The most interesting part of the article was the reason that Brusilovsky gave for teens’ lack of Twitter interest. He says that safety and privacy are the chief concerns, something I hadn’t considered, given the security settings found on most social networks - Twitter included.

Consider his summary of Facebook:

The way my friends and I see it, Facebook is a closed network. It’s a network of people and friends that you trust to be connected to, and to share information like your email address, AIM screen name, and phone number.

And then his surmisal of Twitter, by comparison:

With Twitter, it’s the exact opposite. Anyone can follow your status updates. It’s a completely open network that makes teenagers feel “unsafe” about posting their content there, because who knows who will read it.

I disagree that Twitter is unsafe for teenagers. Though sharing any personal information online is somewhat risky, the same rules that govern Facebook also govern Twitter.

Share with caution and be sensible about the items you share. Just as Facebook has privacy settings, so does Twitter. And the argument that teenagers can’t figure that part out is silly - if they can maneuver Facebook’s sprawling options, they can surely navigate Twitter’s much smaller settings.

What do you think? Is Twitter unsafe for teens?

Not once at these many meetings, attended by those who want to share in a piece of this promising new economy, has anyone talked about the regional needs and opportunities that require collaboration among many different entities.

I first became aware of the regional issues facing energy developers, state governments and power distributors when I served on the board of the Wyoming Business Council – a six-year gubernatorial appointment in the State of Wyoming.

The purpose of the council was primarily to review applications for support using federal and state funds to:

1. Help industries and businesses grow in Wyoming
2. Aid communities in becoming business ready – supporting infrastructure programs, etc.

Rocky Mountain Region states are dependent on one another for creating and distributing energy.  In fact, the highest energy-producing states are in the Rockies.  Wyoming is the biggest producer of coal and natural gas in the nation.  Colorado and New Mexico are very big players in coal bed methane, Montana has lots of hydroelectric power and these states all have lots of sun.  Wyoming is the windiest state in the nation.  And in the general scheme of things, the population of these states is very low.

But there seems to be a parochial view, at least in Colorado, that we stand unto ourselves.  That’s just not true.  Energy created in Wyoming needs distribution in Colorado and New Mexico and elsewhere in the U.S.  How that is going to be done is an issue that many in government and industry are looking at now.

Thirty-seven years ago, when I started JohnstonWells, one of our first clients was the Federation of Rocky Mountain States, which looked at regional cooperation and a joint approach to problem solving.  The governors of each state sat on the board of directors.  We need a similar, formalized organization involving energy interests in each Rocky Mountain state to start taking an active, unbiased look at how the region should work together to find creative solutions to energy development and distribution.

I have lost count on the number the social media seminars I’ve attended in the last year. And I receive invitations to several new seminars, workshops, webinars, etc., every week. The learning opportunities for social media tools and techniques are sometimes overwhelming.

I was ready for some inspiration rather than more instruction, and that is what I got at the June 17 PRSA Colorado program featuring Paula Berg, emerging media director for Southwest Airlines. I left that event feeling more enthusiastic about social media than ever before.  Really inspired.

Paula Berg is a story teller – and a very good one, at that. We were promised a series of “case studies” to describe the success behind Southwest Airlines’ social media program. But in reality she shared a collection of meaningful, authentic and entertaining stories about the way her emerging media team, which now includes seven full-time communication professionals, has embraced social media as a way to develop personal relationships with customers.

My favorite stories were about how the Nuts About Southwest blog was initially created as a “replacement” for the Southwest reality show that aired on A&E; and how the hilarious rapping flight attendant video turned into a viral sensation.

I appreciated that she didn’t only tell us about the successes – even though she could have easily filled an hour with just the good stuff.  She also shared some challenges, admitting that she and her team have made mistakes. And she pointed out compelling examples of how social media has directly affected the business success of Southwest Airlines.

Aside from being inspired, the most important thing I learned in the session is this:  If you wait and wait for the perfect moment and the perfect circumstances to launch a social media effort, the time will never  come. Jump in now and work through the challenges as you learn.  Even Paula Berg, who manages what must be one of the most successful corporate social media programs in America, said, “I’m just trying to make sense of it all.”

So, with that, I choose to be inspired by possibilities rather than constrained by the techniques.

As the image above reveals, a healthy 33.8% said they just didn’t know. As embarrassing as it sounds, I must count myself in that last category.

What does shopping online do for the environment that brick & mortar shopping does not? While on first consideration it sounds like it would be better for dear Mother Earth, do the numbers actually support that conclusion? I thought it over while eating a handful of Nerds and came up with the following ideas:

• You don’t have to drive a vehicle to and from a store.
• The inclusion of the U.S. Postal System is…better for the environment? Because of its comparative efficiency?
• Less energy is used to power a digital storefront than an actual store.

What do you think? Yes, shopping online tends to be more convenient, but is it truly green when you consider shipping centers, delivery vehicles, etc.?

UPDATE:
Getting some great feedback via Twitter. People have mentioned packaging materials, the actual location of the goods, gas-guzzling in general. Thanks @SRasmussen, @kakoivisto, @brynn303 and @newsonthefly. What does everyone else think?

For the unaware, to Twitter or to Tweet means to update one’s status on everyone’s favorite short-form social network Twitter. Tweet can also be used as a noun that means a single update. Here are some examples:

I planned to tweet about the industry-leading development as soon as I could find my phone.

I want to Twitter about something meaningful involving cookies.

My last tweet had a typo.

As an avowed social media hooligan, I’m relieved that AP weighed in so quickly. I write in AP style frequently, so it’s nice to have some clarity around this term.

Now if I could only convince the AP magistrates to pick “website” over “Web site.”

[insert weary sigh]

Attendees at the event received free admission to the Zoo, a live animal demonstration and most importantly, the opportunity to pledge to take simple steps towards improving air quality in Colorado.

Jason Boyer (pictured above), meteorologist from The Deuce, was on hand to talk to moms and dads about how ground-level ozone impacts children. In addition, local business leaders heard from:

• Cal Marsella, RTD General Manager
• James Martin, Executive Director of the Colo. Dept. of Public Health and Environment
• Andy Spielman, RAQC Chairman of the Board
• Key Llyod, RAQC Executive Director

We’ve worked with the RAQC for five years, and yet we’re still humbled by how passionate and dedicated their staff is to helping all of us breathe easier (and safer). We’ve had a few rough years air quality-wise in the Denver region, so it’s important that all residents, businesses and industry do their part to help reduce ground-level ozone.

The good news is, the RAQC is around to help and they provide a number of excellent resources on their brand new website located at www.OzoneAware.org. You can also get updates via Twitter (@ozoneaware) and become a fan on Facebook (http://bit.ly/5karS).

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and pledge!

During the past week, this topic has come up twice via stories other people have told me. Both times, tension has played an unfortunate role - and both times have involved Twitter.

“So at the party, there were way more of my Twitter friends there,” a friend told me. “Which was awesome, but my other friends didn’t really get along with them. So I had to run around a lot, keeping people happy.”

Another friend told me about a concert he had gone to where he was meeting up with two sets of friends. He thought they would all get along, since they were there for the same band.

“The people I came with thought my Twitter friends were obnoxious. It was awkward. I’ve known these folks for years, so it was a difficult night.”

Truly, there is no difference between normal people and “Twitter people.” Let’s not be silly. So why is there tension between these otherwise similar groups?

I suspect it’s tied to the rapid nature of Twitter. It’s faster and easier to make friends online, though the connections are initially very shallow. Over the course of a month, you could find yourself with a dozen new friends - via tweetups, memes and #FollowFriday. You may not know them very well, but they’re surely fun people. The difficulty is merging them into your existing social circle.

Your old friends might resent your new Twitter peeps. Why? It could be the suggestion that you are making new friends behind your old friends’ back. That could be seen as threatening to your old crew. Especially when it happens so quickly. Do you have more in common with your Twitter friends? Will you spend more time with them eventually?

Personally, I haven’t experienced much awkwardness among my friends. Most of the people I hang out with were on Twitter anyway, so it was never an issue. But to be honest, I tend to have a bit more in common with the folks I meet on Twitter than my old contacts. I don’t think that means I favor them, though.

What do you think?

JohnstonWells scored the Grand Gold Pick for our work on the Happy Birthday Will campaign, celebrating Goodwill Industries of Denver’s 90th birthday. JW was also honored with a Gold Pick for the Goodwill campaign under the 2009 Events and Observances category, as well as the 2009 External Video Program Gold Pick for Qwest’s Online Safety Spring Break video.

Two Silver Picks were also awarded to the JW crew: one for w00t, our emerging media showcase site and another for Qwest’s Incredible Podcast.

Other highlights included: PRSA Colorado president and JW’s own Gina Seamans opening and closing the ceremony, a somber toast to the Rocky Mountain News, a moving speech from Lifetime Achievement winner Don Kirchoffner about the power of communication, Goodwill CEO Tim Welker receiving the Business Person of the Year Award and a PRSSA student intern auction (shout out to Liz and Chelsea!).

To view a full listing of the night’s awards visit the PRSA Colorado Blog.

A few more raw highlights from the evening can be found by searching #prsacolo, #prsacolokids or #prsacoloafterparty on Twitter.

I have been looking forward to this day for weeks. On Friday, I joined my JW friends, along with clients from Faegre & Benson and R. W. Beck, on a V.I.P. tour of the NREL National Wind Technology Center.

I think it’s safe to assume that Golden, Colo., is a world-acclaimed epicenter for hyper-intelligent scientists and engineers. I’m sure that our tour leaders (they deserve a much more sophisticated title), Jim Johnson and Jim Bousch, had to simplify their talking points for a group of non-scientists – but they still taught me more in three hours then I learned during all of my college science classes combined. Wow!

While most people think about “greening” up our homes and offices, the NREL scientists and engineers are thinking about improving the efficiency and design of massive wind turbines, upgrading our electrical grid, determining the very best places to collect wind energy and so much more. All the while, they also consider how to keep bats, eagles and other wildlife from being negatively impacted by their brilliant technology. After today, I’m convinced that wind is where it’s at!

Our group expected to also tour the South Table Mountain Site, but we’ll save that for another day. Honestly, I’m not sure my brain could absorb any more scientific information. I’m still processing how a massive wind turbine built on top of a concrete platform can actually float in the ocean.

If you haven’t been to NREL yet, you must fit it into your schedule. Check out the Visitor Center, open 9-5 on weekdays, and ask to view the “sphere” presentation, which is a movie projected on a suspended globe that resembles Earth. This presentation alone is worth the trip. Also, spend time on the www.nrel.gov site and learn something new. I got a kick out of learning about ADAM. He’s my kind of guy.

We in public relations keep emphasizing that during difficult times smart companies do not pull back in their communications efforts.  They don’t need to increase these efforts because their not-so-smart competition is pulling back on their visibility programs.

Smart companies invest during a recession, not-so-smart companies wring their hands, cut their public outreach efforts and don’t sleep at night because they can’t predict what’s coming next.

As James Surowiecki says in his current article in the New Yorker,  “…a McKinsey study of the 1990-91 recession found that companies that remained market leaders or became serious challengers during the downturn had increased their acquisition, R.&D., and ad budgets, while companies at the bottom of the pile had reduced them.”

He goes on to say, “…recessions make the strong stronger and the weak weaker…”

You may surmise that those with the most cash are the winners, but that’s not necessarily the case.  As I said earlier, aggressive companies can be noticed more during a recession because they know an economic downturn presents an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.

Please read this short article.  It lends credence to what we at JW have been saying all along. Public relations is less expensive than advertising, and the ROI is exceptional.