Upcoming Facebook Feature Not a Substitute for Common Sense

Over the weekend, the man behind Facebook made a big announcement. Mark Zuckerberg stated that his company is going to do whatever it takes to put an end to fake news stories running wild on the social media giant.

We all know the issue here. Too frequently a story comes up on our news feed that has been shared 41,419 times and carries with it a questionable headline: Facebook to start charging access fee or Cam Newton hands football to kid despite $50,000 fine or Don’t go to the polls, just vote via text message.

It is time for Zuckerberg to do something to put an end to fake news stories just so news feeds aren't so cluttered. However, I think people can figure out for themselves whether something is legit or not.

It is time for Zuckerberg to do something to put an end to fake news stories just so news feeds aren’t so cluttered. However, I think people can figure out for themselves whether something is legit or not.

Many times these stories gain steam and trick our Facebook obsessed friends and family. In fact, sometimes these fake posts pull such a fast one on us that not only do we believe them, we actually follow what they tell us to do!

How many of us have seen poor souls actually copy and paste a status update to “protect” against Facebook accessing and selling their most personal information?

Yes, I am elated that Facebook is doing something to put a road block right in the middle of the high speed fake story freeway where these links/updates spread to millions of users. The bogus articles are garbage. They clutter up timelines and put a damper on the Facebook experience. This social media litter is very prevalent.

Zuckerberg and his team will huddle together and create some type of detection software that will test each piece of Facebook content for authenticity. The trash will be incinerated before it ever sees a second of a news feed. This will be a very anticipated feature.

But let’s hold up one second and hold ourselves accountable. Fake Facebook stories are easier to spot than an elephant in a tent. We are smart enough to know that Tupac didn’t appear at a music festival and we have enough intelligence to know that Hillary Clinton is not going to contest her presidential election loss. I firmly believe that if we just take one second to question the legitimacy of a story (look at the source, look at the author, look at the URL) we would never even click on it, let alone share it to our very own coveted social media real estate.

I am glad that Facebook is going to start protecting against scams just from the standpoint that our news feeds will be cleaned up. However, I don’t think we should have to rely on Zuckerberg for help deciphering something that our common sense alone should already tell us. Don’t Blink.

Ideas for the Ultimate Snack Mix

My whole life I have really enjoyed snack mixes. As a big fan of the Chex Mix varieties and of traditional trail mix concoctions, I have always liked the combination of “mega salty meets slightly sweet.” But forget the “slightly sweet,” I like the combination of just “mega salty” as well. Have you ever had the Costco Pub Mix before? You know, the snack mix packaged in that big tub? You can’t get me away from it!

I love the salty and very flavorful Pub Mix from Costco.

I love the salty and very flavorful Pub Mix from Costco.

In general, I like snack mixes just because I enjoy the different textures and different flavors coming together for one bold taste. Just make sure to have a drink with you because any mix worth a darn will make you thirsty.

When these snack mixes came out, the pattern was what I described above: either “mega salty meets slightly sweet” or just “mega salty.” However, in recent years many options have surfaced that deliver on a taste that is either “mega sweet meets slightly salty” or simply “mega sweet.”

Need examples? Chex Mix offers a family of snacks such as chocolate turtle, dark chocolate, and even muddy buddies! Reese’s even offers a snack mix that is high on peanut butter and chocolate. My favorite sweet snack mix, introduced to me by my mother-in-law, is called Monster Mix. It still has the traditional peanuts and raisins included, it just has a much higher ratio of M&M’s added with a generous portion of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips as well. I like it so much that on Halloween I opted to eat Monster Mix instead of candy.

I opted for Monster Mix over candy on Halloween.

I opted for Monster Mix over candy on Halloween.

But then on Friday everything changed. My wife surprised me with a snack mix that takes the “mega sweet” concept to a completely different level. When I came home at the end of the week, she told me to go look on our bed. When I did, I came upon a tub of Rudolph’s Mix.

Sidney surprised me on Friday night with a tub of Rudolph's Mix. You have to try it!

Sidney surprised me on Friday night with a tub of Rudolph’s Mix. You have to try it!

An item you can only get at Target, Rudolph’s Mix is probably the most sinful holiday treat you can purchase. The packaging doesn’t call it an “indulgent snack mix” for nothing. It includes milk chocolate & white chocolate-covered cereal pieces, graham bites, M&M’s, and peanut butter cups. The snack is so delicious and so sweet that you can practically feel it in your teeth when eating it.

This is me holding our tub of Rudolph's Mix. It is incredible.

This is me holding our tub of Rudolph’s Mix. It is incredible.

Perhaps the best part of it all? Rudolph’s Mix tastes like Christmas! It is hard to explain through words but just sample some and it will all make sense. The Hallmark Channel is already running Christmas movies and I kid you not, watching the films while munching on the Rudolph’s Mix will really make you feel the Christmas spirit even if it is still mid-November.

Okay, time to get to the point of this blog post. I hope I illustrated that snack mixes are getting much more…ummmm…to borrow a word from Rudolph’s Mix…indulgent. If any of my readers out there has a wild, wacky, or delicious concept for a snack mix, please let me know. I will take one idea that is submitted and actually create it. Of course I will write about it as well. So please don’t hold back. Let me know the ingredients of your dream snack mix by contacting me over social media or through Don’t Blink. Have a great Sunday and happy snacking! Don’t Blink.

Post Election Day Thursday Rundown

Tonight I deliver my first ever Thursday Rundown with a President-elect Trump in existence (trust me, I never thought I would say that). So let’s make my Thursday Rundowns great again (awful, cliché joke) and get started with the five topics…

Eating at Wahlburgers – For those fans of the Wahlberg brothers and of their television show, you might be interested to know that Sidney and I ate at Wahlburgers on Monday night. The restaurant itself was pretty cool. You could eat in the “full service” section or you could go through a cafeteria type line if you were in a hurry. The place also had a nice bar. As for the food, I wasn’t too impressed. I ordered the basic cheeseburger and sweet potato tater tots. Both items were average. If given the choice, I would opt for Five Guys.

Sidney and I ate at Wahlburgers in Myrtle Beach on Monday night.

Sidney and I ate at Wahlburgers in Myrtle Beach on Monday night.

Speeches from the Candidates – Last night after work I came home and watched Donald Trump’s victory speech and Hillary Clinton’s concession speech on YouTube. I actually enjoyed both addresses. I liked how Trump playfully made fun of himself and I also liked the army of Republican power players he brought up to the stage and introduced. When it came to Hillary’s situation, I always feel bad during the presidential election concession speech. She tried so hard to keep it together and did a pretty good job at it. I felt she was gracious in defeat, something that couldn’t have been easy considering never in her wildest dreams did she think Trump would beat her.

I also want to touch on an incredibly inspiring scene that took place today. President Obama hosted President-elect Trump at the White House. For a president geek like myself, the image of the two of them sitting in side-by-side chairs in front of the press was totally cool. After a terribly bitter campaign in which both men took unmerciful shots at each other, they were able to put it all behind them and get down to business. I was actually surprised when I learned that Obama and Trump had never met before but I guess it made the encounter even that much more remarkable.

I thought the meeting between Trump and Obama today was pretty inspiring.

I thought the meeting between Trump and Obama today was pretty inspiring.

Amazing Sunrise – I have taken photos of sunrises at Coastal Carolina before, but nothing like what I captured yesterday. The heavenly display on Wednesday morning was spectacular. I was working out in Coastal’s gym when the sun started to come out and the colors started to dance. I stopped what I was doing and ran outside to take a couple photos. Our #CCUSocialMedia audience seemed to appreciate the beautiful sight.

This was the photo I took of the Coastal Carolina sunrise. What a beautiful scene.

This was the photo I took of the Coastal Carolina sunrise. What a beautiful scene.

One Final Reminder Not To Say This – Although I have linked to this a couple times in my previous blog posts, I think it is worth highlighting in tonight’s Thursday Rundown. I know a lot of people are angry with Donald Trump’s shocking win and that is fine. However, I think it is important to express presidential election frustration in a way that doesn’t entail threatening to leave the country. We need to be thankful for where we live. We need to be thankful for democracy. We need to be thankful for a government that is set up with checks and balances. Go ahead and fume, but please be respectful.

Dr. Strange – After Wahlburgers on Monday night, Sidney and I went to watch “Dr. Strange.” I had heard great things about the film from friends, social media followers, and critics. However, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. In all reality, I should have anticipated this considering I am not the biggest fan of Marvel movies. However, I thought “Dr. Strange” would be a little different. For me, the film just contained way too much fantasy and science-fiction elements for my liking. I guess you could say it was just too sophisticated for me. I kind of wished I chose “Hacksaw Ridge” for our date night.

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Please make sure to thank a veteran tomorrow. Have a great weekend and know that I appreciate you reading my blog. Don’t Blink.

Shock of the Century

What. A. Shocker.

What else can I say? Time and time again, President-elect Donald Trump proved me wrong over the past 18 months and he did so again last night in historical fashion. I doubted he would make a serious push for the presidency, doubted he would win the Republican primary, and doubted he would hang with Hillary Clinton throughout the general election campaign. And, on the eve of election day, I doubted he would even come close to making the final tally respectable.

Last night, he shut me up for good. Congratulations to Donald Trump on defying the odds, overcoming countless obstacles, and winning the highest office in the land. Although I questioned him and called him out, I can’t take away the grit, talent, and the determination that man has.

I love behind the scenes photos. Seeing this glimpse of the Trump camp watching the election returns was pretty cool.

I love behind the scenes photos. Seeing this glimpse of the Trump camp watching the election returns was pretty cool.

I got a little more than I bargained for last night. As someone who never obsessively latched onto a candidate, I wanted to see at least a tiny bit of drama unfold as the votes rolled in. You know how a football fan who has no interest in the teams playing in the Super Bowl wishes only for a good game? Well, much in the same way, last night I wanted to see a competitive race in what was supposed to be a runaway. What I got was the most unpredictable, surprising, underdog victory in political history.

Watching the coverage last night, I kept asking myself is this really happening? As I watched the surprising results unfold and monitored the social media chatter, I could actually sense inside of me the air deflating from the Clinton camp and the confidence rising in the Trump camp. Yes, what occurred was so surreal and unexpected that I could feel the shift inside of me. I went to bed at 1:30 a.m. last night, about an hour before the media projected Trump would win the presidency but a couple hours or so after the writing was on the wall. When I awoke this morning, I turned on the TV and the ticker on CNN boldly proclaimed DONALD TRUMP ELECTED U.S. PRESIDENT. At that moment, the reality sunk in.

I woke up this morning and took this photo of my TV screen. Even though I went to bed with Trump having the election in the bag, it was still shocking waking up to the news.

I woke up this morning and took this photo of my TV screen. Even though I went to bed with Trump having the election in the bag, it was still shocking waking up to the news.

I take full blame for underestimating President-elect Donald Trump. But of course, I am not the only one. Please bear with me for another football analogy…

In 2008, the New York Giants faced the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. The Giants weren’t given a chance. It was supposed to be a blow out. Perhaps the most lopsided game in Super Bowl history. A snoozer. From the time the matchup was set, the media talked nonstop about the Pats. New England had superstars, a superior passing/ground game, and a legacy to defend. The team also had impressive statistics that were sure to help them play that much better on that particular Sunday. We all know what happened…

The upset of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party reminded me of the upset of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in 2008.

The upset of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party reminded me of the upset of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in 2008.

When I saw this morning that Donald Trump had won the presidency, it reminded me a little bit of when the Giants beat the Patriots 17-14 to win the 2008 NFL title. Despite a media desperate to crown its own champion along with fancy statistical models seemingly backing up the anointed choice, the exact opposite happened in both cases.

I think the national media can do a better, less biased job. I think the constant polls that are shoved down our throats can be less frequent and much more scientific. Along with myself, I blame the media and polling professionals for getting this all so wrong.

Disappointed with a Trump presidency? That is fine, but please remember to express yourself in a civil way. In anticipation for this bitter election, I wrote a full eight months ago about the road we should never travel if our preferred candidate is not elected. It is time to heal and it is time to support the person we elected as president. What a saga it was. Don’t Blink.

Our 2016 Voting Experience

Today it was the pleasure of Sidney and I to perform our civic duties and vote. We went to Ocean Bay Elementary School in Myrtle Beach to cast our ballots.

We voted at Ocean Bay Elementary in Myrtle Beach today.

We voted at Ocean Bay Elementary in Myrtle Beach today.

We quickly learned we weren’t just poking our heads in to vote. With the line stretching outside the school, it made for a long afternoon. Inside, the line stretched and curved all around the school’s cafeteria.

The turnout at our voting precinct was heavy. The line snaked around the entire cafeteria and out the door.

The turnout at our voting precinct was heavy. The line snaked around the entire cafeteria and out the door.

We passed the time in line by talking to our neighbors in front of us and in back of us. As South Carolina is very much a red state, I overheard a lot of people voicing their support for Trump. One man said he would “wait all day to vote for Trump” while another commented that he didn’t care about the rest of the ballot, he just wanted to vote for Donald.

After we checked in at the voting precinct, we were given these little "vote" cards that we eventually would give to the voting official at the front of the line.

After we checked in at the voting precinct, we were given these little “vote” cards that we eventually would give to the voting official at the front of the line.

After two hours and 20 minutes in line, Sidney and I finally reached the front of it. A main reason for the long wait wasn’t just because of the strong turnout, it was also because out of the seven voting machines installed, only three were in working order.

After two hours and 20 minutes, we finally reached the front of the line.

After two hours and 20 minutes, we finally reached the front of the line.

Once we submitted our ballots we received our coveted stickers and took the obligatory “we voted” selfie. Then, hungry from the long wait in line, we went off to lunch.

Wearing the stickers to prove it, Sidney and I posed for this selfie outside of Ocean Bay Elementary after casting our ballots.

Wearing the stickers to prove it, Sidney and I posed for this selfie outside of Ocean Bay Elementary after casting our ballots.

My story, along with the millions of other voting experiences shared by others today, is a major example of why the United States of America is the best country on the planet. To have the opportunity to voice our opinion for the top leader in the nation along with our preference on many other races and issues is an extraordinary right that we all need to appreciate and take advantage of. I voted and I am proud of that. Don’t Blink.

Final Thoughts on the Presidential Election

Wow. It is a little hard to believe that we find ourselves on the eve of the 2016 Presidential Election. If you read this blog regularly, you know that for the past 16 months or so I have written about the many twists and turns this race has taken. I followed the announcements, the rallies, the debates, the conventions, and everything in between. Now, with just hours until the polls open, it is a little surreal.

Throughout this race, I have kept an open mind. Although I know who I will vote for tomorrow, I tried my best to listen to the ideas of both candidates. In fact, I listened to the ideas of one candidate in person. In March, I went to a Hillary Clinton rally here in Myrtle Beach. But while I never saw Trump in the flesh, I did usually stop what I was doing to watch his massive rallies when they were aired by the cable news stations. Usually nothing short of a circus, I was always intrigued and sometimes entertained by what Trump would say.

In my opinion, I think this race can be best characterized as a comedy of errors by both the Trump and Clinton teams.

It almost goes without saying that Donald Trump was his own worst enemy. I don’t have enough fingers to count the number of times he sent out bizarre tweets, tangled in feuds with people he shouldn’t, and kept talking way past the point when he should have shut up. However, even with his blunders, what Donald Trump managed to do this election cycle has been nothing short of amazing. I recognized this and have given him credit. However, I also have called out. In the end though, Trump’s inability to show discipline at some crucial times will probably cost him the White House.

When it comes to Hillary Clinton, I just have one question: How did she and her campaign allow this race to be so close? It seemed like Donald Trump personally gift wrapped the election and gave it to Hillary over and over again. But she never capitalized on it. Some questionable moves, an FBI investigation, and a heavy dose of dishonesty has placed her almost neck and neck with Trump the day before the election. Even with the help of the current president, the media, and countless celebrities, Clinton is sweating out tomorrow’s outcome.

Don’t get me wrong though, even with two flawed candidates, I have enjoyed watching and following the day-to-day developments of this bitter presidential race. This unprecedented time in American history will culminate for me tomorrow when I go vote. I haven’t come close to revealing who I will support and I am going to keep it that way.

But I will offer my prediction. Even though polls have tightened and Trump has grabbed momentum, I think Hillary Clinton will win comfortably tomorrow. However, just like in sports, upsets do occur. Come tomorrow, I will be on my couch watching as an historic evening plays out. Don’t Blink.

My Presidential Election Social Media Guidelines

We have reached the point where we are past “the final stretch” of the presidential election. Instead, we have pretty much arrived at game time. To use an analogy one of my coaches used to make, “the hay is in the barn.” Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have battled and campaigned their hearts out. With less than 2% of undecided voters out there, the next President of the United States is probably pretty much already selected. We now just have to wait a little more than 48 hours for the final verdict to come in. Of course, many of us will be passing this time monitoring and sounding off on social media.

With that said, let me just offer three guidelines we can all keep in mind over the next two days as we peruse the social media waters.

1. When it comes to social media, feel free to proudly make your candidate preference known. It is your first amendment right and I personally like reading the ideas, thoughts, and opinions of my friends. However, try to be respectful and don’t take the bait. If you see someone on Twitter who doesn’t agree with you or just appears to not agree with you, there is no need to engage them by tweeting at them. Likewise, if someone writes a book on Facebook about an issue or candidate that you don’t agree with, what do you really gain by responding? Unless you are aiming for an embarrassing argument for all to see along with a bunch of annoying notifications, I would advise to just keep your opinions on your own Facebook page.

2. Don’t let Facebook give you anxiety. Although I have a tough time believing that people can actually allow the presidential election to disturb their mental health, by all means take proper precautions if it does. If the decision between Donald and Hillary is keeping you up at night, it is best to stay off of social media the next couple of days. Trust me, you probably won’t like what you see.

3. Finally, and most importantly, don’t use social media to utter the absolute worst phrase you possibly can. Come Tuesday night, no matter who becomes our nation’s President-elect, please don’t make mention of wanting to leave the country. Seriously, please don’t.

Exactly four years ago on this date, I wrote about how special a presidential election night is. I still feel this way and I will make sure to give Tuesday evening my utmost respect. Social media can both enhance and diminish from the sanctity of what the night is all about. Choose to honor it. Don’t Blink.

Boston Thursday Rundown

This is my first Thursday Rundown I have ever written in the city of Boston. First time for everything I guess! Here we go with this week’s five random topics…

Day at the Farm – Last Saturday, Sidney and I took our niece and nephew to Thompson Farm in Conway for a fun autumn/Halloween activity. We went through a corn maze, jumped on inflatables, fed animals on a hay ride, picked out pumpkins, and much more. It was a very warm 80 degree day so it maybe didn’t feel quite like fall but the activities and the farm’s backdrop helped to equalize the weather factor just a bit.

Sidney and I had a great time with our niece and nephew at Thompson Farm.

Sidney and I had a great time with our niece and nephew at Thompson Farm.

Great Halloween Costumes – I have to give it to my sister and niece for dressing up in some pretty creative and cute Halloween costumes. My sister dressed up as the (Wo)Man in the Yellow Hat while Mikayla dressed up as Curious George. They looked great! The only disappointment was that when it was all said and done, the mother-daughter duo did not win their Halloween costume contest.

Mikayla and Miranda dressed up as a popular childhood duo.

Mikayla and Miranda dressed up as a popular childhood duo.

My 2016 Halloween – Speaking of Halloween, my October 31 this year was pretty low key. I went over to my in-laws and helped pass candy out to trick-or-treaters. Over the past 10 years or so I tended to celebrate Halloween in an adult way, so it was a little different this year. However, it was a nice change. Staying home with my wife and her family was really relaxing and fun. I think I will remember the drive that night from my house to my in-laws for a long time. It was just like the scene out of Hocus Pocus. The streets were covered with kids in costumes running from house to house, families sat in lawn chairs out in their driveways, and many houses were decked out in Halloween decorations. A typical two minute drive instead took 10 but it was well worth it.

We kept a tally at my in-laws house as 119 trick-or-treaters visited their household.

We kept a tally at my in-laws house as 119 trick-or-treaters visited their household.

Boston – Last night after the first day of the Higher Ed Social Media Strategies Summit concluded (#SMSSummit), some of the conference attendees, myself included, explored Boston a bit. We ate at a restaurant called the Barking Crab and then we took in the city’s skyline from the famous Longfellow Bridge. It was nice to hang out with people in my industry outside of the conference context while at the same time checking out the sights of one of our country’s greatest cities.

I had a great time exploring Boston last night. This is me on the Longfellow bridge with the city skyline behind me.

I had a great time exploring Boston last night. This is me on the Longfellow bridge with the city skyline behind me.

From The Archives – I have a few options for those who want to read what I wrote on November 3 in the past. If you go back a year, I spoke out against the practice of shaming trick-or-treaters who might appear to be of advancing age. In 2014, I enjoyed telling my experience of feeling just like a Sportscenter anchor as I did a top ten countdown for my monthly segment on our Coastal Carolina University television show Coastal Now. Then, three years ago on this very date in 2013, I wrote about a $16.99 monthly scam I was suckered into. As always, feel free to read what you wish.

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Tomorrow I come back to Myrtle Beach. I am very excited to see my wife and enjoy the weekend with her. Until then, I have one last night here in Boston to admire this beautiful city. Don’t Blink.

The Best Part of Attending the Higher Education Social Media Summit

Yesterday, I wrote about the incredible opportunity I have to attend the Higher Education Social Media Strategies Summit here in Boston. Today was the first day of the conference and it was jam-packed. I had the privilege of participating in workshops and listening to speakers from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

I am in Boston for the Higher Education Social Media Strategies Summit. I had to include the Snapchat geofilter.

I am in Boston for the Higher Education Social Media Strategies Summit. I had to include the Snapchat geofilter.

For the most part, the material was outstanding. I could write about the techniques, best practices, and strategies that were discussed but I will save all my non-social media enthusiasts the technical jargon. Rather, I will just briefly say this:

When I am at home doing my job, it seems like I have a very unique occupation. Actually, it goes much further than that because I know for a fact that I do have a unique occupation. The truth is that compared to other industries, there just aren’t that many higher education social media professionals.

However, today I was in a couple conference rooms composed entirely of higher education social media professionals. I was suddenly surrounded by people who think, perform, and act like I do. We were speaking the same language and relating to each other’s experiences. At least twice today, I looked up at the presenter and said to myself, Wow, I am totally this person.

A couple photos I took of presentations today.

A couple photos I took of presentations today.

It really was the first time I ever felt this way and it was very refreshing. I know in last night’s post I anticipated that I might feel this way but by the time the first day wrapped up a couple hours ago there was no more “might.” To be in the company of my counterparts was really cool.

Now, for anyone who would randomly walk into the conference, they would immediately know they were in the presence of social media professionals. Most of us were on our laptops and iphones the whole time whether it was for live Tweeting the conference, tending to our work social media accounts, or doing other nerdy online things that folks like us do. Of course it was all encouraged!!

I am excited for the second and final day of the conference. For those not with us in Boston who want to still feel like they are attending, make sure to follow the #SMMsummit hashtag. I promise you, it is almost as good as being here…almost. Don’t Blink.

An Exciting Opportunity to Get Better

This afternoon I traveled up north to the great American city of Boston. I am here to attend the Social Media Strategies Summit for Higher Education. The conference will take place over Wednesday and Thursday. I will return home on Friday. To put it bluntly, I am stoked to be here!

Why am I so excited? Well, let me translate for you what the SMSS Higher Ed exactly is. Basically, it is two days of workshops, meetings, and networking geared specifically to social media professionals working at colleges and universities. Over the next 48 hours I will be in company with fellow social media coordinators and directors at higher education institutions across the nation. I will be with my true counterparts, men and women who run their university’s primary social media accounts and head up the social media programs on their respective campuses. Although I have connected with some of the people who will attend this conference before, I have never met any of them in person.

As social media is still a relatively new profession, there aren’t a lot of conferences dedicated solely to the subject, especially pertaining directly to the higher education level. This conference in Boston is basically the sole opportunity for people like me to learn and discuss strategies with others who are in the exact same position that I am.

I am incredibly grateful to Coastal Carolina University for allowing me this opportunity. I plan to get as much out of this conference as possible. It is my hope that this will allow me to improve both #CCUSocialMedia and my own professional skills. Don’t Blink.