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A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

nytimes.com

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Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#121

Post by buzzybee »

Robin_Message wrote: post #111
andrewflnr wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We actually have heard at least a bit from the other party, e.g. "she's a disgruntled employee who was fired for cause". In any case, if it's the CEO of a company we haven't heard from on a major issue like this, that's most likely the CEOs fault, most likely because they have nothing constructive to say. Also, I find your characterization of HN as a labor forum as opposed to capitalist rather curious, since its orig…

Startups, especially tech startups, move power from capital to labor through sweat equity, so in a way you can see them as anti-capitalist. Also, I imagine as a non-founder I am in the majority here.

I've had a conversation like this before and it's full of nuance. The typical action of startups is to disrupt something about the current marketplace. That threatens some older entrenched interests, but supports the investors. Some capital loses, and some other capital wins. There is a messy fight somewhere in the middle as people try to cash in. Judgment of this process as pro or anti-capital is easily interpreted different ways, but it is definitely built into "how capitalism works" to some degree.

Ultimately, social responsibility plays a big role in outcomes. Companies that intend to blow up everything in their path, lie, cheat and steal their way into cashflow, and then have some key people escape before it all falls apart, are just destructive - they aren't even creatively destructive. Those companies are why startups have a common outsider's view of being shady ventures.

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#122

Post by BinaryIdiot »

prodigal_erik wrote: post #114
BinaryIdiot wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So your comment isn't really accurate. > San Francisco alone spends 241 million on homelessness per year. The $241 million figure is a little misleading because it encompasses the total spending across homeless services and supportive housing. Supportive housing is $112 million and the people within are NOT counted as homeless (nor should they be but that $112 out of $241 million is not being used on homeless people)…

"Lived in SF before becoming homeless" is self-reported in a survey of people who do not want the city to start sending them elsewhere, and "lived on a friend's couch" technically counts but shouldn't. What we want to know is whether they were ever able to support themselves here, and only 30% of them owned or rented.

> technically counts but shouldn't.

But that shouldn't technically count as homeless either. Honestly I can't really find any better numbers but I get your point and maybe there just are not any better numbers I dunno.

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#123

Post by Robin_Message »

buzzybee wrote: post #121
Robin_Message wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Startups, especially tech startups, move power from capital to labor through sweat equity, so in a way you can see them as anti-capitalist. Also, I imagine as a non-founder I am in the majority here.

I've had a conversation like this before and it's full of nuance. The typical action of startups is to disrupt something about the current marketplace. That threatens some older entrenched interests, but supports the investors. Some capital loses, and some other capital wins. There is a messy fight somewhere in the middle as people try to cash in. Judgment of this process as pro or anti-capital is easily interpreted…

Definitely there is an aspect of capital competing against capital in startups, but I'd argue that is neutral in terms of the power capital holds (as you say, some wins, some loses).

But in terms of the systemic effect on power between capital and labour, I'd said people being entrepreneurial shifts power (in the political sense) towards labour, partly through increasing the independence of labour in aggregate, and partly through enabling labour to capture significantly more of the rewards of their work [1].

[1] For example, compare the typical amount of equity held by "last and least important founder" vs "first employee" to see that being a founder radically shifts power your way.

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#124

Post by soufron »

chrischen wrote: post #67
Finbarr wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you been outside of the US? Coming from Europe, SF is utterly shocking. I've never seen anywhere else like it. Government provides a lot of support for low-income and homeless people in EU.

Part of the reason there are so many homeless in SF is because the SF government and local charities provide food and shelter. The tourists handing out money doesn't help with attracting them. Much of the panhandling money is used for drugs, as basic needs such as food and shelter are already covered by the government and nonprofits. If you really want to help them, volunteer at a homeless kitchen or directly donate…

Wow that's some serious reactionnary stupid stuff. You are pretending that these people are homeless because the State provides for them? Man, you are such a model person for this new techno-aristocracy.

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#125

Post by [deleted] »

chrischen wrote: post #67
Finbarr wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you been outside of the US? Coming from Europe, SF is utterly shocking. I've never seen anywhere else like it. Government provides a lot of support for low-income and homeless people in EU.

Part of the reason there are so many homeless in SF is because the SF government and local charities provide food and shelter. The tourists handing out money doesn't help with attracting them. Much of the panhandling money is used for drugs, as basic needs such as food and shelter are already covered by the government and nonprofits. If you really want to help them, volunteer at a homeless kitchen or directly donate…

[deleted]

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#126

Post by soufron »

cgio wrote: post #75
Finbarr wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you been outside of the US? Coming from Europe, SF is utterly shocking. I've never seen anywhere else like it. Government provides a lot of support for low-income and homeless people in EU.

Have you been around in EU? Governments' ability to help varies from one extreme to the other. There is no guaranteed EU treatment.

Yeah? Like where does it even approach neat the level of the US? Give a name...

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#127

Post by tim333 »

samfisher83 wrote: post #15

I guess you fake it until you make it? Obviously not the same thing but when reddit originally started didn't the founders use bots to submit stories. Theros got billions. Kind of sucks for the H1Bs they might lose their visa.

Yeah, I imagine he was hoping investor / VC money would come through and it would all be good. The faking wire transfers thing was weird though - he would have been better off just saying they were out of cash and trying to raise some.

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#128

Post by daftcunt »

SEJeff wrote: post #26

This reminds me of my last job, where the karma gods smiled upon me and not so much for another guy. I've always written my resume somewhat uniquely for SEO[1] and happen to work quite heavily in the Linux space. At the time several years ago, my resume was on the first or second page google search results for something along the lines of "linux system administrator" and variations. The stars must have aligned as som…

You sound like a cunt.

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#129

Post by thedappler »

SEJeff wrote: post #26

This reminds me of my last job, where the karma gods smiled upon me and not so much for another guy. I've always written my resume somewhat uniquely for SEO[1] and happen to work quite heavily in the Linux space. At the time several years ago, my resume was on the first or second page google search results for something along the lines of "linux system administrator" and variations. The stars must have aligned as som…

Wtf is wrong with you

Re: A Silicon Valley Dream Collapses in Allegations of Fraud

#130

Post by robwilliams »

SEJeff wrote: post #26

This reminds me of my last job, where the karma gods smiled upon me and not so much for another guy. I've always written my resume somewhat uniquely for SEO[1] and happen to work quite heavily in the Linux space. At the time several years ago, my resume was on the first or second page google search results for something along the lines of "linux system administrator" and variations. The stars must have aligned as som…

What does this have to do with the article?
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