I think the model will be moving quite rapidly towards optional invigilated final exams in meatspace where identities can be verified. In those cases, the certificate could become accredited by the institutions, count towards degree requirements or have another form of recognition by another respected body. This leaves the open free knowledge aspect of MOOCs intact for those unwilling or unable to pay and adds the option for some form of more official and weighty recognition for those willing to pay a small fee and sit the exam. These courses are handling 50k students, so if 10% are willing to sit an exam and pay 100 bucks for some form of official and recognized verification, then that's 500,000 in revenue for one iteration of the course -- and once up and running, the courses themselves don't require a large amount of staff or upkeep costs. That's comparable to the kind of income universities can generate from courses where the student numbers are in the hundreds.

Mod you down -- oh, but why?

When you use such generalizations as "...they're all completely drug-fucked wastes of space..." and respected scientific terms such as "the not being a complete cunt part of your brain" why would we think you unworthy of notice? Why would we not wish to bask in such measured delivery of your wisdom? When you proclaim the devil's weed will "...destroy your mind..." why would we think that to be hyperbole and scare mongering? Oh good sir, taunt us not with your desire to be unheard -- to be banished from our eyes and minds. You do us great injury to suggest such a thing -- even in mockery.

Mod him up! Mod him up, my friends. We must all see what "not being a dickhead" looks like. We must all learn from this shining example.

America -- fuck yeah!

Word is that the newest version just refers to these as "ouchies" -- "You have received an ouchie, you are now hopping from one foot to another for the next three rounds."

Get back to your own universe! Shoo! Shoo!

Just give me some good old fashioned "dumb" fire and I'll do this for you all day long.

"I know you gentlemen have been through a lot. But when you find the time...I'd rather not spend the rest of the winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!!"

Fans of Tom Clancy.

I thought it was adamantium? Or is Mithril the top one? Damn, I always get them mixed up.

Well, the corporations buy the influence of governments, so it becomes quite difficult to tell where one begins and the other ends -- making the distinction rather moot.

Yep, and he got it -- it's the Snausage that keeps on giving -- he's made more money since leaving office than any other Prime Minister:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/7948653/Tony-Blair-and-the-millions-he-keeps-out-of-the-public-eye.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/8787053/Tony-Blairs-Byzantine-world-of-advisers-and-lucrative-deals.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/blairs-company-paid-just-315000-tax-on-income-of-more-than-12m-6287001.html

Uhm, all those people that made sending Spam a profitable industry.

You have to throw yourself at the ground and miss. That's the trick.

*imagines less AIDS and malaria victims that are bald*

Bah, it's MyCleanUnderwear.com -- at least get it right.