freelancers - Gawker

posts about #freelancers more →
Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
State Dept. Has Known (and Done Nothing) about its Afghan Animal House
CIA Outsourced 'Death Squad' Work to Blackwater
Hillary Clinton Asks North Korea to Forgive Reporters for Non-Crime
Put Some Damn Pants On Already!
North Korea Shock: US Reporters Admit to Slanders, Calumnies
Media Jobs '09: Craigslist Serfdom
Viacom Has 22 Reasons Not to Pay You
Surface Magazine: Dead or Dying?
Stiffing Your Freelancer: The Direct Approach

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

SeaBassTian
10/13/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
I am surprised to see that nobody has taken scary old hag Kathee Lee to task for giving crocodile tears to the unfortunate journalist. Not to mention, the fact that she is almost completely unrecognizable since Regis days. I almost thought AE was speaking to Edie Brit.
Reply

SeaBassTian was starred SeaBassTian was unstarred

hungerfordj
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
Oh, waaaaaaaaaah! Talented and tenacious, what a bunch of horseapples. Because you guys sit down in front of a computer and type for a living and know a few people, you're "incredibly talented"? Amanda should have to live in Flint, Michigan and deal with the kind of shiznit they are living through. It'd probably make some good journalism if Amanda had to go out and get a regular job in Flint and see how real people are dealing with this disaster. We wouldn't want to see her get her fingers dirty, though. :)
Reply

johnnypotatoes promoted this comment hungerfordj was starred hungerfordj was unstarred

johnnypotatoes
10/13/09

@hungerfordj: You know, this kind of bullshit doesn't make a lot of sense. Because if an unemployed auto worker were the subject, you could write this same thing in response, with substitutions: "Bob the autoworker should have to live in Juarez, Mexico making $4 a day on an assembly line. And then Bob would be the not-"real" person, see? And on down the chain. "Roberto the Juarez assembly line worker should have to live in Chad and deal with the wrenching poverty...." Etc.

It's true, Amanda probably has it better the autoworker, or will. But that doesn't mean what she's dealing with doesn't suck. What's your situation, hungerforddj? Are you, like, a dirt farmer or what? If you lost your job, would that be bad, or would you compare yourself to the people of Flint and then count your blessings?
Reply

johnnypotatoes was starred johnnypotatoes was unstarred

Lulupasternak
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
But who thinks writing those Fishbowl blogs for $12-$15 a post is full time gig? She better get shaking that money maker.
Reply

raincoaster promoted this comment Lulupasternak was starred Lulupasternak was unstarred

raincoaster
10/12/09

@Lulupasternak: If they keep the Dentonian pace of 10 posts a day, it's a living. Do they?
Reply

raincoaster was starred raincoaster was unstarred

Seeräuber Jenny
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
It sucks to keep having to pay your dues, finding yourself further behind each time.
Reply

Seeräuber Jenny was starred Seeräuber Jenny was unstarred

lvmags
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
I have known Amanda for quite some time and she has even written articles for me in the past. She is incredibly talented and tenacious and it is a sad state of affairs when someone so creative doesn't get paid their worth after working so hard in their career...there are so many people like Amanda in publishing and journalism today that are in the same boat, some of which are being forced to take jobs they took back in HS. I applaud Amanda for being so honest and looking the camera's in the eye and stating the obvious. Way to go!
Reply

KillMeNow no longer has a future in journalism promoted this comment lvmags was starred lvmags was unstarred

raincoaster
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
If AvantGuild couldn't help her, guess it's time to not renew.
Reply

raincoaster was starred raincoaster was unstarred

mrbemis
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
She oughta join Avant Guild -- then she could save a few bucks on her Freelance marketplace listing!
Reply

Whitney Jefferson promoted this comment mrbemis was starred mrbemis was unstarred

diva_t
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
gym membership? - don't you have to walk everywhere in NYC? can't you do yoga or pushups at your place?

newspaper subscriptions? - i thought you can read all that on the internet? who the hell subscribes to anything on paper anymore?
Reply

Seeräuber Jenny promoted this comment diva_t was starred diva_t was unstarred

Seeräuber Jenny
10/12/09

@diva_t: I'm not saying she has to belong to Equinox, but if she can afford it, a gym membership may be a healthy expense. Staying physically fit helps many people stay confident and provides some discipline. It also kills a couple of hours.

How many unemployed people have I known who became surgically attached to their couch?
Reply

Edited by Seeräuber Jenny at 10/12/09 6:57 PM Seeräuber Jenny was starred Seeräuber Jenny was unstarred

If_I_Had_a_Poodle
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
complaining on tv about how your new job isn't as good as your old job, and how you are really better than your new job: priceless
Reply

If_I_Had_a_Poodle was starred

Cynical Media Bitch
10/12/09

@if_i_only_had_a_heart: I wonder how long it will take for her words to haunt her.
Reply

If_I_Had_a_Poodle
10/12/09

@Cynical Media Bitch: 30 seconds after airtime is my guess
Reply

If_I_Had_a_Poodle was starred

coreyk
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
What's with all these sob stories from young white chicks with journalism degrees that were surprised to find out there wasn't a $50k/year job waiting for them on graduation day? And isn't three jobs the standard for young writers in the city? And I'm sorry, but $1,666/month isn't so bad in the outer boroughs or Jersey.
Reply

Nic Fit promoted this comment coreyk was starred coreyk was unstarred

Nic Fit
10/12/09

@coreyk: Is 50K supposed to be good money in New York?
Reply

Nic Fit was starred Nic Fit was unstarred

coreyk
10/12/09

@Nic Fit: Well, it certainly isn't poverty.
Reply

allyzay approved this comment coreyk was starred coreyk was unstarred

If_I_Had_a_Poodle
10/12/09

@coreyk: that's what happens when people without trust funds start trying to work in publishing
Reply

If_I_Had_a_Poodle was starred

miss_msry
10/12/09

@if_i_only_had_a_heart:

I thought having a trust fund was a prerequisite for entering any Journalism school in the country. Silly rabbits.
Reply

miss_msry was starred miss_msry was unstarred

Cheap Shot
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
Whatever, she's hot so she could just hang out at Merchants and meet her future fratty husband.
Reply

Cheap Shot was starred Cheap Shot was unstarred

miss_msry
10/12/09

@Cheap Shot: If by hot, you mean she could start a sister act with Ashley DuPres, then I guess you're right.
Reply

miss_msry was starred miss_msry was unstarred

pmarble
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
I keep pondering what the obligation of the comfortable business owners is to their employees. I know law firm partners are wildly cutting staff and lawyers to keep their per-partner profits up, which seems reprehensible. Why is it that the richest don't seem capable of sharing the pain?
Reply

if_i_only_had_a_heart promoted this comment pmarble was starred pmarble was unstarred

If_I_Had_a_Poodle
10/12/09

@pmarble: why? because they're rich! it makes everyone else invisible.
Reply

If_I_Had_a_Poodle was starred

GirlCat
10/12/09

@pmarble: It's how they get and stay rich. They didn't get where they are on talent and hard work alone. (Though that is a myth they support wholeheartedly because it keeps their talented minions working hard.)
Reply

Cynical Media Bitch promoted this comment GirlCat was starred GirlCat was unstarred

mommy_dearest
10/12/09

@pmarble: It makes me sad to imagine a rich person in pain.
Reply

mommy_dearest was starred mommy_dearest was unstarred

Uncle_Billy_Slumming
10/12/09

In reply to Mediabistro Employee Learns to Live in Poverty
You can actually live in Poverty (McLean County, KY) , according to placenames.com, but you do have your choice of living also in or around Poverty Creek, Poverty Flats, Poverty Spring, Poverty Draw, Poverty Mountain, Poverty Knoll, Poverty Point, Poverty Hills, Poverty Gulch (of course), Poverty Bar, Poverty Ridge, Poverty Canyon, Poverty Mesa, Poverty Island Beach, Poverty Island, Poverty Row (an actual subdivision in Cook County, IL), Poverty Hollow (great for Halloween!), Poverty Bay, Poverty, Poverty Coulee, Poverty Knob, Poverty Run, Poverty Meadows (retirement community?), & Poverty Bay.

My favorites are Poverty Hills, and Poverty Knob.

Many poverties here in these continental united states. Didn't see any in HI, but there just might be some there too.
Reply

Nic Fit
10/12/09

@Uncle_Billy_Slumming: Let's not forget that Roosevelt Island used to be called Welfare Island.
Reply

Nic Fit was starred Nic Fit was unstarred

Uncle_Billy_Slumming
10/12/09

@Nic Fit:

Sounds like fun. Wackypedia sez Boss Tweed, Dutch Schultz, Mae West and Billie Holiday all spent time in prison there. Which is where Mae West got her famous "Come up and see me do some time, some time"?
Reply

RheaPollstry
09/02/09

In reply to State Dept. Has Known (and Done Nothing) about its Afghan Animal House
I'm having trouble working up any outrage over this. In fact, I'll bet a lot of our soldiers act the same way when they're off-duty. It seems like that's what young straight guys do. You know, nailing their scrotums to boards, lighting their farts, typical Jackass-type behavior.
Reply

homovegetarian promoted this comment RheaPollstry was starred RheaPollstry was unstarred

homovegetarian
09/02/09

@RheaPollstry: while i find the behavior appalling, i agree that people have a right to act like jackasses when they aren't at work.

if nothing illegal then i'm a little confused as to why anyone's employment should be dependent on our not-at-work behavior.
Reply

homovegetarian was starred homovegetarian was unstarred

BBooms
09/02/09

In reply to State Dept. Has Known (and Done Nothing) about its Afghan Animal House
I have a problem with you simply stating "the government's known all along," because the Obama administration and Bush administration are so distinctly different in a myriad of ways. When you completely erase the line between the two (which you do when you write like that), you place blame and responsibility on the current administration (Hillary photo), when we all know that this kind of behavior was allowed to foster and grow long before the current administration even existed.
Reply

BBooms was starred BBooms was unstarred

Earlier threads | All threads | Show hidden threads | Show featured threads only | Start a new discussion

SUBSCRIBE TO Gawker

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment