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"Welcome aboard.  My name is Stacey, I'm your flight attendant tonight, and I'm going to be pointing out the emergency exits on this CRJ200 aircraft.  And if I decide to pull the escape slide and jump out of the plane, I'm not going to settle for two beers.  I'm taking the whole liquor cart with me!"

We hear it every time we go to a movie, watch a play, attend a concert, listen to a lecture, attend a conference.  Just as the lights go down, an omnipotent voice from the soundsystem redminds us, "Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other noise making devices.  And remember, the taking of any photographs or video is strictly prohibited at all times."   And perhaps no where in San Francisco has this admonition been more strictly enforced than in the hallowed space of Marion Davies Symphony Hall, home of the world-renowned San Francisco Symphony. 

The line of ticket holders stretched for more than two blocks.  The "will call" line was longer.  It was the Season Opener of the Bay City Bombers co-ed roller derby team, in their much-hyped match agaisnt the Brooklyn Red Devils.  It was also a testament to social media in action.  As I walked towards the throng of people milling about outside, it seemed that most of the faces were glowing from . . .

In the rapidly evolving world of social media, nonprofits are scrambling to find meaningful metrics for their social network outreach.

We know social media has two core metrics - influence and engagement. If we want to know how we can engage our communities, we need to understand what to measure. 

Wow, what a difference five years makes! Facebook has released a study that African American and Latino members make up a much larger percentage of the social network’s users than initially believed, debunking the myth that Facebook is primarily a white and Asian trend.

Want to spend time on your Facebook page and do something good? This Mashable post shows lots of great ways you can use Facebook to make a difference.