Frankly, I have only the faintest idea. It is an academic paper in organic chemistry written by my partner, and published in an academic journal. In short: new chemistry.
- Ian Wright
I feel pretty smart just being able to figure out that it is some new more efficient method of making some kind of chemical compound, I just have no idea what kind of chemicals are involved or what practical application they might have. I knew I should've paid more attention in chemistry. ><
- David C. Cooper
I love that Bret, Paul, and Kevin checked in. They probably are looking at their screens and asking "what do we do now?" how about ship some new features before Facebook overlords take you off to do bigger things?
- Robert Scoble
from iPhone
I feel sorry for all you addicts. My use of it is purely social.
- Bruce Lewis
I do like FF and use it almost every day. Wouldn't it be great if FB either left it alone so we can continue to use it as "professionals," or somehow incorporate it into a more "mature" version of FB that didn't have all the annoying, time-wasting apps, games, etc. I'd much prefer a totally customizable FF "wall."
- Cathryn Hrudicka
I think FFundercats HO!!!!! would have worked but I'm here anyways.
- Jimminy Fuller
Actively fighting addiction to anything on a daily basis, but I'm still a FriendFeed fan! (I'd have been here sooner but I've been staring at Phoebe Cates pics for longer than I realized.)
- Mark "Godt Nyt Ǻr"
Thank you Robert Scoble to be here. :) BTW is this looks interesting for FF replacement? : http://streamy.com/ ? May be... I'll try it to see. :)
- Claude LaFrenière
Why should I? Whats in it for me? You doing some sort of survey of people to send out the police to do a "Safety Check" on when the site is shutdown?
- CW™
here. anecdote: a friend of mine just signed up for FF this evening. apparently the FriendFeed hype of the last 24 hours pushed him over the top. leaves me wondering whether FF has actually gained users today?it would be a crafty way of marketing the service. I'll wake up tomorrow to discover that there was a problem with the paperwork and the FriendFeed team have had a change of heart.
- JSLeFanu
from BuddyFeed
Count me in even though I was just starting to get hooked. I guess it's time to find a rehab and get all sobered up until the next relapse with some other new addiction. Isn't life grand?
- Usman Bashir
oh hey, look, the added an "add comment" link to the end of the comment list. Huzzah!
- Brett Kelly
from iPhone
++Jay. I was going to do the same thing yesterday but I didn't want to pay the money.
- David Cook - 2010!!!
David -- this was a $9.95 session but you can get them for $7.95 and there are also 25% off coupons if you do online check-in prior to your Delta flight. That's an incentive for folks to use that service and offload kiosk use at the terminals. Very savvy marketing by the folks at GoGo and Delta combined.
- Jay Cuthrell
well, it's 12:12 a.m. and I'm perusing FF from my iPhone via BuddyFeed before turning in. so yeah, I guess I count. "Here!" (raises hand)
- Don Faulkner
from BuddyFeed
I recommend FF to some of my clients, and there are some companies and nonprofits with presences here—not like Twitter, but I'll be curious how that will be affected when FB takes over more. Most have FB fan pages, groups and/or causes, too.
- Cathryn Hrudicka
Yeah, me too. I just saw the request to have a comment link at the bottom of the comments from one of your friends just yesterday and here it is. I'd say they are listening. Thanks FF.
- Keith Rowland
И так чятег, пока Скобл не поговорит с нами представителями СовиетФрендфидика, все мои записи теперь можно читать в этом тредике. Пользуясь случае передаю Парню Бухайту и его команде большой привет, в связи с тем что [He can has sleep naw].
- ideali
превед кетаец! давай сегодня сделаем тебя счастливым!
- Махатма Бугоганди
точно! поэт, пародист, переводчик. известный блоггер.
- Махатма Бугоганди
я вчера был в издательстве, с меня сведения об авторе просят. давайте, говорят, напишем, где учился, что генеральный директор. и что известный блоггер.
- Махатма Бугоганди
а можно получить профессию известного блоггера? какие экзамены сдавать надо? какую специализацию лучше выбрать - микроблоггинг или аудиоподкастинг?
- Махатма Бугоганди
Один чувак пришол в чятег и говорит я известный блоггер кто тут тру на первый второй рассчитайсь. А ему говорят чувак у тебя сертификат есть что ты известный блоггер? Вот иди Зайке экзамен сдай потом приходи. А Зайка стоит такой с топором и улыбается. Щас думает счастливым его сделаю.
- Махатма Бугоганди
Я потерял интерес в данный момент. Я буду скрывать, как и любой другой. Это хромой, что вы захватили этот. Пивные правила. Спокойной ночи. :-)
- Matthew Horton
More than a friend of FriendFeed, was starting to use it as a full lifestreaming platform and loved it. It's made a whole lot of other sites make sense.
- achean
Hi, I'm Bette... I don't know if I'm an addict, but I can't stay away... I keep checking, just to see if something's new... and I cry if I get no responses to a post. Is that addictive behavior? :D
- Bette Cooper
Yup, I have blocked all the impersonators now. You will still see them, but I don't see them and they no longer can comment on any of my items.
- Robert Scoble
@scobleizer As far as I can see you have blocked not only the impersonators (who renamed themselves back the moment they found out you have a problem with this) but most of the folks who chatted there.
- Махатма Бугоганди
@meatreach yes, see next thread. Scobble becomes anti-Russian.
- Never Impersonate You
Maxatma: well, that's just too bad. I speak English. Sorry. People who don't speak English really don't have any business commenting on one of my items, except in rare cases.
- Robert Scoble
Why you, Robert Scoble, don't block users from Spain or Italy? China or arabic countries? Those users that comments on non-English languages?
- Never Impersonate You
@Robert, in fact they do speak English. But they also do make fun of Friendfeed and everything that's going on there. You can block them or take part in this fun. ;)
- Махатма Бугоганди
I prefer FF over twitter and facebook, but all my friends are on twitter and/or facebook. Maybe facebook will get it right this time now that it has acquired FF. If they simplify it a bit more without removing functionality. Then I would spend a bit more time on FB. Lets hope all goes well with the merger. If not I'm jumping ship and going over to Google Wave. oh wait, I'm going to go with Google Wave regardless! ;-)
- Captain Jack
Bu arada Russian friends Turkiye'ye selamlar gonderiyor.
- ideali
@scobleizer i can speak english and i beg you to remove bann from all russian friendfeeders, because we are all from it-community, working in internet companies and we came with peace, you asked for feedback from friendfeed addicts — we show you how really it is being frf addicts, we change names, we chat, we making things that are not serious. Why so serious? Unlock people, they are not bots, they just playing the game of real addicts and have fun. Common.
- ideali
shaun: I started this post to demonstrate that a lot of us are still here and aren't likely to leave. At least not quickly. So, life goes on after FriendFeed gets acquired by Facebook. Point proved.
- Robert Scoble
Robert He says ; Our Russian friends say to hello to Turkey
- Osman Üngür
ideali: have them send email to scobleizer@gmail.com and I'll unblock anyone who says they weren't impersonating me.
- Robert Scoble
Hector: good morning! I need coffee.
- Robert Scoble
@robert yes they (we will) stay here, I think tat the migration process will take time and after reading @Paul Bucheit, I think that what we all are trying to get even if we don't say it explicitly is to preserve a kind of intimacy (beeing a part of the Huge faceBook community) don't mean that FF community will preserve their intimacy, why should a community be a plan one, (let imagine a community as a set of sub-community) that all.
- abdellah
Wow!! So many likes and comments; is it a record Rob?
- میر «عرفان» موسوی
@scobleizer thank you, for understanding. be cool, guys we just want have fun here a little. Take care.
- ideali
@Robert RE "I have enough noise in my life. I don't need to have more" - isn't it a lot of noise having 26K subscriptions and 46K subscribers on your frf account? I'm kind of surprised - you create a community that large around yourself, yet when you see a new and unusual activity you just block it right away.
- Махатма Бугоганди
@Robert, patience? Who's talking about patience? It's about curiosity, not patience. When something strange and unusual happens around you, you can either try to stop it or try to see what it can develop into. You choose to stop - and it stopped. Well, not stopped - just moved to some other place. And do you really know what it was and what it was about to bring you?
- Махатма Бугоганди
I'm here all the way from South Africa! I dig this service and I'm not quite ready to give it up. Regardless of the news about the acquisition, this remains an awesome service.
- Paul Jacobson
I'm new to ff but find more valuable information here than anywhere else!
- Janet Crance
I don't know how I rate my addiction relative to others, but I shared Hitler's reaction upon hearing the acquisition news (despite happiness for Paul and Bret)
- Chris Duffy
I'm sure this is part of Scoble's plot to poll all the people who really read his posts, and unfollow the rest. So I raise my hand.
- Shivanand Velmurugan
Just a wannabe. Not an addict (yet).
- Carole Hicks
It might also be a way for me to filter down my "following" count (diff (my followers, scoble)) are the only people I really need to follow. Those that scoble follows, I can safely unfollow and use Scoble as my social media filter :)
- Shivanand Velmurugan
pardon the arrogance but it really sucks this great forum of sharing will turn into a myspace humdrum. Now I have to find another SM where first adopters and well informed techies won't haft to compete with general "noise"
- earl wallace
Well, here's a comment I can later delete and rob the owner of 1500!
- Matthew DeVries
I just mention the 1500 mark since it was such an iconic query to see... that and the 500 Likes club of FF posts. It's pretty exclusive stuff... but it's also sobering to note that the subject matter required to get to these levels isn't always a uniform mix of cares/concerns.
- Jay Cuthrell
When I heard the FaceBook news, I tried to quit FriendFeed and I couldn't... I'M HOOKED
- The Web's Wendell Wittler
i clicked the "1488 more comments" and my computer nearly exploded. and yes, i am using an amiga 500.
- jack
Now that I have instructions (thanks LouisGray) and figured out my Bookmarklet! I am LOVING the ease of use! addict - not quite...
- Robyn Hawk
Actually, I lied. I am not a die-hard friendfeed fan. I desperately want to be but have just not been able to get into a good "feeding" rhythm. Maybe I need to add some more friends
- Anant Gairola
I don't need to be addict. I'm just here, everyday, absorbing so many geeky info :D There's no place like FF
- Lysender
I'm still with ya, Robert. Whatever FB paid for FF, it wasn't enough!
- Donald C. Lindsay
New here, but learning. Tips for best use?
- Barbara Langham
@bdlangam From my perspective the #1 tip in this category is: Explore and define "best use" for yourself. Despite potential "finishing" impression of some productive consolidations in this collective-collaborative cognition space, the emergent #cognosphere is still WAY too nascent to assert anything other than initial impressions. March to the beat of your own drum; build your own...
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- michael silverton
yeah sorry, late. was at Shambhala Music Festival, I know tardy, sorry...
- sofarsoShawn
I'm getting hooked, still figuring it all out
- Michele McGraw
I think I do. Not enough contacts to make a impression.
- Michael Schlag
I started sending some of my favorite Twitter posters' feeds to Google Reader a while back so I would be able to search back more than the 30 days Twitter search allows. This article brings things to another level. Thanks for sharing.
- Brenda Young
Thank you, Dave. This is the tool I've been waiting for so that I can complete my move to FriendFeed and use RSS for Twitter interaction.
- Sam Harrelson
from IM
Stupid Question but if you add new Twitter followers then you have to redo the import right?
- Nick Reynolds
Nick yes you do have to re-import. However if Google Reader would support dynamic reading lists, we could work out a way to keep them in synch. Wouldn't that be nice. :-)
- Dave Winer
Dave - the comment on Twitter couldn't be more true - I wonder how the social networking world will react to this ... and if some decentralization might start because of it. Seems like a melding of email, RSS, twitter, facebook, etc is what might come out in the end
- gregory leff
It will be EXACTLY like that scene in the Matrix where they are watching the code scroll by like rain. All feed converge to one, and we see them all simultaneously. Or not.
- Ian Wright
from BuddyFeed
@Dave yes, it would be nice :) We'll keep you posted.
- Mihai Parparita
Is this working? I'm getting an error... "Twitter returned an empty result."
- Jason Hansen
Dave: I figured it was due to that, but just wanted confirmation. Will try it out later.
- Jason Hansen
Thanks. I am going to use Google Reader more often instead of desktop RSS clients. More open.
- Zachary TG
from iPod
I use Google Reader a *lot*, but I can't see any real benefit to importing your Twitter feeds into it. Page after page of small one line entries? No thanks.
- Otto
I use this adaptation and like it so much I stopped using all my other Twitter apps.
- earl wallace
I left Twitter for Jaiku. Then Jaiku left me for Google. I moved in with Pownce but it died. I went back to Twitter, but flirted with Plurk, Identica, and Rejaw, and even tried doing it myself with Laconica but it was Twitter I really loved. Twitter finally broke my heart so I left it for Friendfeed. Now Friendfeed is leaving me for Facebook. No...
It reads better than Soap - my roadmap is very similar but I'll forgive FF and live happily ever after with it (for the time being, anyway)
- Nicholas Paul Gordon
from iPhone
You're the best Leo. Canadians are the funniest people.
- Dan Lessard
I'm betting they'll slowly digest it into the Facebook news feed. They claim that Friendfeed is staying put for now, but that won't last.
- Ken Bauer
And we keep following Leo all over the place!
- Robert Scoble
When will we all get in a long term relationship and stop getting our hearts broken?
- Nate Pilling
so what is more important, the medium or the people, hope that FF will let us export our content, and our social netork :) (in my wild dreams)
- abdellah
Need ice cream? I'm new to FF, and kind of sad I didn't jump on the proverbial wagon sooner!
- Elizabeth K. Barone
I hope you leave your standard breadcrumbs so we can find you in the next chapter of social interaction.
- jcunwired
Feels to me like maybe it's time to go back to building a distributed network, rather than hopping from service to service.
- Ken Sheppardson
But where to next? That's the question. Wave sounds great, but the implementation will be a PAIN. So where? Oh LeoMoses...where is our path in the desert?
- ‘-.-’ Tutivillus Grift
Sounds like a hurtin' country song in the making.
- Bill Rodman
Well you can't say that what is happening in the 'social sphere' is boring by any means!
- Matt Cassem
I think Leo's audience is more likely to click "Like" or "comment" than Scoble's is. When Leo and Rob are both posting on FF, Leo gets more likes and comments
- Mark
Didn't you leave a post earlier saying how funny it was that people complain anytime there's a change (referring to the FF buyout)? This sounds like a complaint to me.
- Fleagle
Not complaining - just thinking about the future. I think a little Friendfeed DNA will vastly improve Facebook. And I think Facebook is already the big winner with the general populace. I also think we geeks need a corner somewhere else to hang out in.
- Leo Laporte
And I have no plans to leave Friendfeed. Yet.
- Leo Laporte
I feel more of a personal connection with the FriendFeed team than I have with other services I've left, and that will be a big part of why I will stay as long as possible.
- Louis Gray
^^^ replace "team" with "community" and there's my reason for sticking it out.
- jcunwired
Its also going to take a very long time to go through content and bookmark/store it elsewhere. Evernote is going to be used heavily in the weeks to come.
- jcunwired
The only way to have control is to use your own URL
- Craig Shipp
Wait till you meet Facebook's randy cousin Overly Friendly Book =)
- Cynthia Yildirim
what Louis gray said. I'm going to hang around until the lights go out.
- Jordan Brock
from BuddyFeed
What they said, I don't see any reason to leave FriendFeed unless something actually changes that makes the service worthless to me.
- Craig B.
And many times you cheated Twitter, she was always loyal to you. Thats mean someting!
- Jacque
from f2p
yup me too Louis and I don't know any of them
- Thomas Power
Users today are investors too - only the 'exit' for us is not lucrative.... its the other way sometimes :)
- Mrinal Desai
I just had the idea: wow, how good will Faceboook become though this input? (JUST imagine tagging ppl in FB the way U can Tag them in FF.)
- oliver gassner
I agree with Jonathan Hardesty "It's like the internet version of Days of Our Lives" - And sites keep getting killed off only to come back to life a month later!
- Amy Flynn
very true, however on the other hand, we are getting closer to that one service which everyone will be on... and I dont think twitter is going to be that one
- Bryce Campbell
Facebook buying FriendFeed is like having to MOVE just when you got your house all dressed up and made into a comfy HOME! I don't feel like doing it again!
- Arleen Boyd
Now that Facebook and Friendfeed have married, I'm waiting for Twitfacefeedplebospacening.
- Anthony Marco
Leo, u by your self made two companies (services) out of 3 famous and made Google interested enough to buy 2 of them (Jaiku & FF). Google also tried to flirt with Twitter as well. So which one u choose now? Cause we will follow u :P
- Sam Ehsan
Sounds like some of my past love affairs. Of course, I'm married now. That, um, was prior.
- Paul Chaney
Feeling a bit worn around the edges? ... me too!
- Susan Beebe
from iPhone
Speaking of Days Of Our Lives: Didn't that show jump the shark when the serial killer was unmasked as Marlena (a character I used to have a mad crush on, and who's now mostly a professional victim)? Then all the "killed" characters came back to life, since they were only what I call "soap opera dead"...
- Dennis Jernberg
And if everyone follows you, then your all having affairs all over the place! LOL
- Sandra Large
I think it's back to the TWiT Army!
- Paul Salzman
It's not like we have proposed Healthcare reform, or anything really important, going on in the U.S.A.
- Steve de Mena
yep. welcome to another episode of; As the Stomach Turns. one big soap opera.
- Scratch5150
I've decided I'm not going to tell ANYONE which site I'm favoring... not even myself! I swear! As soon as I decided that FF was my new place (a couple months ago) THIS happens! It's like magic, but in a bad bad way...
- Mark "Godt Nyt Ǻr"
Why do we all assume this is a bad thing? Maybe the FF Facebook combo will be better??
- Craig Shipp
Maybe they'll keep both open -- FF is the open side, and FB is the closed side.
- John Flinchbaugh
from IM
I know exactly how you feel. What's a person to do? I am mad at Twitter for suspending some of my accounts. First, the accounts kept causing the password to reset, then they were suspended, all around the time of the DOS attacks. All I ever used Twitter for was to advertise my businesses, and for fun. Now I don't know where to go.
- DogPatch
It's like my beloved Archie comics romantic twists from childhood! Archie loves Veronica who loves Reggie who loves Betty who loves Archie... ;)
- Shawn Zehnder Lea
한글 와서~ 루거 .. 당신은 정말 잘 생기고있다 누드 사진 기다리다 :]
- HealingBrush
One of the funniest sad stories I've heard in a long time...
- Aviva Gabriel
Gotta find one who is a lady in public and a whore in the bedroom. One who looks like a woman, but thinks like a man. One who tells you you're the only person in their world and worships the ground you walk on. One who's from Venus but want's to live on Mars. One who you know will always be there even when the chips are down. One who looks like a movie star, but doesn't bust the credit...
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- Jan Simmonds
I think a lot of people LOVE to think negatively and don't want to think positively. They think FB is BAD and will ruin FF, but I think if they do it well, FB won't be the bad guy. I think most people who are irked about this are irked because they think the FFers "sold out" to the "man".
- Molly, New Ears :P
@Mollyanna - I disagree. I am irked because the future of FF is completely uncertain. It's more likely that FB will let FF flounder and close it down than it is that FB will invest time and resources in maintaining and enhancing FF. FB has other interests and is splitting up the FF dev team. That does not bode well for FF. I don't begrudge the FF devs for taking the money. I would be...
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- Lindsay is in 20-ten
Leo, I hope you mention FriendFeed in your Dubai TED talk ! :) I'll try to be there !
- Ahsan Ali aka. Slick
@ian - "Wordsmith. Public relations undergraduate at The University of Texas. Feminist Capitalist. WordPress geek. Future commercial rights attorney"...surely that kind of asinine comment is beneath you!
- Jan Simmonds
"Annie Leibovitz, perhaps the highest-paid celebrity photographer in the world, is profoundly broke. She hocked every photograph she's ever produced and now the high-end pawnshop that gave her $24 million has filed suit to force her to sell it all. Art Capital Group is a financial firm that specializes in lending money for people who own valuable art. They're happy either getting back in cash or taking the art. Leibovitz, whose financial difficulties have been well-documented, mortgaged her homes and all her photographs to Art Capital and yesterday they filed suit for breach of contract, claiming she won't cooperate in their attempts to sell her pictures. Art Capital has loaned Leibovitz a total of $24 million since September of last year. They took as collateral the negatives and copyright to all of Leibovitz's photographs, as well as her homes in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and Greenwich Village. But they also extracted from her, according to a lawsuit filed today by Art Capital, both an...
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- Thomas Hawk
from Bookmarklet
What, our government, isn't going to do every thing in their power to let her keep her home just like every other US citizen who is behind on their mortgage? Insane!
- Wizetux
It is sad and amazing that someone who gets paid so much got so deep into debt.
- Robert Scoble
from iPhone
I guess it is the old thing of having to live life like a rich person to ask for the big bucks also.
- Travis Koger
@Robert It is just the classic pit falls. People tend to always live outside of their means, and those that get large pay checks at once tend to do it more often because they spend it all at once thinking that the next one will be in when they run out.
- Wizetux
From a bit of Googling: her main difficulties stem from an inheritance, not living beyond her means. She inhereted the estate of her longtime partner Susan Sontag. Had they been married there would have been no taxes on their combined estate until both of them passed away, at which point their heirs would pay estate tax. As a gay couple, Leibovitz had to pay the estate tax immediately,...
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- DGentry
DGentry: thanks for that, amazing way to get into so much debt.
- Robert Scoble
from iPhone
Shame that the feds and state will force her to sell her art. This is in-fact what you wanted, right Thomas? "Actually I don't think a backlash against the wealthy is a bad thing. Hopefully it can finally get some serious estate tax reform done. - Thomas Hawk"
- Robert Kenney
Combine a 20% flat tax on income with a 90% estate tax on estates over $5 million and you've got the winning combination. - Thomas Hawk
- Robert Kenney
Personally, I would prefer her to keep the estate, and her artwork, same as married couple would. Thank you for sharing this example of the impact of high estate taxes.
- Robert Kenney
I dont think it is an example of high estate taxes as much as it is an argument for gay marriage.
- MikeDeal / ZoneDancer
Oddly, few people look at such situations and determine that the government is out of control. Instead of just looking at such a situation and saying "Man, really? The government sucks!" they say "Ah man, they should have a loophole to solve this person's problem with the government." So many people think this is a great idea, to seize property based on nuanced little rules, situations, etc. But, it's for the children.
- Jason Nunnelley
I didn't fully research Leibovitz's and Sontag's politics, but it's safe to say they have supported Liberal policies and politicians and are not Conservatives. The effort that Leibovitz is displaying to avoid paying the estate taxes that are enacted by the liberals her state and federal government is telling. Why? Is it "rules for thee but not for me" ? She and her heirs deserve to keep her life's work. But one must reap what one sows.
- Robert Kenney
She is an adult and signed a legally binding contract that she would sell her artwork and real estate if she was unable to pay back a $24 million dollar loan. She needs to abide by the contract that she signed just like every other adult in America.
- David C. Cooper
Jeez, this is an amazing story. Why isn't the media all over this? When Ed McMahon was broke it made national news?
- Steve Rubel
This is incredible news. A complete personal fiasco.
- Mitch Featherston
+1 Wizetux and David. She took some some awful financial advice, and she has to pay the consequences.
- Bill Sodeman
While I support a higher estate tax, I also support an unlimited marital deduction that would apply to all married couples, including same sex married couples. But aside from that, even after paying for Sontag's estate tax liabilities she should have downsized her lifestyle if she couldn't afford it. I don't feel sorry for Annie here actually. There are lots of people who don't have a single home. She certainly could have downsized if this were the issue back when she inherited the property.
- Thomas Hawk
bear in mind that Annie's "home" in Rhinebeck NY is a 200 acre estate and that she's got three townhouses in Greenwich Village pawned. Bummer if she'd have to sell a few of them, but there are a lot of people that get by on a lot less.
- Thomas Hawk
So you assume that "rich" people are criminals and should be punished, and you also want to penalize single people? Whose money don't you want to seize commissar?
- Ian Wright
from email
Ian, I don't assume that rich people are criminals at all. Nor do I think that they should be punished. I think that the cost to society for letting people pass on amazing sums of money is too high. Once you have more than about $30 million or so there's really not much more you can do with it if you don't give it away. You can't spend it, you can't take it with you, you simply hoard it...
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- Thomas Hawk
Thomas, with $30 million somebody could invest in some very big companies which would create A LOT more jobs than the Obama/Reid/Pelosi "stimulus"/health care/cash for clunker B.S. Plus, you'd realize a great return. You can also help the world by creating charitable foundations with your extra money that do more good than the government could ever dream. In fact, this is exactly HOW wealthy people STAY wealthy. People who hoard their money, lose it all.
- David C. Cooper
@David C Cooper. completely agree. The "rich elite" who want to be taxed up the wazoo (I think they are not telling the truth) can certainly give the gov't more than "their share" if they want to. Nothing in the tax law that keeps them from that. Just don't expect everyone who worked their tail off from nothing to "rich" to want to part with what they EARNED more than everyone else.
- Jim Porett
This illustrates why it's so unfair that gay couples cannot marry - and be recognized federally. Even if/when states allow gay marriage, there are 1,000+ federal rights (like the one that @DGentry mentions above) that treats gay couples differently than hetero couples. If they weren't the same gender, this would have played out very differently.
- amygeek
David. I think any money used to create charitable contributions should be exempt from all taxes. That's not the money I'm talking about. I'm talking about the billions of dollars that is passed inter-generationaly each year that really does nothing but sit in bank accounts, treasuries, tax exempt bonds and stocks. This money could be redistributed to improve schools, feed the poor,...
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- Thomas Hawk
The Government is not an example of a good steward.
- Jim Porett
Annie Leiboviz stripped away pop power and captured souls on plastic film. Like Annie's art, losing money strips pop power and shows humanity. Hope art emerges.
- Robert Higgins
Money is not a zero sum game. I believe humans create wealth. We use technology and ideas to make the world a better place. Everything that I create I get to keep. If I want to give it to someone, that's my business, not yours or any government. I don't think you know what zero sum game means in this context. If you honestly believe that humans have ceased to create wealth, then why...
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- Ian Wright
from email
A large overall percentage of dollars in our economy are at work. With banks loaning at 93%-96% of assets, that means that that money is working in small business, putting a car on the street, building a house, and on and on. Above their personal possessions (which when created made jobs, paid taxes, and generated revenue for someone), the rich have their money at work (and at risk)....
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- Robert Kenney
+1 amygeek and Robert Higgins. I am happy that Leibovitz's talents are impeccable to get her through this. Great art often comes from hardship, and her new work will be the best we have seen. Being of the Kellogg Corporation family line, I can attest that some very large trusts suddenly crashed with the economy, some to the tune of a 70% loss. Can't imagine that coupled with a large estate tax.
- E-Advocate Network
How can we possibily take the money passing trough generations? You mean Thomas we actually take it away from people? With which authority? And how Paris Hilton lifestyle is wrong? Just because we don't like it or because we don't agree on how she spend her money? What "moral" ground we have to say they are wrong? I might don't like it, but I will fight for the freedom of people to employ their money how they wish.
- Giorgio Burlini
from iPhone
"You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is...
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- Mark Harai
Point of clarification on the above quote. The actual quote is "You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the industrious out of it. You don't multiply wealth by dividing it. Government cannot give anything to anybody that it doesn't first take from somebody else. Whenever somebody receives something without working for it, somebody else has to work for it without...
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- Jim Porett
Interesting. It seems like the whole estate tax might be something of a red herring. From what I'm reading elsewhere it looks like Annie never even inherited Sontag's wealth but that rather it mostly went to Sontag's son David. "As spelled out in Sontag's will, the essayist/novelist left the bulk of her estate to her son, David Sontag Rieff. Leibovitz was left a maximum of four "articles of my tangible personal property," such as art, furniture and jewelry."
- Thomas Hawk
So maybe when Sontag died and her source of wealth and income were gone (by Sontag's choice to her son) Annie kept living like a billionaire when she should have started living like a multi-millionaire instead and thus ended up highly leveraged and in huge debt putting her where she is today. I still find it difficult to have a hell of a lot of sympathy for someone who is broke but...
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- Thomas Hawk
I want to clear a few things up here. The debts Annie Leibovitz owes are not due to inheritance taxes. At the time of Susan Sontag's death, they were no longer dating (apparently Leibovitz had left her for someone else). In the will only a few sentimental items were left to her, the majority of the estate went to Susan's son.
- Steven Cains
Her financial errors were largely her own doing, she had a huge staff with all kinds of perks and bonuses. Also, while she was converting 2 townhouses into 1 she caused structural damage to another property and was forced to buy it.
- Steven Cains
+1 Steven. It takes an entourage to... to... my mind just failed, thanks to Annie's staggering idiocy.
- Bill Sodeman
Well, artists are not known for fiscal prudence. What artists are known for, in the financial realm, is generosity. They plow money back into circulation by spending it on themselves, their friends, family and in this case, staff/entourage. That's not idiocy; it's a way of life. Think: Leonard Cohen.
- Anna Camara
Right about now, Apple probably wishes it had never rejected Google Voice and related apps from the iPhone. Or maybe it was AT&T ...
- Joseph Rasch
AT&T built the network, and Apple built the phone, they should be able to deny any app they want. If I don't like it, I can buy some other phone.
- Ian Wright
from iPhone
Ok, I have 5,061 subscribers. Seems crazy high for the engagement I see on my stream. Let's see how many of you actually exist around these parts: Comment plz! (Remember when I got called out a few months ago for not participating enough on FF? It worked!)
but I'm not a subscriber :) You can't really know, because as people comment this entry, all their followers get the "friend of a friend" item in their feed. Go figure who among those participants are subscribed to you.
- Jérôme Flipo
Sarrita - You do realize you're going to pull more than just your subscribers right? We're blasting this out to all our friends of friends too.
- Matthew DeVries
I have to admit, it's pretty fun to watch you guys comment in real-time. Good thing I have nothing else to do all day. Matthew DeV- yeah, I know, not a perfect system. I guess my point is that FF sub numbers are misleading, there are a lot of DOA accounts!!
- Sarah Lane
Loved you on AOTS1000. How was the Chalula?
- GMar
I feel Marty thinks TWiF is getting to be a real pain in the butt. Maybe you could all convince Leo to move it to San Fran? I'm sure he'd get even better guests/hosts to move to a 24/7 format...?
- Jude
Hello Sarah. I think yours was the first feed I subscribed to when I joined FF.
- Thomas
just so we're clear on this... i'm not commenting because you asked... i'm commenting because i want to
- Chris Heath
Matthew DeV- I'll pass along! Jude- hmm, I'll think about that one. Chris H- FINE! BE THAT WAY!
- Sarah Lane
Well I'm not hanging on every word, but I enjoy your stuff.
- Chris Menning
I am alive and well, how are you doing?
- Gary Oswald
Thanks Sarah. You have a standing invitation to be on our show and just chat about whatever happens on FriendFeed, tech, etc. DM me if you are interested and we will make it happen. (also we have a room/group on FF http://friendfeed.com/ffunder... )
- Josh Haley
FFundercats: Diggnation minus the cult of personality?
- Daniel J. Pritchett
Daniel - there's a live thread (Real time FTW) with the podcast, and direct interaction with that thread. I usually have Friday plans, but when I don't it's a supremely fun time.
- Matthew DeVries
Hurrah! Nice to see you posting here, even if it isn't for anything interesting.
- Kenton
Hullo there...you are still in my main feed... :)
- JA Castillo
John W- oh, I'm sure they exist somewhere, just wondering if it's here, too. ;) Chris M- casual enjoyment is enough for me! Kenton- oh please, this is riveting stuff! (I'm subscribing left and right due to this conversation, so thanks for speaking up and helping me find you!)
- Sarah Lane
Yes, I remember when you got called out a few months back for not participating. It was me that called you out. I refer to that, now deleted post, as "The Emperor's New Clothes" post. After I was condemned for daring to ask why cewebrity accounts on FriendFeed were given such an inordinate amount of attention considering there's no reciprocation on the part of the poster, my question...
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- Christopher Harley
Sarah - I've enjoyed your posts as I see them float down the stream :)
- Jennifer Dittrich
Mike N- it counts for a sub from me! Although the first thing I saw was a post about your laptop, your mom, and porn. Let's see how this relationship goes. :)
- Sarah Lane
Yet another try at creating the longest thread on FF? ;)
- Holger Eilhard
I'm listening, but I don't know what to say.
- Donald Forth
Well, this is certainly a nice hefty thread... but I think I've made the point that clearly the large majority of my followers aren't actually paying attention (for example, my BFF Kim Kardashian). :)
- Sarah Lane
She is just jealous that you get to hang with Martin on Fridays.
- Eric Geller
made the best of day.... who the hell are you?
- Noah David Simon
Sarah Lane is the wife of Leo Laporte of Twit Live. Her son is Kevin Rose of Digg fame. And she is only 30.
- Mark
...and I'm supposed to know that? how can her son be of Digg if she is 30?
- Noah David Simon
Only if you've used the internet for more than 8 minutes in the last decade.
- Matthew DeVries
twif rocks, U & sargent are halarious. ive been watching since techTv days. Martin's cadillac RIP
- echostreamer
all I know is this woman has issues that people are following her... and I wasn't following her till she had issues. what a paradox! ....wait a minute... she sounds like a feminist!
- Noah David Simon
If that's all you know, then that's all you read, but there's more to know and you've just decided not to assimilate it. Say Luh Vee.
- Matthew DeVries
martins lobster tweet was hilarious and so was your calling him out. Also "who Tila Tiquilla?" was great line. been watching since techtv. follow me if you'd like on FF and Twitter @echostreamers
- echostreamer
love to listen to your on Twit network. Since I installed FF on computer, I see your streams more. usually I click on links that people post if it seems interesting to me. usually don't comment though. keep it up!
- kent williams
Hello.You've been on my favorites list for a while now. I'm just sparatic about my interaction, and often get distracted by stuff like Sims 3 and WoW when at the computer.
- Tony, Paradox of FF
after looking at the bios in this thread, if every1 in this thread started a tech company together, im pretty sure it would replace google tomorow. im not sure i am even qualified to be in this conversation
- echostreamer
Ok, now I *have* to go participate in a Current TV happy hour. Boo hoo, unlucky me. Will check back later. Thx to everybody who reached out so far. It's great to have those of you not already on my radar, on my radar. :)
- Sarah Lane
How will I explain this to my grand children?
- barce
from iPhone
You're going to have to try a lot harder to get rid of us.
- Gus Cuddy
from iPod
I think it's safe to say that this was a success
- Steve Poland
Gus- I don't want to get rid of you! Silly Gus.
- Sarah Lane
Of course you don't. Heh. Naw, just kiddin. And you don't know how many times I've been called Silly Gus. I think it has a certain ring to it.
- Gus Cuddy
from iPod
I'm not in your stream, your not in my stream, and still everything is lively.
- Amit Morson
I am not a subscriber, nor do I have any idea what your normal content is like, but I can imagine that some percentage of your subscribers did so purely because your avatar is an attractive woman (and you have a females name). I'm not saying this to belittle your contributions; just sharing an observation of male behavior. -- huh, I just went and looked at your profile (I had never heard of you). I'll add your celebrity status as another reason people might follow without planning on engaging.
- Bill Rawlinson
Hello. I'm not a subscriber, but since someone I follow commented, I felt the need to say "Hi" too. Hello from Washington, DC. The only times I comment on FriendFeed are: 1) it's funny, 2) it's about dogs, 3) it's about cutting-edge tech. Since you called out the "lurkers" on FF, I'm here. ;)
- Ken & Kiyomi
Whew! Just catching up on all your lovely comments. Thanks everyone! Now, we're only missing about 4,600 folks. Send out the search party! Kidding, kidding.... I was just really curious as to who was actually around and paying attention. >^__^< <----- my first ASCII cat ever
- Sarah Lane
Thomas, http://friendfeed.com/sarahla... or http://friendfeed.com/sarahla... will have comment boxes at the bottom always so you don't even need to click - opening the entry/item in it's own window is the key (clicking the timestamp like josh haley said will do that) then if you want the clean embed version you just add ?embed=1 to the url, or click the timestamp again - it's that simple
- Chris Heath
The only way to follow someone is if you follow fewer than 5,061 'people'
- Terris Linenbach
Hello from Cambridgeshire, Englandshire. Now, where do I put the stamp on this thing?
- Ben Aldhouse
Terris- no, that's the number of people subscribed to me... I can't imagine following 5,061 people! Think of the real-time scrolling! Aaaah!
- Sarah Lane
Well, it *was* the number of people subscribed to me. A few more now.. hi everyone!
- Sarah Lane
Tell us about the beginning of this FF post grandpa! Well kids, when I was a young man, Sarah Lane posted a question about having five thousand followers... (long old man story) ... and the post survives to this day, in the year 2074. Back when this thread started, the machines hadn't taken over yet...
- Dave Friedel
Hey there from the back woods of British Columbia
- Trent Shields
"I too thoroughly enjoyed this series, and I hope that Linda can be persuaded to continue writing for the blog. Regarding the “Show All” button; where the heck is it in my interface?"
- Ian Wright
"The first rule of feminism is that males and females are identical in all respects except when it advantages females to be treated differently. As Christina Hoff Sommers, author of Who Stole Feminism?, a searing critique of "gender feminism," says, the idea is that "men and women are the same, only women are better.""
- Noah David Simon
from Bookmarklet
There's no such thing as reverse-racism.
- Ian Wright
pardon me sir, but you are at the wrong subject. this thread is for Gloria Steinem
- Noah David Simon
"Wow. I keep chasing the cloud, and it moves just a little bit faster than I can keep up. That's exciting. Please hook me up with you contact. Thanks."
- Ian Wright
I am on the phone with Audible to put my membership on hold. I asked the guy that I could have sworn the option to cancel was on the site before and now it isn't. He said that if you cancel your membership once before, they remove the online cancellation option. EPIC FAIL