Facebook and Twitter ARE more addictive than fags and booze

If you think a Tweet is a bird's noise and someone who gets poked by lots of random people needs a visit to the clinic - then stop being anti-social... network!

And if you're reading this then congratulations - you're dipping your toe into the world of blogging.

But a study published in February's Psychological Science journal revealed that information sharing websites such as Facebook and Twitter (and blogging) - are now all more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol.

And with good reason.

Facebook and Twitter can introduce you to a whole world of new people and cultures – just like stepping outside the pub for a cigarette does following the smoking ban.

And – just like with alcohol – you can speak your true feelings, there's no awkward silences and you don't have to worry about body language.

Don't you see social networks are a fantastic invention that are revolutionising society?

Never before have you been able to vet a potential future partner with such scrutiny on everything from their baby pictures to how much time they tend to their virtual farm.

Or share with the world that every Saturday night you sit in with the same Chinese takeaway with the same person watching the same mind-numbing ‘talent' shows like everyone else.

But on a serious note, these sites do have many benefits.

Users have met their future partners, discovered long lost relatives and uncovered family history memorabilia dating back centuries.

Whether you love them or loathe them social networks are at the forefront of technology.

Humans by nature are social creatures.

Some researchers claim that there are almost 30 million UK Facebook users who log on regularly to social networks.

That's pretty much one in every two people and is remarkable considering 10 years ago nobody in this country had heard of Facebook.

After ten years of pressure a friend of mine in his twenties caved in and signed up last week, wondering what all the fuss was about he hasn't looked back since.

I've been racking my brains and I now can't think of anybody between the age of 10 and 30 who I know who hasn't joined the service.

Like millions of others I love Facebook and Twitter and can't imagine what life would be like without them.

But they should definately be made to come with a warning - like cigarettes and alcohol - that too much Tweeting and poking can damage your health.

Princess Diana at 50

Princess Diana will look like this at 50.

That's the claims from Newsweek who clubbed together their top digital employees to Photoshop what she would look like stood next to stunning Kate.

Scientists believe men go for women who look like their mothers, this has added a bit of weight to those claims.

The article says Princess Diana would be Facebook friends with Camilla Parker-Bowles, have 10million Twitter followers and an 'it's complicated relationship status'.

I'm sure Diana herself wouldn't be too chuffed with the story or the pics.

But ethical issues aside, while it might not be a spitting image, the class, sincerity and lack of pomposity shines through from both women.

Unlike Charles on the other hand, who it has been revealed received an extra £298,000 in taxpayer funding last year.

Whatever your opinion on the monarchy, I'm glad we have William and Kate as the fresh faces to represent the nation as opposed to corrupt politicians or worn out pompous royals.

Forget Facebook it's all about Twitter

News just in - forget Facebook it's all about Twitter.

It seems the social networking shift is happening again, but this time from Facebook to Twitter.

The latter is currently making newspaper headlines and has done so for the best part of 2011.

Most notably the story in which Ryan Giggs' solicitors were allegedly set to sue the pants off anyone re-tweeting his alleged affair with Imogen Thomas.

And Rooney's hair transplants as also previously mentioned.

But today another incident has occurred (with yet another Man Utd player) and not only does it back up my original point of celebs 'biting' on Twitter but it adds a new dimension to 21^st century journalism.

Defender Rio Ferdinand has had a private - but very public – spat with one of the country's top sport's journalists.

The feud erupted after Mirror sports journalist Oliver Holt brought the issue of Ferdinand's missed drugs test up.

What followed was a tirade of insults aimed at the journo being called 'fat' and a 'c***' in private messages.

The journalist then wrote an article about the messages which highlights, (if Twitter doesn't do it already) how self-centred Premiership footballers can be.

Many journalists, including myself, are using Twitter as a tool to increasingly engage with their audiences.

And as usual Google is keeping ahead of the game this time by starting an “authorship markup” for journalists to collate all of their publications, including social networks and blogs, into one page.

It seems journalists are no longer hidden behind a byline, they are now fully accountable to their works and it has never been easier to interact with them - which can only be good for Democracy.

To highlight this we recently launched picture bylines on The Champion website, although for some reason mine resembles a younger, fatter Kevin Spacey.

It's cool to be a geek

Tory paper the Daily Mail has labelled Labour leaders Ed and David Miliband's 'geeky'.

So what is a geek?

A search on dictionary.com conjures up “a computer expert on enthusiast” adding that it is “a term of pride as self-reference, but often considered offensive when used by outsiders.”

These are the kind like say... the comic book guy or the mad scientist out of the Simpsons, these were your traditional geeks, back in the 90s.

Chequered shirts and huge round Roy Orbison glasses – note the Milibands have neither.

But the dictionary.com definition is clearly out of date.

Times have changed

Fast-forward 20 years and now it is cool to be a geek. For proof, just look into the hype of the latest iPhone4.

People buzz off it. Everyday-type folk not just your average stereotypical geek with his Deirdre Rasheed 90s rims who gets his kicks from Pacman and 2D tennis.

Not just business people but youngsters, teenagers, 20 somethings, rockstars, footballers and even pensioners are embracing technology with open arms and are racing to stay at the forefront.

What's the difference between an iphone and an iphone 3GS?

Some £200 – but it's got faster internet and it's got x amount more of more gigerbytes and RAM to brag about to your mates.

What was ten years ago, a language only computer programmers could understand, is now hip, cool and state-of-the-art linguistic fashion.

My 15-year-old cousin told me I needed a new phone because apparently mine doesn't have enough RAM or a high mega-pixel camera.

The image of the 90s unfashionable and unpopular geek has slowly eroded out of the present and will forever stay in the form of the comic book guy and Rick Astley.

The comeback

Geeks have been embraced by popular culture moreso now than ever – and if you don't believe me look up this blog in six months when people are wearing their large-rimmed 3D specs with an iPhone4 at hand.

Even the more sociable ones, those who used to attend parties on Friday and Saturday nights are now staying in to catch up on the latest goss on Twitter and Facey.

I've heard it's only a matter of time before braces and chequered shirts come back too - so watch this space.