FB chat via MSN messenger

When I was at college everyone was on MSN messenger, you logged into a chat function with all your friends (via email) there to chat with, it is safe and easy to use. You can share pictures and links, catch up with news and talk about gigs and parties. Social networking hadn't engulfed the populous, My-space was a new thing and and Facebook wasn't a household name so MSN messenger (often just called MSN) is what those who were "down with the kids" used to communicate online and for many years it reined supreme.

Unfortunately few people log into MSN on a regular basis anymore. Plenty of people check their FB and emails every day but enless your looking for sometime to chat with and kill time you don't log into MSN. After years of service it had become superfluous to requirements, this was even more evident when facebook launched its own chat feature. This enables you to see who is browsing online (as I mentioned for most people thats every day) and chat in the background but unfortunately the FB chat feature is a bit of a nightmare. Your window flashes when you receive a message and anything else you may be doing is frozen, which happens too all the FB tabs if you have multiples open. This is supremely annoying if you have people buzzing you often, and don't even think about talking to 2 people at once!

But huzzah here is a life saver from MSN, in an attempt to take back some of the online chat glory, the FB chat link feature in Windows Live Messenger Wave 4. You link you email and FB accounts together, enabling you to see all your FB friends who are online in the MSN window, you can then send them messages from MSN that they receive on FB. Enless they also use this feature and then you both chat in MSN like you used to without the hassle and fuss of logging in separately, freezing your tabs or blocking up you FB browsing.

I live away from my home town, following my DH all over the country (and abroad) on Military postings so for me sharing news and photos online is the main connection to family and friends back home, it can get pretty lonely and I for one think it is fabulous! Way to go MSN :)

Facebook cartoon profile pic craze

Thundercats - epic 80's cheese in leotards :)

Facebook is a social network site which, it seems, most of the population is a member of. Its a great way to update and communicate with friends who are out of touch or the area, with blog posts, photos and personal news. The biggest side show of this phenomne is the fun networking games where you send "gifts" and help friends out but there are also the staus crazes that sweep through every so often. Last year there was the bra colour post for girls only to annoy the boys and more recently the cartoon profile pictures apparently to show support for NSPCC.

Bravestarr - less well known but by far my favourite.

No non-profit organization has taken up the responsibility and thus, no money is funneled into a legitimate organization. Some websites have claimed British charity NSPCC to be the one to introduce it but they however deny it. NSPCC has posted on Twitter, ‘Although the NSPCC did not originate the childhood cartoon Facebook campaign, we welcome the attention it has brought to the work we do.’

There is now a rumour that this campaign was set up by paedophiles to lure in children to being their "friend". First of all if everyone is doing it so its not misleading children and second of all Facebook is an adult site meant for over 16's (14yo can join with parental supervision) and even though minors do join (by lying about their age) its hardly the best place for groomers. Although it seems unclear where this craze started, there is no evidence or reports (even on the news!) to back up this rumour.

He-Man - I wasn't a fan but my hubby loves this and M.A.S.K.

Another big question is how does make 'Facebook cartoon profile pic' help to fight against child abuse? A Blogger said that: ‘Facebook cartoon profile pic does not really support the NSPCC unless it inspires or encourages you or someone else to volunteer or donate, which hopefully it will." It does support awareness thats for sure, did it inspire you? It inspired me to write about it and make a donation.