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Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

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Re: Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

#41

Post by dleslie »

cbsmith wrote: post #39
dleslie wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing that younger Canadians and foreigners don't seem to grasp is that Canada's economy is basically a handful of abusive corporations pretending to be a country. The Maritimes are dominated completely by the holdings of a single family. The West is dominated by resource extraction and banking. Ontario and Quebec are owned by banking and manufacturing families. And then there's Robellus... But that said, there's…

> One thing that younger Canadians and foreigners don't seem to grasp is that Canada's economy is basically a handful of abusive corporations pretending to be a country. I think that's a gross oversimplification. There certainly is a tiny fraction of the population that holds the vast majority of Canada's wealth, but you could say the same of the US or really a lot of other countries, and it's not like all those comp…

It's not an oversimplification; it's the cruel reality of Canada outside of the major urban centres, where relatively tiny companies can flourish before either listing themselves on a foreign exchange, being purchased, or failing. In every major sector of the Canadian economy you'll find one or two dominant corporations, and most of them are helmed by, or advised by, hereditary rulership; sometimes you'll find a cartel operating with the support of the provincial government.

IE, basically nothing is done in the Maritimes without the approval of the Irvings: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Group_of_Companies

Sometimes it seems like there's competition and diversity in the market, but in practice there's not. Like in BC, where Forestry appears to have many players, but they mostly isolate themselves from one another and form a monopoly in their regions and they negotiate together with the Province to set the terms of their business; and the very small forestry corporations often take their product to market through channels provided by the larger players.

Where I live, the local Forestry company has been barricading public access roads and using rentacops to drive people off Crown Land; and it's tolerated and allowed, because forestry companies are given great leeway to act above the law.

Re: Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

#42

Post by cbsmith »

dleslie wrote: post #41
cbsmith wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One thing that younger Canadians and foreigners don't seem to grasp is that Canada's economy is basically a handful of abusive corporations pretending to be a country. I think that's a gross oversimplification. There certainly is a tiny fraction of the population that holds the vast majority of Canada's wealth, but you could say the same of the US or really a lot of other countries, and it's not like all those comp…

It's not an oversimplification; it's the cruel reality of Canada outside of the major urban centres, where relatively tiny companies can flourish before either listing themselves on a foreign exchange, being purchased, or failing. In every major sector of the Canadian economy you'll find one or two dominant corporations, and most of them are helmed by, or advised by, hereditary rulership; sometimes you'll find a cart…

> It's not an oversimplification; it's the cruel reality of Canada outside of the major urban centres, where relatively tiny companies can flourish before either listing themselves on a foreign exchange, being purchased, or failing.

Sure, if you exclude the vast majority of the country, there's really not a lot there. ;--)

Seriously, by the kind estimates of statscan, outside the major population centers you have just over six and a half million people (and that's after the big bump from COVID-19 migration). I think those six and a half million are about as financially independent as you could reasonable expect from an economy that is expressly outside of even local financial & trade centers.

> Where I live, the local Forestry company has been barricading public access roads and using rentacops to drive people off Crown Land; and it's tolerated and allowed, because forestry companies are given great leeway to act above the law.

Very much unlike, say the US, where large corporations are routinely reigned in by government oversight? ;-)

Re: Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

#43

Post by novok »

brailsafe wrote: post #40
novok wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference is far from $50k in tech, it's far, far more and you can live in an actual city called new york unlike all of canada?

New York seems neat, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to live there. Pretty happy here in Vancouver. The rent and housing costs are absurd, but they'd be worse in New York. I like parts of the states quite a bit, but I don't think I'd like to live there, at least not long-term. Not my vibe. People say the difference is much greater than $50k, but I think it's often overblown. You have the top few companies with crazy…

I think your coping man. I come from a similar area. Instead of the $70k or $90k CAD your making, your making $350k or $400k USD ($400-550k CAD see https://levels.fyi/) as a bog standard sr engineer with many, many things being cheaper in the USA than canada itself, and you get healthcare better than canada because your well paid.

If you took off 3 months to go leetcode the return on investment is there, and you could make it into those companies. You can get work visas based on years of experience alone without a degree, and google et all don't discriminate on not having a degree either. On top of that as a lucky canadian, you get one of the easiest work visas to get in the world, the TN visa. It might not work in this recessionary environment, but in a year or two when it passes you'll be all ready to go to get the promotion of a lifetime.

Vancouver is not a city beyond it's tiny downtown. It's much like SF bay that way, vast reams of suburbia with a commuter rail train system that barely services vast swaths of the city.

Get out of your comfort zone, and you will do amazing. I'm rooting for you.

Re: Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

#44

Post by dleslie »

cbsmith wrote: post #42
dleslie wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not an oversimplification; it's the cruel reality of Canada outside of the major urban centres, where relatively tiny companies can flourish before either listing themselves on a foreign exchange, being purchased, or failing. In every major sector of the Canadian economy you'll find one or two dominant corporations, and most of them are helmed by, or advised by, hereditary rulership; sometimes you'll find a cart…

> It's not an oversimplification; it's the cruel reality of Canada outside of the major urban centres, where relatively tiny companies can flourish before either listing themselves on a foreign exchange, being purchased, or failing. Sure, if you exclude the vast majority of the country, there's really not a lot there. ;--) Seriously, by the kind estimates of statscan, outside the major population centers you have jus…

Outside of urban centres Canadians survive at the behest of the local largest employer. In some places that's forestry, some it's fisheries, some it's oil, some canola, tourism, etc. And usually it's the one big employer, surrounded by small employers that exist as a result of the opportunities that flourish around the big one.

If by reasonably independent you mean almost wholly dependent, then sure.

It's why the Tories do so well out there; when Grit and NDP policies seem hell bent on gutting or decimating the local employer the decision of who to vote for is a matter of paying the bills and keeping the heat on.

> Very much unlike, say the US, where large corporations are routinely reigned in by government oversight? ;-)

At least in the USA it's far easier to raise capital, and regulatory capture hasn't yet gotten so bad that new entrants are completely shut out of major industries.

Re: Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

#45

Post by brailsafe »

novok wrote: post #43
brailsafe wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

New York seems neat, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to live there. Pretty happy here in Vancouver. The rent and housing costs are absurd, but they'd be worse in New York. I like parts of the states quite a bit, but I don't think I'd like to live there, at least not long-term. Not my vibe. People say the difference is much greater than $50k, but I think it's often overblown. You have the top few companies with crazy…

I think your coping man. I come from a similar area. Instead of the $70k or $90k CAD your making, your making $350k or $400k USD ($400-550k CAD see https://levels.fyi/ ) as a bog standard sr engineer with many, many things being cheaper in the USA than canada itself, and you get healthcare better than canada because your well paid. If you took off 3 months to go leetcode the return on investment is there, and you cou…

Seems sincere enough, albeit with a tinge of overt condescension towards my chosen city I've been to a fair number of cities, sure af wouldn't want to live in Toronto, New York, SF, LA. There are a few that I'd consider, but I never really think of them, and I definitely wouldn't do it for a company that just offered me a position. Too much tangible risk, unless I had no option. I'm sure I could get a job at the one of the spiffy companies, but I limit my search to remote only or here in Van, or mainland Europe. I've been through the interview process at one, it was fine, I could and might tidy up and try again. The money is compelling somewhat, but not so much so after reaching six figures that I'd sacrifice much for it.

And what is that sacrifice? Well, firstly I absolutely do not want to live in a downtown anywhere. In some ways, they're just as boring as the burbs, except maybe Portland. I like being in a more low key but still dense and wooded area near everything I need and close to the downtown. I have friends here, access to nature/mountains, bars, restaurants, fiber, it's chill. If I made more money, I'd use it to live here, if housing was more reasonable, or rent more slace if I felt that was a sensible move.

Not to say I won't move or even move out of country, maybe even for a job, but I'm not arbitrarily chasing career numbers, it hollows a person. Probably best would be a small team remotely for a U.S company billing in USD

Re: Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

#46

Post by brailsafe »

11101010001100 wrote: post #16
Mikeb85 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Canadian culture IS mediocre. Everyone's ambition here is to do what everyone else does. Restaurants are mostly the same. Businesses don't innovate, they merely do what someone else who was already successful did. The parent may not have elaborated the reasons perfectly but everyone here knows it.

Mike, you seem to have a sore-on for Canada. I am sorry.

But what do you want it to be? Ambition about what? Relentless capitalism bums me out and grinds ppl down.

Re: Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

#47

Post by cbsmith »

dleslie wrote: post #44
cbsmith wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's not an oversimplification; it's the cruel reality of Canada outside of the major urban centres, where relatively tiny companies can flourish before either listing themselves on a foreign exchange, being purchased, or failing. Sure, if you exclude the vast majority of the country, there's really not a lot there. ;--) Seriously, by the kind estimates of statscan, outside the major population centers you have jus…

Outside of urban centres Canadians survive at the behest of the local largest employer. In some places that's forestry, some it's fisheries, some it's oil, some canola, tourism, etc. And usually it's the one big employer, surrounded by small employers that exist as a result of the opportunities that flourish around the big one. If by reasonably independent you mean almost wholly dependent, then sure. It's why the Tor…

> If by reasonably independent you mean almost wholly dependent, then sure.

First, I've lived in company towns, and there's definitely a thing in Canada, but not all towns outside of major population areas in Canada are company towns (if for no other reason than there just aren't enough companies to cover them all, and in some places the population is too sparse to really have an economic system that ties them all to one employer). There's plenty of towns with no major employer.

But yeah, if you are outside of local economic centers, you're either at the whim of those economic centers or you've got your own conglomerate/co-op that collectively gives the local community some leverage with the larger economy that's out there. That's not specific to one country.

> At least in the USA it's far easier to raise capital, and regulatory capture hasn't yet gotten so bad that new entrants are completely shut out of major industries.

In the US it's far easier to raise capital, but otherwise I think there's a "grass is greener" phenomenon playing out against you.

Re: Cash, Canadians and CPUs: Intel's 'Lost' Early Microprocessor

#48

Post by cbsmith »

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #31
dleslie wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing that younger Canadians and foreigners don't seem to grasp is that Canada's economy is basically a handful of abusive corporations pretending to be a country. The Maritimes are dominated completely by the holdings of a single family. The West is dominated by resource extraction and banking. Ontario and Quebec are owned by banking and manufacturing families. And then there's Robellus... But that said, there's…

>One thing that younger Canadians and foreigners don't seem to grasp is that Canada's economy is basically a handful of abusive corporations pretending to be a country. That's also true for Europe. If you look at the top companies in Europe, most are 50 to 100 years old, with a sensible portion of their stake still in the hands of the family of the founders. HMLV, Nestle, Porsche, etc. you name it. Any new innovative…

I think it's tough to speak in generalizations about vast populations. There's certainly very wealthy people & families in all the major economies, but European countries have some of the highest scores for social mobility: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Social_Mobility_Index
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