MarcBodnick

What are examples where this has worked? MetaFilter is one, but very small.

The reason we opt of the wayback machine is because this decision lets writers change their mind whether to have an answer published, or change their mind whether to use their name in authoring an answer (i.e., vs. making it anonymous).

People share a lot of sensitive material on Quora - controversial political views, workplace gossip and compensation, and negative opinions held of companies. Over many years, as they change jobs or change their views, it is important that they can delete or anonymize their previously-written answers.

I know from first-hand experience that Quora writers sometimes decide to go anonymous after they've shared something sensitive. I do this myself from time to time, and I appreciate the option to make that change; this option gives me more comfort in sharing what I know about sensitive topics.

My understanding (which I heard from a pretty reliable source at the time) is that this deal was baked (both sides agreeing), but broke down because the Groupon board insisted on a guarantee from Google that it would close over anti-trust objections, and Google wouldn't give that term.

Background: in a typical acquisition, closing is subject to HSR anti-trust approval. If the government doesn't approve, then the deal breaks up. This means that the target company is taking a risk that after announcing the deal (and being paralyzed in a post-signing/pre-closing period that could last several months), the deal could be broken up and the target company could be left holding the bag and forced to get back on an independent path. Which is pretty rough.

In this case, Groupon wanted Google to go long the anti-trust risk -> in other words, Google would have to divest the asset if the government killed the deal.

I think (not sure) Google had given this term up on the AdMob deal, but believed that it couldn't do it again on the Groupon acquisition (which would have been the biggest deal Google had ever done), or it would have set a precedent that every other company would have insisted on going forward in M&A discussions.

If you can get down to Mountain View, we'll try you. Send me an email (click on my username).

Oh man, I don't know. I've seen tons of people enter the feature and TV writing business, and devote their entire 20s to trying to make it. A few have been successful and have ended up with amazing careers / filmographies. But many others didn't, and dead-ended in their mid-30s with no other skills.

TV writing is a young person's business, so basically you are up or out. Because there is always someone right out of college who is pretty good and will work for almost nothing. And feature writing is totally unpredictable. Getting your movie made, and made well, is like oil drilling.

If you aren't really good, it's a tough decision to make - to spend 10 years in the industry trying to make it.

And then, if you are really good.... I think producing and writing are reasonably opportunity-rational paths, where you get a ton of swings at the bat. But if you're an actor or a director, you can be really great and still goose-egg your 20s.

Tough business.

Pretty over-the-top. Best line: "It might just be one of the biggest 'bet-the-company' moves to create a culture of innovation that we’ve ever seen in Silicon Valley."

This story was covered by lots of outlets. I don't understand why you think this is partisan on the Journal's part - seems like a reasonable recap of the story.

The letter is great -- super-gracious, self-deprecating, funny, self-aware. It makes him look good and makes it pretty difficult for other people to criticize or attack him. But I don't think the letter necessarily reveals (1) his true feelings about anything or (2) whether he's a good guy to work for.

If you look through iCracked's fix-my-device menu, there aren't many options -> 3 devices (iPad, iPod, iPhone), 3 problems (Screen Replacement, Water Damage, Battery Replacement). If iCracked techs can repair these problems quickly, maybe 3+ service calls per day isn't crazy. In other word's the company's core repair call seems more straightforward than Geek Squad's.