#3413 - 2008-02-29 18:01:53 Re: Rachel Marsden [Re: Michael Snow]

Sorry, Michael, but too many of us have known about Jimmy's sexual escapades for quite a while. Let's just say, he preferred to boast where discretion would have been best.

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#3417 - 2008-02-29 18:23:34 Re: Rachel Marsden [Re: Dtobias]

Sorry, but if his love life impacted foundation finances, for instance, then it is also rather important, and calls into question his fiduciary responsibility. Apparently, his love life impacted the Marsden article as well. In a similar vein, there was a debate a long time ago about bringing in Aria Giovanni's real name, using a reliable source, in an article. Jimmy argued against it and his ruling won the day. Of course, as a former Bomis Babe, Aria spoke to Jimbo and Tim Shell personally to ensure the outcome.

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#3524 - 2008-03-03 03:15:04 Re: $650 wine bill [Re: UninvitedCompany]

Just to be clear, he did not charge $650 on a foundation credit card for two bottles of wine. He asked to be reimbursed for it and submitted the bill twice, altering it slightly by scratching out the tip on one. The reimbursement was denied. By this time, his credit card had been taken away.

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#3590 - 2008-03-03 20:23:19 Re: Rachel Marsden [Re: Random832]

I tend to agree with Doc here. I think an extravagant (and irresponsible) attitude toward expenses is more accurate.

As for the "fractiousness and self-destructive behavior" of the community, I fear you missed the point of the tale. When asked by a potential donor how they can help the projects, "I need a new laptop" is probably not the best answer.

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#3671 - 2008-03-04 at 12:15 Re: $650 wine bill [Re: Michael Snow]

I will be very specific here. There was a receipt in Cyrillic, which was handed in, which we interpreted using various sources, as a massage parlor.

Just to be clear about the other expenses to jog Jimbo's memory.

1. The $30,000 was a rounded number. I am willing to go as low as $29,500. This was detailed in an email to Jimmy, based on his credit card spending. It was then that he canceled a trip to Europe, which, I believe, was to be his first trip to the former Yugoslavia. I remember that Dungodung was especially upset. I also remember Jimbo complaining that they had planned for his to drive from Belgrade to Zagreb in a van with his family, while he wanted to fly. What I especially remembered about this was that I was charged with finding a pink car seat in Serbia for his daughter (among other things).

2. Fat honoraria: Just to list two: Kleiner Perkins, $25,000. Norway, $10,000 plus first class airfare for him and his wife. I will go so far as to say that at one point Jimbo decided to forego an honorarium. It was $500 for youth festival in Germany or Austria.

3. I believe Florence can verify the washing machine statement. I remember checking the cost of washing machines in Best Buy during my lunch break. A propos Best Buy, on an internal mailing list, Jimmy did announce a talk in Minnesota, at which he was promised $50,000 for Wikipedia. He came back with a check for $25,000. When asked about this some months later, he explained that $50,000 was for two talks, and he only gave one and was not asked back. Although I have not verified Jimbo's explanation, I choose to believe this.

4. Subway in Moscow: Both photocopied and scanned by Monica. It should be in the office records.

5. The two bottles of wine: Admittedly, I was not precise here, and my insinuation may have been misleading. This was a dinner for four at Bern's, and the wine cost $650. Total cost of the dinner, with tip, $1,300+. That same stack of receipts contained an identical bill (one was yellow, one was white) with the tip crossed out, so that the dinner came to $1,100. It's a good thing we caught it. Otherwise this dinner for four would have come to $2,400. I also remember, rather clearly, that they did not go to the dessert room because the guests were in a rush to get to the airport. Personally, I have never been to Bern's. It's beyond my price range. Nevertheless, the dessert room is legendary.

6. Mexico City: All expenses paid for by the hosts. The one little problem there was on a van ride, which I remember clearly. The hosts asked how they could help Wikipedia. I was ecstatic. After all, in my backpack, I had a 3-year grant proposal for $4 million, which had just been prepared by myself, Brad, Michael, Delphine, and Arne. But Jimmy answered too quickly. "Well, with Wikipedia I have a lot of friends in Germany, so I am learning to speak German. What would really help is a Mac laptop with a German language keyboard, so that I can write to them and practice my German." Ja, der laptop arrived in the office just a few days after we returned. You may even remember it from Wikimania Boston, because it is the one he lost at the VIP party.

7. Talking about lost, I did not bring up the tuxedo (and shoes) which the Foundation rented for Jimbo, and which Jimbo left in a hotel room (November 2005), because after two weeks of phone calls back and forth, it was eventually found.

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#3690 - 2008-03-04 at 14:43 Re: $650 wine bill [Re: Michael Snow]

So for purposes of clarification, Jimmy tried to rip the foundation off by requesting reimbursement for series of frivolous expenses such as Bern's or the massage parlor, but I and a few others prevented it. If you are thanking me for that, all I can say is, "you're welcome."

As for the record keeping, you are correct. Both Brad and Jimmy were abysmal at keeping records, so that when record keeping was handed over to Brad, the quality fell apart. In fact, during the first audit, most of the effort was trying to figure out what Brad had done.