the unstoppable local-biz-swallowing pseudo-monopoly that is AMAZON

Can't they just build a barge for them in the Hudson River. All of this makes no sense. Amazon needs NYC more than NYC needs them. But sure give them shitloads of money to fuck up the infrastructure.

The inflatable rat industry is going to be popping.

the most humiliating thing i read recently was how Andrew Cuomo said "i'll change my name to Amazon Cuomo if they come to NY."

As a New Yorker, I am black. As a New Yorker, I am Jewish. As a New Yorker, I am an e-commerce monopolist.

Yeah, the councilpeople for Queens are already utilizing that stupid ass name because they didn't bother to go through the proper community review process.

Stupid ass Willie Wonka stunt.

The Atlantic weighs in.

looks like VA's deal is much better. 1/4 of the nominal dollar value is infrastructure spending, including on Metro. The per-job incentive is also half of what NY is offering. Obviously this is all very stupid though.

New York taxpayers will be forced to literally subsidize a HELIPAD for Jeff Bezos https://t.co/WuOBIHHU7M pic.twitter.com/UiYdq5gdjf

— David Sirota (@davidsirota) November 13, 2018

Bezos basically went from Kevin from The Office to Lex Luthor.

One last kicker

.@NYGovCuomo confirms that Amazon project will be approved through Empire State Development, which he controls, removing the need for a City Council vote to approve the zoning.

— Erin Durkin (@erinmdurkin) November 13, 2018

Christ, what an asshole

I voted for Nixon. Fuck Cuomo.

i voted for Nixon, and Howie Hawkins last week

de blasio just now: "One of the biggest companies on earth next to the biggest public housing development in the United States — the synergy is going to be extraordinary."

— Eliza Relman (@eliza_relman) November 13, 2018

and so say all of us: tap into america

I look fwd to BdB and his frenemy the Prince never being elected to anything ever again

Cuomo can’t respond to the genuine left critique: That cities should not offer incentives like this at all. In fact, he dismisses this as unrealistic:

Nothing in the Amazon transaction is new. The tax incentives we provide for single business transactions are usual and typical and have been operational for decades. They are long standing programs supported by both Democrats and Republicans in both the city and the state. Nor are tax incentive programs unique to New York. Every state offers incentives to attract businesses and we are in a constant competition with other states and nations to attract and keep good businesses. One could argue that in a perfect world no city or state would be legally allowed to offer incentives and there would be no competition for individuals or businesses. True. But this is not a perfect world. Our state is in an intense daily competition with other states and, indeed, other countries. Wisconsin lured Foxconn Technology with 13,000 jobs for a $3 billion incentive package. A locality in Texas lured Exxon Mobil with 400 jobs for a $1.2 billion subsidy. Louisiana attracted DXCTechnology and 2,000 jobs with a $115 million incentive. The list goes on.

Buddy, the fact that nothing in this “transaction” is new is the socialist critique. The fact that this is business as usual is the problem. The fact that both Democrats and Republicans support this is very fucking bad, not evidence that it’s good and fine. Also, a weird flex to bring up Wisconsin’s appalling Foxconn giveaway, which may cost the state as much as a million fucking dollars per job. But OK!

https://splinternews.com/everything-about-andrew-cuomos-big-defense-of-the-amazo-1830539740

the robot uprising has begun

Twenty-four employees at an Amazon warehouse in New Jersey were taken to hospital after a robot accidentally punctured a can of bear repellent.

The 255g can containing concentrated capsaicin, a compound in chilli peppers, was punctured by an automated machine after it fell off a shelf, according to local media.

The incident happened on Wednesday at a warehouse in Robbinsville, New Jersey, on the outskirts of Trenton.

Amazon said: “All of the impacted employees have been or are expected to be released from hospital within the next 24 hours. The safety of our employees is always our top priority and a full investigation is already under way.”

The employees were taken to hospital “as a precaution”, Amazon said earlier.

https://hyperallergic.com/482429/divisive-amazon-hq2-meeting-draws-hundreds-to-city-hall/

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon is thinking of pulling out of New York HQ2 deal, because of strong opposition from local politicians. Northern Virginia could get some or all of the jobs slated for NYC. https://t.co/hn6ImP5toF

— Robert McCartney (@McCartneyWP) February 8, 2019

Good.

of course it could just be a negotiating tactic/ruse

fine by everyone i know in queens.

GOOD

Northern Virginia makes much more sense anyway, they just wanted to go to New York for the glamor

God, is this gonna fuck it up even worse for those of us in the DC orbit? Thanks a lot, Nerd York.

smells like victory

I would maybe consider letting amazon move in if the surrounding co-op boards in LIC and Astoria interviewed them first.

they really ought to move to toledo or buffalo or something.

AMAZON CANCELS PLAN TO COME TO NEW YORK

"After much thought and deliberation, we’ve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens" - Amazon spokeswoman Jodi Seth

— J. David Goodman (@jdavidgoodman) February 14, 2019

almost certainly the best thing for the city

Union leaders castigate Amazon for its workplace practices and resistance to unionization, but have said they would be more open to supporting the deal if the company made changes.
“I think that what they need to do is have a dialogue with us,” said Stuart Appelbaum, an outspoken opponent and the president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. “If they’re receiving $3 billion in money, including from union members and workers, they shouldn’t then take that money and use it to fight their workers.”
George L. Miranda, the head of the Teamsters Local 210, said his union could get behind the deal if Amazon agreed to not actively resist unionization at its offices and warehouses in New York.
“Remain neutral. That’s all we’re asking,” said Mr. Miranda, whose union has rallied with opponents. “It would say that they want to be good, responsible corporate leaders here in New York City.”

For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term. While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City.

As someone who owns land in Arlington, Virginia, I, um, approve?

Amazon is not a hip new york company at all anyway, they are far more suited to being a stodgy Northern Virginia company

and yeah should make my childhood home more valuable, as if my parents weren't already completely comfortable in their retirement

well acc to that statement they're not committing to building anything in N Va or anywhere else beyond what they already announced

Amazon is not a hip new york company at all anyway, they are far more suited to being a stodgy Northern Virginia company

― Norm’s Superego (silby), Thursday, February 14, 2019 2:28 PM (forty-four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

they sure are: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/31/amazon-defense-cloud-computing-pentagon-jeff-bezos

indeed

Amazon will pay $0 in federal income taxes on $11.2 billion in profit. https://t.co/Kmfv6TMzJV

— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) February 14, 2019

He should be taxed for dick picks.

Didn't a bunch of Amazon people buy real estate on HQ2 insider info?

One factor that concerned Amazon executives was how activists in New York City broadened their attacks from the specifics of the deal to the company’s practices far beyond the five boroughs, on unions and working with ICE, per two people familiar with Amazon's decision.

— J. David Goodman (@jdavidgoodman) February 14, 2019

NJ's Gov Murphy and Newark officials heavily romancing Amazon for HQ2

Welp, there goes Newark's Ironbound if these jerks move in. Goodbye blue collar, hello blue agave turmeric smoothies!

Never mind just the Ironbound; the whole area's so densely populated, rents are gonna spike across three counties.

"Worst day for nyc since 9-11, except this time the terrorists were elected." David Lichtenstein of @LightstoneGroup on #AmazonHQ2

— Amir Korangy (@mrkorangy) February 15, 2019

Little Orphan Andy and fellow bootlickers are beggin' to be adopted

https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/28/18245302/amazon-hq2-new-york-long-island-city-letter-politicians-ceos

gross.

last June, Seattle city council passed a head tax on businesses to fund solutions for the homeless crisis (caused in large part by economic imbalance from the city's third extended tech boom) [nb: WA has no income tax]

the newly-elected corporate-boosting mayor reacted to pressure from Amazon threatening to dump a downtown office space lease, by illegally colluding with councillors to cancel the tax days later

today: Amazon dumped that lease without ever moving in

https://www.amazon.jobs/en/jobs/836421/managing-editor-news

"The Managing Editor, News will work on an exciting new opportunity within Ring to manage a team of news editors who deliver breaking crime news alerts to our neighbors."