Sunday Housekeeping: Spotlight, Book Club, Blogroll Edition

by: phillip anderson

Sun Jan 07, 2007 at 13:19:54 PM EST

Spotlight: You may have noticed the blue "Spotlight" link at the end of every post. "What the heck is that?", you ask. Well, Spotlight is a really great tool that we are now using. Spotlight allows readers to "spotlight" a worthy post to members of the media. It lets you share newsworthy posts through a huge database of media contacts. When you click the link, it will take you to the Spotlight Project site where you will find a form that allows you to send that post to media contacts that you select from the list. You can send the link to up to 10 folks at a time. The database is pretty nimble and there are a number of ways to find exactly the folks you want to send it to. You will have to enter a personal message as to thy you are sending it, but it is very easy to use and it's a potentially very powerful tool for driving the media narrative about the issues we are concerned with.

Now, what Spotlight isn't. It's not a toy. It's a tool and judicious use will make it more effective. Overuse will make it less so. Me referring to Joe Bruno as "kind of a dick" isn't particularly newsworthy. Pontificator writing about the odd adoption of the senate rules just might be. Think before you link.

Also, please be respectful when writing your (mandatory) personal message. Reporters and editors are people too. Being an ass only alienates them and that doesn't help anyone or anything. Be factual and polite. It will make the tool that much more effective that way.

Really cool Book Club update and request for blogroll submissions on the flip...

Well, guess what? We will be interviewing Senator Lachman on camera later this month and he has agreed to come by and discuss his book with us here at TAP! Pretty cool, eh? We'll ask him about his book as well as get his take on more current happenings in Albany. We'll also record an introduction to the conversation and have it all posted here before that discussion begins.

Now, about that discussion. We had originally planned to have it on Saturday the 20th of January. However, our interview is scheduled for the following week, so we will delay the first virtual meeting of the TAP book club until at least the following week.

So the new date for the discussion is Monday, January 29th at 7pm. Come join us and the Senator discuss his book and the culture of dysfunction in Albany as well

I think this will be a great event and certainly an educational one.

Finally, are there any worthy NY blogs that should be are on our blogroll that aren't? Anyone have suggestions for sites that we should link?

I'm all ears.