Spot Social Media Snake Oil

Is social media the savior? Great piece on that here.

Twitter Worm Spreading via Direct Messages

From Mashable:

We have received multiple reports that a new, convincing, and dangerous worm and phishing scam is making the rounds on Twitter. Hacked accounts are sending DMs to users and stealing their login information. In fact, one of our own has received one of these direct messages.

Unsuspecting users are receiving DMs with the following text:


If you get this DM, DO NOT VISIT THE LINK. It takes you to a replica of the Twitter (Twitter) login page where the hackers will steal your account and use it to send out more infected DMs to your friends.

If you’re one of the unlucky ones to be fooled by this worm, make sure you change your password. Also delete any tweets or DMs that have the link. If you can’t log into your account, reset the password and contact Twitter Support.

This is not the first worm to hit Twitter, but this one is especially dangerous because the login page is convincing and it is spreading via DMs from friends you trust.

When we have more information, we’ll update you with it.

Update: We contacted Twitter and they quickly got back to us. They are aware of the threat and are on the case.

We have not received this worm at the Bernays Sauce Twitter page, but we're hoping to get the chance to ignore it.

Go Inside Brookside

Great new Brookside/Waldo (Kansas City neighborhoods) blog here.

It's about things to do, see and experience in our little slice of heaven. The blog had me at:

I am not a dog lover. I am not a pet lover at all..I can’t even fake petting a dog with enthusiasm. But I can understand the whole ‘my pet is part of the family’ emotion. Lots of my friends have dogs and love ‘em like a child. I get it.

However, I have followed with great interest WOOF’s (Well Organized Off Lease Friends) three year quest to get an off leash dog park established in Sunnyside Park at 84th and Summit. Earlier this week the KC Parks and Rec Department once again ruined WOOF’s diligent efforts to get the OK for the park.

Read the rest of My Bark About the Dog Park here.

Anyway, the blog is pithy, fun and worth your time.

Disclosure: I have advised the blog's owner on some PR matters in the past, but not on this blog.

Execs Say F2F Meetings Best

From Corporate Meetings & Incentives:

When the goals of a meeting include persuasion, leadership, engagement, inspiration, decision-making, accountability, or candor, U.S. business executives overwhelmingly believe that holding a face-to-face gathering is the only way to go.

In a June 2009 survey of 760 executives from businesses of all sizes, Forbes Insights found that 84 percent of them prefer in-person, face-to-face business meetings, citing those as more effective than webconferences, videoconferences, or teleconferences for reaching a dozen goals, including those listed above.
[...]

However, technology-enabled meetings have their place as well. The respondents deemed virtual meetings best for “information dissemination” and “data presentation.”

The 16 percent of executives who preferred virtual meetings overall cited a savings of time and money as the top two reasons for their preference, followed closely by “flexibility in location and timing.” Their fourth reason for preferring virtual meetings—“allows me to multitask”—is one of the reasons other executives worry that virtual meetings do not meet business goals as well as face-to-face meetings. (And in fact, more than half the respondents said they surf the Web, check e-mail, or do unrelated work while “attending” virtual meetings.)

More here.

Local Flavor: Kansas City’s Best View of Tour of Missouri is Berkley Park

Port Authority of Kansas City Hosts Picnic Watch Party

The best view of the Tour of Missouri Cycling Race is right on the River at Kansas City’s Richard L Berkley Riverfront Park. The Port Authority of Kansas City and Friends of the River--KC invite the public to a picnic watch party on Sunday, September 13 as the final stage of the 600-mile bicycle race heads through Berkley Park.

Berkley Park features one of the longest straightaways in the 72.3 mile Kansas City circuit and a dramatic view as the cyclists crest the Grand Avenue viaduct. Beginning at 1 p.m., the park will offer food, drinks and entertainment for all ages. Attendees are also welcome to bring their own picnic lunch. The watch party continues until 4 p.m.

It will include inflatable moonwalks for kids, food and beverages and beer on sale from the largest American-owned brewery in Missouri, Boulevard Brewing Company. Indie folk duo Truckstop Honeymoon will perform throughout the afternoon. Park guests can also check on the Chiefs game on big screen TV.

Richard L Berkley Park is located just off I-35 at Front Street. Park at the Isle of Capri or in the River Market and take the Town of Kansas Pedestrian Bridge to the Riverfront Heritage Trail - just a short walk to Berkley Park. The event is sponsored by the Port Authority of Kansas City, Isle of Capri Casino, Boulevard, Kissick Construction and Friends of the River—Kansas City.