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Happily we are soon to have more and better hostels. Companies like the Hilton chain are getting into the low end market.
… Private rooms are much more common than they once were and some of the properties are starting to mirror the design-led approach of boutique hotels. …
There’s even a debate about using the word hostel itself with many of those making the most noise preferring to use terms such as “hybrid,” “open house” or poshtel instead. …
Hostels or youth hostels aren’t a new phenomenon. The movement goes back to Richard Schirrmann, a German teacher who founded the first one in 1912. …
“We see a massive demand in America and there is no supply, actually… and this is why we also, absolutely, think it’s the right time to step into the U.S. market,” Spanring said. …
I’ve followed politics in the USA since G.W. Bush was elected a second time in 2004. I had one question:
Why are so many Americans so stupid?
And why are Americans so close to a 50/50 split in so many elections.
Here’s one possible explanation. Many, MANY make a lot of money when American elections are close: lobbyists, consultants, media, broadcasters. They have incentive to try to keep it close.
In the most recent two-year election cycle, the political industry generated roughly $16 billion in revenue. Meanwhile, customer satisfaction — that is, from voters — is at a historic low. (Photo: Bill Pugliano/Getty)
Freakonomics audiocast:
Some say the Republicans and Democrats constitute a wildly successful industry that has colluded to kill off competition, stifle reform, and drive the country apart.
There has always been misinformation. Older, less-educated men have always been grumpy as their privileged lives eroded. #curmudgeons
The internet gives voice to their wrongheadedness. Businesses like FOX News found a way to make money off them. The Republican Party and others around the world found ways to motivate them to vote.
Media … Ban your reporters from doing anything on social media — especially Twitter — beyond sharing stories. Snark, jokes and blatant opinion makes people skeptical of your factual stories.
Social Media companies … Radically self-regulate, or allow government regulation to stanch, the flow of disinformation …
One thing is for sure: The current self-policing isn’t cutting it.
YOU … Quit sharing stories without even reading them. Quit tweeting your every outrage. Quit clicking on garbage. Spend a few minutes to verify the trustworthiness of what you read.
