I guess you could give to your local station, but a whack of that money goes to buying "programming" from these guys.
Seriously, I'm glad they live like Google, but maybe they should pay taxes or something.
-XC
They have a cafeteria and a larger, more modern infrastructure with which to work from, not sure that makes them "Google." Still, the taxes thing is a debate that stretches far further than NPR... cough, cough (to use your preferred vernacular) churches. Also, did you ever see there old building? It seriously looked old, but then that is kind of what you should expect with NPR. Cardigans, corduroy and an old building. As you know, I dig public radio so I'm happy to see my taxes go there. Maybe they can use the space to generate more revenue and offset some of the need for tax dollars? - cough, cough not likely. (beat you to that punch)
They have nicer facilities than Oracle or Microsoft. Both of which corporations pay taxes AND dividends. How are they are non-profit? I vote excise and income taxes for all charities with endowments >$1B, revenues >$500M, or executives who make more than 10 times the average American income. I like public radio too. I just don't think people who don't like it shouldn't have to pay for it. How would you like to pay for Al Jazeera or Fox? Exactly. -XC
Non-profit means the owners of a company do not get to keep the profits as cash. It usually means any income greater than expenses is invested back into the improvement of the business. A new office that allows for more business, instead of a swimming pool at the CEO's mansion, is precisely the point. It means he employees don't need to sweat or freeze in a building too old for effective HVAC. It means never having to say to visitors "we're sorry this place is a dump and smells like cabbage." It means not feeling like you're still doing college radio when you're in your fifties and every American hipster knows the sound of your voice. It probably took them a crazy long time to raise this money. It's like saying there is no need to build new schools because the kids are such brats. I have to stop typing before I say something I regret.
Pshaw. Non-profits, large ones, are often run for the benefit of their management and employees. Those government benefit munching guys at NPR built themselves a palace. Class B office space is not something to be ashamed of. Most small businesses in American would be pleased to move into "B" space. On the other hand, most small businesses in America don't receive cash from people's taxes, get valuable spectrum for free, and get to pretend to be holier-than-thou. -XC