Goodbye Class Tweeting, Hello Again Old Friend!

Since this class is almost over I figured I should share with everyone that I will be blogging from Spain come January! Feel free to follow my stories on my Spain blog...address coming soon...

ROI...A concept I've heard many a time. Everyone always wants proof if their measures are actually working for some benefitt. People always need actual evidence, statistics, and research to back up why a particular means is the solution to the problem.

It's like that menality: What's in it for me?

I kind of hate that way of thinking and I'm sure everything you do to promote yourself/a business is at least somewhat worth it even if you capture one person's attention. That one person could be the biggest opinion leader!

Anyway, I understand though that "time is money" and people need an efficient way to measure their success by using a certain tool.

Happy almost-Winter! (snow, cold = my walk to school is sadness)

twitter.com/kimchiquita

Twitter is a very interesting tool. I have yet to come to terms with my feelings for it. I don't understand still why there is an importance for it especially since, as of right now, it doesn't seem as popular, or could be as popular, as something like a Facebook.

I read the news article about James Buck being arrested and how the public became informed about his situation by his use of Twitter:

On his way to the police station, Buck took out his cell phone and sent a
message to his friends and contacts using the micro-blogging site Twitter.

Honestly, I'm really happy for James Buck but if I had texted my twitter with any sort of update on my status of well-being I doubt anyone who actually knew or cared about me would see it. It just seems like a one and a hundred chance that someone I care about would be constantly checking Twitter.

On the other hand, I can understand why people would want to use Twitter for their own personal benefits. As stated in 25 Twitter Tips for College Students, I would definitely use Twitter to send me to do list updates or to use "tweet what you eat" -- it sounds so fun!

I made a Twitter and so has my roommate...check ours out and maybe one day you can save me when I've been arrested in a foreign land.

¡La Revolución!

Do you think you can really make a difference? Does what you say really even matter? Well, if you're reporting on Steve Jobs' health and supposed heart attack you could have Apple's stock drop 10 points almost instantneaously.

This new found era of expressing your ideas and informing the public on "news" is creating a catastrophe for the print publications (cosmogirl just went under!) but it is also creating a new outlet for people around the world to tell the public the "truth" without biases.

Last spring break I traveled around the UK and when I was in London I stopped by speaker's corner in Hyde Park.

Seriously, going back to literally standing on a soapbox preaching to people on the street.

From Thomas Paine's Common Sense to Current_TV and iReport, people have been informing others by word of mouth for decades. Now we are just able to see numerous points of view digitally and within minutes.

Actually, there was a guy standing outside of the Chinatown metro today SCREAMING about how Christians are the most ignorant and hateful people in the world. Only in America, yeah? You should have heard the people at speaker's corner...

Privacy?

If only there were more foot doctors in life that could diagnose the problems of people being too nosy. Luckily we know of one intelligent man who can spot a Googler when he sees one, Dr. Scott Haig.

Its a critical epidemic nowadays and it is spreading to our youth. People stay up for hours on end checking incessantly peoples' status, photos, wall posts, music updates, etc. just so they can find out a little bit more about a possible friend or foe.

Where does this disease spread and how harmful can it be? Well, unfortunately there are predators out there who contract this disease and have malintentions. This is where the line needs to be drawn.

According to a very prestigious research institution, surveys show statistics like these:

Do you know what your kids are publishing on the World Wide Web?! Because I have a 14 yr old sister, and I barely know what she is up to...& I'm a part of her generation!

New. Chic. Innovation. CURRENT.

Even the cynics like Andrew Keen, author of The Cult of the Amateur:How Today’s Internet Is Killing Our Culture, have to face the facts that today techonology is consuming and taking over our lives.

Think about this election...the first election to be powered and fuled by the digital generation. YouTube videos for campaign announcements, text messages sent out for VP endorsements...it's out of control -- yet, for someone like me a part of the digital generation, it seems so normal.

I know the difference between an "amateur" blogger and a harvard intellectual. I am aware that Wikipedia isn't always a reliable source of information. Growing up in this generation we are accustomed to seeing the difference between facts and someone just talking to talk.

Current TV, a new form of television where viewers can submit content, really emphasizes the difference between intellectual and hot-air. Even though I think this is an amazing concept, and I could see myself buying and tuning into Current (for fashion/travel tips from around the world!) I still think people should have good judgement about who they're actually listening to.

Being a part of this generation, it also intrigues me about what lies ahead. I am not afraid because I think that we are only progressing at the natural technological pace that we have now set for ourselves. Though I do think this could end terribly, there's no turning back now.