This marks a new era for advertisers. The days are over of Mad Men figuring out how to cajole or trick us into buying products through mushy psychological profiling of demographic groups. The new model is going to mean including buyers and sellers in more transparent conversations about a product's pros and cons.
Ms. Watkins said she plans to buy about 50 shares, which would add up to $1,250 plus any commissions if the stock prices at the top of its current price range, but could cost her more or less depending on what price she happens to get.She said she’s not worried about price increases; she just wants to stick to her purchasing plan and buy the shares immediately, though she hasn’t ruled out selling them quickly if there’s a sharp bump.Ms. Watkins said she’s interested in the hyped stock because of her economics-major nephew and because she knows what happened with Apple Inc. and Facebook Inc. prices and doesn’t want to miss out, even though the 140-character message service, often used on smartphones, is largely foreign to her.“I don’t even use it,” she said. “You know what kind of phone I’ve got? A pre-paid!”Ms. Watkins opened a TD Ameritrade account about four years ago, she said. She bought a few shares of stock in petroleum-related companies and was burned when the price fell through. She doesn’t trade now, relying on the mutual funds available through her employer to manage her nest egg.The avid Mother Jones reader doesn’t really trust the market and says it’s like gambling, but with the addition of lies and subterfuge.“I’m just buying because everybody’s talking about Twitter,” she said. “I’m just gonna take a chance.”
But the average man doesn't wish to be told that it is a bull or a bear market. What he desires is to be told specifically which particular stock to buy or sell. He wants to get something for nothing. He does not wish to work. He doesn't even wish to have to think. It is too much bother to have to count the money that he picks up from the ground.
This is a sad development for social media: The popular Twitter has yielded to selective censorship
From New York Daily News,
Twitter service may be getting spotty in some countries.
The micro-blogging firm announced on the company blog Thursday that it plans to change its censorship policies to comply with different countries' regulations.
"As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression," the post read. "Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there. Others are similar, but for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany, which ban pro-Nazi comment."
Users' tweets will be blocked in a country where they are against the law, but shown in nations where they are legal. For example, a pro-Nazi tweet may be scrubbed in Germany, but would appear on the user's account if read in the U.S.
When Twitter removes a comment, it says it will clearly mark when a Tweet has been censored and send it to the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse, which is creating a database of tweets deleted not only because of censorship but also as a result of cease-and-desist notices and copyright infringement.
Despite the setback, which I think is part of any struggle for change through attrition, I remain hopeful that internet freedom will prevail.
Businessmirror’s prolific financial columnist John Mangun tweets last August 10th,
I hardly open my twitter, but had to discover this from another reader. Thus my late reaction.
Anyway, my profuse thanks, John.
Follow John Mangun's twitter address here
