Why are no presidential candidates addressing my plight of having to play tennis on public courts?
My UNICEF child sent me back my $17 and said if that's the best I could do to keep it. Just my luck to get a kid with an attitude.
I might try NASCAR. I'm pretty good at turning left. Just saying.
Newt's plan of fighting hate with more hate might just work.....or not.
Remind your children every now and then that you are very rich and they are very, very poor. It feels good, it's true and they need to hear it.
I really made a well thought out anti-society statement today. I wrote all over a bathroom wall at chic-fil-a.
Living the American dream!! My appliance rebate came in the mail today!
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Burrito Restaurant Shares Surveillance Video on Social Media to Catch Thieves
The idea of catching criminals via social media seems to be catching on. Earlier this month, I wrote here about new crime-stopper programs such asSilent Witness. These programs post surveillance videos, photos and other information about crimes online, and provide people who can help identify the perpetrators with an anonymous and financially rewarding way (up to $1,000 rewards) to work with authorities.
This week, I saw (via Consumerist) that companies like Boloco, a Boston burrito restaurant, are using their own social media followers and community to try to solve crimes such as the theft of a safe from one of their stores. On Jan. 28, 2012, Boloco posted the following to its Facebook page: [MORE] ...
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Guest post by Danielle Rodabaugh.
Being well-informed of your profession and wanting to share that knowledge with others is admirable. However, with the virtually limitless amount of information available online today, you can’t expect significant feedback just because you published any old law article on your blog or website. Whether you’re trying to build a strong readership for your blog or attract potential clients with a company website, you need to turn boring law topics into engaging, relevant reads.
As a surety professional who writes about the legal intricacies involved in bonding, I know how important it is to write about legal issues in interesting and comprehensible ways. I’ve come to terms with the fact that the surety industry is too boring for most people to care about.
So, to make surety bonds seem interesting enough to learn about, I follow these five rules every time I write an article.
1. Write for your audience.
Not all law blogs and websites are the same. Some investigate recent court rulings and break down their potential implications for future cases. Some are targeted to people who live in a certain area. Others discuss new legislation that could affect law professionals. Still others write to explain complicated legal processes to clients. To write effectively, you first have to recognize who your readers are and then determine the best way to connect with them.
For example, if your blog or website is targeted to other legal professionals, it makes sense to include specific terminology when writing articles. However, if you’re developing content for potential clients, you probably shouldn’t use too much technical jargon. If your audience doesn’t understand what you’re saying, you won’t be able to gain their trust. After all, you wouldn’t want to pay attention to someone you can’t communicate with, either.
2. Don’t be boring.
Find a way to take a boring legal topic and make your audience care about it. Use a unique tone, and develop a flow. Your readers should recognize your writing by the way it reads rather than the byline. To make the topic more approachable, reference personal experiences in the first person. When appropriate, it’s even ok to be funny and make jokes — just be sure you do so tastefully.
3. Write for the web.
The format for developing effective online writing is actually pretty similar to that of service journalism pieces. Whether you’re writing opinionated editorials or promotional content, consider these tried-and-true formatting rules for effective web writing.
- Use subheadings, numbered lists and/or bullets to break up information.
- Tell readers exactly what they’re getting with “how-to” guides or Q&As.
- Develop a catchy headline.
- Be concise.
When writing for the web, you should also imbed relevant photos, videos, infographics and links to educational sites. Readers have a short attention span when consuming content online, so visual aids can help attract their attention and then maintain it.
4. Get input from others in your field.
Interviewing other professionals who have a stake in what you’re writing about not only makes your content more diverse but also improves its validity. Sharing others’ stories also allows you to build/maintain professional relationships because you’re showing that you respect their views. Build a dialogue about a certain legal topic by referencing articles others have already written. For example, if a colleague explains one aspect of a subject, you could take on another area and then compare your views.
5. Edit everything you write.
You won’t develop a professional reputation by sharing information that’s laden with misspelled words and other grammatical errors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if spelling, grammar or word usage aren’t your strengths. Pick up a copy of Working With Words, and read it cover to cover. If you’re not a professional writer, ask your friends or colleagues to proofread every article you write before you publish it. At the very minimum you’ll be able to verify that the article is interesting and understandable.
Implementing genuine and effective writing techniques encourages quality client service in today’s Internet-obsessed communities. Effective, personable and targeted writing can give you a reputation as an industry expert who provides quality information to both colleagues and clients.
(photo: Shutterstock)
Danielle Rodabaugh is the editor of the Surety Bonds Insider, a publication from SuretyBonds.com that tracks legislative change to the surety industry
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Don Cornelius, ‘Soul Train’ Creator, Is Dead
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: February 1, 2012 at 10:34 AM ET
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Don Cornelius, creator of the long-running TV dance show "Soul Train," shot himself to death Wednesday morning at his Los Angeles home, police said. He was 75.
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Personal Data's Value? Facebook Is Set to Find Out
By SOMINI SENGUPTA and EVELYN M. RUSLI
The social network's stock offering, expected to value the company at $80 billion to $100 billion, is bound to raise even more concerns about privacy and other issues.
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Miami Police Break Up Occupy Camp, Citing Unsanitary, Unsafe Conditions
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Scores of police swept through the downtown location of Occupy Miami last night, ejecting several dozen demonstrators and arresting a few of them while shutting down the protest camp after three and a half months, reports the Miami Herald. The police, wearing riot gear and banging batons on their plastic shields, cleared demonstrators from within half a-dozen blocks of the camp site. They also tore down tents and makeshift dwellings left on the site.
The operation was carried out almost completely without violence, though some of the demonstrators said one of their number was clubbed when caught up in an advancing police line. Six Occupy Miami protesters refused to leave, staying inside a flimsy barricade of plywood and old mattresses. Police detained them briefly, but when they were offered a last chance to walk away without being arrested, they did. Occupy Miami leaders said their movement would simply spread to other camps around the county. The group's continued camping permit was denied because of "unsanitary site conditions and unsafe activities, which have resulted in a number of arrests by the Miami-Dade Police Department," said Miami-Dade spokeswoman Suzy Trutie. Occupy Miami leaders conceded that there have been as many as 50 arrests around the camp site since it was set up last October.
Editor: What? Police acting responsibly? Kudos!! Now will Miami Police go tell the other Police Departments around the country how to act!! and not being afraid of the world wide web seeing the videotape.
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INTERNET LAW
New York Prosecutors Subpoena Occupy Protester's Twitter Posts
Feb 1, 2012, 06:40 am CST
LEGAL ETHICS
Several Maryland Hospitals Offer Injured Patients a List of Reduced-Fee Med-Mal Lawyers
Feb 1, 2012, 05:30 am CSTTORT LAW
Calif. Highway Patrol Pays $2.37M to Settle Family's Suit Over Grisly Internet Photos of Dead Teen
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