were to rapidly downsize like Boeing did in the 1970s, Seattle would fare much better thanks to the diversification of the economy, which has been happening quietly while Amazon takes up new office space (and thus not displacing other industries).

Microsoft garnered the same complaints when it expanded on the Eastside in the early 1990s. Seattle did not lose its culture then (since this was as grunge and coffee culture were both booming) and it sure as hell isn't losing it now. There's still an active art community, though they have moved further from downtown and into more affordable neighborhoods, bringing their experiences to a different subset of people.

Without the influx and movement of people around the city, it can get really stale. Not to mention the social implications of blocking housing and progress in the name of gentrification and status quo, which only serves to shut out the poor who have nowhere else to go.

San Francisco was once a ship building town too but that changed as soon as venture capitalists, various west coast branches of financial services, tech, biotech came to the region things had to change via various reforms over the years.

[kkt]

San Jose had shipbuilding?  Really?  I knew SF did.

[bing101]

San Jose had shipbuilding?  Really?  I knew SF did.

OK I did remember one thing about the San Jose area it was once the farming community the Bay Area. San Jose was never Shipbuilding and you are correct like San Francisco, South San Francisco were ship building cities before Biotech and VC's came to town.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_San_Jose,_California

[bing101]

I think it's a no brainer that Toronto is out for obvious reasons, even though Toronto is more of the kind of place they belong. Techies have made SF and Seattle soulless and sterile places, and well, Toronto is a soulless place already.

By that definition, no city has a soul. Seattle has a lively culture that has absorbed the tech scene over the last few decades and adapted to it, rather than trying to fight it.

I don't know, but cities such as Seattle and San Francisco (which the techies have now exclusively rebranded as "SF") used to have cultural identity before, but have since been replaced by the sterile tech culture. In other words, what we like to call gentrification. That is how you ruin a city.

The grunge movement is slightly before your time, but Seattle not too long ago was associated with the grunge scene, like of course Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. Let's not also mention that Jimi Hendrix was from Seattle.

I once read that Amazon owns roughly 22% of all office space in Seattle, that seems to be quite shocking in my opinion. Perhaps Seattle ought to be remained "Amazonia".

I'll be blunt and say that I really dislike tech culture, and especially the title "software engineer" but that's a story for another day.

Don't believe everything you read from the national news media, or even the Seattle media for that matter. There is a noticeable bias against Amazon and the new wave of tech, but a hypocritical pass given to older tech (Microsoft, mainly). While Amazon does lease a lot of office space in Seattle proper (it only owns a handful of buildings), Seattle is very used to being a one-company town. In various eras, it was lumber, mining, shipbuilding, aerospace, and even tech. If Amazon were to rapidly downsize like Boeing did in the 1970s, Seattle would fare much better thanks to the diversification of the economy, which has been happening quietly while Amazon takes up new office space (and thus not displacing other industries).

Microsoft garnered the same complaints when it expanded on the Eastside in the early 1990s. Seattle did not lose its culture then (since this was as grunge and coffee culture were both booming) and it sure as hell isn't losing it now. There's still an active art community, though they have moved further from downtown and into more affordable neighborhoods, bringing their experiences to a different subset of people.

Without the influx and movement of people around the city, it can get really stale. Not to mention the social implications of blocking housing and progress in the name of gentrification and status quo, which only serves to shut out the poor who have nowhere else to go.

But wait the Venture Capitalists are running the show over Tech Culture in San Francisco not the Software Engineers, computer programmers and Biotech workers. Remember San Francisco in the 1990's like the district that now contains AT&T Park and  the soon to be Chase Center. That was once a dumping ground for old Loma Prieta Rubble and back then all the Tech companies were confined to south of the San Mateo Bridge and biotech companies were confined to that same approximate areas back then. It was some time once AT&T park was built then there was incentives by various leaders of San Francisco to bring the Venture capitalists, the tech companies and biotech companies to open San Francisco headquarters and branches to that area near AT&T park.

[Scott5114]

The problem is, like it or not, that certain Twitter user, whether you like it or not has strong support behind him. Indeed, look at what has happened regarding the National Football League for instance. Alienating a huge chunk of your customers is something you definitely DO NOT WANT to do.

Fortunately, unlike most Twitter users, we do have data on how people feel about that particular one, which shows a fluctuation between 44% and 37% support (currently at 38.8%)–not what I'd call "strong support". Of course, the opinions on this guy are geographically segregated in such a way that depending on your target market area, you could realistically expect to see a rise in sales by taking a provocative stance against him. The NFL has been having other problems unrelated to the Twitter user, which I think are probably more responsible for their revenue problems more than anything else.

But that's probably enough on that Twitter user.

[hotdogPi]

The problem is, like it or not, that certain Twitter user, whether you like it or not has strong support behind him. Indeed, look at what has happened regarding the National Football League for instance. Alienating a huge chunk of your customers is something you definitely DO NOT WANT to do.

Fortunately, unlike most Twitter users, we do have data on how people feel about that particular one, which shows a fluctuation between 44% and 37% support (currently at 38.8%)–not what I'd call "strong support". Of course, the opinions on this guy are geographically segregated in such a way that depending on your target market area, you could realistically expect to see a rise in sales by taking a provocative stance against him. The NFL has been having other problems unrelated to the Twitter user, which I think are probably more responsible for their revenue problems more than anything else.

But that's probably enough on that Twitter user.

That number of 38.8% is "fake news", and the "real" number is 45%.

[kkt]

The problem is, like it or not, that certain Twitter user, whether you like it or not has strong support behind him. Indeed, look at what has happened regarding the National Football League for instance. Alienating a huge chunk of your customers is something you definitely DO NOT WANT to do.

Fortunately, unlike most Twitter users, we do have data on how people feel about that particular one, which shows a fluctuation between 44% and 37% support (currently at 38.8%)–not what I'd call "strong support". Of course, the opinions on this guy are geographically segregated in such a way that depending on your target market area, you could realistically expect to see a rise in sales by taking a provocative stance against him. The NFL has been having other problems unrelated to the Twitter user, which I think are probably more responsible for their revenue problems more than anything else.

But that's probably enough on that Twitter user.

That number of 38.8% is "fake news", and the "real" number is 45%.

And you know that because?

[hotdogPi]

The problem is, like it or not, that certain Twitter user, whether you like it or not has strong support behind him. Indeed, look at what has happened regarding the National Football League for instance. Alienating a huge chunk of your customers is something you definitely DO NOT WANT to do.

Fortunately, unlike most Twitter users, we do have data on how people feel about that particular one, which shows a fluctuation between 44% and 37% support (currently at 38.8%)–not what I'd call "strong support". Of course, the opinions on this guy are geographically segregated in such a way that depending on your target market area, you could realistically expect to see a rise in sales by taking a provocative stance against him. The NFL has been having other problems unrelated to the Twitter user, which I think are probably more responsible for their revenue problems more than anything else.

But that's probably enough on that Twitter user.

That number of 38.8% is "fake news", and the "real" number is 45%.

And you know that because?

whoosh

[bing101]

http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/12/technology/amazon-layoffs/index.html




Update Amazon Layoffs are being announced.

[kalvado]

http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/12/technology/amazon-layoffs/index.html




Update Amazon Layoffs are being announced.

Had to read that 3 times before I realized this is not another service by Amazon

[jakeroot]

http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/12/technology/amazon-layoffs/index.html

Update Amazon Layoffs are being announced.

To quote your article...

"As part of our annual planning process, we are making headcount adjustments across the company – small reductions in a couple of places and aggressive hiring in many others,"
....
It appears the company isn't looking to reduce its overall headcount. It currently has 3,900 open corporate job listings in Seattle and 12,000 open positions worldwide

Basically, the employees who are being "laid off" are being moved to areas that need more people. They're just being laid off first, before being re-hired. Not my favorite way of conducting business, but that's the way it is.

[formulanone]

http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/12/technology/amazon-layoffs/index.html




Update Amazon Layoffs are being announced.

Had to read that 3 times before I realized this is not another service by Amazon

Presenting all-new Amazon Layoffs™

• drone to pick up your redundant resources
• assist in relocating their personal effects
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) can restrict access and leave no online trace of ex-employees
• send flowers to significant others if drone relocation falters due to restricted airspace

[bing101]

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/03/amazon-local-retail/554681/

Here is an update Greenfield, Massachusetts is one of the cities  named in this article fighting to keep Amazon out of their city. Note they were notable for keeping Wal-Mart and other big boxes from their city in this link though now its Amazon.

[Rothman]

That isn't about keeping the HQ out.  That is about their struggle to keep their main street viable when Amazon keeps customers in their homes.

Frankly, as someone who grew up in the area, I always found Greenfield's main street strength to be tenuous and more hype than reality.  Not surprised that some of their stores are finally folding.  They probably were partially propped up by community grants as well.

[kalvado]

That isn't about keeping the HQ out.  That is about their struggle to keep their main street viable when Amazon keeps customers in their homes.

Frankly, as someone who grew up in the area, I always found Greenfield's main street strength to be tenuous and more hype than reality.  Not surprised that some of their stores are finally folding.  They probably were partially propped up by community grants as well.

But thinking about it... Despite temporary advances of bronze and steel, stone age is making a comeback. Half of my kitchen knives are metal-free ceramic.
Amazon, you should take notice!

[Bruce]

In actual Amazon HQ2 news, the company's teams are starting to visit the candidate cities (beginning with Toronto and Washington D.C.).

In other news, Indiana just failed to repeal its ban on light rail, so Indianapolis sinks to the bottom of consideration.

[Scott5114]

There was a recent spat between the Georgia legislature and Delta, in which Delta cancelled a discount program against the Lieutenant Governor's wishes, leading to a tax cut that Delta would benefit from being stripped out of a tax bill. I've seen some speculation this might put a damper on Atlanta's chances for HQ2, as Amazon may be leery of locating in a state that's willing to try to directly influence the company's policies in such a way.

[kalvado]

There was a recent spat between the Georgia legislature and Delta, in which Delta cancelled a discount program against the Lieutenant Governor's wishes, leading to a tax cut that Delta would benefit from being stripped out of a tax bill. I've seen some speculation this might put a damper on Atlanta's chances for HQ2, as Amazon may be leery of locating in a state that's willing to try to directly influence the company's policies in such a way.

In other news: 51st state.
Similar to federal government forming a separate district to avoid interference from any state, Amazon considers....

[abefroman329]

There was a recent spat between the Georgia legislature and Delta, in which Delta cancelled a discount program against the Lieutenant Governor's wishes, leading to a tax cut that Delta would benefit from being stripped out of a tax bill. I've seen some speculation this might put a damper on Atlanta's chances for HQ2, as Amazon may be leery of locating in a state that's willing to try to directly influence the company's policies in such a way.

There's also an anti-LGBT bill winding its way through the legislature that won't help matters if it passes.  Which is fine, Amazon can locate elsewhere, and GA can find another company willing to create thousands of jobs.

[LM117]

There was a recent spat between the Georgia legislature and Delta, in which Delta cancelled a discount program against the Lieutenant Governor's wishes, leading to a tax cut that Delta would benefit from being stripped out of a tax bill. I've seen some speculation this might put a damper on Atlanta's chances for HQ2, as Amazon may be leery of locating in a state that's willing to try to directly influence the company's policies in such a way.

There's also an anti-LGBT bill winding its way through the legislature that won't help matters if it passes.  Which is fine, Amazon can locate elsewhere, and GA can find another company willing to create thousands of jobs.

Yeah, that's not gonna go over well with Amazon or other businesses. Georgia obviously did not pay attention to what happened in North Carolina when it's GOP-controlled General Assembly passed it's infamous HB2 bill in March 2016, which later resulted in Pat McCrory becoming the first NC governor to lose a re-election bid since 1850. He's persona non grata in Charlotte.

[jwolfer]

There was a recent spat between the Georgia legislature and Delta, in which Delta cancelled a discount program against the Lieutenant Governor's wishes, leading to a tax cut that Delta would benefit from being stripped out of a tax bill. I've seen some speculation this might put a damper on Atlanta's chances for HQ2, as Amazon may be leery of locating in a state that's willing to try to directly influence the company's policies in such a way.

There's also an anti-LGBT bill winding its way through the legislature that won't help matters if it passes.  Which is fine, Amazon can locate elsewhere, and GA can find another company willing to create thousands of jobs.

Yeah, that's not gonna go over well with Amazon or other businesses. Georgia obviously did not pay attention to what happened in North Carolina when it's GOP-controlled General Assembly passed it's infamous HB2 bill in March 2016, which later resulted in Pat McCrory becoming the first NC governor to lose a re-election bid since 1850. He's persona non grata in Charlotte.

Short sighted to have bills like this.. have your religious beliefs but no need to force the world to follow your beliefs.  It would be like Utah outlawing coffee and tea because of LDS rules against caffeine or 'hot drinks'

Z981

[triplemultiplex]

Short sighted to have bills like this.. have your religious beliefs but no need to force the world to follow your beliefs.  It would be like Utah outlawing coffee and tea because of LDS rules against caffeine or 'hot drinks'

Or alcohol.  Oh wait....

[jwolfer]

Short sighted to have bills like this.. have your religious beliefs but no need to force the world to follow your beliefs.  It would be like Utah outlawing coffee and tea because of LDS rules against caffeine or 'hot drinks'

Or alcohol.  Oh wait....

Alcohol is a whole other story.. lots of religions prohibit alcohol, and there are restrictions on Sunday sales etc. The county I live in used to have 2pm starting alcohol sales on Sunday because of all the good Baptists in the county.  We had a vote a few years ago and the hours are the same everyday. BUT there is still no alcohol sales on Christmas Day, because it's Jesus' Birthday, makes no sense for me, especially since I was raised E-wiske-palian, we have real wine not grape juice for communion .

And we have the myriad of dry counties from Prohibition days.  Then there is the places like NJ where liquor licences are limited and governments make lots of money off the sale of them.

Z981

[abefroman329]

Short sighted to have bills like this.. have your religious beliefs but no need to force the world to follow your beliefs.  It would be like Utah outlawing coffee and tea because of LDS rules against caffeine or 'hot drinks'

Or alcohol.  Oh wait....

AFAIK there are far less restrictions on consumption of alcohol in bars in Utah than there were 25 years ago.  Brewpubs abound, and none require you to become a member in order to drink there.

[formulanone]

There was a recent spat between the Georgia legislature and Delta, in which Delta cancelled a discount program against the Lieutenant Governor's wishes, leading to a tax cut that Delta would benefit from being stripped out of a tax bill. I've seen some speculation this might put a damper on Atlanta's chances for HQ2, as Amazon may be leery of locating in a state that's willing to try to directly influence the company's policies in such a way.

Can someone eloquently explain how a government entity is allowed to get involved in the opinions of a private entity, especially after approving the tax break? If you detest Big Government and Freedoms, you go along with honoring an agreement and performing your jobs, regardless of the alignment of your beliefs. Delta Air Lines is a private company, and they're entitled to their beliefs without the fear of government repercussions. The National Rife Association is not a government entity and neither is DL.

As one of their prime customers (by golly, I can actually say that, though not about much of anything else), they're probably not going to be hurt very much; they've quietly gone to bat on a few social issues before, but that's what big companies do. To a much lesser degree, other airlines would be somewhat affected, though their combined presence is a mere quarter of Delta's consumption in Georgia. The irony that essentially no two individuals pay the same amount for airfare unless it's the same itinerary at the same booking time - price discrimination yet market demand - isn't lost on me, either. Airlines have their lobbying groups, too.

Of course, the whole matter about why they're getting a fuel tax break, of which Delta gets the biggest share from buying so much of it, is quite up for debate...'prolly jobs jobs jobs.