Book of Tweets Is No Big Feat

Son's lucrative exploitation also includes book deal

(NEWSER) - Move over, Al Bundy: A project based @shitmydadsays, the Twitter feed engineered by the son of a cantankerous father, has been picked up by CBS. The creators of Will and Grace are on board as executive producers, with that selfsame transcriber of a son taking writing duties. The microblog’s title will change once on-air, the Hollywood Reporter adds, helpfully. More»

(NEWSER) - The delightfully profane dad who's the unwitting star of the August Twitter sensation "shitmydadsays," where his recently-moved-back-home son posts his cranky rants about making messes and dodging chores, may not be quite as clueless as he's been made out to be. Sam Halperin is actually a 73-year-old with a long career in nuclear medicine, the Los Angeles Times reports, and his Justin, is actually a writer at Maxim. More»

Tricks to being heard in the clutter

(NEWSER) - Without understanding Twitter's purpose, the social networking rage—which has gained 1.2 million viewers from last year—can feel "like a noisy bar where everyone is shouting and nobody is listening," Julia Angwin warns in the Wall Street Journal. "It's about promoting yourself." That's why general musings fall flat, while provoking opinions earn the honor of being quoted repeatedly, or "retweeted." More»

Rove, McCaskill, others make microblogging look useful

(NEWSER) - To the unconverted, Twitter seems about as useful as a Snuggie, writes Patrick Gavin in Politico, but some DC movers and shakers are making the microblogging site work for them. Here’s his top 10:

1. Karl Rove: More than 11,000 have signed up for quick glimpses into Bush’s Brain.
2. Claire McCaskill: Personal, off the cuff, and open, she’s Congress’s best tweeter.
3. David Gregory: Questions pols and interacts with fans.

Ex-boss never changed account password

(NEWSER) - If you’re going to fire the guy who ghostwrites your tweets, it’s probably best to change your password. Otherwise, that fired employee might just log in to your account to take his revenge. That’s what appears to have happened to one Mark Davidson, an "Internet sales & marketing professional" who recently sacked one of three ghostwriters. An ex-employee has been writing tweet after tweet ridiculing his former boss , Mediabistro notes. More»