4 ms·

This whole situation doesn't feel right. AirBnB definitely screwed up, how far back that was is not clear, but EJ doesn't pass the smell test either. Caveat tha

This whole situation doesn't feel right. AirBnB definitely screwed up, how far back that was is not clear, but EJ doesn't pass the smell test either. Caveat that we likely are still a mile short of posessing full details.

espeed 15y ago
I agree, something about this whole thing just seems off. She said was "growing a very thick skin" because of accusations that she was part of a plot by the hotel industry to discredit Airbnb Has Airbnb been looking into this possibility? EJ blogged, And I was - but no longer am - scared of Airbnb’s reaction, the pressure and the veiled threat I have received from them since I initially blogged this story (http://ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/airbnb-nightmare-no-end-in-sight.html http://ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/airbnb-nightmare...). But that doesn't fit with PG's description or the profile of the founders (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2822721 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2822721). Nor does it fit with EJ's original account: I would be remiss if I didn’t pause here to emphasize that the customer service team at airbnb.com has been wonderful, giving this crime their full attention (http://ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/violated-travelers-lost-faith-difficult.html http://ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/violated-travele...). And there are these green "jcunningham" types that keep popping up on HN (http://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=jcunningham http://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=jcunningham) trying to demonize Airbnb.
- plusbryan 15y ago
  The fact the police were involved rules this out as a conspiracy. And it just doesn't follow that even if the hotel industry is taking advantage of the situation (they probably could care less), EJ was involved in a conspiracy. Can we move the discussion forward please?
  - espeed 15y ago
    It doesn't have to be a "conspiracy" -- the change in story, attitude, and the selected words looks like someone is being coached and has decided to milk it.
- VladRussian 15y ago
  >accusations that she was part of a plot by the hotel industry to discredit Airbnb or like market analysts would say : tin hat market shows signs of improvement > Has Airbnb been looking into this possibility? ie. whether they seriously looked into the idea of blaming their own screwdup on a "plot by <> industry" ? do you seriously think that bad about them?
  - espeed 15y ago
    Looked into why the story changed because it may be a sign that she is now being coached.
  - dusklight 15y ago
    We are talking about billions of dollars here .. people have killed for much less. We know that there already are companies who sell upvotes for digg/reddit. selling tweets, etc. There is no evidence so far but no one can deny that there is motive.
    - VladRussian 15y ago
      >We know that there already are companies who sell upvotes for digg/reddit. selling tweets, etc. and to think that i'm laboring here for free :)
- snikolov 15y ago
  Nor does it fit with EJ's original account: I would be remiss if I didn’t pause here to emphasize that the customer service team at airbnb.com has been wonderful, giving this crime their full attention ... She wrote her original account at the end of June. She wrote her update at the end of July. The customer service she refers to happened in the days prior to her first post, so it is not inconsistent with her dissatisfaction in her second post.
  - espeed 15y ago
    PG said, "I've just learned more about this situation, and it turns out Airbnb has been offering to fix it, from the very beginning. From the beginning they offered to pay to get her a new place and new stuff, and do whatever else she wanted" (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2822721 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2822721). What EJ is saying now does not match what PG is saying.

espeed 15y ago

I agree, something about this whole thing just seems off. She said was "growing a very thick skin" because of accusations that she was part of a plot by the hotel industry to discredit Airbnb Has Airbnb been looking into this possibility? EJ blogged, And I was - but no longer am - scared of Airbnb’s reaction, the pressure and the veiled threat I have received from them since I initially blogged this story (http://ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/airbnb-nightmare-no-end-in-sight.html http://ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/07/airbnb-nightmare...). But that doesn't fit with PG's description or the profile of the founders (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2822721 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2822721). Nor does it fit with EJ's original account: I would be remiss if I didn’t pause here to emphasize that the customer service team at airbnb.com has been wonderful, giving this crime their full attention (http://ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/violated-travelers-lost-faith-difficult.html http://ejroundtheworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/violated-travele...). And there are these green "jcunningham" types that keep popping up on HN (http://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=jcunningham http://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=jcunningham) trying to demonize Airbnb.

plusbryan 15y ago
The fact the police were involved rules this out as a conspiracy. And it just doesn't follow that even if the hotel industry is taking advantage of the situation (they probably could care less), EJ was involved in a conspiracy. Can we move the discussion forward please?
- espeed 15y ago
  It doesn't have to be a "conspiracy" -- the change in story, attitude, and the selected words looks like someone is being coached and has decided to milk it.
VladRussian 15y ago
>accusations that she was part of a plot by the hotel industry to discredit Airbnb or like market analysts would say : tin hat market shows signs of improvement > Has Airbnb been looking into this possibility? ie. whether they seriously looked into the idea of blaming their own screwdup on a "plot by <> industry" ? do you seriously think that bad about them?
- espeed 15y ago
  Looked into why the story changed because it may be a sign that she is now being coached.
- dusklight 15y ago
  We are talking about billions of dollars here .. people have killed for much less. We know that there already are companies who sell upvotes for digg/reddit. selling tweets, etc. There is no evidence so far but no one can deny that there is motive.
  - VladRussian 15y ago
    >We know that there already are companies who sell upvotes for digg/reddit. selling tweets, etc. and to think that i'm laboring here for free :)
snikolov 15y ago
Nor does it fit with EJ's original account: I would be remiss if I didn’t pause here to emphasize that the customer service team at airbnb.com has been wonderful, giving this crime their full attention ... She wrote her original account at the end of June. She wrote her update at the end of July. The customer service she refers to happened in the days prior to her first post, so it is not inconsistent with her dissatisfaction in her second post.
- espeed 15y ago
  PG said, "I've just learned more about this situation, and it turns out Airbnb has been offering to fix it, from the very beginning. From the beginning they offered to pay to get her a new place and new stuff, and do whatever else she wanted" (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2822721 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2822721). What EJ is saying now does not match what PG is saying.