Social Blogging

Discount airlines have traditionally outflanked the big carriers in customer service and low fares, and it appears they’re extending their advantage to social media.

Hospitals, health departments and physicians’ offices across New Jersey received 55,000 swine flu shots this week, in the first of many shipments state and national officials say eventually will provide enough vaccine for everyone who wants it.

Nearly half of small businesses surveyed have profiles on Facebook and Twitter and use social media to promote their businesses.

In this issue of Media Literacy Digest, open education advocate George Siemens, reports on this week most interesting breakthroughs, events, new media technologies and on the social impact these have on society, work and learning.

Photo credit: Anatoly Vartanov

Inside this Media Literacy Digest:

• Decentralized Work: The Final Frontier - Consider work. Many people are now involved in work that does not require physical presence at an office. Yet, how we define and value work still carries the views from 50+ years ago.
• Value of Visual Thinking - Resources such as this - the value of visual thinking - are helpful in increasing my guilt and sense of inadequacy with visuals and increasing my desire to continue improving how I communicate.
• A Few Web 2.0 Resources - Microsoft and web 2.0 resources (via Stephen Downes) I am not sure how Microsoft defines web 2.0 - not much in the list that fits my definition. However, still a number of useful resources.
• The Chemistry of Information Addiction - The chemistry of information addiction indicates why many people find the internet (particularly under the banner of real-time tools) so rewarding: We crave information and we want it now.
• Using Technology To Improve The Cost-Effectiveness of The Academy - Tony Bates explores using technology to improve the cost-effectiveness of the academy (and part 2). Toward the end of the second post, Tony offers a series of 10 implications. I generally agree with these points, but do not think it offers enough about the systemic change required by universities.
• Personal Learning Environments / Networks: Call For Chapters - Our PLE / N conference is well underway. If interested, the recordings are available (under week five).
• Nowism - Google Wave, Twitter, FriendFeed, and Facebook have given rise to the what is known as the real time web. Trendwatching picks up on this theme and addresses it as Nowism (good list of realtime tools about 1 / 3 of the way in).
• Emerging Technologies, Africa - Introduction to Emerging Technologies, Africa is an open online 12 week course. I am teaching the course with Dave Cormier. IETA is delivered in both English and French.

Here all the details:

Facebook’s chief operating officer said the social networking company was targeting a bigger ad market than the search ad market that has made Google Inc rich.

A U.S. computer scientist says he’s exploring alternatives to social networking services such as Facebook to resolve possible privacy issues.

The memorial museum at the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz has launched a Facebook page, hoping that the popular social networking site will help it reach young people around the globe.

MySpace is naming a former MTV Networks ad sales executive to a top role, while promoting the founders of recently acquired site iLike to senior positions.

Four women who might lead the GOPers out of the wilderness By Kathleen Parker As the Republican Party continues its pilgrimage through the desert, its leaders may be missing the oasis for the vale of tears.

For the past week and a half, several thousand Facebook users were unable to access their accounts because of a technical issue with a server.

Since Thursday I have been away attending a conference of about 30 adults and I discovered some surprising facts.

Before you update your Twitter and Facebook status as to what cereal you’re enjoying at work this morning, check your company’s policy on social networking.

A woman has been arrested for “poking” someone on Facebook, the social networking website.

LBi Special Ops Media , a full-service interactive agency that provides clients with a one-stop solution for all of their online marketing needs , today revealed itself as the driving force behind this summer’s innovative online campaign for Dan Brown’s new novel “The Lost Symbol,” published by Doubleday .

One Utah teacher’s personal MySpace page included links to Web sites about homosexual groups.