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How We’re Turning Digital Natives Into Etiquette Sociopaths

Evan Selinger in Wired:

ScreenHunter_152 Mar. 28 13.15Let’s face it: Technology and etiquette have been colliding for some time now, and things have finally boiled over if the recent spate of media criticisms is anything to go by. There’s the voicemail, not to be left unless you’re “dying.” There’s the e-mail signoff that we need to “kill.” And then there’s the observation that what was once normal — like asking someone for directions — is now considered “uncivilized.”

Cyber-savvy folks are arguing for such new etiquette rules because in an information-overloaded world, time-wasting communication is not just outdated — it’s rude. But while living according to the gospel of technological efficiency and frictionless sharing is fine as a Silicon Valley innovation ethos, it makes for a downright depressing social ethic.

People like Nick Bilton over at The New York Times Bits blog argue that norms like thank-you messages can cost more in time and efficiency than they are worth. However, such etiquette norms aren’t just about efficiency: They’re actually about building thoughtful and pro-social character.

Take my six-year-old daughter. When she looked at her new iPod Touch (a Chrismukkah gift), she saw it as a divine labor-saving device. Unlike the onerous handwritten thank-you notes she had to do for her birthday, she envisioned instead sending quick thank-you texts to friends and family. Months later, she still doesn’t understand why her parents forbid the shortcut. And she won’t. Not anytime soon.

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Leader of Foundation Behind Wikipedia to Step Down

Sue Gardner, who oversaw a period of rapid growth and evolution of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, said on Wednesday that she would step down as executive director of the nonprofit foundation that runs it.

via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/28/leader-of-foundation-behind-wikipedia-resigns/

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A New Map Of The U.S., Created By How Our Dollar Bills Move

Using a site that tracks dollar bills, a theoretical physicist noticed that our state boundaries are rather arbitrary, but that money tends to stay within new, more realistic boundaries.

To theoretical physicist Dirk Brockmann, the borders of the United States are out of date.

“Some are kind of arbitrary like New Mexico, Arizona: they’re just kind of drawn on the map,” says Brockmann. “Often, they no longer correlate with our behavior.”

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via Fast Company http://www.fastcoexist.com/1681677/a-new-map-of-the-us-created-by-how-our-dollar-bills-move?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29

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Ain’t It Cool’s Harry Knowles: The Cash-Strapped King of the Nerds Plots a Comeback


The founder of the once-renegade movie site, who earned the admiration of Peter Jackson and Steve Jobs, is struggling for money and relevance in the wild media landscape he helped to create.

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via Hollywood Reporter http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/aint-cools-harry-knowles-cash-430734?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thr%2Fnews+%28The+Hollywood+Reporter+-+Top+Stories%29

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Google Glass To Be Made In U.S.A.–By Foxconn

The manufacturer of the hi-tech specs will be Hon Hai Precision Industry (also known as Foxconn) at its Santa Clara plant.

Google‘s nearly here wearable tech, Project Glass, will be made in California.

Google has entrusted the manufacture of its AR glasses (the first batch of which are about to be sent to 8,000 lucky recipients) to Taiwanese firm Hon Hai, which you may know as Foxconn–yes, the guys that make, among other products, the iPhone.

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via Fast Company http://www.fastcompany.com/3007565/tech-forecast/google-glass-be-made-usa-foxconn?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29

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Ur Mom: Correcting The Grammar Of Graffitti

That should be “Your mom.” A brilliant ad campaign for a London tutoring company takes to the streets to show people the correct way to write mean things about other people’s mothers on walls.

To participate in the global culture of cool, learning English is a must. But the process of learning English itself isn’t very cool.

An English tutoring company is trying to rebrand English grammar with a provocative campaign featuring pictures of London graffiti, marked up for grammatical correctness. Online tutoring site The Tutor Crowd has a Tumblr dedicated to the imagery: someone’s scrawl of “SO HOT RITE NOW” has the ‘E’ excised and a ‘GH’ added in. An apostrophe is added to help express something unprintable about “Sams” / “Sam’s” dad. You get the idea.

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via Fast Company http://www.fastcoexist.com/1681661/ur-mom-correcting-the-grammar-of-graffitti?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29

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You May Not Have Posted It, but Facebook Knows

Facebook is no longer relying solely on what its users reveal. Instead, it is tapping outside data sources to learn more about them and to sell more finely targeted ads.

via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/you-may-not-have-posted-it-but-facebook-knows/

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Will Portman explains dad’s delay

He tells the story of how he came out to his parents.

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via POLITICO – TOP Stories http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/will-portman-rob-portman-gay-marriage-89276.html

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McCaskill backs gay marriage

The Missouri lawmakers becomes the second sitting U.S. senator in less than two weeks to endorse.

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via POLITICO – TOP Stories http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/claire-mccaskill-gay-marriage-stance-89274.html

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Chief Justice’s Guest for Gay Marriage Arguments: His Lesbian Cousin

The fact that John Roberts has a cousin, Jean Podrasky, who is gay was first mentioned in a 2011 profile of the chief justice in Fortune, but at the time she didn’t seem comfortable discussing his stance on marriage equality. Though Podrasky said she wanted the right to marry her girlfriend, all she would say about her cousin’s position was, “I really would never disrespect him by asking him about his cases.” While she still doesn’t know what Roberts thinks about same-sex marriage, now she’s more willing to put public pressure on him. The L.A. Times reports that when the Supreme Court hears arguments in two gay marriage cases this week, Podrasky and her girlfriend will be in seating reserved for Roberts’ guests and family members.

Unfortunately for those trying to read the tea leaves on the chief justice’s gay marriage stance, he didn’t invite his cousin to the courtroom. Podrasky e-mailed Roberts’s sister, who put her in touch with his secretary — though Roberts is aware that she’ll be attending along with several other family members. While Roberts hasn’t shared his thoughts on the issue with Podrasky, she expects the court to overturn Prop 8, allowing her to marry her girlfriend, who lives with her in San Francisco. “He is a smart man,” she said. “He is a good man. I believe he sees where the tide is going. I do trust him. I absolutely trust that he will go in a good direction.”

Podrasky also wrote a column for the National Center for Lesbian Rights that will be e-mailed to members on Monday. “Everyone in this country has a family member who is part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community … ,” she writes. “As a Californian, I want nothing more than to marry my wonderful girlfriend. And as a tax-paying citizen, I seek basic fairness.” Roberts will probably want to relax after listening to arguments on gay marriage for two days, but it sounds like he’s getting an awkward family dinner instead.

Read more posts by Margaret Hartmann

Filed Under:
john roberts
,equal rites
,prop 8
,jean podrasky

via Daily Intelligencer http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/03/john-roberts-lesbian-cousin-is-coming-to-court.html