One of my best friends, Leigh sends me YouTube tidbits of her pug, capturing every precious head tilt. We all appreciate YouTube because it gives everyone a platform to document the scenarios that make them laugh, shout their opinions wide and far, and share the moments that are special to them.
So I am loving their You Tube Non Profit Program. It allows non-profits to reach out to their audiences effectively and inexpensively. The program offers organizations a designated “Nonprofit” channel on YouTube where they can upload rotating promotional videos, brand themselves, provide information to interested parties and even accept donations.
Some of my favorite organizations already have channels set up – take a peek at Autism Speaks or the American Cancer Society. For other wonderful organizations with lesser funding, this is a valuable tool to inform the public of their own cause and the lives they touch.
As we are all inundated with images of rail thin women and self esteem of young girls has paid the price, Dove’s real beauty campaign has earned unwavering loyalty and admiration from throngs of women including myself. Their first viral video, Evolution, closely detailed the transformation of an average looking girl into the supermodel that we see on billboards and magazine covers. It was a comforting reminder that the images that surround us tend to be nothing short of superficial.
When I received the first video I sent it to all my girls that I love so much with a little note reminding each of them how beautiful they are. So when I recieved their recent video I was thrilled. Though this one is a bit more intense and has far more shocking images, Dove’s “Onslaught” once again suprised and pleased me with its message to young women.
My design friends are going to love this and fashion hounds will enjoy… Threadless, an online community covered by Mashable, is bringing its community to the streets of Chicago. The site started as a unique way for anyone to post their original and funky tee shirt designs and share them to the community. The community members rate the designs and the winner of the week gets to see it print! Added Bonus: $500 …
Playground Love… Recent Winner
In September, Threadless opened a flagship retail store in Chicago to distribute always fresh styles, and offer design workshops for budding artists! The creative expression is evident when I scoured through this week’s submissions so Chicago contributors will adore this new store.
The idea of a merging of online community and real world is another step in the evolution of social media.
Watching Regina’s latest music video for her song Better, transported me back to junior high – listening to Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn and watching her thrash around her deserted apartment. I appreciated the emotion that clung to every word. Better has the same fragility that was apparent and the excitement that was wrapped up in melody.
For a while, Regina’s songs were easily confused with Feist. Her talent has always been evident, but videos like these put her her creativity and originality centerstage.
As the weather remains unusually warm, the buzz around climate change clamors a little bit louder. The environmental issues off late are no more only a hot topic of interest to a few.
Unfortunately, determing what adjustments we should make in our individual lifestyles to better the place we live in can be difficult. Head to toe in green, Ideal Bite swoops in to the rescue. It’s a fun site I joined a couple weeks ago that drops very cute and ultra easy tips into my inbox daily. Personally, its a sweet and sassy step toward the green life.
I suppose Facebook is something ingrained in me by this point, as brushing my teeth or checking my email. It has steadily intertwined itself in my life as a simple and always useful platform to connect and i’ll admit it… stalk friends, family and the randoms who somehow made it into my network.
CNN reported today that a hate crime on Georgetown campus was solved with the help of the popular social network. A victim of what the police are calling a hate crime assault began trying to find suspects within his network.
The metropolitan police department then compiled a spread of profiles with similar appearance and the victim was able to identify his attacker.
Facebook wears many hats, and as the site grows and grows they can add this to their collection.
I suppose I began my crush (everyone calls it a love affair, so I thought I’d mix it up) on the media when I thought of it as a means of expression. A way for each individual to broadcast their ideas and opinions. With the onset of social media tools, this crush I suppose has evolved into more than that.
So imagine my dissapointment when Sally Field’s emmy speech was cut off by Fox network as she drew attention to the war. So I know this is old news in the blogosphere, but I have been dwelling on it for a while.
Why in a day when there are so many issues that people are passionate and opinionated about, would a major television network silence those powerful thoughts? Simply because they do not reflect their own?
As I begin this little adventure I recognize that my thoughts and opinions may not always align with others but I have the brilliant and wonderful opportunity to share them.
Rumors that 14 year old Disney star Miley Cyrus is pregnant circulated around radio waves bright and early this morning. The radio program, Matty in the Morning, had assistants frantically trying to confirm these rumors. Once upon a time, when a rumor needed to be verified, contacts at print publications like US Weekly were on speed dial. Yet, this morning the contact that was bombarded with phone calls and email was none other than the most notorious blogger.Listeners were assured that all efforts were being made to contact Perez Hilton to solve the mystery of the alleged pregnancy. Kerry, a member of the Matty in the Morning team, proudly stated that she had Perez Hilton’s cell phone number and another team member was simultaneously flooding Perez’s inbox with inquiries.
A brief post on Perez’s blog quelled the rapid rumor and put it to rest. But one thing remains true – a shift became apparent this morning when traditional media turned to social media for news and content. The blogger used to generate content by scouring magazines and gossip columns in newspapers but now Perez Hilton, the king of gossip, has emerged the ultimate source of Hollywood chatter.
When I decided to blog, it honestly was an excuse to write. To entertain that side of me that wanted to be an author or a journalist. I sat down to write every evening and after weeks of staring blankly at the word press “edit your post”, I gave up. Until it occurred to me that when I wrote feverishly in my faded, ratty journal I never stalled or balked. So what was different? The idea of opening up my thoughts and mindless musings to the general public – to co-workers, neighbors, my boyfriend’s family – anyone who could judge and critique.
And it took me until today to really appreciate that idea. That by offering myself to people to judge, I was also sharing tid bits that some may find entertaining and others well… won’t. And this is the wonder and the beauty of the social web.
