Google Employees Secretly Live on Campus to Avoid Paying Rent

Post by xster » Tue, Sep 09, 2014, 6:31 PM UTC

raldi wrote: post #83

Systemic33 wrote: post #2

Can't Google just setup dormitories? It's halfway on being it's own city, so why not go all out and have cheap living quarters?

No; though they desperately want to, Mountain View strictly regulates how much housing can be built, and where. Why? Because only the people who already live there get to vote for local representatives, so everything's biased toward what's best for established homeowners -- not struggling would-be homeowners.

Post by ahh » Tue, Sep 09, 2014, 7:32 PM UTC

yummyfajitas wrote: post #195

vidarh wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people go through much longer periods of celibacy than that on a regular basis when outside of long term relationships. For most people, the singles life is relatively sex-less. Presumably living on campus isn't a choice that most people make in the first place when they are in long term relationships and/or have regular options of companionship.

Just curious, what is "longer periods"? Is celibacy for a year really a plausible outcome for most people in SF? And is it so likely that it makes living in a car worthwhile? I'm honestly curious. Year-long celibacy is not super uncommon in India, but Indian culture is explicitly set up to make sure women don't have sex until their parents get them married off. I'm really shocked to hear that SF is that bad.

Post by michaelchisari » Tue, Sep 09, 2014, 7:37 PM UTC

Padding wrote: post #189

stevewepay wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been living in the Bay Area since the dotcom days and they've been asking the same question since I've been around. Until people in tech stop making money, I doubt SV will collapse, but it will go through boom and bust cycles. But the booms tend to be huge and the busts tend to be not as bad. I had the opportunity to get a job in Seattle at Amazon about 10 years ago. I would have taken a paycut, but with the 0%…

I'm curious why the weather argument comes up so often. Aren't we, as "software people", under a roof and in front of a screen most of the time anyways? Then again, I'm "deep inside" Europe, so I have no idea how bad the weather over there really is.

Post by eli_gottlieb » Tue, Sep 09, 2014, 8:07 PM UTC

GFischer wrote: post #161

gnufied wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reminds me of a book I read sometime back, where Employees lived on campuses, ate bio designed meat, produced bio engineered pets, products that enhanced artificial sense of well being while a biological catastrophe engulfed the outside world (mostly because of bio engineered products that these companies produced). I can't see to recall the name of the book though. Soon enough we will be getting there though.

Sounds like the plot of Oryx and Crake (I did not like the book, but it was an interesting plot): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46756.Oryx_and_Crake

Post by allegory » Tue, Sep 09, 2014, 8:10 PM UTC

awjr wrote: post #215

allegory wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was doing it in Leyton/Woodford in East London so borderline city/suburbs. I'd do it again, 100% of the time but the three children, wife, mortgage and inevitable responsibilities that come with these things make it difficult if not impossible to achieve. Narrow boats and widebeams are horrid. I lived in a narrow boat for a month. They rock very slightly, smell awful, are damp as anything (even the nice ones), cost…

Dammit you ruined the canal boat dream! Must admit, renting one for a month or two would probably be worth considering before buying one. I hear it's all about finding a mooring space.