Image by Laughing Squid via Flickr

Let’s play Find the Bias in this “news” story where neuroscientist Susan Greenfield swears that Twitter, Facebook and the like are making us all self-centered idiots. Come on! It’ll be fun. We’ll start with this one:

More than 150million use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, share photographs and videos and post regular updates of their movements and thoughts. A further six million have signed up to Twitter, the ‘micro-blogging’ service that lets users circulate text messages about themselves.

Did you see it? That part where the ONLY thing you can do with a Tweet is talk about yourself? Holy crap! I’ve been using it wrong this whole time!

Oh! And here’s Greenfield talking about how she’d rather be hunting and gathering for her supper, you know, just like we did before Twitter. What?

‘I often wonder whether real conversation in real time may eventually give way to these sanitised and easier screen dialogues, in much the same way as killing, skinning and butchering an animal to eat has been replaced by the convenience of packages of meat on the supermarket shelf.’

I’m so sick of this either/or crap.  Why can’t we see some value in both Twitter and Text Book? Don’t get me wrong, I fully believe in limited TV and video game time for the under five set.  I wholeheartedly support the notion that all humans – tiny and fully grown – should appreciate and nurture interpersonal, face-to-face relationships.

Here’s the deal: you don’t have to pick just one! You can read a great book and then blog about it. You can hear about an interesting blogger and go buy her book. You can Twitter a meet up and find yourself face-to-face with 200 fabulous strangers.

Children should still learn to read, write and communicate in full sentences. Adults should, too. But, IMO, they should also feel free post to a Facebook wall while they’re at it without fear of being called a selfish moron.

Agree? Or am I just blinded by the geekish glow of my laptop?

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No worries, FlackRabbiters. You’ve no doubt  scoured the globe for the likes of HorseOpoly, JamesBondOpoly, BugOpoly and of course, MayberryOpoly — but take heart!  You need look no further than the Rivergate Mall Books a Million, yo. It’s all there, right next to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue rack (duh):

Really, Google?

(sigh)

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A photo of me. Obviously.

So, I learned a few things today about the origin of my name, Margie Newman, courtesy of www.isthisyour.name:

1. Although not well-endowed, I am apparently well-enVoweled since 42% of my name is comprised of such. So I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.

2. My “personal power animal” is the Komodo Dragon, the largest living species of lizard. This will totally make sense if you ever meet me in person. What?

3. There are most likely about 90 folks in the USA with whom I share the name Margie Newman. Hope none of my name doppelgangers ever keep me from being able to board aircraft.

4. My numerology number is six, with this caveat: “If it wasn’t bulls**t, it would mean that you are responsible, careful, and compassionate. A giver, you are there to support and care for the most vulnerable.”

Just thought I’d share. Go check out your name and don’t forget to vote in the Most Unfortunate Name Poll;  Adam Hoare got my vote.

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A recent US Army intelligence report adds Twitter to its list of potential terrorist tools. Twitter even has it’s own chapter called, “Potential for Terrorist Use of Twitter.” Here’s a quick overview via Breitbart:

…Twitter has also become a social activism tool for socialists, human rights groups, communists, vegetarians, anarchists, religious communities, atheists, political enthusiasts, hacktivists and others to communicate with each other and to send messages to broader audiences.

I guess the vegans aren’t as organized?

…Twitter is already used by some members to post and/or support extremist ideologies and perspectives.

Seriously! Altoids and Jello are made of animal bones!

…Extremist and terrorist use of Twitter could evolve over time to reflect tactics that are already evolving in use by hacktivists and activists for surveillance.

We saw you eat that piece of bacon.

Dang. We are screwed now. When the people who don’t eat fried chicken AND the political wonks are using Twitter it can only go downhill from here.

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