Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Iceland Ash Cloud Comes to Twitter ... Because Ash Clouds Have Feelings, Too!



I guess it was inevitable... with all the flack the Iceland volcanic ash cloud has been getting lately, the shape-shifting cloud of primordial volcanic stuff has created its own Twitter account, @theashcloud. (Or, more likely, a human or other carbon-based living organism with digits and opposable thumbs has created it for he/she/it.)

The much-maligned ash cloud has taken the heat for snarling travel all over the world, including European musicians canceling U.S. gigs and foreign athletes unable to run in yesterday's Boston Marathon, for which they had trained for months.

We don't know if @theashcloud has retained a PR or ad agency to manage its new branding campaign, but going to social media, especially Twitter, is a smart choice. Looking to provide a public service, @theashcloud is tweeting travel updates, links to news articles saying that the ash dust isn't all that harmful, and of course posting beauty shots of itself.

And there are indeed some lovely photos of @theashcloud - it takes on a striking diversity of shapes and colors depending on the viewing angle. Think of @theashcloud as the Lady Gaga of meteorological phenomenon.

(I just hope @theashcloud isn't related to Smoky, the infamous (and deadly) Smoke Monster from the TV show "Lost." But just in case, I'm spreading ashes around my apartment, in case @theashcloud comes by and wants to know Who Stands in the Shadow of the Statue.)

So let's lay off the abuse of @theashcloud, even though it has messed up the travel plans of millions of people worldwide. In this go-go, nonstop world, we could all use a little downtime, a pause to slow down and unplug, to stop and smell the... airport bathroom. And besides, ash clouds are people, too!

For the record, here is @theashcloud's Twitter profile information:

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