http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c516 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:17:07 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c516 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1363 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:16:47 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1363
You're assumptions are STILL wrong and the chief error is this 80 hours a month business. It's really more like 25-35....]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c116 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:13:42 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c116
One would argue the literacy rate is better now than it was back then.

"Achievement is not about averages: those have changed little across human history -- what has changed is the frequency and magnitude of the giants among men; we have no modern Lord Kelvins, or Socrates, or Nietzsches, or Newtons."

Yes because as we all know, historical geniuses are always revered during their time period.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1357 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:12:13 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1357 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1347 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:10:55 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1347
I could further your idea by saying shut the site down. That was not my intention John. My intention was to alleviate the heartache of dealing with trolling comments and the comments of those who feel the need to play the game as some of do not.

There are only 24 hours in any given day and filtering through trollish nonsense is not how I choose to spend my time, most days - some yes.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c107 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:10:19 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c107 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c98 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:08:59 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c98
As is disingenuity the rule of the day I will stipulate: this does not mean that drivel was not written then -- nor, necessarily, that it would be impossible to write well now.

What it DOES mean is that the bar is lower, far lower, than it has ever been in the past, and that you and your ilk don't even notice. You don't read things from that era; you don't compare the thought or expression thereof with that of today.

Achievement is not about averages: those have changed little across human history -- what has changed is the frequency and magnitude of the giants among men; we have no modern Lord Kelvins, or Socrates, or Nietzsches, or Newtons.

We don't even have a modern-day Einstein; the only truly magnificent intellect of which I'm aware is a self-imposed hermit who turned down our paltry attempts at 'recognition' because he knew all to well that they demeaned his work.

Is this doom? No, we are still alive and breathing; but it is always the work of relativists, liberals, and fools to claim that just because things could become worse that they have not degenerated at all.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c94 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:05:53 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c94
There are very few modern people with the mental discipline and fortitude to read and write as well as people did in 1871. People back then carried around enormous amounts of information in their heads, and had an incredible ability to concentrate.

Modern people have outsourced all that, and most of us are largely reliant on technological devices to function as memory, organizational tools, and instant research assistants.

Is this better than what we were doing before? I don't know. I think the jury is kind of out on this one.

But I guarantee you that those writers from the 19th and early 20th century would absolutely amaze you with their mental prowess. Perhaps it's like comparing muscle power with a steam engine, but those folks had mental muscles like Charles Atlas had physical ones.

The vast majority of us, who think we're so very strong/clever, are actually flabby and weak compared to our predecessors.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c74 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:05:02 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c74 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c479 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:03:01 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c479 why they don't care.

Tell someone for example that businesses don't play the radio in public anymore due to fear of being sued/shaken, that copying a song for a friend to listen to is considered a crime worthy of thousands of dollars in fines, and various other similar things, and suddenly that 'don't care' attitude tends to turn to disgust/opposition pretty quick.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11500923509/its-come-to-this-commentators-arguing-that-press-commits-crime-exposing-nsa-surveillance.shtml#c808 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:02:07 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11500923509/its-come-to-this-commentators-arguing-that-press-commits-crime-exposing-nsa-surveillance.shtml#c808 The immorality of the health care situation is staggering.

Fortunately if you have good insurance you can see a doctor about your staggering problem.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1331 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:59:51 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1331
I wasn't talking off the cuff, I was using US Census figures: the median individual income in the US last census was around $44,000/year. You are using figures specific to commercial writing (which I think is a bit misleading, but that's a different discussion), I was using exactly what I said: median income.

Your expectation for an experienced writer was $76,800/yr. That's pretty close to twice the median. Even if we accept your BLS statistics, you're still inflating the value considerably.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c462 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:59:14 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c462
A perfect description of what Pandora does and why it is an enabler rather than a gatekeeper.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c70 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:58:25 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c70 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/02025423448/company-claims-patent-pop-up-ads-sues-porn-travel-companies.shtml#c164 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:56:50 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/02025423448/company-claims-patent-pop-up-ads-sues-porn-travel-companies.shtml#c164
I've learned long ago not to trust ads on the internet. They are a security problem and I will do everything in my power to prevent them from occurring on my machine. I know of several instances where others got malware through infected iFrames I didn't because I don't allow them to run.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1326 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:55:01 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/01121423439/hollywood-studios-keep-saying-its-employees-must-get-paid-now-may-be-forced-to-pay-its-interns.shtml#c1326
So what you are saying is that you are making about $1250/mo. for (hopefully) no more than 80 hours. That's about $15.62 an hour, with no benefits and you paying both the employer and employee share of payroll taxes. From money.cnn.com: The survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers showed the average salary of new grads at $44,455.

So considering the saved costs of payroll taxes and benefits you cost Masnick half of the average cost a 2013 college grad. But hey, as long as you're happy...]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c54 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:52:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c54
I think s/can't/won't there is more accurate.

I have plenty of "get off my lawn" moments as well - but at least I recognize them. I at least keep up with technology and modern culture, even if I don't always enjoy it.

I also take time to educate my children on how things used to be done, so they don't just take for granted what they have now.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c29 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:52:02 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130619/10395523531/next-time-someone-says-twitter-is-killing-deep-thinking-with-short-quick-messages-show-them-this.shtml#c29 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c454 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:50:10 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c454 one possibility, though it would seem the more likely(and logical) reason for an essay like that to be gone through point-by-point, showing where it was grossly inaccurate, could be due to the fact that it is mock-worthy.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c437 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:47:40 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130613/18243923466/hollywoods-new-talking-point-gatekeepers-are-awesome.shtml#c437