Readership here at Back Talk is going through the roof -- if I'm allowed to use a very ordinary cliche and make a shameless plug at the same time -- so we want to thank you. And what better way than by giving away restaurant gift certificates? (Since Wamre won't let me give away cash.)
We'll award $50 in certificates to the Back Talk visitor who comes up with the best suggestion for improving the blog. Deadline is noon Aug. 3. We'll judge entries on originality, how clever they are, and whether they're practical. Advocate employees aren't eligible, but our volunteer bloggers, the intrepid journalists at plastic surgery's favorite local magazine and anyone at Dallas' Only Daily Newspaper can certainly enter. Plus everyone else. Send entries to [email protected].
The decision of the judges -- Wamre and myself -- is final, which should limit the number of people who suggest getting rid of me. (On the other hand, knowing Rick as I do, that may actually increase your chances to win).
One bonus prize: $20 in certificates to the person who sends the best suggestion written in text message-speak. Imagine how much trouble we'll have trying to decipher that.
You can let us post new threads so we can break news like this...
Word is that Angela Hunt has come up short on the number of signatures that she needed to force a vote on the Trinity. They have been counted twice and she did not get the 40K she needed.
Will be intresting to see if a big fight ensues...
Posted by: Ben | Jul 24, 2007 at 11:12 AM
Well, you can start the improvements by answering e-mail. (Or SMS if you prefer.)
I sent in a "suggestion" to the [email protected] back in May/June when you were soliciting new bloggers. Never got an answer.
If you recall, there was a solicitation via the Advocate e-Newsletter to participate as a "blogger". But the catch was an essay was required. I guess someone wrote the essay since there are new folks on line since then. But I was shooting for a second tier status (the essay proposal rubbed me the wrong way.)
The short of my suggestion was it would be nice to throw out topics for discussion even if we're not an authorized "blogger" . Perhaps a monitored e-mail where we could send suggested topics?
Or just open it up via the Wikipedia model and let everyone post.
Posted by: DK | Jul 24, 2007 at 10:33 PM
1. Double-counted the signatures? Sounds like more Frontburner disinformation to me.
2. We always answer all our e-mail. Don't know how that fell through the cracks. The blog -- and all our Internet stuff -- is a work in progress. We know where we need to go; we just need to figure out how to get there. That's one reason why we're asking for suggestions.
Posted by: Jeff Siegel | Jul 25, 2007 at 07:09 AM
Not double counted the signatures, they have counted them once, then counted them again for accuracy and both times they came up short. Heard the problem was that a bunch of folks that aren't from Dallas signed the thing. Too bad really.
Posted by: Ben | Jul 25, 2007 at 09:28 AM
DK ... I'm sorry your email didn't get answered. As Jeff said, we do at least TRY to answer all emails. I'd be lying if I said a few didn't occasionally slip through the cracks. And, if that happened, I'm sorry. More than likely it went into someone's junk email — that seems to happen around here and unfortunately our junk mail folders empty out on a pretty regular basis; more often than we get around to checking them for "just in case" purposes.
At any rate, please resend your suggestion if you still have it. Send it to me or Jeff or both of us, and I promise we'll get back to you promptly. We get our very best ideas from our readers, be they magazine or blog peeps. Or, even better, call me and we'll talk: My direct line is 214-560-4210.
Posted by: Kris Scott | Jul 25, 2007 at 02:51 PM
Now it looks like Angela did get the signatures... 52K
Going to be some intresting back stories on this deal...
Should be a fun vote to cover for you guys.
Posted by: Ben | Jul 27, 2007 at 01:54 PM