BlackNotes - Latest Comments in BlackNotes

Re: BlackNotes

make fake id's — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:47:35 -0000

Hi,
I am totally agree with Nev. " I think perhaps it needs a good blogger to blog real life issues autistics face, perhaps like a Tertia. " .

Re: BlackNotes

Warren — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:34:47 -0000

Quite frankly, people use the internet to continually push social topics of no particular concern into our inboxes etc. Now that really annoys me. Honestly, I think Gerhard (someone who I actually took the time to chat with one evening) has done something worthwhile here with his time, his efforts in bringing awareness to all using the free media at his disposal. My take, if you don't like the media or what it brings to your doorstep (inbox), use something else.

BTW Wezz, have you contributed at all to the Autism campaign? Perhaps if more people contributed, the campaign would end sooner, correct? ;)

Keep up the good work Gerhard.

Re: BlackNotes

Nic — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:59:54 -0000

Hahahaha... um, ok, whatever man.

Re: BlackNotes

Wezz — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:22:26 -0000

Hey Guy

Yeah I saw that, left a comment.

I was a little lost with Nic & Rafiq having to do some studying together though, huh. Did I miss something?

Re: BlackNotes

Guy McLaren — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:11:13 -0000

I wrote about this issue and Rafiq spammed me right there in my own comments section.

I think Rafiq fails to understand what spam is, Maybe he and Nic should do some studying together

Re: BlackNotes

Guest — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:22:06 -0000

what i was referring to was the fact that they take 50% of the cost of every sms sent and Autism Western Cape gets the other 50%.. so R2 million had to be spent via sms so that AWC can get R1 million.

Re: BlackNotes

Wezz — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:11:58 -0000

Yes very much a social experiment in my book, not to sure about the cellular networks though. I never received any sms' (or phonecalls), did you?

Re: BlackNotes

Wezz — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:10:40 -0000

Gerhard I'm not too sure if you are aware, but this is definitely not the way to comment.

Re: BlackNotes

Guest — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:27:49 -0000

AGREED. But I believe it was more of a social media experiment by the "experts" and daylight robbery by the cellular networks.

Re: BlackNotes

woganmay — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:44:10 -0000

There are several issues with the jail4bail campaign. I think I'll point them all out later. Too much work to do right now :/

In short, Wezzo, you've hit the nail on the head. I think that the efforts are a little over the top...

Re: BlackNotes

Jail4Bail — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:00:56 -0000

TYFYC - Gerhard Pieterse aka Jail4Bail

Re: BlackNotes

Wezz — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:46:08 -0000

Rafiq, do you care to give a more in depth comment other than TYFYC? I'd like to hear more from the people creating the spam.

Re: BlackNotes

Fred — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:35:53 -0000

Nic, I understand your point and I fully understand the point of this rant - BUT, still, you cannot deny that people are talking about the project. Lately I've heard people mention it at braai's, in meetings, and at work. People are asking 'what is autism?'

To be frank, I think a only handful of bloggers are now talking about the 'mechanisms used to promote the campaign'. I think Gerhard can live with that, because far more people are talking about autism.

That's a good thing.

Re: BlackNotes

Nic — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:54:51 -0000

Fred - I'm not sure I agree with you. A marginalised cause hasn't been put on the map, unfortunately it seems as though the mechanisms used to promote the campaign have been put on the map and punted across the board by bloggers and geeks alike. Not the cause. And I think it's a crying shame that this is what has happened.

Re: BlackNotes

EveDmochowska — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:26:48 -0000

I think you are all missing a very important point: Jail4Bail did not power the social media drive - Rafiq did (mostly).

And that is the "problem" of social media: one you get your message out there, you LOSE OWNERSHIP of it. Someone (Rafiq?) can become over-passionate and with the best of intentions can actually taint your cause.

The challenge is to invite social media networking and viral spread, and yet still remain the main voice of the campaign (whether you are selling jail4bail or cotor cars).

Tough challenge, and one that social web strategist battle with every day.

Re: BlackNotes

Mandy de Waal — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:24:53 -0000

I reckon it is a case of over zealousness - but smart point. Blogs fine and well - you have the choice to read them or not, but on Twitter and other social media networks one needs to tread carefully.

Social causes need to have the same spam, privacy and other issues intact. Just because you're passionate about the cause doesn't mean you can make other people's lives hell. One still needs to be respectful about boundaries and online rules and mores. If you don't you will do more harm than good.

Nothing useful is every forced - particularly not on social media where people will switch off if issues are shoved down their throats.

I think in this case it is a matter about people caring very deeply about the cause they represent. While this should be applauded I reckon your post is very valid - and regardless of the cause the rules of social media should apply.

Re: BlackNotes

Fred — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:07:25 -0000

Right now, you're talking about it, which means Jail4Bail is job well done.

Autism in South Africa doesn't stand a chance against some of the more noticable causes, yet it's a really important issue. Jail4Bail is the first autism campaign to make a real impact on the general SA public and continues to do so.

Gerhard's stated aim was to raise awareness as much as raise funds.

Whether Jail4Bail is spam is debatable, but at least it's succeeding in putting a marginalised cause on the map for the first time in SA. Thanks to Gerhard and co. 'spamming' people are talking, and we should be commending and supporting them for it.

Re: BlackNotes

Nic — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:28:16 -0000

Great idea, real life blogging from that perspective for the cause, consistently, not in a barrage of content!

Re: BlackNotes

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:09:08 -0000

At first I was very supportive and now I've realised that there is a difference between creating awareness and spam. I'm tired of all the news points being filled up with jail4bail rant.

Re: BlackNotes

Jail4Bail — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:36:49 -0000

TYFYC

Re: BlackNotes

Wezz — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:27:29 -0000

Yeah I also get the feeling that this is not so much about the cause and campaign but more about a social media case study, that will popup on SEOBlog anytime soon.

Re: BlackNotes

unodewaal — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:09:20 -0000

I agree.
I think it's a bit opportunistic, which is great for the cause of Autism, but it does detract from the larger message of Autism. I feel there is a larger focus on "how we did this" than "what is autism"
I don't think it is authentic and that's what is pissing people off.

Re: BlackNotes

Wezz — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:35:08 -0000

Hey Jono,

Well after my initial "scathing" tweet, Rafiq asked "@wezzo if you were told you have 14 days to raise R500k to help the wwworld, what would YOU do differently?"

I responded with "@rafiq spend R100k on traditional media advertising and make 600k. Pumping it to 500 SA geeks (max), I'm not so sure about." - It's a little hard getting your point accross in 140 characters or less, but what I meant was exactly what you're saying. They are pushing the concept to the wrong audience (and a tiny one at that).

Re: BlackNotes

Neville Newey — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:20:41 -0000

> But Nev - Do you think that forcing it upon people will help to educate them

No I don't think so, I think you guys are probably right. I think perhaps it needs a good blogger to blog real life issues autistics face, perhaps like a Tertia.

Re: BlackNotes

jono1980 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:13:37 -0000

@wezzo - I could not agree with you more.

@Neville, I really don't think anyone is criticising the campaign or the drive to raise awareness. There is no argument that this isn't a great initiative.

I think the issue here is that this is being pumped to a couple of hundred "geeks" who follow twitter - and - although it's been filling my reader for days - this perhaps isn't the kind of awareness that's needed.

I would also say, that what's kind of grating me about this "social media drive" is that the bulk of it seems to be bloggers congratulating each other on how well they are doing and the amount of noise they are making - and this is not the real issue.