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Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

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211–220 of 340 posts

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interestingly, top-earners have been saying the same for decades when confronted with tax increases, all while having enjoyed an ever increasing share of the wealth pie. Food for thought.

This "top earner" wants more tax increases. I'm not alone. What I do not want is to be subject to violent attacks for getting up and going to work in the morning, nor to be compared to Glenn Beck for having no sympathy for the violent criminals doing so.

Perhaps you should do something about income inequality then.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#212
post #56
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And the office could be rented. I think it is clear that Google expect people to check emails and do 'work stuff', it was mentioned several times.

If you worked on a personal project on a Google bus (on your own laptop, without using their wifi), would Google be able to claim ownership?

They can often claim ownership of personal work you do at your own home. So yes.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#213
post #131

As usual, the irony is at an all time high. > "While they took their seats, several people unfurled two giant banners reading “TECHIES: Your World Is Not Welcome Here” and “FUCK OFF GOOGLE.” People holding banners that were laser printed with materials synthesized by complex machines. People with cell phones tucked away in their pockets. People who have used Google a million times.

Yeah - all political protest that uses modern technology is automatically hypocritical.

Because Google makes a useful product, they are above any kind of criticism.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#214

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…

Fun writeup. Wrong attitude. Silicon Valley technology, this is Manhattan finance with a word of advice. We know the roots of the problem are housing supply restrictions and a lack of mass transit. In essence, City Hall problems. So why are they able to pin the blame on you? Because you're painting a target on your back. Ducking your heads makes you a low-risk scapegoat. Scoffing at the less fortunate, regardless of…

And a super-easy place to start, techies, is making sure that the janitorial/cafeteria/security staff you've contracted to work with are paid at least reasonably. "Living wage" can be hard to compute in the overheated Bay economy, but at least don't be screwing them with 35-hour-per-week jobs with no benefits. This is something that your own company can influence.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#215
post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The irony of your comment only emphasizes how little you understand that NONE of it is techies' fault. Is it their fault they thought about the future and picked tough but useful majors? Is it their fault that hipsters chose art, history, women studies and other (financially) useless stuff, just because that's what they liked to do? Is it their fault that hipsters feel entitled to a high paying job?

Not everybody can be part of the glorious STEM master race!

Nor does everyone need to be. Taking a walk through any city in the United States, one will observe millions of people leading healthy, productive lives doing work in a variety of fields, both blue and white collar.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#216
It seems obvious this is the same group that obstructed a Google bus in SF earlier this month. Protesting Google from the vantage point of a privileged SF resident wasn't sufficiently sympthetic, so they're cloaking themselves in the very real oppression and problems still crushing West Oakland. Shameful.

People bringing their protests to Oakland is nothing new (like the black bloc protests during Occupy). I've been living in my Oakland neighborhood for about 9 years. On my block, that makes me the newcomer. I don't speak for Oakland and neither do these protestors or whoever contributed that article.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#217
I don't care about the legitimacy of their cause - violent thugs like the author and his fellow protestors being in jail.

Call me a libertarian, but I believe I have the right to be safe and not be attacked. In the twisted mindset of the author, I imagine that the impact that tech employees have on house prices is morally equivalent to violence. However people who believe in rule of law rather than mob rule should be able to see through this.

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#218
post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> That describes a huge fraction of today's protestors and activists, which is why despite many things in the world sucking I rarely take today's "activism" very seriously. It's mostly activism-as-entertainment for trustafarians. The irony is that your comment only emphasizes the severe disconnect between relatively wealthy & employable 'techies' versus the rest of the struggling recession-hit population. It's hard t…

The irony of your comment only emphasizes how little you understand that NONE of it is techies' fault. Is it their fault they thought about the future and picked tough but useful majors? Is it their fault that hipsters chose art, history, women studies and other (financially) useless stuff, just because that's what they liked to do? Is it their fault that hipsters feel entitled to a high paying job?

As a techie, I'm not sure most of them 'thought about the future and picked a tough but useful major'. More like, most of them (including myself) picked the most interesting major, and tada, it's worth money!

Re: Google Bus blocked, window smashed in West Oakland

#220

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…

I've gotten into some 'debates' with friends on facebook who are are in the 'anarchist/burner/hipster' persuasion. And It's mostly scape-goating programmers for rents going up. But I do think the Startup community in particular could do a better job interacting with the communities we live in. Especially as more and more people jump on the startup bandwagon and don't really understand the hacker/nerd ethos of protect…

But I do think the Startup community in particular could do a better job interacting with the communities we live in

The question seems to be, if you have your own distinct infrastructure and shared spaces, are you really living in your community?

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