Since word had been flying around that Newt Gingrich, in SC for a GOP fund-raiser, had not actually endorsed Nikki Haley, he put out this hasty Tweet:
“Had a geeat meeting with nikki haleyShe is going to be a great reform governor of south carolinaI am delighted to endorse her”
The way I figure, any staffer he hired to do social media for him would be a better speller and typist than that. So I’m guessing that’s pure Newt.
Folks getting ready for ConvergeSE at ADCO last night. You'll note that I am, indeed, the only one around here who dresses like a Mad Man./Brad Warthen
No, I am not the Keymaster, and I am not awaiting the Gatekeeper. This convergence is a little less cosmic, but only a little.
I mentioned yesterday that I’m working at ADCO. Well, today things are fairly quiet here because the ADCO Interactive folks are over at ETV hosting a series of extremely advanced workshops in Web development and convergence and other mysterious new media stuff. These confabs are being conducted by some of the leading kahunas on the forefront of new media.
I’d be over there, except Gene Crawford (the jefe of ADCO Interactive) told me it would all be over my head. I am, however, allowed to attend the speeches that will be given tomorrow over at the Swearingen Center. Supposedly, they’ll talk down enough to me for me, a mere blogger, to follow.
If you want to know more about this event, check out the Web site. Or if that’s too inconvenient, here’s an excerpt from the press release:
ConvergeSE 2010 is intended for Web designers and developers, business executives, marketing professionals, content creators and students. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or a newcomer to the Web, you’re sure to discover something that will spark your creativity and get you motivated.
The conference, a southeastwide expansion of last year’s successful ConvergeSC, will feature such speakers as Neil Patel of Crazy Egg and Kissmetrics, Kevin Hale of Wufoo, Robert Tolar Haining of Condé Nast Digital, Aarron Walter of MailChimp and Brandon Eley of brandoneley.com.
The conference “will take you from front-end design to the development technologies used to build websites and web apps, then also help you learn strategies to sell your services or application as well as build community around it,” says organizer Gene Crawford of unmatchedstyle.com and period-three.com. “It’s that well rounded, multi-disciplinary approach to Converge that makes it a little unique I think. We give each speaker 30 minutes to get their point across and then it’s off to another topic, fast and furious.”
Who should attend ConvergeSE 2010? “Anyone who works with the web or on the web,” said Crawford. Which today means pretty much anybody.
When and Where is it?
Friday, June 25, 8 am-5 pm, Workshop Day
ETV
1041 George Rogers BoulevardSaturday, June 25, 8 am-5pm, Conference Day
University of south Carolina
Amoco Hall
Swearingen Engineering Center
301 Main Street
"You're either on the bus or off the bus," said Kesey. I was definitely on the bus.
Just so you know I WAS posting on Twitter as I said I would while traveling with Ike McLeese and the Chamber gang to Charleston today, here are my Tweets — or most of them (some were replies to others that would make no sense out of context):
Am on a charabanc trip to Charleston w/ Ike & the gang from the Chamber. A Magical Mystery Tour, if you will — minus the acid.about 9 hours ago via UberTwitterEnd of “Shutter Island” explained some things, but wasn’t as credible as the original “reality.” They did all that for one patient. Right…about 9 hours ago via UberTwitterHow could anyone seriously oppose bringing F35s to Beaufort Marine Air Station? It would be awesome. Semper Fi… http://tinyurl.com/27kd2hnabout 9 hours ago via UberTwitterPrediction: Meadors will win solicitor. 1 of several reasons: Benjamin veteran Joey Opperman is on his team. Joey knows how to win a runoff.about 8 hours ago via UberTwitterAnd not only do I think John Meadors WILL win today, he SHOULD win. He’s the truly qualified candidate for solicitor.about 8 hours ago via UberTwitterJust picked up some stragglers in Charleston. Hey, you’re either on the bus or you’re off the bus. That’s what Kesey said, and it’s so true.about 8 hours ago via UberTwitterCol. Angelo Perri is on the bus with us today. Good to see the colonel, a longtime letter-writer when I was at the paper…about 7 hours ago via UberTwitterSC Ports Authority pinning future hopes, in part, on “reefer overweight container pilot program.” Far out…about 7 hours ago via UberTwitterHave you noticed how, increasingly, GOP in SC is only offering choice between the Jake Knotts wing or the Sanford wing? What happened here?about 6 hours ago via UberTwitterI’m in the middle of Charleston harbor on a tugboat with a bunch of fellow lubbers. Head has paper sign on it saying “rest room.” For us.about 4 hours ago via UberTwitterEnjoying a cold Bud on the way back from Charleston. Like I said, you’re either on the bus or you’re off the bus…about 3 hours ago via UberTwitterWow. Look at the money ol’ Jerry Brown’s up against in California… RT @JerryBrown2010: Look at this photo – http://bit.ly/dDpNPnabout 3 hours ago via UberTwitterJFK had the Cold War; he’s got this… RT @PoliticalTicker: Clinton pledges to defend gay rights at home and abroad http://bit.ly/btSokWabout 3 hours ago via UberTwitterI say no. What do y’all say? RT @nytimes: Should the ‘Runaway General’ Be Fired? http://nyti.ms/9lbv3tabout 3 hours ago via UberTwitterActually, maybe he should go. Insubordination is insubordination. RT @nytimes: Should the ‘Runaway General’ Be Fired? http://nyti.ms/9lbv3tabout 3 hours ago via UberTwitterRT @benpolitico: Great history of reprimands for “contemptuous” military speech http://is.gd/cZtiU (cont) http://tl.gd/2292h0about 3 hours ago via UberTwitterI’d JUST sat down when the land line rang (always a bad sign); it was DeMint wanting me to join in his virtual “town hall.” Is he kidding?6 minutes ago via UberTwitterAm on a charabanc trip to Charleston w/ Ike & the gang from the Chamber. A Magical Mystery Tour, if you will — minus the acid.about 9 hours ago via UberTwitter
End of “Shutter Island” explained some things, but wasn’t as credible as the original “reality.” They did all that for one patient. Right…about 9 hours ago via UberTwitter
How could anyone seriously oppose bringing F35s to Beaufort Marine Air Station? It would be awesome. Semper Fi… http://tinyurl.com/27kd2hnabout 9 hours ago via UberTwitter
Prediction: Meadors will win solicitor. 1 of several reasons: Benjamin veteran Joey Opperman is on his team. Joey knows how to win a runoff.about 8 hours ago via UberTwitter
And not only do I think John Meadors WILL win today, he SHOULD win. He’s the truly qualified candidate for solicitor.about 8 hours ago via UberTwitter
Just picked up some stragglers in Charleston. Hey, you’re either on the bus or you’re off the bus. That’s what Kesey said, and it’s so true.about 8 hours ago via UberTwitter
Col. Angelo Perri is on the bus with us today. Good to see the colonel, a longtime letter-writer when I was at the paper…about 7 hours ago via UberTwitter
SC Ports Authority pinning future hopes, in part, on “reefer overweight container pilot program.” Far out…about 7 hours ago via UberTwitter
Have you noticed how, increasingly, GOP in SC is only offering choice between the Jake Knotts wing or the Sanford wing? What happened here?about 6 hours ago via UberTwitter
I’m in the middle of Charleston harbor on a tugboat with a bunch of fellow lubbers. Head has paper sign on it saying “rest room.” For us.about 4 hours ago via UberTwitter
Enjoying a cold Bud on the way back from Charleston. Like I said, you’re either on the bus or you’re off the bus…about 3 hours ago via UberTwitter
Wow. Look at the money ol’ Jerry Brown’s up against in California… RT @JerryBrown2010: Look at this photo – http://bit.ly/dDpNPnabout 3 hours ago via UberTwitter
JFK had the Cold War; he’s got this… RT @PoliticalTicker: Clinton pledges to defend gay rights at home and abroad http://bit.ly/btSokWabout 3 hours ago via UberTwitter
I say no. What do y’all say? RT @nytimes: Should the ‘Runaway General’ Be Fired? http://nyti.ms/9lbv3tabout 3 hours ago via UberTwitter
Actually, maybe he should go. Insubordination is insubordination. RT @nytimes: Should the ‘Runaway General’ Be Fired? http://nyti.ms/9lbv3tabout 3 hours ago via UberTwitter
RT @benpolitico: Great history of reprimands for “contemptuous” military speech http://is.gd/cZtiU (cont) http://tl.gd/2292h0about 3 hours ago via UberTwitter
I’d JUST sat down when the land line rang (always a bad sign); it was DeMint wanting me to join in his virtual “town hall.” Is he kidding?6 minutes ago via UberTwitter
Now, I’m going to run out and drop by a couple of election night watch parties. I may or may not post again tonight. It’s been a long day.
Today, I’m traveling with Ike McLeese and others with the Cola Chamber of Commerce to tour the Port of Charleston.
Call it a fact-finding mission. We’re on the hunt for facts, and when we find any we’ll club ’em senseless and skin ’em.
Blogging via Blackberry is tedious, so I’ll be posting on Twitter instead whenever possible. The address: http://twitter.com/BradWarthen
If I Tweet anything that interests you, please comment here.
In the meantime, here are a couple of things to think about on this runoff day:
— How many more dribs and drabs of previously undisclosed facts about the “transparent” Nikki Haley will come out? And I really hate to mention this, but will her decision NOT to release those e-mails from her public account really stand for four months?
— What will we think when we learn who “South Carolina Truth Squad” is? I regret that this is distracting from fact that Lord truly is more qualified. Nothing against Alan, but he’s only been a lawyer 7 years…
Nikki Haley has a party going on tonight. Where? Here:
Please join us tonight at 6:30 at the Wild Wings off Bauer Parkway in Irmoabout 1 hour ago via Twitter for Android
Shortly thereafter, she sent out this update:
Correction: Wilds Wings off BOWER Parkway at 6:30 this eveningabout 1 hour ago via Twitter for Android
Not that he made any kind of impression on her during the campaign or anything.
I’m not even going to mention the mistake on the name of the place…
Heard about these the other day, and reTweeted something about them. I even facetiously told my wife that’s what I wanted for Father’s Day.
But not really. My sense of enjoyment of the absurd doesn’t extend to enjoying the fact that SC politics is this dysfunctional. I think it’s too sad.
Republicans, however, sick of being (deservedly) the punch line for so long, are just enjoying the heck out of it. The above is from Shell Suber, via Facebook.
In case you’re wondering what the folks who cheer for South Carolina to fail are thinking today, here’s a brief snippet from the S.C. Policy Council:
lawmakers have turned off the unproductive tax-dollar spigot for hydrogen research funding, at least for one year.http://bit.ly/dAexDCabout 1 hour ago via bitly
Oh, and what do I mean by saying they’re cheering for South Carolina to fail? Well, you know, just like all those Republicans who are cheering for the U.S. economy to keep failing, especially in light of the stimulus. Or all those Democrats who cheered for the U.S. to fail in Iraq (and in fact couldn’t wait, but kept wanting to rush the process by declaring it already a failure). Or the Sanford allies who do the same with regard to public education.
You know, like that.
Looks like maybe the governor won — meaning South Carolina lost — on the big Budget and Control Board $25 million vote, according to James Smith via Twitter this afternoon:
25 million eliminated from B&C Board jeopardizes our AAA credit rating & eliminates 800 MHz radio funding essential for emergency response.
Actually, I wrote this post right after getting that Tweet late this afternoon. But then I got another Tweet from Anton Gunn saying that wasn’t right, and I got confused, and I had to go do “Pub Politics,” so I took this post down. But everything I’ve seen since then indicates James was right the first time: The $25 million veto has been sustained. So this post is back up.
That’s all I know right now. If you’ll recall, this is the veto that Frank Fusco said would key functions of the Board. To quote, he said:
If our General Fund budget is not restored, these areas of the Board would have to virtually cease operation:
• The State Budget Office
• The SCEIS statewide financial system
• The Board of Economic Advisors
• The Office of Human Resources
• The Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum
More when I know more.
But if this report is right, there are essentially no grownups in charge over at the State House.
Folks, just so you know where we all stand: I agree 100 percent with the governor that the Budget and Control Board should not exist. In fact, I’m pretty sure he got the idea from ME.
But until we actually do away with it, it actually performs a lot of vital government tasks (which would be performed by the executive branch in a more rational system, but we don’t have such a system — all we have is the B&C Board). To simply eliminate its funding, thereby making it impossible for it to perform these tasks, is simply insane. It’s anarchistic. It’s nihilistic. It’s appalling. It’s… it’s … South Carolina.
Went over to the State House after lunch, but when you’re trying to follow something like this all-day march through the governor’s vetoes, you can’t just drop in in the middle and know what’s going on.
Modern irony: As I sat there, listening first to Jerry Govan orate about S.C. State, and then to Glenn McConnell showing off his parliamentary razzle-dazzle, I found that I learned more about what was happening from Twitter than I did from being there, such as this Tweet from James Smith:
Vetoes of ETV, DHEC, tech schools archives have thankfully been overridden – rural health, technology incubator EEDA – sadly sustained.
And this one from Nathan Ballentine:
voted to override 1, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 31,33 (Tech Board, ETV, Library, Museum)
… both of which I reTweeted while I was there.
And then when I got back to my laptop, I saw that my buddy Mike Fitts had put out a comprehensive report of what had happened thus far. From that, and other sources, I learned that the House overrode the governor on:
Mind you, the Senate must ALSO garner two-thirds for the governor to be overridden. I’m not sure where the Senate is on things at the moment. I do know that the House plans to work into the night and not be in session tomorrow, while the Senate will have a Thursday session.
Meanwhile the House has UPHELD the governor’s vetoes of the following, which means the Senate doesn’t have to act, because the governor wins (and, in most cases, South Carolina loses):
Thanks to Jack Kuenzie for bringing our attention to this via Twitter:
Andre Bauer, describing himself on his FB page: “The only candidate who will tell the truth when need be.” Perhaps not the best wording. 1:21 PM Jun 9th via web
And sure enough, there it is, right where Jack said. The entire blurb:
From the honks to the road side chats our people are determined to vote for the real conservative in race for governor.The only candidate to give back his paycheck.The only candidate who runs his own business.The only candidate who has experience marketing South Carolina to business leaders across the world.The only candidate who will tell the truth when need be.
He means it, too. When the chips are down and all other options have been exhausted, ol’ Andre will flat tell you some truth, and take a polygraph to prove the amazing feat.
I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes from Huck Finn, which I long ago used in a column about Bill Clinton:
So I went to studying it out. I says to myself, I reckon a body that ups and tells the truth when he is in a tight place is taking considerable many resks, though I ain’t had no experience, and can’t say for certain; but it looks so to me, anyway; and yet here’s a case where I’m blest if it don’t look to me like the truth is better and actuly SAFER than a lie. I must lay it by in my mind, and think it over some time or other, it’s so kind of strange and unregular. I never see nothing like it. Well, I says to myself at last, I’m a-going to chance it; I’ll up and tell the truth this time, though it does seem most like setting down on a kag of powder and touching it off just to see where you’ll go to.
OK, I’m not falling for this stunt again. At least, not entirely.
This morning, I got a message that “Alvin Greene is now following you on Twitter!”
And sure enough, there he was. So I responded, “Apparently, Alvin Greene is now following me on Twitter. Welcome, Alvin. But where were you before now?”
But I was immediately suspicious. Not that there was anything especially odd (considering who we’re talking about here) at his profile page. Here were the only three Tweets to be found there:
Test. Putting South Carolina back to work. Greene for Senate.
about 11 hours ago via webplease email me alvingreenesc@gmail.com for you volunteer. putting sc back to work!!!!!
about 10 hours ago via webneed help findin a camapgin manager. hit me up at alvingreenesc@gmail.com. peace.
about 1 hour ago via web
But I doubt it’s him, because I’m seeing a pattern here. Remember when I thought Nikki Haley’s husband was following me last week? Well, that turned out to be a hoax. And here are the things that that follower and this one had in common:
So who is this sorta kinda wiseacre out there? If it IS a wiseacre. It’s the nature of the Web that one seldom knows for sure anymore…
I dropped by the Capital City Club just before the polls closed, and things were buzzing.
According to a Tweet by Jack Kuenzie — whom I saw huddled over against a wall Twittering away — I had just missed Nikki, who had come to 
check things out, then left when cameras started appearing.The crowd hadn’t started gathering yet, but it was way early. And even though things were just being set up, there was electricity in the air. This is going to be a big event.
Club staff said they expect 300 people, but I’m guessing it will be more than that. From national media to supporters, the world is surging toward Nikki Haley tonight. She’s peaking, and the buzz is considerable.
I’ve stopped by home — had to bring home some dog food, because my dog doesn’t CARE that it’s primary night. About to grab a bite and go back our to check watch parties.
Debating with myself to go to the OTHER big event tonight, the Vincent Sheheen party — but it’s way over in Camden. Maybe I can run over there, and see what’s happening, then if things are running late (I heard Nikki wasn’t expected at her party before 10) I can catch some of the local action.
But first, a quick breathing treatment (I can’t believe my asthma chose today to kick up), and a quick bite, and then I’m off…
Thought at first that this was a pretty good Vincent Sheheen video when someone brought it to my attention via Twitter — then I saw it included other Democrats, such as Ashley Cooper and Rob Miller, each of whom has no primary opposition.
But Sheheen — technically speaking — does have primary opposition. I’m quite sure he’s going to get the nomination, but it does seem that someone is jumping the gun a tad here.
Still, back to where I started, it’s a pretty good video. Makes some strong points well.
This morning, I found this on Twitter, it having been reTweeted by at least one party:
In case you’re too busy to read sanctimonious @BradWarthen blog on GOP guv field, let me sum it up: “Whatever! I hate them all!”
Nothing like knowing that all your careful, reluctant efforts to express difficult conclusions are being appreciated.
If you’ll recall, Rob’s been doing all he can to keep me straight, in his own gentle manner.
THIS JUST IN:
Tim Pearson with the Nikki Haley campaign just sent me a message saying,
The Michael Haley twitter account you’re quoting on your blog is not Michael Haley. Just someone with too much time on their hands.
Tim
YIKES! Sorry about that.
In an earlier version of this post, I had announced that as of last night at 11:12, MichaelHaleySC had been following me on Twitter, and had posted the following:
One week everyone! Don’t forget to go vote for SC’s next Governor, Nikki Haley! I’d be honored to be your “first dude!”about 11 hours ago via webCheck out the campaign’s latest TV ad!……I might have made an appearance! http://www.youtube.com/user/nikkihaley2010#p/u/6/RsXz0BjEG00about 11 hours ago via webLarry Marchant is a liar, plain and simple. Thanks for all your prayers.about 1 hour ago via web
None of that struck me as the usual kind of spoof you see on Twitter, so I was taken in and actually thought it was from Mr. Haley.
Apparently not. Sorry. Thanks for the heads-up, Tim… assuming you ARE Tim…
Kathryn brings my attention to a piece headlined, “The Day 24-Hour TV News Was Born.” To which I can only reply, and a dark day it was, too:
At first, it seemed an odd experiment, the sort of thing that a quirky gazillionaire could afford to blow his money on just to see what had happened. Who, after all, wanted TV news 24 hours a day? Well, Ted had the last laugh on that. And this piece concentrates rightly on CNN’s dominance of such huge, breaking news events as the Challenger explosion and the Gulf War in 1991.
But when you say “24-hour TV news” to me, I think of the harm that CNN and its imitators have done — and did pretty much alone before folks started getting their news via Twitter and the like.
Once upon a time, boys and girls, news organizations — even TV news organizations, which were always sort of on the fringes of journalism — had what was called a “news cycle.” What this meant was that a given medium would report to you, the reader or viewer, at given times each day. The rest of the day was spent reporting. And while it was all pretty rushed, there was time in the day before deadline to do at least some modicum of making sure you knew what the hell you were talking about.
Not any more. Now, something happens, and the 24-hour cable outfits start “covering” it, and what you see is a bizarre mix of raw legwork tarted up as reporting, and commentary based on pathetically insufficient information. The commentary comes in, not to put things in perspective for you, the viewer, not to foster an informed conversation in the society, but to fill dead air while we wait for the latest half-baked “fact” to come in.
How does one provide commentary under such circumstances? There are a number of techniques that work. One is to further blur the line between news and entertainment. Another — and this is the one that concerns me the most — is to embrace the most mindless kind of reflexive partisanship. You have a “liberal” and a “conservative” on and let them shout prefab opinions at each other — opinions that are in no way dependent upon the facts of the unfolding story; the talkers bought them off the shelf and brought them along to the studio. This is called being fair and well-rounded.
Gradually, all political discourse in America has taken on this kind of mindless, prefab, artificial conflict approach — talking not to reach some sort of conclusion, or synthesis, or consensus, but each participant playing a rigidly predefined role depending on which pigeonhole he allows himself to be identified with.
This approach became refined and concentrated in the blogosphere, which joined the 24-hour TV “news” crowd and the interest groups and the parties themselves in constantly spinning the wheel, oversimplifying everything as left or right, black or white, up or down, and so forth.
Daily journalism was never overly burdened with sober reflection. But now, what little thought went into the news has been subordinated to these pre-fab conflict dialectics.
And we are worse off.
Scott English, Mark Sanford’s chief of staff, has been trying really, really hard to make light of the sordid story distracting us all this week — the one involving this year’s official Sanford candidate for governor.
Some of his recent Tweets:
My parking space has been next to Andre Bauer’s for 7 yrs. I was forced to make this statement. Just letting the chips fall where they may.
I had to do it to protect my family. I will have no further comment (in the next 10 minutes).
To get ahead of this story, I did a fist bump w/ a member of the SC House. Inappropriate physical contact?
Frankly, I think he was much closer to the mark with this one from Monday:
Just a little bit closer and we will have hit rock bottom.
What makes him think we’re not there already, I don’t know.
Last night after I posted the thing about Sarah Palin and Nikki Haley, I did what I usually do, which is post the headline and link on Twitter. But as I also usually do, I said a little more in the headline than I do here, as a way of drawing readers in and letting them know more about what the post is about. So instead of just “Sarah Palin coming to SC to back Nikki Haley,” I Tweeted:
Sarah Palin coming to back Nikki Haley — as if we really needed to start IMPORTING crazy here in SC… https://bradwarthen.com/?p=5456
Then, an interesting thing happened. Frequently I see my Tweets retweeted by others, and sometimes by a couple of people. This time, five different people (they were PaigeCoop, blogitch, tylermjones, JaneFredArch and sccounsel) retweeted that little come-on.
This sort of viral response, quite naturally, causes the more reptilian parts of my brain to go, “How can I get this kind of response again?” Because that many reTweets means that many more people I would not ordinarily reach are attracted to the blog, which means I get to report even bigger numbers (last month, 132,000 page views) next time I try to sell an ad — not to mention, of course, gaining a richer and more diverse conversation here on the blog, of course, which is what we’re all about here, of course. Ahem.
So it is is that I was rewarded for saying “as if we really needed to start importing crazy here in SC.” Which means my natural response is to describe MORE posts in similar terms, so as to get this same reward.
But the thing is, I wasn’t totally happy with that wording. Basically, I wanted to say that we have enough problems here in SC without bringing in a person who is a flashpoint for all sorts of conflicting emotions out in the national political buzz machine. And we have enough of our own demons here in our beloved state. There’s also the problem that we have every bit of our share of the anti-intellectualism that runs through American politics, a strain of which Mrs. Palin has rightly or wrongly become the symbol. We’ve got enough of it not to need to import the latest, flashiest, most Reality TV-esque version of it. Anyway, I’m not at all sure that “crazy” captured all that, although all that and more was what I was seeking to suggest.
But it certainly grabbed people. I was instantly rewarded for it. Which is maybe not a good thing. I have a certain knack for lurid language, which I generally try to keep in check, but not always successfully. People could often tell when I wrote an editorial at the paper (which I didn’t do all that often in recent years) because of that knack. Here is a sample of it, according to people who point these things out to me.
I really don’t need encouraging on this score.
And it occurs to me that this is the dynamic that has produced the particularly nasty morass of political rhetoric in which people think they are being hip and relevant and pithy when they call people “wingnuts” or otherwise engage in insult and calumny in the course of expressing themselves politically.
All those other blogs out there that serve hyperpartisan causes, that draw and feed anger, that thrive on treating those with whom their readers disagree with contempt bordering on dehumanization… the blogs to which I have always wanted this one to be a civil alternative … probably started down the road that they’re on by getting rewarded for getting a little punchier and a little more extreme with each post. Stimulus and response.
So… how do I grow the blog and resist that trap? Perpetual vigilance, I suppose — on my part and yours.
Lately on Twitter, I’ve gotten into Retweeting, which is the cheap and easy way to share cool stuff you run into there. For those of you not familiar with it, basically I see a cool thing (or something that MIGHT be cool; sometimes I’m too busy to follow the link myself), click a couple of times, and bada-bing!, I’ve shared it with my 520 followers. WAY better than having to GO to the link, COPY the URL, PASTE it into the form on TinyURL, copy and paste the NEW URL into the Twitter form, and type an explanation of what it leads to.
Way better, especially on the Blackberry, which is the way I look at Twitter the most.
So Retweeting is cool, but here’s something that’s not cool, as I complained this morning:
Twitlonger is a decadent indulgence. I have only contempt for those who lack the discipline to say it within 140 characters. Harrumph.
I wrote that because several items I had retweeted this morning were already too long before I tried to send them, so my Blackberry automatically sent them using Twitlonger. But it let me know each time it did so. So I could feel the shame.
So much of the virtue of Twitter is the brevity. It’s a very satisfying medium, partly because of the challenge of expressing an idea fully in 140 characters. As I’ve noted before, it’s like writing haiku (if haiku were a lot less demanding). The discipline is good for the brain, and considerate to one’s audience.
But of course, as with anything that’s demanding and challenging and has a lot of rules (marriage, the Marine Corps, being Catholic, baseball), our lazy, permissive, anything-goes society’s going to come up with a way to cheat and get away with it. Hence Twitlonger, which allows you to break the 140-character rule. Look, if you can’t frickin’ say it in 140 characters, start a blog! Use a different medium.
Instead of sullying one that is pure and good (in the way that Hemingway would say pure and good, in the way that a trout stream is pure and good, etc.). I don’t know about you, but I don’t hold with it.
Come on, people, let’s preserve the unities. Let’s have some respect for the form…
Adam Beam shares this bio of the new interim police chief released by the city of Columbia:
Col. Carl Burke
Interim Columbia Police Chief, Colonel C. E. Burke Colonel C.E. Burke, a native of Hopkins, graduated from Eau ClaireHigh School. He served in the Air Force before enlisting in the Columbia Police Department in 1979. He has risen throughout his career with The City of Columbia from a Beat Officer, on up through the ranks. He was promoted to Corporal in 1981, Sergeant in 1984, Lieutenant in 1986, Captain in 1991, Major in 2005 and Colonel in 2007. Burke is a graduate of the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, the School of Justice Administration, Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville, Southern Police Institute, V.I.P. Intelligence, at Glynco, Georgia, The F.B.I. National Academy at Quantico, Va., and the Tactical Training Center at Fort Jackson. He also has participated in additional law enforcement training and educational programs. He has received numerous awards of appreciation, including his nomination as one of the outstanding young men in law enforcement, Who’s Who in American Law Enforcement.
… and if we get yet another chief today, I’ll try to keep you posted…
