Chatroulette?

What is this Chatroulette thing, anyhow?

Omegle (EXPLICIT)

Hey, Emily...what are your thoughts on Omegle?

Um, I think this sums it up quite nicely:

Formspring

Invade my privacy?

I'm actually fascinated by these. I haven't asked anyone a question, but I like reading what other people have asked...other people.

New Safari Gives Away Secrets

I updated my mac. They've redone Safari to feel more...I don't know, media friendly? (Not the media, media like it might as well be a big screen TV)

and the opening screen is a compilation of the sites you visit most frequently... I guess.

Here are my embarrassing secrets.

Facebook Gmail OKCupid ThisBlog
Blogger LibraryRequests AlbanyPublicLibrary YouTube
Amazon Vimeo Etsy Ally's Blog

EDIT: visually appealing as this screen may be, it is infinitely bad for my (usually nonexistent) ADD. I think of Googling something, I open a new page, I forget what it was, because that new page is no longer about:blank.

Sometimes, however, the page I want is one displayed and I can just click and that's nice.

Here is an image from when I was popular.

I've said it before, I'll say it again.

You clean up nice, James Kehoe.

Changing The Way We Do...

It is no news to anyone with a computer that the way the news is made has changed radically, and the distance between people has dramatically decreased. No longer are we subject to the opressive, deaf television of yesteryear. If only Nam June Paik could see it now.

It is easier to get your message out to more people, if they care, as Ian discussed in his 2 year blogiversary. Technology is such that any old fool can make things of the same quality that was only possible for a select few in years past. The twenty minute neon-color-computer-crash-esque scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey says it all, I think. And then people who don't need to rely on such base technology do so in a way that makes them more relatable. I'm thinking about you, Andy Samberg, my love. Maybe these guys are famous, but probably not; check out this video highlighted by GirlShawn. Either way, they will be soon.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

And then there is the Craigslist Killah. A new way to be a serial killer, and a new way to report about it. I was sent the following message on Facebook. I bet some of you received it too.


Hi Emily,

My name is Nate Schweber and I'm a reporter helping out with a story for the NY Times about Philip Markoff.

I know this story has dominated the news but what we're trying to do is write the most fair, honest and accurate profile of Phil that's out there.

I wanted to ask you if you know Phil? (I spoke to a couple friends from college already, James Kehoe and Olivia Fagan). Do you think Phil is the person the media has made him out to be? Are there are any stories about him you could share?

My deadline is Sunday. If you could please get back to me before then I'd greatly appreciate it. I can promise to take down only the information you're comfortable giving out.

Phone, e-mail or Facebook works great. Thank you.

Nate
917-478-4984
nateschweber@gmail.com

Do you think that doing your reporting research this way makes it less credible? If someone Facebooks you a quote, do you trust it?

Oh, and I'm still mourning the death of a loved one.


.....and resenting the rebound.

Spock Scares Me, Too

When you google my name, you may get a whole bunch of information that has nothing to do with me. It is one of the perks to having a relatively common name.

This is less true for my friend Erin, who googled her own name and found a profile about her, with pictures and all, on the website Spock. The reason I am concerned, is that it included links of people who Erin is friends with. And of the first four or five listed, I was one.

It seems that Spock has scoured my MySpace page. I hardly use it anymore, but I keep it up for the few people that might not be able to be contacted elsewhere. I'm going to have to go back and re-read the privacy policy, because Spock has information about me that should be set to 'friends-only', as my profile is private.

It seems that this whole thing isn't so new, and I'm a little behind the ball. Read what WIRED has to say.

The joys of subbing

I had to teach a lesson on cyber-bullying today. This video was part of a power point I had to show. It was the highlight for me. (Please take note of the obviously scandalous picture she posts)

Stalking on a new level

Or maybe it doesn't have to be that creepy...


So you sign up for this code, and you can assign this code a website, which could be your facebook page or really any website you wanted. The code is a bullseye type black and white pixel thing, and you don't have to wear it on your clothing. So other people who know about this have an application downloaded on their cellphones, take a picture of your circle, which when done crisply, leads them to your website. I suppose this could be used for good, but the clothing sold by W-41 is a) creepy as well as b) not that interesting. I don't see why I couldn't put this logo on something else. Also, how creepy would it be to photograph someone's back to check their facebook page to maybe send them a message: "Hey, I'm right behind you". Horror movie in the making?

This site doesn't seem to advocate the clothing aspect.

...on lurking.

I read your blog and think about what was going on between us when you wrote what you did. It is as though my presence has no significance on your life. It makes me want to scream at you. 

Or at least comment....but that would take away from what you've written.