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Pearl Jam partners with Dropbox? Condoleeza Rice?

Pearl Jam's Dropbox hypocrisy
By Dan Primack April 9, 2014: 3:06 PM ET

FORTUNE -- In 2006, Pearl Jam released a song called World Wide Suicide as the first single from its latest album. It was a personalized tale of rage over the Iraq War, and the U.S. government and media's lack of care for those had been killed in battle. Other songs on the album sounded a similar sentiment, and the band would go on to criticize U.S. involvement in Iraq for years to come. As recently as last November, front-man Eddie Vedder was quoted as saying that "we're still cleaning up the mess that they made all those years ago."
But apparently five months heals all wounds, because today Pearl Jam effectively partnered up with one of the war's architects: Condoleezza Rice.
The pairing comes via Dropbox, the cloud-based file-sharing company whose CEO Drew Houston is such a big Pearl Jam fan that he originally named the company Evenflow (Houston also played in a 90's rock coverband called Angry Flannel). And the feelings have been mutual, with Pearl Jam saying that it hosts its demo tracks via Dropbox's service.
Today, Dropbox announced that Pearl Jam would become an investor in the company. It also announced that Condoleezza Rice will become its fourth board member(alongside Houston, co-founder Arash Ferdowsi and venture capitalist Bryan Schreier). No word yet on how large Pearl Jam's position will be, or the details of Rice's compensation.
Look, I understand that business and politics can make strange bedfellows. But Pearl Jam has spent the better part of a decade slamming the morality of decisions made by people like Rice, whose current day job is to run a consulting firm co-founded by Stephen Hadley, a fellow Iraq hawk within the Bush Administration who eventually would succeed Rice as National Security Advisor. Now Pearl Jam is investing in a company where Rice will be a very important voice (again, one of just four board members).
A fan like Houston is not obligated to abide by all of his favorite band's song lyrics. But for the band itself to so callously disregard them... well, it makes it a bit harder to remain a fan.

http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2014/04/09/pearl-jams-dropbox-hypocrisy/
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    RedMosquito02RedMosquito02 Posts: 2,560
    "But apparently five months heals all wounds". Five months since what?? Avocado and WWS??

    Is it just me, or does this part make zero fucking sense??
    33...
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    RedMosquito02RedMosquito02 Posts: 2,560

    "But apparently five months heals all wounds". Five months since what?? Avocado and WWS??

    Is it just me, or does this part make zero fucking sense??

    Edit: I see, since last November.
    33...
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    MayDay10MayDay10 Posts: 11,612
    lol @ "Angry Flannel"
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    robbierobbie Posts: 882
    edited April 2014
    What the fuck? Look i hate condi rice as much as the next sane human being.... i also use Dropbox all the time. I cant see how Pearl Jam's investment has anything to do with support for her disgusting war. I will aay that if PJ wants to add me to their Dropbox i would be more than happy to listen to their "demos". Still love you pearl jam... and condi, your still a ____.
    Post edited by Kat on
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    SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 NYC Posts: 25,891

    "But apparently five months heals all wounds". Five months since what?? Avocado and WWS??

    Is it just me, or does this part make zero fucking sense??

    Five months since EV's quote in November and the writing of this article

    As recently as last November, front-man Eddie Vedder was quoted as saying that "we're still cleaning up the mess that they made all those years ago."
    But apparently five months heals all wounds, because today Pearl Jam effectively partnered up with one of the war's architects: Condoleezza Rice.
    severed hand thirteen

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    Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 6,984
    So they shouldn't invest in a company because of a single board member? Maybe their investment was committed before Rice was brought on and they just announced both now.
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    elwayvedderelwayvedder South Jersey Posts: 9,051
    I assume it's possible they had no idea Rice had any involvement
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    arqarq Posts: 7,937

    I assume it's possible they had no idea Rice had any involvement

    Even if they did dropbox is not like dropbox sells weapons.
    "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it"
    Neil deGrasse Tyson

    Why not (V) (°,,,,°) (V) ?
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    Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 6,984
    I'm sure they believe more in the product than the board.
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    my2handsmy2hands Posts: 17,117
    hack journalism...

    Johhny Ramone was a staunch right-winger... does that mean Eddie shouldnt have been friends? does that mean we should NEVER associate, do business with, or befriend anyone that has differing politics or opinions?

    this little article is a perfect example of the currently poisoned politcs of today, its "all or none" so to speak where it is either agree with me in lockstep or fuckoff
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    AndySlashAndySlash Posts: 3,208
    my2hands said:


    the currently poisoned politcs of today, its "all or none" so to speak where it is either agree with me in lockstep or fuckoff

    amen
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    narnianarnia Posts: 635
    I've always loved PJ for their politics and their strong sense of ethics, as well as their music, and they haven't disappointed me in any respect in all these years. In spite of my feelings for Condi I have no problem with this.
    I escaped it...a life wasted...I'm never going back again
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    devindoughtydevindoughty Las Vegas, Nevada Posts: 27
    Zero issue with this. The band uses the service and has shown savvy business sense in the past. This article is clickbait and nothing more.
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    demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 87,945
    This was posted a few hours ago ..

    http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-09/dropboxs-next-chapter-corporate-customers-ipo-condi-rice-and-eddie-vedder

    Dropbox's Next Chapter: Corporate Customers, IPO, Condi Rice, and Eddie Vedder
    By Brad Stone and Ari Levy April 09, 2014

    (here's just the Pearl Jam parts).

    Eight years ago, after graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Houston realized there had to be a better way to transport files among devices than thumb drives or e-mail. He hacked together a “magic folder” that remains at the center of Dropbox’s service, recruited Ferdowsi (then an MIT senior), and joined Silicon Valley’s famed Y Combinator startup program. They couldn’t get the Web address Dropbox, so the company was first named Evenflow, after a song by Pearl Jam, Houston’s favorite band.

    Meanwhile, Houston says, “the fog of war lifts a little every day” and “if Dropbox were easy to build, everyone would have a credible product.” Last year, he fulfilled one of his youthful dreams, meeting the members of Pearl Jam backstage at a concert in L.A. It turned out they use Dropbox to store and share demo tracks. Now the band has invested in the company. Houston keeps an image of the signed contract in his Dropbox account and pulls it up on his phone. “This is the most roundabout way to get an autograph from Eddie Vedder,” he says.
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    oysterjaroysterjar NH Posts: 1,235
    So a guy came up with a great idea, one that PJ uses already, and Condi later became a board member? Who cares? Good for this Houston guy.

    Wind this thing up.

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    on2legson2legs Standing in the Jersey rain… Posts: 14,456
    edited April 2014
    Complete nonsense and a non issue - this guy is just trying to stir up a controversy where none exists. We sit around waiting for people to make a perceived misstep and then jump all over them. It drives me crazy when people call out others for being hypocrites. Pearl Jam members collectively and individually do more good and raise more awareness for worthwhile causes in 10 minutes than this guy will do in his entire life.

    And did this guy even make an attempt to follow up with Pearl Jam or Dropbox before he wrote this? At least give them an opportunity to clarify or to say go to hell if they choose.
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    timmay44212timmay44212 Posts: 107
    This isnt a big deal....
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    SOLAT319SOLAT319 Posts: 4,564
    I really wanna hear all the demos. Can someone hack into their account real quick please?
    I have no patience for bad music and stupid people...

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    SB51327SB51327 NJ Posts: 35
    Drew is a really cool guy and he is a huge PJ fan. This is a win/win for PJ, Dropbox and most of all for Drew.
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    High Fidelity 2000High Fidelity 2000 New Mexico USA Posts: 4,435
    I think it's kinda disappointing. Condi & Pearl Jam should have no business in being friends.

    And why is Pearl Jam "investing" in Drobox? They don't have enough money? How many millions was Eddie worth in that "richest frontmen" article a few months ago? They should invest in making an album more than every 4 years and playing some REAL tours, specifically shows in the Southwest. ;)
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    given2fly23given2fly23 Evanston, IL Posts: 5,890

    I think it's kinda disappointing. Condi & Pearl Jam should have no business in being friends.

    And why is Pearl Jam "investing" in Drobox? They don't have enough money? How many millions was Eddie worth in that "richest frontmen" article a few months ago? They should invest in making an album more than every 4 years and playing some REAL tours, specifically shows in the Southwest. ;)

    It doesn't bother me. I'm sure they are invested in/partners with many, many people who supported people and causes they spoke against, they just don't get reported in the media.

    As far as your second point, wealthy people dont get/stay that way by letting their money sit around or giving it all away, they invest so their money can grow.

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    HollisBrownHollisBrown Posts: 4,316
    Rice being a board member is irrelevant. Paid a salary, maybe shows up at a meeting, schmoozes clients, whatever.
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    given2fly23given2fly23 Evanston, IL Posts: 5,890
    edited April 2014

    Rice being a board member is irrelevant. Paid a salary, maybe shows up at a meeting, schmoozes clients, whatever.

    According to her wiki, she also has a background in music (piano), finance (Stanford's budget) and has served on the board of directors for the Carnegie Corporation, the Charles Schwab Corporation, the Chevron Corporation, Hewlett Packard, the Rand Corporation, the Transamerica Corporation, and other organizations.

    IMO, a pretty big score for Dropbox and its investors.
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    ckravitzckravitz NJ Posts: 1,668
    AndySlash said:

    my2hands said:


    the currently poisoned politcs of today, its "all or none" so to speak where it is either agree with me in lockstep or fuckoff

    amen
    This times 10000000. "Live and let live" ..... as long as you agree with everything I say. <-- THIS is what is wrong with American politics. Everyone is so afraid to compromise a damn inch that they draw the line 4 feet to right or left of center. It's a pretty ignorant way to behave really.
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    hedonisthedonist standing on the edge of forever Posts: 24,524
    "find me sitting by myself, no excuses that I know"
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    pjsteelerfanpjsteelerfan Maryland Posts: 9,884

    I think it's kinda disappointing. Condi & Pearl Jam should have no business in being friends.

    And why is Pearl Jam "investing" in Drobox? They don't have enough money? How many millions was Eddie worth in that "richest frontmen" article a few months ago? They should invest in making an album more than every 4 years and playing some REAL tours, specifically shows in the Southwest. ;)

    So they should not do anything with their money? Just store it under their mattresses maybe?
    ...got a mind full of questions and a teacher in my soul...
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    buck502000buck502000 Birthplace of GIBSON guitar Posts: 8,951
    it's all about the music, always has been.
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    STAYSEASTAYSEA Posts: 3,814
    edited April 2014
    For me ,

    It is a love of this the music and not a political view.

    image
    Post edited by STAYSEA on
    image
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    PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 49,612
    edited April 2014

    it's all about the music, always has been.

    Not really.

    But nevertheless, this is stupid. So Condi Rice is one member on the dropbox board. That has nothing whatsoever to do with war. I see no conflict here at all.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
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    buck502000buck502000 Birthplace of GIBSON guitar Posts: 8,951
    edited April 2014

    it's all about the music, always has been, for me.

    PJ has never influenced me one way or another in regard to politics, environmental issues and other things of similar ilk.

    Post edited by buck502000 on
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