GalacticCactus Forum
Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Patrick on September 28, 2004, 09:34:01 AM
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If you or your friends are interested in getting paid for writing newspaper/magazine articles in a Utah County-based newspaper, let me know. I have an offer you can't refuse.
Same goes for editing, and photography for that matter.
:pirate:
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An offer I can't refuse, eh? What is it?
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Everyone’s heard the phrase “In the business world, timing is everything.” Well, after 6 trial run issues, The Free Capitalist is set to make a leap onto a larger stage. We will be recruiting Writers, Photographers, Graphic Designers, Ad Executives and Managers to become part of this momentous occasion at a special meeting October 19th at 7 p.m.
When: October 19th, 2004, 7 p.m.
Where: The FranklinSquires LLC building, 85 EastBay Blvd, right behind Sizzler.
What do I bring?: A resume and samples of your work.
Refreshments will be served.
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The "Free Capitalist?" What kind of stuff do you have to write - How to subject the third world?
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Subject them to what?
www.freecapitalist.com
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I just thought it sounded like an awfully Rockefeller type name for a paper.
*looks at link* Yep - sounds about right.
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I'm not sure we're out telling everyone to start a monopoly, just that Free Capitalism is a good way to run an economy.
*shrug*
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I like to think I'm a socialist.
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We all have a little socialist in us.
Don't confuse the newspaper's editorial mission for my personal views. My job is to get this bad boy up and running.
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Sounds interesting. The question is which kind of opportunity I should go out for. It may look bad if I pitch myself as a photographer/essayist/humorist/editor.
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Refreshments? I'm so there.
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Heck, if anything, it can be a Utah Galactic Cactus clump.
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Woohoo! My board has a clump!
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That just sounds wrong.
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Um, I think the Utah clump is as clumpy as it gets around here
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Pat, if I wanted to put together some sample columns, what is a good length/word count? I thought of just averaging a few of OSC, but it occurs to me that someone of his stature probably gets more leeway.
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Whatever you have is fine. Right now, we have a relatively small news hole, but it wouldn't hurt to bring whatever you have at all.
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News?
Really? Is that what that is?
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News?
Really? Is that what that is?
:huh:
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The Free Capitalist is an alternative to a newspaper. Nowhere have we ever stated that we plan t play it straight down the center. We cater to an audience that we feel is underserved and needs its own forum. Just like SLC's "City Weekly," or Seattle's "Rocket."
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I don't know if true objectivity is possible. So it is better to own up to one's bias.
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I'm no defender of the mainstream media. And I agree that "objectivity" is often used as a smoke screen for the fact the many media outlets are liberal [although it depends on the issue at hand].
I was just surprised to read the first issue because I do think there is a difference between owning up to one's bias and doing at least some actual reporting and simply re-printing the worn-out, sloppy screeds of right-wing pundits.
But that's why you guys are hiring editors and reporters, right?
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They started the newspaper thinking it would actually work that way. They soon learned they needed a lot more than that and recruited me. The first 'issue' is nowhere near where we're even at now. Since I've come on board, I've worked with the company in narrowing their focus, their audience and their voice. It will still come off as right-wing dribble to some, but it's my aim that all claims are backed up with facts, and that we shy away from becoming a 'newspaper' that looks more like a tract for the Jon Birch society... which is what the first edition looks like.
Unlike the mainstream media, we won't pawn off our bias as 'objectivity.'
If you have an email address, I'd be happy to send you the pdf of our most recent edition. It would be on the website, but we're having some problems doing that.
:)
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You know, there's probably a good market for Jon Birch tracts. Maybe you could even throw in some Jack Chick–style comics.
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That would be awesome. Have badly-drawn characters enact the worst ideas of Socialism.
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I wouldn't call the John Birch society (http://www.jbs.org/) socialist.
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No, I think she means that they'll illustrate the evils of socialism, which will lead to the natural conclusion that rabid capitalism is the only way to go.
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Ah, gotcha
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Pat:
Sure. motleyvision AT gmail DOT com (mie) :D
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No, I think she means that they'll illustrate the evils of socialism, which will lead to the natural conclusion that rabid capitalism is the only way to go.
Exactly, and at the end it'll ask "Do you support the Free Market System???" with checkboxes for yes and no.
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Don't suppose they could use "long-distance, freelance programmers"? I'll work for milk, cookies, and occasional plane tickets to baton rouge.
Actually, if they do need anyone to do some programming (and problem solving/design) for a particular project, especially one that could be construed as "informatics-related" ( http://www.informatics.indiana.edu/overvie...informatics.asp (http://www.informatics.indiana.edu/overview/what_is_informatics.asp) ), and don't mind that someone being remote, I'd be interested in helping out. For free, even (lets just say I'm both A) working on building credentials and B) looking for real life projects to motivate me, as that has before).
Some ideas I see of the top of my head: RSS feeds integrated into an existing CMS (Content Management System), or with a mini-CMS of their own if the news isn't going to be presented through a CMS on the site (most news sites with a serious internet presence have at least one RSS feed). Interface for updating and otherwise managing (has a link been used before? what links were being shown at time X?) the links on the right (really another mini-CMS). Email notification list/subscriber management solution (likely formed by integrating a common open source mailing list manager with whatever subscriber management solution is being used).
The caveats for my working for free would be that 1) I get to write up my experiences in creating said project to hand in to a professor or two here and likely "publish" on a blog or somesuch (focusing pretty much exclusively on technical aspects) and 2) the code (as appropriate, with all particular information removed, of course) be released under an open source license, freely available for download (I'll gladly provide the space and bandwidth). I don't know exactly what their opinion of open source software is, but I should make clear that many firm believers in capitalism support open source software -- there's nothing inherently socialistic about it.
They could have no use for my skills at all, but hey, its worth the offer :) .
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Wow. I am interested in that. I'm leaving for a two-day business trip, I'll be back on Wednesday, but we're looking for just that kind of stuff.
Is it possible for you to write up a small proposal like that and email it to patpoyfair@gmail.com? I'm gunning for a complete overhaul of that site but am not much of a web page guy. Your proposal would go a long way towards getting the CEO on board with paying you, etc.
:)
Pat
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Oooh, payment ;) I repeat, not necessary (well, if they wanted me to create their CMS payment would be necessary, and rather good payment at that, but that's because it would be a huge project, as noted below), and I of course wouldn't mind payment.
I would not be available for whole website work (absent very good payment), for a few reasons: 1) whole website work takes a lot of work, even if one is not doing the design but just creating the markup. 2) you really should have a CMS, and I've definitely not got the time to create/customize one unless being compensated. 3) The sort of work involved in a news website is pretty much old hat (well, there are ways of going about it that wouldn't be, but they'd make it fall under the time restriction thing to an extreme level, though for this reason if I were the one creating it I would want some latitude in technologies used (though they would all be well respected ones), as I want this to be something I can use for school as well as a resume item).
However, I would be happy to give some helpful suggestions as to what they need in a CMS, what they need in a website (want google to take you more seriously? use text instead of images of text), general best practices, all that sort of thing, written out nicely.
I will prepare a proposal and get that to you soon-ish, though I encourage you to read it over and get back to me with suggestions before passing it along so that I may take the best tact :) .
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The recruiting night is being moved one week later, to October the 26th. If you have questions, you know where to find me.
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The recruiting night has been cancelled. We honestly don't need to recruit right now.
We are interested in freelancers, however. If you're interested, you know where to find me.