Come Out Fighting In The Big Tweet-Off

Two great contenders, one hour and one hotly debated topic - after the first twenty minutes of the contestants slugging it out, it’s your turn to join the debate – start your tweets with either B (for blue corner) or R (for red corner), state your oppinion and don’t forget the #bigtweetoff hashtag

We are living in a Twitter bubble…

…well, I think so, but my good friend Adam Vincenzini thinks otherwise, which is why we’re putting on our gloves, and coming out fighting.

Here are the details:

Let’s get ready to rumble! It’s a #CommsChat co-organiser special!

Over in the blue (comms) corner is Adam Vincenzini, who lives his life through Twitter. In true fighting spirit, Adam has even pledged to change his blog, The Comms Corner, blue for this week only.

In the red corner is Emily Cagle, comms consultant, blogger, and gadget-obsessed Apple fan. Emily loves Twitter, but she’s not afraid to put it in its place.

Two great contenders, one hour and one hotly debated topic.

Want to be part of the The Big Tweet Off? Here’s the run down of how it works:

On Thursday, 11 November 7.30pm GMT head to Twitter and follow#bigtweetoff

For the first 20 minutes the session will be lead by Adam and Emily who will put their argument forward in 140 punches

Following this, it’s your turn to join the debate – start your tweets with either B (for blue corner) or R (for red corner), state your oppinion and don’t forget the #bigtweetoff hashtag

Of course, Adam and Emily will continue to spar throughout the debate

The session will be guided and moderated by @thebigtweetoff which will slap any deviants in to shape – remember, this is a fair fight

We will run a Twitt Poll throughout the session for you to vote on the winning argument

The bell will ring at 7.30 sharp so dust off your boxing gloves and get training!

Here’s what our contenders said:

Adam: With the exception of a few bots, Twitter is a people driven destination. How on earth can real people be living within a fake bubble? They’re human and have feelings whether they’re on Twitter or sitting in the pub sharing a beer. I even met the love of my life through Twitter.

Emily: Want to meet like minded people? Twitter is the place to do it. Why? Because we’re kinda geeky, pretty friendly, we like our tech and we aren’t afraid to share, chat & debate online. Twitter’s great, but it’s not representative of the population as a whole. A Twit Poll tells us what tweeps think, not what people think (oh I met the love of my life on Twitter, too).

To understand the background of The Big Tweet Off, visit our launch posthere. Feel free to shout any questions to @thebigtweetoff, @thepaulsutton or@beth_carroll.

Got an opinion you want to fight out in public? Let us know and you could be next in the ring.

Now I don’t want to sound overly confident, but I think we all know who’s going to win. Come join in the fun and be sure you’re in the Read more at www.emilycagle.co.uk

6.88 Billion People | How many Cameras

From www.bythom.com

Think About This

Oct 30 (commentary)--As of yesterday, there were an estimated 6.88 billion people on the planet. Here are some other estimates to compare that with: 1.7 billion imaging sensors sold this year (~one for every four people) 250 million smartphones with 5mp+ sensors sold next year (~one for every 30 people) 100 million compact cameras sold this year (~one for every 70 people) 12 million DSLRs sold this year (~one for every 575 people) Read more at www.bythom.com

American voters voted green

from switchboard.nrdc.org

Voters Support Clean Energy and Climate Solutions

Yesterday, American voters made plain their anger over the economy and their frustration with the party in power. But they often did something else: they supported clean energy where they could.

California voters defeated an oil industry attempt to undermine the state’s climate law, and most members of Congress who helped pass clean energy and climate legislation in 2009 kept their seats.

The vote in California was particularly significant. This was the first time climate solutions were put to a public referendum. And despite the millions of dollars that fossil fuel companies poured into the race, Californians made it clear they want to build a cleaner energy future.

In his new book, A Force for Nature, NRDC Founder John Adams tells the story of when Newt Gingrich’s 104th Congress overplayed its hand. The Republican leadership loaded the 1996 budget with dozens of anti-environmental riders and told President Clinton they would shut down the government if he didn’t approve it.Read more at switchboard.nrdc.org

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman Says

Just keeping an eye on what Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is saying about forests because it seems she - as part of the coalition government - both loves the environment and wants to sell off the national forests: From www.farmersguardian.com

Spelman hails global biodiversity plan

CAROLINE Spelman, the Defra Secretary, has hailed an historic agreement to protect the world’s most threatened animals and plants.

The Nagoya Protocol, adopted by nearly 200 nations in Japan last week, aims to halve the loss of natural habitats over the next ten years.

Mrs Spelman was in Nagoya to finalise the agreement. “These have been long and hard negotiations, but we have successfully achieved a new global plan to help protect our natural environment,” she said.

She added: “We have also secured an agreement to link climate change, global poverty and biodiversity together in protecting the world’s forests, which is essential if we are to achieve our aims in these areas.”

Key elements from the Nagoya agreement will be written into the Natural Environment White Paper due to be published in spring 2011. Read more at www.farmersguardian.com

Just keeping an eye on what Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is saying about forests

Just keeping an eye on what Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is saying about forests because it seems she - as part of the coalition government - both loves the environment and wants to sell off the national forests.

 from www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk

Businesses may benefit from sale of forest estate

The Coalition Government has confirmed that publicly owned forestry land will be sold to interested businesses and organisations, despite protests.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Defra) announced that it intends to fundamentally reform the public forestry estate, with private owners and civil society partners taking over a large portion of the Forestry Commission’s land. Confirmation of privatisation rumours came when Environment Secretary of State Caroline Spelman sent a letter to MPs on Friday. "We are committed to shifting the balance of power from 'Big Government’ to 'Big Society’ by giving individuals, businesses, civil society organisations and local authorities a much bigger role in protecting and enhancing the natural environment and a much bigger say in our priorities about it," Spelman said in the letter.Read more at www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk

If the government puts the matter out to a vote of conscience, and the public do not want a repeal of the ban on fox hunting, then there should be an overwhelming vote to keep the ban in place, should there not?

From www.nomorepencils.com

Fox Hunting And The Myth Of The Rural-Urban Divide

My thanks to one commenter who drew my attention to the 2009 Mori Poll the results of which show among other things that:

Among the general public as a whole, 75% support the ban on fox hunting remaining, while 21% want it repealed. In rural communities, 72% want to see fox hunting remain illegal. Among potential Conservative supporters, 62% say that fox hunting should not be made legal again, with 33% saying it should. 83% of Labour supporters are against fox hunting being legalised, compared to 13% in favour. 77% of Liberal Democrat voters are against repeal, versus 19% in favour.

If the government puts the matter out to a vote of conscience, and the public do not want a repeal of the ban on fox hunting, then there should be an overwhelming vote to keep the ban in place, should there not? Read more at www.nomorepencils.com

Quatermass And The Planet People - Aliens Harvest Hippies For Food

'Aliens harvest hippies for food' - a truly wonderful plot.

From en.wikipedia.org

Quatermass (TV serial)

Quatermass (also known as The Quatermass Conclusion or Quatermass IV) is a British television science fiction serial produced by Euston Films for Thames Television and broadcast on the ITV network in October and November 1979. Like its three predecessors, Quatermass was written by Nigel Kneale. It is the fourth and final television serial to feature the character of Professor Bernard Quatermass.

Influenced by the social and geopolitical situation of the early nineteen-seventies and the hippie youth movement of the late nineteen-sixties, Quatermass is set in a near future in which large numbers of young people are joining a cult, the “Planet People”, and gathering at ancient sites, believing they will be transported to a better life on another planet. The series begins with Professor Quatermass arriving in London to look for his granddaugher, Hettie Carlson, and witnessing the destruction of two spacecraft and the disappearance of a group of Planet People at a stone circle by an unknown force. He investigates this force, believing that Hettie may be in danger. As the series progresses, it becomes apparent that the Planet People are being harvested for food by an alien force. Professor Quatermass must devise a way to destroy the aliens before many more people die. Read more at en.wikipedia.org