NPR: How Do I Twitter the BPP?

How Do I Twitter the BPP?

A Twitter update from No. 10 Downing Street (thanks, @marilynm)

Listener Marc Naimark says he signed up for Twitter, and now he wants to know how to Twitter the BPP.

Here's the answer: In the space where Twitter asks what you're doing, write something that includes @bpp. Example: "Hey @bpp -- what's that weird noise on your show?" Your message will show up in our "replies" queue -- everyone has one.

New to Twitter and looking for friends? The fellow BPP folks listed here have volunteered.

Laura Conaway

9:17 AM ET | 04-30-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Thanks, that was easy.

Sent by Marc Naimark | 10:25 AM ET | 04-30-2008

Yeah! Now there's a new way for people to get hysterical and spread misinformation!!! Twitter!

Skunk is an old term dating back from the 70s (not that the 70s is really that old).

It did used to mean a particular type of weed, but now just generically means any good quality herb.

There is no deadly marijuana, there is no new super-strain that will melt your mind. There is no growing concern over marijuana in the scientific community. Marijuana is still used to treat depression an anxiety in people.

Gordon Brown has taken a bland piece of marijuana jargon, and given it an entirely different, and entirely fake, context. The British scientific community thinks Brown is a laughing stock, and so should you.

Similarly, in Australia, the term "hydro", as in grown using hydroponics, is used by politicians to scare people. Conservatives are running up and down ranting about the dreaded "hydro" that'll kill ya. (Er, no it won't dudes.)

Sent by Brian | 11:37 AM ET | 04-30-2008

Hi Brian,

Actually, one of the things I find most interesting about Twitter is how other Twitter users will reject spin coming from certain tweets. For example, if you look at this search results page for people replying to @downingstreet, you'll find other Twitter users debating them on a variety of issues. Another interesting example is comcastcares, a Twitter account used by comcast to have more direct interactions with their customers. Look at the search results for people responding to them you'll see it's not always pretty, but a lot of Twitter users seem to be taking advantage of it to get faster responses from them because of it. It's really not that different from why there are a growing number of NPR accounts on Twitter - it opens up new channels of continuous feedback and conversation.

Sent by andy carvin, npr | 12:59 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Wait, so "skunk" is good now? Weird. Admittedly, all of my store of knowledge of weed dates back to when I was in college, but in the early '90s in New Mexico, "skunk" and "dirtweed" were equivalent terms referring to the cheap, low-quality stuff that was usually pretty much all that was around.

Sent by Stewart | 1:28 PM ET | 04-30-2008

Stewart-

Sorry to break it to you, but you were misinformed. Its a good term. Skunks, the actually animals, can emit a strong smell right? And good quality herb smells typically stronger than bad quality - and thus the name.

Andy Carvin-

Is this the golden age of twitter? It looks cool, I will admit, but once so many people get an account, it could become chaos and hard to follow conversations. Like could Comcast handle double the twitter questions? Same with Downing Street; yes you can type to it, but how much is the person on the other end paying attention to you?

Some fun twitters:

"anyone see that @DowningStreet schooled me in pot in the wee hours this morning?" - Marilyn

"That was your least meaningful tweet yet! Can you try to be less generically PR? or more: The PM is lovely & UK is wonderful" - josiefraser :@DowningStreet

"I think it really speaks volumes that I am more interested in what @DowningStreet is doing than what our own government is up to." - timdawks

Sent by Brian | 4:41 PM ET | 04-30-2008

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