Dixon not mayor at Baltimore City Hall ... on Foursquare
Midnight Sun King Sam Sessa isn't on Foursquare -- a growing social networking site where users can "check in" at bars, restaurants and the like, letting their friends know where they are eating and drinking. But I (guest poster and Community Coordinator Carla) am, and when news came down via an e-mail from Marc Steiner that Mayor Sheila Dixon would be resigning, there was a mad rush for Foursquarers to check in at, you guessed it, City Hall.
See, the person who's checked in the most at a place becomes the "mayor." For example, I'm the mayor of The Reserve in South Baltimore. And, sometimes, mayors get perks. I hear the mayor of Teavolve gets a free entree. Pretty neat? Some of you think so (others will make fun of Foursquare in the comments, I'm sure).
So, people began to check in at City Hall, joking that they had to become the mayor before Stephanie Rawlings-Blake steps in. But who is the mayor of City Hall on Foursquare? That would be Steve Kruskamp Jr., who says his first order of business will be "appointing the entire cast of Jersey Shore as my staff."
Sounds like a fabulous plan to me.
Baltimore Sun photo by Jed Kirschbaum
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Ol' Steve has been at this for weeks. I had seen several of his check-ins there and wondered WTF.
I am the Mayor of several Federal Hill gin joints and one high profile restaurant in Frederick. Though I am not sure it helps me to get a good table.
Posted by: eCommerce Consultant | January 6, 2010 4:43 PM
The fact that there this Foursquare even exists is sad. I mean, how much more narcissism can we take! Facebook, Me, Me and I. My Space, look at me I'm so special! Twitter, I'm eating now. Who f'ing cares. Unreal.
Posted by: Thomas | January 6, 2010 5:00 PM
WTF are you talking about?
Posted by: Chris | January 6, 2010 5:04 PM
Sweet fancy Moses. Why would I want another doodad in addition to Facebook and Twitter?
Of course, I just signed up, but have no idea why. Its site is crap though, I got two fatal errors when trying to sign up. I see you can earn point and badges. Awesome. While I don't need no stinnkin' badges, I do like points.
So I go to FourSquare and post something and then that gets posted on my Facebook page. Uh, I don't get it.
I'm already the king of bad decisions, Mayor would be a step down.
Nice, thought I hear if you check in 10 times at Bad Decisions, you get a free flaming shot. If alcohol set ablaze is your kind of thing ... CC
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | January 6, 2010 5:11 PM
Good God, get lives already. Make your first life nice and you won't need a digital one to hide in to feel important.
Posted by: what Thomas said plus | January 6, 2010 5:14 PM
"i am currently at midnight sun"
does that make me the mayor of it?
sam, i expect rewards ASAP!
ryan97ou, I have some hand sanitizer or screwdrivers that I could give to the mayor of Midnight Sun ... what incentive! cc
Posted by: ryan97ou | January 6, 2010 5:14 PM
I meant bad decisions my life, not the bar. I get no points for those.
Still confused.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | January 6, 2010 5:16 PM
Lame.
And why is this included among the links at the top of the Sun's website?
Posted by: c | January 6, 2010 5:31 PM
Can't figure out how you check in somewhere. As usual, I am nowhere. Oh, self-esteem, another digital existential crisis.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | January 6, 2010 5:32 PM
I've watched one particular super user combing through other people's checkins on four square and there is very little accountability - some users check in 40+ times to a single location daily ...for some reason. Doesn't make it any less fun (I guess), but unless you're fully willing to be geotagged everywhere you go which I am not it's pretty much up in the air.
Although at this point it would appear being the mayor of city hall does have its 83K a year perk now doesn't it... crap!
Posted by: Evan | January 6, 2010 5:39 PM
I agree with the sentiment here. Between emails, texts, blogs, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, fourcorners or squares or whatever it's called, we won't need to use our voices to actually talk to real human beings.
Maybe I'm just old, but this is getting out of hand.
Posted by: Cardwell | January 6, 2010 5:46 PM
Owl Meat Gravy, I am the actual Mayor of Bad Decisions (http://foursquare.com/venue/174532) and am pleased that you take such comfort in my municipality. Perhaps one day we will cross paths so that I may give you some gift cards intended for the needy and show off one of my fabulous new fur coats!
Posted by: Spam | January 6, 2010 6:44 PM
sent me image
Posted by: sirvan_ouraman@yahoo.com | January 7, 2010 3:50 AM
I think Mayor Spam didn't get my stupid joke. It's about capitalization. Bad Decisions is a bar and bad decisions is my lifestyle. No doubt I will combine the two some day.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | January 7, 2010 6:51 AM
My God, what have I done...
Posted by: Steven Kruskamp, Sr. | January 7, 2010 8:00 PM
This is not my beautiful house
Posted by: Sheila D | January 8, 2010 12:09 PM
I found this article on Sheila's goons interesting:
http://investigativevoice.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2099:mayorsurprisingoutburst&catid=25:the-project&Itemid=44
Posted by: Tif | January 8, 2010 3:13 PM