|
Baronjutter posted:It's the same problem with Vancouver's booming robust amazing tech scene. Almost none of it are local companies, it's all basically "branch plants" for companies from Seattle or SF who get enticed with some tax breaks or what ever, get some really lovely low skill work done, and then shut it all down the moment the benefits dry up or they need to downsize. The workers are all viewed as temps. It doesn't create a healthy economy. Plus the workers know they're all getting fired at the end of the project so they desperately slave and politic to hope they'll be one of the lucky few to be invited back to Seattle, you know, for a real job. The two biggest problems are access to capital and access to markets for new Canadian companies. The first is simple. Canadian banks, while large in the domestic sense are mid sized globally and are not geared towards venture capital. They don't want to look at you unless you either very small (small business banking is quite lucrative) or large. And they want nothing to do with purely speculative endeavours. Want to open a store? RBC has cash. Want to invest in a tech startup? GTFO. They also don't have problems lending to large business with actual revenue because they're fairly sure to get paid back. In this sense Canadian banks are far to conservative. But on the flip side Canada lacks good venture capitalists. Most are drawn to the states where they have access to far larger amounts of money. And most US venture capitalists didn't really want to deal with a foreign startup. They don't want to deal with cross border legal issues, it's not with it. So once a business in Canada gets to be more the a small time operation they start to have a very hard time getting capital to grow. The next part of this is market access. If a Canadian company gets lucky and lives through the transition from a small to medium size company they're going to run into a problem. Companies always grow at home before going abroad. Canadian companies can only grow so large before having to look abroad because of Canada's small domestic market. This leaves the in a very poor position to expand abroad because they have to fight foreign domestic companies that may in fact be larger than the Canadian company in foreign soil. Coupled with regulatory protectionism in the target foreign market it becomes nearly impossible for the company to break out do the domestic trap. This is one reason government try to do regulatory harmonization. It helps to lower this barrier. But the ultimate problem for Canada in this is that nearly all of our major trading partners are larger than us by an order of magnitude. This makes it drat near impossible for Canadian companies to expand when their new foreign competition has an existing market ten times our size to start with.
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2014 21:25
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 26, 2024 09:25 |
|
|
^ They're anathema in D&D, but it sounds like you just made a compelling argument in favour of free trade agreements.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2014 21:51
|
|
|
Except for the part where he mentions that if you're the smaller country a free trade agreement will usually see their companies moving into your market and edging out your domestics while you still have no hopes of expanding into theirs even without barriers. Free Trade agreements seem like a total shaft to smaller economies. They only seem like a good idea when the countries are more evenly sized. Of course little countries get pushed into free trade agreements not because its in their self interests, but because the larger countries around them have enough of a power imbalance to push for treaties that serve their interests. The big will always gobble up or edge out the small, not because they make a better product at a better price but because they have a larger war chest and a larger country behind them.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2014 22:01
|
|
|
Baronjutter posted:Of course little countries get pushed into free trade agreements not because its in their self interests, but because the larger countries around them have enough of a power imbalance to push for treaties that serve their interests. The big will always gobble up or edge out the small, not because they make a better product at a better price but because they have a larger war chest and a larger country behind them.
|
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2014 22:06
|
|
|
Actually, in a purely theoretical sense, a true free trade agreement is the solution. What Canada has are not free trade agreements, they're trade agreements, nothing free about them. Batonjutter is right, our larger trade partners foist unfair rules on Canada that favour their own companies and then call them "free trade". However much an actual free trade agreement might help, we're never going to get one because established interests on both sides of the border would object too much, some for good reasons (some environmental objections) while others for lovely reasons (regulatory protectionism). Edit: on difference between internal European free trade and say US/Canada free trade is that the agreements in Europe are far closer to actual free trade than North America. Included in the European agreementsor at least along with them is a great deal of regulatory and legal harmonization along with freer movement of people and better dispute resolution mechanisms. Couple with all that is that while smaller European states are quite a bit smaller than the large European countries, there are a larger number of them that can form an bloc to push their interests internally against unfair rules. Such a setup doesn't exist between the US and Canada. Gorau fucked around with this message at 22:15 on Nov 12, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 12, 2014 22:09
|
|
|
Gorau posted:The two biggest problems are access to capital and access to markets for new Canadian companies. The first is simple. Canadian banks, while large in the domestic sense are mid sized globally and are not geared towards venture capital. They don't want to look at you unless you either very small (small business banking is quite lucrative) or large. And they want nothing to do with purely speculative endeavours. Want to open a store? RBC has cash. Want to invest in a tech startup? GTFO. They also don't have problems lending to large business with actual revenue because they're fairly sure to get paid back. In this sense Canadian banks are far to conservative. But on the flip side Canada lacks good venture capitalists. It's a similar problem to italian companies, the whole culture plus practical problems like access to good capital funding makes it hard to transition from small cap to large cap/local customers to global customers. etalian fucked around with this message at 00:28 on Nov 13, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 00:20
|
|
|
swagger like us posted:I had big reservations about switching to a polytechnic, because I thought I was switching from some "prestigious" institution of academia to downgrade to the DeVry institute or Sprott-Shaw community college. In reality, most of the "prestigious" institutions are just bullshit branding used for the University to secure funding. Even then, not always.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 01:39
|
|
|
quote:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/ghost-tower-warning-for-docklands-after-data-reveals-high-melbourne-home-vacancies-20141111-11kkxz.html
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 02:04
|
|
|
Pixelboy posted:Unless you're planning on doing graduate work, nobody cares. Nobody. Higher ed is effectively commoditized at this point. I almost completely agree with you except for the fact that I don't think my university experience would have been quite as amazing if I'd gone to UNBC or something. I think I probably learned just as much as a UNBC grad but I don't think I would have made as many friends with diverse backgrounds.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 03:49
|
|
|
Frankly, my experience at a less prestigious university was way better than at the more prestigious university. The course selection at U of C was better, most professors were as good or better (excluding a few absolutely amazing professors I had at McGill), and I found the atmosphere was friendlier. I think what makes a good university experience (including all aspects, including the education you receive) is so dependant on what you're doing, when you attend, and what kind of person you are, that it's non-sensical to think they can be rated in any sense that would be meaningful to prospective students.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 04:15
|
|
|
that's because u of c had way more bulldogging rigth
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 04:21
|
|
|
Cultural Imperial posted:that's because u of c had way more bulldogging rigth Nope, and the vast majority of rodeo season occurs during summer anyway in Canada so that wasn't an issue either.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 04:29
|
|
|
Pixelboy posted:Unless you're planning on doing graduate work, nobody cares. Nobody. Higher ed is effectively commoditized at this point. Cultural Imperial posted:I almost completely agree with you except for the fact that I don't think my university experience would have been quite as amazing if I'd gone to UNBC or something. I think I probably learned just as much as a UNBC grad but I don't think I would have made as many friends with diverse backgrounds. You're going to have a harder time getting into one of the really high paying careers if you don't go to a good school (finance, consulting, tech, medicine, etc), both for signaling/recruiting reasons and because you can't take the same courses. For example if I wanted to work at Facebook/Google straight out of undergrad I'd be taking a ton of advanced courses in algorithms/ML/stats and that's not an option if you go to e.g. UNBC.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 04:47
|
|
|
blah_blah posted:You're going to have a harder time getting into one of the really high paying careers if you don't go to a good school (finance, consulting, tech, medicine, etc), both for signaling/recruiting reasons and because you can't take the same courses. For example if I wanted to work at Facebook/Google straight out of undergrad I'd be taking a ton of advanced courses in algorithms/ML/stats and that's not an option if you go to e.g. UNBC. I also think you're right. On the other hand, having studied in the UK, I really think that Canada's undergrad university system it probably the best in the world on average. Excluding dumb poo poo like kwantlen/douglas daycare/langara/royal lols/algonquin. Punch every motherfucker with an MBA from royal roads in the face.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 04:53
|
|
|
blah_blah posted:You're going to have a harder time getting into one of the really high paying careers if you don't go to a good school (finance, consulting, tech, medicine, etc), both for signaling/recruiting reasons and because you can't take the same courses. For example if I wanted to work at Facebook/Google straight out of undergrad I'd be taking a ton of advanced courses in algorithms/ML/stats and that's not an option if you go to e.g. UNBC. You'd think this, but I'm not absolutely certain this is the case. McGill, for example, didn't have any courses on user experience design, which is something that, frankly, anyone in software design above "code monkey" would benefit from having a working knowledge of. I think some universities, including McGill, are coasting on an undeserved reputation that comes from a huge amount of history (and some amazing research performed anywhere from several decades to several centuries ago).
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 05:04
|
|
|
PT6A posted:You'd think this, but I'm not absolutely certain this is the case. McGill, for example, didn't have any courses on user experience design, which is something that, frankly, anyone in software design above "code monkey" would benefit from having a working knowledge of. I think some universities, including McGill, are coasting on an undeserved reputation that comes from a huge amount of history (and some amazing research performed anywhere from several decades to several centuries ago). makes me someone happier that the SFU UI/UE course is a third year one
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 05:09
|
|
|
Were you in some sort of remedial program at mcgill? Or is UX one of those fuckin new fangled bullshit courses the invent at vancouver film school DIGITAL MEDIA?
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 05:13
|
|
|
I don't think it should be news to anyone that bullshit global university rankings have little to no bearing on whether a particular undergrad program at a given university is actually any good. Also not a surprise, many top research universities not giving a poo poo about undergrad education in general.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 05:19
|
|
|
blah_blah posted:You're going to have a harder time getting into one of the really high paying careers if you don't go to a good school (finance, consulting, tech, medicine, etc), both for signaling/recruiting reasons and because you can't take the same courses. For example if I wanted to work at Facebook/Google straight out of undergrad I'd be taking a ton of advanced courses in algorithms/ML/stats and that's not an option if you go to e.g. UNBC. Agree. However, I think some people think there's a corollary that this means it's a good idea to study Russian Women's Poetry or whatever so long as they do so at a top tier school. Which is obviously not the case, and getting less true by the year.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 05:37
|
|
|
Lexicon posted:Agree. However, I think some people think there's a corollary that this means it's a good idea to study Russian Women's Poetry or whatever so long as they do so at a top tier school. Which is obviously not the case, and getting less true by the year. Yo, a top tier school like Oxford isn't going to offer any courses on Russian Women's Poetry. They call that "russian". Just like waterloo makes you get your computer science degree through the math department. One of my nightmares is my kid telling me he wants to get a bachelor's degree in 'law enforcement' or some bullshit from capilano UNIVERSITY
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 05:51
|
|
|
Cultural Imperial posted:Were you in some sort of remedial program at mcgill? Or is UX one of those fuckin new fangled bullshit courses the invent at vancouver film school DIGITAL MEDIA? No, it's an area of active research in computer science and basically includes everything from the development of the first mouse to how to make touch screens more usable and intuitive. You could argue that it has more in common with engineering than CS, but it's a fine line. As usual, you're just an under-informed, abrasive oval office.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:09
|
|
|
PT6A posted:No, it's an area of active research in computer science and basically includes everything from the development of the first mouse to how to make touch screens more usable and intuitive. You could argue that it has more in common with engineering than CS, but it's a fine line. Nah. You're just a loving moron. Cooperstock was teaching HCI even back when I was in undergrad. So go gently caress yourself you big meanie.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:14
|
|
|
blah_blah posted:You're going to have a harder time getting into one of the really high paying careers if you don't go to a good school (finance, consulting, tech, medicine, etc), both for signaling/recruiting reasons and because you can't take the same courses. For example if I wanted to work at Facebook/Google straight out of undergrad I'd be taking a ton of advanced courses in algorithms/ML/stats and that's not an option if you go to e.g. UNBC. Protip: If that's your career track, MOST schools in Canada are irrelevant.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:16
|
|
|
Cultural Imperial posted:Nah. You're just a loving moron. Cooperstock was teaching HCI even back when I was in undergrad. So go gently caress yourself you big meanie. Not at McGill he wasn't, that's my point! Whether you want to call it HCI or UX doesn't make a whole bunch of difference, it's a fairly meaningless distinction at this point.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:30
|
|
|
Oh my god, UBC. Why. http://ubcinsiders.ca/2014/11/ubc-peddles-non-refundable-master-degrees-to-naive-high-schoolers
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:33
|
|
|
Canada Housing Bubble: Same old story, so we might as well grouse about the universities for a while
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:35
|
|
|
PT6A posted:Not at McGill he wasn't, that's my point! Whether you want to call it HCI or UX doesn't make a whole bunch of difference, it's a fairly meaningless distinction at this point. just shut up idiot
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:40
|
|
|
Lexicon posted:Oh my god, UBC. Why. Well, I suppose it makes sense that this is coming out of the business school. Sounds like a great moneymaker for them. Lesson one should be: now that we have your money, let's examine what a horrible choice you've made!
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:41
|
|
|
Pixelboy posted:Protip: If that's your career track, MOST schools in Canada are irrelevant. I mean, I agree with that, but I think that demonstrates that there are other legitimate reasons for going to a 'better' school beyond doing graduate work. The example I gave was mostly because that's the field I'm in, but e.g. if you want to go to a top consulting firm right out of undergrad, you might have a chance if you went to UBC or McGill or Toronto and you're really good. If you went to one of the 'universities' that CI was making fun of, you don't. Not every undergrad takes the simplest possible courses required to successfully complete their degree.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 06:42
|
|
|
Dumb fucks justify Vancouver's inflated housing market with the following memes: 1) they're not making any more land 2) everyone wants to move here 3) best place on earth 4) rich mainland chinese investors and other dumb loving exogenous myths Check out what happens when a government says lol gently caress you this is dumb http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...64b581fe9fdf31a quote:Singapore’s housing market may face “fire sales” with mortgage defaults as the government’s property curbs hurt home sales and prices, the city-state’s second-biggest developer said.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 07:48
|
|
|
.
melon cat fucked around with this message at 04:39 on Mar 16, 2019 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 16:08
|
|
|
@BenRabidoux's Tweet: https://twitter.com/BenRabidoux/status/532916032596606976?s=09quote:
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 16:33
|
|
|
Cultural Imperial posted:@BenRabidoux's Tweet: https://twitter.com/BenRabidoux/status/532916032596606976?s=09 The beginning of the end?
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 16:38
|
|
|
Jumpingmanjim posted:The beginning of the end? It's too early to tell. On the other hand Calgary's market was the hottest in Canada.
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 17:11
|
|
|
just thumbing through @BenRabidoux's feed. A gem from yesterday: https://twitter.com/BenRabidoux/status/532255891861807105 quote:Just got the most tasteless ad from a mortgage brokerage: "Remember that veterans fought for our country and we fight for the best rates"
|
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 18:57
|
|
|
Cultural Imperial posted:It's too early to tell. On the other hand Calgary's market was the hottest in Canada. But then oil prices stabilized in 2008. And since Alberta's oil industry wasn't as hot as it used to be, it depressed the region's home values. A lot of people who bought homes at the peak lost 7-10% of the value of their homes (just pulling that number from my own memory). So there were plenty of people paying mortgages that were valued way above their home's actual value. Then oil prices started climbing again. And here we are today, seeing the exact same thing. I'll never understand why people get all surprised when history repeats itself every ~6 years. An economic cycle is about 6 years. We seem to have very short memories in this country. Jumpingmanjim posted:The beginning of the end? melon cat fucked around with this message at 19:15 on Nov 13, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 19:06
|
|
|
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/video/globe-now/video-globe-now/article21571678/ All glass condos doomed, built to fail. I heard a lot of this in the early 2000's when I was first getting into architecture. "untested" "unknown lifespans" was whispered a lot. Then results started coming in, but who cares the replacement for the windows won't come till long after the developer is done with the building. It's been becoming more and more talked about and been hitting the media more often. The developers know, if you see a developer building a building for rental they don't do glass walls because they plan on owning the building for decades. But the public still loves how they look, anything other than glass walls is seen as lower-end, and developers are fine selling buildings with short lifespans to idiot canadian condo buyers. Baronjutter fucked around with this message at 23:27 on Nov 13, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 23:24
|
|
|
.
melon cat fucked around with this message at 04:38 on Mar 16, 2019 |
|
#
?
Nov 13, 2014 23:35
|
|
|
ascendance posted:see, they actually did some serious investigation into the Mafia in Montreal and this poo poo came out. The who?
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2014 00:29
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 26, 2024 09:25 |
|
|
I fervently hope that the "leaky condo crisis 2.0" becomes a "condo towers spontaneously collapsing crisis. Maybe we'll wise up after such a debacle. Nahhhh. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 14, 2014 00:39
|
|
