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Leaving Google

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71–80 of 229 posts

Re: Leaving Google

#71
post #5

"Plus I find the Bay Area congested, racist, incestuous, and overpriced." I like this guy.

I was going to quote that line too. But is it really that racist? Relative to the rest of the US, it seems remarkably tolerant, no?

Re: Leaving Google

#72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google are really consolidating in a few offices, mainly MV, NYC, Zurich, possibly London and Tokyo. MV is a whole different ballgame to the other locations and is a world unto itself.

Google recently announced that they're moving their whole Region of Waterloo office (in Canada) into a larger building to accommodate more growth: http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4368031-google-moving-in...

That will be a second move to a larger space in KW.

Re: Leaving Google

#73
post #43
post #22

For those who don't know, Tim Bray was one of the original inventors of the XML spec and has been a Developer Advocate at Google for a while. Shame to see him go, I am joining DevRel at Google in the fall and I thought it was awesome to have someone as experience as Tim working kinda-sorta-near me. Hopefully he goes on to do something great.

Implying XML is not great? ;)

Great men make great mistakes :-)

Re: Leaving Google

#74
post #63
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am also of the same opinion. Plus he probably doesn't want to lose his Canadian healthcare.

He's Canadian, he won't "lose" anything, it would be waiting for him upon his return. I'm sure Google's health plan is more than generous.

I have a fear about moving to the US not because I would "lose" my Canadian health care or that the company I went to work for wouldn't have a generous health plan but the fact that I have to care about it AT ALL.

The idea that at any point in time something could happen and I could lose my health plan and I am now at incredible risk scares me.

Re: Leaving Google

#75
post #63
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am also of the same opinion. Plus he probably doesn't want to lose his Canadian healthcare.

He's Canadian, he won't "lose" anything, it would be waiting for him upon his return. I'm sure Google's health plan is more than generous.

That's not actually true. A lot of provinces have waiting periods when you return to Canada after an extended absence. In the meantime you have to purchase private insurance.

Re: Leaving Google

#76
post #5

"Plus I find the Bay Area congested, racist, incestuous, and overpriced." I like this guy.

I was going to quote that line too. But is it really that racist? Relative to the rest of the US, it seems remarkably tolerant, no?

I never realized what Scalzi was talking about when he said that being white male was "Easy Mode" until I moved here. Being white is a superpower around here.

Re: Leaving Google

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a little sad he didn't say anything about Seattle, only a couple hours from Vancouver and with sizable and thriving Google offices. It is also has "greens and greys and unfussily variegated people" -- clearly it's not Canada, but in general it would be a much less drastic transition!

Vancouver is a real city. Seattle is provincial, passive-aggressive, unfriendly to outsiders, and segregated. A hick town with skyscrapers as I've often called it. Californians who've moved there almost unanimously agree with my first sentence, and crack up at the latter. (Sadly, I lived in Seattle for 17 years. The Bay Area before that, and New York now.)

What makes you say that?

Re: Leaving Google

#78
post #5

"Plus I find the Bay Area congested, racist, incestuous, and overpriced." I like this guy.

I was going to quote that line too. But is it really that racist? Relative to the rest of the US, it seems remarkably tolerant, no?

To a Canadian, the vast majority of the U.S. probably appears racist, considering that some would argue classism is the new racism, but I digress.

Re: Leaving Google

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a little sad he didn't say anything about Seattle, only a couple hours from Vancouver and with sizable and thriving Google offices. It is also has "greens and greys and unfussily variegated people" -- clearly it's not Canada, but in general it would be a much less drastic transition!

Vancouver is a real city. Seattle is provincial, passive-aggressive, unfriendly to outsiders, and segregated. A hick town with skyscrapers as I've often called it. Californians who've moved there almost unanimously agree with my first sentence, and crack up at the latter. (Sadly, I lived in Seattle for 17 years. The Bay Area before that, and New York now.)

> Vancouver is a real city.

That's not very nice.

> Seattle is provincial, passive-aggressive, unfriendly to outsiders, and segregated. A hick town with skyscrapers as I've often called it.

Sorry you didn't enjoy it here. Every city has its ups and downs, but a lot of people (myself included) love it. It's beautiful, we are surrounded by nature, we have the best summers of anywhere I've ever been, I find the people friendly (if a bit passive), there's a great classical music scene (this is how I spend my time), a great university in the middle of the city, lots of tech employment opportunities, a housing market that isn't insane.

I like SF and New York (and Vancouver!) a lot, but they have their own problems too.

Re: Leaving Google

#80
post #5

"Plus I find the Bay Area congested, racist, incestuous, and overpriced." I like this guy.

I was going to quote that line too. But is it really that racist? Relative to the rest of the US, it seems remarkably tolerant, no?

> Relative to the rest of the US

His is comparing the Bay Area to Vancouver (Canada).

What the rest of the US is like is irrelevant.

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