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Craigslist: Libertarian Newspaper Slayer!

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I'd understand if The New Republic's Barron YoungSmith watched this ReasonTV's video excoriating the politicians and pundits who advocate newspaper bailouts and was left wondering if "libertarian ideology is killing newspapers." But this bizarre post at The Plank argues that Craigslist's owners, often (erroneously) blamed for destroying the old media business model by putting classified ads online for free, are destroying the news industry because they "are devoted to a form of libertarian ideology." He explains:

While Wal-Mart is bent on maximizing returns for its shareholders--an appropriate goal, for a corporation--Craigslist is not. Instead, [Big Money's Mark] Gimein explains, Craigslist doesn't even try to profit from its economic activities, because its owners are devoted to a form of libertarian ideology:

For all the stories written about Craigslist and the profiles of its founder, the company can still baffle anybody trying to make sense of it. A telling episode was the performance of Jim Buckmaster, the CEO who runs Craigslist day to day, at an investor conference where he was asked to explain the company's strategy for maximizing revenue. Buckmaster answered that it didn't have one... or want one because that wasn't the point.

[Ellipses in the original.]

I haven't a clue what any of this means. Is one engaged in "economic activities" if, by and large, no money is changing hands? If there is no intention of making a profit; no advertising; and limited fees for those posting ads? (Small fees were first introduced as a way of preventing double posting of real estate listings from spamming New York brokers). So why is Wal-Mart (a company I defended here) not "libertarian," while Craigslist, which is run by the left-liberal Craig Newmark and basically provides its services for free, is? It is unclear how Jim Buckmaster's non-strategy strategy counts as sinister and free market, but YoungSmith adds this bit of clarification:
Instead of profits, Gimein shows, Craigslist's owners manage the organization in the service of an idea.
A lesson that it was hard for [me] to learn," [founder Craig] Newmark told Charlie Rose, "was that people are good and trustworthy and moderate." Craigslist is Newmark's vote of confidence in that lesson. ... Bad things don't come from what two individuals decide to do together. They come from the institutions that stand between them.
Shorter YoungSmith: A business that facilitates yardsale-like transactions, that eases the process of unloading your excess junk on neighborhood hoarders, is working in service of a libertarian idea. And by destroying a key newspaper revenue stream, those Craigslist libertarians are, in turn, destroying those who valiantly defend democracy at the Los Angeles Times, Rocky Mountain News, and Lowell Sun. Or something.








Craigslist: Libertarian Newspaper Slayer!

[Source: Good Times Society - by The American Illuminati]

posted by tgazw @ 1:50 AM, ,

Wendy Long May Have More in Common with Sotomayor Than She Thought

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If you’ve been following the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, the term “reverse-racist” has undoubtedly appeared in a story you’ve read. Rush Limbaugh branded Sotomayor a ‘reverse-racist’ on his radio show, while Newt Gingrich labeled her a racist when he posted a statement on his Twitter account.


Some right wing groups claim that Sotomayor is a judicial activist who will bend the law based on her own personal views.


Wendy Long of The Judicial Confirmation Network, a conservative-leaning organization involved with judicial nominations, sent a letter to Senators yesterday outlining these concerns:


“Judge Sotomayor challenges the belief that the law needs to be knowable and predictable . . .” 



Long accused Sotomayor of embracing judicial activism, and claims that “when judges drive such change, based not on the written Constitution and laws enacted by the people, judges use their own sense of personal "justice," based on their own experiences, personal views, feelings, and backgrounds.”


Sadly, the facts get in the way of Long’s argument. Take, for instance, Sotomayor’s ruling in the case of Pappas v. Giuliani. In short, the case involved Thomas Pappas, an employee of the New York City Police Department, who was fired for mailing racially offensive, anonymous letters to organizations that had solicited him for donations.


A reverse-racist, judicial activist, such as Sotomayor, must have ruled in favor of the city, claiming that Thomas violated the rights of others through his offensive remarks, right?


Wrong. It turns out that Judge Sotomayor did exactly what Wendy Long would have wanted�"she made her ruling based “on the written Constitution and laws enacted by the people.” Citing the NYCLU’s briefing on the case, Sotomayor and her Second Circuit panel concluded that: 


“The reduced free-speech protections accorded to public-employee speech related to the workplace also extended to private and anonymous speech by employees that took place away from the workplace and that was unrelated to the workplace” 



 Rather than let her personal beliefs get in the way of her ruling, Sotomayor upheld one of America's oldest laws by defending a bigot’s right to be a bigot.




Wendy Long May Have More in Common with Sotomayor Than She Thought

[Source: Good Times Society - by The American Illuminati]

posted by tgazw @ 1:19 AM, ,

Investigation Links Reality Shows, Suicide

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Najai Turpin

Is there a link between reality shows and suicide?

An investigation by TheWrap, an entertainment website, found that 11 people have killed themselves "in tragedies that appear to be linked to their experience on television shows."


Read More >




Other Links From TVGuide.com




Investigation Links Reality Shows, Suicide

[Source: Good Times Society - by The American Illuminati]

posted by tgazw @ 12:57 AM, ,

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