Journalism
ChatGPT and AI Writing is Stupid and You Shouldn’t Use It
As a writer who has worked for many years to become good at what I do, I have to admit to a visceral, knee-jerk response whenever anyone mentions AI writing. The proliferation of news articles and think pieces about ChatGPT, in particular, would have you believe that the robots have already taken over. Why,... »
The History of Fidget Toys
It all started with torqbars. Or maybe it was tops. It was definitely furthered with fidget cubes and spinners. And now everybody sells them, even your local grocery store. I’m talking about fidget toys. Let me start by explaining that “Torqbar” is a patent-pending , registered trademark product from MD Engineering, LLC (formerly SCAM... »
Mean Street Graphix: Dye Sublimation Printing That’s Anything But Mean
“Send me your logo,” Keith Miller of Mean Street Graphix told me. That was it; I didn’t give him any instructions. I simply sent him a high-res version of my Internet Gunslinger logo (which was custom designed for me by John “Johnny Atomic” Jackson). The items you see here were the result. The mug... »
Smooth Criminal: Good-Looking Men, the Internet, and Feminists
“The hottie mugshot proves that crime pays—if you’re a man,” sniffs The Daily Dot. Chris Osterndorf, writing for the Internet gossip sheet, further laments that the viral mugshot photo of one Jeremy Meeks of Stockton must somehow be further proof of man’s pervasive victimization of woman (Women? Womyn?). “Jeremy Meeks might be objectively good... »
Pummeled by Special Interests, TSA Reverses Changes to Small Blade Restrictions
After roughly three months of contentious argument, the Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday that it was reversing its decision to allow certain small knives aboard planes. While discussion over just how to screen passengers for maximum security benefit continues, passengers will not be able to bring even the smallest pocketknives into the cabin any... »
“Hold Your Fire, On I’m Facebook!”
A 31-year-old upstate New York man who held police at bay for nearly 12 hours apparently was updating his Twitter and Facebook postings during the standoff, officials said. Police finally used flash-bang grenades and tear gas to remove Ryan Whidden and his wife, Nina, from their home, where Whidden barricaded the pair after discharging... »
Switcheroo: Obama Voters Jumping Ship For Romney?
Recent reports that Mitt Romney has lessened or eliminated the so-called “gender gap” among female voters, which once so favored Barack Obama, has prompted renewed speculation that more Americans, regardless of sex, are switching their vote to Romney. Last week, a Luntz focus group of former Obama voters proclaimed Romney “confident,” “presidential” and “forceful”... »
Bitcoin: Virtual World Cashing In On Currency
The virtual world now is cashing in, to the tune of up to $500,000 daily, on online transactions, even though there remains a “legal gray area” about Bitcoin. But the growing popularity of the anonymous, decentralized, digital currency is prompting concern among users and law enforcement agencies that it may be misused. Since its... »
Alarm Sounded Over Google ‘Stranglehold’
Google has been described as having a “stranglehold” on the search engine market, which theoretically could make or break anyone on the Web. So does it? “Google definitely ‘sandboxes’ websites,” asserts Jeff Ramos, a branding, social media, and public relations expert based in New York City. To be “sandboxed” is to be excluded from... »
Grassroots ‘FUBO’ Campaign Goes National
A controversial grassroots effort devoted to the profane phrase, “F— You, Barack Obama” has grown from a local venture to a national movement, using the Internet and social media to build momentum. The campaign is built around local AM radio talk show host Bob Lonsberry’s t-shirts and bumper stickers critical of President Obama. Using... »