Ashley shared with me this fantastic story about Twitter. I've recently joined up (@majarich) and have turned from a doubter into a believer in less than a day. Like most people told me before I jumped in, you can't knock it until you try it.

The article tells the story of some random Twitterers who were wondering if the person pertaining to be Shaq on Twitter, was in fact the real Shaq. The story of how they worked out the truth is actually almost heart-warming. Check it out, it's a good example of how technology literally connects people. And not in a cliched way like on telecommunication ads.

If you're still wondering if you need another social network to suck up your time, yes - Twitter will be another fun toy you will want to play with all day. But it is also more enlightening rather than sapping. More connective than isolating. If you're still not convinced, here's some persuasive quotes from some Twitterati (look at me, I'm already using bad twitter-related puns):

From NYTimes Technology expert David Pogue-

Has there ever been a wittier, smarter bunch? This (twitter) was it: harnessing the power of the Web, the collective wisdom of strangers, in real time! The Twitterers of the world did not let me down.

And from Twitter-loving writer of Father Ted, Black Books, The Fast Show, Graham Linehan-

I'm having so much fun on Twitter, it's unreal. I signed up about two years ago, but I didn't really understand it until Jonathan Ross 'outed' me and my followers list went from 4 to 3000 in 24 hours. Suddenly, everything I wrote in that little box had an audience. An audience that responded! Instantly! Share a link on Twitter and within seconds someone will send you something back that casts it in a new and interesting light. Tell a joke and dozens of people are suddenly trying to better it. Ask a question and people trip over themselves trying to help. And that’s just scratching the surface. The manifold possibilities of Twitter are enough to make you giddy. This is a new world, people! We are officially in the future, not with jetpacks, but with something much cooler, the hive mind. Ignore those grumpy luddites in the broadsheets and elsewhere, who don't understand it, can't be bothered to learn how it works and are frightened at the prospect that people are entertaining themselves in a way that doesn't involve accepted media forms.

So jump in. The twater is fine (I'm sorry).

And say hello ...@majarich.