If Klout knows that you're an influencer AND your followers/audience DO talk about Nike Basketball, then it's near perfect. Awareness of a thing from a trusted source - even if the source isn't big into it - is still so often the nudge that causes heightened interest real engagement.

I'm proud to be called "Greatest Twitterer in the World" by some very sharp, successful people. Why? Because if you're old enough to remember life when a tiny fraction had a voice, you understand the extraordinary sea change in human culture we're part of. Unless you can't see the forest through the trees, the very expectations of consumers are being completely rewritten after 60 years of stagnation. Good on those companies that see it. If David is just "getting paid to chat to people", perhaps you should contemplate that a lot of industry and very bright people have arrived at this point in time to say to the 'Armanos' "what you have is quite valuable" Don't be dissuaded by those who won't lift their telescope...

Keith, Will you sign this Coyotes game jersey when you're home in MA? Was a get well gift, just missing you and a sharpie :)

The heartbreaking story of Phoebe Prince should be a case study, taught to every parent before their child can enter a public or private school. It should include an aggressive prosecution of the vicious little animals who bullied her, the fools who raised them, and the apathetic school officials who have taken more action to cover their own tracks, than they did to help this poor girl. http://is.gd/bhsgk

@Gerry Thanks Gerry, You've motivated me to go tweet this article to 300,000 people on Twitter. I was tweeting the video the night she said. Despite having things go so far left the past year, you've become a bit spoiled. You're nervous about Martha, and indeed like many Democrats, are realizing if Blue Massachusetts is this fed up, the rest of the nation must be far more disillusioned with this Senate/Whitehouse catastrophe. But I digress. Whether Daniel writes less about the #RedSox than hockey means nothing! ►He's a NESN contributor, who unlike you and madame Coakley realizes MOST of Boston/New England DOES care about a story, featuring Curt Schilling + our attorney general + next US Senator.◄

"The bottom line is to focus on the results of your social media strategy, don't get distracted by meaningless metrics like the number of Twitters followers." Agreed. And I agree with 90-something % of the things Anil and Chris observed. However, it is not as starkly black and white as we're now presenting it. The folks at Twitter HQ are not idiots. They're bright, progressive, and socially aware. It is after all a business, not a charity or group encounter session. While I have very little / no interest in Hollywood celebrities, and some of what passes as popular, the masses do. And TwHQ knew from People Search, who was being sought. They've also tried to help causes get some attention. But most importantly, the temporary SUL has been a learning experience for them. The next iteration of Twitter discovery engine will be a far better resource, creating a more fruitful 'onboarding' process for new and existing users.

THE bottom line: "If they wanted to have some control over who received the money, why not just award the money through tradition methods?" Because they want to ride "the next big thing in"; a Facebook Page where they can turn around and market to a millions(?) people, and the suits want to fix [only]their image with 'this new social media stuff'.

Also, the individuals on the suggested user list can bring attention, by tweeting about causes and events. Most don't want to follow an account that's all N/P's all the time. I try to do this in the spirit of http://twitter.com/twitter/status/4633069724 Twitter HQ obviously agrees (one of them tweeted that shortly after I private messaged it to @Ev) But I am told they are inundated with requests. What I have found to be most effective in bringing attention to worthy causes and efforts, is honest, evocative wording. In other words, it goes beyond "spraying the crowd". All followers become aware, and the interested have a link before them. Encouraging a culture where folks reach out and share that link with a friend whom *they know* would be interested, (and will likely reshare), has been my best use of the SUL. Good health to all, Ed

Something no one seems to notice, is when their close friends, business associates, or team members display aggressive social climbing attributes which would have made them "that guy" in live situations. A woman constantly tweeting every 'step up' event, or new A-List contact, (in other words) providing non-stop social proof of their rising relevance, is sickening. It's especially easy to fool SV geeks, who are clueless when they're being played...

If there is a return to previous blogging levels [I hope], then Twitter remains super important. If you remember, before Twitter put a dent in blogging, it was a huge boost for bloggers tweeting their links to posts. Then sharing those links became the bedrock of social media for the past year. Best, @Ed PS- If Friendfeed is so much better at "completing the conversation than Twitter", perhaps critics should be hammering friendfeed for hurting blogging, not twitter?

Everyone can make great use of Twitter. Everyone. It is unobtrusive and minimal by design. It stays out of your way unlike platforms. You can focus simply on the messages between you and friends. It's for everybody. - @Ed

"Here's a little trick about Twitter: You can choose exactly who you want to follow—and so can everyone else. #followanyone #unfollowanyone" from Evan Williams (@Ev) From @SethSimonds "Why I unfollowed 45,000 people" http://is.gd/IqQT From @Ed_Dale "Stop the Follow You/Follow Me Insanity" http://is.gd/IqXs (Thanks, @Ed

His tremendous character, was solidified by his humility. But I agree; he can edify so many, and so many youths with a right message. While he enjoys a deserved is passing limelight, he could debrief the rest of us, including how to gain the skill and mindset to accomplish great things. I'd listen, and I'd be sure my children did. Thank You for covering this, @Ed

Brogan? He's the opposite. How do I know that? He gives more of his overspent time to 'little fish' than many other "top dogs" combined! :)

Praying