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Tag Archive for 'blurbs'

Some more blurbs, from BSR and some funny/sad negative references

So blurbs will be opt-in rather than opt-out. But what I read today deserves another post: A Global Ambassador left 5 negative references for people he never met, they all look like this:

Never met him. From his posts (mainly Brainstorm group) got the impression, that he has problems for not being as important as he was (he often “mentions”, how he used to be “big”). Looks like he’s trying to regain importance with his “watch group activities”. His arrogant self-righteousness sticks out even among his fellow BS’ers. His urge to lecture others on moral behavior & to express disdain for what- or whomever he thinks “below him” is sickening – as are his lies, as documented in my “Lies” threads in BS group. Sad thing is: he’s obviously smart, very educated & even witty sometimes – yet none of that helps:( When I had to ask his permission to KEEP him in my “Devil’s Black Box” #1 after gotten anonymously ratted to the MDST & being told then, that I had to ask these guys first, his curt reply showed his disdain for me: “Please remove my name from your profile. I do not wish to be linked to you in any way.” ALSO draw your own conclusions from his REPLY REF, IF he gives me one!

None of these 5 people have any other negative references…

*Margaret*:

I think it’s a shame to lose Henk as such an active and generous host in, perhaps, the most difficult city to find a couch…but I don’t blame you a bit, for removing yourself from the search feature. I would feel equally sad if I was condemned unfairly by a representative of CS, after having offered my home to travelers in support of the organization and its ideals. (I understand that Ulf does not feel as though Ambassadors represent CS, but most other members, myself included, consider them to be so)

Somehow these references remind me of the references that I left to Casey and some other Admins, with the difference that I actually met the people I left a reference for, and I don’t think Ulf could seriously be as upset about the BSR gang as I was about Casey&Co’s behavior in 2007.

(I removed or adapted these negative references of mine.)

Blurbs from BSR

Sometimes I come across some very accurate and insightful messages in the Brainstorm Redefined group. And I just adhocratically decided to copy some of that stuff here, where it is actually indexed by Googlebot for others to find in the future.

Pickwick

“just a way to pay some employees more than others”

I’m fairly certain that it’s just a way to pay for the inner circle’s rent out of company/charity funds, without paying income tax on the value of the benefit. Because that’s what it usually is. And that’s what it was about when they were paying supposedly tax free flat rate ‘daily travel allowances’ for long term employees, or before that, when they paid flat rate ‘travel expense reimbursements’, or before that, when they were offering ‘free food and lodging’, as a perk for ‘volunteers’.

And it’s not as if the IRS had never come across it. There are certain areas of maximum suspicion in all tax jurisdictions: tax free benefits in kind, foreign business travel to popular holiday resorts, employing family/friends, (sub-)contracts between legal entities owned by the same people, all kinds of expenditure that may be (partly) private, etc. They all raise red flags with tax inspectors, and give them the hope of shining in the eyes of their superiors by catching a crook.

Having a nice place, however, may well turn out to be a ‘chick magnet’, as I believe the phrase is in heterosexual womanising circles.

*Margaret*:

perhaps it’s not useful to think of CS selecting for ‘dumb’ women, but to view the managers as valuing loyalty in their hiring selection. In my opinion, you must simply do your job and keep quiet to remain employed by CS. Your place is very circumscribed and the understanding is clear: if you want this job, you lose your voice.

I hosted Mandie, the former communications directors, and she was really smart. I also admire Meredith’s writing skills (current communications director) and I hear that Rachel is simply wonderful to work with: professional, prompt, responsive and super competent. I dont’ think any of these people could be considered stupid.

I do think that CS values loyalty and discernment in their hiring choices. The way to get, and keep, your job is to either not notice problems, or notice them and shut up about it…I think CS values employees who are very patient and who do not think critically about problem solving…which is a long term concern for the survivability of this org under its current management. Most organizations value employees who notice, and point up problems, early on before they become larger concerns….it’s the only way to ensure quality.