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Amazon cancels plans to build New York headquarters

JMR said:
How about people influencing their local economies? Besides the objections to the incentives, the area is one of the last affordable to people not millionaires. No residents were in favor of the gentrification that was sure to follow. This was an example of citizens saying no to both government and corporations. You should be proud of them...
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I totally respect the right of people to live in abject poverty for as long as they feel it's necessary. I think it's an utterly stupid choice to make but if that's what they're going for they should be proud of themselves because they succeeded.
 
Chomsky said:
After watching, over the decades, the good gentrification has done in my city - I agree 100%!

There's always the problem with those lower wage earners being displaced from their rental units. Obviously, that's a problem that needs to be addressed in projects like this. But that's always been the renter's folly - they have no more security than a year's lease. That comes with the territory (of renting). But I assure you, the property owners are for the most part thrilled to see their equity blossom!

No, I've seen gentrification turn slums & near-slums into great active & vibrant neighborhoods. I'm all for it. It's not perfect. But it's better than watching your neighborhood deteriorate into a crime infested slum, which I've also experienced firsthand. The sad truth of big cities, is that quality-of-life and safety-from-crime are generally in positive correlation with your neighborhood's economic status.
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Gentrification is sometimes good, sometimes not needed. Astoria is a pretty vibrant safe place for people to live that cannot afford too many other places. The people in Astoria were not keen on gentrifying.
 
Chomsky said:
Why would they be illegal? Their anti-competitive nature vis a vis small businesses?
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Yes.

Vancouver is unique. We voted overwhelmingly in 1969 to ban any form of freeway, controlled access highway or thruway for ever. As a result we are the world's largest parking lot; traffic has its own rate of flow which usually causes Americans to lose it and start shooting, which is also illegal.

We have been waging war with the internal combustion engine since then, and can claim some victories as more and more of discover buses and sky train are not only free (Actually $55 a year) for seniors, but is pretty handy. (People exiting buses here call out "thank you, driver" - always have.)

So in keeping with this "green" attitude is a war against parking lots and the space they take up, which could be used for housing or green space.

Further, along with most of Canada, we like small, intimate businesses here. The single owner confection store is still a reality - 7-11 etc. is here but they are American culture not ours. Traditionally Canadians want to buy from people, neighbors. Our entire dairy industry is based on the family farm, over 12% is harvested by hand by the Amish people in Ontario..and we want it that way.

The greatest difference between our two countries is that you arm yourselves against one another, while Canadians pay for each others medical bills. People have long accused us of having no culture and in movies, music & TV we don't, we carbon copy US garbage. Our culture is exhibited on the head signs on buses that say "Sorry" out of service, insist on having doors with locks but seldom use them.

Here's how Canada would deal with the border crisis along your southern flank. The federal government would allocate $ to the affected provinces to provide temporary housing and medical aid. ATCO corp would be tapped from a few hundred portable homes, and the people would begin fund drives etc.

BSA agents would fan out with packages of emergency food, sanitary wipes, toothbrushes etc. and say "welcome to Canada" asylum seekers and a long, formal process that can take up to three years will begin to establish a bona fide claim. Once that is done, they are given landed immigrant status and sorted out for training or employment.

This has been our policy since 1992.

The number of crimes associated with this process: 0

Percentage of applicants accepted - 75% on average.

In closing, you will know that Canada accepted 64,000 Syrians a few years ago. At the time people in this forum were telling me "They will rape your women".

The number of crimes suspected by these people: 0

One Syrian was months away from an MD. He completed it and went to work for a local hospital as a resident where he stayed long after he needed and may still be there.

When he isn't saving lives in the emergency ward, he's working with Indigenous people and their medical issues in an open (free) clinic.

Beginning with the French who were unwanted at home, to the negro slaves who made their way along the "underground railroad" to the "commie" Hungarians to the Vietnamese boat people to American draft dodgers to the latest round of "rejects" we appear to have built a rather fine country out of people the rest of the world didn't want.

As long as we see these images from the US, it must be told and retold that the son-of-a-bitch vilifying these people made his billions of their illegal labors.
 
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dobieg said:
Well, I'm sure the people in Tennessee, Northern Virginia or Atlanta will be happy to see NY take a stand on principle as companies keep moving to lower tax states that are still offering incentives.
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Now all they have to do is find a low tax state with a population skilled enough to do the jobs they are offering....the reason they wanted to be in NYC.
 
SenorXm/Sirius said:
As I said much earlier in this thread. The locals were against this from Day 1. Months before AOC was even sworn in.

But yeah Fox and their minions can pee their pants in excitement blaming her for this too. I hear she also kicks puppies..

BTW.. N Y will suffer? A city of 9 mil suffering for not getting 25 k jobs? Really?
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BS. The people of LIC and Astoria welcomed the idea of Amazon coming to their home turf. They were the ones who extended an invitation to Amazon. No one said AOC had anything to do with the city council members, who were not from the local districts, in opposition. But she certainly encouraged them. You lie.
 
JMR said:
Gentrification is sometimes good, sometimes not needed. Astoria is a pretty vibrant safe place for people to live that cannot afford too many other places. The people in Astoria were not keen on gentrifying.
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You are not one of the people living in Astoria. Astoria is vibrant and safe because of gentrification, gentrification by Greek and now Italian immigrants, as well as escapees from Manhattan. You don't speak for them.
 
JMR said:
Gentrification is sometimes good, sometimes not needed. Astoria is a pretty vibrant safe place for people to live that cannot afford too many other places. The people in Astoria were not keen on gentrifying.
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No, they weren't..
 
noonereal said:
You really want your daughter wandering around the USA and Europe, just free styling?

And you like the idea of your daughter living alone in the city?

We are very different parents.
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Mine did both. Now a phd.
 
Lutherf said:
I totally respect the right of people to live in abject poverty for as long as they feel it's necessary. I think it's an utterly stupid choice to make but if that's what they're going for they should be proud of themselves because they succeeded.
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I think Google is available even in Arizona.... LIC, Astoria and Elmhurst, Woodside are not home to people living in abject poverty. They are where people who make normal middle class salaries live.
 
JMR said:
Gentrification is sometimes good, sometimes not needed. Astoria is a pretty vibrant safe place for people to live that cannot afford too many other places. The people in Astoria were not keen on gentrifying.
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People like the some of the effects of gentrification (i.e. safer neighborhood, better dinning/shopping options etc) but don't like that it being priced out of their neighborhood. In NYC the problem is where to go once you're priced out because much of the city is already expensive; even sections of the South Bronx are now starting to get developed and pricing locals out. When I worked in Hells Kitchen it was fascinating to watch the neighborhood transform when the gay community priced out of Chelsea started moving in. It went from the old Irish/Italian/Hispanic rough and tumble to posters of gay men websites and what not. The bodegas disappeared as did all of the Hispanic restaurants and the Irish pubs too.
 
SenorXm/Sirius said:
If Amazon wants to still go with another HQ2, I'd put my money on Boston.

But they may not even bother now. Just stick with Virginia...
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Boston would need a massive massive overhaul of its infrastructure. I worked in and around Boston for several years and it was a nightmare. I believe as of now it’s commute traffic is the worst in the US.
 
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JMR said:
Mine did both. Now a phd.
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Good on you. I'm a parent and would encourage my daughter to do the same. Live is for living, and as a parent my job is to teach her about the pitfalls and how to avoid them. Then at some point she'll have to go out into the world and make her way. My hope is she will make the right decisions on her own; I have no desire to be a helicopter parent or micromanage. Fear based parenting is not my thing.
 
OldFatGuy said:
You are not one of the people living in Astoria. Astoria is vibrant and safe because of gentrification, gentrification by Greek and now Italian immigrants, as well as escapees from Manhattan. You don't speak for them.
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I am well aware of the gentrification by Greek and Italian immigrants (who settled there well before the Greeks.) I am also friends with several people living there now. I can speak for them. It is a vibrant community with an average income of about $60,000. That doesn't go far in NYC.
 
OldFatGuy said:
You are not one of the people living in Astoria. Astoria is vibrant and safe because of gentrification, gentrification by Greek and now Italian immigrants, as well as escapees from Manhattan. You don't speak for them.
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Greeks and Italians are the old Astoria; the ethnic composition of that neighborhood has changed over the past few years and new immigrant groups are replacing the old. The Manhattan escapees are now moving further into Queens as Astoria and LIC get more and more expensive.
 
Higgins86 said:
Boston would need a massive massive overhaul of its infrastructure. I worked in and around Boston got several years and it was a nightmare. I believe as of now it’s commute traffic is the worst in the US.
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Worse drivers in the WORLD are in Boston.. Hands down.

Yeah, Boston would need to work on infrastructure, but then so would Queens and Amazon picked them.

Anyway I think Amazon would just stick with VA. right now, and see how that goes. I doubt they will be doing the '2nd HQ sweepstakes' again anytime soon.
 
JMR said:
I am well aware of the gentrification by Greek and Italian immigrants (who settled there well before the Greeks.) I am also friends with several people living there now. I can speak for them. It is a vibrant community with an average income of about $60,000. That doesn't go far in NYC.
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Which is why many locals were against this move in by Amazon. Most of the locals wouldn't be working at and making $150,000 at Amazon, so once prices skyrocketed their $60,000 would have been worth a hell of a lot less.
 
ElChupacabra said:
Good on you. I'm a parent and would encourage my daughter to do the same. Live is for living, and as a parent my job is to teach her about the pitfalls and how to avoid them. Then at some point she'll have to go out into the world and make her way. My hope is she will make the right decisions on her own; I have no desire to be a helicopter parent or micromanage. Fear based parenting is not my thing.
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You have to know your kids and what they are capable of. Mine didn't travel between HS and college, but once that semester abroad occurred there was no stopping it. She's been around the world, often solo, and has lived in several major cities. I admire her spirit and competence.
 
SenorXm/Sirius said:
Worse drivers in the WORLD are in Boston.. Hands down.

Yeah, Boston would need to work on infrastructure, but then so would Queens and Amazon picked them.

Anyway I think Amazon would just stick with VA. right now, and see how that goes. I doubt they will be doing the '2nd HQ sweepstakes' again anytime soon.
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Oh agreed they call them massholes for a reason. You should see my masshole wife drive in the UK, she’s a bigger threat to London than brexit.
 
SenorXm/Sirius said:
Which is why many locals were against this move in by Amazon. Most of the locals wouldn't be working at and making $150,000 at Amazon, so once prices skyrocketed their $60,000 would have been worth a hell of a lot less.
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From a purely local perspective one can understand the reaction. Their tax money is going to help a multi billion dollar company build a headquarters that won't employ the locals and attract the folks who will displace them. Most folks don't want to fund their own demise. Still, the writing has been on the wall in NYC for a long time now which is why I left. I thought about buying a property in NYC before choosing NJ, but since we had a new born daughter I wanted more than a hole in the wall in a bad neighborhood. It might have been a good idea in the long term, but I wanted a better experience for her than I did growing up in Washington Heights. I'm happy here where it's a really low crime area and I can be in the city in 30 mins; and can see it out of my windows. Personally I prefer just seeing it than being in it.
 
Ocasio-Cortez takes a victory lap after Amazon scraps plans New York headquarters

I think Ocasio-Cortez is an idiot. Victory lap for the loss of jobs and revenue? Hardcore socialists are stupid. Capitalism is what moves the world. It's best to fight against any inequities, unfairness, and exploitation generated by unregulated capitalism, from WITHIN the system.

Capitalism is the worst possible system... except for all the others.

Sure, sure, locals wouldn't be working at those $150,000 jobs... but the folks making the $150,000 jobs would be paying taxes and buying goods/services from the others.

Regardless of some initial negative impact and gentrification, having a large employer in town usually ultimately helps the local economy.

Also remember, the gentrification would mean that the new Amazon employees would be buying real estate from the locals, at elevated prices. Again, money doesn't exist in a vacuum, it always recycles itself. Unless it goes to offshore accounts, but that's not what would happen in the local economy.
 
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ElChupacabra said:
From a purely local perspective one can understand the reaction. Their tax money is going to help a multi billion dollar company build a headquarters that won't employ the locals and attract the folks who will displace them. Most folks don't want to fund their own demise. Still, the writing has been on the wall in NYC for a long time now which is why I left. I thought about buying a property in NYC before choosing NJ, but since we had a new born daughter I wanted more than a hole in the wall in a bad neighborhood. It might have been a good idea in the long term, but I wanted a better experience for her than I did growing up in Washington Heights. I'm happy here where it's a really low crime area and I can be in the city in 30 mins; and can see it out of my windows. Personally I prefer just seeing it than being in it.
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I've been to NYC a 1,000 times, love it, but I would never ever want to live in it. Too busy, too expensive, too crowded..

20+ years ago I remember reading an article that asked 'is Manhattan was becoming an island of millionaires'? I think that's been answered, the answer is YES!!
 
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