October 2009
The Emerging Twitter List Arms Race
I use Twitter a lot, but I was not among the very first to see the new Lists feature. I can now, though. And what I find much more interesting than actually using the feature myself is the fact that I woke up this morning to find that I was on dozens of other people’s lists. Even though the irony is that Twitter introduced lists about a year after I stopped wanting such a feature, I do think...
Job Opening: National Security Journalism Web...
I don’t normally post job openings, but in this case I’ll make an exception. I’ve been talking with the folks behind the Northwestern Medill School of Journalism’s new National Security Journalism Initiative about their Web strategy. They’re hiring a community manager, and I’m sure it could be a great job for someone in my network. It’s also a part-time...
You Don't Have To Follow Everyone You Like In Real...
I want to let you all in on a little secret: You don’t have to follow everyone you like in real life on Twitter, just because they have an account there!Simple, right? Well, not really. A lot of people seem to have a disease whose symptom manifests itself in the form of a question, “Why don’t you follow me on Twitter?” Guess what. I can choose follow people I don’t...
The Secretary of State's Sounding Board
Guess I missed this story (http://bit.ly/49Saqj). Someone at the ACT/IAC ELC 2009 conference yesterday mentioned that, like the terrific TSA Idea Factory, the Secretary of State has something called the Sounding Board, where people can essentially upload suggestions that are then taken seriously and sometimes implemented. Anyone at State using this that can mention how it’s going? Only...
A Talk Is Bigger Than a Tweet
Learn one thing about Twitter: it is a unique medium of 140 character or less communications. It’s like the haiku of the real-time Web. If what you have to say is often longer than those 140 characters, maybe you’re using the wrong medium. Dig this. When you’re at a large conference with (say) 20 people live tweeting every interesting sentence from every speaker, are you...
Why You Probably Shouldn't Mourn Media Property...
Today the editor of the terrific blog from PBS called MediaShift, Mark Glaser, pointed me via Twitter to comments on one of their recent posts about the closing of Gourmet magazine: http://bit.ly/4zvPu4 Some people mourned its passing, and others didn’t. It’s more logical to be in the camp that didn’t. The reason is that a good deal of the content in a good deal of magazines and...
Public Service is Multi-Sector at #ELC09
This morning at the ACT/IAC Executive Leadership Conference (ELC) there was a great panel about generational gaps, government leadership, and social software moderated by Lena Trudeau of NAPA. One highlight in my view was a statement about how “public service is multi-sector’” made by GovLoop.com founder Steve Ressler. This was in response to a thoughtful question about how he...
Georgetown Professor Mike Nelson on Government...
At the ACT/IAC Executive Leadership Conference (ELC) in Williamsburg, VA today, I got to hear from Mike Nelson, who’s a Visiting Professor of Internet Studies at Georgetown University. He spoke on a panel within the ELC “Innovation” track, and made what I thought was a great case for government innovating with social networking tools. [You may recall that I’ve previously...
The Human Side of Government Collaboration, IDEO...
At the ACT/IAC Executive Leadership Conference, I just heard a panel about “innovation” that included David Haygood, a partner at the design firm IDEO. They’ve worked on something that’s touched your life: the Apple mouse, the Motorola VoIP phone, the design of Acela trains for Amtrak, and the Bank of America “change back” products and services are all things...
Amtrak Irresponsibility at Washington DC's Union...
Today, I’m taking a train to Williamsburg, VA from Washington, DC to attend a conference. Train #99, in fact, which was scheduled to depart Union Station at 5pm. In fact, it didn’t. As I type this we’re late, and still not moving. Oh, I’m not writing about how an Amtrak regional train was late; I’ve been experiencing that pleasure since about 1993. What was...
Just In Case You Thought About Dating Mark Drapeau
I’m a Libra, and today I was somewhat randomly reminded about what that means. I don’t think much about astrology, but this fits me very well. So, just in case you thought about dating Mark Drapeau, be prepared for the the following! Mark Drapeau (LIBRA): The Harmonizer. Nice to everyone they meet. Can’t make up their mind. Have own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social....
Adam Zand Interviews Mark Drapeau at BlogPotomac...
Nice interview of me and journalism student Michelle Reed by Adam Zand at the recent BlogPotomac conference in Falls Church, VA. http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-OTYyNzM2OA Posted via email from Mark’s Cheeky Posterous | Comment »
Photo of me teaching class at GWU
http://tweetphoto.com/sivad7zu Posted via email from Mark’s Cheeky Posterous | Comment »
Mark Drapeau Video Interview About Government 2.0...
Posted via email from Mark’s Cheeky Posterous | Comment »
Video Interview With Mark Drapeau on Government...
http://governo.terraforum.com.br/Lists/Videos/DispForm.aspx?ID=233&Source=/ Posted via email from Mark’s Cheeky Posterous | Comment »
Talking With a Real-Life Branded Avatar
Almost a year ago, I wrote a popular post for Mashable.com called Do Brands Belong on Twitter? (http://mashable.com/2008/12/12/twitter-brands/), which turned out to be a controversial topic. The main thrust of my argument against brands with no names or photos attached tweeting was that it was very impersonal - brands have coupons, not conversations. Well, I have more evidence for my argument,...
Incorporating Tweets Into Bing and Google Search...
Earlier today at the Web 2.0 Summit news broke that Microsoft (Bing) and Google had struck deals to incorporate Twitter’s tweets into their search results. This is great because it allows for an organic search engine not gamed by SEO with real-time results to additionally be tapped into by Bing and Google users. Additionally, there is in principle a person attached to each tweet, and...
Go Dutch on Social Networking Cybersecurity
Recently I attended a private meeting with a group of Dutch government folks working in the space of new media. We talked about Enterprise 2.0 and better information sharing inside government, the way that government and citizens communicate with each other, and current developments in the U.S. government and with U.S. tech companies like Twitter. One thing was striking. Very briefly, the U.S....
Amazingly Patriotic WWI Soldier Formations
Guy Kawasaki linked (http://3.ly/78w) to some amazingly patriotic solder formations that were photographed during World War I. I’m reposting the photos here. I’d love to see the modern-day version of this! See and download the full gallery on posterous Posted via email from Mark’s Cheeky Posterous | Comment »
Who's using Microsoft's Zune, and why?
I guess I’m becoming a bit of a tech junkie. First I started moving some of my comments from Twitter and WordPress to Posterous. Then I decided to stop being so iPod-centric and check out a Zune. Now I’m even having crazy thoughts about getting a Flip Mino or a Kodak zi8 digital camera. Who am I, Robert Scoble??? Seriously though, as a new Zune owner I wanted to get some feedback. Do...
Mom Made Me Unstoppable!
One of my favorite commentators, Gary Vaynerchuk, posted a quick note (http://bit.ly/1I18e0) today saying, “My Mom made me unstoppable…Period!” I felt compelled to comment in the affirmative, and he immediately responded that we both got lucky. Not only is he right, this is also proof that short Web posts can have just the impact of long ones, or more, and that it doesn’t...
