Hey all, just wanted to let you know that I will be taking a brief sojourn so that I may get my nuptials on, as well as enjoy the fine eccentricities of the Caribbean.  I’ll be out next week and the week after, so please feel free to leave comments if you want; I’ll try to read them all if I can’t avoid getting to a computer.

Catch you on the flip side!

NMWRock


Text to Save Lives: Mobile Giving Takes Off

This article discusses the rise in technology-based charity efforts, the latest being text-message based. Recent tragedies in China and Myanmar, as well as established charities, are raising money through the texting of certain words to specific phone numbers. Much like voting for American Idol, people can make donations to a variety of charities through this method, and the charge will appear on the users’ monthly bill.

Who Blogs Now?

A new study shows the average age of a blogger is 37.6 years, dispelling the myth that the average blogger is sitting in his dorm room eating cereal from the box. This article also discusses Internet usage by various age groups and the important influence blogs have on getting news out.

How the Net’s Political Dirt Corrupts Mainstream Media

The Internet has proved to be both friend and foe to politicians today. While they can use it to reach potential voters, the Internet is also a catalog of every misstep they may have made. This article discusses the attention mainstream media is giving to unsubstantiated Internet rumors, particularly in the political realm, and reporting on them as fact. What used to be an e-mail rumor circulated among a niche of society is now the top story on the nightly news; illustrating the startling lack of gate-keeping in media today.

Baby Boomers and Social Networking

A new study shows that less than a quarter of baby boomers use social networking sites. Marketers depend on word-of-mouth and viral marketing to hook the younger generations, but are less confident about reaching older generations through the web. This article discusses how baby boomers spend their time online and what grabs their attention in online marketing.

College Alumni Magazines Struggle to Compete with Facebook

Alumni magazines are key fundraising tools for colleges nationwide. The most popular section is typically the “class notes” pages at the end, where alumni from various classes update classmates on their life. However, the new generation of alumni find Facebook a much more useful way to stay in touch with their college friends, making the alumni magazine just another piece of junk mail. Colleges are combating this trend by using social media to keep young alumni connected to their college campuses. This article includes examples from Colgate, University of Virginia, and UCLA.

Generation Y: Welcome to Their World

This article delves deeper than simply answering the questions “What does Generation Y do?”. It shows how this generation is actually using the technology in their lives to better themselves and the world. Facebook groups, information gathering, people to people interaction, and solving the problems of the world today have all grown out of technology that are positively affecting young people today.


Beyond Blogs

BusinessWeek ran a feature story about the state of social media today compared to where it was in 2005. While many influentials are still blogging today, the percentage of the general population of people blogging is relatively low. Many people do have a presence online, however, in social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace.

Advertisers to Consumers: We’ll Text You

Analysts like to make bold predictions about the growth of mobile advertising. Most have overshot reality. But at least one slice of the business appears to be catching on, according to marketers: ads sent via text message. A growing number of companies are using cell phone text messages to lend more interactivity to their ads.

Journalists’ Views on Social-Media’s Influence on Reporting Differ by Beat

Journalists actively read and create content online, but their level of engagement varies by their beats, with political reporters leading the pack, according to a new study of North American journalists’ views of social media, particularly blogs. This article features some great statistics on how mainstream journalists regard social media.

How a Social Media Campaign Fits into a B2B Media Plan

The influential marketing blog, Click Z, featured a Q&A with Bianca Garcia, a media planner with Overdrive Interactive, who specializes in social media. She discusses ways that companies can use social media in B2B marketing.

When User-Generated Content Goes Bad

Interesting piece on identifying and reacting to negative social media buzz. The post also outlines the “typical” creator of negative UGC (user-generated content) which can help companies to identify these audiences.


In addition to posting any interesting news items I come across, as well as my own personal enecdotes, my team at work has begun sending a weekly email that provides our colleagues with a snapshot of what’s happening in social media. I hope you enjoy them as well; most are good conversation starters. So, expect to see this every Tuesday or Wednesday.


At last, Lori Drew has been indicted. According to an article in this morning’s NY Times, a New York federal grand jury issued the indictment for this June “with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing a computer without authorization and via interstate commerce to obtain information to inflict emotional distress.” If convicted, Drew could up to five years in prison for each count.

The Missouri woman is allegedly responsible for creating a phony MySpace account under the name “Josh Evans” to lure sixteen-year-old Megan Meier, a former friend of Drew’s daughter, into a flirtatious relationship. At the peak of the online relationship, Drew (aka “Josh”) allegedly began sending hateful messages aimed at bringing Megan completely beside herself with feelings of rejection. And it worked. Megan’s mother, Tina Meier, found her daughter hanging in her closet soon after the messages from “Josh” stopped.

MySpace is claiming that, in creating a false account, Drew violated the social networking mogul’s user agreement.

This sticky part of this case is that the statutes being applied in this indictment are the first of its kind, causing a lot of speculation over whether or not it even applies to cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is traditionally thought of as something that occurs between peers. In this case, it’s a woman versus a minor.

NMW has been following this story since it first broke, and to be honest, it’s a great feeling knowing that the Meier family may end up the winner in this tragic story. Frankly, I’ll be happy if this holds up, especially if it sends a message to cyberbullies that social media is intended to be constructive, not destructive.

What are your thoughts on the legal aspects of this case? Can it hold up in court?


Today marks a huge day in the land of NMW’s author.

In 5 minutes, I’m going to be out of active contract period and entering into the wild and wonderful world of “Contract Pending.” What exactly does this mean, you ask? Well, it means that I’m officially passing the point of NO RETURN. Regardless of what happens here on out, this house is ours from top to bottom.

I’ll be sure to keep the site updated as new developments come my way. Moving into the house is the least of my problems now. It’s going to be the million and a half things that need to be done ahead of my moving that have me seeing double.

Oh, and not to mention, I’m getting married in less than 45 days, so you can imagine how high my blood pressure’s going to be come mid-June!

That’s it for now. Say some prayers, you guys!


My good friend and colleague, Michael, is the consummate intern. You ask him to make copies, he makes them perfect. You need a spreadsheet, he’ll make it more detailed than you could have done yourself. You ask him to apply for a job, he comes through- BIG TIME!

When an opportunity came about to be hired full-time at another of my company’s offices, Michael was given the opportunity to apply and submit his cover letter and resumé. Being the consummate intern, however, Michael turned to social media as a way to knock their socks off. The result?

Got Milk? Wake-Up Call

Many young people have taken to the Net and seized upon available social media to create resumés that are as informed and creative as the younger generations of workers coming into the workplace. It’s always been the lament of the earnest worker looking for a job: “If only they could see me and see that I’ve got a lot of personality and potential!” Well, what are you waiting for now? By no means have we seen the end of paper resumés. Like landline phones, hookers or Clay Aiken, they will never go away as long as people still want them.

Michael, the Windy City beckons, and I’m glad it’s you who’s answering! When you get there, check out Giordano’s, it’s on the corner of Rush St. and Superior. Maybe you cold set up a vlog (video blog) and let us know what you’re up to!

Best wishes from NMW.


OFFICIAL DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT SMOKE MARIJUANA OR ANY DERIVITIVE THEREOF. THIS POST IS NOT AN IMPLICATION IN ANY WAY.

Hey everyone, as promised here’s my list of the Top 25 pot smoking songs from the rock/alternative genre. These songs span about 40 years of music, going back to the 1960s and working their way up from there. As you’ll see, I lean rather heavily on the 60s and 70s.

Now remember, these are ones that I think were worthy of the list, so no need to get on me about my own opinions. In the spirit of community, I welcome any and all suggestions on what your favorites are. My thinking is “suggest, suggest, pass” :)

1.) Champagne Supernova – Oasis

2.) Brain Damage – Pink Floyd

3.) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds – The Beatles

4.) Rocket Man – Elton John

5.) White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane

6.) Space Oddity – David Bowie

7.) The Joker – Steve Miller Band

8.) Burn One Down – Ben Harper

9.) Led Zeppelin – Immigrant Song

10.) Baba O’Reilly – The Who

11.) Fly Like an Eagle – Steve Miller Band

12.) While My Guitar Gently Weeps – The Beatles

13.) Soul Singing – The Black Crowes

14.) Three Little Birds – Bob Marley

15.) Rain Song – Led Zeppelin

16.) El Scorcho – Weezer

17.) Jimi Thing – Dave Matthews Band

18.) Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. I – The Flaming Lips

19.) Bouncing Round the Room – Phish

20.) Treefingers – Radiohead

21.) Time – Pink Floyd

22.) Don’t Come Around Here No More – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

23.) God Moving Over the Face of the Waters – Moby

24.) Until I Got High – Afroman

25.) O Superman – Laurie Anderson

Peace out.


As the Beatles once poetically sang, “It’s getting better all the time.” That’s pretty much where I’m at with the crazy as always house shopping adventure. We have left the active phase behind us and entered into the realm of active option contract! As one might expect, my fiancee is getting excited with every second as she thinks more and more about how ready she is to start decorating….that’s well and good, and kudos to her, but I’m thinking about lawn mowers, weed wackers, and GRILLS! More than anything with this house, I’m ecstatic to get myself a nice grill and use it as much as I can.

Here’s the one I’m thinking about getting: Smokin Pro BBQ Smoker

If you all have any good recommendations, I’m all ears.

Also, I’m still working on my Top 10 list of best pot smoking songs, so bear with me and I’ll get it up asap. Randy, I can’t promise “Who Let the Dogs Out” will make it, but I can see your point. Everything’s hilarious at that point….from what I’ve heard.


In the off-chance that you are wondering where I’ve been…You haven’t? Figured as much.

Since February, I’ve been steeped in wedding planning…and house shopping. They say this is a buyer’s market. Really? I’d have to say it’s definitely a buyer’s market unless you’re looking for the house features I’m looking for. All in all it’s been a worthwhile learning experience that I never want to go through again, but I was also a fraternity pledge once so I have a pretty good idea of how grueling awesome the whole process can be.

So where do I start? I guess I could start with the 3 houses we lost on with offers. Then there was the house that we decided to make an offer, only to find out that it was already under contract. Well thanks MLS! Don’t even get me started on MLS, it’s such a fault-ridden process. We found several homes that we liked that were listed as “active” on MLS but were actually under an active option contract. How can a first-time homebuyer get a foot in the door these days!! :)

I think we may have found our future home, just waiting to find out if the sellers are going to agree on our terms. Fingers crossed, my fiancee and I really want this house!

If you have house shopping horror stories, I’d love to hear them so hopefully I’ll feel better.