Happy Valentine’s Day everybody. I wish I could offer you a moving story about one-sided obsession turned happily ever after. Maybe a little family redemption and faith or something equally loving. But instead of spreading a written song of passion and care, I’m going to talk about yet another sad social media-related incident. This one … Continue reading Must We Uphold Freedom of Speech for Everyone? Sadly, Yes
Is racism like, a low key sickness of the mind? Or, if not racism – since I can’t make a strong case for that given the limited amount of info at hand – then bias or insensitivity, are they potential symptoms of a deeper mental condition? I ask because I just don’t understand how an … Continue reading Should MLB Cancel Robert Drake?
Silly nuggets like this week’s story about New York Times columnist Bret Stephens probably don’t deserve a blog. But I’m going to give some attention to what we can cheerfully call, “the bedbug incident,” as a cautionary tale for anyone who ends up as the butt of a public joke. It’s amazing that we still … Continue reading The Pitiful Tale of Bret Stephens, the Two-Line Tweet and Becoming This Week’s Media Bug-aboo
Okay, so if one of your employees calls you out publicly – using your Twitter account no less – for being, what was it exactly? Ah: “the most disgustingly morally bankrupt person I have ever had the displeasure of working with”, there’s a few ways you can handle it. You can take the high road a la … Continue reading How to Check Out for Mental Health Issues If You’re a British MP in a Social Media/Sexual Harassment Scandal
So, Ellen wants Kevin Hart to host the Oscars. You may have heard that Hart took himself out of consideration for the role after trolls dug up some old – for old read 2009-ish – homophobic tweets. They used these as evidence that he’s a terrible person who shouldn’t be given such a fabulous opportunity, … Continue reading Kevin Hart, Who Wins? Trolls or the Oscars?
So, Bette Midler, a singer/actress I’ve enjoyed for many many years – who didn’t love Beaches? – sent out a few controversial tweets this week using the n-word. I’ve always liked Midler. She’s a great singer, for one, a true entertainer, and she made it big being different. She made herself a star by not fitting … Continue reading If You’re Not Black, Don’t Say the N-Word
Ordinarily I disdain politics. Watching that pitiful reality show unfolding each day in the White House is like perpetual constipation, all useless poots and annoying belly pains. But what kind of journalist would I be if I ignored this week’s juicy happenings around Michael Cohen, long time Trump lawyer, who pled guilty to eight criminal … Continue reading Censorship vs. Foreign Meddling: Who Should Win in the Battle for Social Media?
I can’t get away from these hashtags, y’all. If you haven’t heard the story of #planebae, let what you read here serve as “a digital-age cautionary tale about privacy, identity, ethics and consent.” Here’s what happened. Earlier this month two women on a plane switched seats so that one could sit next to her boyfriend. … Continue reading Privacy Is No Longer a Thing. Ask #planebae
I’d like to give a shout out to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey for owning up to the social media platform’s problems this week. Or, do I? In a series of tweets published yesterday Dorsey said he’s tried to combat Twitter’s issues, but acknowledged that its primarily reactive efforts aren’t enough. He “didn’t anticipate the amount … Continue reading Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Owns Up to Platform’s Abuse Problem – Again
A Life Not Grey 