Ari Herzog

"You forget that I have constantly campaigned to promote fiscal accountability. I voted against the creation of a local meals tax and against the increase of the local occupancy tax -- and that is one of many reasons why I am voting in favor of rezoning the Swofford parcels. I'm looking out for the 40% of Newburyport families living under the federal poverty level. I'm thankful a private developer is willing to pay the entire cost of fixing a state highway. I'm saving you money, and that's one of the reasons why the people re-elected me." - Ari Herzog

"And so, if you're doing anything any day that is not memorable, not remarkable, then stop doing it and do that which makes others stop and say, "Wow, that Tony is something!"" - Ari Herzog

"A question to ask is whether you want taxpayers to foot the costs of repairing Storey Ave, or if you want a private company to foot the costs; because if rezoning is approved, Tropic Star will pay for it. And, on the subject of CVS, during my re-election campaign last fall at Atria Merrimack Place which is home to many lifelong Newburyport residents, they all were thrilled by the prospect of a CVS next to them." - Ari Herzog

"If ROI is an increase in conversation, then the I is increase. Maybe it should be ROC for communication or ROE for engagement or experience. Fact is while a business still exists to make a profit and that profit is benchmarked through metrics such as ROI, the social web enables you to change the acronym itself when applicable." - Ari Herzog

"Umm, no. I can't speak for other councilors but nobody is bribing me." - Ari Herzog

"Property rights are one thing and the economy is something else. In this situation, who am I to tell the "market" that a particular business will not be successful here? Surely CVS Caremark Corporation conducted benchmarks and case studies before deciding to invest in a new location, no?" - Ari Herzog

"Huh? Reading some of those responses why people sign up for MBA programs is reminiscent what I ask my students who attend day-long workshops. Surely someone is forking over tens of thousands of dollars for more than propelling their own company forward when the landscape changes daily. Where's the strategic/proactive reasons and not the reactive ones? And, in your third paragraph, I believe you meant to write "social media marketing" and not "social marketing," yes? The two are vastly different." - Ari Herzog

"But will other newspapers do what the Post does? Should they?" - Ari Herzog

"I've learned not to speculate on newspaper websites. Head over to my blog if you like. I'll write about this after the vote happens, whenever that is." - Ari Herzog

"Dan, you don't explain (unless I missed it) *why* security will affect businesses." - Ari Herzog

"You are correct that the name won't matter to some, for I'm already defining this as Michael Schechter's site, and not as A Better Mess. But that's me. Thanks for talking to Gini about it, or I'd never know this existed." - Ari Herzog

"I'm confused, Michael. You write that you're so deeply entwined in Google's dashboard that you're turning a blind eye to their nonsense. Yet, you're arguing with me you're not their customer and you're demanding phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact methods beyond what's at http://www.google.com/contact/ for you to have service inquiries promptly responded. I agree Google needs to improve its customer service department, but that's been an issue on the interwebs for years. Will the status quo be improved now? Look at Facebook; they point everything out at https://www.facebook.com/help/... which is no better: view this, view that, fill out a form as a last resort. And who knows when/if that form submission is replied. But if you're turning a blind eye to the company's privacy policies, why insist upon improved customer service? Isn't it apples and oranges?" - Ari Herzog

"You disagree with me? I didn't write you shouldn't see a customer service department. I wrote you won't see one. I'm agreeing with you." - Ari Herzog

"If you want a customer service department at Google, I agree you won't find it." - Ari Herzog

"If you have a question how to do something with Google Reader, you go to the help forum and a mix of other customers and Google employees will answer -- such as what happened at http://www.google.com/support/... -- so how can you say there's nowhere to go?" - Ari Herzog

"If you define a customer as someone who pays to use a product, then I grant you that definition. But I equate customers to users." - Ari Herzog

"Untrue. You can make phone calls and send texts without signing in with a Google account." - Ari Herzog

"You CHOOSE to buy an Android-powered device knowing in advance Google owns Android. If Google chooses to change something, how are you held hostage? It's comparable to you owning your own house and deciding one day to repaint it. Are your neighbors held hostage because they liked it in white and don't like it in brown? An owner can do what an owner wants, right?" - Ari Herzog

"I know people who deleted their Facebook accounts -- and then brought them back. I deleted my Foursquare account 16 months ago -- and then brought it back. I doubt anyone can truly separate from Google. Will he now search only on Bing and never view a YouTube video?" - Ari Herzog

"How is Michael not Google's customer? I am. I have a Google Mail account which I use every day. Ditto Google Voice, Google Music, and YouTube. I also own a smartphone and a tablet, each powered by Google's Android operating system. I'm grateful for their privacy policy changes, because it will be one policy across the dashboard and not individual policies as it is today." - Ari Herzog

"I will attend a public hearing on this issue on Tuesday, February 7 at Lynn City Hall. If any residents have issues/questions for me to incorporate into my remarks, please email me. Thank you." - Ari Herzog

"You have a Blogger blog -- but yours is the only one I know of that uses Disqus. I'm guessing you're the rare guy with +1s too. I wonder whether there is a correlation between Blogger apps and their readers sharing on Google Plus." - Ari Herzog

"The answer is the same as any other local statute: a city councilor would sponsor an ordinance amendment, prompting referral to a committee and public hearings." - Ari Herzog

"The city does *NOT* have a $1.5 million surplus. You refer to the amount of "free cash" which is certified by the state DOR after the close of a fiscal year, representing monies that departments did not spend aka sound fiscal management. In my mind, it should not be used for budgetary items but for emergency and/or special circumstances. If the river floods and we're required to match what MEMA/FEMA provides, that could come out of free cash, for instance." - Ari Herzog

"I've created G+ pages because I'm a geek -- but I rarely visit them." - Ari Herzog

"Great. If only I knew this weeks ago I'd be able to make it." - Ari Herzog

"Thank you for writing this, Christopher -- though it's beyond SOPA and into PIPA, too." - Ari Herzog

"The White House opposes SOPA and PIPA (and the subsequent Online Protection & ENforcement of Digital Trade Act for that matter). None of the bills are dead, though. SOPA is in limbo until February when the House returns from its recess." - Ari Herzog

"Kudos! Great advice, Amber, and spot on with a continual rant of mine whenever I receive a new email message from a friend -- and open it up to see I was added to their email newsletter without being asked. So, I peruse it and nine out of ten times click the unsubscribe link. On Twitter, I'm continually following and unfollowing as my interests and inspirations change. Some say that the on-and-off again process is bad for relationship building, but my take is if I engage with you on one platform why must it be all?" - Ari Herzog

"Kudos! Great advice, Amber, and spot on with a continual rant of mine whenever I receive a new email message from a friend -- and open it up to see I was added to their email newsletter without being asked. So, I peruse it and nine out of ten times click the unsubscribe link. On Twitter, I'm continually following and unfollowing as my interests and inspirations change. Some say that the on-and-off again process is bad for relationship building, but my take is if I engage with you on one platform why must it be all?" - Ari Herzog