Quote of the Day
From Tim Rutten:
The Huffington Post is a brilliantly packaged product with a particular flair for addressing the cultural and entertainment tastes of its overwhelmingly liberal audience. To grasp its business model, though, you need to picture a galley rowed by slaves and commanded by pirates.
Back in the days of Jim Crow and sharecroppers, it was common to hear poor exploited blacks say to one another: “At least we’re not having to write for the Huffington Post!”
For a moment I wondered why I would be agreeing with a hack like Rutten, why he might have a problem with any of this.
Then it hit me.
It’s about his fear that someone in charge will realize he’s being paid about 100 times what he’s worth…
Scott Jacobs (d027b8) — 2/9/2011 @ 10:02 pmHe recognizes that at least there is a future for the Huffington Post, unlike his employer.
Arizona Bob (e8af2b) — 2/9/2011 @ 10:19 pmHey, works for me. That’s job satisfaction at its finest.
I might HAVE to take a job working for the New York Times in order to Get The Bills Paid, but that doesn’t mean I WANT to be working for the Old Grey Whore…
IgotBupkis, President, United Anarchist Society (c9dcd8) — 2/9/2011 @ 10:55 pmInsert Ben-Hur “We’re going to be rammed!” joke here
no one you know (325a59) — 2/10/2011 @ 6:37 amUm, on second thought, not that one. *truly blushes*
no one you know (325a59) — 2/10/2011 @ 6:38 amRutten’s stupid analogy would only work if the “galley slaves” consisted of the following:
Elite athletes who were rowing as a training exercise
Hollywood actors who were researching the life of a galley slave for a upcoming role
Wannabes who are so desperate to get close to Arianna that they willingly chain themselves to an oar
Hacks who can’t get work on a cruise ship and have nowhere else to go
Grab an oar, Tim.
JVW (1a2602) — 2/10/2011 @ 9:00 amNoyk – that made me spit coffee due to laughter. Thank you.
JD (ae44dd) — 2/10/2011 @ 9:05 amI tried to be a black farmer but they told me that only my humour was black.
Bill Maher (03e5c2) — 2/10/2011 @ 10:04 amHuffPo operates on the Socialist model?
Icy Texan (ee4418) — 2/10/2011 @ 7:05 pmWell, duh!
Rutten points out that it’s ultimately the public who is cheated by the destruction of journalism as a profession. He’s right.
Angeleno (bc7c15) — 2/12/2011 @ 9:04 amAnd yet I’m sure I could survive being deprived of his bloviating.
Patterico (c218bd) — 2/12/2011 @ 9:29 amHe’s smart and he has something to say. I’ll continue to read him.
Angeleno (bc7c15) — 2/12/2011 @ 9:37 am