MINOT, N.D. — There’s a waiting line at the top of Mount Everest these days. Summiting our planet’s tallest peak was, once upon a time, one of the high water marks of human achievement. Now it has all the sex appeal of waiting at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Only with less oxygen. “Climbers were…
We Can’t Make Free Speech a Popularity Contest
Recently a reader contacted me to say that Facebook was doing something strange with a SayAnythingBlog.com link posted to Facebook. He sent me a screenshot (see it over there on the right) of questions the social media platform was asking him about the content. “Just letting you know Facebook asked me to do a survey…
Social Media Vigilantism Is a Real and Pervasive Problem
There are all sorts of mobs on the internet. There are political mobs who defend their favorite ideology/party/candidate while attacking opponents. There are sports mobs who defend their favorite team. I’ve been on the receiving end of no small amount of vitriol from fans of the NDSU Bison athletic teams, which has a few times…
Social Media Justice Reveals Something Ugly About Our Society
Back in July there was an incident in Fargo where a man taking photographs in Island Park, near the pool, was himself photographed by someone who thought he was maybe a pervert. That person uploaded pictures of the photographer to Facebook where they quickly went viral. The photos got thousands of shares and hundreds of comments…
Yet Another Social Media Reaction Leaves Widow Emotionally Wounded
Imagine having to weather the untimely death of your spouse. Now imagine going through that while an army of social media yahoos, armed with nothing but their own biases and knee-jerk assumptions, classify your spouse’s death s the result of drug or alcohol abuse. That’s what a woman was left dealing with this weekend when…
Social Media Justice Is No Justice At All
There is no question in my mind that the democratization of the media brought about by blogs, and the enhancements to communications brought by platforms like Facebook and Twitter, have been a net benefit to society. But there is an element to social media, in particular, that’s grown disturbing. Specifically, the rise of online mob…
North Dakota Chamber Of Commerce Begs Locals To Cut Property Taxes
When it comes to taxing and spending policy, there is no area causing North Dakotans more consternation than property taxes. Last year a group of conservative citizens put on the ballot a measure to abolish property taxes, but it was soundly defeated after a vicious attack campaign lead by the North Dakota Chamber of Commerce…
Hacked AP Twitter Account Claims White House Bombed, Stock Market Takes A Big Dip
Earlier today the official account for the Associated Press gave everyone on Twitter a moment of distress with a post claiming that the White House had been bombed and President Obama was injured. The account has been suspended, with the AP saying it was hacked: The @ap Twitter account has been suspended after it was…
KFYR Cans AJ Clemente After Memorable, Profane Debut
Last night’s debut on KFYR television for weekend/anchor reporter A.J. Clemente didn’t go so hot. Last night KFYR posted on the Facebook account that Clemente had been suspended. This morning Clemente posted on his Twitter feed that he’d been fired: Unfortunately KFYRTV has decided to let me go. Thank you to them and everyone in…
NDGOP Brags Up Obamacare Medicaid Expansion
Today the NDGOP sent out their first ever GOP Update, which mimics a daily email and social media blast the state’s Democrats have been doing for some time. We’re excited to announce the first issue of GOP Update, an at-a-glance look at the big stories happening in… fb.me/2OfP7he3a — ND Republican Party (@NDGOP) April 19,…