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Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

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Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#161

Post by SomeStupidPoint »

hluska wrote: post #130
SomeStupidPoint wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My point was exactly that Uber can be construed as a criminal organization and their executives as the leaders of a large, international criminal organization who knowingly pay people to commit crimes on their behalf (that the bosses then profit from) and that their organization's primary business is the commission of such crimes. Is it still not RICO? Edit: Im pretty sure they could get money laundering related char…

To indict under RICO, you need evidence that the organization is involved in racketeering. (The R stands for racketeer). Racketeering includes things like murder, kidnapping, bribery, and gambling. With all due respect, unless you are a practicing attorney, you are not qualified to make statements like this.

Money laundering is one of the things specifically outlined under RICO, and why my edit mentions it in particular.

Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#162

Post by tomcorrigan »

grandalf wrote: post #58
taxicabjesus wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think Uber should immediately offer the following services to its drivers: The taxi industry pioneered the 'independent contractor' business model. Some of the services you suggest cross the line between 'contractor' and 'employee', especially 'healthcare subsidy'. The owner/operator whom I drove for says that the company only provides liability insurance (to cover the cab company's liability) as a part of her co…

> Most people don't want 'on demand' employment, they want stability. Why can't they have both? Broadly speaking, the forces of supply and demand are quite stable. Right now it's difficult to find jobs for 10 hours per week or 80 hours per week, if you happen to want one. While I appreciate the historic role of unions, labor laws are unfortunately the reason that Uber has not made drivers W2 employees. It's sad that…

That ignores common sense. If Uber is more profitable by circumventing W2 regulations it will do so. There is no morality in capitalism, only worship of the bottom line. Businesses don't care about "reasonable" regulations, they care about profit. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. A corporation is not a person, it can't be expected to think like one. Instead people must elect representatives that impose laws that force business to operate in a way that is compatible with our collective morality.

Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#163

Post by nihonde »

Fricken wrote: post #36
cm2012 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are really worried about their contractors being classified as employees. That would be an existential threat.

They have to last until their vehicles are autonomous. If drivers were phased in to paid training maintaining the fleets and troubleshooting kinks in the system, shitty jobs will become good jobs. Most drivers will leave, but a solid chunk of them could be brought in through an apprenticeship program that certifies them in mechanics, robotics, software, remote assistance, ground crews, electricity. Robotaxis are a wh…

The critical element of a successful social transformation that you're missing (esp. due to your reliance on players like Trump and Uber) is trust. You cannot hope for an equitable and progressive outcome unless the participants are trustworthy. Otherwise, you're setting your society up for disappointment, exploitation, and failure. You don't have to agree with me--it will prove itself.

Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#164

Post by nihonde »

cryptozeus wrote: post #72
oculusthrift wrote: post #5

I'm really confused on what to think about Uber. My personal thinking/logic is really bearish on them, similar to the post on the front page yesterday [1]. However, I keep seeing extremely smart/accomplished people joining it which makes me second guess my intuition. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13437414

I have same feeling, one my friend worked at a flywheel (uber but with taxi cabs)...he said that uber dominates this industry. They have figured out the biggest obstacle which is government regulations. This is the big challenge for any startup trying to copy uber.

But if Uber eliminates that obstacle, won't all of their competitors benefit from the lower barriers to entry? Does Uber simply ease the cost of switching--both for drivers and riders?

Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#165

Post by nihonde »

klausa wrote: post #77
cryptozeus wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have same feeling, one my friend worked at a flywheel (uber but with taxi cabs)...he said that uber dominates this industry. They have figured out the biggest obstacle which is government regulations. This is the big challenge for any startup trying to copy uber.

I wouldn't call "knowingly breaking the law and throwing VC money at the lawyers until the problem goes away" necessarily "figuring out government regulations".

Laws are only as good as their enforcement. I think Uber has been successful at calling the bluff of law enforcement and winning that showdown in many cases.

Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#166

Post by PutinIsEvil »

newsat13 wrote: post #134
kposehn wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uber team member here. I was skeptical for a very long time as well, but I've been won over. The challenges are fantastic, the work intense (yet I still have time for family) and I'm part of the best team I've ever been on. The last year or so has been the best of my professional life. I would highly recommend a closer look.

Very inspiring. Applying for a job now.

You should try BumbaSoft. Nobody has heard of it yet but it's because we're a stealth focus security firm. Free food, free gym, swimming pool! Money is great. I can work from home (at will) and enjoy time with my family too.

And work is the best I've ever done in my entire life!!!

I'm waiting for your job application. Thanks.

Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#168

Post by snarf »

tyingq wrote: post #84
congerous wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Do they care less than they used to, though? That's impossible to measure, but the arguments you have employed regarding personnel changes do not demonstrate your point.

Okay...the top two publicly visible leaders in the space leaving in the same timeframe could mean something. Perhaps in this case it does not. I don't think either of us knows for sure. It does, however, pique my interest in what the group direction is now. What of the decision to not replace Matt with a specific role or person? Is that not interesting? And, again, I mentioned many other observations, not just Amit a…

Singhal's title at Uber says that he is in charge of marketplaces and maps, not the self-driving stuff. So this would be stuff like pricing, dispatch, supply optimization, and route optimization which rely on traditional algorithms and not ML. But I agree with your larger point and find his departure from Google curious. Even if they were moving search in another direction or he was completely bored with what he was working on and wanted change, I am shocked that they would let someone of his caliber leave Google.

Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#169

Post by hluska »

SomeStupidPoint wrote: post #161
hluska wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To indict under RICO, you need evidence that the organization is involved in racketeering. (The R stands for racketeer). Racketeering includes things like murder, kidnapping, bribery, and gambling. With all due respect, unless you are a practicing attorney, you are not qualified to make statements like this.

Money laundering is one of the things specifically outlined under RICO, and why my edit mentions it in particular.

Money laundering???

I have tried to be polite, but you are either incredibly ignorant or you are a troll. There is simply no way that it is acceptable to accuse any company of money laundering unless you have a serious amount of evidence.

I am disengaging from this 'conversation' as it is completely useless.

Re: Uber Hires Former Google Search Chief Amit Singhal as SVP of Engineering

#170

Post by snarf »

general_ai wrote: post #150

That's a pattern among very senior googlers. When they get bored of working, they go to other companies to semi-retire. I'm almost certain this is not going to be any different.

Not sure Uber is the semi-retire kind of place for this sort of thing. They have a reputation for working people hard.
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