MGH is blogging and tweeting live from the 140 Characters Conference today.

Created by Jeff Pulver of VOIP fame, the 140 Conference (#140Conf) brings together some of the biggest names in the Twittersphere under one Broadway theater roof. Celebrities, journalists and marketers have come from all over to discuss Twitter and its impact on the “now.”

We feel honored to be a part of one of the first conferences of this nature and look forward to connecting with the tweeters of the world.

If you’re interested in following along, you can read live updates via Twitter’s search feed or check out the live video stream.

Update 9:22AM

Jack Dorsey, co-founder and Chairman of Twitter,  just finished up.  He discussed how Twitter has changed from “What are you doing?” to “Where are you going?”  If you actively follow along with Twitter and keep up with the hot news items and the sentiment of the people, you can actually almost glimpse into the future.  It’s about knowing what’s happening right now and being able to make assumptions on the future of everything.

He also briefly touched on the situation in Iran and how Twitter has changed the way the human race interacts.  Twitter has brought the Irani conflict into our homes and made it real.  It’s no longer a clip on the nightly news.  It’s the people on the streets giving real-time updates and expressing real emotion.

Update 9:32AM

Fred Wilson is discussing Twitter and money.  How do you/we make money off of these new tools?  The answer: links.  Google, through organic searches, drives the majority of traffic to the majority of sites.  This is changing, though.  While Google is growing slightly month over month, Facebook and Twitter referral traffic seems to be growing at an astronomical rate.  Growing up to 30-40% month over month.  If you plot the growth rate over a year or two, the combined power of Facebook and Twitter will surpass Google for many sites over the next year.

I made a Twitter friend.  She’ll be blogging too.  You can check it out at http://coolastory.com

Update 9:56 AM

David Saranga (@DavidSaranga) - Consul for Media and Public Affairs at the Israeli Consulate in New York is up now.  His thoughts: People have a very negative perception of Israel.  All they can think about is conflict.  But Israel is very multi-dimensional.  Medicine, science, arts.  But the media doesn’t cover these topics.  As the head of public affairs, his job is to change the story.
When the war in Gaza began again this summer, the Israeli government entered the Twittersphere.  It gave them a tool to bring the message to the public.  They no longer had to rely on the media to spread the message.  For the first time, they could have a dialogue with the public.  And they could hear what people are thinking.

Twitter also allowed them to reach a younger audience, whereas the “old” media would not necessarily allow them to do this.  And it allowed them to engage with them.

“All of a sudden it wasn’t a government - it was someting much more personal.  It’s not the Israeli government, it’s David Saranga.  It’s the face behind the entity”
Update 11:10 AM

Twitter: TV session starting now.  Panel composed of Sci Fi Channel, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Best Week Ever.  Two of my favorite things, and one other thing that I watch when I can’t sleep.

Social media is “real-time data streaming with a viral component mixed in (retweeting).”  “Things like social media, real-time conversations, can either help our business or hurt it.”  It’s about making the shows more valuable through these mediums.

iJustine just arrived.  I think I’m in love.  And I have lost all focus on the conference.

Except they just mentioned Battlestar Galactica.  And my focus is back.

“If we had listened to the fans about Battlestar Galactica, it never would have gotten made.  You have to listen to people, but you can’t run your business like a democracy.  You don’t have to mindlessly do what people are saying.”  LOVE BATTLSTAR.

“People will tell you when you’re annoying.  It’s the anti-blog comment.  People don’t say things to be mean on Twitter.” - Great point!  People are generally nice on Twitter.

The audience just boo’ed the Sci-Fi Channel name change.  How’s that for real-time feedback???!

“If I had to think of it as a marketing or business tool, I wouldn’t go anywhere near it.  I thought it was fun and a nice way to talk to people.”

Update 12:31 PM

Rick Sanchez (CNN), Ann Curry (NBC), and Robert Scoble are on stage right now.  This is too cool.  Rick Sanchez taking some heat for CNN’s lack of coverage of the Iran conflict.

Gotta pay attention to this.  Will recharge and blog it out later.

Update 12:35 PM

One update.  Rick Sanchez is getting heated up about Robert Scoble’s criticism.  This is TOO good.  Kthxbye.