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Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

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Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#201

Post by zer0tonin »

nickpp wrote: post #199
zer0tonin wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

3 things: - the culture is not the same as the US. French people tend to be very financially risk-averse - the VC eco-system in France exists but it is trash - people who have the skills to create startups in France tend to do it outside of France because they will have access to better capital/labor markets (for example, DataDog and Docker both have french founders)

Also, how easy is it to fire people in France? If it’s difficult then startups will be much more reluctant to hire in the first place, and founders to embark on the whole startup adventure which necessarily implies a lot of hiring/firing.

Quite hard, but other countries with similar labor laws (like the Netherlands) manage to have decent startup ecosystems.

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#202

Post by nickpp »

mullingitover wrote: post #82
M3L0NM4N wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed, but private companies also face competition (which incentivizes as little waste as possible) that the government does not.

Competition over the past couple decades is less and less of a factor for private companies, however[1]. [1] https://hbr.org/2018/03/is-lack-of-competition-strangling-th...

The harder it is to create a startup in an area, the less competition you’ll have there. Things like regulation and labor protection laws have the unfortunate side effect of discouraging founders to embark in the "startup adventure".

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#203

Post by oh_sigh »

boc wrote: post #135
iancmceachern wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We also have to pay a lot more out of pocket for basic services like healthcare,, transportation, childcare, etc.

You’re paying for healthcare at a tech company? Usually your company provides this as a benefit. Same for commuter subsidies.

I've never heard of any big tech co fully subsidizing healthcare. I pay ~$160/week between health/vision/dental

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#204

Post by M3L0NM4N »

lesuorac wrote: post #106
M3L0NM4N wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is, in my opinion, by far the strongest argument for lower taxes. The money we (the US) do spend in education/healthcare/infrastructure is already poorly utilized, why would we want to spend more and end up like that? To simplify it dramatically with an example, I'd rather pay $3 on the toll road and $50k for a surgery myself than pay $10 in taxes towards the road and $100k in taxes towards the healthcare system…

> I'd rather pay $3 on the toll road and $50k for a surgery myself than pay $10 in taxes towards the road and $100k in taxes towards the healthcare system but receive both of them for "free". That would be a nice scenario to choose to be in. However, the US _government_ pretty much spends more per-person than those countries with a social net [1]. So in reality, you're paying those taxes of those social countries and…

Healthcare is its own issue in the US, as I think the general populous is on average a good bit unhealthier than the average Norwegian, for example. I think it's a combination of poor health education (which also goes back to spending) and culture.

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#205

Post by ghaff »

zer0tonin wrote: post #183
nicenewtemp84 wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ReflectedImage thinks large companies layoff engineers based on a random number picker. The truth: everyone knows who the underperformers are.

Everyone in a team might know who the underperformers are. But team members and EM are kept out of layoff-related decisions, which are generally done by upper management with the help of external consultants. Those external consultants are about as good as a random number generator.

People are also only fungible to a limited degree. Companies cancel projects, eliminate functions, and so forth. Especially in the middle of a large layoff there's often a limited appetite for finding a new home for someone who may be a high performer in the abstract but doesn't have a job any longer and may not be an ideal match for a position that already has someone doing it.

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#206

Post by oh_sigh »

bombcar wrote: post #173
NeverFade wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In 2022, a 5-year peak year, 313 people in the entire US died from active shooters: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/active-shooters-fbi-report-2022... That's out of 330 million total population.

In 2020, 687 people were killed in railway accidents in the EU, being Poland the country with the highest number with 148 fatalities, followed closely by Germany with 137. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1192970/europe-railway-a...

Trains are really unpredictable. Even in the middle of a forest two rails can appear out of nowhere, and a 1.5-mile fully loaded coal drag, heading east out of the low-sulfur mines of the PRB, will be right on your ass the next moment.

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#207

Post by Integrape »

asguy wrote: post #142
ausbah wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and you think that's ok? or a common problem every country deals with?

I’n more worried about America’s obesity levels and opioid epidemic.

Are you worried an obese person or addict will attack you?

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#208

Post by M3L0NM4N »

RangerScience wrote: post #45
M3L0NM4N wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is, in my opinion, by far the strongest argument for lower taxes. The money we (the US) do spend in education/healthcare/infrastructure is already poorly utilized, why would we want to spend more and end up like that? To simplify it dramatically with an example, I'd rather pay $3 on the toll road and $50k for a surgery myself than pay $10 in taxes towards the road and $100k in taxes towards the healthcare system…

Having or not having the money to spend doesn't really seem to be a real factor in whether or not it's spent well. See: Everything you just talked about and cost-plus contracts. The US demonstrates both.

I agree. Tax rates are a bit of a moot point when money printer go brrr.

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#209

Post by asguy »

Integrape wrote: post #207
asguy wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’n more worried about America’s obesity levels and opioid epidemic.

Are you worried an obese person or addict will attack you?

Definitely addicts. If they're obese that's even worse.

Re: Startups Are Scooping Up Big Tech’s Cast-Off Workers

#210

Post by reducesuffering »

cjdoc29 wrote: post #146
busterarm wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

New York and California steal (at least) half too. At least in Europe you get something for your taxes (okay, except maybe Germany).

Can you expand on the "at least half" part? On an income of $200k in California, for example, your tax rate is something like 8% (marginal). If you total it up with federal taxes, it's something like a 27% tax rate.

While the overall isn't as high as 50%, at $200k, your marginal income tax rate is 42.75%, a sales tax rate of 10%, and a property tax rate of 1.25%.

So, after $185k, while you've probably already paid 7% ($14k prop) on your home, and probably another 1% (2k sales), leading to what could be considered 50.75% tax.

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