Cost of.. living?

No, Cost of Whining.

A person seeking information will be discerning regarding the context they read. It is imperative to peruse the source of information with skepticism, an open mind and, if you are indeed serious, time.

If you are gathering information to write an article to support your thoughts, then I suggest read them and follow the same previously mentioned protocol. This allows the reader the opportunity to see that the writer is, in the very least, serious about his or her work; even if they wholly disagree. Disagreement is good, but let it be as well informed as possible. If you really want to have some fun, go ahead and challenge your own thoughts by reading information that contradicts your beliefs. But don't go too crazy, now ;)

Of course, we can scrutinize even the best compiled writing. Regardless of facts and what seems obvious, everything can be interpreted according to the reader. Factors such as generation, culture, gender, education, race, temperament and experience influence our mental models and therefore how we perceive and interpret information. With all that taken into consideration, this pursuit is not errorless. We are humans; we all have varying degrees of weakness and stubbornness.

However, if you do not spend the time reading the information, then you can't very well interpret it. If you are spewing a few words for the sake of a paycheck, well then, apparently no rules apply. I am talking to you, Media. Tsk tsk.

(e:Joshua) [inlink]joshua,93[/inlink] wrote aptly about the bullshit nature of those who provide news sources; oh those poor starving journalists! Joshua included a link to an article in which the writer, Daniel Gross, going on a real stretch here, compares the field of journalism to the creative class and the subsequent effect of high prices on their craft and lifestyle. As promised, it is my turn to rant.

"The journalists who write these stories about people who can't afford to live in New York can't afford to live in New York, either. And that's a trend that may prove just as corrosive to establishment media as any disruptive technology."

Gross goes on to say that wages have been stagnating for years at the big three companies and that he himself writes for the Times. The big three companies are Dow Jones (who owns The Wall Street Journal), Times, Inc and The New York Times Company, all who own multiple domestic and international subsidiaries in electronic and paper format and are NOT hurting for revenue.

Take a look at the SEC filings for each company (10-Qs and 8-Ks), the amount paid out in liabilities (read: employee wages) is a miniscule percentage compared to the revenue they generate or are expected to generate.

Links to 10Qs and 8Ks which provide a significantly accurate financial picture as opposed to the story telling nature of the Annual Report are as follows:

Dow Jones:

New York Times:

Time,Inc:

If journalists' wages are stagnating, it is not due entirely to market, real estate inflation or any other extraneous factor. Quiet possibly the company is paying competitive wages (and you are just a seeping whine bag) or the company is holding out on pumping up your income. Which one is it?

And sure they have the funds to pay, but are you worth it?

You see, I took a look at what a journalist is being paid by any one of the "Big Three" companies. I could not find a specific dollar amount, but I did find job postings, the requisite education and experience, then I plugged that into a national database to find the range of pay for the job, not just in general, but also specific to New York City. Furthermore, to determine what degree of pathetic 'poor me' syndrome we are talking about here, I data mined statistics on US and NYS poverty levels (since you journalists are crying about not being able to afford a comfortable lifestyle like your Lawyer 'peers', HAHA-I giggle at your delusions!) and the cost of living index relative to living in Buffalo (so I could see what "lifestyle" I would have if I made what you made, here..Not too shabby.)
Check it out the cost of living index-> .


And the Journalist's salary:
The median base pay (not including bonus's or benefits) for a level three reporter (bachelor's degree and three years experience, writing, reporting, media print) is $55,000. The range for the 25th to 75th percentile warrants an annual base pay of $48,000 to $61,000, respectively. Now add benefits, standard stuff such as time off, 401k, social security, etc, now you have a salary that could easily bump up another $20,000, conservatively. Some companies pay bonuses and tuition among other perks, which would really pad a suffering journalist's income. Hmm, I do believe The Big Three companies have a nice package for their dedicated workers. Let's see:


Current job posting: "Editor/Multimedia position-Bachelors and 3-5 years experience. To manage a writing team and will decide the direction of storytelling."

I must digress. Their job description uses the term, "story telling" Well, thank you for being honest, I guess.
"Storytelling, both positive and negative, is one of the most powerful of all human capabilities...Ever since mankind became imaginative; storytellers have been
explaining everything people encountered, whether or not it was true.
These storytellers are modern humans most influential people."
Ok, back to the benefits of being a journalist:

"NYTimes.com offers a highly competitive salary and benefits program including: comprehensive health coverage, 401(k) plan, employee stock purchase plan, tuition assistance, and a bonus program."

The Dow Jones states, "We also are proud of the fact that we offer a competitive benefits package when compared to any Fortune 500 corporation. Our full-time benefits include health and dental programs, work/family programs, and a very competitive 401K plan."

Ok, so right there, I can interpret from company specific information and that provided from other previously mentioned resources, that you are not suffering from lack of pay. I didn't think so, anyways, but I thought it my duty as a discerning reader and purveyor of all things authentic, that I would take to the task of excavating relative information.

On the chance, that journalists were indeed suffering, maybe those that work independently or work for a company that does not provide them the luxury that The Big Three can (which if in NYC, who would you work for?), then perhaps you are living at poverty level. In that case, ok, poverty level is no fun. But if you are single and have no major responsibilities or issues, then you have the choice to move on to something that will provide the lifestyle that you so desire.

BTW, poverty level for an individual, is approximately $10,000.


Now that we covered the basics and validated that journalists are not poor, please stop your whining.

One of the first things I mentioned in this entry is that one must do their research in order to site a reference. If you use something to back up your thought, please have the decency to have at least read the damn resource. Again, everything is subject to interpretation and mistake; that I don't have a problem with. What concerns me and makes me want to "go postal on media stupidity", (figuratively), is when it is obvious that the writer did not read the article in which he cites and hence uses falsely as a catalyst for his article.

Daniel Gross writes, "Keying off a new report issued by the Center for an Urban Future, Jennifer Steinhauer noted that, thanks to high housing prices, many of the creative types who work in Manhattan-centered fields like advertising, publishing, and the arts are being priced out of the city."

That in itself is true enough to the report he is citing from. However, it does not have anything to do with they way in which he is trying to use it; as a pathetic means to gain some sort of pity and ascertain that journalists are elite in their own right and should be compensated for it. Bah.

Here is an excerpt from the 32 page report: (report in full)

"..an unusually large percentage of workers
who identify themselves as part of the creative core
report that they are not consistently engaged in creative
work. Musicians are one example: according to a
2000 report by the National Endowment for the Arts,
"More Than Once In A Blue Moon: Multiple
Jobholdings By American Artists," more than 39 percent
of musicians nationally hold a second job in another
profession to make ends meet. The same holds true for
creative workers in general."


"..a key factor why these individuals are able to
remain in the city despite the high cost of live and work
space. Creative workers-whether employed within
firms or self-employed-rely on skills training and
upgrading, funding, networking opportunities, mentorships,
work and rehearsal space, business skills training,
and work supports like insurance and health benefits
in order to thrive in their career. In fact, the fluid
and unpredictable nature of these industries and workers
-the project-oriented nature of the work, and the
large numbers of freelancers, individual artists, sole
proprietors and small companies that populate the sector
-makes having a strong infrastructure of services
And supports, all the more important."


This report does not significantly discuss wages or lifestyle. It is more about appropriate space and resources, then price of real estate, although that is a factor for consideration. Its about the changes in the market, globalization and how to adapt to these changes.



So yes, go ahead and write, but do your research and be authentic.


Respectfully,
TheeCarey BA, MA and FA Q

(full name omitted due to appearance on internet search results)

Damn, I have been waiting days for my flippin' Christmas gifts from (e:pyrcedgrrl).

who does she think she is, holding out on me?????

Being hospitalized, discolored yellow with jaudice and in pain is NO EXCUSE, girlfriend.

haha.. just kidding. I am relieved that you are better and made it though.
I am sorry that you didn't have any hot doctors and that the procedure didn't go through based on my dirty rendition. But alas, you are home. YAY!

now gimme my gifts :)

xxoo

A little more holiday cheer- a twist on "White Christmas", becomes, "white trash Christmas". It is just wrong on so many levels. Thats why it is funny and why I love it. Humping dogs, hehe. (e:pyrcedgrrl), this one is for you and for those of you who have a little back woods humor..




and 'cause my mind is in the gutter first and wherever else it needs to be second:




______________________________

I am on an old computer and have found a plethora of wickedly funny and incriminating photos. Come to think of it, I have a bunch of old school photos shoved in picture boxes and photo albums. I sense a project coming on..
There are so many that I may just open a flickr account. I usually load pictures into my Friendster photo album, but they are not as accessable, I don't think.

15 minutes left of Christmas and it is officially over.

Hope everyone had a great day!

~Carey

Merry Christmas [search]typeHere[/search]

Be safe
Be happy

spike your coffee, hot cocoa, egg nog or morning orange juice, and have a fabulous day.


back to wrapping gifts...

:)
xxoo
Carey

I began and finished my Christmas shopping today. It did not take long; however, I took my time and stared at stuff that I want.

I ran out of pretty much all of my favorite perfumes. So while I was in the mall, I hung out at the perfume counters trying to figure out what I like. I want all that I have run out of, but I like finding new smells as well. I am digging the Kenneth Cole Reactions and Kenneth Cole Black. I think.

It is hard to tell after I had been sniffing bottles for an hour; even with whiffs of coffee beans in between. They didn't have samples for me to take. It helps to determine how it smells later on mixed with your chemistry after top note dissipation. I think I will like them anyways; they have similar smell to others I have had. hmmm jasmine. After the holidays maybe I will go back in for a purchase.

Other stuff I like: electronics. aweeee yeh.

I stay out of stores for this reason. I hate wanting. ok, so its not that bad, but the temptation is overwhelming at times. All the electronics, gadgets, bells and whistles, and fun stuff. I want! I want! I want! *pouts, stomps foot*

shut up, carey.

Ok, so I am even sorer than I was this morning. The impact of elbow, hand, arms, and other major body parts slamming into concrete is the most probable culprit. My neck is especially stiff. Timika did not include the picture of my landing face first into the mattresses. That one hurt, lol. her entry with pics[inlink]ladycroft,152[/inlink] my entry [inlink]theecarey,68[/inlink]

I am in neeeeeeeeeeeed of a super thorough massage. oy.

Come on, carey complain a little more..

Um, my apartment is totally trashed again. I still haven't cleaned up from my cookie baking fiasco. It has just gotten progressively worse since then. I can't even find my cats. (E:pyrcedgrrl) suggested that I may have covered them in dough, rolled them out and baked them as well. Well, no one has complained about the cat fur infused cookies yet, so the kitters just may be under a clothes pile, or under a heap of dishes, or under the random shopping items strewn all over the floor. I made the mistake of leaving out a pile of tissue paper. It no longer exists in its original form. Tissue shreds, soggy with kitty saliva. Nice.

where are they? I know I didn't forget to feed or water them..

I love flowers. I am a big sap for flowers. I like them because they are pretty to look at, they smell good and they die. There is little room for neglect, which is perfect for me because I tend to neglect things.

I had a plant named Bob once. Yes, I named it. I never had a plant before and I though it needed a name. Seemed perfectly normal to me. A few years ago I went through a phase of naming everything Bob. Oddly, I also dated two Bobs at that time as well. I didn't date Bobs because I liked the name. I didn't name anything Bob because I liked them, haha. Er, yeh, I think you know what I mean. That's a story.

Ok, so my friend gave me his plant. I remember it was summertime and at first I took really good care of it. When winter came and there was less light coming through the windows, I thought it would be a good idea to actually place Bob on the window sill to soak up as much light as he could. That was all fine until I closed the curtains and forgot about him. Days later, I found his shriveled up little body just where I left him. It was sad. He was a tropical.

My roommate did not like that I killed his plant.

Last week I bought a small poinsettia.

I forgot I bought it.

I found it in my car a couple of days later.

I thought maybe it would recover.

Which it might have, if I hadn't forgotten about nursing it back to health.

Funny that I manage a garden and it does amazingly well.

I should mention that the spider plant that (e:matthew) brought me on my birthday is still alive and kicking. It could use some water, but it otherwise is still alive. I really have gotten much better since the "Bob incident". We will just forget about the poinsettia episode.


little red poinsettia that once was




Proof of life:





I found one!