Too many tweets

Before you all shout, 'Hey Al, you're not blabbing on about Twitter again are you!', let me get in quickly that I'm not becoming obsessed, just mildly fascinated.

As I write, it's just after midnight here in Edinburgh and the truth is, even if I wanted to, I can't give a tweet. Yes, folks, Twitter's in meltdown citing serious over capacity. Sometimes you can get in, sometimes you can't.

Which must mean that tons of people from the saddos like me sitting up late in Edinburgh and those just waking up in Silicon Valley are finding the time in their busy days for a bit of micro-blogging.

Today I'm being followed by Jarret Coon from Missouri, a self-confessed "14 year old technologist and financial guru who is trying to make his way online". I'm number 87,506 on his list. Jarret, mate, try and make your way outside where there are trees to climb, footballs to kick and girls to explore. There's plenty of time to be a financial guru but you don't get away with being a kid for very long.

On the positive side, Vicky_Taylor and goodstuff79 are living, breathing (and occasionally twittering) evidence that nice people out there are reading and taking note.

Join my growing (6) band of followers: http://twitter.com/alanmunro

TWITter

Is it just me or am I daft to think that there's no way that Twitter can be good value at around $80 million?

Encouraged by Brand Republic's beloved leader, I've taken to the occasional Twittering. I have two followers - Gordon, who put me onto it in the first place and some dude in the States who found me by happy accident. 

They get to read my Twittering and I get to read their's. Over time, I may add a follower or two - hey, if you're interested just search for alanmunro in Edinburgh...

But, for the life of me, I can't see how Twitter is going to make any money. 'Show me the revenue model!' I hear my inner capitalist say in sarcastic tones.

If the rumours of third round funding of $15 million are true then someone somewhere is expecting to be able to turn a heap of cash through Twitter at some point. I just can't see how. Mind you, I'm also at a loss to understand how some VC has dived in with this highly risky venture when all the ones I've spoken to about my own grand plan (which goes for a good old fashion cash for services rendered revenue model) seem to hem and haw forever and never quite get round to writing a cheque.

Perhaps I should put out a request for funding on Twitter ...

Apparently, sex still sells

While, clearly, I haven't managed to get myself onto Brand Republic at all in the last few months (due mostly to overwork with just a hint of lack of inspiration) one thing I did manage to get around to was Internet World 08 at Earl's Court just a week or so ago. 

And anyone else who got along to this premier trade event for businesses trading at the cutting edge of internet technology and marketing may have been slightly surprised by the amount of flesh on show. 

Now I'm not prudish, far from it. In fact, I went round time and time again to see the 'nurses' in tight uniforms who had some very loose connection to web hosting and the girls in the grass skirts (something to do with a dating site) stickered me on more than one occasion.

I didn't know where to look with the content management ladies who offered 'the ride of your life' and I was captivated by the scantily clad lovely who wondered if I'd like to 'talk to one of those guys over there about email marketing'.

Hey, I even wandered over to the International Direct Marketing Fair and fairly frequently clocked the hugely exposed knockers on the show dolly who was handing out leaflets for a printing company. "Y'awright?" she would ask - to which the answer was 'um, yes, but why in the 21st Century are you still here?"