News University is offering a class on Freedom of Information. It’s free for registered users of the site:
What will I learn? Freedom of information is instrumental to journalism and essential for democracy. This course teaches you how to use the Freedom of Information Act, Public Records Laws and Open Meetings Laws to uphold your right to know the government’s actions. Learn not only the details of FOI laws in your state, but how to use FOI to write better stories today.
News University offers training for Journalists and is part of The Poynter Institute for Media Studies.
General
SitePoint has a list of questions, a self-assessment to help you determine if you’re ready to be an entrepreneur. Listed below are just a few.
Not everyone is suited to it. If you can answer “yes” to the majority of these questions, then working from home may be for you:
- Are you well-organised?
- Are you easily self-motivated?
- Can you set your own work timetables?
- Can you work with occasional distractions?
- Are you sufficiently self-disciplined to keep your nose to the grindstone?
- Do you have good time-management skills?
- Can you work alone, or is your personality better suited to a team setting?
- Can you set goals for yourself, and stick to them?
- Is there a space in your home for you to set up exclusively as your office?
- Do you have all the equipment necessary to operate an efficient, professional office?
- Can you manage without traditional office support, and resources?
- Will you be able to cope in relative isolation, without the social interaction which a corporate office provides?
Found via LifeHacker.
Career, News
May Day boycott debate heats up
– reported by KHOU CBS Channel 11
Dubbed the Great American Boycott, Latino organizations nationwide are asking immigrants to skip work and boycott businesses next Monday, Mexican Labor day.
All across the country business owners are facing a difficult decision on whether to open or close their doors May on 1
[snip]
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Darren Rowse says Experience build Blog Credibility. Since he says he’s making six figures a year as a blogger, I’ll trust what he says.
General
I haven’t decided yet. But it looks like the boycott is reaching even consumers of American goods in Mexico.
A Day Without Americans: Mexicans May Boycott
Move Meant To Pressure U.S. Congress
– reported by Click2Houston.com
MEXICO CITY — The call is moving quickly through Mexican cyberspace: Boycott the endless array of U.S. companies and restaurant chains in Mexico to pressure the U.S. Congress to legalize undocumented migrants in El Norte.
But American executives say the attack is misguided: As the largest private-sector employer in Mexico, the U.S. business community is doing more than anyone to provide much-needed jobs – and is also among the strongest supporters of immigration reform.
[snip]
News
School funding plan doesn’t yield enough money for promised tax reduction
– reported by KTRK ABC Channel 13
Gov. Rick Perry’s school funding plan, approved this week by the House, does not prescribe enough money to give Texas homeowners a promised one-third reduction in property taxes.
The plan, which could change in the Senate, aims to replace a portion of property taxes with an expanded business tax, a cigarette tax increase, a change in the way auto sales are taxed and part of the surplus. The cigarette tax is expected to be approved by the House Thursday.
But, those provisions would only generate enough money to give Texans an 11 percent property tax cut in its first year and about a 25 percent decrease in the second year.
To make up the difference, lawmakers would have to raise additional taxes or use some of the surplus, estimated at $8.2 billion.
News
Houston gas stations run short of fuel
– reported by the Houston Chronicle
Scores of gas stations in Houston were out of at least one grade of gasoline today as the conversion to ethanol-blended gasoline from fuel with MTBE presented logistical problems, fuel suppliers and station owners said.
Valero spokeswoman Mary Rose Brown said some 80 stations in the Houston area had an outage of at least one grade.
Backlogs have been created as retail stations drain and clean their tanks to prepare for the switch and terminals retrofit bays to handle ethanol. A shortage of drivers and trucks has also compounded the problem, she said.
[snip]
General
Houston gas stations run short of fuel
– reported by the Houston Chronicle
Scores of gas stations in Houston were out of at least one grade of gasoline today as the conversion to ethanol-blended gasoline from fuel with MTBE presented logistical problems, fuel suppliers and station owners said.
Valero spokeswoman Mary Rose Brown said some 80 stations in the Houston area had an outage of at least one grade.
Backlogs have been created as retail stations drain and clean their tanks to prepare for the switch and terminals retrofit bays to handle ethanol. A shortage of drivers and trucks has also compounded the problem, she said.
[snip]
News
ProBlogger talks about The Cost of Comment Spam in a recent post. Since this is something that’s been plaguing me lately, it made sense to me.
It would be all very nice of me to attack bloggers who give up on comment spam and no propose solutions. My main piece of advice for bloggers is to use up to date blogging software and to use the built in spamming solutions that many of them have built in or available with plugins.
While spam killing plugins don’t stop everything they do help.
What does slip through the filters and plugins needs to be diligently monitored and checked manually either before or after they go live on your blog. There is no other way to ensure blogs are spam free than to have someone monitor it. If you’re not willing or able to do this then you might also like to consider the option of either switching off comments on your blog or disabling them after a certain period of time.
Maybe I’ll give that a try. In the meantime, I’ll keep the moderation on.
UPDATE: Did you know that even Scobelizer started moderating comments? He’s not doing it because of spamming, but he’s still doing it.
General
It’s not up on their Web site, but the Houston Public Library is getting into the groove of National Free Comic Book Day. I got the info from their enewsletter:
Free comic book giveaway
Saturday, May 6, 2006
Houston Public Library invites children, teens and adults to drop by any branch library to pick up a free comic book in celebration of National Free Comic Book Day, on Saturday, May 6, 2006.
This event is part of a national effort by the comic book industry to increase awareness of comic books available for all ages. The comic books will be provided one per customer, while supplies last.
This free giveaway has been made possible by Houston-based Midnight Comics & Games.
Comic Books, a view from an expert
Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 11 a.m.
Henington-Alief Regional Branch Library
7979 South Kirkwood, 77072
832-393-1820
Learn about the history of comics, major comic book characters and storylines from John Simons, owner of Midnight Comics & Games, during a presentation at Henington-Alief Regional Branch Library.
As part of the presentation, a surprise visit will give kids an opportunity to meet one of their favorite comic book heroes.
For more information on National Free Comic Book Day, visit www.freecomicbookday.com. To find a branch library near you, call 832-393-1313 or visit www.houstonlibrary.org.
Find a place to pick up free comic books near you, through the official Web site.
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