Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by bambax 5540 days ago
This is the kind of post that really should not be TL;DRed, because it's so much fun to read. The story is sad and even infuriating, and not very original either (since all corporate takeovers are done in the same cowardly manner by weasels); but the writing is wonderful.

> The transition was going to be arduous and complicated. This was particularly true for the people who write AOL's press releases, who had to work overtime issuing statements with business terms like "restructuring" (which means firing people), "streamlining" (which also means firing people), "re-branding" (which means making people forget all the negative associations they have with AOL and Arianna Huffington), and "synergy" (which doesn't mean anything).
2 comments
michaelbuckbee 5540 days ago
I think that AOL/Huff has actually been fairly distinct in how badly they have handled these layoffs. It seems like "Transition 101" to share the fired/staying personell information all at once. To drag it out over any period of time just seems extremely odd.
link
bambax 5540 days ago
It was handled in a Monthy Python's way, as per the opening credits of The Holy Grail:

> A Møøse once bit my sister ...

We apologise for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible have been sacked.

Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretty nasti...

We apologise again for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked have been sacked.

Møøse trained by TUTTE HERMSGERVORDENBROTBORDA

(...)

The directors of the firm hired to continue the credits after the other people had been sacked, wish it to be known that they have just been sacked.

The credits have been completed in an entirely different style at great expense and at the last minute.

(etc.)

- - -

It's unwise to fire the firers at the same time as the firees.

link
kmfrk 5540 days ago
AOL has long tradition of laying people off sporadically: http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-aol-layoffs-....

Don't assume this a new thing.

link
dhimes 5539 days ago
It was actually quite lengthy- I for one appreciate a TLDR on even the good reads to let me decide if I should spend the time on it right then.
link