jennyjitters

While I agree with the people here saying that many apps are "worthless" due to the sheer number of free apps available, I can't help but compare this issue to starting a business (likely because that's what many app developers are trying to do). Most startups fail. That's just the way it goes. Starting and running a successful business requires success in a lot of areas: product dev, design, marketing, customer service, etc. I think the claim that apps are worth less than a cup of coffee is a bit narrow-minded. If you look at the (huge) number businesses that have incorporated over the last several years, and then compare that to the number of those same businesses that are currently "successful", those numbers will likely look a lot like the number of "successful" apps vs total apps. It's hard to create something that people love, whether that be a physical product or an app. I think there's still a market for well-designed, useful, paid apps. Just like it's still possible for a startup to be successful. It's just really damned difficult.

I can't even begin to explain how much this post hits home for me. If not for my 3 years in customer service as an undergrad, I think I'd be much worse off than I am currently. It's still a daily struggle for me to put myself out there, and I have to make a conscious effort to do so. The saving grace for me, as I'm trying to run a small startup, is that I'm incredibly passionate about what I'm working on and I'm confident in my long-term goals for the company. If not for that, I'd probably not have made it this far. It took a while for me to realize that even "successful" people struggle with the same thing. I've found that the best way to get over the fear is to force yourself to do things that make you uncomfortable. While I'm certainly not fearless, I've made huge strides thanks to all my faking. Thanks to Freedman for writing this.

I totally agree. I hate just about everything about driving: it's a time-suck, incredibly stressful, and environmentally awful (not to mention lazy). I live in a walkable and bikeable area specifically to reduce the amount that I have to be in a car. Rent tends to be a bit higher in these areas, but for me the tradeoff is completely worth it!

I graduated from GT a couple years ago, and I have to agree with everyone who is saying they wish this had been around sooner. I wasn't interested in startups until after I graduated (read: I didn't KNOW I was interested). I always knew that I liked building and creating things, and I always struggled to feel engaged in a majority of my classes. Great job to those who started this. Hopefully all those struggling like I did will find their passion sooner than I was able to.

As someone who uses the symptothermal method, I can attest that there are always other things one can do during the fertile window to satisfy the urges brought on by increasing hormone levels =)

I think you make a really great point here. And although I don't think buying diamonds and burning fossil fuels are equivalent evils, I do strongly believe that you always have a choice. I don't personally make a lot of money--and I have been financially supporting my boyfriend who's been working on a start-up for past last year--but leading a "green" urban lifestyle is extremely important to us. Yes, living in the city tends to be more expensive, but when you account for all the fuel you're not burning by not driving, it makes the lifestyle much more financially viable. We bike or walk absolutely everywhere we go, and although we don't have the ability to eat out all the time, we've managed to put a good amount of money into savings. My point is, if you're committed enough, there is ALWAYS a choice not to drive, not to buy diamonds, and to live a life that doesn't support things that hurt the environment and other people.

Thanks for the post! It couldn't have come at a better time for me. I'm actually in the process of quitting my "real" job (next Friday is my last day). I'm completely terrified but so thrilled to do something that's exciting, scary, and where I will undoubtedly learn a ton.

>That's the part I think is the meat of the issue.

I agree. I think the main issue the author wants the reader to take away is that since the ingredients in placebos are not disclosed, what's to say they can't add ingredients that will skew the results? I'm not saying that this happens, but what is stopping them? They obviously have financial, and other, incentives for their drugs to succeed, so why not take that extra measure to maintain integrity in studies that use placebos?

There are definitely some very deserving winners there. Maciej did a great job and I was very impressed that he sent me an email even though my project was not chosen. I love the idea behind the Pinboard Co-Prosperity Cloud and I hope it catches on.

Maybe that could explain why the segmented sleep pattern was considered normal way back when. I don't imagine there was a whole lot for people to do in the evenings besides drink =)

I hope this turns out well for him. I'm also hopeful that more musicians and comedians will follow suit. I also agree that he shouldn't worry about how many people pirate it...people will do that regardless. It's the people who don't pirate it that count. Personally, I probably wouldn't normally purchase one of his albums for $20/$25, but the fact that he is taking a big step by doing this and separating himself from a large corporation is reason enough for me.

If countries outside of the US can manage to run their government without extreme interference of lobbyists, then there is certainly a way for us to do it, too. The problem here isn't "well, how will politicians get accurate information without having to spend loads of time doing research?" It's more an issue of the culture in the US. If we make a shift towards a system more like the one in Germany mentioned above, it will become the cultural norm in the US. The problem is making that shift and breaking our current financially-driven habits.

Who's to say we can't "lobby" without throwing money at our representatives? Give information without bribing them to no end about which way they should vote. Instead they should LISTEN to both sides of an argument and make an informed decision rather than voting based on who will give them the most money.

I agree that there are a multitude of factors that have led Germany to the success they currently see. They have obviously found something that works very well for them (so don't hate!). I don't ever see the US mirroring their work-ethic, but we can certainly look to them to find improvements we can make in our own country. Less consumerism is key but has become so ingrained in US culture that I'm not sure it's a feasible goal. Regardless, I commend Germany for its success.

Anyone else think it's interesting that Rep. Steve King complained about being bored by using the very thing that this debate is trying to restrict? These guys kill me.