Money can’t buy me friends, Mark. didn’t you learn that at Harvard?

Signed.

Zuckerberg has been headed in the wrong direction for the last 2 years. He’s driving his company into the ground. We’ll all look back in a few years and laugh at facebook, the way we laugh at MySpace.

It’s Facebook. Zuckerberg owns it. Under a capitalist system, that means he can do whatever he wants to with it.

Really anything that stops the bored housewives from letting me know the minutia of their cats bowel movements or the fact their toddler ate his peas is a good thing.

Personally I cant stand FB. I would welcome its demise. Its also now the mom jeans of social networking as young people abandon it. I cant stand having to be “friends” with people I dont give two shits about.

And am I the only one who finds their software clunky and dated?

Thanks Kris. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry the first time I saw Facebook’s quote of $10,000 to reach our 2 million Just Say Now Facebook fans. I thought it must be a joke or a bug until I read the piece over at DangerousMinds.

And it also means we can complain about it, yes?

I hate it too. Never use it.

We posted this on Facebook. But we didn’t pay.

Wonder how many of our 2 million JSN fans we’ll reach?

The average reach of our free JSN Facebook posts is ballpark 200,000 people — just 10% of our audience.

FDL Facebook posts, to our audience of 22,600, are only shown to, at best, 400 people.

Farcebook = childish fad, waste of time, Wall Street con job.

But why complain about it? If one believes economic activity should be organized along capitalist lines, then logically one should have no issue with Zuckerberg doing whatever he wants to with the company he owns.

On the other hand, if one doesn’t believe economic activity should be organized along capitalist lines, then one should ignore Zuckerberg and instead explore non-capitalist options in more detail.

It may be popular to discuss Facebook, since Facebook is ubiquitous. But I see such a discussion as having no value, except possibly for fundraising.

Incidentally, for those hate Facebook, ZNet now has something called ZSocial — some sort of Facebook replacement for lefties. I will never use ZSocial, since I see it as going nowhere. But if people seriously want to use a leftish alternative to Facebook, it’s there.

Giant tracts of the left generally simply ignore Michael Albert (he of ZNet), however, because his politics are too radical for them. This will play as much a role in the demise of ZSocial as anything. The coordinator class still can’t even be mentioned on the left.

Consumers need to organize against capital, too. Just because he has the ultimate authority over his company’s choices doesn’t mean that the we — consumers who rely on Facebook for our work — should shut up.

Under capitalism, Zuckerberg owes you nothing. If you rely on him for your work, that’s your problem, not his.

Have never been on Facebook. Will never be on facebook. Strongly suggest that anyone who is connecting with facebook disconnect ASAP.

And that was my advice last year at this time, too. And as for the still available “free” services remember this: If you are offered something for free, you are not the customer. You are the product.

Boxturtle (Patience. Someone will show up to steal all facebooks unhappy customers. Quickly)

This might be a promising alternative.
http://personaldemocracy.com/isaac-wilder

Our economic system has a certain logic–just saying. As I see it, begging big capital to play nice, in the long term, doesn’t get it. I think this is where we divide a certain idealistic liberalism from a more material analysis of how things work–and, as importantly, decide how to spend our activist time.

You’re reading too many text books. Of course he doesn’t have to. But that doesn’t mean he won’t. Companies respond to consumer pressure all the time. This isn’t any different.

If consumers who rely on him for their work find his platform no longer useful, that’s a problem for him.

Complain, yes. But does FDL really need facebook to operate successfully? Rather than gripe, I’d send a “so long and thanks for all the fish” message and try to move the traffic over to FDL. Not sure what advantage Facebook would offer over a decent RSS feed.

Boxturtle (I’m thinking this pay-to-play plan will be dead by Monday)

To give you an idea, even though the reach is limited, our Just Say Now Facebook page is a huge source of traffic for our work on marijuana reform. Publishers use Facebook and Twitter etc because, as social media, they help expand your audience through trusted sources. While I’d love to not need it, the reality is a lot of small publishers depend on it for promotion.

Facebook is and always has been a big fat lie. It provides the illusion that you are sharing your personal information with a group of selected individuals. But time and again it turns out that the whole world is the audience for the pictures of you drunk at a frat party fifteen years ago.

When all we had was our home pages to share with the line was clear. Anything you posted was going to be available to everyone in the world. Now we think our boss isn’t going to find out we weren’t really sick last week, but actually at the ball game. Except whoopsie, he’s friends with your neighbor’s Mom and now you’re fired.

Furthermore, I’m stunned at the level of narcissism it takes for people to put the minutia of their daily lives on the internet. I waste hours staring at baseball stats, but it’s a better use of my time than learning what you had on your pizza.

Hopefully going public and the attendant drive for cash that will keep pushing FB to make stupid moves like this will spell the end of Facebook and the beginning of a new social networking site. One with a conscience. For every Zuckerberg there’s a Newmark.

And like Craigslist and FB it’s all about critical mass. You have to believe that YOUR friends will be using the site or you won’t sign up. It will take people abandoning Facebook for something better and once that trend starts it will tend to snowball as people find their friends unwilling to participate in the Facebook illusion.

Your counterargument is … I’m reading too much? Are you recommending instead I switch to watching Honey Boo Boo?

Anyway, fine, pressure him if you want. You’re still recognizing his right to rule, which says more about you than it does him.

This is a better link to this network. I learned of it from talking to Isaac and Tyrone a few months ago.
http://personaldemocracy.com/static-content/about-personal-democracy-media

No, you’re putting to much faith in rigid analyses of capitalism. According to your analysis, no company would ever respond to consumer pressure or feedback because they can do whatever they want. I’m saying that’s true in theory, but not always in practice.

Facebook has done a lot of damage so some young kids. I have never joined but my granddaughter was bullied on Facebook and it wasn’t pretty. Would please me if it disappeared.

People shouldn’t worry they still have Dancing With The Stars and The Voice. /s

Lovely. I never realized that.

Just like the old drug pushers. It’s free, until you’re dependent on it.

Boxturtle (I’d still tell ‘em to get bent, on principle)

You’re entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts.

To say that consumer pressure on corporate entities has never had any impact on their policies is easily refuted by anyone with the capacity to do a simple online search. Or, you could just ask Glenn Beck.

If you’re making an argument against Zuckerberg’s right to be in this position over data that’s another thing. But the logic steps you take to reach that conclusion in dismissing consumer activism as completely ineffectual have some serious flaws.

Now how is the young man and his sponsors going to make their billions if they can’t rip us off? It’s just capitalism after all. If they overreach they will lose. To be honest I am neutral on Facebook. A few of my ” friends” post some right wing crap on it. I don’t want to start a pissing contest so my response is muted. I find myself going to it less and less. So I won’t pay the fee. Kick me off, it’s ok.

Moreover, Facebook limiting our Just Say Now audience from receiving our notices on the marijuana phone banks is seriously limiting our ability to get people calling to get out the vote in states with marijuana legalization initiatives.

Unless we want to pay $4000 per post, which pretty much defeats the purpose. So yes, it does have serious real-world consequences.

My wife LOVES The Voice. Part of my husbandly duties is to watch it with her. I would much rather be watching MNF.

I must admit, I would buy the music of the fellow who looks like a beatnik. And I’d never have known about him except for The Voice.

Boxturtle (Xtina needs to lose some weight or dress with her actual figure in mind. *MEOW*)

I do not recall saying consumer pressure on corporate entities never had any impact. Indeed, if enough people sign your petition, it is highly likely Facebook will drop its fee plans.

Personally I’d like to go after Chick Fil a. I stopped going there too awhile back.

Ah, a most excellent observation, Jane.

While your response, @7, reflects my own position precisely, as regards Facebook, the issue you raise @6, is rather important for an number of “applications”.

For example, and I know that people will hate this small fact, any “private” agency or “operation” that makes use of the public “highways” of one kind or another, not only may be asked questions about what such agencies or operations “do”, they MUST be subject to question … and, perhaps, also, other “things” as well.

Here is another wee fact that people will not appreciate; political parties are private entities which seek to affect or CONTROL public policy.

So, it is entirely appropriate that political parties not only be taken to task, it is also vitally important to realize that political parties do NOT, on the face of it, actually represent the people, not when those parties run candidates for office nor even, and perhaps especially “even” when those parties successfully “place” their “agents” in office …

Facebook, to expand my earlier agreement with you, is mostly ubiquitous drivel, generally engaged in, in many cases it appears, and one only need look at what is “there” to confirm this, incidentally, by those who have so little sense of their own existence that only by bragging about their recent vacation (here are pictures) in Podunk, or the worthless nature of whomever, or the “fact” that they are “loved and adored” by “millions”.

The political parties are little different, actually, when one examines their “platforms” and is assaulted by THEIR drivel, especially in the swinging states …

It is a bit like the “episode” of Zuccotti Park … public places controlled by private “interests” … are ever more ubiquitous and quite destructive to civility and civil society … yet it is claimed that certain entities have the “right” of such behavior.

Consider, the office of the President, which now claims the power to kill anyone any where in the world (a public space, yes?) any time that said office decides, quite without due process, yet further claims that such “activity is “legal” on the “highway” of existence, BECAUSE the entity SAYS so.

Between the behavior of Zuckerberg and the White House there is somewhat of a “span” but, “bottom line”, the essence is the same, both may do as they wish because that is the “game”.

(Does the above pass the test as good humor and snark? Or does it strike too close to the truth? An amateur attempt, I admit, but I am trying – in fact, testimony from my friends and acquaintances will confirm that I am regarded as VERY trying, indeed … some will even admit to my tendency toward “verbosity” … whatever that word might mean.)

DW

Um, maybe this is even better.
http://thefnf.org/?page_id=738

Off topic. Abortion and the Romney poll gains. The discussion of abortion is a topic that makes people uncomfortable……no matter what their position.
DROP IT!! Overkill.I am hearing more and more…..” I’m tired of this constant emphasis on abortion…..”

I hope I’m not being presumptious, but some of you may have wondered, “Where’s carguy on this issue? Haven’t heard from him.”

OTOH, some of you might have said,” I’m glad tha carguy is gone. he’s an opinionated doofus.”

Well, for all my fans, I’ve been out on some legal matters where, fortunately, I’m a witness not a defendant.

Now, to my point, I don’t do Facebook. Biut I saaw the movie. I wouldn;t put anything past that little pissant Zuckerberg.

I do think we should cut Chick-Fil-A some slack as they appear to have somewhat reformed and they have really good cole slaw.

You’re saying we should abort the abortion debate? Curious.

Suggestion. If you cut the cheese she’ll say, “Oooh, did you do that? Get out of here.” Then you can go watch MNF.

Actually, I have been wondering where ncg WENT?

I’ve missed you these last several days.

So, excellent good it is to “see” you, hale and hardy, despite trials and tribulations.

Ah, the salad daze … halcyon times and so forth …

Zuckerberg ant gonna like wot ya say … but he might be surprised by how many of us agree with you. Admirably short, precise, and right to the “point”, btw.

;~DW

The little I know about FB is that it’s largely a vacuum of time. Social networks do have some utilitarian purpose in allowing people to easily connect. The narcissism is very much an american meme pushed by the media and all the celebs who are the epitome of narcissism. But now with digital media anyone can play… or be a star in their own mind.

I like the analogy to the drug pusher model. People addict to its features for good bad or worse and then they change the game and make you pay for something you had for free. Once addicted many can’t withdraw.

My wife keeps tabs on her children and grand daughters… her main interests in life and so it’s handy for that. I don’t know what else she uses it for. I’ve got a page but used it a few times… but got nothing of value from it. Why it’s worth billions is a puzzle. I suppose the advertising industry convinced someone you get money when someone opens a web page even if they don’t look at the ad or ever buy the product.

If you make it some will come and many will pay.

I’m only involved in Facebook becsue I built a page for our HS class of ’69 after much persistance from classmates. We’re a tight bunch, class of ’69, dontcha know.

After the initial hubub, since May, had a total of three posts.

I was expecting this item when I got here.

I’m touched and I missed all you guys too. Should be done fighting evil for a while.

That’s because most people actually have a life. Nice to see you, ncg.

Nice idea, but there is no way I can out stink the pug she has on her lap. For a little dog, that critter produces an amazing amount of gas.

Boxturtle (One of these days, I’m gonna light one and see if he flies to the moon)

Don’t recall seeing you here before. LOVE your first paragraph. Are you a philosopher?

Another long not “seen” favorite!

Great to “see” you, SanderO!!!

That last line is so … so wonderfully descriptive of the entire American “ethos”.

Again, concise, succinct, and spot-on!!!

The masters of powerful brevity, you, SanderO, and newcarguy!

DW

agreed, dogs make that strategy ineffective.

Try this, pull out your cellphone and fake an important call and then talk loudly over her TV show.

That one won’t miss.

You always come up with the most interesting links. Thanks.

Gee, somebody trying to (out)screw Zuckerberg. I’m not sure whose side I’d come down on this one.

“Teched”?

As I am a witness, you are a most well-gifted reconteur.

You have admitted, just above, to being of a newer “vintage” than I, still, I am but a fiver in “advance” so that I may say, without fear of great admonition, that we have shared some interesting times, rather a bit of them, in fact.

It is likely that the days ahead shall be “exciting”, if somewhat predictable in their excesses and absurdity brought on by certain “private” … um … “interests”.

Well, I must off to rake it in … up, actually, the effin’ leaves … NOT from MY trees btw, but from across the street. MY only consolation is in knowing that there will be … more of them …

It is my intent to return … time will tell.

DW

God speed DW.

That’s like when the Steelers play the Ravens. What I want is a nice long bloody tie.

Boxturtle (GOOOOO Browns!)

Actually I have a separate page for my elementary school class. We are even a tighter bunch I bet. After the initial posts, there is about two a month, mostly about grandkids.

Facebook (And Twitter) own your words. This is nothing new. Solution? There are some new more equitable social media tools available. Try them out.

Identica identi.ca

Diaspora joindiaspora.com

When I was still living in PennSYLVANia, and had millions of new fallen leaves every day to deal with, I rigged up a special rake. Had an 8-foot strip of door-jamb moulding lying around, so I lashed it to a driveway push broom, and fashioned a leaf plow. Anyone remember when you could burn leaves, even in the city?

Does the Just Say Now account have a Twitter? Twitter doesn’t have these posting fees. I know that the reach wouldn’t be as wide, as facebook has many more users than Twitter, but long term, growing a Twitter following would be beneficial.

I know that doesn’t help over the next 10 days, but just a thought.

You know, a “leaf-plow” has been aborning in me mind’s eye … I’ve the push broom, and have been pondering how to “extend” its reach and efficacy … so, AitchD you may soon be hearing of my “version” of da plow.

My great appreciation for the encouragement, as I confess to walking across the street, gazing firmly, and sternly, at the HUGE Oak Tree, older than I, no doubt, and muttering, under me breath, of curse, “Oak-kay, leaf me alone! And, no more with the acorns! You are only a “Pinny”, as the natives say and more likely to end up as firewood than a desk or a floor, cease and desist, drop your limbs no more! Are you rotten, right to the core? Didn’t you see what happened to the huge, leaf-dropping Sycamore? How could you miss it? It WAS right next door.”

I don’t know if it did any good, however, we ought to take the political class to similar task … we really should, no more should we ask, should we allow them to continue to bask … Let them know that we are more than weary and tired, that, in fact the lot of them are … fired … and that little “bit” about a lifetime at the “tit”? Forget it! It’s off-whored, there’ll be none of that crap until, justice, until the rule of law and the just power of the people is restored.

Prolly a good thing there is not a giant Redwood in the neighbor’s yard …

Although, I don’t think the Redwoods toss their “leavings”, in any case, and threaten to privatize the whole, entire place … or as certain “business people” seek to make the cost of sharing information impossibly costly while waving their obscene riches (right) in our face …

Franklin once said, ” … a republic, if you can keep it.”

Now it is sneered, “A “democracy”, smucks … if you can afford to “buy” it.”

Ah, well, the march of “progress” …

DW

Ditto. I never go there. If I wanted people to know what I’m doing (which I don’t) I’d have a website.

Ah, if only criminal fraud committed by bankers might be pounced upon with such alacrity and strongly expressed disgust, AitchD …

Too “something or other” to “something …”

DW

just for curiosity’s sake, would twitter be helpful in directing people re “new post at fb just say now” ? and have note at fb “just say now” for facebook friends to post on their pages?

i still think that “phone trees” are still a good back-up plan for communicating with members with 10 numbers per person that includes one random verify/check number. or an automated phone call message with “watch for this subject line: (i.e. “katie’s new address”) for an email from firedoglake.” etc.

i feel that this facebook “policy” and the removal of ads 2 wks b4 the election are just the beginning of the erasure of information contrary to the corps’ media. people have been disappeared and digital communications are evidently easy to remove from view as well.

Well done, DW, so one good literary turn deserves another — and on topic no less (be alert and forgiving of the ‘typos’ likely from dumb OCR scan).

Yep, thanks for not buying into the corp fed standard talking points. ;-)

Now THAT, AitchD, is a monumental upraising, “undertakings” are as nothing, in comparison, indeed comparison is both impossible and quite odious, especially in this case.

I stand in awe, I tremble at the knees, I am taken aback. “Flabbergasted” does not begin to describe mine response.

Life and limb take on an entirely new aspect. Frankly, I have never heard the like of what is recounted.

I do have to ask, to what was the tackle “attached”, the “end” not enwrapped about the project?

Hopefully you shall not mind if I “Bookmark” and save, to ponder, time and again, this most amazing recital?

In any case, BRAVO! I commend the spirit, the philosophy, the grit, and persistence, the very heart of the thing, the inspiration of it, and both the actual events and superb, the exquisite, telling … both far from the pedestrian, seriously, approaching transcendence and nobility of expression the like of which I have but, very, rarely encountered.

Thank you, AitchD, most sincerely, for transporting me to a supremely different “place” and sensibility.

Forsooth, I am much indebted to you.

;~DW

Forgive me if someone else has mentioned this. I came in late and could have missed it in my scanning.

IMO Facebook is a good candidate for self-destruction via overreaching. Their program software is a bunch of unreliable crap. But the success of the concept of free and open connection to and within a large audience speaks for itself.

They are not nearly the quality or basic usablility as the old Compuserve, even AOL for their time. (Of course both are antiques now and couldn’t begin to make it now.) But I do think someone with the technical expertise could design a much better program to compete. I have been wishing for sometime that some such one could acquire the financing needed and enter the field. Just my opinion but I think they could wipe the floor with FaceBook.

FB is free. Do we expect something valuable for free? It cost us nothing and we demand something from nothing?

Dangerous Minds call this act by Zuckerberg a “bait and switch.” No kidding. Handing out a product for “free,” waiting until people depend on it, and then charging for it is one of the oldest tricks in a capitalist, consumerist society. Who doesn’t know how this works? Are we this easily fooled that we couldn’t see this coming?

While in our economic sytem Zuckerberg supposedly owns the product he created and apparently can do what he wants with it, who owns the info we have created about ourselves?

I think it would be a great idea for FB users to “steal” Zuckerberg’s product from him: “Hey, Mark! You neither own nor control Facebook anymore. We do.” Or barring that, quit using it en masse.

“And as for the still available “free” services remember this: If you are offered something for free, you are not the customer. You are the product.”

Ding! That is exactly the size of it.

talkingstick: there are a couple suggested links above @ 56 i’ll look at.

“Facebook is and always has been a big fat lie.” Etc.

Agreed. Some thoughts:

In your example, was it FB that got me fired or lying to my boss? Why shoot the messenger?

I’m not sure that it is entirely narcissism that causes folks to post the minutia of their lives on FB. A great many people in the US go to school or work, shop, come home and watch TV, and die. Maybe such minutia is all one has?

FB has a conscience. It is made up of everybody who participates in using it.

I’m taking a page out of Mitt Romney’s book: Let Facebook fail. They’ve set the tone of their own future, let it sink or swim on it’s own merit. We can’t and shouldn’t rush in to save the day whenever a corporation decides they no longer care about the future.

Ok, Can’t you all just go back to myspace or use the new free open source social networking. Seriously. I still have a myspace account but no facebook. The handwriting was on the wall there is no way for them to make money unless they spy on you or extort you. I am not having any of it.

I have never opened a facebook account due to the rampant spying and invasions of privacy. Beacon program went into peoples private internet purchases and broadcast them to the world without asking permission. I can’t believe all the people that continued to sign up for this idiocy after that.

FACEBOOK FAIL as usual. The more I know the more I don’t want to have anything to do with facebook.

Exactly if you have read the user agreement, they own everything you post. Everything. They own your life history if you put it up there.

Photos, blog posts, comments etc. All property of facebook.

Asking capitalism to be nice does not change the inhuman fact that the logic of profit drives decision-making, NOT human needs.

This is the most ridiculous “FDL Action” I have ever seen. For crying out loud. Facebook was established overnight. It can be abandoned overnight too. Who cares?

I mean seriously, if I ever get something this stupid in my email from this site again, I am going to cancel all updates from your site.

Just a friend status message.

Asking capitalism to be nice does not change the inhuman fact that the logic of profit drives decision-making, NOT human needs.

Agreed. I mean, asking Zuckerberg to play nice is fine, and if you bring enough pressure to bear, he will … this time. But really, Zuckerberg is just running his business according to the logical dictates of any market economy — with or without private ownership of the means of production (a market economy with private ownership is “capitalism,” a market economy without private ownership is “market socialism” — and market socialism actually existed at one time in the former Yugoslavia).

Who gives a sweet Christ what Zuckerberg does? The logic of capitalism says he should constantly strive to increase profit and market share. That’s what he’s doing. If you’re a believer in capitalism, then get off of Zuckerberg’s case. If you believe in capitalism, you should be applauding him, for he is a truly a major whip-ass capitalist.

On the other hand, if you’re not a believer in capitalism, then again, to hell with Zuckerberg. Say what you’re for — how you’d organize economic activity in non-capitalist ways, and let Zuckerberg go date TBogg or something.

The initial question isn’t anything Zuckerberg-related. It’s: “Do I support capitalism?” If you do, start worshipping Zuckerberg for being one of the most amazing capitalists of all time — as you should. If you don’t, then start telling us what a non-capitalist economy would actually look and feel like.

I’m a pareconist (participatory economics). If you don’t like parecon, fine. Tell us what you would do. But if you refuse to renounce capitalism, then sweet Jesus, do the right thing and give Mark Z. the mad fucking props he has rightly earned under the capitalist system.

WTF?

Every game has rules, it seems, except capitalism. Don’t reg me, bro!

If you lie, cheat and steal and make shit tons of money, Yay Capitalism! It’s the American Way. It’s so easy to win when you cheat! Only stupid losers don’t know this!

But hey, you’re right. Let’s sign up of bunch of people, let them build their own social network on my site, with access for advertisers, and then charge them to access their own database. Sounds kind a like Netflix when they built a business on one premise, then ditched their loyal base and started charging people for something that was once free. Great fucking business strategy, my man!!!

woohoo!!!

OK, I’m waiting for you to school me. Go ahead.

Is Zuckerberg a good capitalist? I say yes. And you say?

The newish-old adage “if you’re not paying fora a product, you’re the product” certainly applies here.

…lying douchebag. maybe that’s a synonym.

oh, and really really good job on the IPO. Now Zuck has investors to fool, so I guess that’s what this new gouge is all about. “hey, I have new sources of revenue! Just like that!”

other business analysts say that to make money on the Internet, you must get advertisers or morph into a distribution center. But hey, what do they know? It’s Zuck and he’s a kick ass capitalist. I’m clapping with one hand in the air and the other on my wallet.

What in the world made you think Zuck’s panopticon was “free” to begin with? You know, the Tunisians are hardly dependent on one overused social-networking site to organize….they know how to use the internet, too.

Trusting Facebook is bananas…and always will be.

Thanks. It is good to see others are thinking the right way. I just hate to see it turn into trying to get the so and so Zuckerberg to behave. Instead just take out his crappy FB

This (potentially) sucks if one has sunk a lot of effort into using FB to do business. I sympathize. Is there no tool or invention in the US that does not go through this same evolution from cheap and popular to having the life sucked out of it and exploited for every last dollar until the original creation is a desiccated corpse?

Not that it matters, and this is only my personal opinion

But I’m not on FB. Have no desire to be on FB. Will never be on FB.

I’m wary, anytime anyone tries to get me go with the crowd, because “everyone’s doing it,” or whatever. Kinda like Groucho Marx used to say about how he didn’t want to be a part of any club who would have him as a member

I never used it very much, but I’ve all but stopped using it after their recent redesign that sucks rocks.

Zuckerberg and his buds should never have tried to take Facebook public; they could have lived reasonably comfy lives off of Facebook’s ad revenue. Buuutt noooooooooo: They had to see if they could become paper billionaires by pulling a grift on Wall Street investors.

If he were a smart person and not overwhelmed by greed, he would never have tried taking it public. Now he’s soon going to find that the Wall Street investors who made him a paper billionaire are going to demand his first-born in exchange if he can’t give them an insanely implausible rate of return.

You’ll be back. You can’t resist!

Facebook’s policy is as devastating to blogs and action groups operating on a shoestring as the USPS’ raising its rates on certain types of printed matter (apparently at the behest of Time’s corporate owners) was to mags like The Nation. A moment’s thought will make that plain.