Jaguar's electric E-Type Zero is an engineering marvel

September 7, 2017

It’s faster and lighter than a stock E-Type, which means it’s bound to be a riot.
Some view electrifying a classic car as heresy, while others appreciate how it blends both old and new. I was originally in the former category, but after seeing Jaguar’s electric E-Type Zero, I’ve changed my tune.
Debuting as part of Jaguar’s Tech Fest, the E-Type Zero is based on the 1968 Series 1.5 E-Type Roadster, which originally packed a Jaguar XK inline-6 engine. Since that’s not very tech-y, Jaguar scrapped the entire powertrain and replaced it with a battery-electric setup.
With about 295 horsepower on tap, the E-Type Zero can reach 62 mph in just 5.5 seconds, which is about a second quicker than a stock Series 1 E-Type. With a 40-kWh battery in tow, it can go about 170 miles before it needs some juice. The only parts of the powertrain that remain are the rear differential and final drive. Jaguar claims the E-Type Zero is about 100 pounds lighter than a standard E-Type, which is doubly impressive.
The outside doesn’t look any different, and that’s because it isn’t any different — save for some LED headlights and a charging port where the gas cap used to be. Inside, a new dashboard includes a gauge cluster screen as well as an additional infotainment screen. Since it doesn’t have a manual transmission, a new rotary-style Jaguar shifter hangs out in its place.
If you’re thinking that this would work pretty well in other vehicles, Jaguar’s two steps ahead of you. The company notes that its new EV powertrain could « conceivably » be used in any old-school Jags rocking the XK six-cylinder engine, including the XK120 and XJ6. I smell a small-batch run of classic Jaguars with EV guts…
Because there’s always a marketing angle, the E-Type Zero features some parts from the upcoming I-Pace crossover, which Jaguar hopes to have in dealerships in 2018. It’ll closely resemble the concept from last year’s LA Auto Show, but with some of the more extreme elements toned down a bit. It’s still unclear when Jaguar plans to unveil the production version of the I-Pace to the public.

© Source: https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/jaguars-electric-e-type-zero-is-an-engineering-marvel/
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What to Expect From Apple's iPhone 8

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September 7, 2017

Apple’s latest high-end device has the internet buzzing, but what kind of product can people actually expect? …
Rumors about Apple’s iPhone 8 (aka iPhone X, aka iPhone Anniversary Edition) , began to spread last year, almost before the print was dry on Apple’s iPhone 7 announcements. With Apple’s September 12th unveil now less than a week away, some of those rumors have reached a fever pitch. But what, exactly, should consumers be expecting?
9to5Mac believes the new high-end phone will be called the iPhone Edition, making this the second time Apple has launched a halo product with that name, and the second time its branding has made no sense whatsoever. Hopefully the company sticks with iPhone X or iPhone 8, though it’s also been implied that the iPhone 8 / 8 Plus will actually be the devices we’ ve previously called the iPhone 7s / 7s Plus. Again, Apple may be skipping a number to bring itself in line with Samsung and to try and portray its entire product line this year as being a larger leap over the iPhone 7 than previous s-class products were over their non-s predecessors. This would be the first time since the iPhone 3GS launched in 2009 that Apple didn’ t use an “s” for a second-generation product family.
Other expected top-end features include an edge-to-edge screen at a resolution of 2436×1135. That’s a substantial jump over the iPhone 7, which has a 1334×750 display. An OLED panel is also expected. OLEDs aren’ t typically quite as power efficient as LCDs, though this is heavily influenced by content type and brightness settings. On a dark background or theme, OLEDs can use significantly less power than LCDs. On an all-white background, OLED power consumption can be significantly higher. If these resolution figures are accurate, it would give the Anniversary Device a 521 PPI display; far above what’s required for Retina quality. Overall screen area is expected to be higher than any previous Apple device, thanks to the edge-to-edge display.
The internet has no collective clue whether the Anniversary iPhone will have a fingerprint scanner. Multiple leaked images show no front-facing sensor or visible Home button.
Apple’s original goal, sources agree, was to embed a fingerprint scanner in the display itself. Samsung was reportedly also interested in this feature, but had to drop it and slap the fingerprint scanner on the back of its own phones once it became clear the technology wasn’ t going to be ready in time for the Galaxy S8 launch. Apple may have run into similar problems, despite having more time to work on the design. This leaves the company with two choices: It can stick the fingerprint sensor on the back, or it can use facial recognition + PIN for services like Apple Pay. Which option the company will go with is still unknown.
Alternately, Apple may have delayed shipping the device until it can hammer out problems in the sensor. The Inquirer reports that while Apple will take orders, it may not actually ship the phone until this holiday season. Other analysts disagree, so take this with a grain of salt. We might also see the company split the difference, with a handful of early orders and long ship times thereafter. It wouldn’ t be the first time Apple has launched a product with a 4-6 week shipping window for everyone but the first handful of users.
There are rumors of a front-facing camera that’s suitable for augmented reality, and dual back cameras for improved photos, possibly including 4K recording at 60 frames per second.
Analysts are assuming Apple will again target $649 and $749 for the two lower-end iPhone models. The high-end device is expected to cost $1,000 for 64GB of storage, $1,099 for 256GB, and $1,199 for 512GB. Various payment plans may make this easier to swallow, but that’s clearly a new frontier for phone prices, or at least one we haven’ t seen in many years.
The one thing no one is talking about is whether the iPhone Edition will be faster than the standard iPhone 7s / 7s Plus (or 8) that Apple ships at the same time. Typically phones are power-constrained, and Apple hasn’ t previously tried to use different SoCs between its standard and Plus-sized hardware. Presumably all three phones will use the same SoC and modem, with the difference between them boiling down to features like the OLED display and 512GB storage options. But as is typical, Apple hasn’ t clarified which devices will have which features, or confirmed any features at all. Until it does, we won’ t have a sense of what you get from stepping up to the $1,000 price point, compared with the lower-end models.
The question of whether the anniversary iPhone will sell almost doesn’ t need to be asked. Unless Apple completely bungles this launch, it absolutely will. The company has benefited from a nearly year-long hype cycle, and Apple is ensconced as a status symbol in North America. The regular iPhones may be great devices in their own right, but it’ ll be the iPhone Edition / Anniversary / X / whatever that wins most of the headlines.

© Source: https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/255195-expect-apples-10th-anniversary-iphone
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Adorable Prince George attends his first day of school

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September 7, 2017

Thomas’s Battersea school in England just saw one of its most famous pupils begin classes. Prince George attended his first day at the school, where alumni…
Adorable Prince George attends his first day of school Thomas’s Battersea school in England just saw one of its most famous pupils begin classes. Prince George attended his first day at the school, where alumni include singer Florence Welch and actress Cara Delevingne.
John Krasinski and Emily Blunt look to cash in on their Brooklyn house Only two years after moving in, John Krasinski and Emily Blunt no longer need their Brooklyn residence. The four-story property is listed for $8 million, according to the Corcoran Group
Lady Gaga looks like an actual monster wearing these outfits Lady Gaga is a style icon, but not all of her out-there outfits have received “Applause” from fashion critics. From her notorious meat dress to her rainbow dreadlocks, the Mother Monster has made a million mistakes on the red carpet.
Mel B’s nanny drama was one of summer’s spiciest scandals Mel B’s divorce from Stephen Belafonte revealed the couple’s scandalous relationship with their nanny, Lorraine Gilles. The alleged details of their sex life, from claims of forced threesomes to reports of unwanted pregnancy, provided summer 2017 with plenty of tabloid fodder.
The eclipse was one of the few bright spots of the summer The solar eclipse was the hero of summer 2017. From Oregon to South Carolina, millions of Americans gathered to witness the rare celestial event, including the Trump family and Sarah Jessica Parker. « Oh my god, this is the most spectacular light I’ve ever seen, » exclaimed the 52-year-old actress on Instagram. « It doesn’t make any sense! »
From Tiger Woods to the Mooch, this summer had its fair share of celebrity hot messes. Shia LaBeouf made a fool out of himself down in Georgia, and who could forget Scott Disick’s infamous hookup in Cannes with « Young and Famous » actress Bella Thorne? Cast your vote now for summer 2017’s biggest winner and loser on Facebook, Twitter, and PageSix.com, #PageSixBestofSummer.
After retweeting a meme that supports a conspiracy theory claiming that the Sandy Hook massacre was fake, actor Scott Baio found himself under some harsh criticism from parents of the victims. In a surprise twist, Baio’s wife entered the fray, calling out one of the mothers for her « ugliness. »
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are this summer’s hottest new couple. Earlier this year, the celebrity duo known as « J-Rod » went on a romantic getaway at the Casa de Campo resort in the Dominican Republic, where they hosted an afterparty for friends and family. J-Rod may be 2017’s sexiest new power couple, but who won the summer? Vote now on Facebook, Twitter, and PageSix.com, #PageSixBestofSummer
Princess Diana is still a style boss 20 years later Diana Spencer, aka the Princess of Wales, is celebrated for her iconic style on the 20th anniversary of her tragic death. Some of her favorite designers included Catherine Walker, Bruce Oldfield, and Elizabeth and David Emanuel, the husband-and-wife team who created her epic wedding dress.
9 VMA looks that hit all the wrong notes The MTV Video Music Awards are a chance for stars to let loose with their fashion. But not all of the looks over the years have been worthy of a Moonman. Some infamous outfits include Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress and Lil Kim’s purple pasty, which Diana Ross couldn’ t resist.

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Disney Describes Streaming Plans, From ‘Star Wars’ to Pay-Per-Sports

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September 7, 2017

All new-release movies made by Walt Disney Studios will be on the movie and TV service, while sports programming may come á la carte.
LOS ANGELES — Disney ’s two planned streaming services took clearer shape on Thursday, as the entertainment giant vowed to bring “Star Wars” and Marvel movies to one and proposed a novel approach to the other: sports á la carte.
“We’ re going to launch big, and we’ re going to launch hot, ” Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive, said at a Bank of America Merrill Lynch conference in New York.
Last month, Disney said that it would build two Netflix-style services to address structural challenges to its vast television businesses — namely that more consumers, particularly younger ones, are foregoing pricey cable subscriptions. At the time, Disney said one streaming service would focus on sports programming from ESPN and the other would offer movies and television shows, but did not divulge much beyond that.
On Thursday, Mr. Iger said that the company’s Hollywood-oriented service would be introduced in “late 2019” and would include all new-release movies made by Walt Disney Studios, which includes Disney’s core film factory as well as Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm. That means the “Star Wars” and Marvel movies will eventually leave Netflix, which has been paying Disney handsomely for streaming rights.
Also available on Disney’s entertainment service will be older films from its vaunted library, which includes more than 400 titles.
Mr. Iger said Disney is also working on five original, live-action, Disney-branded movies that will be delivered exclusively through the service. Additionally, it will offer a handful of original Disney-branded shows, several original TV movies, recent seasons of Disney Channel hits and 7,000 episodes of older shows.
The service will also roll out overseas.
“A very, very rich treasure trove” is how Mr. Iger described the offerings. He declined to say how much subscriptions would cost.
The ESPN service will arrive sooner — “sometime this spring, ” Mr. Iger said — and include, as previously disclosed, thousands of events not currently shown on ESPN, including hockey, baseball, tennis, college sports. But Mr. Iger said that Disney is hoping to provide a different buying model, at least eventually. Rather than charging one price for subscriptions, Disney’s sports service may allow users granular control over what they pay to watch — “a season, a league, maybe a conference, ” Mr. Iger said.
“Think about iTunes, ” he hinted.
Disney also used the investor conference to set earnings expectations for its 2017 fiscal year, which will conclude in a few weeks. Mr. Iger said that earnings per share would be “roughly in line” with results for 2016, when it had per-share profit of $5.72. Higher costs related to a new N. B. A. programming deal and the lack of a major “Star Wars” movie will contribute to Disney’s flat 2017 results. Mr. Iger also said that Disney will feel some financial effects from Hurricane Irma, which has disrupted Disney Cruise itineraries.
Disney shares fell 4 percent after his remarks, to about $97.51 in midday trading. Contributing to the sell-off may have been a warning from Comcast at the same conference: Matt Strauss, a Comcast executive vice president, said his company expected to lose 100,000 to 150,000 subscribers in the third quarter. Analysts had expected a gain. Comcast shares traded down 7 percent, to roughly $38.26.

© Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/business/media/disney-streaming-services.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
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Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter stepping down after 25 years

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September 7, 2017

Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fair since 1992, is finally walking away from what might be the highest-profile gig in magazine publis…
Here’s what’s new and interesting in entertainment and the arts:
Graydon Carter, editor of Vanity Fair since 1992, is finally walking away from what might be the highest-profile gig in magazine publishing.
He will leave by the end of the year, the magazine announced Thursday.
“I’ ve loved every moment of my time here and I’ ve pretty much accomplished everything I’ ve ever wanted to do …, ” Carter said in a statement. « We built a magazine with sophistication, wit, and an international outlook, on a bedrock of solid journalism. »
Under Carter, the magazine’s efforts have included topics as diverse as a 2005 exclusive in which Mark Felt revealed himself to be « Deep Throat » and 2015’s Caitlyn Jenner cover story, which included her first post-transition photo spread.
« The Grexit is upon us, » David Kamp said in a Vanity Fair essay noting the departure, which comes just months after Carter hit 25 years on the job.
The 68-year-old Spy magazine co-founder replaced Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown after the latter went to edit the New Yorker in 1992. Carter had been at the helm of the New York Observer for a year before he made the jump.
Since then, the magazine has in large part been crafted in his image — or at least in the image of his interests.
« I want to leave while it’s in vibrant shape, both in the digital realm and the print realm, » Carter told the New York Times in an interview conducted a day before his exit strategy went public. « And I wanted to have a third act — and I thought, time is precious. »
He told his staff on Thursday, the paper said, and will give publisher Condé Nast suggestions on who might replace him.
Carter told the paper he will spend the next six months at a rented home in Provence. The paper listed Adam Moss of New York magazine and Janice Min of the Hollywood Reporter as talked-about contenders to replace him.
The Canadian native moved to the U. S. in 1987 and became a citizen in 2000. In the Vanity Fair job he has been, according to Kamp, « an impresario as much as an editor, a job description he essentially created. » Indeed, his Oscars after-party has been one of the most sought-after tickets associated with the Academy Awards each year.
The man who notoriously tagged Donald Trump as a « short-fingered vulgarian » years before the real estate developer became president also caused a buzz earlier this year when he yanked Vanity Fair’s involvement in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as well as its sponsorship of an exclusive after-party.
And as for next year’s Oscar party? Will Carter attend?
« You don’ t really need me there, » he told the New York Times. « I’m like a glorified maître d’. »

© Source: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-vanity-fair-editor-graydon-carter-1504803048-htmlstory.html
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Rzecznik prezydenta: Pogłoski o mojej dymisji są przesadzone. To burza w szklance wody

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September 7, 2017

Rzecznik prezydenta Andrzeja Dudy Krzysztof Łapiński skomentował na antenie Polsat News sugestie dotyczące jego dymisji. Do sprawy odniósł się również…
– Trawestując słowa Marka Twaina, pogłoski o mojej dymisji są przesadzone. Są telefony, więc dzisiaj rozmawiałem z prezydentem, który jest w Kazachstanie. Prezydent nie przewiduje żadnych zmian w kancelarii. To zresztą chyba trochę burza w szklance wody – powiedział w rozmowie z Polsat News rzecznik prezydenta Andrzeja Dudy Krzysztof Łapiński dodając, że „słyszał dzisiaj słowa przewodniczącego klubu Ryszarda Terleckiego, który pewną sytuację zdiagnozował w taki sam sposób, jak on”. – Nie wiem dlaczego miałbym podawać się do dymisji czy jest oczekiwana dymisja – dodał Łapiński.
„Łapiński bardzo dobrze wypełnia swoje zadania”
O sprawie rzecznika prezydenta wypowiedział się także wiceszef Kancelarii Prezydenta Paweł Mucha, który na antenie Polskiego Radia 24 zaznaczył, że „Łapiński bardzo dobrze wypełnia swoje zadania i sprawnie realizuje swoje obowiązki” . – Nie przypuszczam, nie spodziewam się i wiem, że dzisiaj politycy PiS dementowali tego rodzaju informacje, mówiąc, że są w pełni świadomi, że to prezydent decyduje o składzie osobowym, jeżeli chodzi o pracowników Kancelarii Prezydenta – mówił Mucha zapytano o to, czy znane mu jest jakiekolwiek stanowisko PiS dotyczące ewentualnej dymisji Łapińskiego.
– Tak, jak w przypadku każdego z ministrów prezydenckich, oceny dokonuje prezydent i tak, jak nas powołał, jest w dowolnym momencie umocowany, żeby nas odwołać. Mamy świadomość tego, że to są decyzje prezydenta jaki zespół współpracowników z nim współdziała. Ja mam opinię pozytywną, jeżeli chodzi o skład osobowy tego zespołu. Mam takie pełne przekonanie, że jest to zespół, który współdziała w realizacji tych przedsięwzięć, które są przed nami – podkreślił Paweł Mucha.
„Ja gdybym był szefem pana rzecznika zwolniłbym go z pracy”
Rzecznik prezydenta Krzysztof Łapiński zapytany, czy Andrzej Duda zażądał od premier Beaty Szydło dymisji szefa MON Antoniego Macierewicza stwierdził, że „jeśli prezydent miałby takie oczekiwania co do zmian w składzie Rady Ministrów, to na pewno by je wyraził prezesowi PiS”. Te słowa ostro skomentował m.in. marszałek Senatu Stanisław Karczewski – Świadczy to albo o nieznajomości przepisów, niekompetencji, albo po prostu o złym wychowaniu. Ja gdybym był szefem pana rzecznika zwolniłbym go z pracy. (…) Przecież wie, jakie są uwarunkowania prawne i z kim pan prezydent rozmawiałby, z kim będzie rozmawiał, jeśli będzie chciał na ten temat rozmawiać. (…) Ja osobiście gdybym miał takiego rzecznika to bym zmienił – stwierdził marszałek. O słowa rzecznika prezydenta pytany był także wiceminister sprawiedliwości Patryk Jaki. – W stosunku do Krzysztofa Łapińskiego powiem tak: to nie jest pierwszy raz. Kiedyś zastosował zaczepkę wobec nas i to taką bardzo mało elegancką. Mógłbym mu doradzić to, co Bronisław Komorowski. Żeby wziął kredyt, zmienił pracę. Widać, że potrzebuje odpoczynku – stwierdził.

© Source: https://www.wprost.pl/kraj/10074516/Rzecznik-prezydenta-Pogloski-o-mojej-dymisji-sa-przesadzone-To-burza-w-szklance-wody.html
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Eminem-produced rap movie to screen at Toronto International Film Festival

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September 7, 2017

The comedy ‘Bodied’ is from director who helmed Eminem’s ‘Without You’ video
His name is what? His name is Eminem, movie producer. The Detroit icon is a producer of a rap comedy that’s stirring much interest at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
« Bodied » debuts tonight at the Midnight Madness program of the Toronto event, which opens the same day and draws entertainment writers, movie critics, producers and distributors from around the globe.
It’s another rap battle film foray for Eminem, who made his acclaimed film acting debut in 2002’s rap battle-themed « 8 Mile. »
The film made the Hollywood Reporter’s Toronto hot list t his week of movies that will appeal to the movie market. It’s directed by Joseph Kahn, a Grammy-winning music video director who’s helmed titles like « Without Me » for Eminem, « Say My Name » for Destiny’s Child and most recently Taylor Swift’s buzz-worthy « Look What You Made Me Do, » among others.
Eminem is one of the producers, along with his longtime manager Paul Rosenberg (recently named CEO of Def Jam Recordings) . Jil Hardin, a producer of several Swift videos, and Adi Shankar, an executive producer of the Detroit-filmed « Machine Gun Preacher, » also are on board as producers.
The movie stars Calum Worthy (Disney’s « Austin & Ally » series) , Debra Wilson (« Mad TV ») , veteran actor Anthony Michael Hall of « The Breakfast Club » fame and several real-life battle rappers. It’s described as a satire about race relations centering on a white graduate student’s introduction to performing in the world of rap battles, which is sparked by his thesis topic.
Already, the movie is being talked about as a potential stirrer of controversy. « Every racist, misogynist and homophobic insult gets lobbed around like grenades in “Bodied” — along with winking pop culture zingers and heady references to tomes like “The Brothers Karamazov” — which Kahn financed himself and is shopping to distributors in Toronto… » writes the Los Angeles Times.
This is the first feature film producing credit for Eminem, who’s executive produced several projects including his own documentaries and the « Detroit Rubber » TV series. Traditionally, producers are more directly involved with productions than executive producers, which often is the title used for investors, deal-makers or honorary participants.
A few hours in advance of the screening, Toronto rapper Alex Larsen (Kid Twist) , who co-wrote the script with Kahn, is scheduled to promote the movie with an appearance at an « epic showdown » with battle rapper Madness, according to the Toronto festival.
Contact Julie Hinds: 313-222-6427 or jhinds@freepress.com.

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Few Cities Could Accommodate Amazon's New Headquarters

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September 7, 2017

Six viable candidates, and five could be eliminated by politics.
Which cities will lead the economy of tomorrow? And who will decide? Often it’s an amorphous mass of companies and people over time, drifting to where land is cheap and weather is warm. Sometimes it’s one company, choosing in one moment. Like now, when Amazon decides where to locate its second corporate headquarters.
The scale of Amazon.com Inc.’s undertaking — over time, needing up to 8 million square feet of office space and 50,000 well-paid employees — is unlike anything seen in recent memory. The only thing comparable would be cities bidding for the Summer Olympics. Amazon’s Request for Proposal narrows the list significantly in terms of the number of cities realistically able to bid for such a project.
First, the labor force needs for the headquarters dramatically shrink the number of metro areas able to bid. Amazon says it’s considering metro areas of a million or more, but realistically to provide 50,000 employees a metro area is going to need to be significantly larger than that.
Consider a place like Pittsburgh. Its metro area is 2.35 million people, and its labor force is 1.2 million. But the size of its labor force hasn’t grown in 25 years. Even with the talent its well-respected universities produce… is Amazon, a company that thinks of growth in terms of decades, going to locate a headquarters in a place where it might have to hire over 4 percent of the metro area’s labor force with uncertainty over whether that labor force will ever grow?
The next factor that will reduce the list of possibilities is the need for a suitable international airport. It’s hard to say what exactly constitutes an international airport — you can fly from Hartford, Connecticut, to Canada — but as with everything Amazon does, higher volumes or higher capacity will probably be seen as more favorable. The list of most-trafficked international airports is full of the usual suspects — large coastal cities and major airline hubs. One additional factor to consider is that the airlines with the highest market share in Amazon’s hometown of Seattle are Alaska Airlines, which serves primarily West Coast destinations, and Delta Air Lines, which is based in Atlanta.
Once you’ve winnowed the list to large metropolitan areas with robust international airports, other considerations come into play. Amazon says « a highly educated labor force is critical and a strong university system is required. » Would that take cities like Dallas and Charlotte out of consideration, or would being a couple hours from highly respected universities be good enough?
Costs are stated as an important factor as well. It’s « easy » to identify large metro areas with robust airports and deep, educated talent pools, but those tend to be tremendously expensive. Being in Seattle, Amazon surely sees how much being based in Seattle, which is cheaper than the San Francisco Bay Area, helps with recruiting. It might make sense for an expansion of five thousand employees, but will Amazon really try to hire 50,000 employees in a metro like Vancouver, San Francisco, Toronto, Boston, New York or Washington — an area that’s already expensive?
Tax incentives play a role too. To some extent this is a question of « who wants it the most. » For all other considerations, Chicago would be an attractive destination. But the city and state are broke. Are Chicago and Illinois willing to offer billions of dollars in tax incentives, trying to compete with younger, « hungrier » Sun Belt metros? And Chicago’s another metro area with no clear prospects for labor force growth, even if its existing talent base is large and deep.
There are some softer cultural factors that are difficult to quantify as well. Will flirtations with anti-gay laws under a guise of « religious liberty » (and anti-trans « bathroom bills ») hurt the causes of the large metro areas in North Carolina, Georgia and Texas? Will Toronto’s case be helped or hurt by the political environment under President Donald Trump? (After all, he has waged a personal war against Amazon.) Will Washington’s case be strengthened by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s purchase of the Washington Post? Will geographic diversity — perhaps a place in a time zone other than Pacific — be seen as attractive?
This is the Olympics of corporate relocations. The winning city will be able to offer a large metro area, a deep and educated talent pool with a strong local university system, a robust international airport, sufficient highway and transit infrastructure, a reasonable cost of living, a welcoming culture, a business-friendly environment, likely eye-popping tax incentives, and a local business and political community able to work together to make a convincing pitch.
By my tally, the options are: Toronto, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, Dallas or Denver.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
To contact the author of this story: Conor Sen at csen9@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Philip Gray at philipgray@bloomberg.net

Amazon opens bidding to cities for $5 billion 'HQ2', a second headquarters

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September 7, 2017

Amazon.com Inc (AMZN. O) said on Thursday it would build a $5 billion second headquarters in North America, kicking off a competition between cities and states to offer tax cuts and incentives that could bring 50,000 new jobs.
FILE PHOTO: An Amazon.com Inc driver stands next to an Amazon delivery truck in Los Angeles, California, U. S. on May 21,2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo – RC117144E570
(Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc (AMZN. O) said on Thursday it would build a $5 billion second headquarters in North America, kicking off a competition between cities and states to offer tax cuts and incentives that could bring 50,000 new jobs.
The largest e-commerce company said it intended to create “HQ2”, a headquarters that would be a “full equal” to its Seattle office, Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in a statement. The company wants a city of more than a million people with an international airport, good education and mass transit.
It also wants subsidies. Incentives from land to fee cuts to relocation packages will be a major part of the decision, Amazon said, and local governments have shown they will go to great lengths to secure jobs and investment. In return, it promised up to 50,000 jobs averaging more than $100,000 in annual compensation over the next 10 to 15 years.
Wisconsin’s legislature recently voted to give Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn a $3-billion incentive package to build a $10-billion liquid crystal display factory in the state, for example.
Cities and states immediately began expressing interest. Dallas has already contacted Amazon, Mayor Michael Rawlings said, and Kentucky plans to submit a formal bid. Houston is interested and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has made a case for his city in discussions with Bezos, a Chicago spokesman said. Toronto’s mayor John Tory called the Canadian city a “prime candidate.”
Amazon’s investment plan gives it new leverage with politicians at a time when it has been criticized for its effect on bricks-and-mortar retailers. President Donald Trump has criticized the company as doing “great damage”, costing jobs in cities and states. The Wisconsin Foxconn factory will be in the home district of Paul Ryan, Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives.
Amazon said it was seeking proposals by Oct. 19 and would select the location next year.
More than 50 cities have the 1-million population Amazon targets. Likely contenders could include U. S. Midwest states, where Amazon has many of its warehouses; Texas, which is the base of the Whole Foods Market grocery chain it acquired this year; and other business-friendly states.
Amazon has been awarded more than $1 billion in state and local subsidies since 2000, according to estimates by watchdog Good Jobs First, which collects information on state subsidies from government filings, academics and news reports. Texas leads the way with the value of subsidies to Amazon, followed by Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio, it said.
“Amazon’s business model changed from avoiding state sales tax collections to seeking economic development incentives, ” said Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First.
LeRoy, who has written critically of Amazon, said the reality of moving a headquarters has more to do with the executive talent pool, the amenities, schools, housing stock and quality of life, rather than municipal finance incentives.
Amazon’s shares were up 1.2 percent at $979.61 on Thursday.
Amazon pointed to its expansion in Seattle as a sign of what it could do. The company, which began as a bookseller, has grown into the internet’s biggest retailer, built an award-winning movie studio, and has expanded around the world. Its workforce has exploded to more than 380,000 from under 25,000 since it moved to downtown Seattle in 2010, as it rapidly expanded to become a global retailer – selling everything from groceries to appliances.
The company’s total revenue has grown to $136 billion at the end of last year, from $34 billion in 2010. Amazon recently snatched up Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion.
The “HQ2” project would initially need more than 500,000 square feet and up to 8 million square feet beyond 2027, Amazon said.
“We want to find a city that is excited to work with us and where our customers, employees, and the community can all benefit, ” Amazon said. Its Seattle campus spreads across 8.1 million square feet in 33 buildings and employs more than 40,000 people.
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said his office immediately began conversations with Amazon about the company’s needs and its long-term plans for operations in the city. “But, we also must know headwinds are coming. Unprecedented growth will not happen forever and my upcoming budget will reflect that.”
Incentives for Amazon’s new headquarters could make sense as a long-term investment that could change the image of a metropolitan area, said Michael Mandel, chief economic strategist for the Progressive Policy Institute, a liberal think tank.
“The question is, how much of a tax break would you have given to have Apple set up shop in your state? It’s not so much the jobs as becoming a focal point for growth. No one can put a price tag on that.”
One gripe among corporate watchdogs is the amount of actual state and local income taxes companies pay.
For instance, according to data from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) , between 2008 and 2015, there were 240 profitable companies among the Fortune 500 that fully disclosed their state and local income tax payments. They paid state income taxes equal to less than 2.9 percent of their U. S. profits.
“Since the average statutory state corporate tax rate is about 6.25 percent (weighted by gross state product) , that means that over this period, more than half of their profits escaped state taxes entirely, ” ITEP reported in April.

© Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-headquarters/amazon-opens-bidding-to-cities-for-5-billion-hq2-a-second-headquarters-idUSKCN1BI1DM?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtechnologyNews+%28Reuters+Technology+News%29
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Kevin Gallo is hosting another Windows Community Standup

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September 7, 2017

Microsoft today announced that on September 14, Kevin Gallo will be hosting another Windows Community Standup to discuss the SDK in the Fall Creators Update, what’s coming at Ignite, and more.
Microsoft today announced that next Thursday on September 14, Kevin Gallo will be hosting another Windows Community Standup with Seth Juarez. You might recall that the last time one of these events was held, Gallo announced that the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update was ‘platform-complete’, meaning that all of the core features were already included and there were no more to be added. In other words, if you care about the development side of Windows, you probably don’t want to miss this.
This one will also focus on the SDK for the Fall Creators Update (FCU) , although now it’s actually pretty close to completion. The latest SDK Preview to be released is build 16278, but with the Windows 10 FCU coming next month, it seems likely that a finalized version of the SDK could be in tow.
Other things that will be discussed during the live-stream is what’s coming up at Microsoft’s Ignite 2017 conference, which will be taking place later on this month in Orlando. As always though, there will be lots of programming demos.
You can catch the Community Standup on Channel 9 on September 14 at 9: 30am PT.

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