I suspect that one reason Bezos sucks up to trumpy is because TEMU could end up being a threat to Amazon. So far, TEMU works much like Amazon Marketplace--lot of different sellers. They don't sell what Amazon does; it's more small, artistic stuff and weird stuff. I bought cat tshirts and resin frogs and planter stumps for my rock garden; I'm very happy with my stuff. The prices, though, are incredibly low. It's fun to browse. TEMU is setting up warehouses in the US and they are growing fast. Bezos would love to raise taxes, tariffs, and regulatory issues against them.
One reason so many greed-heads are supporting trumpy is 'cause they know he will do corrupt things for them. They like that.
I canceled my WaPo sub today. Already have Wonkette...not sure where to put that WaPo money. I think I'll cancel Prime too...the shows are no good now, and Bezos is a bozo.
I understand your point--Amazon treats employees and competitors badly (so do most powerful corporations). But there are things I really like about Amazon. They treat their customers like gold. They have a lot of options and useful reviews. And for a poor person stuck in an inflexible job and working in an area with few retailers, Amazon is a treasure. They can get things delivered to them and the prices are good. Most thing are shades of gray.
I recommend The New Republic (which offers daily posts , has a great staff, and was offering an insanely good deal -- $15 for a year of digital) and also The Guardian (not as good, and not in quite as much need of the $, but with more reporters on the ground -- and you can either subscribe or just donate an amount that feels right to you).
Already cancelled at put it all and more into Substack writers. Now cancelling all Amazon Subscriptions, Prime membership and streaming. Also no more Whole Foods. It’s enough is enough and I too am making a business decision.
This really sucks. I already cancelled my NYT subscription over their unbalanced election coverage, and maintained WaPo and WSJ to balance each other out. Now down to those two, WTF do I replace WaPo with if I actually want to hear both sides??? Until a couple of days ago, I'd have considered LAT, but that's off the table now.
I'll regrettably keep my WaPo (and Wonkette) subscription and hope Kamala wins and they regain some measure of sanity.
As for Bezos, I can't imagine what he's thinking. He's already near the top of PAB's enemies list, and wimping out on an endorsement isn't going to change that one whit.
Well, I hope it works out that Wonkette is the silver lightening bolt in this rain cloud, striking while the story is hot! Spend your monies where the smart set snarks.
Well, that answers the question, "What can we do today, now that a climactic election is just a little more than a week away, to reveal what a pack of abject cowards we are?" As things come down to the wire, I think some of these corporate bastards are running scared--they're worried about what happens to them if they make "the wrong" choice and then Trump wins.
Now I gotta buy books anywhere else but at Amazon.
And by the time I got to my account page to CANCEL EVERYTHING prime adjacent I found everything already canceled thru the sheer and unstoppable power of my astral self literally projecting itself thru the internet to get there at the speed of light.
If the Democrats win this election, I hope they see the actions of the major newspapers, realize trying to pander to copyright companies is a losing strategy, and adjust their policy accordingly.
Stop trying to destroy the internet to appease legacy companies that haven't adjusted to modern times: that doesn't "promote science and useful arts."
Taxpayer-funded publications should not be copyrighted, ever.
Publications written by dead authors should not be copyrighted, ever.
If a copyright company is bad at business and struggling to stay afloat, they are not entitled to subsidies, nor should other companies with real products be compelled to give them free advertising. There is no "right to exist" for a corporation without a product anyone wants.
A company who sells you a product, then breaks into your house, steals the thing they sold you, and breaks a bunch of other things at the same time is committing theft.
None of these ideas are "radical," "extreme," or even "left-wing." They are all in line with what the Founding Fathers thought copyright should be. They are also in line with what Republicans pretended to believe just a few years ago: no crony capitalism. Let the free market punish businesses that can't adapt.
An actual liberal position on copyright would be for the government to pay authors directly and not have copyright at all. The lawmakers all know this is possible because they all get paid to write legislation which is not copyrighted.
Stop thinking "If we don't give more free handouts to copyright companies they might endorse Republicans."
Understand that if you stop subsidizing them they will have no power or influence with which to support Republicans.
Unfortunately, I don't think the Democrats will figure this out.
Only one candidate is so fascist he has the billionaires scared he'll fuck with their businesses if he wins and they didn't kiss his ring. Kamala Harris will not hold that grudge. She has not threatened to cancel business contracts for MAGA endorsers or to use the military to round up her political opponents.
I suspect that one reason Bezos sucks up to trumpy is because TEMU could end up being a threat to Amazon. So far, TEMU works much like Amazon Marketplace--lot of different sellers. They don't sell what Amazon does; it's more small, artistic stuff and weird stuff. I bought cat tshirts and resin frogs and planter stumps for my rock garden; I'm very happy with my stuff. The prices, though, are incredibly low. It's fun to browse. TEMU is setting up warehouses in the US and they are growing fast. Bezos would love to raise taxes, tariffs, and regulatory issues against them.
One reason so many greed-heads are supporting trumpy is 'cause they know he will do corrupt things for them. They like that.
LA Times, subscription gone. NY Times been gone for months. WAPo, dead to me.
I also suggest, along with a subscription to The Guardian, The Independent UK.
Soon-Shiong is also shamelessly gunning for a position in Trump's cabinet. So there's that.
I canceled my WaPo sub today. Already have Wonkette...not sure where to put that WaPo money. I think I'll cancel Prime too...the shows are no good now, and Bezos is a bozo.
I cancelled Prime months ago. Fuck Bezos with everything pointy available on Amazon.
I understand your point--Amazon treats employees and competitors badly (so do most powerful corporations). But there are things I really like about Amazon. They treat their customers like gold. They have a lot of options and useful reviews. And for a poor person stuck in an inflexible job and working in an area with few retailers, Amazon is a treasure. They can get things delivered to them and the prices are good. Most thing are shades of gray.
I recommend The New Republic (which offers daily posts , has a great staff, and was offering an insanely good deal -- $15 for a year of digital) and also The Guardian (not as good, and not in quite as much need of the $, but with more reporters on the ground -- and you can either subscribe or just donate an amount that feels right to you).
If you want a picture of the future, imagine someone pissing on your head and telling you it's raining--forever.
Already cancelled at put it all and more into Substack writers. Now cancelling all Amazon Subscriptions, Prime membership and streaming. Also no more Whole Foods. It’s enough is enough and I too am making a business decision.
Fuck Whole Foods.
"We never pretend to be even-handed about fascism."
I endorse this position.
This really sucks. I already cancelled my NYT subscription over their unbalanced election coverage, and maintained WaPo and WSJ to balance each other out. Now down to those two, WTF do I replace WaPo with if I actually want to hear both sides??? Until a couple of days ago, I'd have considered LAT, but that's off the table now.
I'll regrettably keep my WaPo (and Wonkette) subscription and hope Kamala wins and they regain some measure of sanity.
As for Bezos, I can't imagine what he's thinking. He's already near the top of PAB's enemies list, and wimping out on an endorsement isn't going to change that one whit.
Try Bluesky (https://bsky.app/). It's a sane version of twittered (note that I used the past tense there).
Well, I hope it works out that Wonkette is the silver lightening bolt in this rain cloud, striking while the story is hot! Spend your monies where the smart set snarks.
Well, that answers the question, "What can we do today, now that a climactic election is just a little more than a week away, to reveal what a pack of abject cowards we are?" As things come down to the wire, I think some of these corporate bastards are running scared--they're worried about what happens to them if they make "the wrong" choice and then Trump wins.
For Iowa residents, you might want to check in with this fine group of local journalists on Substack as well:
https://open.substack.com/pub/iowawriters?r=xm0qd&utm_medium=ios
I ended up giving my WaPo and NYT money (cancelled both subscriptions earlier this year) to these guys.
Way to do that Jeffie!
Look what you made me do!
Now I gotta buy books anywhere else but at Amazon.
And by the time I got to my account page to CANCEL EVERYTHING prime adjacent I found everything already canceled thru the sheer and unstoppable power of my astral self literally projecting itself thru the internet to get there at the speed of light.
If the Democrats win this election, I hope they see the actions of the major newspapers, realize trying to pander to copyright companies is a losing strategy, and adjust their policy accordingly.
Stop trying to destroy the internet to appease legacy companies that haven't adjusted to modern times: that doesn't "promote science and useful arts."
Taxpayer-funded publications should not be copyrighted, ever.
Publications written by dead authors should not be copyrighted, ever.
If a copyright company is bad at business and struggling to stay afloat, they are not entitled to subsidies, nor should other companies with real products be compelled to give them free advertising. There is no "right to exist" for a corporation without a product anyone wants.
A company who sells you a product, then breaks into your house, steals the thing they sold you, and breaks a bunch of other things at the same time is committing theft.
None of these ideas are "radical," "extreme," or even "left-wing." They are all in line with what the Founding Fathers thought copyright should be. They are also in line with what Republicans pretended to believe just a few years ago: no crony capitalism. Let the free market punish businesses that can't adapt.
An actual liberal position on copyright would be for the government to pay authors directly and not have copyright at all. The lawmakers all know this is possible because they all get paid to write legislation which is not copyrighted.
Stop thinking "If we don't give more free handouts to copyright companies they might endorse Republicans."
Understand that if you stop subsidizing them they will have no power or influence with which to support Republicans.
Unfortunately, I don't think the Democrats will figure this out.
Shame. Neither of these men have outgrown their inner nerd. They still believe that brute force is stronger than intellect. Good luck to both of them.
Only one candidate is so fascist he has the billionaires scared he'll fuck with their businesses if he wins and they didn't kiss his ring. Kamala Harris will not hold that grudge. She has not threatened to cancel business contracts for MAGA endorsers or to use the military to round up her political opponents.