Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

indybay.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

111–120 of 340 posts

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#111

Post by adventured »

johnamaeda wrote: post #97
zach wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So it's hipsters versus nerds now? Has it come to this?

The problem is that a big corporation like Google gives less than it takes as of now, tax wise, and guarantees their employees a standard of living out of reach for most americans now, or the rest of the world for that matter. A standard of living paid for, in part, by the very same taxes they manage to avoid, along with several other big corporations. Not to mention they are no stranger to the US government, and pro…

The people of Google however, pay their fair share of taxes, and don't deserve to have their mode of transportation attacked.

The couple billion in taxes Google is managing to dodge is not what enables them to pay their employees so well.

Google earned $10.7b in profit last year. Go ahead and take the 20% they 'dodged' in taxes. How exactly does that alter what they can pay their employees (you know, only making $8.x billion)? I'd love to see an explanation for that.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#112

Post by 9999 »

jessedhillon wrote: post #48

West Oakland is a traditionally black neighborhood that surrounds the Port of Oakland. It has been heavily gentrified, developed, and restructured over the past three decades. Now there is an upper class enclave that has been established near the West Oakland BART station, in Jack London, and in the city of Emeryville. Oh fuck you and your dreadlocks. There are only two photos on that page, so I don't definitively kn…

Re: The port shutdown:

The longshoremen's union supported the Occupy shutdown, but were contractually obligated not to participate in the protest. Source:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/occupy-oakland-shuts-down-port/

Since almost everything else you said is anecdotal, it's hard for me to respond to, but your statement about the longshoremen, that's certainly wrong.

In general, the people that you are deriding and caricaturing represent the first wave of gentrification, and those people actually do make meaningful contributions to the areas they move into. Think of the excellent restaurants, concert venues, boutiques, bars, etc. that exist in Oakland now--that's first wave gentrification. Those people are also historically more aware of their surroundings and the culture that they are moving into and tend to show solidarity with the lower income residents that they are paving the way towards displacement for. On the other hand, the second wave of gentrifiers tends to dramatically increase the cost of living, rate of displacement, and tends to care very little about the plight of their fellow citizens.

The Google buses are a convenient symbol for economic disparity though, and I often wonder why Google doesn't try to do a real public works project instead of simply creating a segregated system of buses. Why not add wi-fi to public buses? Why not extend the light rail system into the valley? Why not donate a whole lot of money to a public mental health project so there aren't so many deranged lunatics screaming on public transit? If they did that, then they will have created a more comfortable environment not only for their own employees, but for the entire community.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#113

Post by nknighthb »

manicbovine wrote: post #78
jessedhillon wrote: post #48

West Oakland is a traditionally black neighborhood that surrounds the Port of Oakland. It has been heavily gentrified, developed, and restructured over the past three decades. Now there is an upper class enclave that has been established near the West Oakland BART station, in Jack London, and in the city of Emeryville. Oh fuck you and your dreadlocks. There are only two photos on that page, so I don't definitively kn…

It's as if you are auditioning for the Glenn Beck show. That's probably where you belong edit: Since when is political vitriol acceptable for HN? If I wanted to hear bullshit political rants with gems like "traditional blacks" or "fuck you and your dreadlocks", then I'd turn on Fox News or MSNBC. Seriously, traditional blacks with weasely scare quotes? That comment could not be less informative, disingenuous, or fals…

Do you understand that you are attacking some of your most powerful political allies, and that it is not helpful to solving the systemic issues contributing to poverty?

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#114

Post by Crito »

ry0ohki wrote: post #89
sp332 wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At 54F ambient, wind chill at 40 MPH drops to just above freezing.

It's the back window busted out though? So there wouldn't be a 40mph wind chill I don't think

The turbulence off the back of the bus could probably cause some significant wind inside of the bus, but 40mph wind certainly seems unlikely.

Of course relative comfort had little to do with why the bus did not continue on it's route unphased. Even city buses would stop for that sort of thing.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#116

Post by null_ptr »

johnamaeda wrote: post #97
zach wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So it's hipsters versus nerds now? Has it come to this?

The problem is that a big corporation like Google gives less than it takes as of now, tax wise, and guarantees their employees a standard of living out of reach for most americans now, or the rest of the world for that matter. A standard of living paid for, in part, by the very same taxes they manage to avoid, along with several other big corporations. Not to mention they are no stranger to the US government, and pro…

Don't tech employees pay the same income and sales taxes as anybody else? Every age has its booming industry, technology is our generation's. You can either accept reality and try to acquire relevant skills that are in demand, or act hurt and expect to get handed what others have to work for.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#117

Post by bilbo0s »

jessedhillon wrote: post #48

West Oakland is a traditionally black neighborhood that surrounds the Port of Oakland. It has been heavily gentrified, developed, and restructured over the past three decades. Now there is an upper class enclave that has been established near the West Oakland BART station, in Jack London, and in the city of Emeryville. Oh fuck you and your dreadlocks. There are only two photos on that page, so I don't definitively kn…

This is the general arc of "gentrification".

First, a few places in the neighborhood are rehabbed by developers.

Next the "...Burning Man hippies, self-styled artists, people who graduated from great schools with useless majors, and the usual constituent of the ... overprivileged..." move in to the rehabbed areas and the (usually) blacks have to move out.

These hippy - artist types make the neighborhood more attractive to people even further up the food chain. (Read techies). And soon the time comes for the hippy - artists to move out.

The hippy - artists are unhappy... but the reality is... this is no more than what they did to the blacks.

Soon the time will come for the techies to move out... and, I'm sure, they will be unhappy as well when their time comes.

This same progression happens all over. I think Harlem is probably one of the best examples. (It's WAY ahead of SF area in that regard). Blacks had to move when the artists showed up because they could no longer afford it. Then, when the techies and yuppies showed up... the hippies, artists and teachers hit the roof, because it was their turn to move. Harlem is at the stage now where the celebrities and bankers are showing up ... and like clockwork ... the techies are hitting the roof because it's their turn to move.

The thing is ... in the end ... they all moved. They didn't engage in violence.

That people are upset should be expected... but I would point out that places like Harlem have gone through this process with multiple populations without violence. It can be done.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#118

Post by unclebucknasty »

null_ptr wrote: post #58

Gotta love “TECHIES: Your World Is Not Welcome Here” I find it hard to sympathize with a bunch of lazy thugs who do nothing to improve their situation. Engineering and white collar jobs in general have always paid well. Industries who are in demand even more so, and for just reason. Did similar protests happen in Detroit 50 years ago during the auto boom? Did unskilled rubes that do nothing all day put up banners say…

I wouldn't defend these guys in particular, but I will say that things were vastly different in Detroit (and the U.S. in general) 50 years ago. Those unskilled people could much more easily become skilled to the point that they landed solidly in the middle class.

In general, there was much more opportunity to pull one's self up by the bootstraps, more even income distribution, and true mechanisms that allowed a rising tide to lift all boats.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#120

Post by etjossem »

Crito wrote: post #66
baddox wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having a longer commute arguably makes workers' lives revolve more around their job.

Far less so than having to live where you work, rather than being able to live where you want to live. Particularly since they have a bus to ride. People get on the backs of companies like Foxconn for corporate housing, but that is essentially what they are proposing that Google employees endure. And why? Because as "non-natives", Google employees somehow become some sort of second class citizen in the minds of these…

I don't think baddox is necessarily suggesting corporate housing, just housing that doesn't involve an hour-plus commute each way. Living closer to your workplace gives you a few extra hours each week - it's your choice whether to spend them at work or home.
Post reply on HN