How Social Media Changes Lives

As I’ve come to learn over the course of this semester, social media changes lives. It can make or break someone, so it’s important to take note of how social media has affected the people around us.

Social media has had many positive effects. Take Mark Zuckerberg for example. He’s the man. Sure, he did some shady things to get to where he is today, but he is successful none the less, all because of social media. Forbes recently released Zuckerberg’s net worth. Are you ready? He is worth… $13.5 billion dollars! Tell Priscilla Chan to take a seat. I would love a chance with him!! Big money!

Social media does change lives, but not always for the better. Couples have been busted for cheating. Teachers have been fired for making inappropriate comments to their students. Criminals have been caught for admitting their crimes.

Let’s face it. The world is full of idiots. They will say whatever they want with no regard to their actions. Look at me; I’ll say pretty much anything on my blog posts, but I would never use Facebook to contact someone I was cheating with. I would never flirt with a professor (online ha!), and I would never, ever admit to any illegal activity I’ve engaged in. (Sure, I smoke weed, but who gives a fuck? I wouldnt’ rob a bank and then post something about it.) The point is, do what you do, but don’t be a dumbass.

Want Exposure? Go Interactive!

Mari Smith posted a very appealing article on her Twitter feed earlier today called 6 Tips to Increase Your Facebook EdgeRank and Exposure. Now, obviously this article was talking strictly Facebook, but you can apply these tips and ideas to other areas, such as your very own blog.

To draw traffic, you have to find out a way to get other users involved, whether that be by asking for opinions or by posting interactive material, such as unique photos and videos. This may seem obvious, but not everyone does it. Take me for example. If you look back at my original blog posts, there are no pictures, nothing. I never even asked for anyone’s input. My professor advised me against this and recommended I make changes in my following posts.  After listening to her advice, my blog posts have really started to come along. Don’t ya think?

Even though I’m not in social marketing and I’m not trying to profit off my ideas, I still want to create a decent blog post that is worthy of reading.

Children Have Access To Everything!

Brian Solis just posted a link on his Twitter page called Blame It on the Youth. It talks of how we live in a digital media age. For kids growing up in today’s world, this is all they know. Children of all ages are online and it’s crazy to think of what they have access too.

Facebook, for example, has a mimimum age requirement of 13 in order to start an account, but we all know how easy it is to lie about our age online. Many of my friends younger siblings have Facebook pages and they are under age 13, so I can only imagine how many “minors” there actually are on Facebook.

Facebook seems relatively harmless compared to some other sites out there today. Think of all the porn and other trash that is just lying out there in cyber space just waiting for some kid to click on it.

I just wish there was a way to keep younger children off the internet, but it seems doing that is impossible, so we need some type of full proof plan to regulate what our children see.

This whole digital media age is a fun, exciting thing, but the idea of young children having full access to anything and everything scares me just a bit.

Happy 4:20!!

One Hitta Quitta!

This week, I said fuck it! I’m stepping away from social media topics; I need a break from all that. It’s time to spice up my blog. Since it’s April 20th, what better topic to address than today’s holiday?!

Regardless of your view on smoking marijuana, everyone is familiar with the nationwide “get ripped” day. There is some controversy on how it all originated though, but most believe that a group of California teens started it all. It is said that they use to meet up after school each day at 4:20 P.M. to smoke marijuana and that’s why we observe April 20th as the national holiday.

Some people are upset that a day such as this exists; a pro “drug” day; however, drinkers can have plenty of their holidays with no issue. They have New Year’s Eve and Saint Patrick’s Day and getting drunk is almost promoted on these days.

Everyone has their vice. Keep your bottle and I’ll spark my blunt.

How lazy are you? Would you want your own robot?

Erika Napoletano  posted a link on her Twitter page earlier today about the new robots that look exactly like humans! This isn’t news to me; I have been hearing about it for months on techy websites like Engadget, but the thought of it is still thrilling!

The article proposes the idea of how creating your own robot could change your life. The robot could go to work for you and do what you don’t want to do! I don’t know how well I would trust technology like this, especially in its earlier stages of development, but it sounds damn good. I could only imagine having another me around; I fucking love the idea! The world would be a better place!

There’s so many things that could go wrong with this idea though. What if the robot malfunctioned when it was taking care of someone’s children? I would need to know at all times how and if my personalized robot was functioning, otherwise it’d be too much of a risk.

Plus, I can only imagine how much this robot would cost me and if it’s gonna be a replica of me, it better have big tits and a fat ass or I ain’t interested!

How secure do you feel?

As I was reading Jason Urgo’s blog, I came to discover that WordPress has been hacked into today! He gives a few suggestions like to create a strong password, but regardless, the security threat is still out there.

Hearing that makes me more uncomfortable about joining websites and posting my personal information. Now obviously, I could NEVER leave Facebook because I’m so obsessed, but sites like LinkedIn make me wary. Just the other day, I randomly googled my name and up came my LinkedIn page. It’s just too personal to share my work experience and all that. I haven’t accomplished much yet and I don’t want to share that with everyone.

I really have no idea how secure the internet is because I’m not tech savy, but I’m guessing with everything that happens, there’s a certain limit to how secure it can be.

“I Never Thought My Grandma Would Add Me On Facebook..”

After reading an article called, How Baby Boomers Are Embracing Digital Media, I began to think about how almost everyone is online today, even old people! In fact,  the older generation is the fastest growing demographic when it comes to using the Internet. That’s completely shocking to me.

I remember a few years ago I had friends tell me how their grandparents tried to add them as a friend on Facebook. I was appalled when I heard this. Who the fuck wants their grandma to see pictures of them smoking a blunt, doing a beer bong, making out with some chick, or whatever? That’s just too personal for me. Not that my grandparents don’t already know how fucking crazy and out there I am, I don’t need to give them added confirmation.

I think it’s great that older people are learning and adopting to today’s latest technology, but there’s no need for them to ruin my fun. Facebook crossed the line when anyone could start an account. I think some old people should just stick to e-mail. (Hugh Hefner excluded! He can friend me anytime!) 

30 Days?!? I couldn’t even do 1!!

Julien Smith recently posted a link on his Twitter page on Why We Should Quit the Internet. He tells how he’s quitting the Internet for 30 days to focus on other areas of his life. It got me thinking. Could I really quit using the Internet for an entire month? Granted, right now with school and everything, it wouldn’t be possible, but even this summer when I don’t have a real need to be online, I don’t think I could do it.

I’m online practically every waking hour doing something and nowadays with everyone having a smart phone, it’s hard to break the habit. Even if I could manage to cut out my use of social networks for a brief moment, I couldn’t just ditch the Internet altogether. It’s my primary way of getting all sorts of information in the matter of a couple clicks.

I know unplugging every once in a while allows us to put our minds at ease and to focus on other things, but I think we have a need to stay connected and no one should try to take that away from us.

LinkedIn? I want out…

For my Social Media class, I’m required to start a LinkedIn profile, so I set it up and am slowly filling it out. I don’t know how to feel about it, having all my personal information out there.

Plus, I really don’t see the point because what do I honestly have to offer an employer? A couple bunk ass jobs and an internship? I don’t have any professional work experience yet.

In the meantime, I’ll comply with this assignment, but after that, I intend on slapping my resume together and e-mailing it on over to where it needs to go.

 

“Who ever thought that fat girl would grow into Oprah?”

As I was scoping out my Twitter feed today, I noticed a tweet from @redheadwriting. She posted a link to 5 inspiring examples of how famous people have failed, but still became successful. One of them was the KFC story of how Colonel Sanders finally sold his chicken recipe at age 64 after being turned down 1,005 times prior.

I love stories like this; it’s a reminder that none of us should be afraid to set our dreams high and go after them, no matter how hard it may be along the way.

To me, success is accomplishing your goals, but most of all making money, no matter how you do it.

Take the real Rick Ross for example. This guy is a self-made millionaire. He sold crazy amounts of crack cocaine before he was arrested for drug trafficking. To be a successful drug dealer takes the smartest of all kinds, regardless what anyone thinks. Rick Ross is a marketing genius, who came from the scum of society and now he’s living the life most people desire. When he was released from prison, he still got to keep his money, since the police couldn’t locate his huge ass stash!

I know Rick Ross shouldn’t be my idol and he isn’t, but he certainly is inspiring. He knew what his neighborhood wanted and he was determined to give it to them.

Just like the rapper, Rick Ross says,  “Who ever thought that fat girl would grow into Oprah?”

It’s all about going for it and being fearless.

I mean look at Tony Robbins. All this guy does is travel around the country telling people to just fucking think positive. How hard is that? Regardless, his motivational speaking works and he’s certainly profiting from it.

What’s your next big idea? I don’t know what mine is, but I’m sure willing to spend the rest of my life figuring it out. I refuse to die a broke ass bitch!