geekosystem

Remember when we previously reported about Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth's Twitter comments about the "always-on" complaints in regards to the next-gen Xbox? Specifically, remember when Microsoft officially apologized for Orth's comments without actually talking about whether the next Xbox will even have an "always-on" feature? Well, Adam Orth certainly remembers, as he's now apparently no longer at Microsoft.

Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has died at the age of 87 due to complications from a stroke. Her name quickly shot up to one of the top trending topics on Twitter, because Twitter loves talking about a notable death. Thatcher was nothing if not a controversial figure in Britain, and while many supporters are mourning her passing, plenty of folks are on the verge of celebration, while others are just using her passing to crack jokes. Here's a brief sampling of Twitter's reaction to the former PM's passing.

It's still a bit premature to start complaining about the next-gen Xbox being "always-on" for one reason or another, seeing as there's nothing official out just yet, but it hasn't stopped folks from expressing their opinion as to what they'd think of a console that constantly required a connection to the Internet. In short: They don't like it. On April 4th, Adam Orth, Microsoft Studios creative director, went off about these complaints on his Twitter. Microsoft has since officially apologized for his tirade, though their statement doesn't even come close to addressing anything about the "always-on" rumors that instigated it.

As North Korea continues to bolster its threats against the United States, it seems they've got some social media issues to deal with. The official Twitter and Flickr accounts of the North Korean government have been hacked, and hacktivist group Anonymous is taking credit. The Twitter account seems to mainly be posting about other sites that are being hacked, but the Flickr page has some pretty bizarre pictures of a half-pig half-Kim Jong Un creature.

If you're a Metal Gear Solid fan, chances are you've come to expect a certain voice emanating from the series' long-time protagonist, Solid Snake, in the English version of the games. Specifically, folks expect one David Hayter. Unfortunately, the latest installment -- Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain -- will apparently continue on without Hayter's vocal talents, and he's put out a statement on Twitter about the whole thing that's just plain depressing.

Hate your job? Sure you do. There's no shame in it. We've all been there, and many of us, sadly, will stay there for some time. Always remember, though: There are plenty of perfectly appropriate places to voice your professional gripes. That's pretty much why offices even have bars near them, but new Twitter service FireMe! is an excellent reminder that "on Twitter" is not one of those places. The very existence of this service -- which automatically aggregates tweets from people who hate their jobs -- marks the beginning of the countdown to someone finding out they've been fired through a well-placed RT.

Considering the digital confusion that has come out of the Catholic Church in the last few months, you wouldn't be out of line in assuming one of the Vatican's Twitter accounts had been hacked when it tweeted the following yesterday: "Holy switcheroo! Batman has grown bitter, more vengeful with the years." It wasn't a hack, though -- it was something even weirder: proof that yes, the Vatican apparently does have a position on Batman. And it's that they miss the Adam West version of the character, which is a really indefensible opinion to espouse, even for the Catholic church.

Seeing movies at a film festival is always a bit of a gamble. You could be one of the first to watch the next big thing in film, or you could be stuck sitting through someone's three hour magnum opus about their cat. Thankfully, the Tribeca Film Festival has teamed up with Vine to host a film contest, #6SecFilms, based around the six-second video loops currently flooding your Twitter feed. There's no fee to enter, or limit on entries, and you can win cash money. Go Vine some Vines on Vine.

The Holy Smoke Monster has spoken! Rather, the white smoke issuing from the Sistine Chapel announced that a new Pope has been chosen. But more importantly, the Bishop of Rome and successor of Saint Peter has returned to Twitter -- the modern-day proverbial mountain from which all things are shouted. And shout Pope Francis I does, with ALL CAPS, in tweet #1.

Florida Man has quickly become one of my very favorite Twitter feeds, representing a peculiar blend of stupidity, crassness, and mind-boggling lack of common sense that is a genre unto itself. If you aren't following Florida Man, I don't know what you're doing with your time on Twitter, but I am prepared to say that you're spending it poorly. Don't take our word for it, though. Check out our fifteen favorite examples of behavior peculiar to Florida Man.

There are some things we've always just assumed about the Internet that we never bothered to look into too thoroughly. We know the Internet likes cats, we know people on Instagram think their food is super-interesting, and we know that the things people say on Twitter don't accurately reflect the popular opinion of society. Don't worry, though. Pew Research went ahead and double-checked that last one with a year-long study.

If you have pictures of the Space Shuttle Enterprise, The Intrepid, Sea, Space & Air Museum would like to talk to you. Well, not so much talk to you as just have you tweet at them, but still -- the Intrepid Museum wants to you to communicate with them, because they want to use your pictures of the shuttle in a new exhibit.

A few weeks ago Code.org launched with the goal of getting more young people excited about coding. When they launched there were rumors that they were producing a video with some of the biggest names in coding like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. Today they released that video, and sure enough, Gates and Zuckerberg are in there. They're in good company too, with some big name coders from Twitter, Dropbox, and for some reason will.i.am. The takeaway message? Being a programmer now is basically like being a junk bond trader in the 1980s, except the cocaine and strippers have been replaced with free pizza and awesome rumpus rooms, and the bond trading has been replaced with doing something of some utility to society.

I don't think there is a rule in society that is both so universally agreed upon, but still ignored as not using a cell phone in a theater. Everyone hates it, but everyone does it at some point. At the WiredArts Fest, though, not only is cell phone use allowed -- it's downright encouraged. They want you tweeting about the shows, snapping pictures with Instagram, and even streaming the events from the comfort of your home. It's a new approach to the relationship between social media and theater, and it's one I'm kind of into.

Benedict XVI, as we all know, is stepping down from the office of the Pope after nearly 600 years of no one doing that. But even more stunning -- brace yourself, Internet users! -- is the fact that the Pope is going to disconnect completely by not tweeting anymore. That's right, @pontifex will be shut down. But will anyone pick up the papal micro-blogging slack?