Tech

477 posts

Woody Harrelson Demonstrates How Not to Use Social Media

Woody Harrelson[‘s PR person] provoked the anger of Redditors on Friday while attempting to promote Harrelson’s latest movie, Rampart. While Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything) have been well-received in the past coming from celebrities, Harrelson[‘s PR rep] clearly didn’t do his research.

Things quickly turned sour when participants realized that whoever was behind Harrelson’s account had no intention of answering any questions that didn’t concern Rampart and quickly disappeared. The highlight (or lowlight)? Redditor AndyRooney asked if Harrelson remembered crashing his prom party in LA and “taking the virginity of a girl named Roseanna. You didn’t call her afterward. She cried a lot.” The Harrelson account replied with, “First of off, its not true, and second off, I don’t want to answer questions about that. Lets focus on the film people,” an instruction sure to please internet commenters everywhere. Continue reading →

Libraries Are Saving Your Tweets and Facebook Statuses

Ever think that Tweet or Facebook status or Crasstalk comment is just going out into the webosphere void to be swallowed up and eventually forgotten? In most cases we pray for this after a night of drunken internet ramblings. Or do you ever think you are just wasting your time writing into this void that gives you so little in return? Well fear not! You can now rest assured that many libraries are on the job making sure that your contribution to the “social memory” of our times is being preserved for future generations! Continue reading →

The First Shall Be Last When the Media Tries to Get the Scoop


Watch a horrible mistake unfold, and facepalm with me.

We don’t have to be first. My fellow journalists may be going into convulsions as I say that, but it’s true. We don’t. People are sick of that. It means nothing, in this age when information is almost instantaneous, and first means little more to an audience than a few seconds. Audiences care about presentation, about snappy writing, about looks and sound and branding, about reliability. Continue reading →

SOPA and PIPA Defeated… For Now

SOPA and PIPA have been put on hold (e.g. Harry Reid, Lamar Smith and associates have realised the bills won’t pass if they call a vote).  Rejoice, but remain vigilant. You know they’ll try again in a few months with a new version of the law with some superficial changes. But for now, success!  A very impressive example of people power driven by the Internet.

Hat tip to CBS News, where at time of writing the poll asking whether Congress should pass the SOPA/PIPA bills was running at 97% no.

British ‘Spy Rock’ Actually a True Story

Back in 2006, Russian state-run TV aired accusations against the UK that sounded like they were stolen from “Get Smart”. According to the Russians, the Brits planted a “spy rock” filled with electronic gadgetry in a Moscow park. They broadcast pictures and X-Rays of the allegedly captured “spy rock” and grainy surveillance footage showing alleged British agents interacting with the rock. Continue reading →