London Mayor Boris Johnson Asked Apple to Help Build Garden Bridge

[Chupa Chupa]

Publicly-traded companies, by their nature, cannot be major philanthropists. They are expected to return value to their shareholders, not give it away. If you see a company's name on a charitable event sponsors list, chances are it came from the PR budget, as shareholders are far more forgiving of marketing expenditures than they are of giving to a cause they do not personally support.

Philanthropy, for good or bad, belongs to the people who were enriched by the company. Tax laws around the world tend to support that bias (taxing the rich at higher rates than corporations). If someone's name is going to be on that bridge (or a hospital or university building), it'll more likely be an expression of personal vanity than corporate.

Philanthropy doesn't have to be altruistic. What difference does it make if it is or isn't? I'm sure the hungry child, the abused wife, the scholarship winning underprivileged student doesn't care. A patient is the "xyz corporation" wing of a top rated private hospital isn't likely to request transfer to the decrepit city-run hospital downtown because it doesn't have any commercial sponsorships.

Also many Fortune 500 companies do have separate 503(c)(3) charitable foundations that can free operate outside the demands of its parent's corporate structure.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

I think an investigation of Apple's charitable activities wouldn't reflect all that badly on the company. Apple's non-participation in this particular project is not indicative of what the company does overall. The discussion here, as usual, ends up turning on people's beliefs, rather than facts. Apple is either evil, wonderful, or something in between.

There's a theory out there that no behavior is truly altruistic, and it's fairly convincing. A publicly-held corporation, however, will always be constrained in ways that individuals are not. It's management and board of directors is held accountable for each and every expenditure, so extreme generosity must be justifiable to shareholders who may not share the same values. I'm not aware of many shareholder votes successfully authorizing greater-than-average charitable giving, whether the proposal came from the board of directors or via shareholder initiative.

Apple, like most companies of any size, has a charitable matching program. In a sense, it gives the company plausible deniability; "Let the employees decide what charities are worthy." And though companies do form charitable foundations to insulate corporate decision-making from charitable decision-making... it doesn't necessarily mean those companies are any more generous than those who do direct giving.

 

[Morris]

TfL are paying a lot of money towards this bridge, which is one of the reasons this thing is so controversial - it's a vanity project that has pretty questionable value in terms of transport.

e.g.: Cycles won't be allowed on the bridge (London desperately needs better cycle routes, especially crossing the river), and it won't be a public right of way. It may be closed for corporate events, closed at night time, and tickets may be required at peak times.

Still, it's a cool project.

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/...o-be-repaid-over-50-years/8691575.fullarticle

Agreed, it is a cool project and something I wouldn't mind seeing.

However, the main problem is that is a private project, it is operated by a company, not by the city/councils and won't become public space yet they do want to use over £60 million of public money to build this private property. The Londoners who have already paid for the bridge through taxes will then still have to pay an entrance fee because, despite paying for it, it won't be their bridge.

If this bridge receives public money it should serve the public. Instead it mainly serves some private company. The problem is of course that if this was a public project, it wouldn't be built. TfL have dozens of more important things to fund, river crossings for cyclists for instance. At places where there is a big demand to cross the river. Not a vanity project connecting two areas full of millionaires.

Essentially the whole garden bridge project is a scam to funnel public money to private pockets. No wonder this scandal drags on and new dirt is discovered every couple of weeks. I think a few heads will roll before the end of the year.

http://www.theguardian.com/artandde...ure-in-jeopardy-as-judicial-review-is-granted
http://prod.architectsjournal.co.uk...rden-bridge-funding-probe/8688887.fullarticle

 

[routine_analyst]

Reminds me of Cupertino nervously asking Steve Jobs to fund their city wide wifi. His reply: "We are already the highest taxpayer in the city. That is enough."

Dr. Cook will probably reconsider to supplement his rainbow bridge worldwide endeavor.

London Mayor Boris Johnson tried to convince Apple to fund the UK capital's project to build a "Garden Bridge" across the River Thames, as reported by Business Insider.

The report cites an article published today in The Architects' Journal which details how Johnson secretly travelled to California in early 2013 to meet Apple executives and pitch the ambitious project, before he had received official backing for the scheme from his office.

Proposed design for Garden Bridge over the River Thames (Image: Arup)​

Apple is well known for its intense interest in architectural design and its close attention to detail when planning and building its retail stores. However, it has little history of funding projects unrelated to its technology business, making Johnson's attempts to woo the company seem ill-judged.

In a statement given to The Architect's Journal, the London Mayor's office confirmed a meeting indeed took place with Apple to discuss "investment opportunities in London." However, Apple informed the publication that the company has "no involvement in this bridge project and is not considering getting involved."

Article Link: London Mayor Boris Johnson Asked Apple to Help Build Garden Bridge

 

[gavroche]

In other news, Samsung has opened a bridge building design team... more details to follow...

 

[Bubba Satori]

View attachment 613196

I can only imagine what a bridge designed by Apple might look like.

It would be very thin only allowing single file passage.
You need to buy iShoes to walk across it.
The bridge has to be dismantled and shipped to Cupertino for maintenance.
The bridge is painted rose gold.
You have to use Apple Pay to cross.
It costs 50 pounds to cross.
The bridge has endlessly looping U2 music.

 

[iZac]

Nah, Apple wouldn't care because it was designed by Hetherwick, not Fosters.

It's funny how this thread immediately became about peoples views on Bumbling Boris, but since we're all civil Brits, Macrumours don't have to dump it into the "politics and religion" forum.

There's a project in Liverpool to convert a disused flyover to an urban park

https://www.spacehive.com/theflyoverliverpool

Oh god, that's near Vauxhall. I used to live 500 meters away and the local kids used to smash the doors and windows of the apartment block I lived in. I hope that offering something good for what is generally a quite deprived local community can foster some sense of civic pride and encourage people.

 

[fat jez]

Boris likes to play the bumbling buffoon in public and this seems to be fooling a lot of people. Ask anyone who has had to deal with him. A lot more ruthless and calculating behind the scenes.

Absolutely. My last boss's wife had a friend who worked for him. He's completely ruthless and everything he does is calculated, even when it's something that makes him look stupid or appears accidental. He is not a nice man to work for. The buffoon image is the one he wants you to believe.

 

[diipii]

"it has little history of funding projects unrelated to its technology business" should read "making a huge profit while appearing to care about something".

 

[AppleMark]

Perhaps Boris should have asked George Osbourne to ask Apple to pay some proper Tax in the UK (in at least the same way he poorly dealt with Google last week) and to stop pretending to operate out of Ireland? That way, he gets his bridge paid without having to go begging.

Funny.., if it is true and Boris will run for party leader when Cameron quits at the end of this term and ends up becoming Prime Minister, he will have the last laugh with Apple I think, as he is not a man to cross.

All that fake "I am a fool" image only allows him to get away with doing and saying things other mainstream politicians would not get away with.

Hmmm, reminds me of somebody else in the USA right now... it's on the tip of my tongue...

 

[rekhyt]

What exactly would Apple have gotten out of this?

They're all about architecture when it comes to selling products... But that bridge isn't part of any of their stores. Would it be visible from their stores?

Imagining street vendors on the bridge selling Apple products now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braeburn_Capital
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-owns-the-worlds-largest-hedge-fund-2012-10?IR=T

Apple has an enormous amount of overseas capital, that it won't repatriate to America due to tax regulations (Double-taxing). If you don't do anything with the money it'll shrink due to inflation. Therefore you will invest the money and grow the pot. One example of an investment would be the London garden bridge.

 

[mikefla]

While speaking about a similar topic I once tried to approach Apple for a meeting to see if I could get them to pay my bills unfortunately they didn't entertain the idea. WTF is wrong with these people?

-Mike
[doublepost=1454175535][/doublepost]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braeburn_Capital
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-owns-the-worlds-largest-hedge-fund-2012-10?IR=T

Apple has an enormous amount of overseas capital, that it won't repatriate to America due to tax regulations (Double-taxing). If you don't do anything with the money it'll shrink due to inflation. Therefore you will invest the money and grow the pot. One example of an investment would be the London garden bridge.

Yes investing on a bridge for Apple would be one of their greatest ideas. What is wrong with you...Money is better invested in areas like AIDS, hunger, etc.

-Mike
[doublepost=1454175672][/doublepost]

Absolutely. My last boss's wife had a friend who worked for him. He's completely ruthless and everything he does is calculated, even when it's something that makes him look stupid or appears accidental. He is not a nice man to work for. The buffoon image is the one he wants you to believe.

Typical Politician I guess no surprise there...

-Mike

 

[Tycho24]

Companies and individuals contributing to urban landscapes is a huge political tool going back centuries. Help with a public structure, less hassle from the city government when you set up a business or private residency.

Lol, ummm yeah ok... sure.
But it sounds like, in what you're describing, the company would be the lucky one... there'd be a bunch of them lined up, hoping to get their chance at favorable treatment!

However... if it's the EXACT opposite, & the city comes empty handed, begging for scraps, it's pretty silly to pretend that there's something different than the reality of the situation... wouldn't you agree??

 

[Bubba Satori]

Perhaps Boris should have asked George Osbourne to ask Apple to pay some proper Tax in the UK (in at least the same way he poorly dealt with Google last week) and to stop pretending to operate out of Ireland? That way, he gets his bridge paid without having to go begging.

Funny.., if it is true and Boris will run for party leader when Cameron quits at the end of this term and ends up becoming Prime Minister, he will have the last laugh with Apple I think, as he is not a man to cross.

All that fake "I am a fool" image only allows him to get away with doing and saying things other mainstream politicians would not get away with.

Hmmm, reminds me of somebody else in the USA right now... it's on the tip of my tongue...

You nailed it.

 

[spentan]

Imagine an Apple Store in the middle of the bridge

 

[n-evo]

Why doesn't he ask TfL to help, since they 'reinvest all their income'?

They already invest.

 

[vmistery]

Perhaps Boris could revisit exactly why a garden bridge is required at all when there are not enough normal bridges over in the first place. I would not have minded if it was going to be a garden on top and perhaps a cycle / path way under it but it really is just pointless as there is no public right of way! What next toll booths to go over the millennium bridge?! If it goes ahead there should be not a whiff of public money (including TFL cash) going into it. I thought the Tories were supposed to be about the small state for goodness sake.

 

[Adam552]

I'm guessing they would let them call it the Apple Garden Bridge, in exchange for investment. Isn't the London Eye called Coca-cola London Eye at the moment?

 

[coffeemadmanUK]

Not to mention limiting the number of people on the bridge at any one time.

BoJo may play up the buffoonery, but he’s as calculating and callous as the next Tory.

I wouldn't say limiting people on a bridge is exactly callous...

 

[Lostanddamned]

I wouldn't say limiting people on a bridge is exactly callous...

Spending public money on a private park closed to groups larger than eight, and requiring advanced booking, however…

 

[Gudi]

They get some good PR.

Why? Do people like London in particular or care about how Londoners cross rivers. How will they learn about it? Does the bridge run its own popular YouTube channel or something.

Boris is a bumbling buffoon. And I say that as a Londoner.

No doubt about that.

 

[MH01]

Why? Do people like London in particular or care about how Londoners cross rivers. How will they learn about it? Does the bridge run its own popular YouTube channel or something.
No doubt about that.

Yup Londoners love thier bridges , and people across the world come to London to visit them we even sell them , but don't buy London Bridge , may not be the one you think it is

 

[AppleMark]

Why? Do people like London in particular or care about how Londoners cross rivers. How will they learn about it? Does the bridge run its own popular YouTube channel or something.
No doubt about that.

[We] Londoner's are pretty anal about planning permissions. So when a bridge is going to be built (or any other development) there is a public consultation. This allows all the people who feel that somehow the development will affect them in some way, a chance to object. For example that "it will damage my shrubbery!!" etc [this is not a Monty Python joke..., see link]. So we all get to hear about it.

https://www.change.org/p/boris-john...s-project-this-money-can-be-put-to-better-use

The residents of Pimlico (just across the water from Nine Elms) are rallying against the bridge linking Nine Elms to civilisation. Pimlico residents are a little stuck up their own rear ends at times IMO and need to mix with the 'great unwashed' like the rest of us. This is just a bicycle and pedestrian bridge only.

http://www.nineelmslondon.com/bridge

It will go ahead if only on the basis that it links one of the biggest developments in that area for a generation and also houses the new American Embassy.

 

[Gudi]

But don't buy London Bridge, may not be the one you think it is.

I honestly never wanted to own a bridge in London, maybe Apple feels the same. But London could take a cue from Apple and rename it's bridges reasonably. I give you: "London Bridge 2s"

 

[MH01]

I honestly never wanted to own a bridge in London, maybe Apple feels the same. But London could take a clue from Apple and rename it's bridges reasonably. I give you: "London Bridge 2s"

Some yank bought London Bridge thinking it was tower bridge maybe apple is going to make the same mistake, let's see how good of a salesman our mayor is....