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"Adele, who is sidelined by vocal cord hemorrhaging and subsequent microsurgery, sent her first two tweets this week.\nThe global pop star's inaugural tweet on @OfficialAdele \u2014 which has been around since August 2010 but managed by other people until a few days ago \u2014 urged fans to follow charity @drop4drop or else she would refrain from tweeting ever again. She promised to \"start tweeting\" if the charity's account reached 10,000 followers. \nUnsurprisingly, that call to action didn't take long for fans to do, prompting Adele to issue this jam-packed second tweet that includes a link to a photo of her imitating Beyonce's \"Live at Roseland\" poster.\n\n\n\n\nMore celebrities are using Twitter (see gallery below) to boost their online presences or help their social initiatives. After surpassing 100 million active users earlier this year, Twitter has attracted a grab bag of well-known users such as former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Facebook president Sean Parker and The X Factor judge Simon Cowell, to name a few.\nAdele has had an eventful year that has taken a strain on her vocal chords, and she may be turning to Twitter in order to get her voice heard as she heals from a November throat surgery.\n\nSEE ALSO: \"Someone Like You\u201D Cover Song Face-Off | \"Rolling in the Deep\" Cover Goes Viral\nFans are getting a glimpse of celebrities' lives on other social networks, too. Popular musicians have enabled Facebook's Subscribe button, which allows any user to subscribe to those stars\u2019 personal profiles and see anything shared publicly. Google+ plays host to famous people \u2014 like the social network's most-followed users Britney Spears, Snoop Dogg and Tyra Banks \u2014 who regularly post and incite heavy engagement. \nWe reached out to Adele's record label, Columbia Records, and will update this story with comments later. \nWhich celebrities would you like to see join Twitter? Sound off in the comments.\n\n\nBig-Name Twitter Accounts Launched in 2011\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@simoncowell\nTV personality and music executive Simon Cowell is Twitter's newest celebrity. Cowell, who became a household name in 2002 as the brutally honest judge on American Idol, used his first tweet on Nov. 16 to pimp the U.S. version of The X Factor for which he\u2019s a judge. Since then, he has argued with @PiersMorgan, live-tweeted about his X Factor finalists (while dissing other contestants as well as fellow judges) and shared random thoughts just like most Twitter users do. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@charliesheen\nActor Charlie Sheen's March 1 entry into Twitter's birdcage attracted an immediate following, so much so that he broke the Guinness World Record for the person to reach 1 million followers the fastest. He accomplished that feat in 25 hours and 17 minutes. He now has 5.4 million followers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@sparker\nNapster co-founder and former Facebook president Sean Parker graced Twitter streams starting on Oct. 3. His first tweet was apparently an apology to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for joining a rival service: \u201CSorry Zuck, I had to do it eventually. (Actually @scooterbraun made me do it.)\u201D Scooter Braun is Justin Bieber\u2019s manager.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@rafaelnadal\nTennis player Rafael Nadal is no stranger to making a splash online. An underwear-clad Nadal stars in one of the 20 most-shared tennis ads of all time. And just this month, he teamed up with Barcardi for a campaign that allows fans to virtually compete with the 10-time Grand Slam winner using the RoboServ 3000. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@bronxzooscobra\nBronx Zoo Cobra is just one of several non-human Twitter profiles that cropped up in 2011. Many animal-inspired accounts have larger followings than major media outlets. Most recently a photograph in The New York Times \u2014 for a story about cooking with chicken skin \u2014 spawned the latest popular parody account on Twitter: @NYTchicken a.k.a. \u201CSexy Chicken.\u201D\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@jerryseinfeld\nOnce not a fan of Twitter, funnyman Jerry Seinfeld changed his tune on July 15. On that day, he sent his first tweet: \"Greetings Tweetarians! I have just landed on your Planet. This could be my last Tweet.\" His second tweet: \"Second Tweet! Am I done yet?\" His stream now has 86 more tweets.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@therealxtina\nPop star Christina Aguilera kept her promise to create a Twitter account ahead of her judging role on The Voice, a televised singing competition that became a social media juggernaut. Her latest tweet wishes fellow former Mickey Mouse Club member Britney Spears a happy 30th birthday. Aguilera joined in March.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@alecbaldwin\nActor Alec Baldwin, who flew into Twitter's ecosystem on May 27, got to experience a trending topic in September through the lens of his fairly fresh Twitter account. That month, an NPR spoof on Saturday Night Live featuring Baldwin inspired a new Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor called Schweddy Balls.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@condoleezzarice\nFormer U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice entered the Twitterverse on Oct. 12. She tweets about her daily activities -- and quite a bit about football.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@samuelljackson\nActor Samuel L. Jackson has taken his no-holds-barred commentary to Twitter. But on his first day on Twitter, he polled his followers to find out whether he could curse: \"Can-a muh fukkasay fuck on here?\" His followers responded with a resounding yes. On Thanksgiving, he tweeted, \"From one thankful muhfukkah to the resta yall, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!\"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@robinroberts\nGood Morning American anchor brought her charm to Twitter in March. Her multimedia grid on Twitter is chalk full of photos of her with her celebrity guests.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@news_va_en\nThe Pope (yes, THE POPE) sent his first tweet in June via an iPad.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@gwynethpaltrow\nActress and singer Gwyneth Paltrow explained in her first tweet (via a link to a video on June 1) why she's on Twitter: \"I'm trying to join the 21st Century so it's me. I'm on Facebook and Twitter but not right now ... I'm walking down the street looking for a cab. See ya!\"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@salmanrushdie\nAuthor Salman Rushdie used Twitter in November to fight a very public battle against Facebook regarding a controversial naming policy.  Rushdie shared his frustrations on Twitter and eventually got his Facebook account reinstated. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@gbarlowofficial\nGary Barlow -- most known for being a member of Take That and now a judge on the UK version of The X Factor -- already has 412 tweets since he jumped on the Twitter express on Oct. 9. He's had conversations with fellow Take That alum @RobbieWilliams, whose app is a finalist for Best Branded Mobile App in this year's Mashable Awards.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@melindagates\nMelinda Gates, one-half of the famous Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has brought her love for social good to Twitter. She tweets about philanthropic efforts and social issues.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@billycrystal\nEight-time Oscars host BIlly Crystal announced in November that he'll be hosting the awards show for the ninth time in 2012.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@jillabramson\nFollowing The New York Times's announcement that Jill Abramson would succeed Bill Keller as executive editor, Abramson joined Twitter in June.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@rickygervais\nIt didn't take long for comedian Ricky Gervais to cause some commotion on Twitter, so much so that he made Twitter's list of top topics of 2011 in the \"Actors\" category.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@cherylcole\nBritish pop star Cheryl Cole, of Girls Aloud fame and a former judge on the UK version of The X Factor, was the lone celebrity to brave Twitter's sea of users in August. She appeared on two episodes of the U.S. X Factor this fall.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@pharrell\nRecord producer and rapper Pharrell Williams has given his Twitter stream a visual twist, tweeting links to photos of his celebrity friends such as Usher, Mary J. Blige and CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@hopesolo\nU.S soccer player goalkeeper launched her account in June but already has plenty of photos in her Twitter gallery\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@howardstern\nComedic radio host Howard Stern live-tweeted commentary for his HBO film Private Parts in February -- the same month he joined Twitter.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@abbywambach\nUnited States National Women's Soccer Team player Abby Wambach gives followers a glimpse into her sporty mind.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@thelewisblack\nComedian Lewis Black runs a tame Twitter account, which he uses to promote his shows and thank fans.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@drudge\nMatt Drudge is the creator of Drudge Report, a news-aggregation service.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@plaxico\nNew York Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress started tweeting on June 5.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@thisispartridge\nComedian Steve Coogan brought his fictional character Alan G. Partridge to Twitter on Sept. 16 when he tweeted, \"Although deeply suspicious of the motives of social media users, I welcome you to this account on the basis it will boost sales of my book.\"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@1esjuangabriel\nLong-time Mexican singer Juan Gabriel manages a fairly active account, which launched Sept. 14.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@miahamm\nAmerican soccer player-turned-coach Mia Hamm's tweets have been absent from Twitter since Nov. 12. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@mashirafael\nPresident of the Republic of Ecuador Rafael Correa began tweeting on July 29.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@jimcameron\nFilm director James Cameron joined in January and hasn't tweeted since April.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@wmutunga\nWilly M. Mutunga is a famous Kenyan lawyer and activist.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@chespiritorgb\nRoberto G. Bola\u00F1os, a popular entertainer from Mexico, has nearly 2 million followers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@evamendes\nActress Eva Mendes joined Twitter on Oct. 12. However, she has posted only one tweet.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@sapresident\nJacob G. Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa, joined Twitter on May 10.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@nelsonmandela\nAfter a minor name-squatting situation, The Nelson Mandela Foundation got ownership of @NelsonMandela in May.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@ukhouseoflords\nThe House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. According to its bio, the Twitter account is produced by its staff \"to show how the Lords checks and challenges the UK government.\"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@asiaprince_jks\nJang Keun-Suk, a South Korean actor, singer and model, has amassed more than 220,000 followers since he joined Sept. 14.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@amtraknec\nThe Twitter account for Amtrak's Northeast Corridor shows how transit services continue to evolve alongside technology and social media.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@lopezdoriga1\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n@secretservice\nThe U.S. Secret Service's Twitter account publishes links to press announcements.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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