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Subject: 
Re: Lego Maniac's Webring and Yahoo
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Tue, 19 Sep 2000 01:29:37 GMT
Viewed: 
193 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Larry Pieniazek writes:
We're not disagreeing very much here, I don't think. An example. I was happy
to see the State of Michigan lower the toll on the Mackinaw Bridge (from 3.50
to 1.50) when the bridge bonds were paid for, like they promised they would...
that 1.50 covers the paint crew that is always always out there, painting
away. (of course I wasn't happy that it was a state built bridge in the first
place, but I digress.)

Just curious, how far off from completely paying for the bridge were the bonds
and the $3.50 toll to pay them off? I don't see a problem with the government
building roads and bridges if they use user fees to raise the money to build
them, and of course participate in the open market to get the bond (loan) to
pay for them. Of course I realize that in reality, these efforts very rarely
(if ever) have been completely funded properly.

Good old free rider problem. Todd chose to structure his cost recovery in a
way that encourages a certain amount of free-riderism if you view it one way,
(where you consider only monetary contributions) but not if you view it by the
contributions that people make just by being here and contributing
information.

And this definitely is generally a good thing. Todd also used the time honored
structure of offering your services for free (or close to it) until a good
customer base is built. I suspect that had Todd started Lugnet with a
membership fee (even structured the same way it is currently where it is
totally optional), that Lugnet would be much less that it is now.

4 - Frank F. wrote another gem on this policing topic in the last day or two

I'd better watch it, I might get a swelled head...

I still think that properly structured and invested with sufficient authority,
it is possible for other people (of good repute within the community) to help
Todd out with admin tasks, but Todd currently doesn't think so, and that's
good enough for me, I don't want to risk it and I sure am not going to fight
to sign up for more tasks not related to clicking bricks together.

Agreed (on all parts) (which of course I've mentioned before). I suspect it
will happen eventually, but it does seem that right now there isn't much need
for it (actually, I think that discussion/debate we had early this year has
had some positive effect in controlling the growth of misplaced posts (though
the sense of increased tension which others have mentioned is definitely there
- though not as bad I think as has been suggested).

Frank



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Lego Maniac's Webring and Yahoo
 
(...) Um, not sure I completely understand the questions. My memory is very hazy here... I just went and checked a few sites: (URL) (this is the Bridge Authority site) The bridge was built in the mid 1950s at a cost of ~70-100M in mid 50s dollars. (...) (24 years ago, 19-Sep-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Lego Maniac's Webring and Yahoo
 
(...) Check. The above is one of my fundamental axioms! EVERYTHING has a cost. The cost may not be visible to some participants but it is there. TANSTAAFL! Wishing away cost won't make it go away, there are no free goods. (...) Right, and I'd rather (...) (24 years ago, 19-Sep-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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