Links 8/31

What a wild and crazy day for news.

1) Worst Journalist Ever: Washington Post sports columnist Mike Wise thought it was a great idea to tweet three pieces of false news yesterday to “test the accuracy of social media reporting.” The bad news: people attributed the news to him.  That prompted sportswriters to all condemn his antics. It’s the Post’s reputation on the line. The paper suspended Wise for the hoax. Ever heard of an ombudsman, Mike? No one will ever look to him for factual information again.

2) Last Surviving Member of First World Cup Team Dies: Francisco Varallo played for Argentina in the 1930 cup.  His team lost 4-2 to Uruguay.

3) Google becomes all-knowing: Well, at least they know what e-mails you want to read.  Today, Google launched Priority Inbox for Gmail, which will catalog your e-mails based on your friends and what e-mails you reply to most.  There was also a bizarre bug that came with the launch.  Apple reportedly plans to double the sample length for songs in iTunes.

4) Proud to be an American?: It’s getting harder to make that claim these days.  Though the controversial mosque by Ground Zero earned the endorsement of one GOP lawmaker today, the news was overshadowed by suspicions of arson on the site of a proposed Tennessee mosque and a hate attack in Seattle.

5) Hip CPR PR Campaign: It looks cool and is fun to play, but how are you supposed to do CPR now?  Directions are in a video at the bottom.

6) Dance: A compilation of movie dance scenes to the classic “Footloose” theme song by Kenny Loggins.

7) Mystery Meat Means Something New: I wrote previously about a miscommunication about cat meat that happened to me in Italy.  Well, a German restaurant has taken it one step farther.  They are actively seeking donations of body parts for a cannibal-themed dining establishment.  Though most suspect a publicity stunt, the restaurant claims inspiration from the Wari people, a Brazilian tribe that practiced cannibalism.

8 ) English Catholic Women Take on the Pope: Catholic Women’s Ordination (CWO) will plaster buses in London with ads for female ordination ahead of the Pope’s visit next month.

9) Fight Loitering Teens: What’s the best way to do that?  Some cities suggest adding lights works.  Others have tried Barry Manilow music.  Still others will try the “Mosquito,” a loud pitch designed to only be heard by young people.

10) Pro-Bullying Stance?: Apparently, the anti-bullying campaigns are a gay front. Yeah, whatever.