What's up with the random amazon.com links?

[zoog]

I think Jim should have started this thread because he started to complain about it first, but, what is up with the automated amazon.com links showing up in threads? As usual with computer-generated vs. human-generated intelligence, they are often quite random and unrelated. Makes it difficult to discern when a link was purposefully put in by the poster, and when it's just this book-selling racket. Me no likey.

An example:

[FRED]

Re: What's up with the random amazon.com links?

I think Jim should have started this thread because he started to complain about it first, but, what is up with the automated amazon.com links showing up in threads? As usual with computer-generated vs. human-generated intelligence, they are often quite random and unrelated. Makes it difficult to discern when a link was purposefully put in by the poster, and when it's just this book-selling racket. Me no likey.

An example:

It's another experiment with advertising. We've tried a number of context links and most are awful. At least the Amazon links are usually relevant. For example, the Amazon context links automatically link to Hudson's book at New Road to Serfdom. Alternatively, we'll go subscription-only for, say, $25/yr to post and get rid of all the ads, including google adsense.

[zoog]

Re: What's up with the random amazon.com links?

Fair enough.

I wish their AI was smarter. But then, it would probably become self-aware and start looking for Sarah Connor.:eek:

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: What's up with the random amazon.com links?

It's another experiment with advertising. We've tried a number of context links and most are awful. At least the Amazon links are usually relevant. For example, the Amazon context links automatically link to Hudson's book at New Road to Serfdom. Alternatively, we'll go subscription-only for, say, $25/yr to post and get rid of all the ads, including google adsense.

Well there is one way a poster can get around these ad-links, once you put up your post and see it has been given amazon hyperlinks, go back and put a dash (-) in front of the first letter, that seems to do away with the little bastards.

A cynical perspective: I chanced upon iTulip, perhaps following a link from Fiendbear.com, 15 months ago. I was struck that anyone, it turned out to be EJ, could see his way to fund such a site. As some time passed I think I discovered that EJ was wealthy enough by virtue of hard work and maybe good luck to fund the site, and further that the site seemed to be something he wished to use to chronicle his own predictions and to allow those whose chose to read the site the possibility of protecting themselves from the mayhem that EJ recognizes as existing in the investment arena. So perhaps there were two initiating motives for the site: ego-driven (which I totally agree is a good thing) and a bit of concern about keeping one's fellow man from being raped in the markets (which is a laudatory act of anyone these days).

The site has survived; it has picked up more visitors; it may have had a decent number of members becoming paying members. I guess a question must arise at some point to one who has all the numbers: Geez, this thing is going great, why not make it more of a money-making proposition? One might then began to look at all the ways to do that.

There is nothing wrong with good ideas, and there is nothing wrong with making money. It seems rare that people who start out with good ideas not to primarily make money, but for possibly more ego-driven or noble reasons, become distracted from their initial motivations and turn more and more to the proposition of making money. Actually the only people I have heard of in the internet age to apparently run something that is quite good and useful to fellow man without generation of income being the ultimate goal are the guys that run the ad-service, and I cannot think of it or who they are. When I found out about those guys, it was uplifting to my psyche, and there are not often things these days that do that.

Edit: Craigs list is what I think I had in mind. Edit 2: To add possibly some credibility to my cynical assessment, I just checked out the counter that shows the number of people online, and the highest number ever online. The highest number ever on live was previously back on 11/22/06 (a former wife's birthday) and now today the record number online is TODAY, so I think the site must be doing well. I hope it is. I love the site and have learned a lot--haven't make any money from it, but have learned a lot.

[zoog]

Amazon's stock rockets 25%

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Amazon.com saw its second-quarter earnings more than triple on the year as sales grew and expenses were trimmed.

The news sent shares soaring in premarket trading on Wednesday. The stock rose as much as 23% to $85.26 before the opening bell, well above Amazon's closing price on Tuesday of $69.25.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, in a conference call with reporters, said the impact of the Harry Potter book in the quarter was "less than 100 basis points globally."


Instead, Bezos credited Amazon's revenue growth to the automated links on iTulip.com, which have allowed readers to purchase books from Amazon that may or may not have any bearing on the topic at hand.

iTulip administrator Fred would not confirm rumors that total advertising revenue from the links have raised iTulip's profits enough to allow president Eric Janszen to buy a steak and mushroom sub at de Angelo's.

:p:p:p

[FRED]

Re: Amazon's stock rockets 25%

iTulip administrator Fred would not confirm rumors that total advertising revenue from the links have raised iTulip's profits enough to allow president Eric Janszen to buy a steak and mushroom sub at de Angelo's.

That's about right!

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: Amazon's stock rockets 25%

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Amazon.com saw its second-quarter earnings more than triple on the year as sales grew and expenses were trimmed.

The news sent shares soaring in premarket trading on Wednesday. The stock rose as much as 23% to $85.26 before the opening bell, well above Amazon's closing price on Tuesday of $69.25.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, in a conference call with reporters, said the impact of the Harry Potter book in the quarter was "less than 100 basis points globally."


Instead, Bezos credited Amazon's revenue growth to the automated links on iTulip.com, which have allowed readers to purchase books from Amazon that may or may not have any bearing on the topic at hand.

iTulip administrator Fred would not confirm rumors that total advertising revenue from the links have raised iTulip's profits enough to allow president Eric Janszen to buy a steak and mushroom sub at de Angelo's.

:p:p:p

Zoog,

Excellent ferreting out of the truth behind what's going in the investment world. Such contributions are what make iTulip so valuable.

[Rajiv]

Re: What's up with the random amazon.com links?

Isn't there a way to differentiate the Amazon links from links put in by the author? Say a different color, or perhaps underlining the author links?