Category: Did You Know?

Stay Interesting on Twitter

1. Twitpic something – Photos of you and other Twitter friends, a painting you like, almost anything will do. A picture is worth a thousand words, or in Twitter’s case, 140 characters.

2. Events – #Hashtag a conference you’re heading to and you can meet someone new even before you get there. Sometimes the most powerful thing about social networking is taking it to the next step – and meeting in person.

3. Comments on a story – Leaving a thoughtful comment on a reporter’s or blogger’s story, then tweeting it out and spreading the word, may help you get that media attention you’ve been seeking. You might just be a source for their next story.

4. All your favorite blogs, all at once – Create a My Alltop page with all the blogs you follow and tweet it out. Building this page also gives you a great resource for interesting links to share.

5. Ask a question – Promote discussion and different perspectives and you’ll get to know who’s in your community better.

6. Ask for help – Whether you’re fixing a technical snafu on your blog or hiring someone for your team, try asking your community for help. You’ll be surprised at the speed and quality of response you’ll get.

7. Be helpful – Tweet a cause or charity and how people can help out. You can create a ripple effect to change the world, one tweet at a time.

8. Share your opinion – Go ahead, let it out! Especially if you can share a lesson about business, customer service, or whatever expertise you have, that your followers don’t.

9. #FollowFridays, #ThankfulThursdays – Promote another brand or person unabashedly. It’s a great way to introduce some of your favorite people and get known as a connector.

10. Share your success – Yes, there is a “ME” in Social MEdia. As long as you don’t go over the top, people are more than happy to congratulate you. Do the same for others.

11. Announcements – Speaking at a conference? Launching a new product? Writing a book? Tell others as you go along and build up anticipation at the same time.

12. Groupon, giveaways, and discounts – Share the news and the savings. Everybody loves deals.

13. Foursquare – Tweet where you are at the moment and maybe a Twitter friend you’ve been wanting to meet is at the exact same location. Meet up!

14. Be quotable – Who doesn’t love an inspiring quote? Share some life wisdom with others and remember: “Be Yourself. Everyone else is already taken.” (Oscar Wilde)

15. Share a video – A funny video or your favorite song can add personality to your account. Here’s one of my all-time faves: 8 Irresistible Principles of Fun.

Still stuck? Then tweet about your loves – have fun with Twitter and share your passions. We can never, ever, have enough of that.

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Did You Know? Plants are Made into Clothes

Ok– I know you’ve seen the label that says 100% cotton. But there are other plants that are used to make fabrics too. Here are some interesting facts about cotton and some others.

Cotton

  • Cotton comes from plants that produce seed pods filled with ball-shaped clumps of cotton fiber. The seeds are separated from the cotton fiber mechanically. The process continues by spinning threads from the remaining, seedless white fiber. The threads are then woven to make cloth, which can be dyed. Cotton was grown in Pakistan’s Indus Valley more than 5,000 years ago. Cotton was grown and used to make clothing in ancient Egypt. Cotton plants were exported to the Southern United States in the 17th century.

Flax

  • Flax grows to a height of 4 feet and has leaves that consist of long, tough fibers. Flax has been used since ancient times to make clothing. The ancient Egyptians used flax to create linen cloth more than 4,000 years ago, and it was used in Medieval Europe to make cloth. Flax is still used to make fabrics for clothing, and it is commonly blended with synthetic materials and wool to add strength to fine yarns.

Hemp

  • Hemp comes from the Cannabis sativa plant and has been used to make cloth since ancient times. In the 1980s, producers were able to make fine cloth suitable for clothing from hemp. This development occurred following the discovery of a process using enzymes that removed the fibers’ roughness while still allowing the fiber to retain its durability. Designers currently use hemp, blended with other textiles, to make fine cloth, in contemporary designs. Hemp fiber is resistant to stretching, which allows clothes made from cloth woven with hemp fibers to retain their shape and size. Hemp typically grows in warm climates, such as those found in tropical regions.

Ramie

  • Ramie is grown in East Asia, and is known as China grass. Ramie fibers have been found in fabrics used to wrap mummies in ancient Egypt. Ramie fibers are fine and produce delicate silk-like threads when spun, although the fibers can become brittle when a dry process is used to spin them. Cloth made from Ramie is resistant to stain and has a slight sheen that reflects light. Ramie fabrics are also used in the manufacture of garments because the cloth does not readily shrink.

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