Amazon Second Headquarters

Amazon announced Monday that 238 North American cities have applied to host the Internet giant's second headquarters. However, Amazon did not disclose the list of cities that participated.

The global online distribution giant could invest more than 5 billion USD in the construction of this new site, which is expected to cover an area of 8 million square feet and which should generate up to 50,000 jobs.

Amazon, which requires a low tax rate, as well as incentives for labor and land to settle, will announce its choice next year.

To increase its chances of success, Toronto has submitted a regional application. Toronto Global has proposed a dozen sites that meet Amazon's requirements.

By contrast, unlike other Canadian and US cities, Toronto's bid does not include any financial incentives. Toronto Global President Mark Cohon said it is not necessary. The Bloomberg agency released Friday a portrait of the 10 cities most likely to win the bet, and Toronto was the only Canadian city mentioned.

Hosting Amazon is not the simplest thing in the world. Imagine some 50,000 people coming in with their families, maybe not overnight, but relatively quickly. Imagine the need for housing, schools, care, transport. Imagine the demands of a company that brings so much in exchange.

Just for transport, you need more buses, more trains, as well as more efficient and reliable transportation options. In real estate too, problems arise. to the region would have to find answers right away, not in 10 years. It is necessary, for example, to look at the urban plans according to the place where the company wants to settle to see how to build offices and residential housing in the vicinity.

If you are not able to move quickly, adapt, make decisions, then you are not well positioned to host such an agile company. It's growing so fast. Cities must move faster than ever.

So, yes, the influx of money is important and, yes, the company brings well paid taxpayers to town, but how to make sure that the money will be reinjected into the community for the benefit of all and to finance all the required infrastructure? This will be a tall order for the winning city.

I look forward to reading your comments.

Source:

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/23/amazon-says-it-received-238-proposals-for-companys-second-headquarters-report.html

Reality or Science Fiction?

To avoid being overtaken by start-ups disrupting aviation, Boeing has recently made a series of strategic acquisitions. The latest of these, announced Thursday, is the American company Aurora Flight Sciences, which develops technologies intended to accelerate the advent of autonomous planes.

Aurora, who previously worked with Boeing on commercial and military aircraft prototypes, should allow the aircraft manufacturer to achieve its ambitions to bring to market autonomous planes and drones.

While most modern aircraft already have a multitude of computers and automated systems that dramatically reduce the workload of pilots, Aurora goes further and develops automatic systems that aim to fully automatize flight, from take-off to landing.

The objective is to develop a robot capable, with the help of artificial intelligence, to second or even replace the pilot. He could thus perform various maneuvers such as pressing the pedals, take control in emergency situations, land the plane or avoid a crash in the event of damage or failure.

Aurora is also expected to allow Boeing to venture into the field of flying taxis and catch up with rival Airbus. The latter has been working for some time with Uber, which promised a fleet of flying vehicles flying vertically by 2026.

We can say that the aviation industry is changing. Will the supply chain industry see fully autonomous cargo flights in the next decade? Or will it rather be flying taxis or drones for home deliveries? Both scenarios are very likely, in my opinion.  Reality will soon exceed science fiction. 

What do you think?

Source: https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-buying-drone-maker-aurora-flight-services-1507208375