Today’s Word – Facebook likes, status updates, and wall posts have so far accurately predicted the outcome of the 2012 presidential election. A partnership between Facebook and Politico to study the conversations about the GOP candidates has shown that the volume of posts, status updates, links shared on friends' walls, and user comments can predict electoral results. Looking ahead, Rick Santorum has witnessed a significant drop-off in Facebook interest since the Iowa 2nd place finish while 50% of the interest in Newt Gingrich has been negative. Full story here.
Is Lady Gaga the Millennial Generation's Cultural Voice? – Lady Gaga may be a pervasive presence in pop culture, but the music she produces doesn’t have a true meaning or message, let alone convey the cultural voice of our generation.
Why Martin Luther King Jr. Would Not Get Along With Mitt Romney or Barack Obama – Monday marks the birthday of civil rights leader MLK Jr. However sanitized his public image is today, King was a brave and radical main who would find no friends in today’s American political establishment.
Pinterest Becomes the First Major Social Networking Site Driven by Women – Pinterest, a platform for sharing pictures and videos, is comprised of 58% female users, nearly 60% of whom are women between the ages of 25 and 44.
Do Stories Help or Hinder Our Understanding of Foreign Affairs? – Stories are often used to help explain complex foreign policy problems. But if the stories we use to justify positions are too simple, our policy can become misguided.
What We’re Reading – Poll shows Colbert beating Huntsman in South Caroline; Children 'dumped in streets by Greek parents who can't afford to look after them any more' (Daily Mail); Iran V the United States: Iran's Warning (The Economist); Seeing social media more as portal than as pitfall (NYT); Value of good teaching: a poor teacher has the same effect as a pupil missing 40 percent of the school year (NYT).
