This is an important notice from LeboALERT.
Are you an "expert" who would like to be a mtl Lifestyle blogger? Or do you
know someone? Check out http://lebomag.com/9247/wanna-blog/
Wanna Blog?
More articles by Susan Fleming Morgans » Written by: Susan Fleming Morgans
We’re planning to launch a Lifestyle blog on this website in late spring—if we can find about 20 people with plenty of know how and the same amount of community spirit. (And of course, they’ll need to know how to write; previous blogging experience is a plus.) Our blog will not deal in controversial local or national issues—there are plenty of blogs for that—and in keeping with our website policy, it will not be a place to express political opinions or to criticize the opinions of other residents. There will be no anonymous comments, and our moderator (an mtl staff member who also moderates several blogs for the New York Times) will not allow any incivility to hit the digital page. And we don’t want people promoting their own businesses either, although we might consider a business owner, if the focus is on the subject matter not the business.
So basically what we’re looking for is enthusiastic writers—not necessarily experts but people who are very knowledgeable about things than can enhance the Mt. Lebanon experience and our lives in general—people of various ages, high school kids to retirees, who can come up with posts about 250 words in length between two and four times a month. (Oh, and we want them to like Mt. Lebanon and to volunteer to blog for free—that’s the community spirit part.)
Here is an overview of some of the subjects we’d like bloggers to comment on: travel, continuing education opportunities, books and film, home improvement, historic preservation, DIY projects, pets, new technology, gardening, landscaping, architecture, conservation, sustainability, new products, cooking, dining, shopping, entertainment, family fun, camps, fun stuff for tots, tweens and teens to do, fashion, health trends, fitness, weight management, cooking and local sports.
Whew! That’s a long list, and we’re open to other ideas, too.
We have a couple of terrific writers whose names you will recognize already lined up, but we need more. If you’re interested, please call or email smorgans@mtlebanon.org, 412-343-3780.
25 comments:
More fluff. Just what we need.
In case you are wondering, I have not been contacted. ;)
Today, I renewed my web hosting contract for lebocitizens.com for another two years.
Elaine
moderated by a staff member who also moderates blogs for the NY Times?? hahahahahahahahahaha. Oh, Ok, susan. That'll be really enlightening.
Will Real Lebo Bloggers Elaine LaBalme and Commissioner Kristin Linfante be contributing ? Ms.LaBalme must have connections as she is contributing more to Mt. Lebanon Magazine and lebomag.com.
NY Times? Well that explains the hits I am getting from the NY Times.
What else can be blogged about that isn't covered on mtl Facebook, lebomag.com, Blog Lebo, Lebo Citizens, Fake Lebo, Twitter, mtlebanon.org, valuemtlebanon.com, kellyfraasch.com/blog/and Timmy's pizza blog?
Elaine
Looks like another waste of time...just like Mt. Lebanon Magazine.
So our well compensated PIO/Editor, that runs a "profitable" community magazine is looking for people to write for her blog - for FREE.
"(Oh, and we want them to like Mt. Lebanon and to volunteer to blog for free—that’s the community spirit part.)"
Is that the community spirit we have here... really?!
Then why doesn't the community's biggest cheerleader have the spirit too?
Don't fret if you are rejected. I accept letters to the editor.
You don't have to love Mt. Lebanon, but unfortunately the pay is still the same. Zero.
Elaine
You may want to visit this website before volunteering.
http://www.blogherald.com/2008/07/15/blogging-jobs-how-much-are-bloggers-paid-to-blog/
It appears Elaine is vastly underpaid! The least we could do is appreciate her "community spirit."
This move on the part of the Municipality to create a "Lifestyle blog" is not surprising, as far as I'm concerned. Governments at all levels are getting very nervous over the vast amount of freedom of information people currently enjoy, and are starting to offer their own interactive forums; even if the premise of such forums is "light and breezy," with no criticism permitted.
The Reason Foundation recently had an interview with Jeffrey Tucker, executive director of Laissez Faire Books, about how people people interact with government propaganda, saying "..some very creative people in the private sector have figured how to dig underneath it, go around it, scale it with special new tools, and that's how I think of digital media." Elaine's Blog is a perfect example of how "digital media" is working around government, in the sense that it is a marketplace of ideas and debate.
Frankly, I hope the Municipality does well with the Blog. It would be another excellent argument for the elimination of the paper magazine, as success there would be a "proof of concept" for going to digital publishing. With the advent of tablets and specialized readers, such as Kindle and Nook, the days of paper are numbered. Just recently a friend and former Mt. Lebanon resident, Cheri Day, published a novel that is set in the Pittsburgh area and is an excellent read. It's called "The If Statement," and it's currently available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble for the Kindle and Nook, respectively. This is just one small example of how the world is moving toward digital media and away from paper.
Here's hoping that Ms. Morgans can find 20 people in Mt. Lebanon who can write at least half as well as Ms. Day - and for free!
My guess is this is a cheap ploy to garner more hits for the magazine to justify it'sexistence. If Elaine's poll is an indication of how little readership it actually has, advertisers may be questioning the ad rates.
"an mtl staff member who also moderates several blogs for the New York Times"
On the clock ???
Speaking of propaganda.
Has anyone else beginning to notice a pattern with the magazine.
A number of people were complaining about traffic congestion and Ms. M decides to let us how she navigates through neighborhoods to avoid the main arteries.
Expensive change orders on the high school project show up and we get a video tour.
There are more I think, but I'll see if anyone else sees them.
Considering I check for comments at all hours of the day and night (you can tell when Timmy, the dog has a bad night if I approve your comment in the middle of the night), does this mean we are paying overtime to the moderator who is moderating other blogs for the NY Times?
I paid $109.40 to my web host today. That doesn't include domain fees. I have 892 published posts here on the blog and almost three years of work on my website. According to the posted website above, what does that amount to? Can I get a break on my taxes, Susan? Sounds like a lot of community spirit for someone who doesn't like Mt. Lebanon.
I wonder how the terrific writers who are lined up, heard about the blog. Must be friends of "the moderator."
Elaine
I have an example @7:03 - an earlier Blog Posting--
"For example, having 20 people visit a site 10 times per day to make a blog comment does not really compare to a magazine website. The number of visits are skewed in this scenario."
Your right @6:41 get the numbers up. Elaine's Blog says to drive the numbers up with a Blog, so by golly let's have a Blog.
Elaine, do you realize how much power 7:50 pm claims you have! You blog with just 20 people and they think you're another William Randolf Hearst.
If you do have that kind of influence could you please suggest the school district and municipality freeze taxes at their currents levels? Just a freeze, not a cut, we don't want to be greedy.
Cool! I am up to 20 people now! At one time, I had 6, then 10, now 20!
Elaine
Susan Morgans writes, "There will be no anonymous comments, and our moderator (an mtl staff member who also moderates several blogs for the New York Times) will not allow any incivility to hit the digital page."
8:09 PM, doesn't look like you will be saying much on the new blog.
Speaking of blogs, I forgot to mention Lebo Fields and Center Court.
Elaine
The ML PIO is struggling to keep her overpaid job. Padding her budget with New York Times talent is a real loser.
Yawn. So a blog about the same garbage the "official" comminity magazine covers? Lame.
2:46 AM nailed it---just more of the same.
Why does Mt Lebanon believe that a MtL blog would succeed when MtL receives very few "Letters to the Editor"?
In fact, maybe someone should ask why MtL recevies very few "Letters to the Editor" when we have many public opinions posted on this and other blog sites, The Almanac, The Post Gazette, etc?
Our PIO should step aside and retire. The magazine should be closed and the staff eliminated. It's time.
I'm fine with it.
12:36 and 5:28 nailed it. Can MtL and the staff!
While I can barely control myself waiting for the new blog contributions from "enthusiastic writers—not necessarily experts but people who are very knowledgeable about things than can enhance the Mt. Lebanon experience and our lives in general" we may want to contain our fervent anticipation with this from the editor of mtl magazine:
"My driving patterns are nothing to brag about, but I’m not apologizing either. These are public streets, and Mt. Lebanon has a lot of traffic. Most of us would rather keep moving than sit still."
But from Wiki:
"Rat running, or cut-through driving, is using secondary roads or residential side streets instead of the intended main roads in urban or suburban areas. People do it to avoid heavy traffic, long delays at traffic signals or other obstacles, even where there are traffic calming measures to discourage them, or laws against taking certain routes. Rat runs are frequently taken by motorists familiar with the local geography. They will often take such short cuts to avoid busy main roads and intersections. The term may have arisen from associations with the rat race or from similarities between the driving routes used and those taken by rats running through a maze.
Rat running is controversial. It is sometimes opposed by homeowners on the affected streets, as some people regard it as a disturbance of their peace.[citation needed] Sometimes, it affects house prices. Authorities often try to prevent it, but enforcement is difficult. Rat running is sometimes fought by installing traffic calming devices, such as all-way stops, speed humps, traffic circles, andrumble strips, by making some streetsone-way, or by blocking off certain intersections. Some places, includingMontgomery County, Maryland, Maryland Heights, Missouri, and parts ofMinneapolis, have banned turning on certain streets during rush hours to prevent rat running.[1]
Some motorists keep their rat runs secret to prevent others from clogging up the roads they routinely use.[1]"
I'm wondering how many residents think "rat running" enhances the MTL experience?
Of course, you won't be able to share your thoughts with the editor or your neighbors on the new MTL blog, because they want only contributions from people that "like Mt. Lebanon."
By all means we can't have controversies in the bubble.
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