Tag Archives: Current Events

Have you noticed that the people in your Twitter stream seem to be turning green?

It’s not with envy and it’s not eco-conscious. Green is a new meme that shows support for those in Iran, speaking out against the election results. If you look at the trending topics, #IranElection has been hanging out at the top for several days.

I saw someone tweet that turning your avatar green isn’t really going to help anyone or anything, but I respectfully disagree. It’s a small way to help show solidarity with those who are speaking out. It’s good to know you’re not alone.

The Green meme was most likely started by Arik Fraimovich, a “friendly web-geek” in Israel. His HelpIranElection page has several ways you can go green with your avatar.  Many people are also taking their blogs or Facebook photos green as well.

Alternatives to going green? I added a green ribbon to one of my images using Photoshop, and you can also download Show Support avatars. You can show your support in other ways, by following these tips on BoingBoing.

How to Go Green:

Quick One-Click Go Green App from Arik (automatically adds a green tint)

Green Support Avatars

Green Ribbon (I used Photoshop to add the ribbon)

Use Picnik.com to add a “Night Vision” effect to an image

__

Help Michelle Land Her Dream Job: http://bit.ly/reallygoodejob
Vote for Michelle and then tell all your friends!

More information at http://www.rainbowgoode.com

by Michelle Lentz

I’m rather horrified by what’s occuring in the Middle East right now. Perhaps more horrified than I might have been at any other point in history. Why? Well, despite the fact that journalists aren’t allowed into Gaza right now, citizen journalists are at their zenith.

You can follow what is going on in many ways, although the most surprising to me is Twitter.

- Al-Jazeera is asking people to submit, via SMS or twitter, any incidents that occur and those are then tracked on a map. Al-Jazeera also has a specific Twitter feed, keeping track of the latest news. @AJGaza

- They’re not the only ones though. The Israeli Consulate has an official Twitter account with the news from their perspective. @israelconsulate Personally, I’m intrigued by this use of Twitter by an official entity (not a news organization) to get out their message. The Israel Defense Forces also have a blog and a YouTube page.

- The Twitter hash tags are out of control, but a useful way to track not just official and news stations, but citizen journalists. #Gaza, #Israel, #Hammas, #GazaWar

Perhaps the thing that moves me the most is a personal blog kept by two friends: Hopeman and Peaceman. The blog is called Life must go on in Gaza and Sderot. Hopeman lives in Sderot, a small town in Israel near the Gaza border. His friend, Peaceman, is a student who was studying in Europe. Peaceman came home to Gaza to raise more money for his schooling and has been trapped in Gaza for the last two years, unable to leave. Their blog offers up such a personal side to the conflict, and shows how the regular people get so trapped by the larger political movements around them.

Additional Resources:
NPR has a nice article on how different organizations are using social media throughout the conflict.

__
Contact Michelle with news, stories, events, and more.
Email: michelle[at]writetech[dot]net
Twitter: @writetechnology
Friendfeed: michellel
Blogs: Write Technology, Wine-Girl.net