Talking Heads ~ Twitter

[BooksAdmin]

Talking Heads #5

"It occurred to me that nothing is more interesting than opinion when opinion is interesting..."
Herbert Bayard Swope, creator of the Op-Ed page.

A two week  forum for opinions on anything in print: magazines, newspaper articles, online: bring your ideas and let's discuss.

Our Fifth  Selection is:     
Do You Tweet? 
USA Today

"What are you doing?" is the question Twitter asks "Twitterers" to answer in a simple text message as they connect with friends, co-workers or the wider world. Twitterers "tweet" about everything from what they had for lunch to how much they enjoyed their latest Netflix DVD. If that sounds silly and incredibly narrow at first, don't worry, you're not alone.

"When people hear about Twitter, their immediate reaction is that it's the simplest and stupidest idea in the world," says co-founder Biz Stone.

"They do not want to know that their brother is eating a hot dog right now," he says. "But then they discover that their friends are on it. And so are the L.A. Fire Department, NASA and JetBlue. Then they get it.

Do YOU get it? Do YOU "Tweet?" (which is what they call a post).  Have you ever even looked at it? Millions do.

What is the appeal of Twitter, really?

You can only post 140 characters at a time, which may lead to conciseness OR perhaps more abbreviations.

What is it doing to the language? Why aren't you doing it? Want to try once?

Let's discuss the latest Internet Phenomenon: Twitter!

But what IS Twitter? Here is a video which explains it, see what you think: http://www.commoncraft.com/Twitter   

[ginny]

Welcome to our Fifth in a series of Op/Ed opinions which are generated by any written media!

Today we're talking Twitter! What is it? What's the appeal? Have you ever looked at it? Do you, in fact, ever "Tweet?"

Recently if you tuned in to Larry King to see the new 48 year old  singing sensation  from Great Britain you found yourself looking at Ashton Kutcher, (sp?) husband of Demi Moore, who had won a Twittering Contest with a huge band of followers, beating out CNN.

Er....is this a generation thing?

Larry King went on also or so it says.

A recent article in several places including the LA Times: (http://articles.latimes.com/2009/mar/03/business/fi-twitter3) mentioned that ONE draw of the site might be the "celebrities" posting their thoughts there, and the need we as people have to feel "close" to them.

If this is true,  is it a good or bad sign?

In this displaced world we live in where perfect strangers attend funerals of people they don't know, what is Twitter actually doing for us?

Your thoughts are welcome and you don't have to confine them to 140 characters.

Welcome!
 

[mrssherlock]

Is that Ginny posting?  Halleluyah!  We joked that noting could keep you down for long but I'm surprised to see you back so soon.  Overjoyed, in fact.  Now I'll read the article.

[maryz]

Wonderful to have Ginny back at her computer!

I don't do Twitter, and don't plan to do so, but will hang in with the discussion.

[ginny]

Thank you Jackie, you are so kind. And thank you Mary, I appreciate that.

I've just put this in the heading, it's quite revealing. If you have no experience with Twitter, play this but pay attention to what the goals and benefits seem to be?

http://www.commoncraft.com/Twitter   

[CallieOK]

I'm interested in what will be posted here - but have no interest in Twitter...possibly because I don't think I could ever limit myself to 146 characters. <smile>

[Babi]

Sounds like it's basically casual gossip, doesn't it.  About nothing of particular interest?   So far, it sounds like tweeting should remain 'for the birds'. 

[Mippy]

Ginny!  oh  my  g-d    wow!   yes!   You're back!   Oh, Ginny, I've thought about you so often!
How are you feeling?    Can you type with your leg up in "rest" position?   Tell all !!
this is sent with <<<<max>>>>  hugs from Medfield, MA, where I'm baby helping with my 6-week old grandson, Casey.
 
Here's 140 or less:
 my adult kids  tweet,  so I'll learn what's going on asap!

[ginny]

Thank you Mippy, I'm fine, sitting here like a "normal" person or as close to it as I can get, I appreciate the concern, am doing splendidly.

Babi and Callie, I agree, that's why I'm going in tomorrow and look up somebody's tweet and see what all the fuss is. That video in the heading is VERY interesting for what it says, I'll replay it tomorrow and write out the salient (to me) points it makes as to why somebody would "tweet." Sounds so sweet. hahahaa

It's easy to find, you just type Twitter in google. Might be fun, as Mippy says, the kids are doing it. Maybe see what Larry King found to say.

Will report back tomorrow.

[pedln]

Remember that book that came out many many years ago -- A Nation of Sheep.  I think it was about how we follow and are captivated by advertising.  My first reaction to Twitter is -- we are a nation of sheep as we follow a the pied piper to twitterdom.

And of course, those of us who right now are thinking that this is kind of stupid and sad, well -- we'll probably miss out on something if we don't twitter.  So no doubt we'll get in line too.

Must admit, I don't do too well with audio presentions, but my understanding is that one can twitter with just about any kind of communication device -- phone?, computer?, ipod?  But I'm hazy on logistics -- does everyone have their own twitter page and invite people to stop by and tell what they're doing?

Now, at some point each day, or each hour, we stop doing what we've said we're doing -- put down that book -- and go twitter.

We have email, we have cell phones glued to our bodies, we have blogs where we can pour out our most private thoughts, we have Facebook and MySpace with 117,000 friends and Instand Messenger.  What does Twitter do that these other media don't?

[winsummm]

no i don't tweet or twitter although it so cute because I have so may places already to post m thoughts and opinions maye the world would like to know tha I'm tired of chocolate and have reduced temtaion to hersheys kisses which need to be unwrappped which ultimately slows the  hand to moth activity accompanying reading.

that and adding to together. call it chocolate tweet time.

[Mippy]

Why tweet?  My (34 year old) daughter says she does not, but understands that people like to use twitter during TV shows, to exchange views, just as people talk during movies ...  to say I like or don't like that actor ...  and especially during TV shows like American Idol.

Here's one:
With so much babysitting, I don't watch much TV !

[Steph]

I tweet, but am not sure why. I like facebook much much better.

[Babi]

What does Twitter do that these other media don't?

 
 Good question PEDLN. I can remember reading long ago about a society that no longer intermingled, but had contact only thru' visual phone/computer communication. Each person was isolated, and the idea of going out
or meeting someone in person was terrifying to them.
 If I exchange commentary on a TV show I would rather have the other party right there with me.

 Tired of chocolate?!!  Oh, Winsumm, dear, I'm seriously concerned for you!
Are you depressed?  Do go have some chocolate, dear. You'll feel better, truly.
Thank goodness for Hershey's Kisses! 

[serenesheila]

Hi, all.  I do not twitter, nor I intend to do so.  My last technological purchase was a Kindle.  I decided then, I am tired of having to learn how to use, all of the new developments.  My son, and his family, gave me an ipod for Christmas.  I came home and put it in a drawer! I have decided it is ok for the younger folks.  But, I am taking a stand.  I still do not know how to do everything my cell phone is capable of doing.  In fact, all I want to know how to do with my landline, and the cell, is answer and make calls.

I think my brain is stuffed full of too much information!

Sheila

[Maryemm]

Yoohoo, Ginny! Good to see you posting again.

I have never visited the Twitters website, I must confess. Guess it is because I twitter enough in  the Latin classroom and lounge! In any case the word is too close to our derogatory word "twit" and that's rather put me off. (Do you use the word "twit" in the US?)

I think we have become a "nation" of observers. We like to watch, and comment, because we like to feel "involved" without having to do anything about it.

 I imagine these days lots of people don't know their neighbours so soaps on TV, and twitterers on line offer some form of relationship, and one, which as I've said, doesn't really mean real involvement.

Sheila: I'm off to Google what a "kindle" is!!


Babi: I've wanted to eat a Hershey bar ever since seeing "Empire of the Sun"!

[pedln]

Maryemm, go to Amazon to find out info about Kindle.

Isn't there something a little "narcistic" (is that the word?) about this medium?  OK, so maybe I have 17 followers -- isn't it a bit of a stretch for me to think that they all want to know that my foot hurt when I got up this morning.

The Wall Street Journal just sent me an alert to MOssberg's Personal Technology column. Along with twitter, there are programs like Glympse, Latitude, and Loopt that let you send "glympses" that tell people where  you are.  (Hi HOney, I'm stuck in traffic)

What amazes me is that while these twitters and glympses are free to the user, there is money somewhere behind them.  Glympse is actually a company, with a live CEO.  Guess he's getting paid for something.

But it's been interesting to do some keyword searching on twitter.  I just searched my grandchildren's Maryland high school and found out that a former student had been arrested for making death threats against students and staff.  You might want to try "seniorlearn" and "seniornet."      Search twitter here

[Babi]

Okay, Maryemm, I'm hooked.  I haven't seen "Empire of the Sun", and I'm curious to know how it involved Hershey bars. Please do tell me.

  This 'twitter' business begins to sound to me like a resource for lonely people.
The sort of thing that apparently shows up there, like Pedln's foot hurting, is
the homely stuff that one shares with a companion. My daughter and I would certainly
tell one another if a foot was hurting, or any of the casual everyday personal things.
If one lived alone, I can well imagine it would be a comfort to have someone to
'talk to' about the trivial happenings of the day.

[ginny]

What does Twitter do that these other media don't?

That's a good question! To answer it I played the bottom link in the heading where the guy explains Why Twitter.

I took notes (shame it's not in closed captioning) and captured the following:

It takes a hypothetical person and walks them thru the process and answers the question Why  Twitter?

This person found in answering the first question always asked: What are you doing? that her answers wouldn't necessarily be of interest to her friends, she was unlikely to email somebody I just let out the dog, for instance, but she found that, doing twitter between emails that:

---she "felt connected and a part of each others lives."

She got to:

---"share"

with

---"people who matter to you."

and it became a

----"personal update from friends."

I thought they just said friends would be unlikely to care if you just let out the dog.

Then she began to

----"see a different side of people."

She did not know that XXX was a baseball fan. Huh?

It was a

---"picture she'd never seen before. The Real World."

Huh?

You can thus

"see life between emails and blog posts."

AND as a result you are then

---"closer to people who matter to you."


The problem with all this IS that the Internet itself has been blamed for a loss of connection between people. How many times have you seen people typing at Wi Fi over lunch, sitting alone, somehow reaching out?


AND on Twitter you can as Pedln says above, be a "follower" of Demi Moore!!! Be still my heart. She can blog from whatever movie set she's on, I think she's still making movies, and we can be RIGHT THERE and we can know IF the leading man has a hangover or the supporting star  pitched a temper fit.

What is this kind of thing DOING to our society? Is it better or worse than the Internet, email and  blogs?

Stephanie tell us about Facebook, that's another one I have no clue about.

I WAS going to say let's all go in and do a tweet. But I'm not now. I WENT in, I registered and do you know what happened? It said none of your friends are on Twitter. Then it showed me a list from my OWN Gmail address book, my personal list,  of my main contacts!! Yeowee!!

Yes it DID! It listed them there and their addresses. (When you set up email on gmail you get about 8 or so addresses you don't have to look up and they are your primary contacts). Somehow Twitter was able to read MY email address book?

OK all you have to DO is designate THEM and have them or anybody else you want to invite as your "followers."

I don't think so? That scared the bejeebers out of me. NO no, and NO thank you.

So what IS really happening here? I could not even find anybody I thought interesting enough  to "follow." Are WE in this age generated by media, so possessed of a need to "be in the know" that we will do anything, to feel that "closeness?"

I mean how important is it to us to have the "very latest" on some movie star's day? What will the latest breaking news of somebody's hangnail do for our own lives?

Scary! I think it's scary? What do you think? What TREND is this?

[JoanR]

Athena posted “Pipilare seu non seu pipilare” in the “Classics student lounge.  After a bit of a hunt, I translated it to “To twitter or not to twitter”!
Now that’s real neat!

 Me, I think I’ll not twitter.  It makes me think of all those kids mindlessly texting away instead of paying any attention to their surroundings.

Just for fun,I looked up “twitter” in the Thesaurus and found it to be synonymous with “prattle, gossip, snicker, etc” and “peep” too.  “Twit” is  “nitwit, nincompoop” and more of the like.  That sure as heck doesn’t sound very attractive!!!!!

Also, where in the world do people find time for this sort of thing?  There is so much out there to see, to read, to do that I can’t keep up!

The other thing - Ginny mentioned that her e-mail addresses were "captured" or could have been if she hadn't noticed and that that is scary.  Maybe that's how someone is profiting in some way from this whole thing?  Do you think so?

[Steph]

I guess I am lucky in that neither Twitter or Facebook are able to access my address book. Hooray for that.
I like facebook because you communicate a bit more and it good for short sentences. We have moved a lot in our lives and I have reconnected with several neighbors. And their grown up children which is great fun. I also keep up with our younger son and daughter in law.. They love facebook and generally communicate news that way.  They have a lot of special interest groups and my high school and college both have groups.. So I have communicated with all sorts of people I have not seen or heard from for years. All in all., I like facebook..

[CallieOK]

I looked at the Twitter link that pedln provided and did a search for my hometown and then for where I live now.
Noone I knew was "tweeting" from either place.  The conversation thread for the hometown was that someone was "almost there and would be home soon" but I think he was just passing through.  

My son re-connected through Facebook with someone we knew in Colorado. But when he let me roam around while he was on, I didn't see anyone I knew.

Neither one is for me, thankyewverymuch.  I can't even keep up with the flow in Chat Rooms!  Once upon a time, several of my friends and I had IM but we've all given it up for regular e-mail or phone calls.  One friend even set up a "conference call" which was fun.

[Mippy]

Facebook is really great to use for posting photos of family, as well as short videos, and especially, for me, of the new grandchildren.   It appears to be much easier to navigate and use than o-foto, shutterfly, or other such sites where photos can be stored.
                                  
If anyone here in SeniorLearn wants to meet my family on Facebook, send me an email and I'll send you an invitation.  (Joyce ~ I tried to put you on, and a reply said "restricted".)
So that's apparently how to add to our "friends" list on Facebook.  

If anyone is worried about invasion of privacy, just don't do it.

[Steph]

I will start the great search on facebook for seniorlearn friends. I do enjoy it. I did not find anyone on Twitter from my home town..or high school or college, unlike facebook.
More and more I think that Twitter is sort of age responsive.. We are mostly the part of life where we consider ourselves infinitely interesting.
I read where Ashton Kucher is the champion and since I cannot imagine he has anything to say that is interesting, I decided the thing might be silly.

[Deems]

I think Twitter is interesting to people who like really short messages from people they know that can be sent from computer or--here's the biggie--cellphone.  If you have texting on your cell then you can tweet whenever you want.  Fascinating things like:  "On the bus now and remembering just how bumpy buses are."

I signed up for Twitter and then proceeded to never use it.  My cellphone doesn't have texting and I wouldn't be able to think of much more to write than the above.  However upon my signing up, I had two people who were "following" me (you get an email when someone decides to follow you, ie.  read your tweets).  I didn't know either of these people so I stopped tweeting.

[Dana]

I'm really not into twitter and too much email/internet stuff because it wastes such a lot of time.  Hours can slip away easily when there's so much other stuff to do.  I am interested in Kindle though--don't know anyone who has it.  Would be interested in how you find it, Serensheila??  Is it worth having?  How does it compare to reading a book?  Does it make it easier to read in bed??!!

[maryz]

Dana, I have a Kindle, and love it.  I have arthritis in my hands, and have problems holding a "real" book.  The Kindle is much lighter and more compact.  You can read more about it on amazon.com.  It is an amazon product and that's the only place it's available, except maybe on e-bay or someplace like that.

Books are generally less expensive than regular ones - mostly $9.99 or less.  I got Huckleberry Finn for a quarter.  But they have most of the latest releases, too.  It has it's own wireless internet hookup (via the spring network), so you can buy a book (only from amazon) anytime and from anyplace.

The down side is that you cannot share a book with someone else.  For instance, if I've read a book on it and John (my spouse) wants to read it, he has to get custody of my Kindle for a while.   

There are a number of Kindle owners here on SeniorLearn and Seniors & Friends.  I'm sure you'll get other responses, too.  Feel free to e-mail me if you have any specific questions, or just ask here.

[Dana]

Thanks Maryz.  Now, if you have read a book and want to look back on something can you look it up again?  I guess you would have to redownload it?
 It would be handy for travelling I would think?  At least one would never be without a good book--no more trolling strange Walmarts, the only game in town, for something readable!!

[maryz]

Dana, once you have a book, you ALWAYS have it.  You can delete it, but it remains in amazon's archives and can be called up at anytime.   And getting a book takes no more than a minute from the time you authorize the purchase. You can "bookmark" pages so you can return to a particular page anytime.  A friend here has one, and she let me borrow hers over a weekend, so I could give it a trial run.  IMHO, it's pretty expensive to buy without having at least seen one "in the flesh".

[Dana]

Yes, maryz, never having seen one I've held off buying--don't want to be stuck with something which is a pain to use, or not that pleasant to read.  What you have said makes it sound pretty tempting though.

[maryz]

Ask around where you live to see if anybody has one.  I'm sure somebody would be willing to at least show it to you and let you hold it.

[serenesheila]

I haven't been online for a few days.  Dana, I really enjoy my Kindle.  I took it with me, when I went to visit my son, and his family for two months.  One of the things I like best about it, is I can store many books on it, in the space one book would take up in my bookshelves.

Magazines and newspapers are also available.  Kindle is very light weight, and can be easily read in bed.  Yes,it is possible to go back and reread a certain page.  Kindle also saves my place in a book.  Another thing I like is that I can order a new nook, and within a minute it is down loaded.  Very convenient.  Also, when I am thinking about getting a book, a sample is available.  It is a lot like reading the jacket of a book.

Sheila

[Steph]

KIndle.. I keep thinking on it, but have held off. I keep reading that the next generation will include downloads from on line sites.. Who knows. I like the idea of the newspapers each day. I think I read they were 10.00 a year.. We spend a good deal of time in the rv on the road and that would keep my newspaper loving husband happy. Some of the local newspapers are sort of weird at best.

[Babi]

Some of the local newspapers are sort of weird at best.

  So it's not just my local newspaper,then.  Well, that's good to know, STEPH.
I no longer subscribe, and only occasionally pick up a Sunday paper.  It has
gotten to be somewhat of an embarassment to call it a newspaper, as
there is so little actual news in it and you have to hunt for that.

[Steph]

Our newspaper was bought by one of those corporate raiders. He overfinanced is in Chapter something and gutted the paper. The paper now is full of those national ads for sexual inadequacy and financial stupid characters who will save you stuff. None of the good stuff. Less and less decent columnists. Our locals are still there, but the national ones are down to maybe 3 a week.
Twitter....people are twittering at basketball games and plays.. How really really rude.. Hmm.. I wonder. We went to the movies last night and I know that the people down the row from us were cell phoning something. The light will really drive you nuts in the theatre.. But they were so rude, I wouldnt begin to address the problem..

[maryz]

The lights and clicking really annoys me, too, in a concert or theater.  If they're near me, I've been known  to ask them to stop.  They usually look at me as if I'm nuts, but then comply with the request.

[mrssherlock]

Twitter seems to me like a teenish thing.  One comment I read summed it up nicely:  Friends were twitting and found that they were at the same place!  When I'm meeting my sister or someone else we sue our cell phones.  We use the prepaied ones since we use them very little, mostly for will you pick up on your way home, or I'm ready, come get me.  We have a car phone in addition to our individual phones.  It is so handy to have it there on the console, always ready without having to dig through purses or back packs.

[mabel1015j]

Just marking my spot..............just back from the shore and busy doing laundry and getting ready for Memorial Day cook-0ut............jean

[Steph]

Speaking of cell phones. We have friends who always carry their phones. They separate in stores or the mall and then call each other when they want to meet. They love the convenience.. Hmm.. that might work so I could spend time looking at things I enjoy instead of ending up in Lowes or Home Depot a good deal of the time.

[ginny]

I think we probably need to do one of these on Kindle (isn't that an interesting name, tho?)

Here's a timely Newsweek  Magazine article on it with the somewhat startling news that Kindle, done by Amazon,  may soon have some competition:


Newsweek, March 25, 2009:

Emmanuel Dunand /
Hooked: Kindle redefines the book
THE BIG IDEA
Curling Up With A Good Screen

Why should a civilization that reads electronically be any less literate than one that harvests trees to do so?

http://www.newsweek.com/id/190358

On the lights and the clicking, I'd rather hear that any time than having to overhear a cell phone conversation. Airports!!  I can't say how many obnoxious conversations I've heard in airports from people calling people, even in planes even before the plane is down, despite being told NOT to, to tell their long stories.

No ME? VIP? NO,  I can't wait, certainly not, the  3 minutes till the plane lands, it's important that I say we're here, we're late, there was a storm in XX, so we've rerouted. 

 That invariably causes no end of beep click as all the other cell phones (we're still in the air, hello?)  come out, we're ALL important and none of us want to feel abandoned, get that phone OUT!) Obviously I am NOT talking about an emergency, except the emergency of ego. My goodness I must have gotten up on the wrong side of the....cell phone? hahahaa

I've sat half a row away from people in airports hearing their most intimate details (including one guy somewhat desperate to reach out,  apparently, who called people to whom he had to explain who he WAS: you know, we met at the Bannermans? I was the one... oh your husband is not in? Well I'll talk to you, here I am in the airport) All at decibel levels. THIS guy even paced!!! So that nobody was exempt for 4 rows of seating.

I don't care! I don't think that makes you interesting, or important, please don't share your conversation with me. Reach out, reach out and touch someone, but not ME. Leave ME out. Does that make ME a curmudgeon?

Then as we stood in line for hours in a mob after a plane cancellation and a confusing gate change,  here was the diva explaining from her seat while older people, MUCH older people, some with canes, stood, explaining to all and sundry (give that woman a microphone) that she could be sitting in the First Class Lounge, of course, but she didn't want to miss any of the excitement of travel (and the First Class Lounge was on another floor,  too, in this particular airport,  and a long walk. I know, that's why I was in line).

Italian trains are the worst, there is nobody without a cell phone but marvelously other than ciao ciao, you can't understand the colloquial dialects and slang, so it's  musical to the ear. The ring tones ARE interesting. hahhaa

Maybe we need a Pet Peeve discussion. hahahaa