The Dark Side Of Online Fame
Less than two weeks after posting the video that would make him famous, and less than one week after appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Josh Holz experienced the latest milestone in the viral-fame cycle: The 15-year-old was hacked on Twitter. His account, joshholzz — the original site of the Damn Daniel meme — began tweeting out racist memes on Feb. 27. At some point after that, screenshots show, someone changed the account’s...
Sports Authority Files for Bankruptcy; Online Shopping Cited
Fans coveting their favorite team’s jersey with the personal touch of their name on the back are flocking online, likely not to the sports store at their local mall. Consumer habits are evolving. That looks to be one of the developments behind the financial travails of retail chains like The Sports Authority Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday and plans to close or sell about a third of its 463 stores. The...
Commentary: Companies Have a Role in Stopping Bad Behavior on the Internet
Somewhere in most employee handbooks are rules about online behavior. Those rules don’t seem to be working too well. For proof, look no further than the comments people leave under YouTube videos or blog posts or in back-and-forth snipes under news stories. Look at the hateful replies and invective hurled about on Twitter and Facebook. Internet trolling is ubiquitous in part because it comes with few consequences. You walk up to a...
Social Security Q&A: Can I Apply for Benefits Online?
Question: My neighbor said he applied for Social Security retirement benefits online. Can you really apply for retirement without traveling to an office? Answer: Yes, you can. It’s the easiest, fastest, and most convenient way to apply for retirement benefits. Social Security’s secure website makes it simple, allowing you to apply for retirement benefits in as little as 15 minutes. You can get started now at...
Warm Weather Leaves Stores in the Cold
New York — The unseasonably warm weather has left some people feeling cold about holiday shopping. Rosemarie Nowicki, who lives in Berkeley Heights, N.J., finally spent some of her holiday budget last weekend buying coats online for her family because she hated the thought of being stuck in a store with such mild temperatures outside. “It’s hard to get into the holiday spirit; I’ve been walking around in short-sleeve shirts and capri...
