The week that was

Claire Thompson, freelance PR consultant, Waves PR

So it’s Friday and there are three things I’ve been itching to write about all week, but a brief  ’only just in time’ post is all that I’ll be able to muster if I’m to continue to offer any kind of service to clients. The three issues that have been excising me are Google Buzz, the twenty year anniversary of ‘the walk to freedom’, and the start of the Winter Olympics.

So let’s start with Google Buzz

When Wave came along, I signed up. And then sat there wondering what all the fuss was about. I work alone, so collaborating is something project driven. And then the guys at Twestival Reading set up a wave I could actually help by contributing too. I loved it. (It takes Wiki up a level. But some people don’t like wikis either.) They decided it was too janky. Effort wasted.

I had the same feeling about Buzz. Signed up. Didn’t want to miss out. Sat there. Then suddenly people started following me. So I followed back. And set up my feeds. In theory it’s a great way to pull things together, but in reality I can already do that in a less invasive and more controlled way on a WordPress blog.

I use my googlemail account for non-work stuff or on platforms where Googlemail is the best tool for the job. I’m fairly protective about where I use it. I guess there are applications, but none that don’t seem deeply intrusive. I may, of course, be missing the point. The jury’s still out for me. Who knows what anyone landing on my Buzz page learns. It all seems like a big duplication of effort without any certainty about what’s public.

Ah well. As they say “We live in public.” The goldfish bowl just got bigger.

Next up, Winter Olympics

Start today.  My Canadian uncle sent some Olympic mitts that arrived today, in time for the opening and possible second helpings of deep snow. Wishing Team GB loads of luck. ‘Nuff said.

And last but not least, Nelson Mandela

Is it really twenty years since he walked out of prison? This man represents so much. Hope for a continent.

I was running the anti-apartheid group at the University of Southampton at the time. We were holding a fundraiser for a scholarship fund which gave a black south African student the chance to attend a British University (at the time amongst the world’s elite) to learn the skills to take home.

We were in the middle of showing Cry Freedom, a seminal anti-apartheid film, when the news came in. As the credits began to roll, without a dry eye in the auditorium, we were able to make the announcement.

That Mandela was to walk free.

Two decades on and  racism hasn’t gone away – certain comments against some of the YouTube videos are sickening. But South Africa is still able to boast a democracy, and Mandela has played a key role in the country’s stability.  The freedom fighter/terrorist depending on your view at the time has now become a symbol of peace and hope. How times change.

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1. ClaireatWaves (Claire Thompson) — February 12, 2010 @ 6:09 pm

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