Independent Thinking Blog
Independent Thinking Blog
My Life in Color Blocks
I just spent about eight hours over the past week dealing with a lemon of a new computer. In 2-3 hour time blocks, I alternately tried to get the operating system updates installed, tweeted with @WindowsSupport, and talked to Costco Concierge. The last straw was when...
Process and Procedures
I've been hearing a lot about process and procedures. NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell is assembling a binder full of women to look at his sports league's process and procedures. I guess his thinking is that if they had a different step-wise process then they would have...
Is There a “Spiral of Silence” in Social Media?
Pew Research found that people are less likely to talk about controversial topics online than in person. The latest Pew Research Internet Project poll revolved around the question of Edward Snowden's revelations about NSA spying. It found, among other things, that "86...
The Problem with Anonymity
I’ve been trying to figure out what troubles me so much about fans in their home stadiums-arenas-ballparks screaming that a player is worthless (or worse) and reigning down boos. Maybe the athlete punted the ball badly, kicked an own-goal, or dropped a catch. Cue the...
A (Short) Labor Day Reading List
I was all set to write a brilliant post about social media, anonymity, and inhibitions. (It's really not as sexy as it sounds.) Then I read an intriguing article about peer pressure and online sharing and thought maybe I'd write about that. Then Labor Day happened....