Accounting Practice At Uber

‘The Information’ reports this morning (my bold)

Uber said its mobility division (the ride-hailing business most people know the company for) brought in $3.8 billion in revenue in the most recent quarter, growing 73%. But baked into that number is $1.1 billion flowing from a change earlier this year that prompted Uber to start recording all the fares it gets in the U.K. as revenue, instead of just the take rates remaining after the company pays its drivers.

I assume this is because Uber lost the battle in the courts about whether the drivers worked for them or were independent in the UK. So - if they work for them, then the whole ride is revenue. BUT - there will now be a flip side to that, in that there are now a whole lot of expenses on the other side that need to be taken out.

Is there an accountant in the house that is tracking the shenanigans that is - and seemingly always will be - ‘Uber’.

Rewriting History - In A Good Way

Erasing History

In many ways the 1619 Project is focused on unpacking actual history from the American narrative of history.

Meanwhile, I continue to be bowled over by the story/stories that are emerging in Rachel Maddow’s new podcast. I am so often amazed that I jump onto the internet to cross-check what I am hearing but the fact is that though the Ultra Podcast is telling a different story - it is again focused on unpacking history from the American narrative of history.

Unlike the 1619 project - Maddow’s story is much more recent and there are many accounts, news items, photographs and stories just out there for anybody to read and hear. Maddow has just done a great job in connecting the dots - because it is all otherwise ‘hidden in plain sight’.

It’s too obvious to go into the parallels of these stories from the late 30s and early 40s to the more recent stories of the late 10s and early 20s.

What is mind-blowing is that until Maddow came out with this podcast, this whole sad thing was buried, lost and forgotten.

My prior posts re Ultra …

Developers Don't Know What They Don't Know

An old adage - but is ‘top of mind’ recently.

 

  • If the IRS want ‘a little chat with you’ …. would you ‘do some research’ and then take the case on, or go find a tax accountant?

  • If you needed medical attention would you have a friend ‘check out the symptoms and then diagnose you - or would you go to a doctor?

  • If you were sued for malpractice … get a lawyer - or ‘bone up’ on what youneed to know

…. you know the list is endless.

There is a tech podcast I listen to regularly - and a recurring theme is the difficulty of doing sales and marketing …

The solution - apparently - is to do some internet research - and ‘fix the problem’.

As I say - recurring.

I don’t listen to every edition - but I listen enough to be confident in my assertion that ‘they have not ever reached out to a professional sales / marketing person that could help them and I wonder why this is?

I do lay part of the blame at the feet of those people who lead those disciplines. I do understand that there are schmucks in those two worlds that makes you wonder how they make a living - but we also know there are bad lawyers, bad accountants, bad doctors ….

But Sales and Marketing? It can’t be that hard … I’ll read up and solve my problem.

Meanwhile

I find that it is tech-oriented people who are particularly flawed when it comes to this kind of ‘thinking’ - and I use that word loosely.

Anyway - that’s all I have to say. Right now I have an app to build this week. It’s all worked out. This afternoon I am going read up on java and python. Then tomorrow I will build my prototype. Should be all done by the weekend.

I mean - it can’t be that hard can it?

Why Are Architects More Famous Than Builders?

Well. at least for real-world construction. As we build out the internet, I feel it is the other way round. Why is that? I wrote this just yesterday …

Frank Lloyd Wright, Julia Morgan, Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Norman Foster, Gaudi, Le Corbusier … are legion in the world of architecture … yet few people know the names of the people or companies that built the buildings they designed.

Today I discovered this gentle and informative Twitter account that highlights the names of building designers - not building builders.

For example

Is it odd that In technology, the ‘builders’ have become the industry names and we know so relatively few designers?

The Glass Cliff

What absolute crap and drivel …

“ Britain’s current dumpster fire (i.e. the British Pound reached its lowest level against the US Dollar in its entire history last week) began a long time before Truss came on board. She inherited the mess; she didn’t create it.

Driving Off the Glass Cliff.

I am fully aware of the Glass Cliff problem - this is not an example.

Yes - she inherited a mess. She then doubled down to make it worse.

🎥 Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2022 - ★★★★

One of those multiverse movies that isn’t your usual. Well worth a watch. No disappointment.

🎥 The Gray Man, 2022 - ★★★

Let’s watch The Gray Man I suggested. We did, both of us looking at the arch other throughout .. the story seemed familiar. And then it didn’t. And then it did. We watched to the end. It was familiar because we’d watched it already. Just didn’t remember. And now … the following morning. Here we are again. Still not knowing what it was about.

🎥 Eternals, 2021 - ★

Well named.

We Are Becoming A Power Skills Economy

Josh Bershin writes that we are becoming a power skills economy.

In other words, automation did not eliminate work at all – it created new jobs, better jobs, and an acceleration of our workforce into what we now call the “service economy.” We are essentially shifting to the right in this model.

💬 Josh Bershin

BTW, in case you are wondering, ‘Power Skills’ is the 'new' name for ‘Soft Skills’. To be fair, it did need a new name. It’s also fair to say that whilst he’s not wrong, he fails to mention that in the last 15 years (where he references 2007) no mention that the average income of people is flat and that real income is declining.

But that's a different opportunity.

Oh - and maybe not so 'new' Josh was talking about this back in 2019 - and gave us a few clues as to what he was talking about, this is one of his graphics.

What Are Power Skills

Here's My Take

1) Becoming? I think it is really more like that we are starting to recognize these skills. They have always been there - and though not necessarily recognised or even understood - I bet if you find successful people in that 'old' economy - they would demonstrate a lot of these traits.

2) Josh is not alone in highlighting these skills and their importance. What nobody is doing is organizing these skills into a taxonomy - much less an ontology. (What's the difference you may ask) Stan Garfield has a very simple explanation)

Taxonomy

Ontology

... except now there is.

More of this to come, but have to say, very excited by a company I have been talking to that has not only done a lot of research into these skills, but also which skills are most important - and why, depending on what you are trying to do.

Not only that, but they are releasing an app that will allow anybody to

  • assess their personal strengths and weaknesses across all skills
  • define which of those skills they should focus on to maximise their ability to be most succesful at what they are trying to do
  • all through a self paced, self directed, learning program.

As I said - more to come. Just to say - the cavalry is on its way.

Featured Image by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

The Lore Of The Rings

I was delighted to be joined on the People First podcast by Ramsey Avery who is the Production Designer for the Amazon series - Lord of the Rings - Rings of Power.

Wonderful conversation that I know you will enjoy.

🎥 Mr. Harrigan's Phone, 2022 - ★★★★

Maybe because I have recently been watching some below average / average movies recently - that this one stands out. On another day. I might rate it at 3 1/2 stars - but leaving at 4 for now.

Here’s the question … coincidence … or action from the grave?

🎥 Skandal! Bringing Down Wirecard, 2022 - ★★★★

It’s a documentary - so move on if you don’t like them. Personally - big as the issue was - I totally missed the story when it was in the news. BUT very good. I would like to have seen more delving into the Libyan connections - rather than a ‘simple’ fraud - maybe there will be a part two?

🎥 Cleanskin, 2012 - ★★½

Mindless. Watched as part of a binge-watch when I was feeling sorry for myself. Not too hard to keep up. Definitely don’t bother if you are sitting down to ‘watch a movie’.

🎥 Thor: Love and Thunder, 2022 - ★★★½

I have watched all the Thor’s and this one is VERY different - probably because Taika Waititi isn’t just the director (Thor - Ragnarok) but also the writer. Not sure what the ‘Marvel Heads’ will say / are saying … but for me it worked.

🎥 Blackout, 2022 - ★★½

Just like the character in the movie … I really can’t remember much. The script is out of some script hopper and this is the latest version of it,

I have a streaming cold … so in that respect perfect, too hard to switch off, and not much to track.

🎥 I Used to Be Famous, 2022 - ★★★★

Watched on Friday October 14, 2022.

🎥 Glengarry Glen Ross, 1992 - ★★★★½

30 years ago. Seriously? It feels just like yesterday. Of course … it could have been. The script is timeless.

Dana Channeling Lennon?

The Fog of Global War, Dana Blankenhorn

“This is also no normal midterm election. This is an existential battle between democracy and fascism. Major media try to both sides it, but that’s increasingly impossible. Every possible -ism is rising against democratic compromise and common sense – sexism, racism, fascism, Christianism. All the evils bedeviling the rest of the world have come here to roost because Vladimir Putin invited them in.”

and concludes ominously

“I do know that, around the world, compromise is no longer possible. This world cannot continue half slave and half free. It will be all one thing or all the other.”

“Every possible -ism …”

Everybody’s talking about Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism This-ism, that-ism, ism ism ism

💬 John Lennon

🎥 Uncorked, 2020 - ★★★½

It was on Netflix … and just wanted ‘something’. Turns out it was just what I needed. The storyline is recognizable .. with wine and barbecue this time. For all of that - well done.

Trust me, I don’t need to spend time reviewing a bad film … so I don’t.

🎥 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, 2008 - ★★★★

It took me forever to get around to watching this film and when I finally did … oh my. Tears (mine) at the end - which to me is always a good guide to the quality.