As Christmas Bonus, Google Hands Out "Dogfood"

theodp writes "You know times are tough when the best place to work in America replaces holiday bonuses with a request for unpaid labor. Blaming the economic crisis, Google management has canceled the traditional cash holiday bonus — reportedly as much as $20K-$30K per Googler — and substituted an unlocked Google Android cell phone, retail price $400. An accompanying email calls for employees to celebrate the 'chance for us to once again dogfood a product and make it even better!'" Update: 12/23 01:09 GMT by KD : A reader pointed out that comments to the article note a couple of inaccuracies: the Android phone being offered is an unlocked dev model, which goes for $400; and the reporter may have confused holiday bonuses with performance bonuses. The former have traditionally been in the range of $1,000, according to two comments.

Comments

This just in..

[RightSaidFred99]

Laws of economics apply to Google, despite last 7 years of them denying tech bubble had already burst.

Re:This just in..

[aliquis]

Yeah, stop complaining, I'd work at google for an android phone :D

Google are you watching? It must sure be better, more fun and interesting than sitting here :D

Re:This just in..

[techno-vampire]

Here in America, Google watches you. In Soviet Russia, government watches Google. And, in Soviet China, government watches Google watch you!

Re:This just in..

[Hognoxious]

Valleywag? Sounds like a euphemism for a lady's whatnot.

eBay?

[acb]

Wonder how many of these will end up on eBay.

Best place to work in America?

[hobbit]

...is the UK. Here, a $180-dollar value bonus is worth considerably more than it was last year!

Re:Best place to work in America?

[Slashdotvagina]

a $180-dollar value bonus

Note: when you put the $ sign before 180, you pronounce it "one hundred eighty dollars". You don't need the redundant "-dollar" [sic] after.

It had to be said

[AgentUSA]

Hey. If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here, with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, fore-fleshing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is. Hallelujah. Holy shit. Where's the Tylenol?

Re:eBay? Nope. Google management forbids it!

[Al Dimond]

Q: Can I post this internal email on the Internet?
A: Hell yes!

Re:the term 'googlers' annoys the hell out of me

[happyslayer]

its NOT cute and your employees are not children.

'googlers'. sigh.

That's why I call all my employees minions!

(My wife prefers the title "Mistress of Minions".)

Re:the term 'googlers' annoys the hell out of me

[Anonymous Coward]

You've never been to a strip club haven't you?

You skipped 3rd grade grammar, didn't you?

Re:My grandpa did the same thing

[denzacar]

Dogs are made out of protein too.

Re:the term 'googlers' annoys the hell out of me

[colonslash]

Are you similarly outraged when people speak of Texans or New Yorkers?

Yes and no.

Soviet America

[ionix5891]

Its ok with all bailouts you are allowed to prefix the word "America" with the word "Soviet"

Re:the term 'googlers' annoys the hell out of me

[ionix5891]

he was a the stripclub you insensitive clod