THE TWITTERING CLASSES

« M&S -"HAUNTED" OR TOO EXPENSIVE? | A SAD STORY »

THE TWITTERING CLASSES

by kendrive ^Pro @ 2009-01-06 – 11:19:27

It always surprises me how many people choose to reveal details of their everday lives on the internet.

Now they can do so on a new website: http://twitter.com/

"Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"

This is from a Daily Mail article:

CELEBRITIES SIGN UP TO TWITTER TO REVEAL THE MOST MUNDANE ASPECT OF THEIR LIVES

Millionaire celebrities, you might imagine, lead riveting lives, full to the brim with excitement and derring-do.

But the website Twitter – one of the web’s fastest-growing phenomena – has cast a fascinating light on just how mundane, not to say downright dull, the day-to-day existence of many stars really is.

Twitter, a social networking site, allows its six million users to broadcast their every move to the watching world through 140-character messages sent via the web or their mobile phone.

Since ‘twittering’ revolves around talking about yourself, it’s no surprise that it has been embraced by celebrities and politicians – but most of their posts would be worthy of the most tedious dinner-party bore.

Users have a dedicated page on Twitter.com where their updates appear. They can also follow other twitterers, receiving any messages either online or by text message.
Ross, for example, was being followed by 2,896 users yesterday and keeping tabs on 215 others.

Astonishingly, one Labour politician even posted a message from inside the House of Commons Chamber.

At 11.47am on December 15, Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy sent a Twitter via her mobile saying: ‘In Chamber thinking I’m not going to get called and won’t have long enough to say anything meaningful if I am.’

At least six other MPs use Twitter. Cabinet Office Minister Tom Watson is an avid fan. On December 21 he complained: ‘A Cabinet Minister “accidentally” rang my phone at 6.22am. I’m off today. Going to stay up to return their call at 2am.’

Twitter, which was founded in March 2006 by three Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, does not sell advertising and has brought in almost no revenue – although it hopes to charge businesses who use the service.

Despite this, it has raised £13million from venture capitalists and rejected a £350million buy-out offer from social networking site Facebook a few months ago.

Singer Britney Spears says on Twitter:
'I love Japan! I think all the tiny cars are so cute!'
Options:
Tags:

9 Comments to THE TWITTERING CLASSES

Hide subcomments

- jenray ^Pro
- http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
- 2009-01-06 @ 11:34:50
The main blogs of most people here are for just that, sharing their everyday lives, and I think it's what blogging is mostly about...I do have my group where we can have in depth discussions and debates but my main blog is all about my life...I don't think I know anything at all about you, which is a bit of a shame, but it's your blog so accept it as such...GBHs...XXX
- - kendrive ^Pro
  - 2009-01-06 @ 12:56:59
  Chacun à son goût!
  
  I regard personal details on blogs rather like private diaries - only to be seen by the writer.
  
  I prefer to share my day-to-day details and thoughts on a one-to-one basis, face to face, by telephone, videochat, text or email.
  
  However, way back in June 2005 I did post an autobiography.
  
  Here it is:
  
  "Hi Everyone,
  
  I have been a blog member since late April 2005 and thought it was about time I made some sort of entry. So here is something about me and my interests.
  
  I was born on September 20th 1933 in Hornchurch, Essex. (How good is your Maths? You will have worked out that I will be 72 later this year.)
  
  I have two brothers - one a twin, who lives in West Sussex. The other is three years older and lives in Hampshire. Both brothers have four children each, most of whom have children of their own. So I have plenty of nephews and nieces, now grown-up with children of their own.
  
  My family, mother and father and three children, moved from Hornchurch to Hadleigh (near Southend) in 1938 - but we only stayed there a short while and, soon after the outbreak of World War II, we moved to Letchworth Garden City, in Hertfordshire. There we attended Letchworth Grammar School.
  
  Our father worked in a shipping office in London throughout the war. In 1946 he opend a branch in Southampton and we all moved to Hamble, Hants. We went to school at Eastleigh County High School (formerly Barton Peveril.)
  
  On leaving school I trained in accountancy and, after a few years, joined a local hotel/catering group. One brother was a pilot in the RAF for the whole of his working life and the other was in the electronics industry.
  
  In 1967 I moved to my present home town of Walton-on-Thames and took a job in the administration of a North London 4-star hotel. After two years, I left there and began working for a 5-star hotel in Mayfair, where I became company secretary. I stayed there until I retired in 1998, but still have some connection, as I am a trustee of the group pension scheme.
  
  I now live on my own, but lead a pretty active life with several old fiends (I think that must have been a Freudian slip!) in the near locality and family not too far away.
  
  Thank goodness I seem to be in comparatively good health and, although I do not now participate in any sport, I do attend the gym regularly. I also love walking - and occasional cycling.
  
  One of my main interests is my computer. I am at this moment using my latest one, which is an Apple Power Mac, with dual 2GHz processors, connected to 1GB broadband. Last month I upgraded to the latest "Tiger" operating system. I also have a Dell computer, using Windows, in the same room.
  
  I have a Canon PowerShot S50 digital camera and there are many photos in my iPhoto library. I also have an iSight camera and chat on iChat AV, mainly with a friend in Cleveland, Ohio. If you have a Mac with iChat AV, please let me know and perhaps we can link up one day.
  
  I possess an iPod mini and I have transferred several hundred music tracks from iTunes on the computer. My musical taste ranges from Punk rock to Classical!
  
  One of my other interests is the theatre and I have a lady friend who accompanies me to London stage productions. I prefer mostly serious drama. She is an amateur actress and, last year, we both appeared as extras in the film "Wimbledon". She is crazy about tennis, as a player and umpire.
  
  I also have an interest in poetry and I am a member of a local poetry group. In April I gave a 2 hour presentation of more than 40 poems on the theme of "Time In Poetry", which was very well received.
  
  In the past, I travelled a lot and I have visited many European counries - also New York. I have connections with Greece and, infrequently nowadays, visit Athens and the Greek Islands.
  
  Well, I think that will do as an introduction. I seem to have written a lot of "haves" and "also have". Sorry about that!
  
  If you have any interests in common, please let me know."
  
  A few things have changed since then and I now have more technical gadgets, including FIVE computers (three of them laptops) - and I am on my second (larger) HDTV.
  
  I have also been more active at my local arts centre and recently restarted the history group.
  
  I am about to join U3A - "The University Of The Third Age":
  
  "U3As are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time work, providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences in a wide range of interest groups and to pursue learning not for qualifications, but for fun."
  
  I have had a few health problems and I have been to hospital for a series of investigations and a small operation.
  
  Last May I was told that I have "early stage Parkinson's Disease". However, that was wrong and it was only a minor stroke, affecting my balance, which I have had before.
  
  There is no treatment and I seem to be recovering.
  
  My intellect remains intact and when someone enquires about my health, despite how I may feel I invariably say "FINE!". Nobody wants to hear some misery going on about his ailments. They usually have enough of their own!
  
  Well, that has told you a little more about me.
  
  Keep adding comments to my blogs. They are intersting and much appreciated.
  
  Colin
  - - jenray ^Pro
    - http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
    - 2009-01-06 @ 13:07:07
    Thanks for this, Colin, now I know you a bit better...I wasn't here in 2005 so missed it...LOL...this is only my second year here so still finding out about my friends...GBHs...XXX
    - Reply to comment
    - Permalink
- jollyweez
- 2009-01-06 @ 19:54:11
It is a lonely world. All the latest gadgets now help everyone keep in touch wherever they are. It is wonderful to find someone else on on their wavelength. I read that the teenagers in Japan don't want cars anymore. A photo showed a young fellow on his skateboard zooming around town. They keep in touch with their Blackberries, Ipods, computers etc. Cars are too expensive and cost $350 per month for parking. Not worth it they say. They can get in touch with anyone, anywhere in the world and 'twitter' all day.
- - kendrive ^Pro
  - 2009-01-06 @ 21:20:12
  I think we all need a balanced mix of technology and actual contact.
  
  That is very interesting about teenagers in Japan.
  
  They are being pragmatic and who can criticize their way of life, so long as they are happy?
  - Reply to comment
  - Permalink
- SirPerceval
- 2009-01-08 @ 20:05:15
i bought a big aa map over xmas and was looking at
the west london area... cookham etc, which .. from
flickr looks great

I was disappointed as it was almost impsoossible to see
the river thames... (west of london that is !)

I got a pen and tried to outline it .. going thru cookham
and henly.. I think it just skirts maidenhead...
I think i SAW bRAY A LITTLE nearedr to London...
where they made Hammer movies....

Of course there is Windsor....
Some way to the north there is West Wycombe.. the home
of the Hell Fire clb of the 18th cent ..

Then there is Cliveden... high above the Thames
where Christine Keeler and Jack Profumo had their tryst....

You live in the middle of a fascinating area grumps..
with so much history... ancient and modern.

Then I looked at Maidenhead... what is that town famous for... I coud n't come up with anything off the top of my head ....
but then it hit me... Maidenhead... that's the
place where the Spice girls lived for a year... all living together in a semi detached house !

Yes it's a fascinating area... no doubt the house prices are sky high .... there must be so many famous TV types living around there too ....
and of course.. HRH over in Windsor !
- - kendrive ^Pro
  - 2009-01-09 @ 13:39:39
  Yes it is an interesting area.
  
  For more about Cookham (and views of the Thames there) go to:
  
  http://www.cookham.com/
  
  Scroll down the headings on the left side to: "About Cookham"
  
  Then click on "Gallery", "History", "Maps" etc
  - - SirPerceval
    - 2009-01-09 @ 13:54:32
    thanks for that link,
    
    oops, I was thinking that you lived in
    Maidenhead Grumps.... thus the comment about the Spice Girls... I realise now you re in Walton on Thames.
    
    I saw a fascinating pic today in the paper of a guy cycling on the Thames (near Windsor ) in the big freeze up... must have been January 1963 !
    
    Now that's what I call a real winter !
    - - kendrive ^Pro
      - 2009-01-09 @ 14:21:15
      At the moment it is a risky thing to go on the ice, as it looks safe, but can be thin in places.
      
      You don't survive long in that icy water.
      - Reply to comment
      - Permalink