Love this article in theage.com.au: Benefits of a Tweet surrender. How true, you don’t have to post on twitter to be part of it.

At school my reports came home, talks a lot….I was a chatterbox. My brother was the quiet one. One day a teacher told Mum that just because he doesn’t talk much doesn’t mean he is not part of the conversation, some of us are talkers and some are listeners.

This can be the same with Twitter.

I look forward to @simonlazenby’s comments about what happens on the way to work, love the way you can instantly see news headlines and footy scandals!!  All this and I haven’t posted anything.

As I chatterbox, I love to post snippets of my day and ask advice and communicate , my brother is still the quiet one, who only posts or retweets occasionally.  That doesn’t mean he doesn’t enjoy the footy news, American football and baseball news and following their stars and other posts.

Twitter is not the dark side, enjoy it.

theage.com.au: Benefits of a Tweet surrender

Twitter hold-outs are missing out on a wealth of news and discussion, writes Claire Cain Miller.

A common reason given by those who have yet to try Twitter: “I have nothing to say.” The truth is, you don’t have to post a message to get the most out of Twitter.

At its best, the social medium is a perpetual, personalised news service about topics of your choosing – whether health-care reform, tech news or the latest episode of Gossip Girl – filtered and served to you by people who care a lot about what you care a lot about.

Even the most prolific users say Twitter has become more useful as a way to tap in to the discussions of the day than to broadcast their own thoughts. And once you get pulled in, you might find you have something to say after all.

Twitter’s co-founder, Biz Stone, suggests naysayers simply log on and search for a topic that interests them, whether it’s their favorite sporting team or a topic in the news. Within a minute, they understand the appeal, he says.

Twitter users write 50 million messages a day. For the hold-outs, here are a few ways to make Twitter work for you.

A custom news feed

By the time Bridget Baker, who works in public relations in Seattle, checks Google Reader while eating lunch at her desk, she has already read most of the articles in her feed because she saw them on Twitter.

In the year since she joined, she has written only 17 posts. “I tend to be a pretty private person and I don’t feel I have anything that needs to be said,” she says. Yet she opens Twitter first thing each morning and follows friends, bloggers and thought leaders who post about politics, religion, fashion and food.

People with shared interests become your editor and Twitter becomes an alternative RSS feed. Find those people by searching Twitter directories, like WeFollow or Just Tweet It and by following people whom others repeat or mention.

One-fifth of posts and 57 per cent of repeat messages contain a link, proving that this is an increasingly popular way to spread news, says Dan Zarrella, a social media scientist who works at a software company called HubSpot. A quick scan reveals the news of the moment as the most important stories of the day bubble up and are reposted.

Check your lists

Twitter is such a fast-moving stream that you may not want to follow everyone who posts about your interests. That’s one reason Twitter invented Lists, which anyone can create. Someone could separate celebrity users or tech pundits, for example, so they get an unadulterated stream of news on only the topic they want at that moment.

If you don’t know who the best users are on a favorite topic, look for Lists on sites such as Listorious or by checking profiles.

Virtually attend a conference

Most conferences these days have a Twitter hashtag. At the exclusive TED conference in Long Beach, California, in February, for example, attendees added #TED to the end of their posts.

By searching #TED on Twitter, people could read the latest updates (and skip the $6000 attendance fee). People wrote quotes from the speakers, like this one: “‘If I had only one wish for the next 50 years, it’d be to invent the thing that halves the cost of CO2′ – Bill Gates #TED.”

What’s around you right now

Twitter is working on ways to deliver news nearby, like alerts about an earthquake or the closing of a bridge, Stone says.

Twitter’s list of trending topics can now be searched by city. Some Twitter apps, such as Tweetie and TwitterLocal, let you search posts near you. Check the website Happn.in to see the most discussed topics in your area.

Ask questions

You can use Twitter to ask questions when you don’t know whom to ask, such as where to eat dinner in a new city, for example, or how to extend your iPhone’s battery life, and you are sure to get answers.

Some people are even using Twitter for more urgent questions. A medical student at the University of Debrecen in Hungary, Bertalan Mesko, wrote a post about a patient with mysterious symptoms: “Strange case today in internal medicine rotation. 16 years old boy with acute pancreatitis (for the 6th! time). Any ideas?”

Within hours, specialists worldwide had responded. One of the suggestions helped the doctors with a diagnosis.

“It would have been impossible to find that specialist through e-mail, because we had no idea who to contact,” Mesko says.

New York Times

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Congratulation to the AFLPA Blog relating to the same article featured in yesterday’s Code name Max blog.

As Anthony commented on your blog: ‘Dialogue not mologue’ It’s the best way to engage the fans Ian. You guys are definitely leading the path for sporting associations in Australia and I can tell have had some great advice along the way.

Check out their retweet from @AFLPAToday

RT @IanPrendergast: @stevealessio delivering the AFLPA’s strategy re Social Media at Sydney club visit http://yfrog.us/744h3z

Article : SOCIAL MEDIA IS ALL ABOUT ENGAGE ENGAGE ENGAGE posted by Ian Prendergast, AFLPA’s General Manager of Player Relations

At the AFL Players’ Association, we like to take a glass half full view when it comes to social media.

Sure, there are a number of pitfalls, but with care, support and education, we see mostly upsides for players in this space.

As an organisation we’ve made the decision to commit to opening up via social media.

We’ve established our blog – http://www.aflpablog.com.au/ which features opinion pieces from a range of AFLPA staff on a range of topical issues.

A number of key people are a regular presence on Twitter with @SteveAlessio and @IanPrendergast providing regular updates and insights as well as our organisational wide Twitter presence – @AFLPAToday.

We also have a Facebook presence – www.facebook.com/AFLPA of which in the coming weeks you will see the introduction of some exciting new features.

This is all in the spirit opening up regular two way communication channels.

We want to shine a light on our work.  We want people to know about it.

Today’s Herald Sun back page – ‘Clubs spy on Stars’ makes some valuable contributions to this area.

We are strong advocates for players to make use of the variety of social media options – with thought.

But we also see great upsides for Players and fans.

For some time, the AFLPA has advocated for a ‘3 E’ approach when it comes to use of social media by players.

For us, its all about EDUCATION, ENFORCEMENT and ENGAGEMENT.

We educate the players on the opportunities and threats.

We enforce and vigorously protect the rights of AFL Players online rights.

We engage and reach out to fans.

In particular, Facebook and Twitter are terrific ways for Players to engage and communicate with fans.

Whilst our work in reaching out and connecting fans with players’ social media may be in its infancy, we are committed to promoting and developing such two way conversations.

FAKE PLAYER SITES

A tweet from harry_0:

2 days ago I started taking stats 4 http://harrysworld.com.au/ & in that 48hrs Iv had 4,000 hits. Im so grateful & its just the beginning.  Fri 5 Mar. 09:29

In recent days I have noticed Harry O’Brien, AFL Collingwood player has taken on social media in big way. You can catch him at his Blog Harry’s World.  He is doing a great job and all Collingwood Fans must love it.

He has not listed a Facebook page on his Twitter Profile. @Harry_O seems to be handling the Social media scene okay…If you know it is the real deal then everyone should realize any others are fake.

@Jobe Watson and @AngusMonfries are on Twitter as well.

@ JobeWatson:  Just got our new suits from Soho. Glad the pirate will have something to wear to the Season Launch at Etihad on March 16. http://is.gd/9yzJk Wed 3 Mar 9:13

@JobeWatson: getting ready to head to visy for practice match against melbourne, looking forward to a good hitout. Sat 27 Feb 9:52

@AngusMonfries: Thanks for questions. I’m studying journalism at Latrobe Uni, been doing it for a few years part time, trying to fit it in around training!! Thur 4 Mar 20.52

Let’s not scare then off, an official presence makes all other dummy pages just that, fakes….and as for facebook there is always Unfriend.`

In the article below McLean said she was not deterring players from using Facebook, but was urging them to play it smarter.

Great Advice: PLAY IT SMARTER.

Article : Herald Sun: AFL clubs spy on football stars by Mark Stevens

AFL clubs are turning to a renowned “cyber cop” amid mounting concerns about the pitfalls of mobile phones and Facebook pages.

Susan McLean, a former policewoman with 27 years’ experience, has been called into the inner sanctum at Carlton and Fremantle in recent weeks.

McLean, who also visited the Brisbane Lions last year, has delivered warts-and-all briefings on the dangers of the web and “sexting” on phones.

It is understood the clubs paid McLean, Australia’s leading expert on the issue, about $1500 a session.

McLean said yesterday she confronted players with examples close to home, researching heavily to expose dangerous Facebook pages.

“When I go into clubs I’ve spent a fair bit of time trying to dig the dirt on the players,” McLean said.

“I say to them, ‘These are the pictures I can find’. I’ve got some interesting stuff on all the clubs that I’ve been in.

“Clubs have now got a handle on this, identifying it as a welfare issue and the players are jumping on it.

“Clubs, certainly the ones I’ve spoken to, are now developing it as part of their code of conduct to give them guidance.”

Several players have also been the victim of fake Facebook sites, using their name to lure friends.

Even Carlton coach Brett Ratten is the target of a dummy page as the problem spreads, with McLean offering advice on how to kill off fakes.

McLean has also focused on mobile phones, warning that young players keeping naked photos of girlfriends under 18 were breaking the law.

With Brendan Fevola copping heat for allegedly forwarding a naked photo of Lara Bingle via his mobile phone, McLean’s services are likely to be in high demand.

“I missed Fevola at Brisbane because he wasn’t there last year and I missed him at Carlton because he was at Brisbane,” McLean said.

At least two other clubs are considering calling in McLean, who said players were in need of an outlet to discuss cyber and phone issues.

McLean was the first Victoria Police officer appointed to a position involving cyber safety and young people and now has a key role in schools and universities to eradicate bullying.

She yesterday outlined several damaging examples on the web, including:

A HIGH-PROFILE player whose first friend on Facebook was pictured naked.

McLean told the players at the club: “If she had any clothes on, I couldn’t find them. This is one of your teammates’ No. 1 friends … but what is this showing?”

A YOUNG star at the centre of a fake Facebook page, which attracted hundreds of female friends thinking they were interacting with the player himself.

“While the player has nothing to do with it, he was concerned he was hurting people,” McLean said.

A PLAYER had 1600 “close personal friends” listed. “That’s not manageable in any way, shape or form. It’s just sheer stupidity,” McLean said.

McLean, who provides a 90-minute presentation as well as a one-on-one follow-up, made it clear the message on Facebook was getting through.

“About 50 per cent of each club’s players have a presence on Facebook. After I’ve been, it would probably drop down to 10 per cent,” McLean said.

“I know because I go back and look. They’ve all gone. They’ve heeded the message.”

McLean said she was not deterring players from using Facebook, but was urging them to play it smarter.

There have been times when twitter can bring a product down, but according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, Toyota is using twitter to positively promote products after their period of bad publicity from safety recalls.

By this image below of their website Toyota Conversations they may need to work out which icon goes with which social media function. Let’s hope they match car components correctly.

Article: The Los Angeles times: Toyota, looking for positive spin, turns to Twitter

If ever there were a company in need of positive spin it’s Toyota.

With the relentless grind of safety recalls and suffering sales, the Japanese automaker has tapped Twitter to help repair its image. Toyota launched a branded channel on TweetMeme with help from Federated Media.

Called Toyota Conversations, the channel features news stories, videos and other information tweeted. It also shares tweets from Toyota’s Twitter account and its own AdTweets. Recent additions include “5 Reasons to Buy a Toyota” and “Toyota rolls out 0% financing incentive plan.”

Tweetmeme channels can be programmed to pick up only select news sources. So, in contrast to the sober tone of stories in the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere, the mood is positive and light.

As TechCrunch points out, the Twitter sentiment application Tweetfeel suggests that the Twitter universe trends more negative.

Brands have been turning to Twitter to participate in conversation with consumers and to influence how they are viewed. Now Twitter has become a valuable tool for crisis communications folks. Think Kevin Smith and Southwest Airlines.

“In the social sphere, it’s often best to be proactive during a crisis, to let the market know you’re listening, and centralize the discussion around your brand, giving the brand more opportunity to guide the conversation,” Web strategist Jeremiah Owyang said. “Yet don’t be fooled, on the social sphere the illusion of power is quickly dispelled, as everyone can have a say.”

– Jessica Guynn

This is a cool article by twitip:Why Should I Be On Twitter?

Yes, this is the constant question that gets asked and I agree with their answer, it is FUN, what are you waiting for?

Why are so many people scared of social media? They think it is a waste of time, but it is here to stay, so knowing the correct way to approach it is a better attitude that just putting up the negative barrier.

Article:  twitip: Why Should I Be On Twitter? by @Justin_hillier

Believe or not, over the last week talking with clients I have been asked this question 4 times now by prospective clients wanting to get into the Social Media/Social Recruiting space. It wasn’t necessarily the question that shocked me (well it did but) it was more the fact that these companies had not as yet done their research and identified what benefit Twitter can bring to their business as well as to their own knowledge in the market place.

As with any new tool or fancy gadget it is imperative that you undertake all of the necessary research first to find out if it is right for you, but also what benefit you can expect from your investment in time and money. You won’t just go buy any 52″ LCD TV now will you? Social Media is no different. I myself was totally against joining Twitter when I was first introduced to it, however my skepticism of it “being a waste of time” was quickly shot down.

Here is a list of why I now value Twitter so highly:

1. Build a network of contacts within your industry that you never had access to or knew about before, not just locally, but globally.
2. Share your knowledge and expertise on a global basis.
3. Discover new opinions and thoughts from like minded people in your industry, locally and globally.
4. Great way to engage with future clients, the Twitter community are a very approachable bunch.
5. Great way to engage with current clients.
6. Build your company reputation through constant engagement and quality content.
7. Build your personal reputation as a thought leader and industry specialist.
8. When it’s organized, great way to meet your network through Tweet-ups and like minded events, building your personal contacts and forging friendships.
9. Your Network will bend over backwards to help you with things that you never would have expected. Trust me, it’s true.
10. Listen, watch and learn. You don’t have to contribute 24/7, there is great learning to be had just by watching your feed sometimes.
11. It’s FUN!

If that is not enough reasons then maybe Twitter isn’t for you. But if it is, what are you waiting for?

The Baby Boomers are taking a beating at the moment, you name it and they are getting the blame. Organic consumers advise: Why Growing Numbers of Baby Boomers and the Elderly Are Smoking Pot and The Vancouver Sun suggests Aging boomers set to put brakes on auto industry.

These Baby Boomers are the same people that are grandparents or about to be grandparents to our kids.  These same people who are coping with today’s new social media expectations.

For all of those Grandparents or soon to be Grandparents, I could not resist this excellent article by bostonkayakguy: Baby Boomer Grandparents: Good Bye Nana & Papa, Hello Avatars and wish you all luck.

I am sure that my Mum and Dad would one day love to be iNana and iPop!  Mum’s been training for it for years on the computer and Dad does have a flip camera.

Article:bostonkayakguy: Baby Boomer Grandparents: Good Bye Nana & Papa, Hello Avatars

So… who am I?

Or more definitively, what name should I  be called by my granddaughter… who’ll be arriving in a mere 83 days??

Once my daughter gives birth, I will have a new job, a new title, and require a new name – another addendum to my resume of life.

Of course this is the chance that we grandparents2B get to define ourselves, to position ourselves for that first impression, …or maybe it’s the last impression?

So maybe you didn’t like the name you were born with?  Or you think your parents chose a name that really doesn’t fit you, doesn’t convey the essence of who you are as a person?

And with the impending arrival of your new grandchild, you’ve begun to realize you now have an opportunity to create a new impression or moniker for yourself!

You now get to decide how you want to be perceived; how you want to be remembered.

And in this day of reality TV, social media, and mobile devices, you have to consider a name that will easily transcribe onto smartphones, iPads, and texting platforms.

So what does this mean for me?

I must envision a name that doesn’t use up too many of my 140 characters on Twitter, so that my updates are easily retweetable.

My facebook profile has to be hip, full of witty wall posts and multimedia extravaganzas so as not to embarrass the grandchildren!  I want them to artfully create fan pages of their grandmother and grandfather.

I want my home on facebook to be a comfortable place where they’ll want to bring their friends to hang out.

I need to make sure my blogger persona and my blog are perceived as a cross between The Daily Show, TMZ, Tech Crunch, and The Drudge Report so that the grandchildren will want to be part of my world and I can easily glide into their conversations and text messaging.

My avatar needs to show my creative side, and must position me to attract followers – in massive numbers hopefully so that my grandkids will be eager to ‘follow’ me.

My mentions on Digg, Stumble Upon, Technorati, and Delicious must be sure to not embarrass the next generation, nor cast me in an unflattering light in their social networks.

My feeds must be timely and not mundane.  I need to share enough of my life to entice, but not so much as to cause my family to cringe and implore me to ‘get off the grid.‘

I know I must make certain to never capitalize because SHOUTING isn’t dignified, and can incite certain groups.

My flip camera videos must be accompanied by rockin’ musical scores and Photoshopped images, before being cast onto the internet.

And my apps available on the iPhone and iPad must be moderately priced, but attract throngs of devoted, passionate fans willing to set up forums to discuss how awesome an app maker I am.

My mashups must deliver on imagination and ease of retainment, and my squidoo lenses must encompass breaking news and relevancy.

My iTunes library should recognize that music is a deeply personal form of communication, so my rap and hip hop lyrics must be clean; they must also show that I understand the intimate stories that drive these convos, and my classic rock preferences must steer away from a roster of musicians who are close to signing up for assisted living. So I won’t be waiting to learn what the kids call me; rather I will be positioning myself so that I will slip easily into Generation-2’s daily dose of social media.

What may be the greatest grandparent names of all? – the iNana and iPop!

The next milestone in innovation should be grandparents- for we’ve lived a life that’s been unbelievable, and we look forward to a future that is the ultimate in high performance as loving and relevant grandparents!

image thanks to Activity Village.co.uk: Grandparents Day Cards To Print

7:02 am Feb 7 twimemachine: Previously known as ‘oldtweets’. Easily browse your old tweets. Can only go up to 3200 tweets. Enjoy!

Thanks to a tweet from Twitter_Tips : This is great!! Easily browse through your older tweets: http://j.mp/agW7T9 I now have the easiest way to look up older tweets.

TwimeMachine …log into Twitter at the Twimemachine site  to browse your old tweets. ….

example : @greentrashcan