Twitter and Tweet

I used to think it was a waste of space, chaps spouting out thoughts willy nilly,
But then I considered, after losing my job, I should really stop being so silly.

It really is a fabulous portal to network and spread it about,
That I’m kinda looking and if they …you know, then maybe they’d give me a shout.

From PRs to lawyers, and admen to eds, the creatives are tweeting in force,
And drivers and popstars, businessmen and women are also joining in of course.

A worldwide phenomenon, genius, inspired, it’s swept the globe far and wide,
As tweets flow fast all day and all night, people frantically keeping their stride.

Demi and Ashton like to post naughty pics, showing they really are real,
Girls follow Chace and other hot bods convinced this’ll clinch them the deal.

Copycats make bids for awesome book deals pretending to be random stars,
From Cole to Fry, Waissel and more, they fire off ‘witty-some’ bars.

Competitions and discounts, headlines and news all make it onto the feed,
As thousands sign on each and every day, hungry for the titbits they’ll read.

Collecting followers is the new biggest fad, replacing stickers and stamps,
As people revel in virtual fanbases, competing to be the tweet champ.

Addicted to knowing what’s just been posted, checking computer and iPhone,
Boring your colleagues, parents, lovers and friends, ignoring their long-suffering groans.

Jeopardising work and relationships to dedicate much of your time,
To refreshing the page just once more, to see if that person you mentioned replied.

Jumping with unconcealed excitement when a text alert vibrates through,
That you’ve just got a direct message from that person you think’s really cool.

Yes, Twitter is the online place to see, be seen and stay tuned,
To the ways of the world in this fast-moving era, where only our fingers get pruned.

Tapping away till our digits go numb, and the time fades into the past,
Perhaps in our future we’ll hazily recall what we said in our first Twitter blast?

Social networking to the rescue...

Facebook and Twitter are proving their worth in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake as survivors use the social networking sites to let their loved ones know that their okay.



With phones not working and e-mail being down, people are using social networking sites to share news and photos, as well as posting alerts to help with the search for those still missing or to request donations for the Haiti relief.

A spokesman for Facebook, Andrew Noyes, spoke to USA Today saying there have been more than 1,500 status updates per minute containing the word "Haiti" since the quake. This disaster has really brought into focus the power of social media as people find the need to truly engage with it.

• Twitter: People are using it to share firsthand accounts and photos of the earthquake. Celebrities are also getting involved, using the site to raise money themselves for the cause.
• Facebook: Charities including Oxfam America and Catholic Relief Services have been raising money through dedicated Facebook pages and using Twitter and Skype as well to share updates and communicate with relief workers and family members.
• Blogs: People are using blogs written by others as online message boards to track down missing people.

In this new technological age the world is becoming a much smaller place, easier to navigate as the lines of communication cut across new boundaries and deliver a faster and more effective dialogue.