Freelance writer, Geoffrey P. Moore, signed a contract today covering his services as a correspondent (a stringer in the vernacular) for the Lincoln Journal.
No get rich quick scheme, the Lincoln Journal will provide an audience for Geoff's writing and source of attributed clips, required for progress towards a full time career and credibility in magazine journalism.
A small step perhaps, but with the purchase of Community Newspaper Company (CNC) by Gateway Media Inc. the focus on local news will in the respected Journal will increase.
Large media publication readership has declined over the past year, whilst the number of people subscribing to newspapers covering local news events has increased.
Perhaps, as readers have become weary of the deluge of media information on global events, they prefer to shut their doors to what is going on outside their immediate sphere of influence and think local. I hope so, at least for a while.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Sunday, May 14, 2006
A taste of England - courtesy of the Phoenix Rising
For the first time since I moved to the USA I watched the FA cup Final, this year between Liverpool and West Ham United. For those that don't know West Ham is a district in the East end of London, very close to my birthplace. Too close as it happens - I support Leyton Orient, because they are my home town team and Arsenal, because I lived only half a mile from the ground and had many happy hours in the local pub, listening to the crowd and watching on TV. Tickets were impossible to get - harder even than the Red Sox.
So West Ham are rivals and since I was in the Phoenix Rising - an Irish pub on Mass Ave just up from the Central T stop - that was decked out with Liverpool flags and patrons outnumbering West Ham supporters 5:1 - I supported Liverpool.
The place was packed when I got there, no seats and no chance to get to the bar until half time. That worked out fine since kickoff was 10 am EST, so it was respectfully past 11am by the time I took my first sip of beer.
The pub was filled with chanting - oohs and aahs at each miss and hearing the cockney voices of West Ham supporters made it feel as if I was back in the London of my youth.
Why had I waited so long to find a pub showing football. Well $20 each for this pay per view event is one of them, denial is the other. But this game was worth it with Liverpool coming back from a 2 goal deficit only to fall behind and come back again to draw with a spectacular strike on 90 minutes (full time). Extra time was a drag, with West Ham coming closest and the game finished level to be settled by best of five penalty shots. Liverpool's keep saved three penalties to give them the win. All in all a really great game, the last to be played at Cardiff Arms Park in Wales and the first to be witnessed in Boston
Friday, May 12, 2006
Advice from a Lemon
"I hope he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." So says a quote from Bridgewater Board of Selectman, Herb Lemon, in Thursday's Boston Globe.
Mr. Lemon added, "I don't care what this person's background is, homeless or not, there is no excuse for it."
The heinous crime? Did he hurt someone or worse molest a child under the guise of priestly protection?
No. On a hot day, a homeless man dressed in dirty jeans, a thick leather jacket over a hooded fleece and known by residents to be living rough in local woodland, put his hand in a change jar at a roadside lemonade stand and took out $8 instead of paying for his drink.
The stand was set up and being run by children aged 8 to 12 in aid of Relay for Life, an annual cancer walk of the American Cancer Society. The children, who appeared shaken and voiced disbelief at the alleged theft from their charity effort, had raised $40 towards their target of $100 after 4 hours work.
Yes, people should not take money from children; yes, children have a right to sell lemonade for a good cause (especially if they had a hawker's license and a charity registration).
However, people of America, Selectman of Bridgewater, Boston Globe -- let's get things into perspective.
A homeless man, overdressed on a hot day, living in woodland is arrested and charged with personal larceny, which carries a maximum sentence (fullest extent of the law) of 24 to 36 months in prison for $8. The Globe reporter and photographer is on hand to snap pictures of a cowered man being led away in handcuffs and a second police officer handing dollar bills (the evidence) back to a group of 8 children.
Does this make any sense?
Doesn’t this AMERICAN man need help, at least as much as an American Cancer Society and at least as much as people in other countries that the USA is pouring billions of dollars into? When arrested he still had the $8 on him. That's it; no other means to pay for a glass of lemonade was mentioned.
Perhaps Mr. Lemon's call for retribution came from his heart and not his head, since he has just finished a course of cancer treatment and was grateful for the funding of research that allowed such treatment?
It is a petty he had not just finished a course of being homeless. He might have had a trace of compassion for those for whom a lack of treatment or a glass of lemonade on a hot day is a way of life.
Mr. Lemon added, "I don't care what this person's background is, homeless or not, there is no excuse for it."
The heinous crime? Did he hurt someone or worse molest a child under the guise of priestly protection?
No. On a hot day, a homeless man dressed in dirty jeans, a thick leather jacket over a hooded fleece and known by residents to be living rough in local woodland, put his hand in a change jar at a roadside lemonade stand and took out $8 instead of paying for his drink.
The stand was set up and being run by children aged 8 to 12 in aid of Relay for Life, an annual cancer walk of the American Cancer Society. The children, who appeared shaken and voiced disbelief at the alleged theft from their charity effort, had raised $40 towards their target of $100 after 4 hours work.
Yes, people should not take money from children; yes, children have a right to sell lemonade for a good cause (especially if they had a hawker's license and a charity registration).
However, people of America, Selectman of Bridgewater, Boston Globe -- let's get things into perspective.
A homeless man, overdressed on a hot day, living in woodland is arrested and charged with personal larceny, which carries a maximum sentence (fullest extent of the law) of 24 to 36 months in prison for $8. The Globe reporter and photographer is on hand to snap pictures of a cowered man being led away in handcuffs and a second police officer handing dollar bills (the evidence) back to a group of 8 children.
Does this make any sense?
Doesn’t this AMERICAN man need help, at least as much as an American Cancer Society and at least as much as people in other countries that the USA is pouring billions of dollars into? When arrested he still had the $8 on him. That's it; no other means to pay for a glass of lemonade was mentioned.
Perhaps Mr. Lemon's call for retribution came from his heart and not his head, since he has just finished a course of cancer treatment and was grateful for the funding of research that allowed such treatment?
It is a petty he had not just finished a course of being homeless. He might have had a trace of compassion for those for whom a lack of treatment or a glass of lemonade on a hot day is a way of life.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
$0.027 for your thoughts.
Every 5th grade physics student knows that hot air rises and that the web is full of windbags letting rip on people they know; lovers, mothers, brothers and others. Some even make a buck or two by being profound, original or plain stupid enough to make people click through to see their attempt at winning a Darwin award.
A comparatively new web site, a cross between about.com, squidoo.com, ask.com and probably more that I know nothing about, came to my attention last night during a Cinco de Mayo Mexican bean feast and few bottles of Corona sporting a green, wedge shaped bottle stopper.
The site’s premise is that you, in the guise of an expert, sign up to answer questions of importance to people who go to the site for answers and then click through to Google Adsense or Adwords.
When people click on your answer (as opposed to the answers from oh, sixty or seventy other experts), ranked by peers as the most valuable (no you can't rank your own, but if you know enough people I am sure they can do it for you), you get the payout that is listed against the questions.
Payout amount depends not on difficulty of question e.g. "explain Einstein’s theory of relativity" but on which questions are likely to attract most people to the answer and generate the most Adwords and hence click through revenue. So questions like:
"How do I completely get rid of fleas in my house?" receive their own front page headline, right next to another burning issue:
"How do I know which grade of motor oil I should use in my car?" Answer - look in the handbook buddy (no I made that one up myself).
The site is said to have patented fraud detection. The question "how does this work?" is neither asked nor answered. Peer reviewing is said to bring the cream to the top. Unfortunately even the top answers leave a bit of a sour taste and are at best similar to those that a Google search generates, which is where it appears most 'experts' appear to have gone for their answers to post.
Of course it’s not about the money for people answering questions. It’s for the fame and prestige of being a published writer, an expert in you chosen field of answering the ultimate question:
Are there any online writing sites that pay for writing?
Yeah right - you mean like this one (by pure coincidence the top answer).
The site is at beta and will be upgraded to remove the emphasis on money and replace it with one requiring writing skills. This can only improve the quality. Take a look, it has promise, but read the small print before posting. Give an answer that infringes copyright, injures someone or something when they follow your sage advice and you, not the website owners, are liable for damages and just about anything else if sued.
Now there's a way to make dollars from other people's thoughts.
http://www.heliumknowledge.com/dn/index.aspx
A comparatively new web site, a cross between about.com, squidoo.com, ask.com and probably more that I know nothing about, came to my attention last night during a Cinco de Mayo Mexican bean feast and few bottles of Corona sporting a green, wedge shaped bottle stopper.
The site’s premise is that you, in the guise of an expert, sign up to answer questions of importance to people who go to the site for answers and then click through to Google Adsense or Adwords.
When people click on your answer (as opposed to the answers from oh, sixty or seventy other experts), ranked by peers as the most valuable (no you can't rank your own, but if you know enough people I am sure they can do it for you), you get the payout that is listed against the questions.
Payout amount depends not on difficulty of question e.g. "explain Einstein’s theory of relativity" but on which questions are likely to attract most people to the answer and generate the most Adwords and hence click through revenue. So questions like:
"How do I completely get rid of fleas in my house?" receive their own front page headline, right next to another burning issue:
"How do I know which grade of motor oil I should use in my car?" Answer - look in the handbook buddy (no I made that one up myself).
The site is said to have patented fraud detection. The question "how does this work?" is neither asked nor answered. Peer reviewing is said to bring the cream to the top. Unfortunately even the top answers leave a bit of a sour taste and are at best similar to those that a Google search generates, which is where it appears most 'experts' appear to have gone for their answers to post.
Of course it’s not about the money for people answering questions. It’s for the fame and prestige of being a published writer, an expert in you chosen field of answering the ultimate question:
Are there any online writing sites that pay for writing?
Yeah right - you mean like this one (by pure coincidence the top answer).
The site is at beta and will be upgraded to remove the emphasis on money and replace it with one requiring writing skills. This can only improve the quality. Take a look, it has promise, but read the small print before posting. Give an answer that infringes copyright, injures someone or something when they follow your sage advice and you, not the website owners, are liable for damages and just about anything else if sued.
Now there's a way to make dollars from other people's thoughts.
http://www.heliumknowledge.com/dn/index.aspx
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Counter Measures
Smooth talk.
Today was a day for experiment; a day to engage and commune after 72 hours locked away bleeding out the plot and first two chapters of: Collage – A Harry Flash Mystery Novel.Not much sustenance left in the fridge so it’s off to the liquor store.
Sam Adams Black Lager and some obscure but cheap IPA from Paper City Brewery in Holyoke find their way, with my support, to the cash desk.The liquor store owner drags himself away from a loiterer discussing with bile and vitriol, what Johnny Damon did, a far cry from 2004 when the popular question was "What would Johnny do?"
He ambles over and I am struck by the age of the counter on which I had just plonked my plonk. It was Formica, so that meant 50's, maybe 60's, worn smooth and colorless; edges rounded creating an irresistible tactile surface. My hand instinctively caressed it as I would a woman's back; gently, exploring, fingertips tracing silky contours.
Distracted by these thoughts I ask, “So how long has this counter been here?”
The look on the owner's face tells me instantly that I am in trouble.
In the USA, I have found that context is vitally important to understanding. If you say something that a person is not expecting, or perhaps that no one has asked before, life becomes similar to using a speech recognition program or a voice activated telephone response system:
“Hello, I’d like a number for…”
“Please say the name of the city town or state you are trying to contact.”
“Heston”
“I think I heard you say ‘Austin’ please say ‘Yes’ if this is correct.”
“No, Heston”
"I think I heard you say ‘Yes’. Please say the name of the person or business in Austin for which you require a phone number.”
“No Heston”
“I think I heard you say Noel Eston, please say ‘Yes’ if the is correct.”
“No, Heston.”
“I think I heard you say ‘Yes’. We have no listing for Noel Heston in Austin.”
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
You get the picture.
So, when I said “How long has this counter been here?" the owner of the liquor store had several options.
A humorist might have said, “About thirteen feet, same as it's always been.”
A historian might have said, “Now that is a very interesting question. Records show that this shop once functioned as a moneylender and the counter is worn smooth by ebb and flow of debt and repayment. In fact it's a little known fact that…”
A theologian would have considered the question and then raised doubt about its origin as a man made object and of its meaning.
My man made me explain it, bit by bit.
So I said,“The counter, its made of Formica.”
He gave me a dumb look.
“The pattern, it’s been worn off.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“In places it’s worn right through to the underlying brown backing.”
Incredulous stare.
“The surface is smooth and edges are rounded.”
Checks to see if the surveillance system is recording.
“It …looks…very…old. How… long… has… this… counter… been… here?”
Hint of recognition.
Sage response, “A lot of six packs have slid over this counter.”
So how long has this counter been there?
I never found out, he obviously thought I was casing the joint, or from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or the IRS, or just some lonely old sod with nothing better to do than to buy booze and ask stupid questions.
Well at least he was right on one account.
Today was a day for experiment; a day to engage and commune after 72 hours locked away bleeding out the plot and first two chapters of: Collage – A Harry Flash Mystery Novel.Not much sustenance left in the fridge so it’s off to the liquor store.
Sam Adams Black Lager and some obscure but cheap IPA from Paper City Brewery in Holyoke find their way, with my support, to the cash desk.The liquor store owner drags himself away from a loiterer discussing with bile and vitriol, what Johnny Damon did, a far cry from 2004 when the popular question was "What would Johnny do?"
He ambles over and I am struck by the age of the counter on which I had just plonked my plonk. It was Formica, so that meant 50's, maybe 60's, worn smooth and colorless; edges rounded creating an irresistible tactile surface. My hand instinctively caressed it as I would a woman's back; gently, exploring, fingertips tracing silky contours.
Distracted by these thoughts I ask, “So how long has this counter been here?”
The look on the owner's face tells me instantly that I am in trouble.
In the USA, I have found that context is vitally important to understanding. If you say something that a person is not expecting, or perhaps that no one has asked before, life becomes similar to using a speech recognition program or a voice activated telephone response system:
“Hello, I’d like a number for…”
“Please say the name of the city town or state you are trying to contact.”
“Heston”
“I think I heard you say ‘Austin’ please say ‘Yes’ if this is correct.”
“No, Heston”
"I think I heard you say ‘Yes’. Please say the name of the person or business in Austin for which you require a phone number.”
“No Heston”
“I think I heard you say Noel Eston, please say ‘Yes’ if the is correct.”
“No, Heston.”
“I think I heard you say ‘Yes’. We have no listing for Noel Heston in Austin.”
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
You get the picture.
So, when I said “How long has this counter been here?" the owner of the liquor store had several options.
A humorist might have said, “About thirteen feet, same as it's always been.”
A historian might have said, “Now that is a very interesting question. Records show that this shop once functioned as a moneylender and the counter is worn smooth by ebb and flow of debt and repayment. In fact it's a little known fact that…”
A theologian would have considered the question and then raised doubt about its origin as a man made object and of its meaning.
My man made me explain it, bit by bit.
So I said,“The counter, its made of Formica.”
He gave me a dumb look.
“The pattern, it’s been worn off.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“In places it’s worn right through to the underlying brown backing.”
Incredulous stare.
“The surface is smooth and edges are rounded.”
Checks to see if the surveillance system is recording.
“It …looks…very…old. How… long… has… this… counter… been… here?”
Hint of recognition.
Sage response, “A lot of six packs have slid over this counter.”
So how long has this counter been there?
I never found out, he obviously thought I was casing the joint, or from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, or the IRS, or just some lonely old sod with nothing better to do than to buy booze and ask stupid questions.
Well at least he was right on one account.
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