Yibbels wrote: > Hi all,
> Whereas the term FUD (fear uncertainty doubt) describes a novel > but non-attacking marketing technique, what I am describing is > something > which is novel for a different reason: it is the marshalling of > cheap foreign labor in the pursuit of not so much marketing, by You have got to be kidding! Only in amerikkkaaa is astroturfing is so bad. The likes of edelman and dci working for microshaft are all headquarted over there. The industry must generate some 100 million letters, is at least 1bn dollars in size at last estimate, and must employ at least 100,000 staff. In amerikkkaaa its meaningless to discuss a blog with discussing astroturds. Some of the letters cost $500 per letter. It is big business! Most other countries have political machinery for politicking, but not the new wave of internet led sophisticated astroturfing seen in amerikkkaaa. No fool would pay $500 per letter pretending its from a general member of public. In any case, this kind of work isn't offshored. There needs to be close communication between astroturds and the companies that hire them. Give it to foreigners, and it all falls apart, because of language barriers and also no one likes amerikkkaaans any way, so they are just gonna snitch on them some time or the other. I say, we must legalize astroturfing. Its undermining democracy when you have 10,000 letters in front of you, and you can't decide in good faith if all of it was written by one person, or 10, or 20, or 10,000. Politicians in amerikkkaaa are too dumb to check. So we must legalize astroturfing. Here is my campaign manifesto... Legalise astroturfing now! -------------------------- The rights of astro turfers are in danger because they are continually bashed for fun. This is not fair on the bashees and the bashers because of nym shifting and other issues that are making life difficult for point scoring to stick. Astro turfing now is a big industry and part of the landscape of the services industry with giants like dci, bivings, atl, cagw, adti, edelman, csws, olc, akaw, arcfcp, acsh, cse, nesarc, bonner, burson, act, nsa, idc, giga, meta, apco, hillard, ketchum, ogc, etc employing hundreds of thousands of people. Obviously employees must now be given extra rights as authors of 100 million+ letters annually, with each letter costing $500 or more per letter. The employees see very little of that money, losing 98% of the income to the proprietors for the unregulated businesses they operate. Being part a legalized astro turfing organisation can bring job security and improve income which is the aim of this legislation quest. The Engines of Democracy Astro Turfing Rights Bill -------------------------------------------------- 1. All astro turfers must register for employment and obtain employee ID. 2. Clients are nice people too, and deserve every contract to be ���to�be�displayed�openly�with�a�contract�ID�so�that�everyone�may�know ���astroturfing�company�/�client�relationship�and�how�much�money ���has�parted�hands.�Particularly�important�for�politicos�who ���are�worried�of�excessive�spending�by�the�other�side. 3. All astro turfers must show their employer registration ID, and client ���contract�ID�with�any�works�of�art�and�fiction�they�produce. ���In�return�legal�immunity�is�provided�to�the�astro�turfer, ���the�client�and�astroturfing�from�any�prosecution�for�opionins ���expressed,�except�for�anything�that�falls�under�existing�libel�laws. 4. Failure to do so can net unlimited liability for its employers ���and�the�clients�who�use�the�services. 5. This allows all astro turfed hooting tooting votes and opinions ���to�be�counted�as�just�one�vote�and�make�democracy�work�fairly. 6. Bring astro turfing in line with current advertising rules ���i.e.�a.�they�must�be�factual ��������b.�they�have�been�refereed ��������c.�they�have�paid�tax 7. Any mis information reported by astro turfers is subject ���to�laws�of�libel,�and�through�use�of�employee�ID,�can ���render�the�employee,�the�employer�and�the�client�liable. 8. All astro turfers have the right to snitch on their employers ���and�clients�with�legal�protection�from�the�law�if�they ���choose�to�do�so.�That�is�employers and clients�must�not�compel ���employees�into�signing�any�agreements�that�prohibit�their ���god�given�rights�of�freedom�of�speech. 9. Public companies must register transactions with astro turfing ���companies�and�make�available�to�investors�and�the�SEC�the�full ���nature�of�the�contract�between�them�and�their�astro�turfing ���companies�so�that�investors�can�be�confident�of�the�investments ���they�are�making,�and�that�it�is�not�based�on�faked�misinformation ���inadvertently�supplied�by�astro�turfers. Client and Employer Misconduct ------------------------------ 10. Should the employer or the Client is found to be in misconduct ���when�hiring�astro�turfers�to�put�out�incorrect�information, ���the�client�and�the�employer�gurantees�to�indemnify�the�employee ���from�any�cost�arising�out�of�litigation. Disabilities allowance ---------------------- 11. Its widely accepted that disabled people and housewives ���are�used�for�astro�turfing�as�they�are�likely�to�sit ���in�front�of�a�computer�and�type�out�nonsense�all�day. ���For�those�disabled�people�that�are�housewives�or�that�have�to ���operate�a�computer�without�an�arm,�or�a�leg,�or�a�brain, ���we�demand�that�pay�is�equal�to�that�of�fit�and�lifeless ���colleagues. Career progression ------------------ 12. No astro turd likes being called an idiot. Its un-winnable to argue ���a�point�when�you�are�an�astro�turd�and�have�no�qualifications. ���So�we�need�an�astro�turfing�institute�where�we�can�hoof�and�poof ���and�gain�merits�for�our�nefarious�activities. ���All�qualifications�shall�be�cited�with�employee�ID�and�client ���contract�ID�as�part�of�the�legal�requirement�to�become ���a�qualified�astro�turfer. Puppet Master Authentication ---------------------------- 13. Astro turfers have the right to know who they are ultimately working ���for.�Thus�we�propose�all�contracts�be�signed�by�the�actual ���puppet�master(s)�names�that�has�instigated�the�action�as�opposed ���to�their�paid�minions�or�suckered�bum�boys.�There�can�be�no ���transferrance�of�this�responsibility.�I.e.�as�a�puppet�master,�you ���cannot�legally�claim�you�were�acting�under�orders. ���Each�named�person�must�take�full�personal�responsibility ���or�none�at�all�and�be�prosecuted�for�fraud. 1 April is Anuual Holiday ------------------------- 14. Most professions need a holiday like banks have ���bank�holiday.�It�is�proposed�1�April,�or�April�fool's�day ���is�a�national�astro�turfing�holiday. ���This�is�a�matter�of�deep�seated�tradition. ���Why�is�that? ���Because though�we�are fools, we don't�suffer other�fools. Certified Accounts ------------------ 15. When your astro turfing company wins something by ���faking�10,000+�people,�and�no�one�knows�if�the ���actual�figure�is�10�people,�15�people�or�150�people ���that�manufactured�all�the�astroturfing�letters,�there�is ���a�need�for�actual�figures�to�be�available�when ���astroturfing�takes�down�somebody or something�or�the company ���completes�its�contract�so�that�those�who�lost�know�how�so�few ���astroturds had�defeated�so�many�with�astroturfing�methodologies. ���Scores�do�need�to�be�settled�later. ���Thus,�companies�must�keep�certified�accounts�of ���each�contract,�i.e.�how�many�people�they�used ���and�how�many�fake�letters and identities�they used to send it ���all�out,�and�in�particular,�how�many�votes�they�manufactured ���through�company�activities. Pay Rise -------- 16. Pay rise is a sentitive topic. All astrotufers and their ���companies�are�entitled�to�pay�rises,�but�employer�and/or ���the�client�may�refuse.�Well�if�clients�did�any�business�in�the ���past�through�you,�then�you�must�use�those�records�and�offer�to ���repost�them�with�summaries�to�clarify�the�situation. ���In�this�way,�employers�and�employees�can�benefit�from�pay�rises ���by�invoicing�the�client�spuriously�on�a�whim. ���We�demand�that�this�practice�is�legalized�along ���with�legalizing�astroturfing. Psycho Councilling ----------------- 17. Astro turfing can force you to hide your identities ���and�create�new�identities�to�decieve�your�friends�in�newsgroups ���and�social�groups�your�asked�to�join�and�destroy. ���Normal�humans�can't�live�with�the�constant�lies,�deceit,�nym�shifting ���and�ass�covering�tactics�of�a�habbitual�astro�turfer. ���Astroturfers�can�become�internet�psycho�with�so�many ���personalities�that�its�impossible�to�tell�one�personality�from ���another,�and�it�is�known�for�astroturds�to�quarrel�with�other ���posters�despite�them�other�posters�being�themselves ���and�their�own�sock�puppets! ���Astro�turfers�need�constant�psycho�councilling�and�it�is�not ���to�be�deducted�from�wages�these�costs. _______________________________________________ Gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
