If a little birdie were to tell you something you might think twice, right?! The same applies to nit-witted tweets, tweeple! Twitter trends are trending more rumors than factual news.

While Twitter’s popularity continues to grow, the trend of false “trending” is becoming more prominent on the social networking site and at a seemingly explosive and exponential rate.

These false trends’ results are comparable to the game of Telephone (a.ka., Chinese Whispers or Gossip) that I used to play with my girlfriends eons ago at slumber parties.  The person at the beginning of the “telephone line” whispers a phrase in their neighbor’s ear.  The message is carried down the line of players until the last receiving person reveals the “phone call”.  The ensuing message (usually a wild rumor) rarely matches the initial conversation.  Similarly, tweets are creating a viral, domino effect by relaying hear-say to a group of followers who in turn broadcast the same or like message to a broader audience.  Sometimes resulting in legitimate, news tidbits snowballing into monstrous, untamable rumors and bogus gossip blowing up like a volcano.

Recently, Twitter made changes to their system so popular topics show as “Trending Topics”.  You can now view these trends easily from your profile.  They’re located on the right-hand sidebar, directly beneath the search field labeled “Trending Topics”.

Just yesterday, listed as one of top trending topics was “Patrick Swayze”.  For those of you not in the know, Patrick Swayze is a quadruple-threat Hollywood movie star (of Dirty Dancing, Ghost and Point Break fame, to name just a few) who was diagnosed last year with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.  Having visited WhatTheTrend.com, a resourceful website to view trends and why they’re happening, the “Patrick Swayze” trend was skyrocketing on news of his death.  Having done a quick search on Google, I found articles already published and being “Dugg” of Swayze’s demise.  Feeling secure that I had done my “due diligence” I posted a quick tweet on Twitter of “Rest In Peace Patrick Swayze”.  Soon after I tweeted, I searched for more news and found that a press release had been published by Swayze’s publicist.  The release stated that the news was merely a fake rumor fueled by the radio and Twitter frenzy.  Needless to say, I felt like a total dope over my tweet. I logged back into my account and deleted my update.

Fake news like Patrick Swayze’s death has occurred before by “nit-twits” earlier this year.  Even big media publications are guilty of broadcasting faulty tweets.  Allegedly, the L.A. Times leaked a tweet last Friday that California’s Prop 8 (the state’s ballot proposition that eliminated same-sex couples’ right to marry) had been overturned.  Realizing an erroneous update had been made, the L.A. Times retracted their tweet.  Unfortunately, it was too late and the rumor quickly spread like wildfire among hundreds of thousands of tweeple.  “Prop 8 Overturned” shot up as the number one trending topic for that day.

I myself am just beginning to learn how to utilize Twitter as the powerful tool that it is, some of which is still a quandary to a twoob (Twitter Noob) like myself. It’s apparent that there’s a real need for precautionary measures to be put in place to ensure that spiraling out-of-control rumors and gossip aren’t mistaken as news stories.  So, what to do about tweeting tall tales?

Possible Solutions

At this stage of the game, Twitter seems to be growing at an awe-inspiring, blob-like proportion, overpowering the micro blogosphere, if not all of the web and its denizens.  The folks at Twitter may opt for a rating system for each tweet – something like a nay or yay (“thumbs up” or “thumbs down”) approach to voting on the credibility of an update.  Or, maybe they’ll consider an Ebay-esque ranking system allowing users to provide feedback on a user’s tweet integrity.  It’ll be interesting to see if the tweety cream will be able to separate itself from the hyped, trending crap!

Another year, and another pandemic-potential flu virus outbreak. This year’s hoopla is over the swine influenza (H1N1) virus (swine flu) outbreaks in pigs which has also traversed to humans. Granted, this is frightening stuff. Perhaps what’s more frightening about this outbreak than other recent avian flu outbreaks is that not only are these closer to home, but that there have already been confirmed cases in humans from California to New York City. The outbreak seems to have spread from Mexico outward, as eight students at a New York Catholic high school that contracted swine flu had been to Mexico over spring break just two weeks ago.

Grounding ourselves back to reality, with so many protective measures now being taken, it’s likely that this outbreak will eventually fizzle out like those in previous years. Already many of the students are recovering, and with the heightening level of awareness people will be extra cautious. For those who want extra protection, I’ve heard that Sambucol (black elderberry extract) may be helpful in warding off flu virus attacks.

In the meantime, with all the hype around this outbreak (#swineflu is the top tweeted phrase on Twitter today!) is there some way to Pass Me The Pork on this crazy PIG FLU?!

Already Friday, several of the top flu vaccine “penny stocks” began moving sharply higher, and there’s likely more potential opportunity for greater moves higher on Monday. The current leader is NASD:NVAX (Novavax, Inc.), already up 75% on Friday alone. Scientists at Novavax have successfully developed the first multi-strain flu vaccine, though it may not be FDA approved in time to help with the current flu outbreak. As these stocks will already likely gap even higher pre-market Monday morning, you better watch the price action closely, don’t chase, and consider scaling in as higher bases form. If it’s too wild, stay away and wait until they calm down.

Some of these stocks may also turn out to be great shorts later this week. For disclosure purposes, I already managed to pick up some shares in a few of these stocks on Friday so I already have a nice little cushion, and will watch closely Monday for the opportunity to add more (or begin unloading if one of these stocks just goes completely berserk).  But remember… Don’t stick around too long, hit and run baby! Well, enough rambling…

Here’s the list of stocks to consider (NVAX – Novavax, BCRX – Biocryst, GNBT – Generex, SVA – Sinovax, and MYL – Mylan/Roche/Tamiflu/oseltamivir). From the charts and data below, you’ll also notice a few of them have built up a significant short interest for some seriously whopping short-squeeze potential. Do your due diligence, don’t blink, and you just may be able to turn these pigs into some of your own PORK!

(read more...)]]> http://www.vlogolution.com/hot/2009-04-26-make-some-pork-from-the-swine-flu-outbreak/feed/ 3 http://www.vlogolution.com/hot/2009-04-24-sneak-a-peak-of-my/ http://www.vlogolution.com/hot/2009-04-24-sneak-a-peak-of-my/#comments Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:55:08 +0000 http://www.vlogolution.com/hot/?p=431

Hi there subscribers!  So glad to have you back to our NEW website and if this is your first time here, WELCOME!   Feel free to take a look around, register, comment, subscribe to our feeds and join us on Twitter.  Looking forward to having you back soon for some exciting new videos and articles in the works!

P.S. If you have any suggestions on how to improve our website feel free to leave a comment below.

Teens accused of "sexting" are facing felony charges. Nope, that's NOT Miley Cyrus in the pic. That's me! Photo art by Michelle.

In the past few months there has been much buzz in the media concerning the salaciously hot and naughty teenage “sexting” phenomenon. If you’re not up to date on your mobile porn slang, sexting refers to the act of sending hot nudie OR semi-nude pics via cell phone. Which we all do at least a few times a day, right? Kind of like my seriously raunchy Twitter updates.

Just search on Google and a slew of sexting articles pop up that are so outlandish it’s mind boggling. In a case in Western Pennsylvania, teenagers are being charged with CHILD PORNOGRAPHY for sending and receiving pictures of themselves to other teens that THEY TOOK OF THEMSELVES. That’s some serious, crazy @ss sh*t, literally!

Horny teenage kids will be little horny teenage kids. That’s timeless. Why should these particular adolescents in Western PA (and in other states too, i.e. North Carolina) face felony charges that will haunt them throughout their LIFETIMES with a digital Scarlet Letter? In contrast, I’d like to know why teenage Disney whorebots like Miley Cyrus are labeled a “victim” of hacker theft when her now notorious implied shower pics were “uncovered”. Pictures that Miss Cyrus presumably TOOK of HERSELF (major shocker). So, why the f*** isn’t sweet, innocent, Christian Miley Cyrus labeled a SEX OFFENDER TOO?! Could it be because she sent her pictures via email over the internet and not by cell phone so she’s free and clear in a legal web loophole? Or is it because she’s been tagged and branded as the untouchable property of Disney and such a marvelously concocted publicity stunt would help skyrocket ‘Ho’annah Montana ratings and merchandise sales to Uranus?! Hmmm….me thinks the latter.

Doesn’t this ridiculousness just toot your horn and burn your caboose? With the PRIVILEGE of FAME comes RESPONSIBILITY.  Shouldn’t Miss Cyrus be a role model to her peers?  Hell yeah! 

Dear reader, I’d love to know what YOUR THOUGHTS are on this subject. Do YOU FEEL that young stars like Miley Cyrus should be broiled by the law with the same scrutiny as their non-famous teenage peers for distributing implied, semi-nude and nude images?  Comment below!

This message was approved by "Jesus" of My Local Bodega. Thanks sweet Jesus! Photo art by Michelle.

Oh poor Carrie Prejean’s “anti-gay” statement has gotten her in quite the publicity pickle and perhaps cost her the crown in the Miss USA Pageant. Carrie darling, surely you must have better social etiquette than to say such a scandalous thing to an openly gay Miss USA judge! Were you slipped truth serum backstage and that was the cause of your loose tongue?  Did Mr. Perez Hilton leave a gift basket full of magically delicious mushroom muffins in your dressing room and while hallucinating wonderfulness onstage Jesus whispered your now infamous response in your ear?  After all, who in their right mind gives such an honest and blunt answer with so much riding on the line?!

There’s been too much news coverage on this “scandal” it’s really outstanding. I must say Miss Prejean, I give you total props for your brutal honesty – whether I agree with it or not. That’s what this country is about – agreeing to disagree. Such an answer is unpopular in your home state of California and uber unpopular with the fickle Hollywood set.  Even f’ing tabloid hos like Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears are jumping on your publicity gravy train on Twitter! And the reality is Carrie, you’ve probably received more media attention with your answer had you actually won the crown. Kudos again. By the way, does anyone know who did win?

As for my personal thoughts on gay marriage/civil unions, well, I could really give a rat’s @## what two consenting adults chose to do. I kind of live by the libertarian and Hugh Heffner attitude of so long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else and feels good then go for it. Who the hell am I to judge?

Personal opinions aside, facts are facts and the wedding industry tends to be recession proof. Even in this crap shoot economy enamored couples still want to get hitched (a groomzilla friend of a friend is spending $250+ a head). So, imagine if more states cashed in on gay marriage/civil unions (the old ball and chain, whatever you want to call it). The potential to stimulate Main Street in your local market could be tremendous. Bakeries, florists, wedding planners, chapels, temples, caterers, wedding singers, travel agencies, beauty salons, photographers, videographers, LAWYERS and more could all BENEFIT from more MOOLAH! Picture the extra revenue stream small town divorce or contracts lawyers could earn JUST from preparing and negotiating prenuptial agreements. Really, it could be FABULOUS! And if the state of marital bliss should deteriorate, rot and fester like the majority of “opposite marriages” in America those lawyers will have the opportunity to pounce for the real kill – DIVORCE! After the personal pain, angst, heartache and time consumed in divorce (we’ll assume the prenup protected assets) should these newly divorced singletons fall foolishly in love and want to head down the aisle yet again, LAWYERS and other wedding service and hospitality businesses can cash in a second time. Or a third. Woo-hoo!

Who here is for gay marriage more MONEY? Well, the bottom-line is business is never personal…or is it? One thing that’s certain and remains a constant in our society is our love and need for the big bucks and here in the States many worship the cash cow.  So, who cares what your sexual orientation is, what your religious beliefs, morals and ethics are (or lack thereof).  MONEY is a universal love and the power of LOVE conquers all.

Oh yeah, and the comment about Jesus in the title of this post, that was just the open opinion of “Jesus” at my friendly, local bodega. At least that’s what it sounded like he grumbled.  Okay, I’ve never actually been to a bodega.

NEW POST! Ruth Madoff Hates You! UPDATE: JUDGE DENNY CHIN BLOCKS ASSETS TRANSFER! – Crook Bernie Madoff and his business associates family members have done nothing but wreak financial havoc for many since December of last year.  While on Twitter this past Saturday, I stumbled upon an enthusiastic tweet by Daleela Farina about her fabulous new coif at the “it” Midtown East luxury salon, Pierre Michel.  So, what in the hell does a hair salon have to do with Wall Street’s Satan incarnate?  The NYPost’s Page Six published this article that Pierre Michel’s decade long former client, Ruth Madoff, has now been banned from the salon (GASP! ).  Isn’t it a relief to know that Mrs. Madoff can still afford such luxuries?  Well BOO F’ing HOO FOR YOU Ruthie and snaps for Pierre Michel Salon (Elle Woods style b*tches )!

I’m a close matzah ball’s throw away from the Madoff residence and personally it’s refreshing to read that the Madoff name is creating buzz and some moolah for a business establishment instead of the reverse.  As for Ruthie Madoff’s graying goldilocks, I imagine she can surely shell out to have a hair stylist visit her home considering her MANY MILLIONS in “INHERITANCE”.  If not, there are plenty of luxury doggie grooming salons here on the Upper Eastside…oh silly me, that’s right those are for CANINES NOT PIGS IN LIPSTICK, gosh darn it.  Oh wait, here’s an idea for poor Ruthie since she’ll most likely have those pretty tresses chopped off in the slammer anyway – why not do SOMETHING CHARITABLE for her husband’s victims and auction off her locks on Ebay!  Cheaper than SuperCuts, a fun, charitable cause and Ruthie will be able to leave her multimillion dollar penthouse without a bag over her head.

UPDATE: JUDGE DENNY CHIN BLOCKS ASSETS TRANSFER – About damn time!

If you’re reading this and are an old ‘Roasty fan you see that we’ve made some major changes to our website! Isn’t she so shiny and new? It’s been a while since you’ve heard from us – we’re still alive! We started this website overhaul back in January and we’re now live – woo-hoo! So now you can get your fill of HotRoast snarkiness by videos AND blog posts (lol, yes, we work backwards). We may have a few website kinks to work out this week but will be posting fun, infotaining articles soon and new videos in HD.

To our older viewers we welcome you now as readers and to the ‘Roasty newbies we’re thrilled to have you onboard! Hey, and while you’re here feel free to subscribe to the HotRoast feed (hell and YouTube and Twitter – see that pretty little “Join Us” box in the upper right hand side?!) and check out our mo’MoneyTV and Pass Me the Pork channels too!

“Iz da shizzle BAM bizzle! Fo real!”

P.S. We’re always open to helpful suggestions!