Social Media Revolution Statistics in Video

“We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it,” says Erik Qualman, the man behind Socialnomics has released another video that I came across while perusing the social media section of Mashable.  It has some pretty crazy statistics about social media.

One of the sadder facts I took from the video is that Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears have more Twitter followers than the entire populations of Sweden, Israel, Greece, Chile, North Korea and Australia.  That to me is slightly upsetting.  That those three people hold that much influence.  But there are quite a few interesting facts, like that 3 of every 5 gay couples meet online, online gamers will buy more than 6 billion in virtual goods by 2013 and that the Ford Explorer Launch on Facebook generated more traffic than a Super Bowl ad.  Check out the video below, try not to be inspired and awestruck by the Lion King-esque singing and drumming.  SIMBA!!

From the Blogosphere: Failbook

Being a blogger (I can call myself a blogger right?), I read quite a few blogs because I enjoy the online format and they’re generally pretty entertaining. Brentertaining even. So, I’ve decided to start a series highlighting blogs that I find amusing and I hope you might too. Enjoy.

I feel like it’s safe to assume that everyone at some point has received an email or been linked to a post on Failbook, a section of Failblog, that exemplifies the sheer stupidity of human beings via Facebook status updates. I’ve always been interested in social media and I started following Failbook a long time ago initially for the same reason everyone else does. People are stupid and it’s hilarious. Aside from the random stupidity that runs rampant throughout the Failbook site, there are quite few posts that are very news worthy. These stories vary from amazing feats of modern technology and the good that social media can achieve to the uses of social media in order to bring criminals to justice (this does border on the rampant stupidity side but seems to have more of a news hook). Failbook also informs Facebook users of new upgrades, technologies and policy changes on the site, some of which generally aren’t publicized. Below I’m going to offer a few stories that I’ve come across in just the last few weeks that I found of interest.

When No Diggity Escapes

MMMMM, I love me some mash-ups, especially when they consist of R&B from the 90s and modern indie rock.  So, with that, I present, When No Diggity Escapes from YouTube user madden4343.  A mash-up of No Diggity by Blackstreet and When We Escape, an instrumental, by Minus the Bear.  Minus the Bear actually posted this up on their Facebook page, which I think is pretty cool, seeing as at the time of writing the video only has 300 views.

You like?? I like!

Free one week stay for former Tohoku JETs who want to help

The JET alumni from Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima are all a flutter about the latest newsletter from the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest JET Alumni Associations a few days ago.  It seems that if you were a former JET in Miyagi, Iwate or Fukushima and if you stayed for at least 2 years, MOFA and the Japanese Tourist Agency will send you to that area for a week to do PR work and help out.  A friend sent me the email along with guidelines for applying.  JETwit.com also published an article about the potential for former JETs to return to their old stomping grounds.  I’m currently going through the motions of finding it if non-American alumni can apply.  Hopefully that’ll be the case.  If anyone has any information about this other than the links I’ve provided please put it in the comments below.  I’ll update this blog with the response I get from the embassy here in Ottawa as soon as I have it.  If you’re an American and ex-JET from one of the three prefectures listed, look into this if you want to go.

Here are the guidelines:

The value of the JET programme to Japan

Earlier tonight I was bouncing around JETwit.com as I do from time to time and came across this post that features a blog post from the Center for Public Diplomacy by a former JET and current professor of Journalism at Indiana University, Emily Metzgar.  It’s a good little read on the true value of the JET programme and what current and former JETs have done in the wake of the disaster.  Even a little Quakebook mention in there.  The link to the actual post titled, This is what public diplomacy looks like is here.  Following is a small excerpt.

But in the aftermath of Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, the value of having a large, worldwide network of college-educated foreigners who understand, respect and appreciate Japanese society and culture continues to emerge. A look at a JET alumni networking website, JETwit.com, provides ample evidence of the many ways in which current and former JETs are responding in whatever ways they can to the disaster hitting a country that all of them, at one time or another, have called home.

Having friends in Japan who are not JETs, I know they’re just as valuable.  So, when you do read the article, keep in mind that there are those not in the JET programme who have done the same if not more.  I like to think that anyone who’s ever lived there would do what I know so many have.  That being said, it’s a nice little bump for the JET programme when there’s talk of it struggling to stay afloat.

Check it out, this blog was re-purposed for JETAA Ottawa

Well, hello there future of video games

I’m not even going to write anything.  The video says it all.  Cannot wait to grab the next Fable.

Click here for for a 31 video playlist compiled by youtube of 2011 E3 Xbox highlights.

Job description and expectations for new JET programme ALTs

Note: I just spent an hour editing this then when I hit publish I got an error that said my edits were not saved, so in the interest in at least getting this out there I’m going to post it as is.  I’ll come back and edit it again when I’m not as frustrated as I currently am.  Please forgive any errors, typos or lack of creativity.

This is the third and longest post in my short series of blogs/rants on the JET programme and what to expect.  This post will deal with what to expect in the job and give you a rough idea of how the school system works.  It took me awhile to figure out the school system and knowing how it works before you get there will explain why things are done the way they are.  So hopefully it’s less frustrating for you in the long run.

The power of Twitter: Oakland MacBook thief caught in ten hours

Earlier tonight, I came across an interesting tweet that someone I follow had themselves retweeted.  Wanting to help, I retweeted it as well.  The person I retweeted it from currently lives in Japan, I live in Ottawa and Joshua Kaufman, well, he lives in California.  This tweet has been retweeted over 100 times, which is the limit to how many people Twitter will say something has been retweeted.

Click the image to go to the link in the tweet