Live data from Hacker News

What I learned getting acquired by Google

shreyans.org

621–630 of 645 posts

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#621
post #617

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And temps. And vendors. Anyone who does work that could be considered for the primary company if they got treated that way.

Nothing in your link suggests that it extends beyond independent contractors.

It was a followup court case which agreed it does - https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/13/business/technology-temp-...

And the ruling makes it clear that it’s based on the actual on the ground reality, which is why vendors get pulled in the same way.

If the main company is the one giving the vendors employees their direction, managing them, setting hours explicitly, they get included in all hands, etc. then the main company is also on the hook for being their actual employer as far as benefits, taxes, etc. go.

So there needs to be a clear delineation at all times, or bad things happen to the primary company regarding costs.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#622
post #446

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because Google has no idea how to manage or hire cooks?

> no idea how to manage or hire cooks? Ah yess, cooking food is like deepwater welding, and an average adult has no idea how to manage the risks involved. Seriously, how can an adult write something like this?

Have you ever managed a commercial kitchen? Or hired and supervised cooks?

I know people who have, and it is far from an easy or straightforward thing. If you want to stay solvent and out of jail anyway.

Most restaurants go bankrupt within a few years.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#623

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it's ok for writing to not be so editorialized as what you're used to? To me this read like a trip report from which the reader can draw their own conclusions without the author telling them what to think. I wish more things I read on the internet were written in that style. I don't need to be told what conclusions to draw, I can figure it out myself.

I think this has royally screwed up my emotional intelligence. American media always tells you how you should react. One of my cousins once told me they were having a baby. I don't remember exactly what I said, but it wasn't "congratulations, I'm so happy for you". It just didn't click with me that this was an exciting thing for them that they wanted to share with me and I kind of regret not responding better.

Yeah, (especially social-) media is such brain poison. Unfortunately that includes HN!

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#624
post #621

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing in your link suggests that it extends beyond independent contractors.

It was a followup court case which agreed it does - https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/13/business/technology-temp-... And the ruling makes it clear that it’s based on the actual on the ground reality, which is why vendors get pulled in the same way. If the main company is the one giving the vendors employees their direction, managing them, setting hours explicitly, they get included in all hands, etc. then the main com…

Thank you!

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#625
post #621

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was a followup court case which agreed it does - https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/13/business/technology-temp-... And the ruling makes it clear that it’s based on the actual on the ground reality, which is why vendors get pulled in the same way. If the main company is the one giving the vendors employees their direction, managing them, setting hours explicitly, they get included in all hands, etc. then the main com…

Thank you!

Apologies for not including the context originally. Thanks for challenging me on it!

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#626
post #618
post #514

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google managed to hire their first chef in 1999 and manage them directly, I'm sure they can manage a global team of cooks better than anyone else if they wanted to, because of their specific needs and so many global offices to spread the gains through. It's all just a decision they took.

What they did with Ayer’s was so clearly unsustainable (and disproportionate) it’s a classic story in the business world of giving away the farm. Anyone doing that at scale is going bankrupt quickly. Which is the point.

Google has infinite money and doesn't have to care about things like that. They can waste money on food just like they waste it hiring 10000 engineers who don't do any work.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#627

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another great thing is you can usually find someone who is up to have fun, even if you have no social connections in a place you're travelling to. I was visiting Barcelona a few years ago and emailed the misc- alias seeing if anyone wanted to visit Montserrat with me, and 5 of us went up there and had a great day together. Best part is, it is usually cool people who say "yes" - the abject nerds aren't going to respon…

I suppose being complicit in the largest government sponsored spying program on the planet has its perks.

yawn

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#628
post #583

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another great thing is you can usually find someone who is up to have fun, even if you have no social connections in a place you're travelling to. I was visiting Barcelona a few years ago and emailed the misc- alias seeing if anyone wanted to visit Montserrat with me, and 5 of us went up there and had a great day together. Best part is, it is usually cool people who say "yes" - the abject nerds aren't going to respon…

> the abject nerds I will also call you out on this. The word is very strongly negative, so I think it's inappropriate to use in this context.

Well, that's how I feel about some of my coworkers. I know it is a strong word, and I think it is appropriate. For the most part, they're not bad people, but they just have an extremely limited outlook on life(from my perspective).

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#629
post #622

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> no idea how to manage or hire cooks? Ah yess, cooking food is like deepwater welding, and an average adult has no idea how to manage the risks involved. Seriously, how can an adult write something like this?

Have you ever managed a commercial kitchen? Or hired and supervised cooks? I know people who have, and it is far from an easy or straightforward thing. If you want to stay solvent and out of jail anyway. Most restaurants go bankrupt within a few years.

I have worked in a ghost kitchen, its not rocket science.

We discussing a canteen for employees, not a commercial restaurant. You don't need marketing, you don't need to turn a profit.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#630
post #388

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. Just look at taxes as a percentage of GDP and you can see EU taxes are 50%+ higher than even CA. Then add on top the lower wages.

Do you include that housing prices, health care, and university fees are all much lower in continental Europe?

What do those have to do with the claim about tax rate?

And regardless, if you're middle income or higher, you're paying way more in taxes in Europe than those things cost in the US.

Post reply on HN