Who Deserves A 'Breaking News' Emmy Award? Twitter.

Do you know someone who still dismisses social networking as a waste of time that they just can't be bothered with, even though they're smart enough to know better?

Yeah, so do I. [frustrated sigh]

Forget the truly social benefits of social media for a minute. Forget fhe very real connections made dozens of times every day with people you know in real-life and people who only know you online. Forget all that. Just read today's Mashable headline for more proof that Twitter deserves more respect.

"TWITTER BREAKS NEWS OF WHITNEY HOUSTON DEATH 27 MINUTES BEFORE PRESS"

The same traditional media sources are awash in tweets of grief and condolence sent by Queen Latifah, Barbra Streisand, Rihanna, et. al., but I haven't heard much about how Twitter --and TMZ -- has scooped them. Again.

P.S. The photo of Whitney is from her 2009 appearance on The Oprah Show. I chose it because I believe that on that day she was sober, insightful and alert to herself and her world. I chose it because on that day, she, and we, had hope that the worst days were behind her.