Social media is here to stay.  But surprisingly, some professionals refuse to change their paradigm and still find it hard to see the truth in blogs, and frown upon personal networking sites.  As these sites keep emerging, making more and more competition, we are finding that soon this group of individuals will be left in the dust.

Social media is no longer just a trend for teeny-boppers and public relations professionals.  An article on Wired showcased schools adapting to sites such as MySpace and Facebook, and are working them into academic assignments.  Educators understand, and are beginning to accept the importance of enlightening discussions outside of the classroom and some even making weekly blogs apart of their semester syllabi.

The world of podcasts, del.icio.us sites, and Flickr could be a foreign language to some, but don’t fret, it’s not too late to jump on this band wagon.

So what does this mean for the world of public relations? 

“Developers say cross-platform networking could overhaul academic norms.”  Meaning this next generation of young professionals will be blog experts, media savvy individuals, and one step ahead of the rest of us.  Hold on tight, we have a lot to learn as social networking sites like Elgg feed to the trend. — Molli Megasko

Stuck in between two congested roadways, the newly created inner city beach in downtown Mexico City is a man-made tourist destination and the first of four to be developed. Complete with sand, palm trees, beach volleyball, and plenty of bikini-clad visitors, the site is drawing tremendous criticism regarding the spending priorities of the city’s mayor.

The project, built on a sports field and surrounding by traffic and high rise housing projects, has been highly criticized by many. Costing the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, critics claim the city should focus on water, crime, education, and many other “urgent” uses.

Mayor Marcelo Ebrard resists the criticism. During recent speeches, he has promoted the faux beach as free and for the public. And, if the beach becomes popular, he plans to build three more.

In an effort to encourage residents to stay in Mexico City rather than travel afar for fun in the sun, the capital is taking a big financial risk with money that, in most opinions, should be used for more important needs.

While the project is a risk in the eyes of many, we see the launch as an opportunity to create hope for a very poor city. Opened just in time for a major holiday, city officials created a destination for its residents, potentially expanding its tourism industry. It will be interesting to watch as this story unfolds. If city officials play their marketing cards correctly, worries about funding education, reducing crime, and improving water could become a distant memory. — Jenna Gruhala

Mexico City, April 3, 2007. (Daniel Aguilar/Reuters) Photo, caption courtesy of Yahoo! News

I am certain everyone has heard by now that paying $1,000 for a pizza is no joke.  There is such thing as a Luxury Pizza, and people are eating it up; well, at least one person is.

Nino Selimaj, the owner of Nino’s Bellisima Pizza in New York, tops his pizza with fresh lobster, different kinds of caviar, and some of the world’s best cheeses, making each of the slices of pie worth $125.  Selimaj says he came up with this idea more than a year ago, and is claiming that it is not a publicity stunt.  He truly believes there is a demand for this Luxury Pizza.

For the past few days I could not turn on the TV or go on the Internet without hearing of this $1,000 pizza.  With hits on CNN, Bill Maher, Late Night, an endless amount of stories and news releases, I would call this PR campaign a success.

So regardless of whether or not Selimaj is telling us the truth, he knows the concept of word-of-mouth.  And I wish him the best of luck on selling these extravagant pies. 

All I know is that if I were to spend $1,000 on a pizza, it better be topped with diamonds. — Molli Megasko

Every day, it seems, we hear new stories about children and adults vanishing without a trace. Abducted by friends, family, or strangers, many of those who disappear are never to be found again.

In recent months, Shawn Hornbeck, missing for several years, was found, unharmed, south of St. Louis. His high-profile, heartbreaking story is one that provides hope to those working to find their own lost loved ones and, unfortunately, creates a platform for opportunists.  Last month, a St. Louis television station reported that someone, posing as Hornbeck, created a MySpace page about the boy’s life and his desire to reconnect with friends. The motive? To “get girls”.

Since the news report aired, the page was voluntarily removed from MySpace by its creator.  But it’s important to note that the social Web site was not interested in cooperating with authorities by releasing information about the origin of the fake Hornbeck page … at first.

In situations where identify theft is used with new media, should the name of the person creating fake blogs, sites, and profiles be revealed by the hosting company?  We think there are certain circumstances that warrant the release of personal information related to social media.  Unfortunately, in this instance of identity theft, Hornbeck’s family is forced to involve their attorney in getting the information regarding the person posing as the once missing child in hope of pressing charges. Hasn’t his family endured enough already? — Jenna Gruhala

I love the month of March.  Not just for the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.  And not just for the promise of and beginning of spring.  I love the month of March for the social networking opportunities it provides!

March Madness is a time to connect for more people than just basketball fanatics.  These few weeks of college games bring all sorts of people together.  With the ever-increasing popularity of the Internet, we are now able to connect with other fans and colleagues, and reconnect with old friends and alumni across the nation.

Online brackets are immersing people in the practice of social networking and most don’t even realize it.  In the spirit of fun and friendly competition, you are able to trash talk your competitors and hold meaningful, online conversations with everyone involved in your pool.  You also can invite friends to join and create a mini profile for yourself, very similar to the social networking found on sites such as MySpace.

Milions of people completed online brackets this year, bringing a fun, competitive atmosphere to more than just the office.  I personally completed three brackets: One at the office, one through Facebook (to reconnect with my old alum), and one through Yahoo! Sports with friends and family.

However, the heightened enthusiasm and anticipatory spirit around the office doesn’t come without a price.  Today, the Washington Post reported that an estimated $1.2 billion annually is lost in productivity to activities such as viewing brackets and streaming the games on CIProud.com.  Some people have willingly admitted to spending 75 to 80 percent of their work day viewing brackets, following the NCAA tournament.

The month of March gives new meaning to the term “office team work”.