Glenn Fleishman @GlennF:
Twitter is the universal empathy engine some days.

@GlennF On 9/11, took me two weeks to learn my two-degree connections. Now happens in minutes.

Everyone tweeting that “this will change things”: a Congresswoman got shot in the head, and nothing happened. This is the status quo.

Caleb Garling @CalebGarling:
The second saddest story of today is the people in a meeting – somewhere, right now – working to spin this so they maintain gun rights

@CalebGarling @GlennF Having worked with lobbyists, can tell you: they’re not meeting now. They have plans made in advance and ready to go.

Number of days before I had to increase Verizon iPhone plan from 2 gigs to 4 gigs: 4.

VZW Support @VZWSupport:
@jeffporten Sounds like you’re really going to town with that data on the best network! Luckily doubling your plan is a cinch! ^JHK

(Addendum: I wasn’t saying this was a good thing. More in an upcoming post.)

Peter Cohen @flargh:
In order to stay environmentally conscious, I’ve decided to sell my car and ride an oxcart yoked to Ed Begley Jr.

@flargh Begley gets low mileage. You should trade him in for a younger model.

Lex Friedman @lexfri:
SERIOUSLY how are you supposed to send your kids to school? I HATE being a father, because it makes these stories SO MUCH WORSE/TERRIFYING.

@lexfri At risk of being cold: count # of schools, divide to very low ratio, breathe deep. And hug your kids a lot til you’re happy again.

“@arstechnica: 27-inch iMac is positively austere on the inside http://ars.to/Y1CRya  by @Lee_Ars” // Empty case powered by fairy dust

Shawn King @ShawnKing:
Know-It-All Guy at the party just said, “In Arizona, it’s illegal to *NOT* pick up a hitchhiker…” He’s SO full of shit, isn’t he?

@ShawnKing there are states with laws saying you have to rescue someone stranded in dangerous heat. Might be referring to that.

Shawn King @ShawnKing:
@jeffporten Seriously? Sounds like serial killer heaven… :(

@ShawnKing if you’re in the desert without water, you’re better off getting a lift from the Son of Sam.

Shawn King @ShawnKing:
@jeffporten No – if you’re dumb enough to be in the desert without water, Darwin takes over…

Kelly Guimont @verso:
I was gone when iTunes 11 dropped, and I’m all ascairt now. Should I upgrade or wait for 11.0.2? #holdmyhandtwitter

@verso I’m waiting for bug fixes, and wish I’d stayed with 10.

Kelly Guimont @verso:
@jeffporten That good huh?

@verso I like it, but I lost the ability to convert MP3s to iTunes podcasts. Regular part of my listening workflow.

“@theloop: Dell leaving the smartphone business http://loopu.in/12ood3b ” Dell was in the smartphone business?

Jim Dalrymple @jdalrymple:
When the Internet slows down in Canada, you know someone else tried to dial into the modem.

@jdalrymple I usually blame the ice weasels.

Jim Dalrymple @jdalrymple:
@jeffporten That works too

jimmy fallon @jimmyfallon:
Cops broke up a fight between 2 neighbors named Hall and Oates. When they heard sirens, they were like, “Oh-oh here they come!” #fallonmono

Hmm. Switched to Verizon for 4G coverage in Sprint dead zones, like Atlantic City. Not seeing LTE yet.

VZW Support @VZWSupport:
@jeffporten Then we need to find out what’s going on with 4G LTE access, Jeff! Which device do you have? What zip code are you in?^DGM

@VZWSupport LTE came up shortly after I tweeted. Good service since, except it’s *dangerously* fast as tether due to data caps.

@VZWSupport Burned 500M of data before I realized what was going on.

VZW Support @VZWSupport:
@jeffporten Thanks for getting back Jeff! You’re right about monitoring your usage. Let me know if I can help again. Take care!^DGM

Philip Michaels @PhilipMichaels:
If you mash up my Twitter feed right now, famous musicians are giving directions to Sandy victims via Google Maps for iOS.

@PhilipMichaels You forgot encrypted with 1Password.

david carr @carr2n:
I’ve tweeted 2x from #121212concert w major errors. Pretty sure that guy who slipped me some M&M’s was on the level, but,,,

@carr2n Don’t eat the brown M&Ms.

Apple & GMaps called hazardous by police in Australia, where even your goddamn phone will kill you if the fauna doesn’t.

Australia’s not so much a continent as it is Harry Harrison’s Deathworld.

Lex Friedman @lexfri:
The smell of singed hair
My arm now has a smooth patch
Chanukah haiku

Philip Michaels @PhilipMichaels:
@lexfri Unintentional burns suffered by the Maccabees are an oft untold part of the Hanukkah story.

@PhilipMichaels @lexfri Some of them grew eight arms, as told in the hit musical, “Spider-Maccabee: Turn Off the Dark (With A Menorah)”.

Glenn Fleishman @GlennF:
@jeffporten @PhilipMichaels @lexfri Hanukah translates as “depilatory.”

Kevin van Haaren @kvanh:
So terrible at social events. Once the background noise reaches a certain level I can no longer hear or concentrate. Have to hide or leave.

@kvanh Have you been tested for ADD? I have the same symptom, Ritalin helps.

Kevin van Haaren @kvanh:
@jeffporten no but been thinking about it

@kvanh recommended, especially if you are a regular user of nicotine, caffeine, or alcohol. Unconscious self-med strategies.

@kvanh Try reading _Driven to Distraction_, excellent intro and way to determine if this is a serious issue.

Kevin van Haaren @kvanh:
@jeffporten by hallowell?

@kvanh yeah, think so.

Andrew Laurence @atlauren:
@kvanh @jeffporten Hmm. I find excessive background noise to be painful. At parties I’m often looking for a quiet corner.

@atlauren @kvanh Loud environments cause constant task switching. This costs ADD brain more than healthy brains, making it very unpleasant.

Andrew Laurence @atlauren:
@jeffporten @kvanh This sounds familiar to me.

Kevin van Haaren @kvanh:
@atlauren @jeffporten I still have really good hearing and can hear all these conversations and it keeps me from focusing on anything.

@atlauren @kvanh If you can tolerate it for N amount of time, but eventually your mood deteriorates rapidly, that’s the exact symptom.

@atlauren @kvanh But panic disorders, agoraphobes, and people who don’t like noise will *immediately* have mood change.

Kevin van Haaren @kvanh:
@jeffporten @atlauren pretty much volume level + time for me. Definitely not agoraphobia.

@kvanh Yeah, you’re reporting classic symptoms. Go RTFM and schedule an eval.

@kvanh @atlauren Bottom line: evaluation is painless. Meds may have cognitive benefit regardless of diagnosis. & Ritalin is cheap.

Lex Friedman @lexfri:
The smell of singed hair
My arm now has a smooth patch
Chanukah haiku

@lexfri Menorahs designed
For seven year olds to light,
You Jewish doofus.

Lex Friedman @lexfri:
@jeffporten we had 18 candles burning!

@lexfri Lex Friedman’s abode:
Two open flames too many
For Molly Ringwald.