Octopus Overlords

According to this page, there are 53 US Metropolitan Statistical Areas with a population over 1 million (estimated, as of 2016).

Congrats to Tucson for making the cut.

ImLawBoy wrote:According to this page, there are 53 US Metropolitan Statistical Areas with a population over 1 million (estimated, as of 2016).

I'd like to see Hartford get it, as that is the closest region to me on that list. Won't happen, though.

Kelric wrote:

ImLawBoy wrote:According to this page, there are 53 US Metropolitan Statistical Areas with a population over 1 million (estimated, as of 2016).

I'd like to see Hartford get it, as that is the closest region to me on that list. Won't happen, though.

It does say "business friendly" so lets assume blue states need not apply. After all, here they were touting a whopping "$14 per hour" for warehouse drones...not the $15 per hour labor is pushing for.

50,000 is a very large number for a single metro though. Is there anything comparable? It can be a dangerous thing for a local economy to be so reliant on a single business. A company I worked for used to virtually wipe out small towns after closing factories that were the only game in town. Illinois is known for offering sweet deals for companies to relocate here (Boeing and Miller-Coors come to mind) but even with a metro area of 9 million, 50K seems like a huge number to be tied to a single employer. And they already employ thousands here.

Atlanta.

What do I win?

Jeff V wrote:

Kelric wrote:

ImLawBoy wrote:According to this page, there are 53 US Metropolitan Statistical Areas with a population over 1 million (estimated, as of 2016).

I'd like to see Hartford get it, as that is the closest region to me on that list. Won't happen, though.

It does say "business friendly" so lets assume blue states need not apply. After all, here they were touting a whopping "$14 per hour" for warehouse drones...not the $15 per hour labor is pushing for.

50,000 is a very large number for a single metro though. Is there anything comparable? It can be a dangerous thing for a local economy to be so reliant on a single business. A company I worked for used to virtually wipe out small towns after closing factories that were the only game in town. Illinois is known for offering sweet deals for companies to relocate here (Boeing and Miller-Coors come to mind) but even with a metro area of 9 million, 50K seems like a huge number to be tied to a single employer. And they already employ thousands here.

Kodak had over 60,000 employees in/around Rochester during the 70s or 80s, which was about 15% of the workforce. We can assume that they won't be going anywhere for at least the next decade with a $5 billion investment in their HQ2, even with process improvements in automation and deep AI work. Depending on how they staff it (if it is mostly researchers/scientists, for example) then it may be two or three decades of stability.

Amazon, Georgia

A city outside Atlanta is taking steps to create a brand new city in hopes of luring the company's planned new corporate hub to Georgia.

The Stonecrest City Council voted 4-2 on Monday to de-annex 345 acres of land if the Seattle-based e-commerce giant picks the area for what the company calls HQ2, a corporate hub which could lead to the creation of thousands of jobs.

Stonecrest's resolution asks the Georgia General Assembly to form the city of Amazon on the land, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Wow. Color me impressed. Wish we had that kind of forward thinking here.

Amazon To Sell Smart Locks So It Can Slip Packages Into Your Home

“This is not an experiment for us,” said Peter Larsen, Amazon vice president of delivery technology, in an interview. “This is a core part of the Amazon shopping experience from this point forward.”

Members of Amazon’s Prime shopping club can pay $249.99 and up for a cloud-controlled camera and lock that the company offers to install. Delivery associates are told to ring a doorbell or knock when they arrive at someone’s house. If no one greets them, they press ‘unlock’ in a mobile app, and Amazon checks its systems in an instant to make sure the right associate and package are present.

The camera then streams video to the customer who remotely can watch the in-home delivery take place. The associate cannot proceed with other trips until the home is again locked.

Amazon drivers having access to your home? What could go wrong?

Well, there would be video and a record that includes the identity of the person entering your home, so probably not as much unless they hire someone really stupid.

Can't wait for the first inevitable shooting of an Amazon courier...

McNutt wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:15 pm Well, there would be video and a record that includes the identity of the person entering your home, so probably not as much unless they hire someone really stupid.

Have you SEEN the folks Amazon hires for their courier service? I'm sure some of them are fine people.

I want to see the inevitable videos of folks' pets going apeshit on these poor delivery folks.

As I drifted off to sleep I relished the comfort of being tucked in and kissed good night, though it was also a disquieting surprise since I live alone.

"Shhhhh," Larry M. reassured me, "I brought you your new USB cable. I'll just leave it right here."

The Meal wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:28 pm

McNutt wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:15 pm Well, there would be video and a record that includes the identity of the person entering your home, so probably not as much unless they hire someone really stupid.

Have you SEEN the folks Amazon hires for their courier service? I'm sure some of them are fine people.

I want to see the inevitable videos of folks' pets going apeshit on these poor delivery folks.

Pet escapes are going to be a thing. Pet bites probably too. Is there a rash of package thefts occurring that this is designed to prevent? Because really it seems to be inviting a lot of potential problems... though maybe it's worth it for the sweet comfort of knowing my precious HDMI cable is safe and secure inside my home.

The Meal wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:28 pm

McNutt wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:15 pm Well, there would be video and a record that includes the identity of the person entering your home, so probably not as much unless they hire someone really stupid.

Have you SEEN the folks Amazon hires for their courier service? I'm sure some of them are fine people.

I want to see the inevitable videos of folks' pets going apeshit on these poor delivery folks.

No, every package will be hand-delivered by a 2017 model Bezos.

Jeebuz. If I saw him opening my door, I would think there's a 100% chance I was about to be assassinated.

Moliere wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2017 12:09 pm Amazon To Sell Smart Locks So It Can Slip Packages Into Your Home

“This is not an experiment for us,” said Peter Larsen, Amazon vice president of delivery technology, in an interview. “This is a core part of the Amazon shopping experience from this point forward.”

Members of Amazon’s Prime shopping club can pay $249.99 and up for a cloud-controlled camera and lock that the company offers to install. Delivery associates are told to ring a doorbell or knock when they arrive at someone’s house. If no one greets them, they press ‘unlock’ in a mobile app, and Amazon checks its systems in an instant to make sure the right associate and package are present.

The camera then streams video to the customer who remotely can watch the in-home delivery take place. The associate cannot proceed with other trips until the home is again locked.

Amazon drivers having access to your home? What could go wrong?

The real story here is that Amazon must have perfected unhackable network security. Because if not, I can tell you exactly what could go wrong.

It's more than that. Amazon also wants to sell services like Amazon Fresh that actually put stuff into your fridge, or Merry Maid that clean your house, and so on and so forth. And they can't get in if you dn't have a smartlock or have somebody there.

I recently had my Amazon delivery dropped off at the Whole Foods down the block. That's good enough for me.

Throw in catbox cleaning and I'll not resist.

Jeff V wrote: Wed Oct 25, 2017 4:36 pm Throw in catbox cleaning and I'll not resist.

Sign me up!

What's next? Are they going to want to put a listening device in my house that hears everything I say?

Alexa: Tell ILB "I can't hear you!"

Jeff V wrote: Thu Oct 26, 2017 10:22 am Alexa: Tell ILB "I can't hear you!"

Alexa wrote: Hmmm. I can't find any information on cantiru.

Alexa Calling

Alexa Calling is a free service you can use to make calls to your Alexa-to-Alexa contacts, and most mobile and landline numbers (in the US, Canada, and Mexico).

wonderpug wrote:As I drifted off to sleep I relished the comfort of being tucked in and kissed good night, though it was also a disquieting surprise since I live alone.

"Shhhhh," Larry M. reassured me, "I brought you your new USB cable. I'll just leave it right here."

If this new service would allow me to place a small secured shed on my property that an Amazon Delivery person would have full access to, I think I'd appreciate that type of delivery over the current USPS driver punting it out of her truck or trying to jam it in my mail box. But letting them in my house? No thanks.

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 8:56 am If this new service would allow me to place a small secured shed on my property that an Amazon Delivery person would have full access to, I think I'd appreciate that type of delivery over the current USPS driver punting it out of her truck or trying to jam it in my mail box. But letting them in my house? No thanks.

How about a small home?


There are also secure drop boxes you can buy. Lots of them in the neighborhood. They are like the FedEx boxes and can fit fairly large parcels.

I just checked...the nearest locker service available to me is about 40 miles away. I don't think I'm in their core demographic for that service. Really, I need Amazon to get into the ISP business.

Smoove_B wrote:I just checked...the nearest locker service available to me is about 40 miles away. I don't think I'm in their core demographic for that service. Really, I need Amazon to get into the ISP business.

I wonder if expanding into the ISP business is in a future business plan, especially with their web services business and being a major streaming content provider.

But with your luck they'll probably stop just short of your town.

Popular New Amazon Service Just Comes To Your House And Kills You

Perfect for the OO gift exchange.

Well, that didn't take long.

Amazon Key Flaw Could Let Intruders Avoid Detection

Researchers from Rhino Security Labs found a way to disable the Amazon Cloud Cam, a crucial safeguard for the Amazon Key service that allows Prime members to remotely unlock their front doors for couriers and other chosen visitors. The hack could theoretically allow people to enter into Amazon-Key-protected domiciles without users realizing it.

This City Hall, brought to you by Amazon

Chicago has offered to let Amazon pocket $1.32 billion in income taxes paid by its own workers. This is truly perverse. Called a personal income-tax diversion, the workers must still pay the full taxes, but instead of the state getting the money to use for schools, roads or whatever, Amazon would get to keep it all instead.

“The result is that workers are, in effect, paying taxes to their boss,” says a report on the practice from Good Jobs First, a think tank critical of many corporate subsidies.

Feudalism?

It’s just corruption, but with fewer steps.

I don't know what other people's experience has been but their same day service has fallen off a cliff badly in the last 2 months. I've had several same day deliveries slip days out with them not delivering parts of the orders routinely.

Yesterday I had a delivery go out for delivery and become delayed right when it was going to be delivered. I got the status update as the driver dropped off half the order. Maybe it got damaged but I'd say I'm getting about 50% of my orders at the moment when promised. Prior to local distribution it was close to 100%. That is a huge drop off in quality in a short amount of time and I can't figure out who to talk to attempt to address it. I usually like to give a vendor a chance before I stop ordering but they don't make it easy to talk to someone.

Make sure you complain. I had a pair of earbuds (Prime) not show up after 6 days. The tracking information showed that it was "out for delivery" for 4 days. When I contacted them, they promised I would have them "in a few hours" and they extended my Prime membership a month. They arrived about 7:30 that evening (not a few hours, but still the same day that I complained).

I think I'll be more diligent holding their feet to the fire on their Prime promise. Considering how much stuff I buy from them, If I get a free month every time they slip up, I'll never have to pay for Prime again.

I mean, I just ordered a remote in Friday and it arrived on Sunday. No complaints here.

I got an e-mail one time saying my order was going to be delayed.......this was after I got my order okay.

Well, it looks my experiences with Amazon and the USPS aren't unique:

The woman who left her job at the post office earlier this year asked us not to reveal her identity, because postal workers sign forms promising never to talk to the media.

She told CBS46 her former supervisors at the post office gave her specific instructions to misrepresent delivery times because, she says, they know what's at stake if Amazon packages are late.

"At 7:15, whatever you have not delivered, pull your truck over to the side of the road and scan every single one of your amazon packages. We cannot have late packages because that will jeopardize our contract with Amazon," said the former mail carrier.