Why Lindsay Shouldn't Post In Arabic!

Oh, L.Lo.  What are we going to do with you!

I just see the name Lindsay Lohan in a headline now, and I assume it is going to be about something ridiculous.

Well, this week is no different.

Monday, Lindsay posted an inspirational quote to her Instagram followers (she has over 3 million followers!).  The picture, in English, said "You're beautiful" and then had an Arabic translation beneath.  Very nice.  Except, the translation was wrong.  Oops.  The Arabic portion actually translates into "You are a donkey" or "You are an ass".  

How does this even happen? Where did she get the pic!? Does she know Arabic?  This should be a general rule for posting languages: If you can't translate it yourself, don't post it!

Of course, Lindsay has taken down the blooper of a post, but not before setting off the social media world. If you notice #YouAreADonkey trending, now you know why!

Britt McHenry Needs To Take Her Own Social Media Advice!

Just because your Twitter feed is nice and sweet, doesn't always mean you are.

That is my biggest take-away from this week's Britt McHenry scandal.  If you haven't heard, yesterday, a video went viral of ESPN's reporter Britt McHenry berating a parking lot attendee.  Britt, who happens to be an beautiful blonde bombshell, goes off on this woman, insulting the woman's appearance (her teeth and her weight), her education and her lifestyle.  Britt's language makes her look anything but beautiful.  The video was leaked by the attendant, who was working at the tow lot where Britt's car had been towed, and has been watched hundreds of thousands of times.  Britt has since been given a week suspension but the Twitter-sphere does not think that's enough.  Hashtags including #FireBritt have been trending since the video went viral. 

There's irony in this, as Britt has been known to tweet about kindness and post Instagram pictures with quotes like "If you can be anything, be kind."  (Update: Britt just made her Instagram private!)  Well, Miss McHenry.  You need to take your own advice!

You know what is even more strange to me?  Had Britt made these comments as posts on Twitter or Facebook, she would probably be fired.  As we have seen so many times (and I write about constantly in our #DeathByTwitter series), when people make a Twitter-error, they get fired!!  Isn't it more offensive if you are rude directly to someone's face?

Look, I get that people lose their tempers.  We all say things we don't mean.  But you don't need to insult someone at that kind of personal level.  And using your news-status as a way to act better than other people is just gross.

Have you guys watched the Britt McHenry video?  What do you think of it?  Should she be fired or is a week suspension enough?

Best April Fools' Day Jokes of 2015

Don’t trust anything you see in your Twitter Feed or Facebook News Feed today.  At least not without verifying it.  That’s right, it’s April Fools' Day.

Of course, friends will be playing pranks on each other at work and posting fake Facebook announcements.  I think, though, that the real fun of April Fools' Day is to see how big brands respond.   And this year, we’ve got some doozies.

A drumroll, please for my top 5 Social Media April Fools' Day Jokes!

HINGE’S PLAYDATEDating app Hinge released its “newest” feature, PlayDating!  A dating app for 2-5 year olds looking for playdates.  The company flirts the line of a spoof product well in its pretend advertisement, and the little kids are just adorable!!

GOOGLE’S INBOX SMARTBOXGoogle had several jokes going on this year.  My personal fave is the fake ad the google gang made for a “revolutionary new mailbox”.  The Smartbox holds your snail mail, is activated by a wave of the hand, sparks those trying to put junk mail into your mailbox and has temperature controls AND video messaging! (WEIRD!!)
Check out the video, you might just find yourself wanting a SmartBox!

AMAZON 1999In a April Fools' Day throwback, Amazon.com has redone its entire site to look like it is 1999!  Check it out!  It is fascinating, actually to see how far we’ve come. There used to be SO much text and no pictures!! Goes to show that the internet quickly learned the power of visual imagery!

SELFIE SHOEA shoe company, Miz Mooz jumped in on the April Fools' Day action with a brilliant but fake new product, the selfie shoe.  Is it bad that I kind of want a pair?!  The selfie shoe has a slot for your phone and an internal button to take a selfie with a tap of your toe!  The video is hilarious and I now want to cut slits in my shoes to try this!

HONDA’S HR-V SELFIE EDITIONAlso in on the selfie spoof is Honda!  Honda’s “new” car has built-in selfie-ready features.  As its spoof ad puts it, “Every Honda comes with a rear view camera.  But the Honda HR-V Selfie Edition comes with the kind of camera I look for in a car.  It has TEN different selfie cameras!”  This would solve some problems for all those in-car selfies we see every day!