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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 16 Issue 06
Volume 16, Issue 06 Atari Online News, Etc. February 7, 2014
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2014
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
Fred Horvat
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #1606 02/07/14
~ NYPD Uses Google Glass ~ People Are Talking! ~ New YouTube Exec!
~ French Court to Google ~ EA Responds to Critics ~ Tablet Kill Switch?
~ Naughty Dog Moves On! ~ Edit Look Back Movie! ~ Jerks Online, Why?
-* Hacked in Sochi in Minutes! *-
-* Source of Target Hack: HVAC Company *-
-* Cybersecurity Expert to NBC: 100% Fraud Tale *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
More "weather" here in the Northeast! It appears that we're in the middle
of a long, cold, and snow-filled winter this year. Earlier this week, we
had to dig out of about a new foot of snow. That was shortly after getting
a couple of inches (to whet our appetite?) a few days earlier. I don't
think that Spring is going to get here any time quickly!
The 2014 Winter Olympics is starting tonight; and I'll probably watch a
little of it later this evening. There are a number of events that I
enjoy, so I'm looking forward to them. Here's hoping that the games
take place without incident!
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Naughty Dog Brainstorming The Last of Us 2
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" EA Responds To Dungeon Keepers Criticisms!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Naughty Dog Brainstorming The Last of Us 2, Other Games
A day after cleaning up at the 2014 DICE Awards for its work on The Last
of Us, developer Naughty Dog has revealed that it is already thinking
about a sequel to the Game of the Year as well as other, brand new IPs.
Speaking with Eurogamer, writer and creative director at Naughty Dog Neil
Druckmann stated that while its time to let the batteries recharge
after working on the game for four years, his team has been working on
ideas for the future.
We have started brainstorming some stuff. To be honest, some of them are
sequel ideas, and some of them are brand new IP weve spent the last
few weeks brainstorming new IP, he said. So we have to get some good
steps and see
Its kind of like how we approached Left Behind. Can we tell people a
story thats really worth telling, and thats not repeating itself? And
if we cant, where can we get inspired what is something thats really
going to challenge us, and push storytelling in this medium forward?
Naughty Dog is currently working on a brand new game in the Uncharted
series for the PlayStation 4, but its only a matter of time before news
comes out of what the companys next big project will be.
EA Responds To Dungeon Keepers Criticisms
Dungeon Keeper was a game originally developed back in 1997 by Peter
Molyneux and was designed to be a game in which you play as the bad guy,
where you build a dungeon in an attempt to keep invading heroes out.
Were sure many gamers have spent countless hours on the original game
back in the day which is why many were excited when EA released a remake
of the game onto mobile devices. Unfortunately it looks like EA might
have taken the free-to-play model a bit too far, leading to many
criticizing the company for it.
EA Mythic senior producer Jeff Skalski has since responded to those
criticism (via Tab Times). I think any time you re-make anything that is
much beloved and has a great sense of nostalgia for peoplebe it a game,
a movie, or whateverpeople are going to be very protective of it. They
have fond memories of it. We, as gamers, have our own fond memories of
it. Our intention with the mobile version was to give as many people as
possible a taste of that original Dungeon Keeper experience, and for
some people, thats not the way they want to re-visit the franchise.
For those who have yet to play the game, EA has been very aggressive in
getting players to spend real money, such as prompting gamers in-game to
spend more money in order to get certain tasks done faster, which many
gamers felt was a bit unfair and to a certain extent, a bit spammy too.
On the flipside Skalski claims that there are many who are still
enjoying the game, Obviously, this is counter to some of the angry
reactions weve seen around the Internet, so were still trying to look
at all of these data points.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Hacked in Sochi in Minutes: Russian Cyberspace Full of Risks
Privacy in all forms is a very rare commodity at the Sochi Olympics,
according to a report from NBC News.
Athletes, journalists and fans are reportedly seeing their cell phones,
computers and tablets hacked. The report, by NBC News' Richard Engel,
demonstrates how quickly the hackings occur.
In an experiment conducted with the help of an American computer security
expert, Engel created a fake online identity with fake contact lists,
phony names and addresses. It's called baiting the hook.
In Russia, the pair fired up two new laptop computers loaded with Engel's
fake profile to see how long it would take hackers to do their business.
They didn't have to wait long in less than a minute, Engel received what
appeared to be a custom email welcoming him to Sochi and asking him to
click on a link for information he might find useful. After clicking,
Engel said, his computer was "hijacked."
It was the same scenario with Engel's cell phone. "Malicious software
hijacked our phone before we even finished our coffee, stealing my
information and giving hackers the option to tap and record my phone
calls," Engel said.
For those traveling to Sochi for the Games, Engel recommends not bringing
phones or laptops if at all possible. If you can't be without a
connection, delete any sensitive information from devices before logging
on. And as with "phishing" scams, don't click on anything in an email or
a Web page that takes you to an external link, as Web sites that appear
to belong to banks or other "secure" third parties can be easily faked.
Hackers who hail from Russia are known to be among the world's most
skilled. The 2013 hacks of retailers Target and Neiman Marcus were traced
back to a Russian teenager. However, according to Bloomberg, "China
accounted for 41 percent of the world's attack traffic" during the fourth
quarter of 2012.
Cybersecurity Expert Accuses NBC of 100% Fraudulent Hacking Story, NBC Fires Back
Earlier this week, NBCs Richard Engel filed a report warning travelers
to Sochi about the danger of getting hacked, but one cybersecurity expert
took serious issue with the story, which he described on his blog as
100% fraudulent.
In the report, Engel brought some brand-new laptops and a new phone just
to test how secure peoples devices would be in Sochi, and he concluded
that he was hacked almost immediately. But Robert Graham pointed out a
few reasons why all is not as it seems.
1. They arent in Sochi, but in Moscow, 1007 miles away.
2. The hack happens because of the websites they visit (Olympic
themed websites), not their physical location. The results wouldve been
the same in America.
3. The phone didnt get hacked; Richard Engel initiated the
download of a hostile Android app onto his phone.
4.
and in order to download the Android app, Engel had to disable a
lock that prevents such downloads something few users do [update].
He explained that the real issue is geolocation, meaning that from inside
Russia youll see more dodgy Russian sites in the results, which can be
easily disabled in the settings. Graham concluded, The only thing that
can be confirmed by the story is dont let Richard Engel borrow your
phone.
NBC fired back against his criticisms in a point-by-point statement to
Business Insider, saying that it was completely clear Engel was in Moscow
and that the entire story was supposed to be about alerting the layman.
NBC said the story was designed to show how easily a non-expert could
fall victim to a hack. Just like any regular user, Richard went online,
searched sites and was very quickly targeted and received a tailored fake
message designed to trick him into downloading the software.
Target Hackers Broke in Via HVAC Company
Last week, Target told reporters at The Wall Street Journal and Reuters
that the initial intrusion into its systems was traced back to network
credentials that were stolen from a third party vendor. Sources now tell
KrebsOnSecurity that the vendor in question was a refrigeration, heating
and air conditioning subcontractor that has worked at a number of
locations at Target and other top retailers.
Sources close to the investigation said the attackers first broke into
the retailers network on Nov. 15, 2013 using network credentials stolen
from Fazio Mechanical Services, a Sharpsburg, Penn.-based provider of
refrigeration and HVAC systems.
Fazio president Ross Fazio confirmed that the U.S. Secret Service visited
his companys offices in connection with the Target investigation, but
said he was not present when the visit occurred. Fazio Vice President
Daniel Mitsch declined to answer questions about the visit. According to
the companys homepage, Fazio Mechanical also has done refrigeration and
HVAC projects for specific Trader Joes, Whole Foods and BJs Wholesale
Club locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and West
Virginia.
Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said the company had no additional
information to share, citing a very active and ongoing investigation.
Its not immediately clear why Target would have given an HVAC company
external network access, or why that access would not be cordoned off
from Targets payment system network. But according to a cybersecurity
expert at a large retailer who asked not to be named because he did not
have permission to speak on the record, it is common for large retail
operations to have a team that routinely monitors energy consumption and
temperatures in stores to save on costs (particularly at night) and to
alert store managers if temperatures in the stores fluctuate outside of
an acceptable range that could prevent customers from shopping at the
store.
To support this solution, vendors need to be able to remote into the
system in order to do maintenance (updates, patches, etc.) or to
troubleshoot glitches and connectivity issues with the software, the
source said. This feeds into the topic of cost savings, with so many
solutions in a given organization. And to save on head count, it is
sometimes beneficial to allow a vendor to support versus train or hire
extra people.
Investigators also shared additional details about the timeline of the
breach and how the attackers moved stolen data off of Targets network.
Sources said that between Nov. 15 and Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving and the day
before Black Friday), the attackers succeeded in uploading their
card-stealing malicious software to a small number of cash registers
within Target stores.
Those same sources said the attackers used this time to test that their
point-of-sale malware was working as designed.
By the end of the month just two days later the intruders had pushed
their malware to a majority of Targets point-of-sale devices, and were
actively collecting card records from live customer transactions,
investigators told this reporter. Target has said that the breach exposed
approximately 40 million debit and credit card accounts between Nov. 27
and Dec. 15, 2013.
While some reports on the Target breach said the stolen card data was
offloaded via FTP communications to a location in Russia, sources close
to the case say much of the purloined financial information was
transmitted to several drop locations.
These were essentially compromised computers in the United States and
elsewhere that were used to house the stolen data and that could be
safely accessed by the suspected perpetrators in Eastern Europe and
Russia.
For example, card data stolen from Targets network was stashed on hacked
computer servers belonging to a business in Miami, while another drop
server resided in Brazil.
Investigators say the United States is currently requesting mutual legal
assistance from Brazilian authorities to gain access to the Target data
on the server there.
It remains unclear when the dust settles from this investigation whether
Target will be liable for failing to adhere to payment card industry
(PCI) security standards, violations that can come with hefty fines.
Avivah Litan, a fraud analyst with Gartner Inc., said that although the
current PCI standard (PDF) does not require organizations to maintain
separate networks for payment and non-payment operations, it does require
merchants to incorporate two-factor authentication for remote network
access originating from outside the network by personnel and all third
parties including vendor access for support or maintenance.
In any case, Litan estimates that Target could be facing losses of up to
$420 million as a result of this breach, including reimbursement
associated with banks recovering the costs of reissuing millions of
cards; fines from the card brands for PCI non-compliance; and direct
Target customer service costs, including legal fees and credit
monitoring for tens of millions of customers impacted by the breach.
Litan notes these estimates do not take into account the amounts Target
will spend in the short run implementing technology at their checkout
counters to accept more secure chip-and-PIN credit and debit cards. In
testimony before lawmakers on Capitol Hill yesterday, Targets executive
vice president and chief financial officer said upgrading the retailers
systems to handle chip-and-PIN could cost $100 million.
Target may be able to cover some of those costs through a mesh network
of business insurance claims. According to a Jan. 19 story at
businessinsurance.com, Target has at least $100 million of cyber
insurance and $65 million of directors and officers liability coverage.
Update, Feb. 6, 3:33 p.m. ET: Fazio Mechanical Services just issued an
official statement through a PR company, stating that its data
connection with Target was exclusively for electronic billing, contract
submission and project management. Their entire statement is below:
Fazio Mechanical Services, Inc. places paramount importance on assuring
the security of confidential customer data and information. While we
cannot comment on the on-going federal investigation into the technical
causes of the breach, we want to clarify important facts relating to this
matter:
- Fazio Mechanical does not perform remote monitoring of or control of
heating, cooling and refrigeration systems for Target.
- Our data connection with Target was exclusively for electronic
billing, contract submission and project management, and Target is the
only customer for whom we manage these processes on a remote basis. No
other customers have been affected by the breach.
- Our IT system and security measures are in full compliance with
industry practices.
Like Target, we are a victim of a sophisticated cyber attack
operation. We are fully cooperating with the Secret Service and Target
to identify the possible cause of the breach and to help create proactive
initiatives that will further enhance the security of client/vendor
connections making them less vulnerable to future breaches.
French Court Orders Google To Display Fine for Privacy Breach
Google will have to display on its French search page a notice saying it
has been fined by the local data-protection watchdog over how user
information is tracked and stored, France's top administrative court
ruled on Friday.
The U.S. search engine said it would comply with the order but would keep
fighting the 150,000-euro ($204,000) fine issued last month by privacy
watchdog CNIL.
CNIL has objected to Google's method of combining data collected on
individual users across services such as YouTube, Gmail and social
network Google+. The move towards broad storage was introduced by Google
in March 2012 and combined 60 privacy policies into one, giving users no
means to opt out.
The web giant appealed the CNIL's fine last month as well as the order to
post a notice of the sanction on its google.fr homepage for 48 hours.
Google specifically asked the Conseil d'Etat, France's top administrative
court, to suspend that order while it re-examines the case.
On Friday, the Conseil d'Etat ruled that there was not enough urgency nor
proof of damage to Google's reputation to warrant such a suspension. This
means Google will have to post the CNIL's decision on its French homepage
even while it keeps fighting it in court.
"We've engaged fully with the CNIL throughout this process to explain our
privacy policy and how it allows us to create simpler, more effective
services," a Google spokesman said in an e-mailed statement.
"We will comply with the order to post the notice, but we'll also continue
with our appeal before the Conseil d'Etat."
Spain, Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have also opened
similar cases against Google, arguing that its privacy policy breached
local rules protecting consumers on how their personal data is processed
and stored.
Facebook Now Lets You Edit Your Look Back Movie
Earlier this week, we learned that Facebook would soon let you edit the
automatically-generated Look Back videos the company had made to
celebrate Facebooks 10th anniversary.
Sure enough: they just launched the editor.
Almost immediately after launch, many users were complaining about the
photos that Facebook auto-selected. Some had too many photos of their
exes. Some had sad photos that theyd rather not remember as a
milestone. One of my friends Look Backs prominently featured a picture
of a rock, sans explanation or commentary.
A quick visit to the Facebook Lookback page now shows a shiny new edit
button.
The editor might not be quite as feature-rich as some might have hoped;
you cant choose ANY Facebook photo to replace those that you dont like
you can just select from a wider array of pre-picked photos/status
updates.
How To Edit Your Look Back:
Go to the Facebook Lookback page
Hit the edit button
Pick your new photos/posts from the pre-populated selections
Hit the Update button at the top of the page
Wait a few minutes for Facebook to generate your new video.
Its unclear if the edit feature has been launched to all users, or if
its being rolled out over time. Weve checked on around a dozen accounts
now, however, and each one had the new button.
Google Taps Longtime Executive Wojcicki To Head YouTube
Google Inc executive Susan Wojcicki has been appointed new head of the
company's YouTube video business, a source familiar with the matter told
Reuters.
The move, in which Wojcicki will replace Salar Kamangar, represents the
latest change to Google's top properties by Chief Executive Larry Page
and comes as Google is striving to turn the popular video portal into a
bigger money-maker.
"It's one of the biggest traffic sources on the Internet, so it makes
sense to want to try to monetize the best they can," said Needham & Co.
analyst Kerry Rice.
Google does not disclose YouTube's financial results, though analysts
believe the website generates several billions of dollars in annual
revenue from video ads and other promotions.
Wojcicki who is a member of Page's inner circle of top managers known as
the "L" Team, was most recently senior vice president of Ads and
Commerce. She shared the title with Sridhar Ramaswamy, another Google
executive.
Wojcicki's new job is effective immediately, according to the source. It
was not immediately clear what Kamangar would do. A report in the tech
blog The Information, which first reported news of the change, said that
Kamangar was expected to remain at Google, perhaps playing a greater role
in Google's in-house venture capital arm.
YouTube, the world's No. 1 video website, is moving to add
professional-grade video programs to the vast archive of amateur,
home-shot videos as it seeks to attract a bigger slice of the estimated
$70 billion in spending on U.S. television ads.
"Like Salar, Susan has a healthy disregard for the impossible and is
excited about improving YouTube in ways that people will love," Page said
in a statement.
The change at YouTube comes nearly a year after Google appointed Sundar
Pichai to lead its Android mobile software group, taking over from Andy
Rubin, who is now spearheading a secretive group within Google that is
developing robots.
Wojcicki has been with Google from its earliest days. Page and co-founder
Sergey Brin set up shop in the garage of Wojcicki's Menlo Park,
California home in September 1998, around the time they incorporated the
company.
NYPD To Fight Crime With Google Glass
The NYPD is taking a page out of the RoboCop playbook outfitting cops
with Google Glass so a suspects life story can flash right before their
eyes, law enforcement sources told The Post.
Department bosses bought a few pairs of the futuristic eyewear and are
beta testing them with the hopes of using them out in the field.
'It would be like the Terminator. You walk past somebody and you get
his info.'
- Law enforcement source
Its in the early stages, a source said of the NYPDs use of the specs.
A handful of people are testing it out.
The high-tech glasses which integrate a computerized interface into the
wearers field of vision could allow cops to instantly see a suspects
arrest record, mugshot and other key information.
If it works, it could be very beneficial for a cop on patrol who walks
into a building with these glasses on, the source said.
It would be like the Terminator. You walk past somebody and you get his
pedigree info if hes wanted for a warrant right on your eye screen.
You can identify the bad guys immediately within seconds.
In addition to providing cops with instant internet access, Google Glass
could also be used to record audio and video of interactions with
suspects and other members of the public.
That would enhance the safety of officers, the source said. Its a win
win for cops and the public.
San Francisco Senator Wants to Place Kill Switches on Smartphones, Tablets
A new California bill could force mobile smartphone and tablet makers to
place a "kill switch" on their devices in order to prevent theft.
According to The New York Times, Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) is
expected to introduce the bill Friday, which would require all
smartphones and tablets sold in California to have a kill switch.
Having a feature like this would make the smartphone or tablet unusable
if it were stolen. In turn, Leno hopes that this will curb robberies of
mobile devices, since they would be more difficult to sell that way.
The bill, which is sponsored by George Gascón - San Franciscos district
attorney - would make it so phones sold in California on or after Jan. 1,
2015 are required to have kill switches. Those who fail to do so could
face fines of up to $2,500 for each device sold.
With robberies of smartphones reaching an all-time high, California
cannot continue to stand by when a solution to the problem is readily
available, said Leno. Today we are officially stepping in and requiring
the cellphone industry to take the necessary steps to curb violent
smartphone thefts and protect the safety of the very consumers they rely
upon to support their businesses.
However, CTIA - the industry trade group that represents mobile carriers
like AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile - said a kill switch isn't the
answer because hackers could take control of the feature and disable other
phones. Also, it noted that the original owners wouldn't be able to
reactivate their phone if they manage to find it.
While solutions like a nationwide database of phones reported stolen has
been put in place, theft rates are still high. In San Francisco alone,
2,400 cellphones were stolen last year, which represents a 23 percent
increase from 2012.
The city has especially tried to tackle iPhone theft, as the Apple
smartphone remains a popular target. Last April, San Francisco Police
Capt. Joe Garrity described how the cross at Seventh and Market Street in
downtown San Francisco is the main place for selling/buying stolen
iPhones. The report noted that about 48 percent of San Francisco
residents use an iPhone.
Why Are People Such Jerks Online?
Whens the last time a total stranger walked up to you at a party and
just started berating you?
You should be ashamed of yourself. You should be fired for being such a
spineless shill. Maybe theyll replace you with someone who has a clue.
Im guessing that no stranger has ever spoken to you like that. Nobody
except the tragically unstable would open a conversation with you, in
person, with that kind of intensity.
But online, this happens all the time. If youre a writer, you get email
like that routinely. Even if youre not a writer, you see that sort of
language in the cesspools I mean the comments areas of many websites.
Its a problem. The Web has the potential to eliminate our differences in
geography, social class and demographic breakdown. It could be humanitys
best hope for freedom of speech. It could be an amazing, centralized
forum for useful discussion, solving problems, moving forward.
Instead, all too often, its a place for the anonymous and insecure to
take potshots. It seems to be a global incarnation of that old, sad rule:
If you cant feel good about yourself, at least you can make somebody
else feel worse.
For many years, Ive pondered why the Internet turns people into walking
toxic spewers people who, in real life, might be perfectly nice. (Ive
also wondered if people ever heap hatred unknowingly at people they
actually know. Kind of like when you honk angrily at another driver, and
then realize, as he seems to follow you all the way home, that youve
just been a jerk to your own neighbor.)
For most of those years, I had these theories:
On the Internet, youre anonymous. There are no social repercussions
for having a tantrum. Nobody knows who you are.
There are thousands of other voices all around you. So you feel the
need to shout because, deep inside, you worry that you wont be heard.
As Ive often said, technology has become a surprisingly politicized
field. A phone or tablet has become a fashion statement a lifestyle
choice and its always open season for criticizing people whove made
different choices. (See: Mac vs. Windows, iPhone vs. Android, iPhone vs.
Samsung, and so on.)
There might be a youth factor at play. Todays youngsters spend much
less time in face-to-face social interactions than their parents did. So
they may not be very good at being civil because theyve had less practice
being civil. (What will happen when they seek a job? Or a spouse?)
Lately, though, Ive collected two new data points on this question. To
me, they shed more light on the Why are people such nasties online?
question.
First data point: So far, its much better now that Im at Yahoo.
During the 13 years I wrote for The New York Times, the nastygrams
amounted to about 25 percent of the reader email. Yahoo Tech has only been
open for a month, but so far, my readers email has been far more civil.
Thats not to say that people arent critical you, dear readers, have
plenty of good suggestions for Yahoo Techs improvement. But for some
reason, youve been surprisingly constructive about it.
Example: Hi David: The new site is entertaining and very informative.
But I wanted to say that I am really tired of all the continuing CES
stuff you are sort of running it in the ground. The event is over and
the articles are stale. Otherwise, keep up the good work!
My correspondent is correct. Were working on it. But do you see how
gracefully he made his suggestion? Do you see why hes much more likely
to get action than if hed just fired off a nastygram?
So whats going on here? Why are Yahoo Techs commenters much more civil
than The New York Times commenters?
Is it that our site is so new, visitors are cutting us some slack?
Is it that leaving feedback requires some effort, so casual drive-by
insults arent worth making? (Were building a great new comments system
so, for now, the only way to leave feedback on a Yahoo Tech story is to
email the author.)
Or is it that The New York Times is considered an All-Powerful, Shining
Obelisk of Power and is therefore a bigger target to tear down?
I think thats it. I think the higher your profile, the riper you are for
potshots. When people post things online about co-workers or fellow
school parents, theyre much less horrible than when they say things
about, say, members of Congress or Justin Bieber. At least I hope so.
Second data point: The following exchange, concerning this Ask Pogue
article:
Reader, dripping with sarcasm: Good Job not answering Tamaras
question and instead answering an entirely different one. Kudos.
My reply: What do you mean?
Tamara asked: Im thinking home phone lines and cable subscriptions.
Do you agree? What about books and newspapers?
I answered Tamara like this:
Everyone thinks cable TV is dying, since so many people have now
cut the cord and watch TV exclusively on the Internet (from Netflix,
Hulu and so on). But the cord-cutters add up to 1 million people a year
just 1 percent of all U.S. cable subscriptions. Cable TV will not be
going away in three to five years!
Home phone lines are also a lot less popular, thanks to cellphones
and voice-over-Internet services like FaceTime and Skype. So maybe
theyll fade away, toobut in 20 years, not five.
In what way didnt I answer?
Reader: I apologize. I was definitely in a sour mood this afternoon
and had no right to take it out on a perfect stranger. You did directly
address the examples she provided.
Now, thats big of my reader to apologize. But heres the nutty part:
That pattern goes on all the time!
I mean, hundreds of times over the years.
Reader: Nastygram. Me: Calm reply. Reader: Apology.
What the heck is going on?
My guess is that the reader never really expects a reply. She finds me
guilty before the trial. Her thinking is: Hes this almighty columnist
who doesnt care what I think. What a jerk! So her initial email has
resentment for being ignored built in before its actually happened.
Then, when she gets a reply, shes a little embarrassed. Suddenly this is
no longer an anonymous exchange, as in a comments section, but a personal
exchange, as at a party. In that context, her initial volley seems
inappropriate too heated, too intense.
Its a shame it has to be this way. Its a shame we cant start out
civil, with the assumption that people care about our opinions. Maybe
that kind of maturity comes with experience; I know for sure that Id
never send a nastygram, even to someone with whom I heartily disagree,
even to a big, famous person. (After all, Ive been on the receiving
end.)
I dont really expect that anything will change. As long as you can hide
behind anonymity online
as long as we get secret pleasure from putting
other people down
as long as there are no repercussions for incivility
nothing will change.
But maybe, just maybe, now that you, O Reader, have considered what makes
people nasty, youll take that one moment to reword your comment before
you send it. Life isnt long; lets do what we can to make it a pleasant
ride.
=~=~=~=
Atari Online News, Etc. is a weekly publication covering the entire
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