Scanner : social networking

While You Were Sleeping: Facebook vs. Lesbians

Brian Fairbanks — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:06:00 GMT

Don't forget to right-click the links to open them in a new window...

The latest victim of Fox is Pedro Almodovar?

It's almost impossible to get a perfect score on the SAT-- how impossible would it be to get perfect scores on the PSAT, ACT, and SATs?

We wonder why this worm sign fail isn't as common in Louisiana. And, by the way, we had a great first weekend of Jazz Fest.

David Letterman wants to see Lauren Conrad's rumored/long-awaited sex tape.

That meanie Miss California is now a folk hero among ignorant religious bigots.

The latest worldwide fad: that fun-lovin' swine flu thing.

90% of teenagers have cell phones these days, effectively making the previous generation the last one to prefer the physical presence of their friends.

Madonna is the hardest workin' mama in the biz.

Does Facebook have something against lesbians?

The TV couple you hate the most were legally married on Saturday in Pasadena.

While You Were Sleeping: Drunk Breastfeeding

Skinny Blonde Beer As Misogynist As It Is Gimmicky

Politician Probably Should've Taken Down Scandalous Facebook Profile First

Brian Fairbanks — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:26:00 GMT

This might be the first case of a political photo scandal on the internet eventually finishing off a politician's career. Ray Lam must be cursing the very existence of Facebook after two photos posted to his account caused him to drop out of an electoral grudge match.

Lam, who took down his Facebook account yesterday after the leak hit the Canadian press (the images above are of other Ray Lam's), didn't delete the photos from the web fast enough...

This photo, along with another one depicting Lam groping a woman's breasts, cost the candidate his standing in British Columbia's New Democratic Party and his spot on the ticket in a civil race. This is a setback for Canadian Scanner readers, for sure, as the Globe and Mail makes clear:

Mr. Lam's website says that he has a background in social services and non-profit groups.

Mr. Lam has been involved for several years with the Pride Society, a Vancouver-based advocacy group for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community. According to a Pride Society web site, Mr. Lam has been involved in several community organizations and was chair of Youthquest, Lesbian & Gay Youth Society of British Columbia.

So, if he's interested in all this gay activism, there is a strong possibility he's a homosexual, which means he wasn't even bothering these people sexually. Oh well-- behold the power of Facebook: it can't find anyone who believes it will last another two years, but it can bring down politicians with harmless "risque photos." Scary.

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Fired Cheerleading Coach Receiving Support From Unlikely Source

This Teenage Sex Tape Craze Is Getting Out of Hand...

This Week in Gayness: Boycott Jamaica

Top 10 Feminist Icons... From A Male (Part Two)

No One's Getting Laided On Facebook Anymore

Brian Fairbanks — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:50:00 GMT

If you think that's fake, know this: we once had a capatcha on Ticketmaster that read "penile imploder."

I know it's hard to believe, but I have been picked up on Facebook before. (I'll let Colleen, Emly, and Ina weigh in on their own success, if they want-- but this is speaking strictly for myself.)

It doesn't happen very often, and certainly not since I removed "Single" from my profile, but it's entirely true that Facebook is a hotbed of sexual activity. According to this interesting chart we just came across, everyone is surfing Facebook after midnight in the hopes of getting laid and ending up at least claiming to have succeeded...

The graph charts the rise and fall of users claiming to have had sex-- after a drop around the end of last year, everyone is now saying "had sex" in their status updates, prompting the recent two-month-long spike on the readout. Whether these people had sex or just asked everyone else, desperately, "Hey Jamie-- had sex last night?" remains to be seen. Or doesn't-- since it's not like anyone's doing a formal study. (By the way, check out everyone getting laid in the fall/winter of '07/'08. Hot damn, where were we?)

Which leaves it up to us to ask-- are you getting laid thanks to Facebook?

Via Metro UK.

Related:

Andy Asks: Facebook or F*ckbook?

Tropical Ants Have Completely Done Away With Men

While You Were Sleeping: The Endless Power of Bras

While You Were Sleeping: Lara Flynn Boyle Still Getting Naked

From Scanner HQ

Scanner Roundtable: If We Tweet, Will You Follow?

Emily Farris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:19:00 GMT

"Scanner Emily just downed half a box of Thin Mints, does not feel thin."

Hey Scanner Readers. Some of you out there are geeky enough to Twitter, right? You see, we've been trying really, really hard to avoid Twittering. After our drunken, ill-fated, misspelled attempt in Vegas we decided we were pretty much done with it. But we never deleted the account and have been secretly, quietly, shamefully "following" people. Now that we log on, say, once a day to find out what the Tweet is up, we're thinking about maybe, possibly trying it out in the real world. Because as we just learned, we have no power over Girl Scout cookies, and apparently none over technology either. But, really, does anyone even give a flying Tweet?

Related:

It's Friday the 13th and Scanner Emily is About to Board a Plane to Vegas

How Internet Famous Are You?

Surviving a Plane Crash, via Twitter

Twitter Gets Hacked, Or: Exactly How Large Is Britney's Vagina?

The Facebook Pages of the Italian Mafia

Brian Fairbanks — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:29:00 GMT

We always suspected La Cosa Nostra had infiltrated Facebook from prison but, until now, we haven't had the proof...

Bernardo Provenzano, seen above, also known as The Tractor for "mowing people down," started out as an enforcer in Corleone, Sicily, after the second World War. After whacking his boss, the heat from the cops and other mafioso caused him to go into hiding, where he remained for more than forty years, thanks to rumors of his demise being greatly exaggerated. When he finally turned up, Provenzano was living in a farmhouse outside Corleone, not far from his wife and children. Thanks to having been sentenced in absentia to life in prison, he spends his days reading Dante and, according to this story in today's Telegraph, updating his Facebook profile.

Here's Provenzano's fan page and his regular Facebook profile is linked on this page-- you have to add him as a friend to see the full profile. The same goes for fellow gangster Salvatore "the Beast" Riina, who has a fan page here and a regular profile, linked here. Both men claim thousands of "friends" and fans, who leave comments like "fuck the government" and "we love you, you're great." Provenzano has a page in which supporters petition for his canonization-- even if you love the Mob, you still have to wonder what these people did to deserve sainthood. (Contrary to other news reports, the Facebook profiles for Messina Denaro, the current "boss of bosses," all appear to be fakes.)

Meanwhile, Mafia Wars is the most popular new Facebook application...

Related:

Accused Murderer Is Italy's Woman of the Year

Guy Who Probably Killed Natalee Holloway Needs To Sleep With The Fishes

While You Were Sleeping: America's Most Wanted Murder... Solved

MySpace Actually Good For Something After All...

Brian Fairbanks — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:44:00 GMT

Pretend for a minute that you actually still use MySpace and care about its survival.

After a week that ended with the near vindication of the horrible woman who drove her daughter's enemy to suicide-via-MySpace, you'd be forgiven for just wanting Tom & Co. to pack up and shut the servers down. But you might want to reevaluate the validity of the world's #1 social networking hub in the wake of this hilarious "WTF?" story from California. Today's tale involves two pranksters, a creepy teacher, and the beauty of the internet...

In Petaluma, CA, a 34-year-old teacher named Scott Eugene Dietlin has been arrested for trying to get it on with Jackie, a 15-year-old girl. How did he get caught? It turns out that two local kids created Jackie's MySpace account just for fun, and "Jackie" is a figment of their imagination. When Dietlin deigned to send a message to the lovely young girl, he was met with what he thought was playful resistance. In actuality, the two guys were just having a laugh, seeing if this idiot actually kept contacting "Jackie."

When they realized he wasn't going to stop, the heroic fifteen-year-olds called in the five-oh... and when Dietlin showed up for his date... now has to say bye-bye to his job and, eventually, liberty.

MySpace might be good for something after all...

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Mom Films Her Boyfriend Having Sex with Her 13-Year-Old Daughter

Sloppy Seconds: Flavor of the Week

Dad Nobly Defends Son Against Rape Charges... Oh, Wait...

GOP Senate Candidate's Son In Hot Water For Racist Facebook Profile

Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:00:00 GMT

Bob Schaffer is a Republican in the Senate seat fight for his life in Colorado, in one of the hottest races in the country. Unfortunately for him, his son has a Facebook page that is only going to help his opponent raise insane amounts of money.

Among its many highlights, Justin's page features:

1) a gun-toting Jesus in front of the Confederate flag asking WWRJD? (What Would Republican Jesus Do? The answer, this year, would be to vote Bob Barr, probably.)

2) Obama admitting he's gay.

3) And by far the most offensive one of all, the image that could incite a huge backlash... and no, not the one you're seeing at right, in which Obama is depicted as Count Chocula...

"I do not agree with the sentiment or content of the offensive material, especially the 'bumper sticker' that references slave labor. It is clear that my actions were juvenile, disrespectful, and a mistake on my part.

"The offensive materials directly contradict the values that my parents taught me and are forbidden in my parents' home. My Facebook page is solely my responsibility, and I am saddened that my actions have reflected poorly on my sisters and parents."
His father spoke to 9NEWS on the phone after an event in Glenwood Springs Monday evening and said, "My wife and I have initiated a process of firm and severe discipline with our son."

Where do we start? Okay, first of all... how do you not agree with the sentiment on your Facebook page? Why would it be there at all? For example, Annie Hall is listed under our favorite movies on Facebook, so you'd automatically and correctly assume we agree with its sentiment.

Notice too that Shaffer the Candidate does not say, "What my son said was wrong. If we can't beat Obama on real issues or real truths about who he is, then we should just all vote Nader and admit defeat." (Don't worry, we're just dreaming aloud.) Did we mention that the kid has a pic of Obama dressed as a Muslim at the White House... and no, this ain't the cover of the New Yorker we're talking about?

See more of the page, which has been taken down or set to Private, at Talking Points Memo and this mirror site, which has been down for a while.

While You Were Sleeping: The New Robin Hood Movie

Brian Fairbanks — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:59:00 GMT

How Do I Find My G-Spot? and other eternal questions are on i-Village today.

Are you under 13 (and somehow getting away with reading Nerve? You rule!) Then join Club Penguin, the social network site for (pre-)teenyboppers.

It doesn't have a hope in hell of being a true fact, but would it be great if Johnny Depp was cast for this role in the next Batman movie?

..the Riddler?

Headline of the day: Twinsburg police: Scuffle with nude man leads to bomb scare at gas station

The anthrax researcher who may have been harassed by the FBI after the 2001 attacks has killed himself, sources say.

Charlie Crist may be off John McCain's VP list. Too bad for Obama supporters, as a Crist gay scandal would surely have surfaced in October.

Lesbians from New York were in the first wave of out-of-state couples to be married by the Governor of Massachusetts after thenew law passed. Bonus: they have an 11 year old girl. Let's have one on all of them tonight.

Maggie Gyllenhaal wants you to make a video for her. Unfortunately for her, it's not that kind of video.

Talk about egomania and director dementia: the new Robin Hood film starring Russell Crowe as a badass/kind-of-good-guy Sheriff of Nottingham has been delayed because the leaves in the forest are the wrong color. Dudes, it doesn't have to be historically accurate-- Robin Hood wasn't real!

Related:

Spank Me/It: The Nastiest Sex Scenes Ever

Sloppy Seconds: Lindsay Lohan's Commitment Ring

Charlie Crist's "Sex Tape" Could Land Him The Vice-Presidency

Johnny Depp and His Penis Will Not Be Shilling Trojans

We Saw The Dark Knight In A Cavernous Movie Theater, During The Dead Of Night

Join The Progressive Book Club

Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:25:00 GMT

Dave Eggers, Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Chabon, and other liberal authors who don't write about politics have put together the latest nerd sensation.

The Progressive Book Club, which officially launched Monday, combines the offerings of a traditional book club with the interactive features of an online social network and the ideals of a grass-roots political party.

[The above authors] are among the editorial board members for the new club, which offers a selection of works each month, at discounts from 10 percent to 40 percent, and perhaps up to 80 percent. For most sales, the club will donate $2 on the member's behalf to a range of educational, environmental and other organizations.

We'd have suggested "The Book on Bush" by Eric Alterman and Mark Green, plus "Don't Think of An Elephant" by George Lakoff... but those are pretty dated titles. Sounds like they'll have political books by people like Joe Conason, plus books by the founders of the club and good books with at least some progressive content or message (Watership Down, etc.), with that $2 being the real "progressive part."

What would you recommend?

Via Yahoo! / Photo via Bloomberg

Who the Hell is Spokeo and How Does He Have My Email Address?

Emily Farris — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:39:00 GMT

I, Scanner Emily, have been trying to make myself less "available" online. I've made my social networking profiles private, and deleted the ones I no longer use (so long, Friendster, the summer of '04 was rockin!). I even changed my phone number because it was just a little too easy to find online. I thought I was doing well, feeling kind-of anonymous and mysterious (you know, for a blogger) and then I received this email from "Spokeo":

As a courtesy, we are notifying you that Spokeo users have found the following accounts for you:

     Flickr ee**** on Flickr
     Amazon Emily ****** Farris's Wish List on Amazon
     Pandora emilyfarris on Pandora

If you would like to make these accounts private, please
change the privacy settings on the original network and
Spokeo will update its search results to reflect your changes.

To find your friends on Spokeo, signup now.
http://www.spokeo.com

First of all, I don't even know what Pandora is, and second of all, creepy? How did this program even get my email address? And what is it?

You want to know what it is? It's a website that makes it even easier for people to stalk you online. Not that we've not done our share of e-stalking, but we did it the old fashioned way with Google and MySpace. But this is your one stop stalker shop:

Do you know how many of your friends blog on MySpace or upload photos to Flickr? We don't think you do.

Spokeo searches popular networks for your friends' blogs, photos, videos and music. We guarantee you'll learn something new about your friends.
Do you know how many of your friends blog on MySpace or upload photos to Flickr? We don't think you do.

Spokeo searches popular networks for your friends' blogs, photos, videos and music. We guarantee you'll learn something new about your friends.

Gee, thanks, Spokeo. We'd write more but we have to go erase our electronic footprint.

[Spokeo]

This Week in Gayness: Nothing About V-Day, Thank God

Brian Fairbanks — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:30:00 GMT

Some more gay sex news this week, most of it the usual right wing garbage. Unfortunately, ladies and gents, it does not feature our story's cover star, porn star Chad Savage, well-known for working at private Republican Party functions and for being associated with the woman who accused George Bush of going down on a guy in a strip club in 1984. But more about that some other time.

Some footballer dude (do we care right now?) is in hot water for talking some smack about some dude:
Brady Quinn denies using gay slur (The Free Press)

In Michigan, some kids got all the publicity they needed to sell those $2 ad spaces:
Gay-themed high school play draws protest, support (Michigan Live)

There's something in the water in this town...
‘High prevalence of gay sex in Pune, Bangalore’ (Hindu Times)

What's next, banning all references to "giant cocks"?:
Proposal to ban homosexual references from TN schools (TN Volunteer)

Ha fucking ha.
Judge rejects students' free-speech suit over anti-gay T-shirt (Mercury News)

Not fucking ha ha.
Gay Student Shot at LA-Area Junior High School (AP Sources)

But it's what she didn't say that's most revealing...
Clinton talks to gay paper (Blade)

Book that romantic getaway now... because you forgot the flowers, yo!
Gay Travel Social Networking Site to Debut Today (Gaywired.com)

And, with the headline of the week: Will Dildos Rub Supreme Court The Wrong Way? (Radar Online)