SMA
OnLine News Magazine a free community-run nonprofit
public service, written FOR and BY the expatriate residents, in our attempt to
meet needs not being met elsewhere 
news about us
|
news about us
|
|
|
HEADLINES table of contents breaking news news about us write to & for us FAQs goals and mission navigator
|
| 6/1/04 - We are having a serious crisis here at SMA OnLine, one that might force us to cease publication of this free news magazine for expatriate residents. Please read the 6/1/04 article (immediately below) on this page and its effect on the future of this news magazine. |
6/1/04 - Status Update and A CRY FOR HELP
We have been publishing since March 14th and we currently have around 50 web-pages, with almost 200 articles, stories, tips, letters, etc. Our headlines page has been visited well over 6,000 times. Things are going well. However, ...
According to our survey results, breaking news, community bulletin board, and local events, are the most popular of our web-pages, possibly because we are significantly earlier than the rest of the English-language media in bringing this timely information to you. These are the pages that are read most often and by some, on a daily basis.
Tips and letters and other informative information are also very popular and are also quite time-sensitive
Virtually all of the rest of the web-pages are more like a book or magazine and can be read at your convenience, now, later, or ignored, at your own pleasure.
As I said above, things are going well, BUT...
We have a serious problem. In what was supposed to only be a publisher's roll, I have had to spend much more time than expected. I can no longer spend most of every day doing what I've been doing, acting the part of part-time reporter and part-time writer. More and more errors are creeping into our output. Therefore, in order for this web-site to continue, I need some help from you.
For breaking news, we need anyone and everyone conversant in Spanish to occasionally listen to local radio or cablevision news breaks (either in the morning or the afternoon), or interpret local newspaper stories, and email us their English-language interpretation (only about 2 to 4 lines per story) of each current day's most important (in your opinion) breaking news. More than one person can share this because if we get more than one notification of the same story, we can combine them. Obviously, the more people sharing this responsibility, the easier it is for each of them.
For local events, everyone (don't be afraid of duplication any event) can contribute any knowledge that they have and we will again combine duplications.
For community bulletin board, please see that web-page and see what YOU can offer in the way of listings.
For tips and letters, certainly everyone reading the SMA OnLine News Magazine knows something themselves that others in this community do not all know. Contribute this and as often as you like and as long or short an idea as you like.
The other web--pages, more like a leisurely read, are doing well as is. But, certainly, from time to time, we need and welcome your contributions, as the mood hits you.
In effect, I have already done my part. SMA OnLine News Magazine will have to live or die from now on depending upon your input.
Now, changing the subject a little, our
new web-site host ds4a, has NO advertisements, no pop-up advertising, no current distractions . You can find our new-website by using any of the following URLshttp://smaonline.ds4a.com/index-paper.htm
And lastly, we also refer you to our new navigator page which offers you many new methods for moving around the web-site quickly.
Some "how to" Notes
(1) the survey results are available for you to see - just click on SURVEYS on either our headlines page, our table of contents page, or the new navigator page.
(2) the community bulletin board can be found by just clicking on COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD on either our headlines page, our table of contents page, or the new navigator page.
(3) the computer tips page can be found by just clicking on COMPUTER TIPS on either our headlines page, our table of contents page, or the new navigator page.
Wishing you all well,
SMA OnLine News Magazine, Michael Wein, publisher
The votes from you, the reader/voters, are in. The top vote gatherers are (in alphabetic order)
 | Lee Asheroff |
| Wayne Greenhaw |
| Sareda Milosz |
| Sylvia Barek Rosenthal |
| Roland Salazar |
| Elena Shoemaker |
| Patrice Wynne |
And, as we said in the above subject line, the winner of the us$1,000 award is ...
Actually, for that final information just click-link on the below URL http//smapaper.wtcsites.com/contests.htm or go to our normal everyday headlines page at http//smapaper.wtcsites.com/index-paper.htm and look under "contests".
Incidentally, there, on the "contests" page, you will also see click-links so you will be able to see and read the articles, stories, letters, etc. that these writers wrote for us.
And, new news for you.
We are testing new and better sites (quicker loading, less advertising, etc.) and if you start NOW using the following as your normal everyday URLs (web-site addresses), you will be changed automatically to any new sites when they are put into use. That means, no later changes will be necessary on your part. You should be able to find us at any (or all) of these URLs (if "clicking on them" does not work, just copy and paste them into your browser).
http://smaonline.vze.com
notice that there is a dot before and after vzehttp://shy.as/smaonline
notice that there is a dot between shy and ashttp://smaonline.n2v.net
notice that there is a dot before and after n2vWe should also report that our survey already (it is still in process) drew excellent responses, more than we anticipated, and we have tabulated (and report to you, together with responses to your comments) the preliminary results today. Look for a click-link on our web-site ("surveys"). For those of you who have yet to take the survey, click on or copy this link - http//www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=47010482704 and participate in it before we have finalized it.
As usual, we again encourage you to write for us and your neighbors. Remember, just reading is only part of an otherwise equal equation. We will always need new fresh articles. Incidentally, don't shy away from controversial subjects. Take a look at our "write to & for us" page - there is a click-link at the top of the Headlines page at http://smaonline.ds4a.com/index-paper.htm
And finally, just a few moments before this email went out, our Headlines page has had over 5,200 visits since March 14th, and it now contains 39 departments and currently has 156 articles (including those in the reachable archives). See our table of contents for all of the departments and articles. It is at http://smaonline.ds4a.com/toc.htm
Until next time,
Promotional emails sent previously to the above are on the archives page - just click on promos archive
Objectives of this page: to both set forth ALL of our changes in this web-site, as well as to promote transparency of our operations by re-printing all of our promotional emails so that we are shown to stick to our promises.
![[New!]](smallnew.gif){kind=small}