Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Mike from Dallas on May 20, 2011:

Gee, all those freebies on the internet, there's still a price to pay. Putting up with ads and the reminder that an upgrade option is available. I notice that people continue to put up with it. Why should yours be an exception? But the biggest mistake is for people to assume that everyone already knows about the upgrade option. I didn't come across your free edition until 5 years ago. And even then, I didn't know there was an upgrade option. (Yeah, yeah, you said so, but I skipped it, like people always do, except for the complainers who always need something to whine about.)

Finally it sank in. Hey, I AM capable of learning; it just takes a little time. So, for $24, I gave it a shot. And wished you'd told me about it sooner. Oh, you did tell me sooner. Well, I'm glad you kept telling me about it, 'cause I just assumed it was some schlocky little freebie newsletter. I was glad to find out it was a well-considered production worth every penny I spent.

Let's see, 10 stories a week, a headline of the week, honorary unsubscribe, right there is 65 items a month at a cost of $2. Not to mention the blog and interactive aspects. Yeah, people like me have to be reminded to check out what they've been missing.

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That's at least 10 stories a week, now! :-) -rc

Posted by Dwight,Canandaigua,NY on May 21, 2011:

I am sorry that I am unable to subscribe to the full version. I am disabled and as such on a very limited income, but wanted to tell you that you are producing one of the most entertaining newspapers on the net. Thank You.

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You're welcome, and no apology needed. I'm glad there's an option available to you! -rc

Posted by Johnathon, Cambridge UK on May 21, 2011:

If you can help, that's good, and right. Unfortunately, we can't help all the time, but every bit we can is better than just leaving people to suffer.

Point of note, technically, Japan's nuclear problems is by-no-means the world's greatest nuclear disaster in history. That would be chenobyl. There are STILL (to this day) farmers in Wales, in the UK, who have to check their sheep for radioactivity! There's a large dead-zone around the plant that is very dangerous to human health, and will remain dangerous for 200 years or so. Japan's nuclear accident, by comparison, is a drop in the ocean ;)

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The Chernobyl disaster was classified as a "Level 7 event" on the International Nuclear Event Scale, and involved one reactor. the Fukushima event is also classified as Level 7, involved three reactors much closer to population centers, and is still unfolding. It's a matter of time, I suppose, until it can be definitively said which one is "worse", but in the meantime you're probably essentially correct. -rc

Posted by Alan, Virginia on May 21, 2011:

Interesting blog. Believe it or not, This is True led to me making your blog one of my two homepages, and that was before I upgraded! Now that I get the "Rest of the story" I wonder what it's like. I too still keep the free edition in order to send to family and friends who may not be as fortunate as I to subscribe to either True. Even just this past week, 6 days after you blogged and wrote about it in the premium true, my lovely wife told me of some (insert obliviot) that told the world of the impending doom happening....oh wait... 4 hours and 41 minutes ago.

Missed his mark, eh? Perhaps he was just mistaken, as he was in 1996. And will be again in 2012, 2013, etc.

Keep it up Randy. My upgrade was a present to myself, and I've not looked back since.

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The sad part about him making future end-of-the-world predictions: there will be fools who believe him. -rc

Posted by Larry - Canton Ohio on May 23, 2011:

I think most of her mindset is just prejudice. It is sad to hear that some people feel that someone is not deserving of help just because of their national origin.

Posted by Kelly, San Diego, CA on May 23, 2011:

The woman who suggested you should donate to Mississippi River victims rather than Japan may simply want to encourage people to help Americans more than people on foreign soil. You seem to consider anyone who disagrees with you an idiot, or at least completely wrong. Many people are fed up with hunger and suffering in America while we package up crates of money to send out to other countries. Certainly the devastation in Japan and the suffering of those poor people demands a response, and it was very humane of you to do so, and by example, to encourage others to do so. Just instead of policing and fixing the entire world, it would be nice to consider our own people as well.

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I agree we have plenty of problems at home, too -- I addressed that very topic in my original essay. That's not the issue here. The issue is she expects ME to give up my profit rather than taking responsibility herself to do what she thinks needs to be done. If you think more needs to be done in the U.S., great: DO IT. But to demand that I do it for you is ridiculous, and to object to me objecting to that demand is indefensible. -rc

Posted by Neil, Cheshire, UK on May 23, 2011:

I agree with Larry. It's probably a criticism of who you did donate to, not a claim that you should repeat the gesture. I read the woman's view as more along the lines of "I would divert some of the money I could spare to you if I agreed with what you would do with it." That's obnoxious on various levels, but not the same as trying to assuage her own guilt.

Then again, there are all too many people out there who act as though making a living from writing (especially on the internet) is somehow immoral. Maybe she's stupid enough to view paying you as a donation, and therefore feels guilty if she buys content (that she would benefit from) that supports you rather than going to charity. Also, you say that there was more than one message like hers. That really does worry me.

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Only two or three -- but another one on Facebook. I have copied that over to this entry as an Update. -rc

Posted by Buddy, New Jersey on May 23, 2011:

I get the feeling from reading the negative responses to your Japan relief efforts that some thought that you made the decision to help Japan over Mississippi. If that's the case, they obviously aren't aware of the events' time lines. Japan's problems began well before the events in Mississippi and you had already committed to Japan. If that's not the case, do some people really expect you to provide relief from your business for every tragedy? Ridiculous!

Posted by Dale- Arizona on May 23, 2011:

For anyone to castigate you for where you send your donations is completely absurd and certainly none of their business. With that type of thinking, the gal in question may eventually end up as the main subject in one of your stories.

Posted by Craig, Melbourne, Australia on May 23, 2011:

I postponed my upgrade until after "Japan month", so Randy would get his normal payment from a subscription (and, I have to admit, because I am a chronic procrastinator). I can donate as much as I like to Japan irrespective of what Randy is doing; I subscribe because I think the service True provides is reasonably priced and deserves to be financially supported by its users, not because of how Randy plans on spending the money I pay in subscription. To all those complaining out there: your contributions to a charity or cause are not limited to Randy's philanthropy -- you want money to go to Haiti or Japan, get a hold of a worthwhile aid organisation and hand over some of your hard earned. If you're a little racist or insular and think that charity dollars should be spent at home first, well fine, send your cheque in aid of Mississippi or Missouri. But you have no right of complaint about where Randy chooses or does not choose to donate his income.