In March 2006 the internet birthed a new child: Twitter. Twitter is a social-networking website that allows its users to create and read tweets. Tweets are micro-blogs that explain what the owner of the Twitter is currently doing, thinking, or just feels like saying. Users of Twitter can post tweets on the Twitter website or through text messaging on their cellular device.
It is estimated that Twitter has 5 million users as of now and it is now the third most popular social-networking website according to Compete.com.
Twitter has played an important part in the world of the media. On December 30, 2008 Israel was the first government to hold a press conference on Twitter about the war against Hamas in Gaza. Large businesses such as Jet Blue and IBM use twitter in order to relay product information to its consumers. Durring the 2008 presidential election the Democratic Party used Twitter to support Barack Obama.
Many Notable celebrities use a twitter quite frequently to keep their fans updated with what's going on in their lives. Shaquille O'Neil, Demetri Martin, Britney Spears, and Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists) are just a few that partake in the social-networking.
Twitter is a good way to keep up with current events, celebrities, and your close friends. It is completely free (minus cell phone text messaging costs) and very fun to use.
Friday, March 27, 2009
The American Dewmocracy
In 2008 the most important election of our lives took place. The options were all outstanding candidates and it was hard for America to choose only one. Mountain Dew allowed its consumers to vote on which new flavor of their beverage would be permanent.
The viral voting campaign known as the "Dewmocracy" was between Supernova (strawberry, melon, & ginseng flavor), Revolution (wild berry & ginseng flavor), and Voltage (raspberry, citrus, & ginseng flavor). Throughout the voting period, 350,000 votes were tallied. Mountain Dew Voltage won with 42% of the vote and was crowned as "The Peoples Dew". Shelves were stocked permanently with the new flavor on December 29, 2008 and history was changed forever.
The viral voting campaign known as the "Dewmocracy" was between Supernova (strawberry, melon, & ginseng flavor), Revolution (wild berry & ginseng flavor), and Voltage (raspberry, citrus, & ginseng flavor). Throughout the voting period, 350,000 votes were tallied. Mountain Dew Voltage won with 42% of the vote and was crowned as "The Peoples Dew". Shelves were stocked permanently with the new flavor on December 29, 2008 and history was changed forever.
McCafe: Cheap & Sweet
People really enjoy a delicious cup of warm coffee in the morning that will taste good as well as wake them up. Starbucks has monopolized on the American coffee business for several years with their tasty roasted blends of different forms of coffee beverages. Recently, an opponent has stepped up to take down the over-priced coffee monopoly.
The fast food giant of McDonald's decided that they could create coffee as good as Starbucks, at a much cheaper price. Though they had previously opened up their "McCafe" in Austrailian Mcdonald's restaurants in 1993, they brought the idea over to the United States in 2001. In the United States, Mcdonald's plans to have McCafe shops in the majority of their 14,000 locations.
McCafe does not offer every single flavor that Starbucks does, however they offer a wide selection. Fresh brewed coffee, iced lattes, cappuccinos, and mocha's are all available in an assortment of flavors. McDonald's coffees are a large percent cheaper than at Starbucks. A 20 ounce beverage at Mcdonald's will only cost $3.31, whereas the same size beverage at Starbucks will cost $4.48.
McDonald's also offers a full breakfast menu to compliment their coffee as well as much faster service than Starbucks on average. All in all, McCafe wins in the fight against the Starbucks giant.
The fast food giant of McDonald's decided that they could create coffee as good as Starbucks, at a much cheaper price. Though they had previously opened up their "McCafe" in Austrailian Mcdonald's restaurants in 1993, they brought the idea over to the United States in 2001. In the United States, Mcdonald's plans to have McCafe shops in the majority of their 14,000 locations.
McCafe does not offer every single flavor that Starbucks does, however they offer a wide selection. Fresh brewed coffee, iced lattes, cappuccinos, and mocha's are all available in an assortment of flavors. McDonald's coffees are a large percent cheaper than at Starbucks. A 20 ounce beverage at Mcdonald's will only cost $3.31, whereas the same size beverage at Starbucks will cost $4.48.
McDonald's also offers a full breakfast menu to compliment their coffee as well as much faster service than Starbucks on average. All in all, McCafe wins in the fight against the Starbucks giant.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Reviving Vinyl
When I was a kid, I would look at vinyl records and think that they were prehistoric artifacts and belonged in the bowels of a museum. Tapes and CD controlled the music market and people purchased what was smaller and more portable. Eventually MP3's and Ipod's took over what used to be CD, and Vinyl Records were at the bottom of a really long time line of different musical media.
Within recent years, vinyl has been born again and has received a surge of popularity. More and more musical artists are pressing their albums onto records and more and more people are purchasing them. Between 2006 and 2007, vinyl sales have increased 85.8% and between 2007 & 2008 they increased in 89%. Some bands will release material exclusively to vinyl that can't be purchased in any other format to increase the popularity in vinyl. Conor Oberst recently released his "Gentleman's Pact" EP in only a vinyl format. Pearl Jam recently reissued their album "Ten" in a deluxe vinyl box set that contained multiple versions of the album on different records.
Although a record player takes up about as much space as a thousand Ipods, the sound quality of a vinyl record surpasses that of an MP3 music file. A digital recording does not capture the complete soundwave that a vinyl record contains.
There are many positives to purchasing a record instead of a CD or online digital copy. You receive much larger album artwork, the album itself has better sound quality, and there is something about watching a record spin that really makes the whole experience much better.
Within recent years, vinyl has been born again and has received a surge of popularity. More and more musical artists are pressing their albums onto records and more and more people are purchasing them. Between 2006 and 2007, vinyl sales have increased 85.8% and between 2007 & 2008 they increased in 89%. Some bands will release material exclusively to vinyl that can't be purchased in any other format to increase the popularity in vinyl. Conor Oberst recently released his "Gentleman's Pact" EP in only a vinyl format. Pearl Jam recently reissued their album "Ten" in a deluxe vinyl box set that contained multiple versions of the album on different records.
Although a record player takes up about as much space as a thousand Ipods, the sound quality of a vinyl record surpasses that of an MP3 music file. A digital recording does not capture the complete soundwave that a vinyl record contains.
There are many positives to purchasing a record instead of a CD or online digital copy. You receive much larger album artwork, the album itself has better sound quality, and there is something about watching a record spin that really makes the whole experience much better.
Camel Snus
A new form of tobacco product has been released on the American market. Snus is starting to become available in gas stations and stores everywhere. Camel sponsored the production of Snus and as a marketing campaign they gave a free can away with every single pack of Camel cigarettes during the month of February 2009.
Snus has the same concept of dip (or smokeless tobacco), except you are able to swallow the juice that is produced. It is steam-cured moist powder tobacco you stick under your lip for a spell of time in order to consume nicotine and the flavor.
Some companies have an original tobacco blend, but Camel is currently only creating a frost and a "mellow" flavor. The mellow flavor is apparently a sweet tasting tobacco blend, and the frost flavor is a wintergreen/mint flavor.
Although the product is doing successful among tobacco users, a large sum of the American public feel uncomfortable digesting tobacco juice. Health risks are still involved (tooth loss and gum disease) therefor it is not a safe alternative to other forms of tobacco.
Snus has the same concept of dip (or smokeless tobacco), except you are able to swallow the juice that is produced. It is steam-cured moist powder tobacco you stick under your lip for a spell of time in order to consume nicotine and the flavor.
Some companies have an original tobacco blend, but Camel is currently only creating a frost and a "mellow" flavor. The mellow flavor is apparently a sweet tasting tobacco blend, and the frost flavor is a wintergreen/mint flavor.
Although the product is doing successful among tobacco users, a large sum of the American public feel uncomfortable digesting tobacco juice. Health risks are still involved (tooth loss and gum disease) therefor it is not a safe alternative to other forms of tobacco.
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