Evolution of Social Media

3/31/10

Jessica Currier

The creation of Twitter, Wikipedia, and other social media tools have sparked a new era of networking. They have created a way for people to upload information about breaking news all over the world by simply updating their status' These social networks can be obtained by quickly logging onto a computer or even by a cell phone. Many phones have the internet, but Twitter and Facebook allow members to send status updates right from their phones as a text message. They could be standing right where disaster could have struck and will be able to inform the whole world.

An article by Nancy Scola, discussing how Twitter is a valuable resource during disasters, quoted disaster expert Dr. Jeannette Sutton, "When a crisis hits, people use what they are familiar with and what's close at hand. Twitter allows users to rely on pre-existing social relationships, and that's tremendously hard to replicate" (1). Sutton also said, "Disaster experts are looking to Twitter to boost situational awareness, warning dissemination, recovery coordination -- as well as to spotlight areas where information isn't reaching" (1).

It doesn't take long for an account to be created on Twitter after a disaster breaks out. For example, the earthquake that took place in Haiti in January 2010 now has hundreds of relief and support accounts on Twitter, just two months after the disaster. Some of these accounts are foundations that are raising money for Haiti and they post where they will be doing their next fundraiser or how much they raised. People are able to see the sites, and if they want to help raise money for the charity, they can contact the foundation or even just send money to the address given.

CNN discussed the use of Twitter during the aftermath of Haiti also. They wrote, "At midday Wednesday, four of the top 10 Twitter topics were on Haiti or earthquake relief. Many people retweeted news reports and details on how to send small donations to Red Cross relief efforts by texting codes via cell phones" (2).

People post links from news sites and charities like Red Cross for people to donate too. Twitters original creation was for celebrities to update their status' so the rest of the world could see what they were doing. Since many people are following celebrities now, status' pleading for donations from these celebrities where seen by many. As CNN also wrote, "Many celebrities, including singer Adam Lambert, actor Ben Stiller and actress Lindsay Lohan, used their Twitter feeds to plead for earthquake-relief donations" (2). If the celebrities are doing it, most likely many more will follow.

1) Scola Nancy. March 25, 2009. Tech President. "Disaster Experts: Twitter is Deadly Serious Stuff." http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/disaster-experts-twitter-deadly-serious-stuff.

2) CNN. January 13, 2010. Haiti Earthquake. "Web Users Flock to Twitter, Blogs for Haiti News." http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/13/haiti.internet/index.html.

Broadcast Script

3/26/10

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER ALLIANCE

[JESSICA CURRIER]

IN A MICROECONOMICS 120 CLASS, TAUGHT MY PROFESSOR CAROLINE NOBLET, TWO GUEST SPEAKERS, HUGH STEVENS AND ANNE AKOA, PRESENTED INFORMATION ON A PROGRAM CALLED THE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER ALLIANCE.

[TAKE VO]

[CG: HUGH STEVENS AND ANNE AKOA PRESENTING THEIR INFORMATION TO THE CLASS IN 130 LITTLE HALL]

THE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER ALLIANCE PROGRAM OR KTA IS COORDINATED UNDER THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE’S BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND DIRECTED BY HUGH STEVENS. THE PROGRAMS INITIATIVE IS TO HELP MAINE COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES OVERCOME AND PREVENT HARDSHIPS DUE TO ECONOMIC RECESSION AND NATURAL DISASTERS, LIKE FLOODS.

[TAKE VO-SOT]

[ANNE AKOA]

[TRT: 0:12]

AKOA, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF KTA, STATED THAT THE PROGRAM GOES IN AND HELPS BUSINESSES BUILD A FRAMEWORK FOR THEIR FUTURE. THEY HAVE 40 CONSULTING HOURS WITH THE BUSINESS, AND THEY ALSO HELP WITH NETWORKING.

[JESSICA CURRIER]

KTA IS GRANTED 1,827,000 DOLLARS BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY. THE PROGRAM IS A GREAT ADVANTAGE FOR THIS AREA AND ALL THE HELP IT IS CONTRIBUTING TO LOCAL BUSINESSES IS HELPING DURING THESE HARD ECONOMIC TIMES.

Knowledge Transfer Alliance

Jessica Currier

3/26/10

At the University of Maine Orono, one particular class had an interesting guest speaker. On March 26, 2010, the Microeconomics 120 class, taught by Professor Caroline Noblet, got the privilege of listening to Hugh Stevens and Anne Akoa present to them the Knowledge Transfer Alliance program.

The Knowledge Transfer Alliance program or KTA is coordinated under the University of Maine’s Business Assistance Program and directed by Hugh Stevens. The programs initiative is to help Maine communities and businesses overcome and prevent hardships due to economic recession and natural disasters, like floods.

Stevens is a graduate student at the University of Maine and is a small business owner himself. He started off by explaining to the class how small businesses make up the majority of the market, and that they learn the business by imitating other businesses. Sometimes, the businesses do not think how to market their own product, and they have a difficult time running their business. Stevens explained that sometimes small businesses will have a greater total revenue compared to profit, making bankruptcy a possible future outlook for the business. Stevens concluded by saying that one of the things that KTA does is help businesses determine how they will market their product, aiming to lead the business to success.

Akoa, the assistant director of KTA, did a brief presentation of the program and discussed how they go in and help businesses build a framework for their future. They have 40 consulting hours with the business and also help with networking. Akoa listed off many of the different fields of businesses that KTA helps with, for example, marketing, engineering, and accounting businesses.

KTA is granted 1,827,000 dollars by the Economic Development Agency. The program is a great advantage for this area and all the help it is contributing to local businesses is helping during these hard economic times.

Obesity Epidemic 2

One of the greatest epidemics in the world, obesity, has risen 75% in the past ten years. It is spread across the world and hit every town and city. The cause of this horrible disease is due to poor nutrition and lack of being active.

Obesity is prevalent in every type of person, specifically looking at children, child obesity has doubled in the last 20 years and tripled for teenagers (1). Obesity is diagnosed when the child’s BMI (body mass index) is in the the 95th percentile, which then puts them at risk for cardiovascular disease (1).

In Maine, obesity has risen 100% in 17 years, affecting children, teenagers, and adults (1). Children as young as kindergarten are experiencing being overweight and being obese. The Maine Child Health Survey announced that 18% of kindergarten students have a BMI in the 85-94% range, and 15% have a BMI greater than 95% (1).

With child obesity leading to so many diseases, such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and type two diabetes, what is Maine doing about child obesity?

In the summer of 2009, Governor John Baldacci met with Maine legislators and healthcare advocates to celebrate the passage of three bills aimed to control child obesity (2). One bill was oriented to measure the heights and weights of school children and send the measurements to the Maine Center for Disease Control (2). Baldacci also signed two bills aimed to find the cause of obesity, concentrating on diets and exercise (2). This included that chain restaurants must post more calorie information on their menus and increase physical activity in Maine schools (2).

Directing the attention to one Maine town, Brewer, they have acknowledged the issue of child obesity and are in action to fight it. The schools in Brewer, Maine, are all using a system called NuriKids.

Brewer’s food director, Anna Malo, explained that NuriKids is a computer application that the school downloaded into two computers in the lunch rooms. The students have the option to slide their student ID or punch in their ID numbers, and their picture will show up on the computer screen. This also allows their parents to access what they are consuming online and saves money for the lunch room(3).

One of the cashiers in the lunch room explained how NutriKids helps save money, “It keeps better inventory and keeps the list of students who needs free or reduced lunch clear. In the past, students have lied to the lunch workers and said that they have free or reduced lunch in order to steal the food.” Now, the lunch cashiers will know exactly who has free or reduced lunch.

The food supplied and made in the lunch room is not in the school’s budget, the lunch room has its own budget. NutriKids should make a huge impact on saving money; and hopefully, they can concentrate on buying better, more nutritious foods.

NutriKids also has nutrition education on its website and an interactive menu, where parents can view and plan out what their children will eat (3). The nutrition labels are also present within the interactive menu section(3).

Brewer High School’s principal, Rebecca Bubar, explained her opinion on the new program and on the component of how parents can keep track of what their students eat and buy. Bubar agreed that it is helpful and is glad it is available, along with all the other benefits of NutriKids.

Another health improvement that Brewer schools have implied is taking out the junk food in their vending machines. An article from the Maine Dietetic Association stated, “By establishing an environment that supports nutritious food choices, schools play a critical role in producing healthy students who are better able to develop and learn (4).” The Maine Dietetic Association described how schools in Maine are starting to transfer over the junk food from the vending machines and a’la carte in the lunch rooms, to more nutritious snack options (4).

In the long run, these contributions to the school systems of Brewer will help fight against child obesity. More schools throughout Maine are also taking similar actions. Malo stated, “Schools nearby like Bangor High School and Hamden Memorial High School have been using NutriKids for awhile now.” Hopefully, the state will see a decline in child obesity very soon due to these actions.

Jessica Currier

References:

1) Mills, Dora. Maine CDC. “Obesity in Maine” 2007. http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/oim/Obesity%20in%20Maine%20(5-07)%20FINAL.pdf.

2) Maine.Gov. “Governor signs three anti-obesity bills.” June 17, 2009. http://www.maine.gov/legis/speaker/news/PingreeNews/ObestiyMeasuresSigned2009-06-17.htm.

3) NutriKids. “What is MyNutriKids.com?” 2006-2009. https://www.mynutrikids.com/LearnMore/LearnMore.aspx#mytray.

4) Maine Dietetic Association. ADA Foundation. “Building Healthy Schools.” 2006. http://www.eatrightmaine.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/winter06.pdf.