I have been active on the net for almost half my life. I remember the early days when privacy was paramount. Google jaso32, the ‘handle’ I’ve had since 3 minutes after logging into the net, and you can search back years of Usenet trolling with fake email addresses and other similar methods to keep Jason and jaso32 separate.

Why is it now, a bit over a decade later, that we have lifted the curtain and reversed that trend so far the other way?

Far more prominent on Google than my attempts at keeping myself separate from jaso32 is that now jaso32 and Jason are one and the same. Google is generous enough to show you my whole life! My blog, my Facebook, Twitter, Formspring and most importantly Four Square.

Four Square is a relatively new geosocial networking site where you can record your activities. At the movies? Tell Four Square. On a boat? Tell Four Square. Four Square lets you record, in great detail, all your outdoor activities. Some other special features of Four Square let you share tips about venues and even offer reviews. Connect Four Square to Twitter and Facebook and you can share your adventures with an even bigger audience.

As a peer review application I love Four Square. Nothing makes me happier than warning people away from an awful Mcdonalds but Four Square has a much darker use, cyberstalking.

Initially I was a bit worried about the implications of posting my adventures but was quick to relax. I don’t know why I dismissed my worries so fast. Maybe it was the challenge of collecting Four Square badges, a method of retaining user interest, maybe it was the fun of social media. I don’t know why but like a million other Four Square users, I relaxed.

As an unemployed stay at home parent my routine is very open. I am rarely ever in the same place at the same time, unlike millions of worker. A few hours research into these people alarmed me. I noticed a few of these people regularly reported to Four Square their location and the awesomely stalkeriffic thing I noticed, they had patterns. I noticed one Twitter friend was always at the gym at the same time every day. Another was at a train station at the same time. The list grew. How easy would it be to follow one of these people, having never met them. A simple chat on Twitter could evolve  into something similar to the plot of a Hollywood thriller.

It certainly appears that the trend for owning your internet persona is increasing but who is pushing the move? Four Square is only 16 months old yet internet giant Yahoo has offered $125 million dollars US to purchase the service. Why? Geosocial media offers a wealth of consumer information. Shopping trends, eating trends and even transport trends are all worth major money. Information gathered could help sell the next Coke product or the next war. Every dollar built off the concept of marketing your thoughts.

If geosocial media is so controlling why do I regularly contribute? Seriously, I don’t know. For me I suppose it’s a way to snark at life. Thanks to Four Square, I’m the ‘mayor‘ of crazy town. I dont take it seriously and try to have as much fun as possible. With all these things considered, my only genuine complaint is I dont get a slice of that multi million dollar pie! Find me on Four Square or check me out on Twitter. Come on, it’s fun!

Do you over share on the net?

Director Nicholas Stoller is back with his favourite character Aldous Snow for what could be the break out comedy of the Summer. Jason Brennan reports live from the Greek Theatre in LA.

Aldous Snow has finally arrived on stage after keeping the audience waiting for over an hour. His triumphant return to the Greek after 10 longs years sold out through online sales in 10 minutes. The theatre is pumping and this reporter has goose bumps and singed arm hair from the pyrotechnic show.

Reports over the last few days suggest this awesome show of original rock from one of the last of the old school rockers almost didn’t happen with Adlous Snow involved in several seedy events between here and his home in London culminating with the destruction of a hotel room in Vegas and an appearance on The Today Show where Aldous swore on live TV and gyrated to his old school rock anthem ‘The Clap’. Parts of his appearance were edited from the west coast airing of The Today Show. The Today Show are still receiving thousands of complaints more than two days after the episode.

Watching Snow rock The Greek Theatre I feel transported back to that time ten years ago sitting in the nose bleed section of the theatre watching Snow and Infant Sorrow as a 20 year old with a passion for music. Back then I wanted to be Snow and at 30, nothing has changed. Snow’s chest revealing white suit and bandage style arm band ooze rock’n'roll. I can only imagine what sort of life this rocker has led. I can only hope that one day we get to see Snow’s life close up on the big screen. Even the events that brought him to The Greek over the last 72 hours would make a great film.

Aldous Snow and Infant Sorrow’s Live at The Greek Theatre ten year anniversary concert will be one to be remembered for years to come and I hope everyone takes the time to see recordings of one of the best moments in history.

****

Get Him to the Greek in cinemas everywhere staring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill. Make sure you see it at least once in your life.

“Fat, unemployed guy looking for girl desperate enough to not see that as a problem. I’m good with kids. Enquire within.” I posted that on my Facebook back on the 15th of March and it got me thinking. Could I attract someone online with that desperate introduction? Armed with an internet connection, no money and all the time in the world I set out to Plenty of Fish to look for that desperate soul.

The post was great. Crazy eyes photo, rude and overly honest. I waited for my new life partner. After a week, fat and desperate guy failed. Exciting finding. No woman in the Perth area will go for mister below adverage even though he is a factual representation of what you will actually meet in online dating sites and is the most honest description of myself!

Stage two. The embelished post we see all too often on dating sites. Slightly warmer photo, large exagerations of what I do and enjoy but with a bit of humanity. There are literally millions of profiles just like this one cloging up the intertubes. Will he do any better?

I wait another week. Nothing. NOTHING! OK now I’m a little upset. I understand why Mr Loser didn’t get the girl but I’m pretty cool in this one, aren’t I? So the photo isn’t the best but come on, not one? A criuse of the other profiles shows that there are many, many women closer to my first profile. Not one is interested? Pffffff.

I thought this would be a winner for sure. I start to think, what would I need to do to get a girl to approach me. How awesome do I need to be. How over the top brilliant? Try this……

OK lets review. No glasses. A shirt with collar. References to money. Still looking to have kids. Has no ties. Successful professional with ambition. Potentially a romantic. What is not to love about this guy? He is seriously too good to be true! Would you risk not contacting this guy, just incase he is for real?

This profile has now been active for three weeks. Not one bite! No messages, no links, no roses. Nothing! I went back through the whole site again. The testemonial, the help pages, the profiles. It was right there in front of me. Something I never thought. Women on dating sites still wait in the corner till a guy asks them to dance!

I don’t want to explore this idea by messaging profiles with my Doctor because it can only end in stalkers and I have enough of those! Is someone else able to shead a bit more light on this?

Someone once told me, girls thinking about meeting online should only approch guys though paid dating sites. This shows that the guys are interested enough to invest money into the relationship. Really? You are gonna judge guys on if they pay $9.95 a month dating membership? Nice work girls. You have shown us again what you really think is important.

*NOTE* – OK so I did get one response in the end. It was while I was writing this article. I guess being currently active on the site also goes in your favor. Sorry to the woman that messaged the Dr. He is too cool to talk to a ugly dog like you!