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September 18, 2007
TimesSelect is Dead
I was intrigued by the blurb on WSJ main page about the death of TimesSelect, so I flipped to the Marketplace section and learned that 227,000 subscribers generated $10 million in revenue for the NYT during the two years its been active. I've had a free TS acct b/c I'm a Sunday home delivery subscriber.
$10 million just aint what it used to be. They say there's more growth potential in online ads than subscription sites. Interestingly, the WSJ didn't bother to compare the NYT's to the WSJ's own pay-only website. And you can only access a preview of the WSJ on its public site.
Apparently, I should be grateful that so much of the NYT will now be open to the public. Frankly, I'm disgusted by how much money I shill out for a single day's paper (almost $29/month) and am wondering why I continue to bother with the paid subscription.
Here's the NYT note on the death of TimesSelect.
Jeff Jarvis on Times deslected
Posted by cj at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)
Random Biz News
Only in LA is this the big story in the business section of the newspaper -
"Now Showing...Chapter 1" by Josh Friedman
bottom line: many fantasy flicks are coming out this season.
Posted by cj at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)
September 16, 2007
How to Handle Debt...
found at Pinko Feminist Hellcat
Posted by cj at 01:03 AM | Comments (0)
Born Into Brothels
Really, I meant to get out tonight, but I got tired and couldn't get in touch with anyone, so I ended up with Netflix. I figured I'd watch 24 Hour Party People, since it was the more light-hearted offering. Alas, the disc was cracked, so I couldn't see it. Instead, I watched the Oscar winning documentary, Born into Brothels.
As serious as I am, it takes me awhile to convince myself to watch Important Movies. I usually turn to the black box to escape from life, and reality doesn't seem like the greatest escape.
Nevertheless, it's extremely important to see this film. Like any good doc, it grabs you and immerses you completely in a world unlike your own. I've studied the sex industry from many different angles: the cold reality of the porn biz, world capital here in the Valley; union organizing by strippers; prostitutes demanding respect from feminists for choosing their profession; the use of rape as a weapon of war, etc. But I've never explored the reality of families living within an illegal business.
Somewhat ironically, one of the children, Avijit, was invited to Amsterdam for a week for a global children's photography class. As many US'ers know, prostitution is legal in Holland and the Amsterdam Red Light District is as much a gawking tourist destination as it is a place to pay for sex.
The chasm between Western, legal, regulated prostitution and Indian, illegal prostitution is profound. It was incredible that the children had any child tendencies left at all, given the reality they witness, hear, and live everyday. And the coda at the end of the film just broke my heart. (Thankfully, their current situations are more bright.)
I wonder how children who grow up in such an environment can have hope or dreams, without the help of incredible outsiders. This film reminds you that societal problems can be distilled into the lives of individuals: children deserve education, food, shelter, the opportunity to move beyond the livelihoods of their parents. How do we stop spending money on a pointless "war on terrorism" and start spending money where it can actually do good - on the humanitarian needs of the global village?
Kids with Cameras - the nonprofit that was created out of this doc
Hope House: currently fundraising to build a dorm school near the Red Light district for up to 150 kids from the brothels
Posted by cj at 12:06 AM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2007
Budget Shopping
When I lived far from home and couldn't afford to go to High Holiday services, I'd spend about as much as a ticket to services on Jewish books and spend the holidays reading about my religion/culture/ethnicity.
Now that I live in the same city as my fam, I join them at the Jewish Home for the Aging, where my 92 year-old grandma lives. But since we only make an appearance at these services, I had plenty of off time today. So I cleaned my room and started reading "How to Be a Budget Fashionista." Seemed about time to pull out the book, since I recently blew a lot of money at the Camarillo Outlet Mall.
The most obvious advice - that I really didn't need a book for - is that I need a budget so that I understand where my money is going, rather than simply spending time paying bills and constantly wondering why I've got no money in my bank account.
Budget Fashionista is also a popular website.
and because I'm feeling guilty for spending so much time on fashion on this Holyday, I finally looked up a question I asked during today's service: What is a doxology and why is the Kaddish the Jewish doxology? Turns out doxology means a praise of G'd, generally the quintessential explanation of a faith's relationship with G'd and the Kaddish is considered the Jewish doxology. Guess I would've known that if I'd read Kaddish, one of those books I bought during a previous New Year season...
Posted by cj at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)
September 11, 2007
L'Shanah Tovah
The Jewish New Year is almost here. It's a time for Jews to reflect on the past year, ask forgiveness from those whom they transgressed, and seek forgiveness from G'd. It's also the time when "G'd inscribes names in the Book of Life."
I wonder sometimes, where exactly was my name in last year's book? Was it under the "well, she's not so bad so we wont kill her, but might as well give her cancer" column? As I struggle to gain control over my metabolism (now regulated by a little pill), it's easy for me to use this as an excuse to move even further away from organized religion.
I don't think there's an anthropomorphic G'd in heaven who will decide in the next 10 days whether I live or die. I am grateful for the time to reflect on my life and my spiritual path, but as in past years, I will find it hard to fully concentrate in a temple full of zealots who believe Israel makes us safer and the war on terror is a good thing. I fundamentally do not believe in religious political states - does that make me incapable of being a good Jew?
I dunno. But at least I'll be able to spend some time with my grandma.
Posted by cj at 11:04 PM | Comments (0)
September 09, 2007
How Much Do You Share with the World?
People often tell me that I am too open - it's too easy to know a lot about me. I find this amusing, because there are so many layers to my mind that even knowing the full time line of my life wont tell you everything about me. Still, I find it a bit awkward that I've been so open on the web. When I meet new people, it's extremely easy for them to pull up a ton of info about me, supplied by me, by simply googling my name.
And what does that mean? For the most part, nothing that I can't handle. But people keep telling me that no one needs to know about my health when they first meet me, so then I freak out - jesus, why did I write so much about it on this blog? Will I scare away potential mates before even meeting them?
Ultimately, if you can't handle the details of my life, you're not going to be interested in me. But I guess my life is more intense than most people my age - I'm actively engaged in issue advocacy work, plus I have a corporate job, plus I'm a cancer survivor. I just have to trust that the right guy wont be intimidated by my strength.
Posted by cj at 09:14 AM | Comments (0)