Post: #1

Disclaimer: I haven't followed this situation but when I saw the headline this morning that Kalanick was being forced out after having 'faced increasing scrutiny' I knew without reading the article that it must have had something to do with being accused of sexual harassment. And of course I was right:

Some excerpts:

Quote:Kalanick, 40, had faced increased scrutiny in recent weeks following an investigation into the culture and workplace practices at a company he helped start in 2009, it was a chorus of demands for changes at the top from some of Uber's biggest investors that ultimately forced Kalanick out, according to the NYT which first reported his resignation.

A second Uber spokesman said that Kalanick's decision "was a surprise to everyone" according to Reuters, and comes after a lengthy investigation led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. Several months ago, Uber hired Holder to look into its culture and workplace practices after a female former employee publicly accused the company of what she described as brazen sexual harassment.


An incomplete list of the sexual harrassment related scandals over the past 6 months:

• Another tale of sexism and unacceptable workplace behavior in Silicon Valley company has emerged. This time it's at Uber, according to an explosive blog post published on Sunday by a former company engineer named Susan Fowler Riggetti.
• Uber's newly-hired VP of engineering Amit Singhal was asked to, and did, resign on Monday after the company learned from Recode that he was accused of sexual harassment shortly before leaving Google a year ago. Here's more on the difficult position of former employers in this case.
• Keala Lusk, a former Uber engineer, published a blog post detailing how her female manager mistreated her, signaling that the company's problematic culture isn't limited to the men who work there.
• Ed Baker, Uber's head of product and growth, resigned. Though the reason is unclear, he was allegedly seen kissing another employee three years ago, which was anonymously communicated to board member Arianna Huffington, according to Recode.
• A report outlines a trip by a group of Uber employees to a Seoul karaoke-escort bar in 2014, which included company CEO Travis Kalanick and his girlfriend, Gabi Holzwarth. After arriving, several male employees picked escorts to sit with, and went to sing karaoke. Uncomfortable, a female marketing manager, who was part of the group, left after a couple of minutes, while Holzwarth and Kalanick left after an hour.
• Uber fires over 20 staff following the release of a report about sexual harrassment in the workplace.
• Reports emerge that Uber CEO Travis Kalanick fired off a bizarre email in 2013 to hundreds of employees where he listed the conditions under which they could have sex with each other at a company outing in Miami
  

I guess carrying a penis is slowly becoming a criminal offense. Just a matter of time until men are asked to apply for a concealed carry license. Except of course in California where men's testicles are safely held in small jars.

Post: #2

It's starting to look like the grand experiment of having men and women work together has been a massive failure.

Post: #3

Lets just have all female and all male offices, let the free market decide how 'equal' we all are. I bet it wont be long before we see a pattern emerge.

Men build something only to have it torn down by a woman, the story of Adam and Eve is as true now as it was then.

Post: #4

Guess he didn't apologize hard enough...?

Post: #5

I saw this coming from a mile away. It's not just the alleged sexual harassment though. This guy was constantly getting in trouble and really pushing his luck. Some of the accusations against him were probably exaggerated but it was only a matter of time. I'm surprised he didn't resign sooner.

Post: #6

(Yesterday 07:54 AM)PuppetMaster Wrote:  I saw this coming from a mile away. It's not just the alleged sexual harassment though. This guy was constantly getting in trouble and really pushing his luck. Some of the accusations against him were probably exaggerated but it was only a matter of time. I'm surprised he didn't resign sooner.

Yeah, I have to admit that I didn't follow this ahead of time, there's simply too much drama to deal with these days. But I'm sure had it not been for the sexual escapades he would still be running the show at Uber. Digging pussy seems to be the death knell for any Western executive these days.

Post: #7

Uber has been getting an immense battering in the media for the last 6 months, and in most circumstances I think Kalanick would have weathered the storm. He built the company to an insane valuation, has incredible market penetration, and essentially changed transportation for the better in thousands of cities around the world.

I think the stress of his Mom passing, and his Dad being injured, on top of the media pile-on probably just took its toll.

Kalanick will be fine personally, he's worth a lot, and (I believe) cashed out some of his holdings. The larger issue is Uber itself, which may not survive this leadership transition. Now that would be the big shame of this, but again, here's what happens when you have trial-by-media.

Post: #8

(Yesterday 09:22 AM)Sephiroth Wrote:  Uber has been getting an immense battering in the media for the last 6 months, and in most circumstances I think Kalanick would have weathered the storm. He built the company to an insane valuation, has incredible market penetration, and essentially changed transportation for the better in thousands of cities around the world.

I think the stress of his Mom passing, and his Dad being injured, on top of the media pile-on probably just took its toll.

Kalanick will be fine personally, he's worth a lot, and (I believe) cashed out some of his holdings. The larger issue is Uber itself, which may not survive this leadership transition. Now that would be the big shame of this, but again, here's what happens when you have trial-by-media.

Not just the leadership transition, but many automobile manufacturing companies such as Ford, General motors and the like are implementing self driving features into their cars and have plans to use the sharing economy as a model as well. Alphabet inc has their own self driving cars and Apple inc is rumored to be working on their own car. Other companies are also building self driving trucks.

Uber may have trouble competing unless they find another market to go in.

Post: #9

(Yesterday 09:07 AM)redpillage Wrote:  

(Yesterday 07:54 AM)PuppetMaster Wrote:  I saw this coming from a mile away. It's not just the alleged sexual harassment though. This guy was constantly getting in trouble and really pushing his luck. Some of the accusations against him were probably exaggerated but it was only a matter of time. I'm surprised he didn't resign sooner.

Yeah, I have to admit that I didn't follow this ahead of time, there's simply too much drama to deal with these days. But I'm sure had it not been for the sexual escapades he would still be running the show at Uber. Digging pussy seems to be the death knell for any Western executive these days.

You're right about the sexual escapades being the downfall but it could also be the scapegoat. Uber has a poor organizational structure, poor public relations management, and many of the drivers hate Kalanick as well. They are also in too much legal trouble. An example would be the current lawsuit against them by Alphabet inc.

Post: #10

When dealing with the staggering amount of $$$ Uber is valued at, sexual harassment is nothing more than a pittance to the investors. I'd bet that this is more because Uber has only a year of runway left before they run out of money and the investors are getting worried they're going to lose their huge investments. Kalanick is focused on growth growth growth but at this point Uber really needs to stop and assess exactly how it's spending its money if it wants to survive. Their long term strategy is to reduce costs via autonomous vehicles, but we are nowhere near that point as a society. Uber will not survive that long.

They are also being sued by Waymo, Google/Alphabet's autonomous car division, for stealing its intellectual property via a former employee. This does not help their long term strategy either.

It's always about the money. If sexual harassment is presented as the actual problem, then it's somehow losing them money one way or another.

Post: #11

Cardinal rule of running a business don't try to bang employees. Also probably not a good idea to take you're female employees (and some male employees) to a bar and pick out pros..... Especially if you're beholden to investors, and or it's an American company its a recipe for disaster.

Post: #12

(Yesterday 06:36 AM)Suits Wrote:  It's starting to look like the grand experiment of having men and women work together has been a massive failure.

Only from men's perspective, and women's, and society's. Otherwise, it has worked just fine.

To paraphrase Chuck McGill in Better Call Saul: "People don't change. You're a female. And a female I can handle just fine. But a female with a management job? That's like a chimp with a machine gun!"

Post: #13

Quote:Reports emerge that Uber CEO Travis Kalanick fired off a bizarre email in 2013 to hundreds of employees where he listed the conditions under which they could have sex with each other at a company outing in Miami

Damn, that's some serious autism, right there.

If it was undealt with it's just simply way too much liability.

I'm sure some of it was witch-hunt, but if he really sent that type of e-mail that's nearly asking to be ousted.

Post: #14

Meanwhile managers in Frankfurt, Paris and partly at Wallstreet firms are throwing brunch business orgies with hookers.

The US corporate world is cucked and fucked.

Mark my words - if that crap continues, then one day business owners will only hire men and the only women working there will be legal hookers who pick up phones and make coffee as a side-job. I hope that won't be sexist.

Post: #15

(Today 03:57 AM)Zelcorpion Wrote:  Meanwhile managers in Frankfurt, Paris and partly at Wallstreet firms are throwing brunch business orgies with hookers.

The US corporate world is cucked and fucked.

Mark my words - if that crap continues, then one day business owners will only hire men and the only women working there will be legal hookers who pick up phones and make coffee as a side-job. I hope that won't be sexist.

How do you know this?

Post: #16

(Today 04:44 AM)PuppetMaster Wrote:  

(Today 03:57 AM)Zelcorpion Wrote:  Meanwhile managers in Frankfurt, Paris and partly at Wallstreet firms are throwing brunch business orgies with hookers.

The US corporate world is cucked and fucked.

Mark my words - if that crap continues, then one day business owners will only hire men and the only women working there will be legal hookers who pick up phones and make coffee as a side-job. I hope that won't be sexist.

How do you know this?

I worked in Frankfurt and dealt with Wallstreet guys. Some business meetings were scheduled at brothels in Frankfurt. Going to strp clubs with clients is standard fee and they even use corporate cards for that. Usually it is finance related businesses, but manufacturing and defense industries are reputed to be even worse.

And don't get me started about Russia. Companies there organize orgies with 10 teenage escorts for their managers. Secretaries and translators are sometimes hired with "extra activities included". Even wives there understand that their rich men will screw around a lot - fuck their secretaries etc. Sexual harassment is only a big thing in the US due to the big payouts.

The push for this feminist culture is everywhere, but it likely will never fully succeed in some areas.

Post: #17

(Today 04:47 AM)Zelcorpion Wrote:  

(Today 04:44 AM)PuppetMaster Wrote:  

(Today 03:57 AM)Zelcorpion Wrote:  Meanwhile managers in Frankfurt, Paris and partly at Wallstreet firms are throwing brunch business orgies with hookers.

The US corporate world is cucked and fucked.

Mark my words - if that crap continues, then one day business owners will only hire men and the only women working there will be legal hookers who pick up phones and make coffee as a side-job. I hope that won't be sexist.

How do you know this?

I worked in Frankfurt and dealt with Wallstreet guys. Some business meetings were scheduled at brothels in Frankfurt. Going to strp clubs with clients is standard fee and they even use corporate cards for that. Usually it is finance related businesses, but manufacturing and defense industries are reputed to be even worse.

And don't get me started about Russia. Companies there organize orgies with 10 teenage escorts for their managers.

I knew Wall street was like that but not German companies haha.
You don't have to tell me about Russia.

In what ways are defense companies worse?

What industry were you in Zel?

Post: #18

Misleading title. The CEO himself was not accused of sexual harassment. It was between his employees.

Everything else in the thread is on point.

Post: #19

Guy's worth a few billion dollars, I'm sure he'll be ok.

Post: #20

So that fat broads no one was hitting on got jelly and had to bring down the CEO?

Post: #21

Good timing for him. The upswing is all under him, the downswing all after he leaves. Possibly sets himself up for a Steve Jobs comeback.

Post: #22

(Today 04:51 AM)PuppetMaster Wrote:  

(Today 04:47 AM)Zelcorpion Wrote:  

(Today 04:44 AM)PuppetMaster Wrote:  

(Today 03:57 AM)Zelcorpion Wrote:  Meanwhile managers in Frankfurt, Paris and partly at Wallstreet firms are throwing brunch business orgies with hookers.

The US corporate world is cucked and fucked.

Mark my words - if that crap continues, then one day business owners will only hire men and the only women working there will be legal hookers who pick up phones and make coffee as a side-job. I hope that won't be sexist.

How do you know this?

I worked in Frankfurt and dealt with Wallstreet guys. Some business meetings were scheduled at brothels in Frankfurt. Going to strp clubs with clients is standard fee and they even use corporate cards for that. Usually it is finance related businesses, but manufacturing and defense industries are reputed to be even worse.

And don't get me started about Russia. Companies there organize orgies with 10 teenage escorts for their managers.

I knew Wall street was like that but not German companies haha.
You don't have to tell me about Russia.

In what ways are defense companies worse?

What industry were you in Zel?

Brothels in general are more tolerated in Germany. Just walking around Frankfurt you'll see multiple billboard advertisements for "sauna clubs".....which isn't quite what's described.

Post: #23

< I got myself invited to one of those sauna clubs by friends/colleagues for breakfast. Had to decline because I was busy elsewhere, but heard stories of how the women ran away from our Frenchman who had a big "Eiffel Tower" dick. He still grabbed them, because it is all inclusive (fuck-as-much-as-you-want-buffet for a flat fee).

That French manager is a legend. He is 45, does 4-5 massive runs per week, works out, has 4 children with a happy wife outside of Paris in a diversity-free area, plus he fucks anything possible, he hits on scores of women (with success - regularly manages threesomes as he hits on pair of French women who take a walk - 2 bored housewives in their 30s are easy he said), he hits on all kinds of women in France and whenever he travels on business, if he is too busy or cannot get a woman, then he relies on P4P as a means of last resort. High quality hooker still beats jerking off.

Those are the managers of the corporate world of Europe. Of course flirting and fucking in the office world is rampant as well. Officially you have similar guidelines to the US, but unofficially no one cares. Only when you are in a fixed relationship for a prolonged period, then the superior asks you about the status.

I often told the story of a VP-level manager in London, who had an entire floor of women in his department. He only hired women and fucked them all, if they refused, then he usually fired them under some pretext. The company later got rid of him, because he was also lousy at his job. But he was well-connected enough to get another excellent job.

The lawsuits for a guy like that in the US would have reached 100 mio. $ - heh. Ah blessed is the rest of the world except for the US which gets double-fucked by feminism and a dangerous legal system (it's actually the latter which makes it such a tight spot).