A surprising number of readers told me that they wish I had a paypal “donate” button so they could contribute to the ongoing existence of SJ. That was very kind of them, though I have long avoided having such a button because it was unseemly.
Today, I added the button to my sidebar. I’ve already gotten a donation (thanks, Hal), which kinda tickled me. By my unscientific calculations, about half of you would rather get money back, because you hate what I write or hate the fact that my “tone” strikes you as displeasing.
Just yesterday, someone who informed me she was my ally also informed me that she didn’t appreciate my tone. She can kiss my ass. My tone doesn’t have to meet her approval, and her narcissistic presumptiveness that I somehow owe her a tone that meets with her approval is the sort of thing that compels me to piss people off.
If you want to donate, thanks. If you don’t, that’s fine too. If you think donating somehow entitles you to some leverage in how I write, what I say, whom I beat and whom I applaud, your feelings will be hurt. I have a button for that too.
Update: If you happen to be from a place that has really good barbecue (which is not New York’s strong suit), a care package would be appreciated too.
Just….. Awesome.
(And, if I didn’t work for the Govt, consistently making less each year, I’d be happy to donate!).
P.
Don’t embarrass me, please. I feel bad enough about this already.
I’ll donate, but I’d better get good tickets on the 50-yard-line, special access to the VIP club, a “SJ Backer” bumper sticker, 2 limited edition SJ beer koozies, limited but meaningful editorial control over SJ content, and validated parking.
Oooooooohhh, beer koozies……….
Stop it, or I’m gonna start getting hate mail from people who didn’t their beer koozies.
Beer chooses? Thanks, I’m in. You know where to mail them.
And I love the Click-Here-If-This-Post-Hurt-Your-Feelings button. I would consider that, but I’m not sure if I’ve hurt enough feelings. Yet.
Let me guess, you tried to type “beer koozies” on your iPhone and it auto corrected? Bwahahahaha.
Let me guess, you tried to type “beer koozies” on your iPhone and it auto corrected? Bwahahahaha.
I typed it on my desktop you micro aggressing dog. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.
I’d pay money just to have a “Simple Justice – Fuck your feelings” bumper sticker…
But that would be mean and hurtful, and pretty well assure your being stopped by cops every half mile.
I’m pretty sure it’s my blaring “Cop Killer” at full volume that does that…
I could validate your parking, but validation really isn’t my thing.
I’ll 2nd that..
I believe there is an implicit contract between a writer and a reader. The reader gives something (money, or at least time) and expects to get something (information or entertainment, usually).
If you choose to be abusive to your readers, that’s up to you, but don’t expect them to be happy about it, and don’t expect your blog to be popular. You have in the past seemed irked that your blog doesn’t place highly in popularity contests.
There is also the matter of self interest. If your interest is in presenting a persuasive argument, your interest will be less well served by being abusive. In fact, I’m not sure that abusiveness is useful to anyone, really–unless it’s entertainingly written (like Mencken). Some of us read the blog to get information, while trying to filter out the unpleasantries–like trying to pick up a distant radio station through the static.
Consider your implicit contract null and void. You can go now. I owe you nothing.
Prickly, prickly. I was offering an opinion and a polite suggestion (viz. if you want to win a popularity contest, try being popular). Doesn’t matter to me if you prefer to be obnoxious.
Well, this changes everything.
Wait a minute…SJ is popular?!?!
I’m too hip to read popular sugar-honey-ice-tea. I’ve wasted my time. Way to ruin my day cplatt.
“You have in the past seemed irked that your blog doesn’t place highly in popularity contests.”
You dope, he’s being sarcastic, having ripped the beauty pageants over and over. And you’re too much of delicate entitled flower to get the joke. The only blog with higher google pagerank than SJ is Volokh Conspiracy, and that’s likely because it’s part of WaPo.
SHG doesn’t want your love because he rubs your fragile little tummy, but because of what he writes. And for those of us who don’t have our heads up our asses, what you call “abuse” is what makes SJ real. You want to feel loved and appreciated? Then don’t be an ignorant overly-sensitive asshole.
Stop giving away my secrets. Distinguishing those who get it from those who don’t is part of the fun. Don’t give it away.
Hmm… It’s SJs house and he gets to set the rules. Poor guestmanship shouldn’t be rewarded.
There’s a vast world of warm, inviting, kind people out there, happy to make guests feel comfortable and appreciated. If that’s what someone wants, it’s there for them. So don’t come here. It’s just not that hard.
Not that it’s actually relevant (your blog but my comment), but Rex Stout has Nero Wolfe tell Archie Goodwin in one of the books that “a guest is a jewel on the pin cushion of hospitality.”
Of course, there’s a difference between specifically invited guests and invading burglars eager to burn down the castle. Commentators seem like something between those categories tolerated interlopers, perhaps.
Rex Stout is absolutely right about guests. But readers aren’t guests. Commenters, even less so. Volenti non fit injuria.
I believe I said “tolerated interlopers.” I rather liked that.
Yeah, it’s good. I can live with that.
Personally, I read the blog BECAUSE of the unpleasantries, more commonly referred to as the “focus on accuracy and bluntness instead of politeness.”
Scott may be prickly–he’s yanked my chain on occasion–but I’ll take “prickly and blunt” over “polite and dodgy” any day of the week.
So. It has come to this.
It’s comments like this that make me feel like total shit. Which, of course, I deserve.
You know, if you’d just have fewer readers (or maybe fewer who comment) you could host this on a platform that didn’t charge you anything. That trick works for me.
And by the way, where’s my check for contributing to Fault Lines?
Checks in the mail. Go wait by the box. If it’s not there in a month, get back to me.
The button is unobtrusive and not a big deal. I doubt most readers will notice it. Those who do will consider it standard fare for the blawgosphere. And, the nice part, some of them might donate. Carry on.
You don’t have to do this to you can buy my book. Really.
If only you accepted BTC, your potential donor base would increase dramatically.
Or not.
My feelings get hurt a lot, but the button always goes to the same place. A considerate blogger would update this once in a while.
PS This may just drive people over to Fault Lines at Mimesis Law since they don’t ask for money.
Somebody did that button for me. If I knew how to change it, I would.
I think you are missing a golden opportunity to monetize those who want a warm and fuzzy safe space in which to comment — $10 for a tummy rub; $50 for written validation of your feelz; $100 for the opportunity to sidetrack a thread with the commenter’s ever-so-vital-perspective-on-something-the-commenter-thinks-is-relevant, etc. . . .
I need you as my marketeer. You got mad skillz.
hmm… this is gonna get expensive..
$25 for Play-Doh rental
Do you take bitcoin, or do you limit yourself to real money?
It’s paypal. Whatever they take, I take. And if they don’t take bitcoin, they suck.
I keep hearing that some places somewhere sell bacon donuts with maple frosting. If and when I find any I’ll send a care package. Almost like BBQ. Sort of.
I had one from Voodoo Donuts when I was out in Portland. It was delicious.
Dog-nuts! A joke, that’s all. An inside joke.
I’m not much of a baker so if I can’t find maple-frosted bacon donuts I’ll make the next best thing. Schmaltz!
Damn, I tried the button for having my feelings hurt, hoping for a very special SJ tummy rub and the darn government has it blocked here at work.
I let the guy who made the button for me have his way with where it goes. He doesn’t share my sense of humor, but had a good cause. In other words, it’s not nearly as much fun as it would have been if I had the skillz to do it myself.
“Don’t appreciate your tone”. Ha! I come here especially for the harsh quashings of irrelevant pseudo legalese manure and blatant ignorance. Even when it’s me getting quashed. There so few places remaining where one can be honestly told one is full of shit. If one never knows one is ignorant or flat out wrong, the problem is permanent.
That explains why I’m such a big hit with women.
As far as the donate button goes, to me its like when I take friends out for a drink. I invited them out, I will pick up the tab, but it would be kind if they bought a round. There are few other places, especially for a non-lawyer, that post non-TMZ/FOX law news with decent analysis.
This website gives me more education (and entertainment) then going to a movie or watching some stupid show on TV. Besides its fun watching the whiners get thumped.
Chris Ryan
I feel the same way about picking up the tab. When I was in Houston, and a bunch of us went out for dinner to some fancy joint that made sliced pig face, I snuck in the back and paid for it before Bennett, who is always very generous, could pay for dinner dinner. At the end, when he found out what I did, he was furious with me. You snooze, you lose.
And thanks, Chris.
Is it not appropriate for me to propose marriage to Anne Krone on via your blog comments?
You can try, but I’ll make sure she sees your twitter pic.
Hmm it’s only after pushing the button that I realize PayPal is also giving you our mailing addresses…
Well, when you send the hit men, ask them to try and keep the blood on the linoleum. I’d hate to lose my security deposit on replacing the hardwood floor…
Have you no respect for linoleum? Philistine.
mmm. barbecue. barbecue never hurts my feelz.
“By my unscientific calculations, about half of you would rather get money back, because you hate what I write or hate the fact that my “tone” strikes you as displeasing.”
Well, then, you recognize that have a built-in method of assuaging the your feelings of unseemliness, now, don’t you. I await the email with my check compensating me for your insults. Please don’t send me any more money than is donated to you, that would be unseemly.
You only get back what you put in. By my calculations, you’ve been fully paid.
Barbecue? Heh. We’ve got some of the best in the world here in Knoxville, with Dead End and Sweet P’s continually duking it out for bragging rights over the best.
If I knew how to properly send you stuff via the snail mail I’d be happy to at bare minimum hook you up with some of the finest BBQ sauces known to man. Least I can do to show a little Southern hospitality.
Let me look into this.
Email me before you do anything, please.
I want to help. Where do I send the care package? Any preferences? Hot guts, brisket, ribs?
Brisket and ribs. Yes. Email me for coordinates.
Kansas City’s classic joints don’t ship, but a very solid “best of the rest” place does. How do you feel about burnt ends?
Jack Stacks was one of my favs. Used to get a box of ribs and beans from them every Christmas. Love burnt ends.
Jack Stacks is the place that ships that I was thinking of. I’d never pay for blawg content, but I consider myself an evangelist of barbecue so I’m happy to put a package together and send it your way.
I would never charge for blawg content. But a gift of barbecue is always welcome.
Sheesh SHG–if I’d known you were partial to burnt ends my shopping trip may have been different. You ever had Famous Dave’s? Amazing.
And it’s kinda funny that this whole “donate” thing has steered toward “let’s see who can get the best barbecue in front of the Esteemed One.”
Barbecue really does fix every societal ill.
I knew I liked you for reasons beyond your easy charm and winning personality.
No one who likes Jack Stack could be all bad. You tried their rubs and seasonings at home?
I would care to donate. Do you accept bitcoin or would you prefer the two cents your arrogant blatherings offer shoved up your ass?
Send out the batsignal for insults that is worth at least 5 cents
Uh oh. Somebody doesn’t like me. Now I’m sad.
I bet he would have been really, really cutting if English was his first language.
Be nice. So he jumbled some words. He got his point across. And I take Bitcoin.
Would Vegemite and Timtams (chocolate biscuits of awesomeness by Arnotts) and other Aussie delicacies (sadly Wine would not get through customs.. well ok.. I’d drink it first) count as a care package?
Oh and don’t think of it as a donation button, think of it as a button that is used by all those who are tone deaf to the sensitive snowflakes and want some bastion of sanity (HA!) to come to every day.
Huh. I kinda like your tone. Sometimes unvarnished is best and, for that matter, just what people need to hear.
Your “need” doesn’t have any cover and you are such a punk looking for a yardstick.
https://youtu.be/hHS1pi-y3Kc
Not a yardstick. Barbecue. Don’t be a barbecue hater.