Another blip in the ocean

Have recently started using blip.fm, having seen the multitude of posts people were whizzing through twitter. For those not familiar with their blips and bobs Becky McMichael provides an excellent overview on her blog. At first I thought this was an awesome idea - being a big music fan (with varying degrees of taste) I thought it would be a great way of sharing music I like with friends I've already made through other networks like Twitter and Facebook...

Only problem is you can have too much of a good thing, and I agree with my old colleague Ben Matthews that the ability to automatically tweet every blip (if that makes any sense at all) I think there's a danger of really pissing people off, informing them of the fact you love that Punk infused Jazz Folk Track from 1987...

It's a great way of extending your self expression (horrible word again...sorry) and sharing stuff you like online but everything is good in moderation...Therefore I will do my best to go easy on the blips..perhaps a song every morning with my cup of coffee...although I hope everyone will be sharing their Karaoke Blips in the run up to Harvest Twestival on 25th September....please excuse the odd bit of Michael Bolton

Hitler Goes Mad @ The Fail Whale

Kudos to the guys over at Fallon for putting this video together...or at least posting it - turns out that even totalitarian megalomaniacs go bonkers at the sight of the Fail Whale sometimes.....




A clever play on an old Youtube footballing joke, any fellow spurs fans will share in my pain below;

Whoa!! What's Wrong with a Tweet?

It was interesting to read the mini debate that has developed over the past couple of days around 'twitter etiquette'; when to tweet and when not to.

I agree to a certain extent with Sally Whittle's comments that it's good to take a break from twitter and actually enjoy your boiled eggs than talking about them - I've had enough scolds from my flatmates and my girlfriend, questioning why I am on my BlackBerry on a Sunday talking about something as inane as ironing....

However in many ways for me that is the whole point with twitter. Like anything you do online - it's about (and excuse me for the crass term) but self expression. The fact that I'm ironing on a Sunday night is probably just as much a shared experience (if be it a crap one) for people who follow me on twitter as the fact that the Russians have invaded South Ossetia which before last Friday I had never heard of and had no reason to.

Since I was introduced to twitter by my old boss and all round digital media legend Drew Benvie, my living room has been transformed into one of epic proportions - enabling me to share my thoughts with Becky McMichael on Anelka's penalty taking ability and asking Daljit Bhurji whether Raif should have stayed in the Apprentice....if you're not interested - I perfectly understand - just dont follow me....

What I've enjoyed most from people's posts whether they be about the fact we are about to witness a new world war, or the fact they want to go to nando's soon is that it gives away little snippets of their personalities & has encouraged me to make new friends through things like team twitter and the Harvest Twestival which it would be great to see you all at.

So please keep twitter fun (and I'll try not to be so trigger happy with twhirl) as the old sage of social media, Will McInnes says, "I have truly formed and developed real relationships with lovely, interesting people I haven't yet or may never meet in the real world - in that respect it's much more like a forum than a Facebook"

oh...and thanks again to Wadds for directing me to this debate...guess how I found out about it? yep - you guessed it through twitter

Inflation - A Government Statement

So the latest inflation figures out this morning didn't make the most pleasant reading with the UK''s annual rate of inflation rising to 4.4% twice the government's 2% target....

Ok...Ok...boring post alert - but I thought the video below might sum up how Gordon Brown felt as he tucked into his Ready Brek this morning (imagine that's what he eats when holidaying in Norfolk...)

...funny how history repeats itself (just replace unemployment with inflation)

Working 9 - 5 - What a way to make a living!

Anyone who reads this will probably know that I recently joined Diffusion PR. I've really enjoyed working here; exciting clients, great team (excellent tea making skills) and a bevy of pubs and cafe's just around the corner for lunchtime and after work fun and games in deepest, darkest Soho.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, the good news is we're hiring. It would be great to hear from you if you're interested in positions outlined below.

Here's our official ad with all the contact details etc:

At Diffusion we naturally believe that Public Relations offers one of the most stimulating, rewarding and intellectually challenging career choices for graduates. We’ll be opening applications for our 2009 Graduate Programme in December, but due to impressive client growth we have an opportunity for two exceptional graduates to join the Diffusion team this September.

So what are we looking for? Well we’re not ashamed to say our standards are very high - you will need a First or 2:1 degree from a leading University. What’s more important than what you studied is a genuine interest in communication. That means a passion for the media, for writing, for speaking and a demonstrable understanding of the PR process in the 21st Century. As you’ll be joining an agency at the leading edge of innovation in digital communication, an enthusiastic and natural affinity to all things online is essential.

PR is an industry where people buy people, so as well as holding all these attributes you also need to be likeable, engaging, and credible, generate trust and ooze common sense and creativity. As we said, our standards are high.

So what do we offer? Firstly a commitment to training and development. At Diffusion you won’t spend most your time scanning coverage and writing reports. We will ensure you receive intensive education in PR practice so you can also quickly start making a genuine and satisfying contribution to the success of client campaigns. As well as internal training from some of the leading PR practitioners in the UK, we also invest in external training in areas such as video production and web design, equipping you with the skills that are essential for pioneering PR today.

Our culture is supportive and open and we thrive on creative ideas, entrepreneurial spirit and humour. By joining a young and rapidly growing agency, you will be perfectly placed to enjoy rapid career and earnings growth.

Do you think you measure up? Then please send your CV and a covering letter to Daljit Bhurji, Managing Director, Diffusion at daljit.bhurji@diffusionpr.com

For more information on our Talent Management approach and benefits packages click here.

Closing date: 28 August 2008: No recruitment agencies please

Harvest Twestival

Over some beers earlier this week, following another disastrous footballing defeat, this time at the hands of the mini Maradonas I like to call Fishburn Hedges, I sat with Tim Hoang and Ben Matthews and we decided it was time to take Team Twitter to the next level...a level that didn't involve panting, sweating and deep feeling inadequacy....and so over a couple pints of Peroni, Harvest Twestival was born!

The Harvest Twestival is a Tweetup with a difference.

Wouldn't it be nice to actually meet all those people you so often tweet with but sometimes havent actually had the chance to share a drink with and would that be even better if we could end the night shouting our hearts out to Bon Jovi (well I hear that's Tim's favourite)

As well as meeting the faces behind the avatars (and checking out whether they really are as good looking as their online appearances), there'll be plenty of songs to be sung with karaoke classics and while your at it do some good for the world (kind of like Band Aid but without Bob Geldof)

In the spirit of our schooling days, we'll be holding a food drive, where everyone's invited to bring a few cans of food, dug out from the back of dusty food cupboards, which we will be donating to a central London soup kitchen. It is hoped that this nostalgia trip will also be a way for the Twittersphere to help those in need.

There'll also be an announcement of a new project that will use the PR community to help charities non-profits and social enterprises, of which more details will be released closer to the time.

It all promises to be a fun evening, a chance to meet up with old friends and meet some new ones, all while doing a little bit to help those who are less fortunate.

Once we've sorted a venue and sponsors for a bit of beer money, we'll also set up an event invite on here.

In the meantime, get practicing on your singing voice, dig out a few cans of food, and we'll see you on the 25th!

Harvest Twestival
Date: 25 September 2008
Venue: TBA, but in the Oxford Circus/Soho area
FB Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=78175635192

Paris For President

For once an intelligent and entertaining response to a political jibe - now that's not something I expected from Paris Hilton....

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die