Making Money Opportunities

Developer Dylan Ginsburg has noticed that a lot of iPhone companies (including most of the folks I spoke with at GDC last week) don't like to talk about exactly how much money they've made on the App Store. But he has no such compunctions, so he's written up a nice post on his blog about how much his River of News RSS app for the iPad has made so far. The short answer? About $20,600 since the app was released on August 19th. The app, which peaked in the top 30 (good, but not outstanding), has sold about 9,500 copies so far, and has made about $5500 of that total in the past month, which Ginsburg says seems like a pretty standard period.



I can tell you from my own knowledge that Ginsburg could be making more -- it sounds like he hasn't even started exploring advertising or in-app purchases in his app, and I've heard from many developers that those can be very helpful in the right places. But more important, Ginsburg says the satisfaction he's getting from working on the App Store is better than any monetary gain -- he just recently stepped away from a corporate job, and plans to make a go at creating apps for a full-time living.



It's cool to hear a straight story from one developer on the App Store about just how viable creating apps is. Of course, one thing Ginsburg doesn't talk about is how much work and training went into making his app -- that $20k in sales didn't just appear out of thin air. And not all developers see even his level of modest success, since there are so many apps on the store that don't even make it into the top lists. But Ginsburg is as good an example as any of the kinds of opportunities Apple has created with its App Store platform.

Harvard's Greg Mankiw turns his economist's microscope
back on himself in the New York Times to uncover
truths about productivity and taxation. To wit, if you tax
something, you'll likely get less of it:

AN important issue dividing the political parties is whether to
raise taxes on those earning more than $250,000 a year....

I have to acknowledge that the Democrats are right about one
thing: I can afford to pay more in taxes. My income is not in the
same league as superstar actors and hedge fund managers, but I have
been very lucky nonetheless....

Nonetheless, as Republicans emphasize, taxes influence the
decisions I make. I am regularly offered opportunities to earn
extra money. It could be by talking to a business group, consulting
on a legal case, giving a guest lecture, teaching summer school or
writing an article. I turn down most but accept a few....

Suppose that some editor offered me $1,000 to write an article.
If there were no taxes of any kind, this $1,000 of income would
translate into $1,000 in extra saving. If I invested it in the
stock of a company that earned, say, 8 percent a year on its
capital, then 30 years from now, when I pass on, my children would
inherit about $10,000. That is simply the miracle of
compounding.

Now let’s put taxes into the calculus. First, assuming that
the Bush tax
cuts expire, I would pay 39.6 percent in federal income
taxes on that extra income. Beyond that, the phaseout of deductions
adds 1.2 percentage points to my effective marginal tax rate. I
also pay Medicare tax,
which the recent health care bill is raising to 3.8 percent,
starting in 2013. And in Massachusetts, I pay 5.3 percent in state
income taxes, part of which I get back as a federal deduction.
Putting all those taxes together, that $1,000 of pretax income
becomes only $523 of saving.

And that saving no longer earns 8 percent. First, the
corporation in which I have invested pays a 35 percent corporate
tax on its earnings. So I get only 5.2 percent in dividends and
capital gains. Then, on that income, I pay taxes at the federal and
state level. As a result, I earn about 4 percent after taxes, and
the $523 in saving grows to $1,700 after 30 years.

Then, when my children inherit the money, the estate
tax will kick in. The marginal estate tax rate is
scheduled to go as high as 55 percent next year, but Congress may
reduce it a bit. Most likely, when that $1,700 enters my estate, my
kids will get, at most, $1,000 of it.

HERE’S the bottom line: Without any taxes, accepting that
editor’s assignment would have yielded my children an extra
$10,000. With taxes, it yields only $1,000. In effect, once the
entire tax system is taken into account, my family’s marginal tax
rate is about 90 percent. Is it any wonder that I turn down most of
the money-making opportunities I am offered?....

Now you might not care if I supply less of my services to the
marketplace — although, because you are reading this article, you
are one of my customers. But I bet there are some high-income
taxpayers whose services you enjoy.

Maybe you are looking forward to a particular actor’s next movie
or a particular novelist’s next book. Perhaps you wish that your
favorite singer would have a concert near where you live. Or,
someday, you may need treatment from a highly trained surgeon, or
your child may need braces from the local orthodontist. Like me,
these individuals respond to incentives. (Indeed, some
studies report that high-income taxpayers are particularly
responsive to taxes.) As they face higher tax rates, their services
will be in shorter supply.

....don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that when the
government taxes the rich, only the rich bear the burden.

I have found that these sort of arguments have absolutely no
impact on most people who want to soak the rich to help the state,
but there it is, and it seems true.

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: The Hobbit Stays In New Zealand | Hobbit Movie <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

The night is darkest ere the dawn... and dawn has ever been the hope of Men! After days of closed door talks between New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and.

ABC <b>News</b> for iPad adds 2010 Election Results | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the ABC News for iPad adds 2010 Election Results. Find more iPad news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Wednesday, October 27, 2010.

atlanta property management

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: The Hobbit Stays In New Zealand | Hobbit Movie <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

The night is darkest ere the dawn... and dawn has ever been the hope of Men! After days of closed door talks between New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and.

ABC <b>News</b> for iPad adds 2010 Election Results | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the ABC News for iPad adds 2010 Election Results. Find more iPad news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Wednesday, October 27, 2010.

Developer Dylan Ginsburg has noticed that a lot of iPhone companies (including most of the folks I spoke with at GDC last week) don't like to talk about exactly how much money they've made on the App Store. But he has no such compunctions, so he's written up a nice post on his blog about how much his River of News RSS app for the iPad has made so far. The short answer? About $20,600 since the app was released on August 19th. The app, which peaked in the top 30 (good, but not outstanding), has sold about 9,500 copies so far, and has made about $5500 of that total in the past month, which Ginsburg says seems like a pretty standard period.



I can tell you from my own knowledge that Ginsburg could be making more -- it sounds like he hasn't even started exploring advertising or in-app purchases in his app, and I've heard from many developers that those can be very helpful in the right places. But more important, Ginsburg says the satisfaction he's getting from working on the App Store is better than any monetary gain -- he just recently stepped away from a corporate job, and plans to make a go at creating apps for a full-time living.



It's cool to hear a straight story from one developer on the App Store about just how viable creating apps is. Of course, one thing Ginsburg doesn't talk about is how much work and training went into making his app -- that $20k in sales didn't just appear out of thin air. And not all developers see even his level of modest success, since there are so many apps on the store that don't even make it into the top lists. But Ginsburg is as good an example as any of the kinds of opportunities Apple has created with its App Store platform.

Harvard's Greg Mankiw turns his economist's microscope
back on himself in the New York Times to uncover
truths about productivity and taxation. To wit, if you tax
something, you'll likely get less of it:

AN important issue dividing the political parties is whether to
raise taxes on those earning more than $250,000 a year....

I have to acknowledge that the Democrats are right about one
thing: I can afford to pay more in taxes. My income is not in the
same league as superstar actors and hedge fund managers, but I have
been very lucky nonetheless....

Nonetheless, as Republicans emphasize, taxes influence the
decisions I make. I am regularly offered opportunities to earn
extra money. It could be by talking to a business group, consulting
on a legal case, giving a guest lecture, teaching summer school or
writing an article. I turn down most but accept a few....

Suppose that some editor offered me $1,000 to write an article.
If there were no taxes of any kind, this $1,000 of income would
translate into $1,000 in extra saving. If I invested it in the
stock of a company that earned, say, 8 percent a year on its
capital, then 30 years from now, when I pass on, my children would
inherit about $10,000. That is simply the miracle of
compounding.

Now let’s put taxes into the calculus. First, assuming that
the Bush tax
cuts expire, I would pay 39.6 percent in federal income
taxes on that extra income. Beyond that, the phaseout of deductions
adds 1.2 percentage points to my effective marginal tax rate. I
also pay Medicare tax,
which the recent health care bill is raising to 3.8 percent,
starting in 2013. And in Massachusetts, I pay 5.3 percent in state
income taxes, part of which I get back as a federal deduction.
Putting all those taxes together, that $1,000 of pretax income
becomes only $523 of saving.

And that saving no longer earns 8 percent. First, the
corporation in which I have invested pays a 35 percent corporate
tax on its earnings. So I get only 5.2 percent in dividends and
capital gains. Then, on that income, I pay taxes at the federal and
state level. As a result, I earn about 4 percent after taxes, and
the $523 in saving grows to $1,700 after 30 years.

Then, when my children inherit the money, the estate
tax will kick in. The marginal estate tax rate is
scheduled to go as high as 55 percent next year, but Congress may
reduce it a bit. Most likely, when that $1,700 enters my estate, my
kids will get, at most, $1,000 of it.

HERE’S the bottom line: Without any taxes, accepting that
editor’s assignment would have yielded my children an extra
$10,000. With taxes, it yields only $1,000. In effect, once the
entire tax system is taken into account, my family’s marginal tax
rate is about 90 percent. Is it any wonder that I turn down most of
the money-making opportunities I am offered?....

Now you might not care if I supply less of my services to the
marketplace — although, because you are reading this article, you
are one of my customers. But I bet there are some high-income
taxpayers whose services you enjoy.

Maybe you are looking forward to a particular actor’s next movie
or a particular novelist’s next book. Perhaps you wish that your
favorite singer would have a concert near where you live. Or,
someday, you may need treatment from a highly trained surgeon, or
your child may need braces from the local orthodontist. Like me,
these individuals respond to incentives. (Indeed, some
studies report that high-income taxpayers are particularly
responsive to taxes.) As they face higher tax rates, their services
will be in shorter supply.

....don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that when the
government taxes the rich, only the rich bear the burden.

I have found that these sort of arguments have absolutely no
impact on most people who want to soak the rich to help the state,
but there it is, and it seems true.

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: The Hobbit Stays In New Zealand | Hobbit Movie <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

The night is darkest ere the dawn... and dawn has ever been the hope of Men! After days of closed door talks between New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and.

ABC <b>News</b> for iPad adds 2010 Election Results | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the ABC News for iPad adds 2010 Election Results. Find more iPad news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Wednesday, October 27, 2010.

BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: The Hobbit Stays In New Zealand | Hobbit Movie <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

The night is darkest ere the dawn... and dawn has ever been the hope of Men! After days of closed door talks between New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and.

ABC <b>News</b> for iPad adds 2010 Election Results | iLounge <b>News</b>

iLounge news discussing the ABC News for iPad adds 2010 Election Results. Find more iPad news from leading independent iPod, iPhone, and iPad site.

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Wednesday, October 27, 2010.

Making Money With Website

Enough with Facebook and Twitter. I admit that I use them; they’re good business billboards. But people, I just don’t care if you got a tatt, or how proud you are that your kid won the spelling bee, or even if your kid got a tatt. I really don’t. Let’s face it: Social media are quickly becoming passe, sort of like anything “green” or “organic.”

The time has come for anti-social media. It’s time for ” Hellbook.”

This is where we can go when we want to tell others where to go. It’s the best hope for the misanthrope. Kinda brings tears to you eyes, doesn’t it? That’s the idea.

This is where we fend off all the irritating people in our lives. Here, we can “Fend” everyone we simply want to leave us alone and place them on our very own Diss List. There are so many possibilities.

Maybe we could have a special place in Hellbook for the sadists who bombard us with robocalls and distorted campaign ads that play at much higher volume than the TV program we’re trying to watch. How about a secret section for this country’s shady oligarchs, who brought down the economy and are now making huge campaign contributions so they can buy more of the government?

They would rate a special place that would really light up with each disclosure about how these very same culprits faked the documents needed to throw unfortunate homeowners and their families out on the street. Maybe we can include these supreme scoundrels’ names and addresses, with maps to their gated communities.

We could send messages that would be far shorter than Twitter’s 140 characters. Rahm Emmanuel would have a field day. Of course, he also might be on quite a few of the lists. So would all the pipsqueak political demagogues on both sides of the fence, the ones that pollute the waters with their simple-minded fearmongering and bigotry. Without a doubt, politicians would be among the most popular of the unpopular.

Special dishonors could go to the officeholders and wannabes who have staffers ghostwrite posts on Facebook and Twitter in an effort to look hip and trendy.

How dumb is that? It defies logic. If they were hip and trendy they wouldn’t be politicians, now would they?

That site could be divided in half. On the right, imagine all the Fends a Sarah Palin (she would call them “Haters”–accurately), Newt Gingrich or Glenn Beck would have. I’d probably want to stay away from Christine O’Donnell, though. (Do we really know for sure that she only dabbled in witchcraft?)

Keith Olbermann would be way high on the left, no doubt about it. Personally, my site would be crammed with those from fringe to slimy fringe. It would be a dumping ground for those who come up with relentless, cheap shot political arguments: The author of “Do you want a bureaucrat between you and your doctor” would get high dishonors. Same for the one responsible for “Change you can believe in.” The beauty of this is that those who simply get on our nerves would have a place on this hit parade.

I’ve given a lot of thought to this. The racists, homophobes, and the GOP candidate for New York Governor would not be welcome as members. Nor would those religious intolerants that babble inanities about Sharia law in the United States and other spittle. They can only be targets, not members. This was a genuinely tough decision, because there’s a huge amount of money to be made from Tea Party members alone.

Obviously, there would need to be an App, which means someone will have to come up with a graphic. I can think of one—but this should probably be a family site. Imagine how much fun you and the children can have as you teach them the pure joy of trashing other people. Come to think of it, with what goes on in their schools, maybe they could teach us a thing or two.

For those who suffer from self doubt, you could list yourself to put down along with those Fends who should lack self esteem.

The idea would spread like wildfire. In fact, “May You Burn in Hellbook” could be the slogan. Wouldn’t this make a wonderful movie? We could call it The Hate Locker. Actually, scratch that. A movie about a website is an absurd idea.

Even so, the time is definitely right for Hellbook. It would be a natural winner—a loser’s winner. After all, everybody would be a villain.

Finally, a website that reflects real life. If you like the idea, let me know. Just send me a response, two words or more. You can reach me at Facebook or Twitter.

(Bob Franken is a syndicated columnist for King Features and Hearst. Formerly with CNN he now appears on several networks)

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite’s daily newsletter.

Don’t be scared — it’s just time to make the single best decision you’ll make today and cast your vote for the Obamateurism of the Week!  Unlike with the Democratic agenda, the only way you’ll get the blame is if you choose to stay on the sidelines.  If you do, we won’t provide any cover for you, especially if you’ve made a habit of it.

Previous 2010 “winners”:

• He realized too late that “there’s no such thing as shovel-ready projects” when it comes to public works


• Cuts off microphone when questioner starts debating tax policies


• “I can’t let this be a war without end, and I can’t lose the whole Democratic Party.”


• Obama quotes Declaration, leaves out “endowed by their Creator”


• Obama trots out “feel your pain” attempt the day after WH releases his social calendar


• “They talk about me like a dog!”


• Obama takes credit for drawdown schedule Bush negotiated


• “We’re buying shrimp, guys.”


• Obama endorses Ground Zero mosque, then says he wasn’t “commenting on the wisdom” of building it at the site


• Slams GOP for focusing on elections — from a fundraiser in Austin, TX


• Obama scolds politicians with “We shouldn’t be campaigning all the time” … while on The View


• Obama says First Couple “not far removed” from economic pain in financial collapse despite making millions in 2008


• Obama expects to be held accountable on jobs, but it’s Bush’s fault


• New NASA mission objectives all about self-esteem, none about space


• Obama misquotes Statue of Liberty poem and screws up its history


• Obama golfs as BP’s CEO yachts


• Obama says Gulf disaster will have similar impact to 9/11, then goes golfing the next day


• “We talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers so I know whose ass to kick“


• “Singularly focused” Obama’s golfing, fundraising, vacation, and sports events


• “Obviously, the loss of Daniel Pearl was one of those moments that captured the world’s imaginationbecause it reminded us of how valuable a free press is.”


• Criticizes AZ immigration enforcement for paper checking while Secret Service checks immigration statusof students at Obama event


• “Information becomes a distraction” with X-boxes, PlayStations, iPods, iPads


• “I mean, I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money.”


• President who demands that Americans show health-insurance papers suddenly skittish about residency documents


• Playing golf instead of paying respects to the late Polish president


• “Whether we like it or not, we remain a dominant military superpower”


• Gives 17-minute answer to question about being overtaxed


• Believes Tea Party core is Birthers


• Obama refused to be seen with Netanyahu


• “Your employer, it’s estimated, would see premiums fall by as much as 3000%!”


• Obama off by $868 billion on CBO deficit savings projection of ObamaCare


• Obama challenges GOP on tort reform, winds up proving GOP point on reconciliation


• Obama’s “Acme Insurance” anecdote proves he doesn’t understand insurance


• Obama claims 2 million jobs saved or created, website shows 590K


• Obama gripes about filibusters in a year with none … after having 60 seats in the Senate


• Obama says “corpse-man” for corpsman 3 times at Nat’l Prayer Breakfast


• Scolding the Supreme Court over ruling that he got completely wrong during SOTU


• People are unhappy with Obama’s performance because he didn’t get enough public face time to explain himself


• Suddenly jobs saved or created “never expected to be the public accounting of Obama’s goal to save or create 3.5 million jobs”


• Obama rushes home for minor injury to family friend, keeps golfing after EunuchBomber attack

Got an  Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at obamaisms@edmorrissey.com with the quote and the link to the  Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.

Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!

<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

Exclusive: Yahoo Courts Former <b>News</b> Corp. Digital Exec Ross <b>...</b>

He's baaaaaack. Former Fox Interactive Media President Ross Levinsohn, that is, who is the top candidate to replace Hilary Schneider as Yahoo's US head, according to several sources close to the situation.

bench craft company complaints
bench craft company complaints

<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

Exclusive: Yahoo Courts Former <b>News</b> Corp. Digital Exec Ross <b>...</b>

He's baaaaaack. Former Fox Interactive Media President Ross Levinsohn, that is, who is the top candidate to replace Hilary Schneider as Yahoo's US head, according to several sources close to the situation.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

Enough with Facebook and Twitter. I admit that I use them; they’re good business billboards. But people, I just don’t care if you got a tatt, or how proud you are that your kid won the spelling bee, or even if your kid got a tatt. I really don’t. Let’s face it: Social media are quickly becoming passe, sort of like anything “green” or “organic.”

The time has come for anti-social media. It’s time for ” Hellbook.”

This is where we can go when we want to tell others where to go. It’s the best hope for the misanthrope. Kinda brings tears to you eyes, doesn’t it? That’s the idea.

This is where we fend off all the irritating people in our lives. Here, we can “Fend” everyone we simply want to leave us alone and place them on our very own Diss List. There are so many possibilities.

Maybe we could have a special place in Hellbook for the sadists who bombard us with robocalls and distorted campaign ads that play at much higher volume than the TV program we’re trying to watch. How about a secret section for this country’s shady oligarchs, who brought down the economy and are now making huge campaign contributions so they can buy more of the government?

They would rate a special place that would really light up with each disclosure about how these very same culprits faked the documents needed to throw unfortunate homeowners and their families out on the street. Maybe we can include these supreme scoundrels’ names and addresses, with maps to their gated communities.

We could send messages that would be far shorter than Twitter’s 140 characters. Rahm Emmanuel would have a field day. Of course, he also might be on quite a few of the lists. So would all the pipsqueak political demagogues on both sides of the fence, the ones that pollute the waters with their simple-minded fearmongering and bigotry. Without a doubt, politicians would be among the most popular of the unpopular.

Special dishonors could go to the officeholders and wannabes who have staffers ghostwrite posts on Facebook and Twitter in an effort to look hip and trendy.

How dumb is that? It defies logic. If they were hip and trendy they wouldn’t be politicians, now would they?

That site could be divided in half. On the right, imagine all the Fends a Sarah Palin (she would call them “Haters”–accurately), Newt Gingrich or Glenn Beck would have. I’d probably want to stay away from Christine O’Donnell, though. (Do we really know for sure that she only dabbled in witchcraft?)

Keith Olbermann would be way high on the left, no doubt about it. Personally, my site would be crammed with those from fringe to slimy fringe. It would be a dumping ground for those who come up with relentless, cheap shot political arguments: The author of “Do you want a bureaucrat between you and your doctor” would get high dishonors. Same for the one responsible for “Change you can believe in.” The beauty of this is that those who simply get on our nerves would have a place on this hit parade.

I’ve given a lot of thought to this. The racists, homophobes, and the GOP candidate for New York Governor would not be welcome as members. Nor would those religious intolerants that babble inanities about Sharia law in the United States and other spittle. They can only be targets, not members. This was a genuinely tough decision, because there’s a huge amount of money to be made from Tea Party members alone.

Obviously, there would need to be an App, which means someone will have to come up with a graphic. I can think of one—but this should probably be a family site. Imagine how much fun you and the children can have as you teach them the pure joy of trashing other people. Come to think of it, with what goes on in their schools, maybe they could teach us a thing or two.

For those who suffer from self doubt, you could list yourself to put down along with those Fends who should lack self esteem.

The idea would spread like wildfire. In fact, “May You Burn in Hellbook” could be the slogan. Wouldn’t this make a wonderful movie? We could call it The Hate Locker. Actually, scratch that. A movie about a website is an absurd idea.

Even so, the time is definitely right for Hellbook. It would be a natural winner—a loser’s winner. After all, everybody would be a villain.

Finally, a website that reflects real life. If you like the idea, let me know. Just send me a response, two words or more. You can reach me at Facebook or Twitter.

(Bob Franken is a syndicated columnist for King Features and Hearst. Formerly with CNN he now appears on several networks)

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite’s daily newsletter.

Don’t be scared — it’s just time to make the single best decision you’ll make today and cast your vote for the Obamateurism of the Week!  Unlike with the Democratic agenda, the only way you’ll get the blame is if you choose to stay on the sidelines.  If you do, we won’t provide any cover for you, especially if you’ve made a habit of it.

Previous 2010 “winners”:

• He realized too late that “there’s no such thing as shovel-ready projects” when it comes to public works


• Cuts off microphone when questioner starts debating tax policies


• “I can’t let this be a war without end, and I can’t lose the whole Democratic Party.”


• Obama quotes Declaration, leaves out “endowed by their Creator”


• Obama trots out “feel your pain” attempt the day after WH releases his social calendar


• “They talk about me like a dog!”


• Obama takes credit for drawdown schedule Bush negotiated


• “We’re buying shrimp, guys.”


• Obama endorses Ground Zero mosque, then says he wasn’t “commenting on the wisdom” of building it at the site


• Slams GOP for focusing on elections — from a fundraiser in Austin, TX


• Obama scolds politicians with “We shouldn’t be campaigning all the time” … while on The View


• Obama says First Couple “not far removed” from economic pain in financial collapse despite making millions in 2008


• Obama expects to be held accountable on jobs, but it’s Bush’s fault


• New NASA mission objectives all about self-esteem, none about space


• Obama misquotes Statue of Liberty poem and screws up its history


• Obama golfs as BP’s CEO yachts


• Obama says Gulf disaster will have similar impact to 9/11, then goes golfing the next day


• “We talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers so I know whose ass to kick“


• “Singularly focused” Obama’s golfing, fundraising, vacation, and sports events


• “Obviously, the loss of Daniel Pearl was one of those moments that captured the world’s imaginationbecause it reminded us of how valuable a free press is.”


• Criticizes AZ immigration enforcement for paper checking while Secret Service checks immigration statusof students at Obama event


• “Information becomes a distraction” with X-boxes, PlayStations, iPods, iPads


• “I mean, I do think at a certain point you’ve made enough money.”


• President who demands that Americans show health-insurance papers suddenly skittish about residency documents


• Playing golf instead of paying respects to the late Polish president


• “Whether we like it or not, we remain a dominant military superpower”


• Gives 17-minute answer to question about being overtaxed


• Believes Tea Party core is Birthers


• Obama refused to be seen with Netanyahu


• “Your employer, it’s estimated, would see premiums fall by as much as 3000%!”


• Obama off by $868 billion on CBO deficit savings projection of ObamaCare


• Obama challenges GOP on tort reform, winds up proving GOP point on reconciliation


• Obama’s “Acme Insurance” anecdote proves he doesn’t understand insurance


• Obama claims 2 million jobs saved or created, website shows 590K


• Obama gripes about filibusters in a year with none … after having 60 seats in the Senate


• Obama says “corpse-man” for corpsman 3 times at Nat’l Prayer Breakfast


• Scolding the Supreme Court over ruling that he got completely wrong during SOTU


• People are unhappy with Obama’s performance because he didn’t get enough public face time to explain himself


• Suddenly jobs saved or created “never expected to be the public accounting of Obama’s goal to save or create 3.5 million jobs”


• Obama rushes home for minor injury to family friend, keeps golfing after EunuchBomber attack

Got an  Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at obamaisms@edmorrissey.com with the quote and the link to the  Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.

Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!

bench craft company complaints

<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

Exclusive: Yahoo Courts Former <b>News</b> Corp. Digital Exec Ross <b>...</b>

He's baaaaaack. Former Fox Interactive Media President Ross Levinsohn, that is, who is the top candidate to replace Hilary Schneider as Yahoo's US head, according to several sources close to the situation.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

Exclusive: Yahoo Courts Former <b>News</b> Corp. Digital Exec Ross <b>...</b>

He's baaaaaack. Former Fox Interactive Media President Ross Levinsohn, that is, who is the top candidate to replace Hilary Schneider as Yahoo's US head, according to several sources close to the situation.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

<b>News</b> Article “ « Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr.

October 26, 2010...2:01 pm. News Article “. There was a news article today in the Boulder Camera by Laura Snider titled. Boulder scientists: Space tourism could contribute to climate change. The article includes the text ...

Small Business <b>News</b>: Social Media Secrets

Pssst. We've got something important to tell you about a new tool that can totally transform your business. In terms of upfront investment, there is no cost,

Exclusive: Yahoo Courts Former <b>News</b> Corp. Digital Exec Ross <b>...</b>

He's baaaaaack. Former Fox Interactive Media President Ross Levinsohn, that is, who is the top candidate to replace Hilary Schneider as Yahoo's US head, according to several sources close to the situation.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

Money Making Websites

Google describes its new Google TV as a "platform that combines your current TV programming and the open Web into a single, seamless entertainment experience." But broadcasters don't necessarily want to see that delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate Web and TV—and they've now taken to blocking Google TV access.

Think of this as a continuation of the "Hulu Wars." Hulu has always made it difficult to access its content on TV screens even as applications like PlayOn tried to blend the two. The reason isn't hard to find: the TV networks that created and control Hulu aren't keen on cannibalizing their TV revenues by making it too easy to dial up an on-demand, ad-limited experience. If you want to watch Hulu, you're supposed to watch it on the slightly-less-comfortable screen of your computer.

With Google entering the TV platform game, that concern still exists (Hulu now charges $9.99 a month to access its service on other devices, like a TV screen or a smartphone, although it's rumored that will drop to $4.99), but it's joined by another. Google isn't a TV company or a content company; it's essentially a giant advertising company. As Google TV takes off, sucking in every scrap of video on the Web and on TV, the company is poised to become a content aggregator that makes money from advertising on the Google TV service. The networks don't want to continue the model where the aggregator makes cash by the boatload while the content it aggregates sometimes struggles to make any money.

The networks also don't want services like Google TV to destroy the cable subscription model too quickly by making "over-the-top" Internet video too appealing, since big chunks of their cash come from cable's retransmission fees.

So the new Wall Street Journal report about Google TV being blocked comes as no surprise. ABC, CBS, and NBC have all restricted access to the TV episodes on their own websites, though Google is taking the route it usually takes: it tries to strike a monetary deal when content owners put up resistance to unpaid aggregation (this has happened with Google Books, with the Associated Press, etc). Reuters reports that Google is negotiating to free up access to this content, something that will be necessary if Google TV will be used to access more than just broadcast channels and YouTube content.

The DC advocacy group Public Knowledge argues that broadcasters have a public duty to allow access to this material. "It is truly disappointing that broadcasters would leverage their programming to deny access to viewers who watch the shows over another medium—on cable or online," said president Gigi Sohn. "When a broadcaster exercises its market power in pursuit of maintaining a business model while stifling competition by blocking Hulu, Fox.com (or Google TV), the broadcaster violates that public trust and harms consumers... If online video is to emerge as an independent medium, it must be free from the power that broadcasters bring to bear."

I’m sure you’ve heard about the Juan Williams/NPR debacle. You may also know that Senator Jim DeMint has vowed to introduce legislation that will deprive NPR, as well as public television, of taxpayer funds. It seems that in this political climate, asking a candidate where they stand on funding public broadcasting or the arts has become the new litmus test, replacing questions about abortion and gay rights.

In other words, it’s Christmas everyday for Libertarians.

There seem to be three consistent arguments in favor of tax dollars being spent on public broadcasting and government subsidies for “art,” First, the defenders question the amount of money actually on the table. After all, these programs are but a teeny-tiny piece of our ever expanding government. Secondly, dispensing taxpayer cash on media is “in the public interest.” In the unholy pursuit of “profits,” private broadcasters and artists often compromise their work to make money. Private news organizations like FOX and MSNBC sensationalize the news and have become hyper-partisan in order to increase ratings and advertising dollars. We need outlets that are free from the restraints of the free market. And, of course, there is the elephant in the room, which in this case is a giant yellow bird. “Sesame Street.”

What kind of Islamophobic, racist, evil, baby-blood-drinking fascist wants to send Elmo to the unemployment line?

The first argument is simply ridiculous. We’ve all had to, at one point or another, examine our household budgets and look for spending cuts. We write down a list of our expenses, organizing them in order of both cost and importance. At the top is stuff like rent/mortgages, utilities, car payments etc. Towards the bottom is the fun stuff like vacations, extra cable channels, and faster internet. Everybody always starts at the bottom. Nobody starts at the top. “Hey, let’s ditch the house and keep our annual trip to the Wisconsin Dells?”  My girlfriend always likes to try and sneak cigarettes and scotch into the non-essential category. Nice try. I always push for more mac and cheese in order to keep my subsidies of R.J. Reynolds and Pernod Ricard intact. But I digress.

The money we spend on arts and media at the federal level is never too small to ignore. I think most taxpayers would trade a free movie ticket once a year for all the Bill Moyers specials, Nina Totenberg insight, and jars of pee and crucifixes that our federal government can buy. Public broadcasting and the arts are but two of a myriad of programs with similar “insignificant” funding. You start nuking all of them and before you know it, that free ticket to AMC becomes a down payment on a car. It is the height of arrogance to imply that waste and questionable costs at any level are acceptable or insignificant. To make this argument reveals that the person making it has a grotesque understanding of the relationship between government and tax payer.

The second argument is disingenuous, but not for the reasons that you may think. There is a real and tangible value to news and media that is free from a personal or corporate bias. A news organization or television network whose motto was a Jack Webb quote would actually serve the public. Unfortunately, the CPB has failed their mission.

And what about the educational and quality entertainment like “Sesame Street”? Surely, even a miserly old curmudgeon like me can see the value in allowing quality programming to be financed without the tinkering of executives or the pressure of ratings? The answer is, without a doubt, yes. Unfortunately for you, my statist apologist advisories, all of the shows that have come from public broadcasting that are a “value to the public” have also demonstrated financial solvency in the free market. “Sesame Street” is worth more than a Dr. Evil ransom. “Austin City Limits” makes money from the live performance venues (charging admission) and from selling recordings on sites like itunes in addition to generating revenue from ads on websites like youtube.

The point is that it is up to the producers of these shows to protect the integrity of their work. There is great value in alternative financing structures, through sponsorships, donations, and merchandising. That is without question.

“Sesame Street” makes enough money through merchandising to PURCHASE air time from private networks. No need for Elmo and Co. to sell out the quality or educational value of their show. The ancillary incomes from the “Sesame Street” empire would allow the producers to make the show any way they wanted. If they stuck to their principles, it wouldn’t matter if they were on PBS or ABC Family. However, the recent Katy Perry “incident” suggests to me that even with public financing the current people behind the show may be slipping a bit. I’ve included the Katy Perry video below, purely for informational purposes. I’ve watched it 72 times to accurately shape my opinion.

—–

The free market value of shows that used to be PBS type stuff is rather apparent. The History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic channel exclusively air programming that was once solid PBS territory. As a kid growing up, I used to watch “Dr. Who” on PBS. You know, the same show that you now watch on BBC America, Syfy, or on demand on Netflix. And it’s TLC, not PBS, that has greenlit a series that showcases the wonders of Alaska as seen through the eyes of a popular American figure.

This whole debate and kurfuffle exposes a much larger truth. The bone of contention isn’t so much whether or not this type of funding, in it’s stated form, has value to our society. The problem is the human factor. On paper, we can say that these public institutions are above the fray of the free market and bias, but they aren’t. The mission of an NPR is a noble one. It is the execution that is flawed. The CPB gives us government versions of MSNBC and Air America that don’t have to worry about crappy ratings. Our tax dollars immunize partisans and people of questionable on-air talent from the grim realties of cancellation.

But isn’t that the way it always is? We are constantly lectured about the value of “public” institutions and programs vs. the evil private industries that provide the same services. But, at their root, when you introduce the human element, these “public” entities function in exactly the same way as their private counterparts, minus the checks and balances of the free market. Where are, as Milton Friedman once asked Phil Donahue, these “angels” who will manage these public programs for us?

—–

Where are they indeed, Milton.

Shouldn’t ideologues be willing to take the hit personally? Shouldn’t any organization that relies, in any part, on forcibly confiscated citizen funds be held to incredibly high standards? If someone is going to ask for all of us to pitch in, shouldn’t they lead the way, donating their blood, sweat and tears to what they believe in? It is rather egregious that NPR personalities and executives have competitive, and in some cases superior, compensation to their private industry counterparts. If you don’t like the money, can’t afford to do it, then, in the words of Chris Christie, don’t do it. On top of that, the people who work in these public sectors must themselves be above the fray, putting their own bias and ideology on the back burner to serve the greater good.

For Public Broadcasting or arts financing to have any hope of working and actually living up to their oft defended and declared mission statements, radical changes are needed. Nobody should plan on becoming rich and famous from a career in public broadcasting. Volunteer, balanced advisory boards must be created to ensure that public funds do actually serve the public, and not a small minority of small minded leftists. I’m sure Leigh Scott, John Nolte, Rush Limbaugh and Andrew Breitbart would volunteer some time to review PBS programming schedules and NEA submissions.

But nobody’s asking us. The notion of a “public interest” is undermined by the very people who champion it.  It shouldn’t be up to me, a capitalist slime ball who makes movies featuring mutants and flying monsters to be obsessed with the integrity and bias of the CPB, NEH, or NEA. It should be the obsession of the people who have dedicated their lives to these organizations and their mission statements.

But it isn’t.  So, these public programs have become the extra cable channels and Disneyland trips of the federal budget. Time to tighten our belts.  Sorry, but they gotta go.

&quot;Xbox 2&quot; game WarDevil canned Xbox 360 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our Xbox 360 news of. ... "Xbox 2" game WarDevil canned Related content. Latest WarDevil: Unleash the Beast Within screenshots; News WarDevil trailer set for Tokyo ; News Digi-Guys shows off gorgeous Xbox 2 war game ...

Er, great <b>news</b>: George Lucas may be planning new “Star Wars <b>...</b>

My instinct is to shudder; most of you, I suspect, will react the same way. And let's pause here to appreciate how amazing that is. So reviled are the prequels that news of new entries in the greatest sci-fi franchise in movie history ...

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

bench craft company complaints
bench craft company complaints

&quot;Xbox 2&quot; game WarDevil canned Xbox 360 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our Xbox 360 news of. ... "Xbox 2" game WarDevil canned Related content. Latest WarDevil: Unleash the Beast Within screenshots; News WarDevil trailer set for Tokyo ; News Digi-Guys shows off gorgeous Xbox 2 war game ...

Er, great <b>news</b>: George Lucas may be planning new “Star Wars <b>...</b>

My instinct is to shudder; most of you, I suspect, will react the same way. And let's pause here to appreciate how amazing that is. So reviled are the prequels that news of new entries in the greatest sci-fi franchise in movie history ...

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

Google describes its new Google TV as a "platform that combines your current TV programming and the open Web into a single, seamless entertainment experience." But broadcasters don't necessarily want to see that delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate Web and TV—and they've now taken to blocking Google TV access.

Think of this as a continuation of the "Hulu Wars." Hulu has always made it difficult to access its content on TV screens even as applications like PlayOn tried to blend the two. The reason isn't hard to find: the TV networks that created and control Hulu aren't keen on cannibalizing their TV revenues by making it too easy to dial up an on-demand, ad-limited experience. If you want to watch Hulu, you're supposed to watch it on the slightly-less-comfortable screen of your computer.

With Google entering the TV platform game, that concern still exists (Hulu now charges $9.99 a month to access its service on other devices, like a TV screen or a smartphone, although it's rumored that will drop to $4.99), but it's joined by another. Google isn't a TV company or a content company; it's essentially a giant advertising company. As Google TV takes off, sucking in every scrap of video on the Web and on TV, the company is poised to become a content aggregator that makes money from advertising on the Google TV service. The networks don't want to continue the model where the aggregator makes cash by the boatload while the content it aggregates sometimes struggles to make any money.

The networks also don't want services like Google TV to destroy the cable subscription model too quickly by making "over-the-top" Internet video too appealing, since big chunks of their cash come from cable's retransmission fees.

So the new Wall Street Journal report about Google TV being blocked comes as no surprise. ABC, CBS, and NBC have all restricted access to the TV episodes on their own websites, though Google is taking the route it usually takes: it tries to strike a monetary deal when content owners put up resistance to unpaid aggregation (this has happened with Google Books, with the Associated Press, etc). Reuters reports that Google is negotiating to free up access to this content, something that will be necessary if Google TV will be used to access more than just broadcast channels and YouTube content.

The DC advocacy group Public Knowledge argues that broadcasters have a public duty to allow access to this material. "It is truly disappointing that broadcasters would leverage their programming to deny access to viewers who watch the shows over another medium—on cable or online," said president Gigi Sohn. "When a broadcaster exercises its market power in pursuit of maintaining a business model while stifling competition by blocking Hulu, Fox.com (or Google TV), the broadcaster violates that public trust and harms consumers... If online video is to emerge as an independent medium, it must be free from the power that broadcasters bring to bear."

I’m sure you’ve heard about the Juan Williams/NPR debacle. You may also know that Senator Jim DeMint has vowed to introduce legislation that will deprive NPR, as well as public television, of taxpayer funds. It seems that in this political climate, asking a candidate where they stand on funding public broadcasting or the arts has become the new litmus test, replacing questions about abortion and gay rights.

In other words, it’s Christmas everyday for Libertarians.

There seem to be three consistent arguments in favor of tax dollars being spent on public broadcasting and government subsidies for “art,” First, the defenders question the amount of money actually on the table. After all, these programs are but a teeny-tiny piece of our ever expanding government. Secondly, dispensing taxpayer cash on media is “in the public interest.” In the unholy pursuit of “profits,” private broadcasters and artists often compromise their work to make money. Private news organizations like FOX and MSNBC sensationalize the news and have become hyper-partisan in order to increase ratings and advertising dollars. We need outlets that are free from the restraints of the free market. And, of course, there is the elephant in the room, which in this case is a giant yellow bird. “Sesame Street.”

What kind of Islamophobic, racist, evil, baby-blood-drinking fascist wants to send Elmo to the unemployment line?

The first argument is simply ridiculous. We’ve all had to, at one point or another, examine our household budgets and look for spending cuts. We write down a list of our expenses, organizing them in order of both cost and importance. At the top is stuff like rent/mortgages, utilities, car payments etc. Towards the bottom is the fun stuff like vacations, extra cable channels, and faster internet. Everybody always starts at the bottom. Nobody starts at the top. “Hey, let’s ditch the house and keep our annual trip to the Wisconsin Dells?”  My girlfriend always likes to try and sneak cigarettes and scotch into the non-essential category. Nice try. I always push for more mac and cheese in order to keep my subsidies of R.J. Reynolds and Pernod Ricard intact. But I digress.

The money we spend on arts and media at the federal level is never too small to ignore. I think most taxpayers would trade a free movie ticket once a year for all the Bill Moyers specials, Nina Totenberg insight, and jars of pee and crucifixes that our federal government can buy. Public broadcasting and the arts are but two of a myriad of programs with similar “insignificant” funding. You start nuking all of them and before you know it, that free ticket to AMC becomes a down payment on a car. It is the height of arrogance to imply that waste and questionable costs at any level are acceptable or insignificant. To make this argument reveals that the person making it has a grotesque understanding of the relationship between government and tax payer.

The second argument is disingenuous, but not for the reasons that you may think. There is a real and tangible value to news and media that is free from a personal or corporate bias. A news organization or television network whose motto was a Jack Webb quote would actually serve the public. Unfortunately, the CPB has failed their mission.

And what about the educational and quality entertainment like “Sesame Street”? Surely, even a miserly old curmudgeon like me can see the value in allowing quality programming to be financed without the tinkering of executives or the pressure of ratings? The answer is, without a doubt, yes. Unfortunately for you, my statist apologist advisories, all of the shows that have come from public broadcasting that are a “value to the public” have also demonstrated financial solvency in the free market. “Sesame Street” is worth more than a Dr. Evil ransom. “Austin City Limits” makes money from the live performance venues (charging admission) and from selling recordings on sites like itunes in addition to generating revenue from ads on websites like youtube.

The point is that it is up to the producers of these shows to protect the integrity of their work. There is great value in alternative financing structures, through sponsorships, donations, and merchandising. That is without question.

“Sesame Street” makes enough money through merchandising to PURCHASE air time from private networks. No need for Elmo and Co. to sell out the quality or educational value of their show. The ancillary incomes from the “Sesame Street” empire would allow the producers to make the show any way they wanted. If they stuck to their principles, it wouldn’t matter if they were on PBS or ABC Family. However, the recent Katy Perry “incident” suggests to me that even with public financing the current people behind the show may be slipping a bit. I’ve included the Katy Perry video below, purely for informational purposes. I’ve watched it 72 times to accurately shape my opinion.

—–

The free market value of shows that used to be PBS type stuff is rather apparent. The History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic channel exclusively air programming that was once solid PBS territory. As a kid growing up, I used to watch “Dr. Who” on PBS. You know, the same show that you now watch on BBC America, Syfy, or on demand on Netflix. And it’s TLC, not PBS, that has greenlit a series that showcases the wonders of Alaska as seen through the eyes of a popular American figure.

This whole debate and kurfuffle exposes a much larger truth. The bone of contention isn’t so much whether or not this type of funding, in it’s stated form, has value to our society. The problem is the human factor. On paper, we can say that these public institutions are above the fray of the free market and bias, but they aren’t. The mission of an NPR is a noble one. It is the execution that is flawed. The CPB gives us government versions of MSNBC and Air America that don’t have to worry about crappy ratings. Our tax dollars immunize partisans and people of questionable on-air talent from the grim realties of cancellation.

But isn’t that the way it always is? We are constantly lectured about the value of “public” institutions and programs vs. the evil private industries that provide the same services. But, at their root, when you introduce the human element, these “public” entities function in exactly the same way as their private counterparts, minus the checks and balances of the free market. Where are, as Milton Friedman once asked Phil Donahue, these “angels” who will manage these public programs for us?

—–

Where are they indeed, Milton.

Shouldn’t ideologues be willing to take the hit personally? Shouldn’t any organization that relies, in any part, on forcibly confiscated citizen funds be held to incredibly high standards? If someone is going to ask for all of us to pitch in, shouldn’t they lead the way, donating their blood, sweat and tears to what they believe in? It is rather egregious that NPR personalities and executives have competitive, and in some cases superior, compensation to their private industry counterparts. If you don’t like the money, can’t afford to do it, then, in the words of Chris Christie, don’t do it. On top of that, the people who work in these public sectors must themselves be above the fray, putting their own bias and ideology on the back burner to serve the greater good.

For Public Broadcasting or arts financing to have any hope of working and actually living up to their oft defended and declared mission statements, radical changes are needed. Nobody should plan on becoming rich and famous from a career in public broadcasting. Volunteer, balanced advisory boards must be created to ensure that public funds do actually serve the public, and not a small minority of small minded leftists. I’m sure Leigh Scott, John Nolte, Rush Limbaugh and Andrew Breitbart would volunteer some time to review PBS programming schedules and NEA submissions.

But nobody’s asking us. The notion of a “public interest” is undermined by the very people who champion it.  It shouldn’t be up to me, a capitalist slime ball who makes movies featuring mutants and flying monsters to be obsessed with the integrity and bias of the CPB, NEH, or NEA. It should be the obsession of the people who have dedicated their lives to these organizations and their mission statements.

But it isn’t.  So, these public programs have become the extra cable channels and Disneyland trips of the federal budget. Time to tighten our belts.  Sorry, but they gotta go.

bench craft company complaints

&quot;Xbox 2&quot; game WarDevil canned Xbox 360 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our Xbox 360 news of. ... "Xbox 2" game WarDevil canned Related content. Latest WarDevil: Unleash the Beast Within screenshots; News WarDevil trailer set for Tokyo ; News Digi-Guys shows off gorgeous Xbox 2 war game ...

Er, great <b>news</b>: George Lucas may be planning new “Star Wars <b>...</b>

My instinct is to shudder; most of you, I suspect, will react the same way. And let's pause here to appreciate how amazing that is. So reviled are the prequels that news of new entries in the greatest sci-fi franchise in movie history ...

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

&quot;Xbox 2&quot; game WarDevil canned Xbox 360 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our Xbox 360 news of. ... "Xbox 2" game WarDevil canned Related content. Latest WarDevil: Unleash the Beast Within screenshots; News WarDevil trailer set for Tokyo ; News Digi-Guys shows off gorgeous Xbox 2 war game ...

Er, great <b>news</b>: George Lucas may be planning new “Star Wars <b>...</b>

My instinct is to shudder; most of you, I suspect, will react the same way. And let's pause here to appreciate how amazing that is. So reviled are the prequels that news of new entries in the greatest sci-fi franchise in movie history ...

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

&quot;Xbox 2&quot; game WarDevil canned Xbox 360 <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our Xbox 360 news of. ... "Xbox 2" game WarDevil canned Related content. Latest WarDevil: Unleash the Beast Within screenshots; News WarDevil trailer set for Tokyo ; News Digi-Guys shows off gorgeous Xbox 2 war game ...

Er, great <b>news</b>: George Lucas may be planning new “Star Wars <b>...</b>

My instinct is to shudder; most of you, I suspect, will react the same way. And let's pause here to appreciate how amazing that is. So reviled are the prequels that news of new entries in the greatest sci-fi franchise in movie history ...

Nevada Voters Complain Of Problems At Polls - Las Vegas <b>News</b> Story <b>...</b>

LAS VEGAS -- Some voters in Boulder City complained on Monday that their ballot had been cast before they went to the polls, raising questions about Clark County's electronic voting machines. Tuesday, October 26, 2010.

bench craft company complaints bench craft company complaints

Making Free Money Online

Google describes its new Google TV as a "platform that combines your current TV programming and the open Web into a single, seamless entertainment experience." But broadcasters don't necessarily want to see that delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate Web and TV—and they've now taken to blocking Google TV access.

Think of this as a continuation of the "Hulu Wars." Hulu has always made it difficult to access its content on TV screens even as applications like PlayOn tried to blend the two. The reason isn't hard to find: the TV networks that created and control Hulu aren't keen on cannibalizing their TV revenues by making it too easy to dial up an on-demand, ad-limited experience. If you want to watch Hulu, you're supposed to watch it on the slightly-less-comfortable screen of your computer.

With Google entering the TV platform game, that concern still exists (Hulu now charges $9.99 a month to access its service on other devices, like a TV screen or a smartphone, although it's rumored that will drop to $4.99), but it's joined by another. Google isn't a TV company or a content company; it's essentially a giant advertising company. As Google TV takes off, sucking in every scrap of video on the Web and on TV, the company is poised to become a content aggregator that makes money from advertising on the Google TV service. The networks don't want to continue the model where the aggregator makes cash by the boatload while the content it aggregates sometimes struggles to make any money.

The networks also don't want services like Google TV to destroy the cable subscription model too quickly by making "over-the-top" Internet video too appealing, since big chunks of their cash come from cable's retransmission fees.

So the new Wall Street Journal report about Google TV being blocked comes as no surprise. ABC, CBS, and NBC have all restricted access to the TV episodes on their own websites, though Google is taking the route it usually takes: it tries to strike a monetary deal when content owners put up resistance to unpaid aggregation (this has happened with Google Books, with the Associated Press, etc). Reuters reports that Google is negotiating to free up access to this content, something that will be necessary if Google TV will be used to access more than just broadcast channels and YouTube content.

The DC advocacy group Public Knowledge argues that broadcasters have a public duty to allow access to this material. "It is truly disappointing that broadcasters would leverage their programming to deny access to viewers who watch the shows over another medium—on cable or online," said president Gigi Sohn. "When a broadcaster exercises its market power in pursuit of maintaining a business model while stifling competition by blocking Hulu, Fox.com (or Google TV), the broadcaster violates that public trust and harms consumers... If online video is to emerge as an independent medium, it must be free from the power that broadcasters bring to bear."

For the first time, this year’s Knight News Challenge will be requesting entries in three specific categories: mobile, revenue models, and reputation/credibility. The contest judges won’t be seeking a certain quota of finalists in each category: “It’s much more of a signal to the population at large: These are the areas that need your attention,” Knight consultant Jennifer 8. Lee said on Monday, at a San Francisco information session sponsored by Hacks/Hackers.

Up to now, Lee said the Knight Foundation’s attitude towards the contest has been “we don’t know what news innovation is — you tell us.” But over the past four years, trends have emerged among the contest entries that mirror the broader development of the news business. 2010 was the year of mapping and data visualization projects, Lee said. In 2011, Knight sees innovations in credibility determination, mobile technology, and revenue model generation as key areas of development.

[Update: Lee has clarified some elements of the new News Challenge in a comment here — check it out for more details. Also, since this post was published, the News Challenge has officially announced the details for this year's contest, which includes an additional category, Community; you can see those here. —Josh]

Credibility in the news business used to be based on the brand reputation of large media outlets. But in a world in which anyone can report, and in which, in Lee’s words, rumors can explode and die within a day on Twitter, there’s a need for new ways to measure and establish credibility. For example, Lee said, “How do you know that this person is more serious reporting out of Tehran, or Iran, than that person?” In the world of online media, rumors can gain momentum more quickly and easily than in the traditional media ecosystem. What kinds of tools and filters could be used to combat hoaxes and determine the trustworthiness of online information? That third category is “the one that’s the most vague — and purposefully so,” Lee said.

The mobile and revenue models categories are more straightforward. Last year, the Chicago news site Windy Citizen won $250,000 to develop a software interface to creates “real-time ads” which constantly update with the most recent information from a business’ Twitter feed or Facebook page. Lee said this was a good example of a revenue model project.

The Knight News Challenge is also increasingly open to awarding funding to for-profit companies who want to build open-source projects. Last cycle, one of the grantees was Stamen Design, a top data visualization firm whose founder and employees had a proven commitment to making open source tools in their free time. Knight provided them with $400,000 to dedicate staff hours to projects that they would previously have done on weekends. There are many different ways of making Knight funding viable for for-profit companies, Lee said, so long as the companies can carefully document how the foundation funding is being applied to open-source work. “You can create the open-sourcey version of your project. That part becomes open source, and the other one doesnt,” Lee said.

Last year, out of 2,300 initial applications, the Knight Foundation ultimately made 12 grants totaling about $3 million. After hearing the KNC discussed at the meeting, here are some of the elements I took away as key to building the perfect News Challenge application — and some of the potential pitfalls that could lead to an early rejection.

— A working prototype is great. When the creators of Davis Wiki (which the Lab has been following for a while) applied for grant funding to expand their project, they weren’t just pitching a concept. They could point judges to a thriving local website which collects community insight and serves as an open forum for residents to deal with everything from scam artists to lost kittens.

As LocalWiki’s Philip Neustrom explained, one in seven people in Davis, Calif., have contributed material to Davis Wiki, and in a week “basically half” of the city’s residents visit the site. This June, Davis Wiki made The New York Times when residents used the site to assemble information about a local scam artist, the “Crying Girl.”

Neustrom and Mike Ivanov co-founded Davis Wiki in 2004. So by the time they were applying for a 2010 KNC grant, they already had a mature, well-developed site to demonstrate the viability of what they were planning to do.

— Your project should be sustainable. Knight doesn’t want the projects they fund to wither away as soon as the grant money runs out. In the case of LocalWiki, what may be the best proof of their sustainability was actually made after they won Knight funding. Their recent Kickstarter campaign, which closed last month, raised $26,324 for outreach and education work, and 98 percent of that came from Davis community members, Neustrom said. Davis residents helped raise money by organizing a dance party, a silent auction, and fundraising nights at a bar — evidence that future LocalWiki sites will be able to build grassroots support.

— Your project should be catalytic. As a project reviewer, Lee said she looks for ideas that will catalyze development in a larger area. That means not just having a proven concept, but having one that’s scalable and that brings innovation to an area that needs attention.

Out of 2,300 applicants last year, only 500 were asked to provide a full proposal, and 50 of those became finalists. In the final round, Lee said, there was a lot of consensus between the judges about what projects were ultimately promising. The judges were allowed to apportion their votes between different projects, and 28 of the 50 got no votes, Lee said. Among the common problems with proposals:

— Don’t ask Knight to fund content. Lee said the KNC receives many proposals for, say, money to start a hyperlocal blog in North Carolina. But while the idea of a hyperlocal blog was innovative five or six years ago, Lee said, “at this point, it’s no longer cutting edge. The point of the Knight News Challenge is to encourage innovation, creativity.”

— Don’t apply with projects that don’t fit Knight’s mission. As with any contest, some projects try to shoehorn themselves into an inappropriate category for the sake of funding. A grant to do a project using SMS to provide health information in Africa, for example, would be “too specific to be interesting to the Knight News Challenge,” Lee said.

— Don’t be vague. For example: applying to create “a news aggregator.”

— Avoid generic citizen journalism projects. Say a group wanted to take Flip cams and give them to inner city kids as an experiment in citizen journalism. “We’re not totally into the citizen journalism thing anymore,” Lee said. “It has been given its chance to do its thing and kind of didn’t do its thing that well.”

— Have the credibility to make the project work. An applicant may have a good idea for an innovative project, but he or she also has to have the experience and credibility to actually pull it off. One tip-off that credibility is lacking? If he or she asks for an amount of grant funding that’s disproportional to the realistic needs of the project.

[Disclosure: Both Knight Foundation and Lee have been financial supporters of the Lab.]

Is Fox <b>News</b> more tolerant than NPR? « Hot Air

The right-wing intolerants of Fox News' audience didn't complain as much about an explicitly liberal commentator on Fox as the tolerant, diverse audience at NPR did? Barone has to be joking, right? Not according to NPR, where omsbud ...

Energy and Global Warming <b>News</b> for October 22nd: Five renewable <b>...</b>

Polls, including the one from Wall Street Journal/NBC News released Wednesday, have shown that some voters are disenchanted with the Democrats and many voters remain undecided. Speaking at the Solar Power International (SPI) conference ...

Vatican synod sees growing concern over Islam :: Catholic <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

The need for more interfaith dialogue and greater Christian-Muslim understanding has been a key theme in the month-long meeting of bishops at the Vatican to discuss the Middle East.

eric seiger eric seiger

Google describes its new Google TV as a "platform that combines your current TV programming and the open Web into a single, seamless entertainment experience." But broadcasters don't necessarily want to see that delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate Web and TV—and they've now taken to blocking Google TV access.

Think of this as a continuation of the "Hulu Wars." Hulu has always made it difficult to access its content on TV screens even as applications like PlayOn tried to blend the two. The reason isn't hard to find: the TV networks that created and control Hulu aren't keen on cannibalizing their TV revenues by making it too easy to dial up an on-demand, ad-limited experience. If you want to watch Hulu, you're supposed to watch it on the slightly-less-comfortable screen of your computer.

With Google entering the TV platform game, that concern still exists (Hulu now charges $9.99 a month to access its service on other devices, like a TV screen or a smartphone, although it's rumored that will drop to $4.99), but it's joined by another. Google isn't a TV company or a content company; it's essentially a giant advertising company. As Google TV takes off, sucking in every scrap of video on the Web and on TV, the company is poised to become a content aggregator that makes money from advertising on the Google TV service. The networks don't want to continue the model where the aggregator makes cash by the boatload while the content it aggregates sometimes struggles to make any money.

The networks also don't want services like Google TV to destroy the cable subscription model too quickly by making "over-the-top" Internet video too appealing, since big chunks of their cash come from cable's retransmission fees.

So the new Wall Street Journal report about Google TV being blocked comes as no surprise. ABC, CBS, and NBC have all restricted access to the TV episodes on their own websites, though Google is taking the route it usually takes: it tries to strike a monetary deal when content owners put up resistance to unpaid aggregation (this has happened with Google Books, with the Associated Press, etc). Reuters reports that Google is negotiating to free up access to this content, something that will be necessary if Google TV will be used to access more than just broadcast channels and YouTube content.

The DC advocacy group Public Knowledge argues that broadcasters have a public duty to allow access to this material. "It is truly disappointing that broadcasters would leverage their programming to deny access to viewers who watch the shows over another medium—on cable or online," said president Gigi Sohn. "When a broadcaster exercises its market power in pursuit of maintaining a business model while stifling competition by blocking Hulu, Fox.com (or Google TV), the broadcaster violates that public trust and harms consumers... If online video is to emerge as an independent medium, it must be free from the power that broadcasters bring to bear."

For the first time, this year’s Knight News Challenge will be requesting entries in three specific categories: mobile, revenue models, and reputation/credibility. The contest judges won’t be seeking a certain quota of finalists in each category: “It’s much more of a signal to the population at large: These are the areas that need your attention,” Knight consultant Jennifer 8. Lee said on Monday, at a San Francisco information session sponsored by Hacks/Hackers.

Up to now, Lee said the Knight Foundation’s attitude towards the contest has been “we don’t know what news innovation is — you tell us.” But over the past four years, trends have emerged among the contest entries that mirror the broader development of the news business. 2010 was the year of mapping and data visualization projects, Lee said. In 2011, Knight sees innovations in credibility determination, mobile technology, and revenue model generation as key areas of development.

[Update: Lee has clarified some elements of the new News Challenge in a comment here — check it out for more details. Also, since this post was published, the News Challenge has officially announced the details for this year's contest, which includes an additional category, Community; you can see those here. —Josh]

Credibility in the news business used to be based on the brand reputation of large media outlets. But in a world in which anyone can report, and in which, in Lee’s words, rumors can explode and die within a day on Twitter, there’s a need for new ways to measure and establish credibility. For example, Lee said, “How do you know that this person is more serious reporting out of Tehran, or Iran, than that person?” In the world of online media, rumors can gain momentum more quickly and easily than in the traditional media ecosystem. What kinds of tools and filters could be used to combat hoaxes and determine the trustworthiness of online information? That third category is “the one that’s the most vague — and purposefully so,” Lee said.

The mobile and revenue models categories are more straightforward. Last year, the Chicago news site Windy Citizen won $250,000 to develop a software interface to creates “real-time ads” which constantly update with the most recent information from a business’ Twitter feed or Facebook page. Lee said this was a good example of a revenue model project.

The Knight News Challenge is also increasingly open to awarding funding to for-profit companies who want to build open-source projects. Last cycle, one of the grantees was Stamen Design, a top data visualization firm whose founder and employees had a proven commitment to making open source tools in their free time. Knight provided them with $400,000 to dedicate staff hours to projects that they would previously have done on weekends. There are many different ways of making Knight funding viable for for-profit companies, Lee said, so long as the companies can carefully document how the foundation funding is being applied to open-source work. “You can create the open-sourcey version of your project. That part becomes open source, and the other one doesnt,” Lee said.

Last year, out of 2,300 initial applications, the Knight Foundation ultimately made 12 grants totaling about $3 million. After hearing the KNC discussed at the meeting, here are some of the elements I took away as key to building the perfect News Challenge application — and some of the potential pitfalls that could lead to an early rejection.

— A working prototype is great. When the creators of Davis Wiki (which the Lab has been following for a while) applied for grant funding to expand their project, they weren’t just pitching a concept. They could point judges to a thriving local website which collects community insight and serves as an open forum for residents to deal with everything from scam artists to lost kittens.

As LocalWiki’s Philip Neustrom explained, one in seven people in Davis, Calif., have contributed material to Davis Wiki, and in a week “basically half” of the city’s residents visit the site. This June, Davis Wiki made The New York Times when residents used the site to assemble information about a local scam artist, the “Crying Girl.”

Neustrom and Mike Ivanov co-founded Davis Wiki in 2004. So by the time they were applying for a 2010 KNC grant, they already had a mature, well-developed site to demonstrate the viability of what they were planning to do.

— Your project should be sustainable. Knight doesn’t want the projects they fund to wither away as soon as the grant money runs out. In the case of LocalWiki, what may be the best proof of their sustainability was actually made after they won Knight funding. Their recent Kickstarter campaign, which closed last month, raised $26,324 for outreach and education work, and 98 percent of that came from Davis community members, Neustrom said. Davis residents helped raise money by organizing a dance party, a silent auction, and fundraising nights at a bar — evidence that future LocalWiki sites will be able to build grassroots support.

— Your project should be catalytic. As a project reviewer, Lee said she looks for ideas that will catalyze development in a larger area. That means not just having a proven concept, but having one that’s scalable and that brings innovation to an area that needs attention.

Out of 2,300 applicants last year, only 500 were asked to provide a full proposal, and 50 of those became finalists. In the final round, Lee said, there was a lot of consensus between the judges about what projects were ultimately promising. The judges were allowed to apportion their votes between different projects, and 28 of the 50 got no votes, Lee said. Among the common problems with proposals:

— Don’t ask Knight to fund content. Lee said the KNC receives many proposals for, say, money to start a hyperlocal blog in North Carolina. But while the idea of a hyperlocal blog was innovative five or six years ago, Lee said, “at this point, it’s no longer cutting edge. The point of the Knight News Challenge is to encourage innovation, creativity.”

— Don’t apply with projects that don’t fit Knight’s mission. As with any contest, some projects try to shoehorn themselves into an inappropriate category for the sake of funding. A grant to do a project using SMS to provide health information in Africa, for example, would be “too specific to be interesting to the Knight News Challenge,” Lee said.

— Don’t be vague. For example: applying to create “a news aggregator.”

— Avoid generic citizen journalism projects. Say a group wanted to take Flip cams and give them to inner city kids as an experiment in citizen journalism. “We’re not totally into the citizen journalism thing anymore,” Lee said. “It has been given its chance to do its thing and kind of didn’t do its thing that well.”

— Have the credibility to make the project work. An applicant may have a good idea for an innovative project, but he or she also has to have the experience and credibility to actually pull it off. One tip-off that credibility is lacking? If he or she asks for an amount of grant funding that’s disproportional to the realistic needs of the project.

[Disclosure: Both Knight Foundation and Lee have been financial supporters of the Lab.]

Is Fox <b>News</b> more tolerant than NPR? « Hot Air

The right-wing intolerants of Fox News' audience didn't complain as much about an explicitly liberal commentator on Fox as the tolerant, diverse audience at NPR did? Barone has to be joking, right? Not according to NPR, where omsbud ...

Energy and Global Warming <b>News</b> for October 22nd: Five renewable <b>...</b>

Polls, including the one from Wall Street Journal/NBC News released Wednesday, have shown that some voters are disenchanted with the Democrats and many voters remain undecided. Speaking at the Solar Power International (SPI) conference ...

Vatican synod sees growing concern over Islam :: Catholic <b>News</b> <b>...</b>

The need for more interfaith dialogue and greater Christian-Muslim understanding has been a key theme in the month-long meeting of bishops at the Vatican to discuss the Middle East.

eric seiger eric seiger