Bram's Brain

Instagram Blog: Thank you, and we're listening

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:05:13 -0500

Instagram Blog: Thank you, and we're listening:

Yesterday we introduced a new version of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service that will take effect in thirty days. These two documents help communicate as clearly as possible our relationship with the users of Instagram so you understand how your data will be used, and the rules that govern…

Undecided Voter Pretty Sure He’s Some Kind Of Idiot

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:10:59 -0500

Undecided Voter Pretty Sure He’s Some Kind Of Idiot

buzzfeedpolitics: How One Well-Connected Pseudonymous Twitter...

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:34:03 -0400

buzzfeedpolitics:

How One Well-Connected Pseudonymous Twitter Spread Fake News About Hurricane Sandy

by Andrew Kaczynski

The twitter user @comfortablysmug is one of a handful of pseudonymous Manhattan professionals who keep their widely-followed Twitter voices separate from their careers. His bio describes him as “My Interests: Finance, Gin, Politics, Books, Food, Fine Clothing, Meeting Strangers #Mitt2012” and links to a Romney campaign donation page of the sort that credits bundlers for the cash they’ve brought in.

His 6,000 followers include political and business reporters, and he’ll occasionally tweet of getting a drink with Business Insider’s Joe Wiesenthal; once with BuzzFeed editor Ben Smith.

And in the chaos around Hurricane Sandy, he veered into new territory: Trying to trick his media followers, and their followers and readers in turn, with fake news. He reported, falsely, on a total blackout in Manhattan, on a flood on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, and other things that didn’t happen.

Two of his tweets garnered more than 500 retweets. One drew a rebuke from ConEd’s official Twitter account.

Twitter’s self-correction mechanism — rebukes and rebuttals from knowledgeable sources — shut down each rumor, but not until at least one, the flood claim, had bled widely into the television media.

@comfortablysmug didn’t respond immediately to an inquiry, via Twitter direct message, as to his motives.

GetGlue

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:30:40 -0400

Get Glue check-ins make me want to throw my laptop against the wall. I hate auto tweets and no one cares what tv show you are watching.

Recap: The week in print and digital news

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 14:24:00 -0400

Recap: The week in print and digital news

Instagram Blog: Instagram @mentions now translate to Twitter

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:14:10 -0400

Instagram Blog: Instagram @mentions now translate to Twitter:

instagram:

It can be cumbersome sharing a photo to Twitter and @mentioning someone whose Twitter username is different from their Instagram username. Today, we’ve rolled out a change that will make sharing to Twitter more seamless.

For photos shared to Twitter, Instagram now translates @mentions for users…

Just watched American Experience: LBJ. So crazy that all of that stuff was 50 years ago. Do you ever...

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 02:07:05 -0400

Just watched American Experience: LBJ. So crazy that all of that stuff was 50 years ago. Do you ever stop and realize that we are living in 2012. It’s the present, but its the future, man.

Jason Baldwin of the West Memphis Three will make his first public appearance in Arkansas since being released from prison.

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 19:04:21 -0400

Jason Baldwin of the West Memphis Three will make his first public appearance in Arkansas since being released from prison.

The Story of Bill and Barack

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:45:29 -0400

The Story of Bill and Barack

Morgan Freeman's epic Obama ad

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:54:00 -0400

Morgan Freeman's epic Obama ad

“That’s science; those are facts,” said Nye. “You can’t just close your eyes and make them not true.”

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:23:17 -0400

“That’s science; those are facts,” said Nye. “You can’t just close your eyes and make them not true.”

The United States of Twitter

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:54:12 -0400

Just checking in, docking in the port of Tumblr for a brief rest from the Twitter Sea to remark that I’m now following 1,909 people, and have 1,809 followers, which I find to be geometrically sound and wonderful. That is all.

'Dark Knight Rises' Opts For Lighthearted, Cartoonish Tone

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:30:38 -0400

'Dark Knight Rises' Opts For Lighthearted, Cartoonish Tone

20 college football games I'm looking forward to in September

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 19:58:00 -0400

Here’s a list of what I think the 20 best games in college football will be this September, and August 30th and August 31st. No real criteria, other than excitement/BCS importance. Oh and revolving around Arkansas and the SEC. (The best conference and the best team this year) All stats are from Phil Steele’s preseason guide.

1. South Carolina at Vanderbilt (August 30) This game is the first big game of the college football season. Vanderbilt had a great season last year, making their first bowl since 2008. James Franklin looks to be a great coach, and they have Jordan Rodgers, Aaron’s little brother, at starting quarterback. South Carolina should be the class of the SEC East, with Marcus Lattimore going into beast mode at running back. First SEC game of the year? First big game of the year. Can’t wait.

2. Boise State at Michigan State (August 31) This will be on Friday (Christmas Eve basically) and will be a heck of a game. Boise State loves to start seasons with big games, playing Georgia, Virginia Tech, and Oregon to start off the last three seasons.

3. Alabama at Arkansas (September 15) Alabama has won 5 straight against Arkansas, and the entire state is bitter about this. This game is beyond monumental.

4. Michigan vs. Alabama at Cowboys Stadium (September 1) This game is a big chance for Alabama to absolutely dominate Michigan and have drunk southerners chanting S-E-C-S-E-C from Lexington to College Station. It could also be the coming-out party for a Heisman campaign by Denard Robinson. We’ll just have to wait and see.

4. Washington at LSU (September 8) LSU’s first big contest of an opponent. Could be a blowout, but it will be a good look at how their offense will be without their two quarterbacks from last year. At the least, it will be a chance for the SEC to whip up on the Pac 12.

5. Arkansas at Texas A&M (September 29) Last year Arkansas somehow won against Texas A&M. The Aggies will be fired up, and this matchup could once again become a big time rivalry.

6. Florida State at USF (September 29th) A potential Orange Bowl matchup.

7. USC at Stanford (September 15) If you remember last year’s game, then you’ll be excited about this year’s game. While Andrew Luck is no longer on Stanford, you have to think they will still compete in the Pac 12 this season. And for USC, many people have them picked to make the national championship. You can’t make the national title game if you lose to Stanford in September.

8. Florida at Texas A&M (September 8th) Welcome to the SEC, Aggies.

9. Georgia at Missouri (September 8th) Welcome to the SEC, Tigers.

10. Wisconsin at Nebraska (September 29) A battle for Big Ten supremacy

11. Michigan at Notre Dame (September 29) I see Denard Robinson having some fun in South Bend.

12. UCF at Ohio State (September 8) Central Florida is picked by Phil Steele to finish the season ranked ahead of Arkansas. Well, let’s see how they do against the Buckeyes.

13. LSU at Auburn (September 22nd) A match-up of the last two SEC champions. A good ole knock-down, drag-out SEC fight. SEC football.

14. Texas at Oklahoma State (September 29) Will one of these teams win the Big 12? One of them will probably be in the Cotton Bowl. Should be a fun game to watch. While Oklahoma State lost their geriatric quarterback and alcoholic wide receiver, they are probably still better than Texas. Are the Longhorns back? This is their first big test.

15. Clemson at Florida State (September 22) Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins are going to be a lot of fun to watch this football season. A loss by FSU could eliminate them from the national title speculation early on in the year.

16. Rutgers at Arkansas (September 22nd) I could see this being a trap game for the Razorbacks, but hopefully they discard of the Scarlet Knights with relative ease.

17. Marshall at West Virginia (September 1) Country roads, take me home.

18. Memphis at Arkansas State (September 8th) Go Red Wolves!

19. Kansas State at Oklahoma (September 22) Landry Jones vs. Collin Klein

20. Notre Dame at Michigan State (September 15) I’m sure this game will be the only one on tv at the time, so I’m sure I’ll watch it. Michigan State should be better than Notre Dame, but who knows what kind of tricks Coach Brian Kelly has up his sleeve.

Honorable mentions - Central Arkansas at Ole Miss, Arkansas State at Oregon (September 1) Arkansas State at Nebraska (September 15)