Twitter in Trouble?

It seems that all is not well in the world of Twitter. That is, according to a recent cover story in Fortune that warns Twitter's usage appears to be flat lining.

The story says Twitter has garnered 200 million citizens from all over the world, but one hundred million of them are absent altogether, and Twitter.com has about 20 million fewer visitors per month than Myspace.

Twitter also seems to lack a visionary product leader while suffering from outages and not turning a profit. Finally, CNN reported on Wednesday that UberMedia is planning to build a rival micro-blogging network that could shun the the famous 140-character limit.

Now the question is does Twitter really have a problem on their hands? Should "tweeps" begin looking to another city with fewer rules?

Well, looking at the numbers Quantcast says there's been a 50% jump in usage in the past five months, Google Analytics says international traffic has risen 83% in the past year, and because so many people are tweeting on their mobile device or third party app, the Twitter.com numbers are incomplete.

Even without the numbers Twitter is the only service that actually immerses you in a global conversation, especially when there's a natural disaster, major sporting event, or revolution going on.

What about it's 140-character limit? This is, and will be, Twitter's greatest asset despite the little minority of people that protest against it. It's the stop-light system that keeps the traffic flowing smoothly and allows everyone to get a word in.

If something is worth saying, it's worth saying as short and brief as possible. Just ask Poets and screenwriters.

With that said, I believe the answer to "Is Twitter in trouble?" is simply, no. Twitter has accomplished something special and is far away from being outdone or repeated in any way.

Wouldn't you agree?

Photo Credit: money.cnn.com via Creative Commons

Doing Things The "Write" Way

During this past semester, Brian Steffen's BNR students have engaged in the benefits of writing and reporting.

With the semester coming to an end, many students may wonder what to do next. How do we keep up on our writing skills? What is a good way to maintain what we have learned throughout this course?

One of the best tips for young writers to keep their writing career strong is by starting a journal.

A journal helps because it helps a person express his/her feelings, become more organized, and maintain focus. When writing, a person will become more aware of feelings and help clarify his/her thoughts.

Another good reason to keep up on a journal is developing personal growth in writing. Writing helps create and capture memories of a person's lifetime. If a person decides to go back and reflect on a journal, he/she can personally see improvement as entries continue.

One last reason keeping a journal is helpful is reducing stress. When a person handles problems by writing things out, it helps combine fuzzy, spinning thoughts into how a person is actually viewing his/her troubles. By writing, health can be improved because getting emotions out enables the mind to be clearer.

Journals are a great way to help writers improve writing skills at a cost-free and easy way. By having a journal, BNR students can continue to develop good writing habits and a sense of their own mind.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons