16 years internet marketing experience with a good portion serving small mid-size and multi-billion dollar real estate solutions, so I've seen this myself over and over in different forms, and not surprisingly, from both MLS aggregators and Realtors at odds with each other, both at different times, taking different sides in the battle.
And yes, it does boil down to the issue that dinosaurs do what they can to avoid extinction, simply because they're too stuck in their "time-proven" business model to innovate or compete fairly.
It's also not surprising to me that the Real Estate industry specifically is rife with this nonsense. The only reason I got into the web business was in the early 90s I managed a Real Estate firm, and the 1st day I saw the Internet, I knew I had to get them online. Back in those days, managing 30+ agents, it was a daily routine of babysitting ego-driven children in adult bodies, repeatedly hand-holding them as I showed them how to do even the most basic computing tasks they refused to learn, and educating them on the concept that they had to be involved in their own marketing efforts.
The whole MLS model grew out of that reality. Except it was run by Realtors themselves. So the MLS system (and it's subsequent off-shoot regional data aggregation partners who "owned" the aggregation technology) was doomed to eventually be out-maneuvered by "outsiders" who could actually innovate. And now they just continue to hope they can avoid the inevitable asteroid that's on a collision course with their "home turf".
Given how I hate every photo ever taken of me during the past several years, I'm going to have to say I kind of like this one. It would let me tell my employer, the DMV, and a host of other entities that no, they can't use my photo. that they'll have to come up with some other way to validate that I am who I say I am for my ID card or license! :-) #TOTALWIN
Lets see. Verisign was the company that the gov handed the entire internet over to when they "got out of the domain business" in the first place. And it was only when cries of "monopoly" got loud enough (at $75 a domain name if I recall my early web days), that it had to open up to other companies.
ICANN grew out of that - and in typical corporatocracy driven U.S. government fashion, it was done in a way that ensured governments (mostly the U.S. government) could continue to keep their foot planted firmly in the doorway of the new "unbiased" entity.
Please. Verisign, ICANN - pathetic shills for those in power who have no willingness to go through actual constitutional channels
Another great example of lawyers and those who pay them doing anything they think they can get away with (hey - if even just one judge agrees with them, the precedent is set)... < sigh >
LOL I'd forgotten about Doctor Henry, then doing a general Google search on my name came across this article. After refreshing my memory on it I just checked Yelp. Dr. Henry actually provided counter-comments to two of her quite negative Yelp results, but only did so in February...
Now mind you, it's February of 2011 right? The comments she replied to were dated March of 2010 and March of 2009. :-)
In the one from 2009 that called her a liar and said she wasn't to be trusted, she writes a diatribe in rebuttal, then at the end closes with
"We are glad that you are feeling better and we look forward to seeing you in the office."
Peter P. is right. I don't care if they ever come out with a new product or just repackage the existing one. They really should never be allowed to run a business ever again. Every last one of the people who managed the company, operated the customer support phone lines, needs to be permanently banned from ever working in any consumer facing business again for the rest of their lives, having all colluded in such insanely disgusting and deceptive business practices.
I know. I almost got burned by them, were it not for my willingness to do battle long enough and loud enough with a supervisor.
Had they had the courage back then to post the "here's what this is really going to cost you" content in an easily found and seen location on their site, or mentioned it during the sales cycle, and had they charged some "Time-Life-Books" scale fee for their stuff, they might have had a semi-viable and even sustainable business model. Now, they just need to go away. Permanently.
the fact that big corporations have the power to pull the puppet-strings of ISPs in such foolish disregard for our constitutional rights just gets more nauseating all the time. And the way the Supreme court has been acting in recent decisions, it appears they're now firmly entrenched in supporting the police state mentality of the corporatocracy we now live in.
When I first got involved in the Internet business fifteen years ago, I instantly saw this as the dawning of a new age of the free flow of information and ideas. Big brother has been doing more and more to show they don't like that, even though they created it.
Most of the time I have an opinion one way or the other on all things SEO, given it's my livelihood, I have an SEJ column I need to write on a regular basis, and my persona on Twitter is all about rants :-)
In this case though, all I can say is that when I read the report card, I laughed. A lot. because regardless of the reason they came out with the report card, and regardless of the issues that people like to claim are behind such things, it's just ironic in this case. And a great excuse to laugh.
Well, okay, not really. But just like NAFTA and CAFTA, the mere concept of ACTA smacks of big business looking for one more way to generate massive sums of revenue on a global scale by screwing us especially by being able to go after off-shore Internet hosted content.
And the list of signers shows a much bigger issue. I have a feeling that this secret document will also cover anything "entertainment" related in print as well. News Corp and Reed Elsevier Inc have both been losing huge amounts due to the dying print publishing industry.
Any time people feel their method of income is threatened, they will potentially consider going on the offensive. Whether they do so or not will depend on how stable and well balanced they are, because any intelligent person with any life experience would first consider whether they have a legitimate claim or not.
The more one plunges into victim mode and uses false basis claims (protect the secrecy) then casts a shadow upon their own ability to maintain rational thought, and is clearly showing signs that they themselves need psychological treatment.
dinosaurs do what they can to avoid extinction
16 years internet marketing experience with a good portion serving small mid-size and multi-billion dollar real estate solutions, so I've seen this myself over and over in different forms, and not surprisingly, from both MLS aggregators and Realtors at odds with each other, both at different times, taking different sides in the battle.
And yes, it does boil down to the issue that dinosaurs do what they can to avoid extinction, simply because they're too stuck in their "time-proven" business model to innovate or compete fairly.
It's also not surprising to me that the Real Estate industry specifically is rife with this nonsense. The only reason I got into the web business was in the early 90s I managed a Real Estate firm, and the 1st day I saw the Internet, I knew I had to get them online. Back in those days, managing 30+ agents, it was a daily routine of babysitting ego-driven children in adult bodies, repeatedly hand-holding them as I showed them how to do even the most basic computing tasks they refused to learn, and educating them on the concept that they had to be involved in their own marketing efforts.
The whole MLS model grew out of that reality. Except it was run by Realtors themselves. So the MLS system (and it's subsequent off-shoot regional data aggregation partners who "owned" the aggregation technology) was doomed to eventually be out-maneuvered by "outsiders" who could actually innovate. And now they just continue to hope they can avoid the inevitable asteroid that's on a collision course with their "home turf".
my ugly face likes this one
Given how I hate every photo ever taken of me during the past several years, I'm going to have to say I kind of like this one. It would let me tell my employer, the DMV, and a host of other entities that no, they can't use my photo. that they'll have to come up with some other way to validate that I am who I say I am for my ID card or license! :-) #TOTALWIN
the insiders trail (as Alan Bleiweiss)
Lets see. Verisign was the company that the gov handed the entire internet over to when they "got out of the domain business" in the first place. And it was only when cries of "monopoly" got loud enough (at $75 a domain name if I recall my early web days), that it had to open up to other companies.
ICANN grew out of that - and in typical corporatocracy driven U.S. government fashion, it was done in a way that ensured governments (mostly the U.S. government) could continue to keep their foot planted firmly in the doorway of the new "unbiased" entity.
Please. Verisign, ICANN - pathetic shills for those in power who have no willingness to go through actual constitutional channels
Re: Re: Where are the BAR Associations? (as Alan Bleiweiss)
exactly what came to mind when I read the article. Love that Public Citizen took up the cause though!
Some spitballs stick so keep trying (as Alan Bleiweiss)
Another great example of lawyers and those who pay them doing anything they think they can get away with (hey - if even just one judge agrees with them, the precedent is set)... < sigh >
Update: The Doctor Responds
LOL I'd forgotten about Doctor Henry, then doing a general Google search on my name came across this article. After refreshing my memory on it I just checked Yelp. Dr. Henry actually provided counter-comments to two of her quite negative Yelp results, but only did so in February...
Now mind you, it's February of 2011 right? The comments she replied to were dated March of 2010 and March of 2009. :-)
In the one from 2009 that called her a liar and said she wasn't to be trusted, she writes a diatribe in rebuttal, then at the end closes with
"We are glad that you are feeling better and we look forward to seeing you in the office."
Sincerely Yours,
Dr. Kimberly Henry
Wow. Just wow.
Sometimes the lowest lifeforms really do die away
Peter P. is right. I don't care if they ever come out with a new product or just repackage the existing one. They really should never be allowed to run a business ever again. Every last one of the people who managed the company, operated the customer support phone lines, needs to be permanently banned from ever working in any consumer facing business again for the rest of their lives, having all colluded in such insanely disgusting and deceptive business practices.
I know. I almost got burned by them, were it not for my willingness to do battle long enough and loud enough with a supervisor.
Had they had the courage back then to post the "here's what this is really going to cost you" content in an easily found and seen location on their site, or mentioned it during the sales cycle, and had they charged some "Time-Life-Books" scale fee for their stuff, they might have had a semi-viable and even sustainable business model. Now, they just need to go away. Permanently.
big brother is big corporations
the fact that big corporations have the power to pull the puppet-strings of ISPs in such foolish disregard for our constitutional rights just gets more nauseating all the time. And the way the Supreme court has been acting in recent decisions, it appears they're now firmly entrenched in supporting the police state mentality of the corporatocracy we now live in.
When I first got involved in the Internet business fifteen years ago, I instantly saw this as the dawning of a new age of the free flow of information and ideas. Big brother has been doing more and more to show they don't like that, even though they created it.
LOL (as Alan Bleiweiss)
Most of the time I have an opinion one way or the other on all things SEO, given it's my livelihood, I have an SEJ column I need to write on a regular basis, and my persona on Twitter is all about rants :-)
In this case though, all I can say is that when I read the report card, I laughed. A lot. because regardless of the reason they came out with the report card, and regardless of the issues that people like to claim are behind such things, it's just ironic in this case. And a great excuse to laugh.
ACTA - the media version of NAFTA
Well, okay, not really. But just like NAFTA and CAFTA, the mere concept of ACTA smacks of big business looking for one more way to generate massive sums of revenue on a global scale by screwing us especially by being able to go after off-shore Internet hosted content.
And the list of signers shows a much bigger issue. I have a feeling that this secret document will also cover anything "entertainment" related in print as well. News Corp and Reed Elsevier Inc have both been losing huge amounts due to the dying print publishing industry.
Paranoia will destroy ya (as Alan Bleiweiss)
Any time people feel their method of income is threatened, they will potentially consider going on the offensive. Whether they do so or not will depend on how stable and well balanced they are, because any intelligent person with any life experience would first consider whether they have a legitimate claim or not.
The more one plunges into victim mode and uses false basis claims (protect the secrecy) then casts a shadow upon their own ability to maintain rational thought, and is clearly showing signs that they themselves need psychological treatment.
Dumbasses