Yahoo ex-CEO calls board doofuses

[GA Russell]

Yahoo fired its CEO this week, and she has given a statement about the company which you might find refreshing or amusing for its candor.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/top-business-stories/carol-bartz-slams-the-yahoo-board-doofuses-who-ousted-her/article2158075/

[alocispepraluger102]

boards with balls?? how uncommon.

of course, microsoft, will one day own yahoo.

maybe then yahoo should be named................microhoo.

Edited September 9, 2011 by alocispepraluger102

[papsrus]

It might have been more refreshing had she had the gumption while still working with them.

[JSngry]

It might have been more refreshing had she had the gumption while still working with them.

It would have been even more refreshing if she had called them "Yayhoos". Be a little clever with that shit.

As it is, it just seems like all concerned need a big yawny "fuck you!"

[AmirBagachelles]

She's pretty much done now, I think Cisco will want her off their board too. I have spoken to her in my work, she means well and she is sharp. I think she can make a contribution, saying visible in the media and getting involved with efforts to clean up governance at public corporations in the U.S. In my opinion, most of the financial crisis and the looting which has produced the U.S. wealth gap is caused by weak, corrupt, and inept boards. We have big structural problems in our laws, and in our constitution apparently according to the Citizens United ruling. Everybody knows.

Check out Money For Nothing, it's a fine book.

[JSngry]

In my opinion, most of the financial crisis and the looting which has produced the U.S. wealth gap is caused by weak, corrupt, and inept boards.

Seeking understanding, not argument, but...please reconcile "weak" and "inept" with a successful looting of the US (hell, world, even) economy?

Seems to me like they got their shit pretty well together....

[Chuck Nessa]

Shouldn't they be called doofi?

[Dave James]

Shouldn't they be called doofi?

If Elvises are Elvi and stewartesses, stewardi, then, yes, doofuses should be doofi. Unfortunately, saying, ""Now they're trying to show that they're not the doofi that they are" sort of loses something in the translation.

[JSngry]

Perhaps a massive doofectomy is in order?

[alocispepraluger102]

" I think she can make a contribution, saying visible in the media and getting involved with efforts to clean up governance at public corporations in the U.S. In my opinion, most of the financial crisis and the looting which has produced the U.S. wealth gap is caused by weak, corrupt, and inept boards. We have big structural problems in our laws, and in our constitution apparently according to the Citizens United ruling. Everybody knows."

BULLSEYE!!!!!!!! THANKS

boards are invariably, but not always, rubber stamps. there's a (microsoft plant) fly stirring the yahoo ointment somewhere.

the hp board was another example of a stupid firing of an effective ceo, mark hurd, when no one was in place to replace him, over some minor financial and sexual pecadillos. heck, the vatican doesn't have standards as high as mark hurd was held to.

Edited September 9, 2011 by alocispepraluger102

[AmirBagachelles]

boards:

weak: in facing CEOs, who steamroll them while ensuring the $150-250k checks keep coming for 4-6 meetings per year. No willing objectivity. "Independent" designations are of zero value to regulators and investors.

inept: with little/no aptitude to control or govern, to do right (e.g. stop marketing and lending to people who can't pay back). No professional, objective qualifications, not even for a "designated financial expert".

[alocispepraluger102]

boards:

weak: in facing CEOs, who steamroll them while ensuring the $150-250k checks keep coming for 4-6 meetings per year. No willing objectivity. "Independent" designations are of zero value to regulators and investors.

inept: with little/no aptitude to control or govern, to do right (e.g. stop marketing and lending to people who can't pay back). No professional, objective qualifications, not even for a "designated financial expert".

ah--the prime disease of american businesses

[JSngry]

Ok, it just seems to me that the boards of today usually do what they're brought in to do, which is to get rewarded for not getting in the way, until the obviousness reaches critical mass, and then they....ACT!!!

[alocispepraluger102]

Ok, it just seems to me that the boards of today usually do what they're brought in to do, which is to get rewarded for not getting in the way, until the obviousness reaches critical mass, and then they....ACT!!!

don't most boards work that way, e.g. library boards, church boards, local political committees? the ones i've been on have been 2 or 3, if that, talking heads, at most, and 15 mannikins.

Edited September 9, 2011 by alocispepraluger102

[JSngry]

Seems like, semms like they take the gig as a resume-padder and not much else, not until there's a problem they can't run away from, and then they either bail or "act".

But I suspect they know what the game is before taking it, most of them.