Hah, funny article. It’s the usual rant that “someone” has to pay for the content.
Someone, somewhere ends up putting out money for everything you do online, every piece of news you read, every Web app you use. It takes professionals and hardware across a gigantic industry to make these things work. In terms of overhead alone, content costs a lot. So why do some users always kick and scream at the first suggestion of paid content? Do you think content is worth paying for, and if so, what are you personally willing to pay?
I’m curious: What kinds of online content, if any, are you willing to pay for? And how much will you pay for them?
As usual for the stenographers they completely missed the point. They are no longer king of the data hill since the “journalists” do not provide information ( actionable data ) but merely (and usually inaccurate) data with no competent interpretation.
Some of the problems with the “content” MSM media produces:
Inaccurate: It is extraordinarily rare to find a Main-stream Media outlet that can get the facts correct. I have seen articles confuse the term “Light-Rail” with “High-Speed Rail” ( equivalent to confusing “speed of sound” with “speed of light” ).
Anonymous (gossip) sources: Reading anything about politics is equally painful “anonymous sources” are quoted, given reader no way to judge the quality of the information – so the article becomes disguised hearsay.
Stenographers: Usually, a “journalist” lazily parrots a political party’s (usually Republican ) talking points or regurgitates a corporate press release. Witness the rah-rah-rahing of the Iraq War.
Contrived controversies: There is the endless contrived controversies around settled issues ( global warming ) that confuse the lay man.
False Balance: there is false “journalistic” balance where a scientist with a vast amount of data is “balanced” against the latest creationist whack-job.
DWHC: Lastly come the endless pieces about the latest DWHC ( Dead white hot chick ) or rumors about Micheal Jackson’s death. Yes, people are interested in hearing about celebrity gossip, put it is mental cotton candy – low food value.
Not unique: the article on the AP wire as little value. The same article can be gotten from a vast array of sources. Therefore its scarcity and value are non-existent to a given media outlet.
Process-orientated: Case in point: Horse race mentality around what polls are saying about who is “in the lead”.
So why would I pay for “content” stenographic, celebrity gossip articles.
If journalists stopped being lazy and did more research than half-understood wikipedia articles and google-reading, it would be worth it to buy their content. But buy stenographic contact in advance, not a chance.
However, I would very much like to see a tip mechanism whereby I can tip a reporter after reading the article. But I ain’t paying for the crap fluff pieces. Hell you should pay ME that you wasted my time.
Before identity theft became a huge problem, “no one” cared that every tom-dick-and-harry business was using social security numbers as account numbers.
Before 9/11, “no one” cared about terrorism at the deeply personal level.
The fundamental danger is that Mark Z. is completely unprepared for the reality that societies acceptance of what is o.k. can and does shift. Sometimes slowly, some times in one day.
Arrogance and indifference is blinding.
I won’t predicate the demise of Facebook. But if I was a facebook investor, this would be a little worrying. I sense a bit of an echo machine within Facebook.
If government law changes to demand privacy will facebook be able to respond?
While the Missouri Department of transportation talks about how this is great for vehicles, it is also great for pedestrians:
all crossings can be signalled for long crossing times because pedestrians are walking with the main flow of traffic — so lots of time for moms with kids to get across.
the center island can be double the normal width — the 2 sidewalks on the edge of the bridge are combined to one double width sidewalk.
planter boxes or fencing on the perimeter of the center island can help reassure moms (and dads) that the 3-year old is not going to escape into traffic.
NO worries about people turning into pedestrians – all traffic is going the same direction as pedestrians — except for the initial right turn on to the freeway.
the right turn on to the freeway can easily be signaled and no right-turn on red allowed.
the gray areas at the end of the bridge also provide nice big areas.
Really, really easy to get across Missouri 13. It is now trivial to get do a diagonal crossing so that 44 and 13 are both crossed.
I am an entrepreneur starting my own company in Silicon Valley. I am reliant on expensive COBRA coverage for my own health care needs. COBRA runs out in a few months.
Without health insurance I will be forced to shutdown my company and my dream, and find another job building someone else’s dream.
I can’t afford to pay any health care for employees. So ironically I have to hire contractors from countries that do have universal health care. (or at least cheaper health care). Hiring anyone in the U.S. is too costly. Even if someone can work for minimum wage and equity, most software engineers will not do without health care insurance.
The best economic stimulus that Washington could enact is to take the economic burden of health care costs off the backs of small business and their employees. Enable people to realize their dreams without taking a chance on their health!
Not having to pay $13,000 – $15,000 / employee / year is a huge, huge, huge economic aid! For my own company this would have saved $40,000. This $40,000 could have been spent hiring people.
Jerry’s original email message:
Dear Patrick,
We’re in the midst of an historic debate on health care and closer than ever to enacting major reform.
Many of you participated in the health care survey I began circulating in April or in the telephone town hall on health care I held recently with almost 5,000 participants. Your thoughts and comments are appreciated and offer great insight.
Unfortunately, as you’ve probably heard, there are those in our country who want to block an open debate on health care. We shouldn’t lose the opportunity to have a productive and respectful conversation about the future of health care in this country.
I am not deterred by the current challenges or by those who seek to scare people into believing myths about the great changes we can make to the health care system.
I need your help to continue. We must stand together to create great change – our voices must rise above the din of misinformation.
Will you please sign my petition to show your support for health care reform?
I will continue to reach out to hear from you. Over the past month, I’ve traveled throughout the district to meet with small business owners, seniors, doctors and nurses. I’ve toured healthClick to watch video care facilities, including hospitals, clinics and local practices so that I can see our health care resources firsthand.
During my health care listening tour, I’ve heard again and again from people who are ready for change to our health care system. During these tough times no one should have the additional burden of worrying if they’ll have health care when their family needs it most.
I’m working hard to find a uniquely American solution to the problems of our current health care system. Every family should have access to high quality and affordable health care. We should crack down on insurance abuses such as preventing people with pre-existing conditions from accessing coverage. Every citizen should be able to choose the doctor they want to see and be free to make their own decisions on care for themselves and their families.
The fight isn’t an easy one. I am being attacked for my support of health care reform. I need your support during this crucial time.
Please take a moment to sign my petition, and if you’re able, consider a donation to the campaign so I have the resources to continue the fight.
The other side will use any means possible to continue their fear campaign against reform, including distortions, lies, and intimidation to stop us. We cannot allow this to happen.
We’re in this together.
Thank you for all that you do,
Congressman Jerry McNerney
On Tuesday at 8 a.m., I will stand trial for speaking three truthful words: “I am gay.”
On Tuesday, I will face a panel of colonels who will decide whether or not to fire me — to discharge me for “moral and professional dereliction” under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
On Tuesday, I will try to prove that it’s not immoral to tell the truth.
As an infantry officer, an Iraq combat veteran and a West Point graduate with a degree in Arabic, I refuse to lie to my commanders. I refuse to lie to my peers. I refuse to lie to my subordinates.
My case requires that I provide personal testimony from people who can attest to my character. That’s why several members of my military unit have written letters of support and offered to testify on my behalf.
Now I need your help. ANYONE who believes the Army should not fire me can take a stand right now. I am bringing a statement of support to Tuesday’s trial and I need you to add your signature to it. Will you support me by signing this statement before Tuesday?
I want to thank the 141,262 people who have signed the “Don’t Fire Dan” letter launched a few weeks ago by the Courage Campaign and CREDO Mobile to President Obama, asking him to take leadership to bring this tragic policy to an end.
The momentum is building. This week, 77 members of Congress signed a letter to the President citing my service as an example of why DADT should be repealed. And a Gallup poll was recently released showing that 69 percent of Americans — including 58 percent of Republicans – favor allowing openly gay men and lesbian women to serve their country .
As I learned at West Point, deception and lies poison a unit and cripple a fighting force. That’s why more than 70 of my fellow West Point graduates have also come out of the closet to join Knights Out, the organization I co-founded to build support for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.
The only way we will eventually overturn “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is by speaking up together. You can help me fight back right now by adding your name to my statement of support. On Tuesday morning, I will bring your signature — and thousands of others — to my trial as a demonstration of your collective support:
National security means many things, but the thing that makes us secure in our nation and homes is love. What makes me a better soldier, leader, Christian and human being is love. And I’m not going to hide my love.
Love is worth it.
Thank you for your support.
Daniel W. Choi
1LT, IN
New York Army National Guard
And my response:
We should treat honorably servicing members of the military with honor.
Court martialing Lt. Choi is dishonoring his service. Court martialing Lt. Choi will stain the Army not Lt. Choi.
Court martialing Lt. Choi clearly indicates that for the U.S military, the words “honor” and “dignity” should be prefaced with “mostly” and “while convenient”.
Being willing to face a court martial in order to do the honorable action is the highest indicator of honor that any service member could demonstrate. This willingness to sacrifice oneself is what the military demands. Self-sacrifice doesn’t always come in the form of a bullet.
The hardest form of self-sacrifice is willingness to be subject to societal rejection.
Don’t like taxes? Move to Somalia. No functioning government since Bush the First – a libertarian paradise.
The anti-tax people complain about taxes but want the benefits of:
a functioning University system so that there are high-quality people to work at your cool start-up
a public school system that at the very least keeps kids off the street. (50% of California’s budget)
roads
police
prisons ( 10% of California’s budget )
state parks
a functioning emergency system for the next airline crash or the next earthquake
airports
Caltrain
weights and measures people to make sure that when you buy a gallon of gas you get your full gallon
code enforcement to make sure a restaurant is not serving 3 month-old rotten meat and the kitchen is not infested with cockroaches
zoning enforcement that stops your neighbor from running a chicken farm
labor laws that stop child labor and insist that your employer actually has to *pay* you
SEC laws that require that companies follow GAAP
laws that allow lawsuits and action against companies when they pollute the water you drink
Next time you think that the government does nothing for you. Spend some time finding out how badly mainland China, Dubai, or Yemen allows the powerful to abuse everyone else.
I can go on and on.
But seriously, grow up. You want to live in a civilized society? expect to pay for it — it does not come for free.
Oh sure, it isn’t perfect — fine make it better.
As for me, I am happy to pay taxes and enjoy the best state (California) in the US. There is no way I would move to another state that has worse laws.
Update 1:
A few other “unnecessary services” from the government:
Center for Disease Control ( you know those useless people that actually worry about swine flu pandemics )
CDF (California Department of Forestry ) : those useless bureaucrats that put their lives on the line to put out wildfires. I am sure those fires last year in San Diego would have eventually burned out.
Move to Somalia. Avoid these annoying bureaucrats!
Meanwhile think about this:
In the 70’s corporations paid 2/3 of the taxes, today after a full generation of the rich whining about taxes corporations pay 1/3 of the taxes.
30 years after Prop 13, the biggest beneficiaries of Prop 13 are corporations because they never, never sell property ( 99-year leases anyone? ).
All this anti-tax rhetoric has allowed corporations to shift the tax purden to the individuals.
Maybe it is time to wake-up about this scam and stop buying into the anti-tax rhetoric so blindly.
Update 2:
More from TechCrunch:
State governments assess “emergency” tax measures to get quick money because they can’t bear the thought of making the tough choices necessary to cut spending
Hmmm… so in hard economic times, when a social safety net is that much more important you want states to cut funding.
So from your perspective:
Unemployment insurance
Job retraining programs
Community Colleges
4-year public universities
subsidized day care
subsidized elder care
Section 8 housing assistance
School lunch programs
morning/afternoon pre-/post- school day programs
community grants for starting a new business
Should all be cut.
Someone who has just been laid off can try to job hunt and compete with 500 applicants hoping they can keep their head above water economically;
Or
they can return to school and complete their AA degree or the BS, or get their MBA using the above listed services to make it economically possible.
By providing these services, a state enables their citizens to be more valuable and more productive when the economy turns around.
The single mom ( or dad ) may start the downturn with no college education. Through the services listed above, this single parent could end up with a degree that will enable them to double their income. Or give them the skills to start their own business.
Yet you make the interesting choice that states should remove this opportunity to turn economic lemons into lemonade.
Interesting. I am curious why you think that a less-educated workforce is a good choice?
I should add that Herbert Hoover was wildly successful at cutting government spending in the Great Depression. I am curious do you think this was successful for him? If not how is the same approach going to be successful today?
Errata Note: Original post referred to Ethiopia. The correct country should have been Somalia. I usually know my geography much better. However, since Somalia now has a government (as of December 2008), the last John Galt paradise is gone. Thanks to Peter for pointing this error out.
“Other potential benefits are also intriguing: a probable economic windfall for several cities along the route . . .”
and
“There will be as many as 24 passenger stations along the way . . .”
The train could more easily meet speed requirements if it stopped less. CA should do some land use planning first, then plan the train.
How would a station affect speed? Every train has to slow down to say “Hi”?
Stations have nothing to do with speed. Stations are INFRASTRUCTURE.
Station STOPS affect speed. Station STOPS are an OPERATIONAL decision and can be solved with a schedule change.
How come no one talks about having fewer freeway exits as a way to make freeways go faster? Because its stupid, drivers don’t get on and off at every freeway ramp. Yet somehow people think that a train has to behave like a stupid driver who takes every freeway exit! How come people think a train has to stop at every station?
News flash!
Trains can skip stations! If a train doesn’t stop a station the existence or (non-existence) of a station is irrelevant!
California High-Speed Rail Authority puts out this BULLSHIT as an excuse to avoid building a system that could actually serve dual purposes as both a long-distance system and a higher-speed adjunct to commuter rail.
“We can’t build more stations because that would slow down the train!”
I’m not a train engineer, but I imagine money is spent on building a station with the expectation that some of the trains stop – because people live or work there.
I would hope so myself!
If there are stations for which trains stop infrequently, is that good planning?
Yes it is good planning. Stations can be built at relatively low cost. At the lowest end just a long enough siding, a asphalt boarding area, a parking lot and a place for taxis/buses. Even for HSR there is no reason a low frequency stop has to have even a building. Sure the HSR trains might require a high platform but that can be easily handled with a portable “step-up” carried on the train.
If I lived, or had a business near that station, I sure would want as many stops as possible.
well of course you would — and I want a pony. Wishes don’t mean you get.
Communities around those stations will use the existence of the station as marketing to attract development, but should it be happening at all 24 stops?
How is this a bad thing? Communities promoting passenger rail is bad?
Might there be some type of express/local arrangement, where a slower local (on a separate track) can feed the HSR? That doesn’t come through on the article.
You don’t need a separate track for anything except the station area. The station siding just needs to be long enough to allow for acceleration/deacceleration off of the main line. ( about 9 miles on the acceleration, less on the deacceleration ) Unless we are talking very impacted ROW the extra track is minor. The siding track is only necessary when the OPERATIONAL issues dictate that a train stopped at a station needs to be passed.
It probably doesn’t come through in the article because this is another operational issue that is decided after system is built. Running a train slower that system maximum because it is a “local” only matters when a higher speed express wants to pass. If there is nothing coming up behind it, a train can run at 40mph on the main high-speed line or it can stay stopped for 10 minutes blocking the main-line track.
How many stops do you think a typical train will make?
The system being proposed can run a train every 3 minutes / direction. 20 trains per hour going the direction you want as a passenger. If a passenger is going from one low traffic station to another they might have to transfer but at least they get service from a station close to their house. Why are we going to make them drive a long distance when the tracks are next to them. So what if only one train stops per day? This is just like Amtrak today!
Just make sure that the entire end-to-end trip time does not exceed a policy maximum.
How is it decided which stations to stop at?
By the people setting the schedule — same as today. Don’t get this question at all.
Really?
So the VTA 522 Rapid is slowed down by the existence of a bus stop on a curb? Did not notice that at all! Better go out and remove all those sign posts along El Camino Real for Route 22. That will definitely make the 522 go faster.
Update 2:
that bus is the transit agency’s version of BRT.
Not only have they eliminated stops (one mile length between most stop), it doesn’t even have a schedule after it leaves its origin at set time, meaning it doesn’t have to ‘wait’….
Amtrak buses doing something similar – on many runs, they will only stop if a passenger gets off, but not to pick up.
I think it important to recognize the differences between bus types – local, inter-city, BRT, and train types: commuter rail, heavy rail, LRT….speed is always an important factor – to some types more than others. Intercity trains are expected to go faster than commuter rail; commuter rail faster than heavy rail (though there can be express and local subway lines, of course), all both faster than LRT.
Can you imagine a ’smoke break’ for HSR???
And ?
Once again — how is the *existence* of a bus stop going to affect a bus’s schedule if the bus doesn’t stop at the stop?
How is the existence of a train station going to affect a given train’s speed and schedule if the train doesn’t stop?
I am completely baffled.
I am completely astonished that the NYC subway routes are impacted by stations where the train doesn’t stop.
I really do not understand how the “6-express” subway runs slower because of the existence of the “Elder Ave” stop ( which the 6-Express skips ). Perhaps someone else can help explain this?
I have no idea what a “smoke stop” has to do with station planning. Maybe you can enlighten me?
Update 3 [ 15 June 2009 23:13:00 ]:
An intelligent question from twitter:
Is there a (federal) law requiring trains to slow below a certain speed in stations irrespective of stopping?
No Federal Law. A train can go through at whatever speed it wants to. Certainly, some sort of warning system may desirable. The only exception is “holdout” stations. Holdout stations are stations where passengers cross active tracks to board. California Ave USED in Palo Alto, Ca to be holdout station.
In the Great Depression unemployment in the U.S. peaked at 24.9% in 1933. Imperial County today has an unemployment rate of 26.9% closely followed by counties like Merced and Yuba at 18% – you can see the sobering Central Valley stats here and a map of California’s unemployment rate by county here.
Solution??:
When you are approached by a friend to give to the non-profits trying to help please give.
NO!
It is time to stop with the privatization of the social safety net.
When approached by that friend, demand as a condition of giving that *both* you and that friend write to your congress critter.
Demand that unemployment benefits be modified so that the newly employed who are now newly unemployed are covered. Right now you have to be employed for a majority of the past 18 months to get any benefits.
Demand that the Employee Free Choice Act be passed. (EFCA makes it easier for employees to for unions, and stops companies from retaliating against employees.)
Stop buying into the idea that a few pennies thrown into a bucket will somehow replace a legitimate social safety net provided by the government.
Of course the vast majority of the comments piled on with silly comments about the “left coast” and “nutty environmentalists”, but apparently no one bothered to actually read the proposal or understand the problem.
Briefly, dark colors absorb heat. And take a long time to radiate. Go down to LA in July some time. 95+ degrees. In stop and go traffic, without an airconditioner, the car will never cool off.
And if anybody bothered to actually read the presentation it says:
data indicates 20-25%
more likely achievable range for dark
colors for automobiles ( page 8 )
By 2016, all colors must meet the 20%
reflectivity requirement” (page 9)
And the benefits are:
Reduced interior temperatures can reduce a/c capacity and likelihood of a/c use
Smaller a/c or less operation results in less
fuel used ( page 4 )
So in other words, by 2016 the paints must meet a reflectivity standard that is *less* than what is possible for dark colors (except for jet black). If a Jet Black paint can meet the standards, the paint is o.k.
So ARB made sure to set an achievable goal that would not “ban” a color. But Mike needs his cheap shot and nothing was going to stand in his way.
McCarthyism was tarring the innocent with innuendo to ruin the accused lives.
What is happening now is anything but. AIG, Merrill Lynch, Bank Of America, et.al. are NOT innocent victims. They are the perpetrators of the biggest heist of all time.
These financial “wizards” have demonstrated that the only financial knowledge and ethics they have is that of a swindler.
This is a perp walk for a reason. They are the criminals – not victims.
AIG is bankrupt. At a bankrupt firm, bonuses aren’t paid, contracts are torn up – usually by bankruptcy court. Look at the UAW, GM, GM’s creditors, and bondholders – pennies on the dollar for them.
AIG should be in receivership. Instead, we the sheeple taxpayers, *paid* for the privilege of declaring AIG bankrupt. Instead of dumping billions down the AIG rathole in the first place, AIG should have just been seized like a bank in a similar situation would have been.
My wife and I both at various times were promised bonuses at startups that went through an asset sale and shutdown. Not always were those bonuses delivered. Should we have have been able to write such a letter to the NYT.
Some more points:
The letter writer (Jack) claims he had nothing to do with CDS. How do we know? Was he in meetings when the issue was brought up and went along with/and or encouraged CDS? We only have his word on this.
How do we know that his work didn’t “blow up” in later years? Only his word on it.
“$742,006.40, after taxes”. As a bonus. In a bankrupt firm. “$1″ annual salary. Show me many people who could take that kind of salary cut. My wife who is a tax accountant has some people coming in with $300K+ in W-2 wages crying about how much taxes they have to pay. A client who makes more in tax-free California muni’s than my wife and I have all year. I am sorry, cry me a river. The *average* income for a family of 4 in the San Francisco Bay Area is about $85,000. Cry me a river.
Jack claims to have suffered as a result of the economic downturn. Oh really? Is Jack being foreclosed on? Are his kids having to pass up on dreams of going to college? Is Jack looking at his medication and deciding which prescription he isn’t going to renew? Or maybe its powdered milk this month, or a trip to Second Harvest. Are creditors calling him? Considering that Jack’s firm helped with the 2005 bankruptcy law re-write, that helped result in so many foreclosures — cry me a river.
When deciding to hold out for the bonus, he should have factored in the possibility that AIG wouldn’t be able to pay up on the promises. Are GM and Chrysler execs writing such letters? Probably not. Would a UAW member looking at a slashed pension get the same sympathy?
Once again, Jack is not an innocent victim. Jack may not be a criminal. No one is talking jail for Jack (yet). But Jack just learned a hard lesson in not-counting-chickens-before-they-are-hatched, and he is “upset”. I bet half the country would switch places with Jack and not be upset at all. Maybe Jack needs to step back, clear his head, and go work at a homeless shelter for some time to get a proper perspective.
Final question — how come is it that people like Jack who don’t actually make anything, who don’t actually increase the value of the world are so highly compensated? Jack is just a fancy pants banker. Fred, you as a VC add value. You help create companies and bring new ideas to fruition. My wife makes sure that her companies spend their money wisely. I am building a company, Amplafi. What did Jack and his ilk build or create? Near as I can figure, they built a fancy casino.
Tell Jerry McNerney why we need health care reform
Friday, August 21st, 2009Help make the case for health care reform! Tell Jerry McNerney D-CA11 your story.
This is mine:
Jerry’s original email message:
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