I am appalled, thought not surprised, that an American would stand up and equate cultural habits with laziness. You know, they wiped out my ancestors here on this continent because they thought they were "lazy".
Personally, I would rather not see people like Michael Arrington held up as representatives of American entrepreneurship. Invite him back or don't, but he doesn't represent me or a vast majority of developers and entrepreneurs.
I worked in Silicon Valley from 1986-2000 for such companies as Cisco, Nikon, Philips and Northern Telecom. Believe me, the two-hour lunch is not as uncommon as Arrington would have you believe. And the sleeping bag under the desk as a symbol of dedication is anything but.
I personally believe that the crushing government regulatory system in Europe has far more to do with competitiveness than the two hour lunch. And it is worsening here with calls for "net neutrality".
Those who claim they "don't need the competition" are simply full of bull-shitake. Competition is what makes us all better.
@rfisk (twitter)
Brian - 15 years ago
Yes, don't let him come back.
I work in Silicon Valley and let me say we don't need the competition.
I prefer my Europeans lazy, ignorant, and happy.
Bryan - 15 years ago
Censor those who don't agree with you..... very nice. Put your fingers back in your ears.
Jon A - 15 years ago
He never said he didnt like the lifestyle....he just said that it does not lend itself to developing mass quantities of entrepreneurs. On the other hand the American approach does not lend itself to stronger relationships. Dont be a bunch of stuck-up people who think the world needs to owe you appreciation because you are European. Frankly, most intelligent people dont care wherever they are from.
Everybody is entitled to their opinion whether you agree with it or not. Banning Michael does nothing for open debate.
Eurozone - 15 years ago
Every stage need a clown. Bring him back so ridicule his lack of basic humanity, so expose the fraud of his dysfunctional false identity and his bloated sense of significance derived by leeching value from TRUE innovators and parading them in form of his own site content. Bring him back after Techcrunch dies in 2009 because we decide for its end. Another typical American folly, Arroganton is not the captain of his fate that he thinks he is. The internet created him out of thin air and we will eliminate him just as quickly as the excrement he has become. 60% already say do not invite him. Democracy, right? That is the mighty American way.
in short NO, i would like to more european leaders at the conference rather than US - Arrington has a lot of influence with his name against TechCrunch which is why i suspect why he has been asked to join previous years. for me its more important to have the event attendees from around the world and make this more of a european event and bring speakers from european startups and forums to speak and provide insight and inspiration to the attendees.
Mbites for the UK, who is for france, germany, spain, switzerland, italy, belgium, romania, slovakia, finland, iceland, denmark...
I am appalled, thought not surprised, that an American would stand up and equate cultural habits with laziness. You know, they wiped out my ancestors here on this continent because they thought they were "lazy".
Personally, I would rather not see people like Michael Arrington held up as representatives of American entrepreneurship. Invite him back or don't, but he doesn't represent me or a vast majority of developers and entrepreneurs.
I worked in Silicon Valley from 1986-2000 for such companies as Cisco, Nikon, Philips and Northern Telecom. Believe me, the two-hour lunch is not as uncommon as Arrington would have you believe. And the sleeping bag under the desk as a symbol of dedication is anything but.
I personally believe that the crushing government regulatory system in Europe has far more to do with competitiveness than the two hour lunch. And it is worsening here with calls for "net neutrality".
Those who claim they "don't need the competition" are simply full of bull-shitake. Competition is what makes us all better.
@rfisk (twitter)
Yes, don't let him come back.
I work in Silicon Valley and let me say we don't need the competition.
I prefer my Europeans lazy, ignorant, and happy.
Censor those who don't agree with you..... very nice. Put your fingers back in your ears.
He never said he didnt like the lifestyle....he just said that it does not lend itself to developing mass quantities of entrepreneurs. On the other hand the American approach does not lend itself to stronger relationships. Dont be a bunch of stuck-up people who think the world needs to owe you appreciation because you are European. Frankly, most intelligent people dont care wherever they are from.
Everybody is entitled to their opinion whether you agree with it or not. Banning Michael does nothing for open debate.
Every stage need a clown. Bring him back so ridicule his lack of basic humanity, so expose the fraud of his dysfunctional false identity and his bloated sense of significance derived by leeching value from TRUE innovators and parading them in form of his own site content. Bring him back after Techcrunch dies in 2009 because we decide for its end. Another typical American folly, Arroganton is not the captain of his fate that he thinks he is. The internet created him out of thin air and we will eliminate him just as quickly as the excrement he has become. 60% already say do not invite him. Democracy, right? That is the mighty American way.
Yep. Bring him back noddy prejudices and all. Have the debate. Let him think that his nonsense is truth. We will all still know he is wrong.
be great to have more European leaders from the EU - an after thought :)
and to correct the URL on my first comment :-p
dt
in short NO, i would like to more european leaders at the conference rather than US - Arrington has a lot of influence with his name against TechCrunch which is why i suspect why he has been asked to join previous years. for me its more important to have the event attendees from around the world and make this more of a european event and bring speakers from european startups and forums to speak and provide insight and inspiration to the attendees.
Mbites for the UK, who is for france, germany, spain, switzerland, italy, belgium, romania, slovakia, finland, iceland, denmark...
beside all he did this week is complain...
dt