The Digital Story of Nativity - (or Christmas 2.0) #Christmas

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Thanks to Vegetable Vagabond

for drawing my attention to this

Technorati : surveying blogging and social media : USA egocentricities

My blogging buddy, Steve Hayes in South Africa, is having a big whinge.  He is whinging about a survey authorised by Technorati.  Steve is asking bloggers to pass on the word about this and respond to the survey and he tells you why.  Do the survey yourselves, fellow-bloggers, (Steve has the link) and you will see for yourselves.  You get a chance to rate the survey at its conclusion and then you get room to comment on why you gave the rating you did.  Below are my comments on why I gave it a '3' - which I thought was being a bit on the generous side.

Now, where all this will come out in the statistical wash is anyone's guess.  As for me, I have long since given up on thinking that Technorati was of much benefit to me.  Some of my blogs would still be linked on Technorati - I think - but I don't think I bothered to link this one.  So, who knows, if enough bloggers respond in a manner that helps Technorati to lift its game, things might change for the better.  Was a time when Technorati was a big wheel in the blogging world.  I doubt if that is the case any more.  Blogging and other social media have taken on lives of their own and there are social media savvy people galore out there now.

We have newspaper emperors whinging to-day about bloggers.  Perhaps in about three years time, bloggers will be complaining.

When Twitter started out with its 140 characters including word spacing, did we really think it would become the powerful force it has become? And I think predominantly of that supreme Twitterer, Stephen Fry, when I say this.  He turned an oppressive and unfair legal judgment in the UK into an item of ridicule and is now using it to assist in earning money from public appearance and book sales.  Clever lad, young Stephen!

So who knows where it will all end...if it ever does?  And here below is Miss Eagle's whinge.  A book-end for Steve's.

Many limitations.  I've 4 blogs and this survey did not allow me to include them.  Blog categorization is limited. Most stunning category omission is 'Food'. Food blogs have massive readership.  Categorization of what is read on blogs - news items, celebrities - were USA focussed.  How egocentric!  Do you think the world only discusses what happens in the USA?  Or do you think the USA is the biggest blogging audience?  What about India and China and their diasporas across the world?  I've long since given up on Americans being interested in or knowing anything about my country, Australia.  However, to ignore huge IT-loving markets like India and China is incomprehensible by any standards.  Language used is very American. International testing of your questionnaire would be more professional and would contribute to the fairness of questions and inclusiveness of responses.  Your report card?  Need to do a whole lot better next time - and you might consider getting more professional assistance to do it.

Stephen Fry - International Treasure and Twitterer beyond compare

Click on this picture and the others in this post to enlarge.

Do you follow, like mois, Stephen Fry on Twitter?  If so, a few hours ago, you probably felt like you had your Twitter clogged with consecutive Stephen Fry tweets.  There was a reason.  He was being interviewed for the Evening Standard, which he explained before the interview began - but if you came in the middle you wouldn't have known that, perhaps, and couldn't understand exactly what was being said.  To see the questions being asked, you had to go to the interviewer's Twitter.  

There is no doubt about Fry.  He confesses he loves everything new - and he must be breaking all records to chalk up firsts relating to Twitter.

1. Instrumental in overturning that scandalous libel decision in the UK which meant even Parliament could not discuss the decision.
2. Arguably the first person to make money from Twitter, by promoting his recent London event which promoted his book and which was telecast live to numerous centres across the UK - to popular demand as was his recent Melbourne appearance.
3. Possibly the first to conduct a newspaper interview on Twitter - but will await confirmation

We have heard of people being National Treasures, I hereby nominate Stephen Fry as the very first International Treasure.  Welcome at my place anytime!

For those who don't participate in the Twitterverse,
Stephen Fry is one of the most prolific Tweeters in the world.
At last count, he was being "followed" by 1,776,170 people.
So, if Stephen Fry, says something 
that's an awful lot of people to take notice.

Related Reading

The Fry Chronicles

Stephen Fry in America: Fifty States and the Man Who Set Out to See Them All

Moab Is My Washpot

Stephen Fry in America

The Liar

Googling our minds...and then comes the hack

From The Atlantic

Photo Credit: Jacob Thomas

Pop over here for this thoughtful article, Googlethink.  Time, in this modern world, when we had a big think about agency - both personal and moral.  Else we become manipulated automatons.  Hat Tip to The Wheeler Centre for this article alert.

Michael Zimmer's "The Ultimate Teacher’s Guide To Social Media"

Picture from here

Over at EduDemic I have discovered a marvellous teacher's manual (free, online, in magazine flip style) titled The Ultimate Teacher’s Guide To Social Media which is everything you ever wanted to know about social media and forgot to ask.  


I reckon this is not only a must read for teachers but also for parents and for those who would place themselves in the category of "The Technologically Bewildered".  

For The Technologically Bewildered who are still just stumbling around email and have not made it to Web 2.0+, please catch up.  This is the new literacy.  There are so many riches to be enjoyed.  And all thanks to Michael Zimmer, here is your chance to stick your toe in the water.