rageguy.$
March 29, 2011 1:32 PM Subscribe
Cheezburger gets 30 million dollars in venture capital, peels off a couple million to buy Know Your Meme.
I can haz Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:35 PM on March 29, 2011 [13 favorites]
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:35 PM on March 29, 2011 [13 favorites]
i (can haz) tulip?
posted by rouftop at 1:35 PM on March 29, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by rouftop at 1:35 PM on March 29, 2011 [7 favorites]
This article is now on my list of Things I Would Troll Circa-2000 Usenet With If I Was John Titor.
posted by theodolite at 1:37 PM on March 29, 2011 [17 favorites]
posted by theodolite at 1:37 PM on March 29, 2011 [17 favorites]
Maybe they'll clean up the site and make it look halfway decent
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 1:38 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 1:38 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
I MAKED YOU AN INTERNET BUBBLE BUT I POPPED IT. :(
posted by luvcraft at 1:39 PM on March 29, 2011 [112 favorites]
posted by luvcraft at 1:39 PM on March 29, 2011 [112 favorites]
PostIronyIsNotaMyth: Maybe they'll clean up the site and make it look halfway decent
Have you seen the other sites in the Cheezburger empire? Design isn't their first concern. Or even one of their top 10 things to think about.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:39 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Have you seen the other sites in the Cheezburger empire? Design isn't their first concern. Or even one of their top 10 things to think about.
posted by filthy light thief at 1:39 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
WHOA DUDE. I just clicked the main link, clicked to a subsite, and was greeted by a horribly compromising photo of someone I know. All in under ten seconds.
Only on the internet!
posted by changeling at 1:40 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Only on the internet!
posted by changeling at 1:40 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
So basically people are getting VC money for collecting old 4chan content? Moot must be thrilled.
posted by vuron at 1:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by vuron at 1:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [5 favorites]
30 million dollars for a glorified sweatshop that pumps out pictures of cats with funny captions...
And they say we're in a bubble.
posted by SweetJesus at 1:42 PM on March 29, 2011
And they say we're in a bubble.
posted by SweetJesus at 1:42 PM on March 29, 2011
Aaaaaand April Fools has come early this year.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 1:42 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 1:42 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I had no idea that this was such a successful business, nor that the original Cheezburger site had been sold.
posted by josher71 at 1:43 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by josher71 at 1:43 PM on March 29, 2011
Thirty million?
Damn.
Actually, given the internet, I'm not sure I'm surprised :/
posted by anaximander at 1:46 PM on March 29, 2011
Damn.
Actually, given the internet, I'm not sure I'm surprised :/
posted by anaximander at 1:46 PM on March 29, 2011
> and was greeted by a horribly compromising photo of someone I know.
Was that the Chiuaua in the toupée?
posted by vhsiv at 1:47 PM on March 29, 2011
Was that the Chiuaua in the toupée?
posted by vhsiv at 1:47 PM on March 29, 2011
Clearly, I have wasted my life.
posted by willpie at 1:47 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by willpie at 1:47 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
guys what's so funny this is just the market setting a price appropriate to the value of the product or service being provided lol
posted by avianism at 1:48 PM on March 29, 2011 [12 favorites]
posted by avianism at 1:48 PM on March 29, 2011 [12 favorites]
I am disappoint.
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:51 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:51 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
Color me not surprised. This was expected, and while to most of us, 30 mil is a stupid amount of money for a stupid website (moreso in this day and age), all you need to do is look at the traffic numbers for IHC and the "here's a kitty, give me upboats" on Reddit to realize that this is something people are very interested in.
tl;dr: reality tv sucks, but people watch it.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 1:54 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
tl;dr: reality tv sucks, but people watch it.
posted by Old'n'Busted at 1:54 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
Dancing with Machine-pistols
Dancing for Machine pistols
Dancing to Machine-pistols.
posted by clavdivs at 1:54 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Dancing for Machine pistols
Dancing to Machine-pistols.
posted by clavdivs at 1:54 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU...
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:55 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:55 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
Moot's new venture, Canvas, is already valued at 6 billion.
posted by Ad hominem at 1:56 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by Ad hominem at 1:56 PM on March 29, 2011
Oooo, one more:
I hear the deal is finalizing on Friday, Friday
Gotta get down on Friday
Everybody's lookin forward to the weekend, weekend.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:57 PM on March 29, 2011 [8 favorites]
I hear the deal is finalizing on Friday, Friday
Gotta get down on Friday
Everybody's lookin forward to the weekend, weekend.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:57 PM on March 29, 2011 [8 favorites]
Quickmeme is the new hotness.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 1:59 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 1:59 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Never underestimate the value of a website constantly being updated with content they don't pay for that people will spend hours looking at.
I can haz job, ICHC?
No. Not yours!
posted by inturnaround at 2:00 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
I can haz job, ICHC?
No. Not yours!
posted by inturnaround at 2:00 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
Huh and Moot is doing a AMA on Reddit *right now*.
Coincidence?
posted by The Whelk at 2:01 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Coincidence?
posted by The Whelk at 2:01 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU...
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:55 PM on March 29
Favorited for using the correct number of F's and U's :-)
posted by sideshow at 2:02 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:55 PM on March 29
Favorited for using the correct number of F's and U's :-)
posted by sideshow at 2:02 PM on March 29, 2011
well to be fair this is clearly worth a few mil
posted by danny the boy at 2:06 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by danny the boy at 2:06 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
SweetJesus: 30 million dollars for a glorified sweatshop that pumps out pictures of cats with funny captions
A sweatshop of free labor! Nay, people are gladly giving away their work! long Unpaid interns are officially 2010, 2011 is the year of making money off of internet freebies!
posted by filthy light thief at 2:08 PM on March 29, 2011
A sweatshop of free labor! Nay, people are gladly giving away their work! long Unpaid interns are officially 2010, 2011 is the year of making money off of internet freebies!
posted by filthy light thief at 2:08 PM on March 29, 2011
lookit those dogs! they are like 'OH MAN WE ARE GOIN SO FAST"
posted by danny the boy at 2:09 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by danny the boy at 2:09 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm really interested in what their goahead strategy is and what the gap analysys looks like. This is some of the most dynamic action I have seen in this segment, and I understand they have a vast back catalog of lolcats to monetize.
posted by Ad hominem at 2:11 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Ad hominem at 2:11 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
When does the paperwork go through for their metafilter purchase?
posted by Stagger Lee at 2:12 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by Stagger Lee at 2:12 PM on March 29, 2011
A sweatshop of free labor! Nay, people are gladly giving away their work! long Unpaid interns are officially 2010, 2011 is the year of making money off of internet freebies!
From what I understand, they also have a shit ton of freelancers who are paid a pittance to go find those funny pictures and do all the associated work with the site. If this site is to be believed than the starting salary for a junior developer for the Cheeseburger network is $8.55, with no benefits.
I'd rather fucking work at Starbucks, at least they have healthcare and a tip jar.
posted by SweetJesus at 2:12 PM on March 29, 2011 [8 favorites]
From what I understand, they also have a shit ton of freelancers who are paid a pittance to go find those funny pictures and do all the associated work with the site. If this site is to be believed than the starting salary for a junior developer for the Cheeseburger network is $8.55, with no benefits.
I'd rather fucking work at Starbucks, at least they have healthcare and a tip jar.
posted by SweetJesus at 2:12 PM on March 29, 2011 [8 favorites]
"We advertise lower wages for entry-level positions because the worst candidates focus on money the most. Believe it or not, advertising lower-than-market wages actually helped us yield better candidates."
Hooollly shit.
posted by Stagger Lee at 2:17 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Hooollly shit.
posted by Stagger Lee at 2:17 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Know Your Meme is handy. Never got the LOLCATS. Seems like it's only funny for 5 seconds.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 2:17 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 2:17 PM on March 29, 2011
Cheezburger’s network of sites has a total user base of 16.5 million people who upload more than 500,000 pictures and videos as well as view 375 million pages and 110 million videos each month.
Boy, this has to stick in the craw of every bright boy or girl who sweats blood coming up with witty, clever things to entertain people with, and gets 10 hits a day on their website. Scuttles off to develop the "Ow, My Balls!" tv show from Idiocracy which is probably already in development.
posted by Pants McCracky at 2:20 PM on March 29, 2011 [9 favorites]
Boy, this has to stick in the craw of every bright boy or girl who sweats blood coming up with witty, clever things to entertain people with, and gets 10 hits a day on their website. Scuttles off to develop the "Ow, My Balls!" tv show from Idiocracy which is probably already in development.
posted by Pants McCracky at 2:20 PM on March 29, 2011 [9 favorites]
> Um, guys? You're soaking in user-generated content...
A major distinction to make between sites like Metafilter and sites like ICanHazSillyCaptionOnEmbarassingPic is that Mefi drives traffic outward: Contributed content is by and large original content, links go to sources, and there's a great deal of social enforcement of that status quo. By contrast, Cheezburger-type sites try to lock in traffic as much as possible: Source material is never, or hardly ever, credited, and it wouldn't exist if folk-level copyright enforcement was possible at the scale that corporate-level copyright enforcement is.
posted by ardgedee at 2:23 PM on March 29, 2011 [17 favorites]
A major distinction to make between sites like Metafilter and sites like ICanHazSillyCaptionOnEmbarassingPic is that Mefi drives traffic outward: Contributed content is by and large original content, links go to sources, and there's a great deal of social enforcement of that status quo. By contrast, Cheezburger-type sites try to lock in traffic as much as possible: Source material is never, or hardly ever, credited, and it wouldn't exist if folk-level copyright enforcement was possible at the scale that corporate-level copyright enforcement is.
posted by ardgedee at 2:23 PM on March 29, 2011 [17 favorites]
(clicked "Post" early...)
...so the upshot is that Metafilter rewards originality and creation; MemeRecyclingCorp type sites sabotage it. Work hard to come up with a funny cartoon? Thanks! Your work is now anonymized, whether you meant to or not.
I feel kind of conflicted about it. Most people who have really brilliant ideas usually only have once; for that one funny panel to be picked out of a website of mediocre web comics and circulated broadly might be the only recognition the artist ever gets. But there's a mob rule aspect to that kind of popularity that is unsettling.
posted by ardgedee at 2:26 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
...so the upshot is that Metafilter rewards originality and creation; MemeRecyclingCorp type sites sabotage it. Work hard to come up with a funny cartoon? Thanks! Your work is now anonymized, whether you meant to or not.
I feel kind of conflicted about it. Most people who have really brilliant ideas usually only have once; for that one funny panel to be picked out of a website of mediocre web comics and circulated broadly might be the only recognition the artist ever gets. But there's a mob rule aspect to that kind of popularity that is unsettling.
posted by ardgedee at 2:26 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
These guys are just ruining the Internet.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 2:28 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 2:28 PM on March 29, 2011
HEY GUYS REMEMBER PORTALS??
posted by tittergrrl at 2:34 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tittergrrl at 2:34 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Party like it's 1999, the Tech Bubble is Back -- $41 million invested in "talented people" with no real idea. (via deleted thread)
posted by filthy light thief at 2:34 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 2:34 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is all a fucked up dream and I'm going to wake up soon. Right?
Someone have a good guide to make money when the internet bubble bursts? I know its going to happen soon and I've got a good pile of cash I'd like to get rich with.
posted by SirOmega at 2:34 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Someone have a good guide to make money when the internet bubble bursts? I know its going to happen soon and I've got a good pile of cash I'd like to get rich with.
posted by SirOmega at 2:34 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
It's not so bad when everything is done for laughs. Caption a cat picture and watch it spread - whee! But when money gets involved the whole thing turns weird. That's when the content creators start to feel ripped off, and the rest of us get a funny feeling when somebody drops the next big meme into a conversation. If we laugh and spread it around, are we in on the joke, or are we nothing but meme consumers?
posted by Kevin Street at 2:35 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Kevin Street at 2:35 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
but.. but... information wants to be freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
posted by edgeways at 2:40 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by edgeways at 2:40 PM on March 29, 2011
Is there anything good on Quickmeme aside from Business Cat?
After12 ain't bad for a one shot too. I'd say failblog and cheezburger produce a good lol once or twice per week too. Yet, overall we've reached meme saturation, indicating the need for stronger filters.
I can haz meme.metafiler.com imageboard? Iz 4 bestest ov teh memez!
And maybe our img tag could be restored for just that site.
posted by jeffburdges at 2:40 PM on March 29, 2011
After12 ain't bad for a one shot too. I'd say failblog and cheezburger produce a good lol once or twice per week too. Yet, overall we've reached meme saturation, indicating the need for stronger filters.
I can haz meme.metafiler.com imageboard? Iz 4 bestest ov teh memez!
And maybe our img tag could be restored for just that site.
posted by jeffburdges at 2:40 PM on March 29, 2011
Let's see 'em make a movie out of THIS!
posted by dr_dank at 2:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by dr_dank at 2:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Source material is never, or hardly ever, credited
Their treatment of video content is particularly egregious here -- gank the content, slap on their own intro, outro, and watermark, upload to their own account, publish and count the hits.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 2:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
Their treatment of video content is particularly egregious here -- gank the content, slap on their own intro, outro, and watermark, upload to their own account, publish and count the hits.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 2:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
The average person does not know anything about the word "meme".
Strange, but true.
And even fewer know "teh" or "4chan". Just a little perspective.
posted by kozad at 2:42 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Strange, but true.
And even fewer know "teh" or "4chan". Just a little perspective.
posted by kozad at 2:42 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
We had a deal, Kyle: Their treatment of video content is particularly egregious here -- gank the content, slap on their own intro, outro, and watermark, upload to their own account, publish and count the hits.
eBaum 2.0! How'd that work out? Oh, right.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:48 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
eBaum 2.0! How'd that work out? Oh, right.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:48 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought "eBaum 2.0."
posted by MegoSteve at 2:50 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by MegoSteve at 2:50 PM on March 29, 2011
The terms have changed, but its an old debate. In the 70s there was the Smiley Face. In the 80s it was Where's the beef? In the 90s it was, I dunno, "Don't have a cow, man!" And many others. These guys are following a well trodden path.
posted by Kevin Street at 2:51 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Kevin Street at 2:51 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Looks to me like the VCs thought they had a good angle on a demographic that uses AdBlockPlus and doesn't fill out questionnaires at the mall.
Cheezburger has 6 months to become a proper 21st c. advertising firm or the investment is shot.
posted by vhsiv at 2:57 PM on March 29, 2011
Cheezburger has 6 months to become a proper 21st c. advertising firm or the investment is shot.
posted by vhsiv at 2:57 PM on March 29, 2011
Never underestimate the value of a website constantly being updated with content they don't pay for that people will spend hours looking at.
Hey, wait a minute!
posted by marxchivist at 2:57 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
Hey, wait a minute!
posted by marxchivist at 2:57 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
Oh great! I missed out on getting a Herman Miller Aeon chair the first time the bubble burst. I hope I can snag one this time.
posted by cazoo at 2:57 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by cazoo at 2:57 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
The only thing that separates MeFi from IcanHas is our lack of an <img> tag.
posted by chairface at 3:05 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by chairface at 3:05 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
In the attention economy, cat photos are a reference currency.
posted by sexymofo at 3:08 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by sexymofo at 3:08 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
Oh great! I missed out on getting a Herman Miller Aeon chair the first time the bubble burst. I hope I can snag one this time.
Don't worry, the cheap knock-offs aren't that bad. They even come with a little indentation where the bankruptcy auditors can place the sticker.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 3:23 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
Don't worry, the cheap knock-offs aren't that bad. They even come with a little indentation where the bankruptcy auditors can place the sticker.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 3:23 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
So guys, what's our exit strategy for Metafilter? We paid $5 to become shareholders, right?
posted by vidur at 3:28 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by vidur at 3:28 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
he terms have changed, but its an old debate. In the 70s there was the Smiley Face. In the 80s it was Where's the beef? In the 90s it was, I dunno, "Don't have a cow, man!" And many others. These guys are following a well trodden path.
..... NOT!
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:32 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
..... NOT!
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:32 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Whatchoo talkin' bout, Mister Fabulous?
“We paid $5 to become shareholders, right?”
Nah, that's an access fee. Like paying to visit a national park.
That's it! Cheezburger.com should be expropriated by the government and turned into an Internet park. It would be better for everyone.
posted by Kevin Street at 3:40 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
“We paid $5 to become shareholders, right?”
Nah, that's an access fee. Like paying to visit a national park.
That's it! Cheezburger.com should be expropriated by the government and turned into an Internet park. It would be better for everyone.
posted by Kevin Street at 3:40 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Investing Like It’s 1999.
Tech Field Starts Feeling Bubbly.
Are Crappy Startups Wall Street's Fault?
The Art of Riding the Bubble.
posted by ericb at 3:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
Tech Field Starts Feeling Bubbly.
Are Crappy Startups Wall Street's Fault?
The Art of Riding the Bubble.
posted by ericb at 3:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
Whatchoo talkin' bout, Mister Fabulous?
I know you are, but what am I?
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:41 PM on March 29, 2011
I know you are, but what am I?
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:41 PM on March 29, 2011
He who smelt... Oh god, kill me now!
posted by Kevin Street at 3:43 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by Kevin Street at 3:43 PM on March 29, 2011
Never underestimate the value of a website constantly being updated with content they don't pay for that people will spend hours looking at.
Yeah, I think my irony meter is busted.
posted by jbickers at 3:44 PM on March 29, 2011
Yeah, I think my irony meter is busted.
posted by jbickers at 3:44 PM on March 29, 2011
$30 million for retarded cat pictures. That would pay salary and benefits for a really nice MarCom gig (for which I'm in job seek limbo mode) for the next 500 years. FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU...indeed.
posted by spacely_sprocket at 3:44 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by spacely_sprocket at 3:44 PM on March 29, 2011
I will sell out for just a few [+]s
posted by srboisvert at 3:46 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 3:46 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
He who smelt... Oh god, kill me now!
1. Make a random, yet dated pop culture reference.
2. ???
3. PROFIT!
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:50 PM on March 29, 2011
1. Make a random, yet dated pop culture reference.
2. ???
3. PROFIT!
posted by Mister Fabulous at 3:50 PM on March 29, 2011
Eh, I don't really know if it's that big of a deal. If it makes $1.5 million a year it would be a worthwhile investment for most people.
I remember a while back the Cheseburger guy offered to buy reddit. Heh.
posted by delmoi at 4:08 PM on March 29, 2011
I remember a while back the Cheseburger guy offered to buy reddit. Heh.
posted by delmoi at 4:08 PM on March 29, 2011
I CAN HAZ MEMEBURGER?
posted by reductiondesign at 4:08 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by reductiondesign at 4:08 PM on March 29, 2011
Very interesting links, ericb. The second one doesn't seem to load for some reason, but searching for the title in Google and clicking in that way works fine.
I think the difference between the Dot Com Bubble and whatever is going on now is the difference between exploring new territory and exploiting the natives of a place you've already been to. The earlier bubble was all about desperately finding some way to monetize the Internet, but now that has been achieved (the "attention economy" sexymofo already mentioned) the focus has shifted onto finding ways that attention can be utilized to create maximum profit. The big companies of today are fencing off the wilderness, so to speak, and attempting to lure us onto plantations where we will produce memes and Facebook likes and clickthroughs for them.
posted by Kevin Street at 4:15 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think the difference between the Dot Com Bubble and whatever is going on now is the difference between exploring new territory and exploiting the natives of a place you've already been to. The earlier bubble was all about desperately finding some way to monetize the Internet, but now that has been achieved (the "attention economy" sexymofo already mentioned) the focus has shifted onto finding ways that attention can be utilized to create maximum profit. The big companies of today are fencing off the wilderness, so to speak, and attempting to lure us onto plantations where we will produce memes and Facebook likes and clickthroughs for them.
posted by Kevin Street at 4:15 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
And here's me going through 12 years of schooling and getting my ass beat by my dad for not spelling stuff correctly. WASTE OF TIME.
posted by tumid dahlia at 4:17 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tumid dahlia at 4:17 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Eh, I don't really know if it's that big of a deal. If it makes $1.5 million a year it would be a worthwhile investment for most people.
Exactly. Seems to me most people flipping out over the VC deal (which happened in January -- where was your outrage then?) aren't thinking about this from a business perspective. Millions of people visit ICHC sites every month. The company makes most of its money off of things like books and print-on-demand posters, mousepads, etc. Inane content or not, they make money.
posted by me3dia at 4:19 PM on March 29, 2011
Exactly. Seems to me most people flipping out over the VC deal (which happened in January -- where was your outrage then?) aren't thinking about this from a business perspective. Millions of people visit ICHC sites every month. The company makes most of its money off of things like books and print-on-demand posters, mousepads, etc. Inane content or not, they make money.
posted by me3dia at 4:19 PM on March 29, 2011
Does anyone want to put together one of those internet crowd-sourced funding things to help me afford enough rat poison to kill myself in despair?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:20 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:20 PM on March 29, 2011
Since when did "VC" stop meaning Viet Cong and start meaning, oh, kids today they're always asking for money!--in other news, I'm so old I spell cheese without a "z"!
posted by emhutchinson at 4:25 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by emhutchinson at 4:25 PM on March 29, 2011
If we laugh and spread it around, are we in on the joke, or are we nothing but meme consumers?
They are selfish replicators, after all.
posted by Bigfoot Mandala at 4:29 PM on March 29, 2011
They are selfish replicators, after all.
posted by Bigfoot Mandala at 4:29 PM on March 29, 2011
inturnaround: Never underestimate the value of a website constantly being updated with content they don't pay for that people will spend hours looking at.
Yeah, look how well that turned out for kuro5hin.org.
posted by localroger at 4:32 PM on March 29, 2011
Yeah, look how well that turned out for kuro5hin.org.
posted by localroger at 4:32 PM on March 29, 2011
Sandwich-heavy portfolio, etc.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 4:40 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 4:40 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
or are we nothing but meme consumers?
are we not meme?
posted by iamkimiam at 4:50 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
are we not meme?
posted by iamkimiam at 4:50 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
we are de-mo!
posted by The Power Nap at 4:59 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by The Power Nap at 4:59 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Eyeballs.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 5:25 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Eyeballs.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 5:25 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
In my head, all industry becomes abstract enough that people end up paying the homeless to click and view ads for thunderbird money.
posted by The Whelk at 5:27 PM on March 29, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 5:27 PM on March 29, 2011 [6 favorites]
I can haz 15 million cheezburgers? Yes. Yes I fuckin' can!
posted by Splunge at 5:47 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by Splunge at 5:47 PM on March 29, 2011
I recently raised the point on IRC that 4chan founder moot's new startup canv.as is most probably a scam on the venture capitalists. 4chan is not a reliable source of income so moot was in $20,000 of credit card debt the last time he reported his finances. However, he is rich in one thing: Internet cred. So, VCs took him seriously when he said he had a brilliant new idea, not seriously to the tune of millions, but as in "you seem like a guy who knows the Internet." Now with the $625,000 raised for canv.as he can probably live comfortably for some time. Because of the Web 2.0 private beta culture he probably doesn't even have to justify canv.as losing money (it doesn't have any advertisers yet). When the company goes predictably bust, moot will get out scot-free.
The way this scam works was evident during the first dot-com bubble as well; I remember reading Newsweek in a barber shop in 2000 and seeing a step-by-step guide with illustrations on how to make loads of money from VCs with a fake business. In the end, the company goes public or VCs sell shares at overhyped prices, so the only people who lose are ordinary investors.
posted by shii at 5:51 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
The way this scam works was evident during the first dot-com bubble as well; I remember reading Newsweek in a barber shop in 2000 and seeing a step-by-step guide with illustrations on how to make loads of money from VCs with a fake business. In the end, the company goes public or VCs sell shares at overhyped prices, so the only people who lose are ordinary investors.
posted by shii at 5:51 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
So it's kind of like the Producers.
But then the internet equivalent of this happens...
posted by louche mustachio at 5:59 PM on March 29, 2011
But then the internet equivalent of this happens...
posted by louche mustachio at 5:59 PM on March 29, 2011
“What does our company do?”
He smiled, looked at his plate. “Who cares? The company fails. You go on vacation for a year, you get 10% of the funds, with two credit cards to draw on from the bank in the Caymans. Vancouver guys get 60%. I get a bit.”
“The money never touches the U.S.”
“That's right.”
“Not moral,” I said.
“Totally legal,” he answered.
posted by weston at 6:02 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
He smiled, looked at his plate. “Who cares? The company fails. You go on vacation for a year, you get 10% of the funds, with two credit cards to draw on from the bank in the Caymans. Vancouver guys get 60%. I get a bit.”
“The money never touches the U.S.”
“That's right.”
“Not moral,” I said.
“Totally legal,” he answered.
posted by weston at 6:02 PM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]
I WANNA BE A NEW MEDIA HIGH-TRAFFIC CONTENT COLLECTOR WHO GETS THE NOTICE OF VENTURE CAPITALISTS
posted by The Whelk at 6:08 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by The Whelk at 6:08 PM on March 29, 2011
Truly, pop WILL eat itself.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:10 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by ZenMasterThis at 6:10 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
I'm glad that the internet has become uncool now. I've already started liking it ironically, just to stay ahead of the curve. Let me know in three years when CNN discovers those dumb fucking rage comics and inserts them in to their newscast to explain key points.
[Panel 1: "I'm Sarah Derpina, can I haz Diplomacy?"] [Panel 2: *Marxist Republic of Pacifica detonates nuke that turns in to Troll Face] [Panel 3: "FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUU"]
posted by codacorolla at 7:28 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
[Panel 1: "I'm Sarah Derpina, can I haz Diplomacy?"] [Panel 2: *Marxist Republic of Pacifica detonates nuke that turns in to Troll Face] [Panel 3: "FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUU"]
posted by codacorolla at 7:28 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I've put together a killer Pitch Deck for Metafilter. It is raining money out there,iPhone app Color just raised 40m a couple days ago. I am bit worried about metafilter scaling but they can just hire some rails rockstar ninjas and put together a async NoSql backend. Maybe turn metafilter into a social coupon platform? Totally locative of course. I expect a healthy return on my $5, any maybe a bit off the top since I am the idea man. We can discuss title later, but I am thinking along the lines of Director of Investor Experience.
posted by Ad hominem at 7:29 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by Ad hominem at 7:29 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
I've put together a killer Pitch Deck for Metafilter.
No, no, no. The pitch deck has to have a 32 pt Helvetica Bold font. White on Metafilter blue. The words have to be more than words, they have to be a PRESENCE!
Excuse me, I'm going to send one of the new kids on a Starbucks run while I stretch out the kinks by playing a little ping pong in the kitchen. I'm going to binder clip my business card to the back of my Aeron chair so you guys don't try to swap it out again. I finally have all of the adjustments set where I like it, so don't mess it up. And erase that nasty cartoon off of the white board wall in the Superman conference room...we've got a client coming in after lunch today and it's unprofessional. By the way, where's Mike? I need to have a CEA at the table during this meeti...what? He's at BURNING MAN???
_____________________
OMG, you guys. I blacked out and woke up in 2000. That was horrible.
posted by jeanmari at 8:05 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
No, no, no. The pitch deck has to have a 32 pt Helvetica Bold font. White on Metafilter blue. The words have to be more than words, they have to be a PRESENCE!
Excuse me, I'm going to send one of the new kids on a Starbucks run while I stretch out the kinks by playing a little ping pong in the kitchen. I'm going to binder clip my business card to the back of my Aeron chair so you guys don't try to swap it out again. I finally have all of the adjustments set where I like it, so don't mess it up. And erase that nasty cartoon off of the white board wall in the Superman conference room...we've got a client coming in after lunch today and it's unprofessional. By the way, where's Mike? I need to have a CEA at the table during this meeti...what? He's at BURNING MAN???
_____________________
OMG, you guys. I blacked out and woke up in 2000. That was horrible.
posted by jeanmari at 8:05 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]
Funny thing is, I know a bunch of the Cheezburger people. And they're awfully normal and paid decently.
The idea that you can get a developer of any kind in Seattle for $8.55/hour is hilarious. Why work at a company paying you that when a contracting firm will get you at bare minimum $40/hour? Hell, even with UW's apocalyptic budget cuts they're still hiring web developers at $50K+.
Where the slave wages are at Cheezburger are in content creation.
posted by dw at 8:44 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
The idea that you can get a developer of any kind in Seattle for $8.55/hour is hilarious. Why work at a company paying you that when a contracting firm will get you at bare minimum $40/hour? Hell, even with UW's apocalyptic budget cuts they're still hiring web developers at $50K+.
Where the slave wages are at Cheezburger are in content creation.
posted by dw at 8:44 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
I had a very bad experience dealing with the Cheezburger people.
After seeing an iPhone LOLCAT hack I wrote, Ben asked me to write their official iPhone app. It was fairly popular and they gave me early access to their API for creating LOLs and later for accessing content.
Everything was fine until they hired a CFO who realized that we never had an actual written contract and wanted tighter control over the use of their API. The end result was I had to remove the app from sale, and turned over the source code to them. They were supposed to release their own app, which still hasn't happened.
Almost a year later, there's still no app.
posted by mike3k at 8:59 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
After seeing an iPhone LOLCAT hack I wrote, Ben asked me to write their official iPhone app. It was fairly popular and they gave me early access to their API for creating LOLs and later for accessing content.
Everything was fine until they hired a CFO who realized that we never had an actual written contract and wanted tighter control over the use of their API. The end result was I had to remove the app from sale, and turned over the source code to them. They were supposed to release their own app, which still hasn't happened.
Almost a year later, there's still no app.
posted by mike3k at 8:59 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]
Truly, pop WILL eat itself.
Pop has been gnawing on itself for a while now, but apparently poop likes to eat itself, too.
posted by loquacious at 9:01 PM on March 29, 2011
Pop has been gnawing on itself for a while now, but apparently poop likes to eat itself, too.
posted by loquacious at 9:01 PM on March 29, 2011
Truly, pop WILL eat itself.
Problem with that is that, like a particularly stupid dog, pop pooped itself out, ate that, and then went about business all ouroboros like.
posted by codacorolla at 9:05 PM on March 29, 2011
Problem with that is that, like a particularly stupid dog, pop pooped itself out, ate that, and then went about business all ouroboros like.
posted by codacorolla at 9:05 PM on March 29, 2011
Almost a year later, there's still no app.
That's the other thing: They are really thrashing about over there and have a lot of lax processes, all of which is covered over by the fact they have a lot of VC they're not burning through all that fast. Eventually, it will all come back to bite them.
Like I said, I know some of the Cheezburger folk, and they're awfully normal. But when I went looking for a new job, I didn't send Cheezburger a resume or tell any of them I was on the market for the same reason I didn't send Zynga a resume -- they're a time bomb. (Zynga is also so evil they make Bill Gates and Larry Ellison look like seraphs.)
posted by dw at 9:50 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
That's the other thing: They are really thrashing about over there and have a lot of lax processes, all of which is covered over by the fact they have a lot of VC they're not burning through all that fast. Eventually, it will all come back to bite them.
Like I said, I know some of the Cheezburger folk, and they're awfully normal. But when I went looking for a new job, I didn't send Cheezburger a resume or tell any of them I was on the market for the same reason I didn't send Zynga a resume -- they're a time bomb. (Zynga is also so evil they make Bill Gates and Larry Ellison look like seraphs.)
posted by dw at 9:50 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]
"We advertise lower wages for entry-level positions because the worst candidates focus on money the most. Believe it or not, advertising lower-than-market wages actually helped us yield better candidates."
Hooollly shit.
It ain't about he money man.
It's about the cats.
posted by Bonzai at 10:09 PM on March 29, 2011
Hooollly shit.
It ain't about he money man.
It's about the cats.
posted by Bonzai at 10:09 PM on March 29, 2011
Dude, I didn't even know anybody was still looking at LOLcats....
For a while back in 08? 09? I was checking out the site every single freakin' day, and so was everybody I knew. And all of the sudden, we hit some sort of ceiling (cat) and nobody I know looks at that site anymore. Very Farmvillean.
posted by The ____ of Justice at 10:56 PM on March 29, 2011
For a while back in 08? 09? I was checking out the site every single freakin' day, and so was everybody I knew. And all of the sudden, we hit some sort of ceiling (cat) and nobody I know looks at that site anymore. Very Farmvillean.
posted by The ____ of Justice at 10:56 PM on March 29, 2011
I once had an interview with the Cheezburger people, it lasted a really long time but I came out of it feeling really off-kilter. They never called me back and I didn't follow up. At the time I was pretty heart broken over it, but in the past year or so I've become increasingly aware of the blessing that not being employed by them was.
posted by Mizu at 3:11 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by Mizu at 3:11 AM on March 30, 2011
Is this something you have to have the internet to understand? I don't even have a computer.
posted by The Violet Cypher at 5:33 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by The Violet Cypher at 5:33 AM on March 30, 2011
maybe they can use the remaining 29 million to make some funny stuff
posted by 29 at 6:51 AM on March 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by 29 at 6:51 AM on March 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Dunno how Know Your Meme is going to stay unbiased, let alone how the DOJ is going to let this obvious vertical restraint of trade proceed.
posted by pollex at 9:29 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by pollex at 9:29 AM on March 30, 2011
Is this something you have to have the internet to understand? I don't even have a computer.
posted by The Violet Cypher
Good news! You can easily order these online, or through your local bookstore!
LOLcat Colleckshun
How To Take Over Teh Wurld
Teh Itteh Bitteh Book Of Kittehs
posted by merelyglib at 9:37 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by The Violet Cypher
Good news! You can easily order these online, or through your local bookstore!
LOLcat Colleckshun
How To Take Over Teh Wurld
Teh Itteh Bitteh Book Of Kittehs
posted by merelyglib at 9:37 AM on March 30, 2011
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posted by dismas at 1:34 PM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]