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Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

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Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If few is three years or less time, you can make money on some options expiring Jan 2022. Have you bought them?

And if it’s three years and a month?

Well, it's useful for me to know that your confidence of it happening in the next 3 years is low when you make your statement. I see that it is.

That's enough for me.

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And if it’s three years and a month?

Well, it's useful for me to know that your confidence of it happening in the next 3 years is low when you make your statement. I see that it is. That's enough for me.

Have you considered that maybe my concept of “few” is not “three”?

Can I make the bet you describe for, say, seven years? I’d say five is highly likely to suffice but I’d rather play it safe.

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#243
post #100
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't just about all big corporations with some "weight" behind them do this though? A company employing tens of thousands floats the idea that they might leave the city/state due to some new proposed corporate tax legislation or something, and then the city/state exempts them from the increases to get them to stay since they're such a "big employer?" Isn't this just "negotiating from a position of strength?" This ha…

Yeah, but just because this happens doesn't mean we shouldn't be upset about it. This is companies strongarming governments into giving them tax breaks. It's robbing society to enrich a few people at the top. Amazon is following the Boeing example. I fully expect Washington state to give away massive amounts of money the same way they did before.

Why shouldn’t gov’t have to compete for business?

The only other alternative is to force companies to stay in an area, regardless of how attractive the business climate is.

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it's useful for me to know that your confidence of it happening in the next 3 years is low when you make your statement. I see that it is. That's enough for me.

Have you considered that maybe my concept of “few” is not “three”? Can I make the bet you describe for, say, seven years? I’d say five is highly likely to suffice but I’d rather play it safe.

> Have you considered that maybe my concept of “few” is not “three”?

Yep. Hence "if few is three" earlier.

I'm not interested in a bet. I'm interested in adjusting my priors. Thanks for the help.

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#245

All these kneejerk comments about this being phase 3 in Bezos' grand plan to defraud America's wealthiest cities- I do not understand. No cities have committed anything to Amazon and can volunteer to walk away or attempt to renegotiate if they so wish. Not much of an grand master plan.

The crux of the issue is that every big metro center in North America gave Amazon a list of incentives they were willing to provide. Next time Amazon negotiates with any city for any development, it can mine this private treasure trove of extremely potent information about how much each city is willing to bend over.

Wouldn't you agree that knowledge is power?

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you considered that maybe my concept of “few” is not “three”? Can I make the bet you describe for, say, seven years? I’d say five is highly likely to suffice but I’d rather play it safe.

> Have you considered that maybe my concept of “few” is not “three”? Yep. Hence "if few is three" earlier. I'm not interested in a bet. I'm interested in adjusting my priors. Thanks for the help.

Right. You said if a few is three, I responded to indicate that it’s looser than that, and you then basically assumed I’m a liar rather than considering that the “if” might be wrong.

If you’re not interested in a bet, why did you reply to me to ask if I’ve made one?

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#247
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LOL. There are tons of educated people who move to Texas. Ever heard of Texas Instruments?

Everyone's heard of Texas Instruments, but the products that make them famous aren't exactly an advertisement for attracting skilled staff. A TI calculator is less than $1 worth of functionality, $100 of "you can use this on standardized tests without being considered a cheater", and $50 of brand recognition. The whole selling point of the product is that it's just as bad now as it was 25 years ago.

Yeah, what I meant by “ever heard of Texas Instruments” was expecting that people knew more about the company than the calculators that are literally 1% of its revenue.

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't heard about any specific issues with Texas politics, versus just regular red-state politics. Is there some specific action being taken against women in Texas that I'm not aware of? (Genuine question, not snark.)

Texas is aggressively pro-life. They strictly regulate abortion clinics in particular.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware.

I searched about this and found: https://www.aclutx.org/en/know-you-rights/abortion-in-texas

It does seem they have some fairly detailed restrictions.

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like quite a bit more than a satellite office, but not quite close to another HQ. Really curious to see what kind of jobs will end up in these HQ2A and HQ2B.

My guess is that it’ll be like google in NYC. Quite substantial, but obviously no Mountain View.

I think for New-York as an HQ there is quite some better chance for Amazon to build some serious operations. They already have Qusidi in New Jersey, which they might be looking to consolidate.

Re: Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities

#250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if the CEO has a standing desk? Just kidding. What about completely remote companies, or companies where the CEO is remote?

How many companies exist where the CEO is remote? If you're being hired for that important of a job, you're almost certainly willing to move.

I know some, but the CEO is always also the founder.
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