(no subject)

TODAY'S NEW WORD:

bullshitiquette: (n) Etiquette dispensed about either something that doesn't need etiquette enforced upon it (c.f. this Twitter twit) or etiquette dispensed by somebody who clearly has no damned expertise or is just making shit up (c.f. one of many shitty entries at WikiHow.)

Thanks to gdwessel for inspiring this...in a good way.

(no subject)

Dear LJ "Strikers",

     Yes, the way LJ informed basic account users about the elimination of the no-ads account level was shitty, I will grant you that completely.

     That having been said, free services = a drain on money for LJ. Telling me that "my account hardly costs them anything to store!" is a silly argument, as we're not talking about just your account. Just over a year ago, LJ estimated its number of total "active" accounts as being 1.9 million. Let's send that up to an even 2 million and say that--and this appears to be a very conservative estimate--only 30% of those are "basic" accounts.

     That's a minimum of 600,000 basic accounts for which LJ is footing the bill. That's a lot of time, money, server space, et cetera, for a completely costless, free-of-ads journal for you. Please remember that LJ's parent company, SUP, is a business, and businesses like to make money. It helps them pay employees and, you know, stay in business.

     Not even sites that don't allow user-content are ad-free. Indeed, if you can find a truly "major" website--don't say Blogger.com, for example, as they're run by Google, who can afford loss-leaders--run by a business that intends to turn a profit and has no ads I'd love to hear about it. Don't think for a moment that it'll change my opinion, but I'd love to hear about it.

     Moral of the story?

     If you can't afford twenty bucks a year and/or your delicate-fucking-sensibilities are offended by ads--which would amaze me, since every other damn website ever has them--on your poor-widdle-LJ, then don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.

     Otherwise? Take all the energy you're putting into organizing strikes, writing campaigns, et cetera, and spend that time where you can actually fight a real enemy. Real enemies include, but are not limited to: ending the war in Iraq, promoting cancer research, pressuring the Chinese government on human-rights problems, supporting your local safe place for abused women, doing some work for Habitat for Humanity, et cetera.

     Prioritize, bitches.

     Smooches,

     benjamin

FACEBOOK?!

Shut up, I hate all of you.

PS - Let me know who you are--LJ name would probably be best--if you're gonna send a request.

Open the pod bay doors, GOD.

"(Arthur put himself) to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do." --- HAL 9000