The following news items are currently published on this page, and in this order:

Older promotional releases - where we duplicate the emails we have sent out to our "list"

5/13/04 Our first survey of what YOU think SMA OnLine is and what it should be 

Dear neighbor,

When was the last time you were asked for your opinion in this town? When were you asked to guide the future course of news that is being accumulated for you and your needs? After years of living here, I think that this is the FIRST TIME that I have ever heard of that happening.

Please be good enough to look at and take our short questionaire surveying questions in these 3 categories

a. Please provide us with some demographic information to help us design the website around your needs.

b. Please let us know what you think about our web site and its various features

c. Please give us input on the future direction you would like to see us take.

You can do all of this by clicking on the following link

http//www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=47010482704

and then taking this survey.

5/7/04   8 weeks old and not breathing hard yet
Dear neighbors,

We are just less than 2 months old.  We now have over 120 articles in 32 departments (see below - including 8 new departments) and our Headlines page has been visited over 3,600 times.   No, that is not 3,600 different people.  It is that many of you have just visited many times.  I guess we are doing something write (forgive that pun).

Remember that you still have time to write something and thereby enter our contest for the us$1,000 prize (until May 15th).  We are beginning to receive votes for your favorite articles, so if you have not yet voted, you have until May 20th to do that.   There is more information about this subject at the very end of this email.

http://smapaper.wtcsites.com/index-paper.htm is where you will find our free online paper, the San Miguel OnLine News.

Below are the various  current departments that you will find in our OnLine paper (and listed under each alphabetically-listed department is the entire list of articles each now contains)

anti-gossip

	REMEMBER ME? My name is gossip. I have no respect for Justice. I maim without killing, I break hearts and ruin lives ...
	Gossip as Social Fabric     by Sareda Milosz

book reviews by Wayne Greenhaw  (a new department)

	The Hacienda in Mexico, by Daniel Nierman and Ernesto H. Vallejo
	Dancing Alone in Mexico, by Ron Butler

breaking news (a new department)

	Mayor Luis Alberto Villarreal announced that the city has just had delivered to it some new police cars, motorcycles, and garbage collection trucks
	Carmen Massip de Hawkins died May 3rd; former chairwoman of Bellas Artes, memorial mass on Saturday 5pm, Las Monjas church
	Mexico and Peru recall their Ambassadors from Cuba
	What is this I've heard about some murders and dead people?
	repairs start on Las Monjas dome   by Don Knoles
	Today's message from outside of San Miguel.

columnists

Restaurant Reviews   By Don Gussin (with input from Coollist subscribers)

current controversy (a new department)

Why do so many San Miguelenses feel free to criticize but are unwilling to do more than that?  Why do they feel it is always some other person's job to fix things.   Responses are solicited.

deaths and obituaries

no deaths have been reported to SMA OnLine yet

editorial

We need you to make this paper succeed      Michael Wein, publisher

fiction stories

	Café Teatro Athanor, excerpted from The Jamais Vu Papers  by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin
	El Matador        by Wayne Greenhaw

frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers (a new department)

	Why don't you have happy people images, other graphics, or even a jazzy navigation bar, why such a "first generation" web-site?
	how can I obtain a better free browser than the slow Microsoft Internet Explorer that I'm currently using?
	Why is the print on your web-site so small (or so big)?
	what is the problem with your web-site (or is it the internet itself)?
	what is the problem with your web-site?
	who is paying for all of this?

humor in sma

	No more ageist jokes     by Sonya Oppenheimer
	Don't look for what you're looking for          by Elena Shoemaker
	Is there a T.A. chapter here in town?    by Milou Montferrier
	Always an Adventure     By Sylvia Berek Rosenthal

interviews

English class from Celaya school interviews gringos in el jardin - observed by Michael Wein

letters (emails) to us

	Judy Marzulli  4/25/04 re The Holidays in SM
	Marlene in Matzatlan 4/18/04 re: your anti-gossip page
	Sonya Oppenheimer 4/12/04 re: an outlet to share thoughts and ideas
	Mark Schuer 4/4/04  re: what gives with you San Miguelers?
	Martin Dodge 3/17/04 re: what I would like to see in e-news that can't get into Atencion.
	Russ Archibald 3/15/04 re: master calendar of events in San Miguel
	Patrice Wynne 3/14/04 re: what I'd like to see included in your paper
	Don Gussin 3/14/04 re: suggesting a section for restaurant reviews
	Sue Reid 3/14/04 re: SOCIEDAD CIVIL EN MARCHA A.C.
	Glen Ellen Chandler 3/14/04 re: idea is a great one
	Bob Wolfe 3/14/04 re: good idea
	Laurianne Manchester 3/14/04 re: is there some way to get news other than Atencion
	Pat  Tirkot 3/14/04 re: the free services provided by the Community of Hope

local events

	now thru May 15 - time to submit article eligible for us$1,000 award for writing in this paper
	now thru May 20 - time to cast your vote for article for us$1,000 award for writing in this paper
	now thru May 23 - Adela Cano Exhibit at Bellas Artes
	now  thru June 11 - Sculptures by Y. Sekigawa
	May 14 and 21 -  The Anatomy of Healing Prayer
	June 6th - The Da Vinci Code
	July 6-10th  International  Guitar Festival San Miguel de Allende
	August 7th - A Concert for the Animals, featuring the Doc Severinson band
	Aug. 23-29- authors Janice Eidus and Beverly Donofrio, having writer's workshop
	November 30th -  Exhibition of Painted Ostrich Eggs
	and an all-year schedule of Fiestas Populares

local politics

	Absentee Voting for the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election   by Jon Sievert
	Some thoughts about Phil Maher       by Sue Reid
	Memories of Col. Phil Maher   by Janice and Fred Edison
	Biblioteca election results, by Teddy Alten

memories of sma

	On renting, owning, buying, selling, real estate in San Miguel      by Elena Shoemaker
	Allende's birthday       by Memo Almolky
	I love San Miguel  -   from the coollist (author not known)
	Harold Black and the Escuela Ecuestre      by Jeannie Schnakenberg
	Profile of Augusta Irving 1908-1998    by Sylvia Berek Rosenthal

miscellany

	Coming soon: A movie studio  By Lisa J. Adams
	A Conversation about Change   by Maureen Van Dine
	There is a new baby in the home of Pat and Judy Marzulli
	A luncheon was held ... at the home of Joe Collerain

nonfiction stories

	First Impressions of San Miguel      by Gayle St. John
	Running with the Bulls in San Miguel     by Patrice Wynne
	How I found my San Miguel           by Lisa Cornick
	El Gringo Arriba     by Michael Langford
	Learning to Walk On Cobblestones the Mexican Way     by "Ramblin'Rose Roland Salazar
	ONLY IN SMA      by Phil Hamerslough
	How I Helped Win the Super Bowl    by Michael P. Wein

non-profit organizations

	Violence is Not Inevitable   by Nadine Goodman
	Musical Theatre in San Miguel by Judy Marzulli
	The 24 Hour Association by Russ Archibald
	Theatre is alive and well in San Miguel         by Lola Smith
	Suzuki Children’s String Program of San Miguel de Allende    be Russ Archibald
	The Playreaders of San Miguel     by Fran Rowe
	The Community of Hope       by Pat Tirkot
	New Officers Elected for Hospital de La Fe Board               by Connie Mullis
	us$1,000 award for your favorite writing in SMA OnLine newspaper      by Michael Wein
	The MPWCF solicits nominees for its $1,000 award for lifetime achievement      by Michael Wein

now and then, a column by lee asheroff  (a new department)

	The Constructions Site
	Losses

personalities

	Inez Zavala (of Lloyd's)      By Sylvia Berek Rosenthal
	Stirling Dickinson (of San Miguel)        By Mary Elmendorf

poetry

	For Jenny Joseph   by  Sylvia Berek Rosenthal
	Joy - a poem about cats       by Sonya Oppenheimer
	San Miguel Streets       by Adeline Medalia
	Best Friends          by Sylvia Rosenthal
	Blessed (a birthday poem for Florence)    by Joe Ershun

spiritual and religious (a new department)

	Religious  Adventures in San Miguel de Allende from the Calles y Callejones travelblog
	The Jewish Community of Mexico  by Milou Monterrier
	Virgin of Guadalupe, Goddess of the Americas by Patrice Wynne
	The Blood of Christ---and Blood & Sand     By Cherie Magnus

tips re: computers

	shortcuts to accomplish things faster on your computer - by M. Wein
	Viruses and Other Annoyances - by Don Gussin
	How to save time by using Mailboxes Filters, and Sorting EMAILS - by Michael Wein

tips re: employees

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS regarding HOUSEHOLD EMPLOYEES in SAN MIGUEL compiled by the oldest receptive tour business in San Miguel, Promotion of Mexican Culture

tips re: fm2-fm3 visas

What are the pros and cons of the FM2 vs FM3 visa?        by Michael Wein

tips re: living in SMA 

	A long listing of many, many things to do in San Miguel   by Michael Wein
	for your own benefit, register your living here in SMA    by Michael Wein
	click-link to read the Mexican constitution (especially article 33) (all in English)

tips re: medical & health

	Measles problem for adults in Mexico, from local radio
	Users of laboratory services beware.  by Gabby M
	Double Check your Prescriptions before ingesting  by Pat Marzulli
	The annual raffle for Hospital De La Fe, drawing, was held at La Puertecita Hotel.
	The Tooth Demon   by Reggie King (re: tooth fillings contain Mercury)

tips re: odds-ends

	Beware of person poisoning dogs in Los Frailes   from Judy Marzulli
	how to convert 800-series numbers so that they may be dialed from Mexico - submitted by Carol Schmidt
	tips on disinfecting food    by The Hastys and Ray Dugan
	tips on feeding hummingbirds     author unknown
	how to build a garden on your roof   by Jack and Carol Deal

tips re: shopping (a new department)

	Shopping tips for everyday living in SMA by Don Gussin
	Shopping at the Tuesday Market by Lee Asheroff

travel articles

	As others see us - article in The Oregonian
	How we found San Miguel de Allende, by accident.    by Marianne Koerner
	Hot-Air Ballooning - Day 1 - by Michael Wein
	Travel Alert-Theft by military personnel at military checkpoints - by Lou Vogt

volunteer stuff

	Need volunteers for International Jazz Festival   submitted by Elena Shoemaker
	SMA OnLine needs volunteers to help publish      by Michael Wein
	click-link to an article about the first gringo volunteer, Stirling Dickinson

where's the advertising

we are not supported by advertising; we are independent of all such pressures

ze cellar - behind the scenes (a new department)

	How we came to be, how we decided to start this paper
	What it takes to print YOUR article

Finally, here is, once again, the information about entering our contest as well as how to vote for your favorite articles:

For those of you who would like to write for us, and we truly hope ALL of you will, there is a click-link at the top of the first page of our OnLine paper (the HEADLINES page, the top-page) telling you  how to WRITE TO & FOR US.

We remind you that you have until May 15th to write something for entering our contest for the us$1,000 prize for favorite writings in our paper.   So submit your writings.  And for reader/voters, submit your votes for any article that was published on this web-site between March 15th and May 15th.  For more details, see "HOW TO VOTE" on the "local events" page under the date of "now to May 20th".

And if you would like to find out more about us, there is also a click-link on the top of the HEADLINES page, telling you about our GOALS AND MISSION.

Once again, see what we've accomplished so far, since only March 13th.  Look at where we evolved to now by copying the following address into your Internet Explorer or any other browser.

http://smapaper.wtcsites.com/index-paper.htm

Michael Wein, publisher

4/27/04     Hey, look at us NOW.

Please take a fresh look at what we've evolved into in only 6 weeks of publishing.  We have now added a complete and very accessible listing (or index, or table of contents) of all of the articles NOW online in our publication.  Look at the list below for a complete copy of the index( listed under each separate section of the paper) and after that, log-on and look at the paper itself by clicking on http://smapaper.wtcsites.com/index-paper.htm

We have had a problem on our previous web-site.  We are assuming it is not temporary, so please find us at our NEW web-site (as shown above).

And we also remind you that we are now in the (April 15th to May 15th) period for entering our contest for the us$1,000 prize for favorite writings in our paper.   So all of you writers should hurry up and submit your writings, and all of you reader/voters should submit your votes.  For more details, see "HOW TO VOTE" on the "local events" page under the date of "now to May 20th".

Below are the various departments that you will find in our OnLine paper (and listed under each department is the entire list of articles each now contains)

letters to us (actually emails from):

	Judy Marzulli  4/25/04 re The Holidays in SM
	Marlene in Matzatlan 4/18/04 re: your anti-gossip page
	Sonya Oppenheimer 4/12/04 re: an outlet to share thoughts and ideas
	Mark Schuer 4/4/04  re: what gives with you San Miguelers?
	Martin Dodge 3/17/04 re: what I would like to see in e-news that can't get into Atencion.
	Russ Archibald 3/15/04 re: master calendar of events in San Miguel
	Patrice Wynne 3/14/04 re: what I'd like to see included in your paper
	Don Gussin 3/14/04 re: suggesting a section for restaurant reviews
	Sue Reid 3/14/04 re: SOCIEDAD CIVIL EN MARCHA A.C.
	Glen Ellen Chandler 3/14/04 re: idea is a great one
	Bob Wolfe 3/14/04 re: good idea
	Laurianne Manchester 3/14/04 re: is there some way to get news other than Atencion
	Pat  Tirkot 3/14/04 re: the free services provided by the Community of Hope

local events (taking place on):

	now thru May 20 - Publishing (and Voting) period for us$1,000 award for writing in this paper
	now to May 23 - Adela Cano Exhibit at Bellas Artes
	now  to June 11 - in the Courtyard of the Bellas Artes, Sculptures by Y. Sekigawa
	April 26th - An Invitation for Published Authors of San Miguel
	July 6-10th  International  Guitar Festival San Miguel de Allende
	August 7th -  A Concert for the Animals, featuring the Doc Severinson band
	a schedule of Fiestas Populares for the entire year

breaking news

	What is this I've heard about some murders and dead people? from coollist posts.
	repairs start on Las Monjas dome   by Don Knoles
	Today's message from outside of San Miguel.

current controversy

presenting both sides of any current SMA controversy - nothing as of this moment

nonprofit organizations

	The 24 Hour Association by Russ Archibald
	Theatre is alive and well in San Miguel         by Lola Smith
	Suzuki Children’s String Program of San Miguel de Allende    be Russ Archibald
	The Playreaders of San Miguel     by Fran Rowe
	The Community of Hope       by Pat Tirkot
	New Officers Elected for Hospital de La Fe Board               by Connie Mullis
	us$1,000 award for your favorite writing in SMA OnLine newspaper      by Michael Wein
	The MPWCF solicits nominees for its $1,000 award for lifetime achievement      by Michael Wein

volunteer stuff

	Need volunteers for International Jazz Festival   submitted by Elena Shoemaker
	SMA OnLine needs volunteers to help publish      by Michael Wein
	click-link to an article about the first gringo volunteer, Stirling Dickinson

tips for living here

	Shopping at the Tuesday Market   by Lee Asheroff
	A long listing of many, many things to do in San Miguel   by Michael Wein
	for your own benefit, register your living here in SMA    by Michael Wein
	click-link to read the Mexican constitution (especially article 33) (all in English)

fm2-fm3 tips

What are the pros and cons of the FM2 vs FM3 visa?        by Michael Wein

employee tips

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS regarding HOUSEHOLD EMPLOYEES in SAN MIGUEL compiled by the oldest receptive tour business in San Miguel, Promotion of Mexican Culture

computer tips

	shortcuts to accomplish things faster on your computer - by M. Wein
	Viruses and Other Annoyances - by Don Gussin
	How to save time by using Mailboxes Filters, and Sorting EMAILS - by Michael Wein

medical & health tips

	The annual raffle for Hospital De La Fe, drawing, was held at La Puertecita Hotel.
	The Tooth Demon   by Reggie King (re: tooth fillings contain Mercury)

tips- odds & ends

	Shopping tips for everyday living in SMA  by Don Gussin
	Beware of person poisoning dogs in Los Frailes   from Judy Marzulli
	how to convert 800-series numbers so that they may be dialed from Mexico - submitted by Carol Schmidt
	tips on disinfecting food    by The Hastys and Ray Dugan
	tips on feeding hummingbirds     author unknown
	how to build a garden on your roof   by Jack and Carol Deal

travel articles

	How we found San Miguel de Allende, by accident.    by Marianne Koerner
	Hot-Air Ballooning - Day 1 - by Michael Wein
	Travel Alert-Theft by military personnel at military checkpoints - by Lou Vogt

local politics

	Some thoughts about Phil Maher       by Sue Reid
	Memories of Col. Phil Maher   by Janice and Fred Edison
	Biblioteca election results, by Teddy Alten

anti-gossip

	REMEMBER ME? My name is gossip. I have no respect for Justice. I maim without killing, I break hearts and ruin lives ...
	Gossip as Social Fabric     by Sareda Milosz

columnists

Restaurant Reviews   By Don Gussin (with input from Coollist subscribers)

book reviews

	The Hacienda in Mexico, by Daniel Nierman and Ernesto H. Vallejo, reviewed by Wayne Greenhaw
	Dancing Alone in Mexico, by Ron Butler, reviewed by Wayne Greenhaw

interviews

English class from Celaya school interviews gringos in el jardin - observed by Michael Wein

personalities

	Inez Zavala (of Lloyd's)      By Sylvia Berek Rosenthal
	Stirling Dickinson (of San Miguel)        By Mary Elmendorf

memories of sma

	Losses    by Lee Asheroff
	The Blood of Christ -- and Blood & Sand     By Cherie Magnus
	On renting, owning, buying, selling, real estate in San Miguel      by Elena Shoemaker
	Allende's birthday       by Memo Almolky
	I love San Miguel  -   from the ccollist (author not known)
	Harold Black and the Escuela Ecuestre      by Jeannie Schnakenberg
	Profile of Augusta Irving 1908-1998    by Sylvia Berek Rosenthal

deaths,obits,eulogies

no deaths have been reported to SMA OnLine yet

short fiction

	Café Teatro Athanor, excerpted from The Jamais Vu Papers  by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin
	El Matador        by Wayne Greenhaw

short nonfiction

	Virgin of Guadalupe, Goddess of the Americas by Patrice Wynne
	Running with the Bulls in San Miguel     by Patrice Wynne
	How I found my San Miguel           by Lisa Cornick
	El Gringo Arriba     by Michael Langford
	Learning to Walk On Cobblestones the Mexican Way     by "Ramblin'Rose Roland Salazar
	ONLY IN SMA      by Phil Hamerslough
	How I Helped Win the Super Bowl    by Michael P. Wein

poetry

	For Jenny Joseph   by  Sylvia Berek Rosenthal
	Joy - a poem about cats       by Sonya Oppenheimer
	San Miguel Streets       by Adeline Medalia
	Best Friends          by Sylvia Rosenthal
	Blessed (a birthday poem for Florence)    by Joe Ershun

humor in sma

	No more ageist jokes     by Sonya Oppenheimer
	Don't look for what you're looking for          by Elena Shoemaker
	Is there a T.A. chapter here in town?    by Milou Montferrier
	Always an Adventure     By Sylvia Berek Rosenthal

publisher's editorial

We need you to make this paper succeed      Michael Wein, publisher

miscellany

	A Conversation about Change   by Maureen Van Dine
	There is a new baby in the home of Pat and Judy Marzulli
	A luncheon was held ... at the home of Joe Collerain

And for those of you who would like to write for us, and we truly hope ALL of you will, there is a click-link on the top of the first page of our OnLine paper (the HEADLINES page, the top-page) telling you  how to WRITE TO & FOR US.

And if you would like to find out more about us, there is also a click-link on the top of the HEADLINES page, telling you about our GOALS AND MISSION.

Once again, see what we've accomplished so far, since only March 13th.  Look at us by copying the following address into your Internet Explorer (or another browser)
http://smapaper.wtcsites.com/index-paper.htm

By the way, don't forget our contest, with its us$1,000 prize, for any article that is published on this web-site between March 15th and May 15th.   For more details on how vote for your favorite article, see "How to vote" on the "local events" page in Event under the date of "now to May 20th".

Hope to see you again, this time online.

Michael Wein, publisher, SMA OnLine News

4/24/04      temporary (we hope) change in web-site address

We have just noticed a problem on our web-site. It may be temporary but if it is NOT temporary, you can find us at our alternative web-site -- unfortunately, the alternative has annoying ads on it, but it includes the entire paper -- just click on (or copy and paste into your browser)

http//smapaper.wtcsites.com/index-paper.htm

We hope to get our permanent web-site up and running again. FYI, it is (or was) http//sma-news.ds4a.com/index-paper.htm

Michael Wein, publisher, SMA OnLine News

4/15/04  HEADLINES - what's NEW in THIS issue of SMA OnLine news

First-time readers (regular readers might skip THIS paragraph entirely and go directly to the following paragraph) New first-time readers should read this first

San Miguel OnLine is a free web-site with information, news, schedules of local events, and entertainment, designed for you, the expatriate resident of San Miguel de Allende. The topics listed in the left hand column below describe the scope of this online source. Please take a moment to glance at the topics. To the right of each topic (or web-page) is a headline describing the most recent addition published under each topic. When you go to the website (see Regular readers below) you can read the whole article plus any articles that were previously published in that section.

Regular readers We think that you will like our NEW approach to informing you of what is the NEWEST article on each page. The following list shows the most recent article published under each of our web-pages. Of course, there are older items there, too. When you click on or copy the (immediately below) web-site address into your browser, you will find yourself at the HEADLINES page of SMA ONLINE news. You can then click-link to any of the articles which are currently the newest articles on each individual page.

visit us at http//sma-news.ds4a.com/index-paper.htm

          As described above

this web-page contains most recent article on web-page entitled

letters to us Sonya Oppenheimer email

local events April 17and 18 San Miguel Garden Club Flower Show

non-profit orgs Theatre is alive and well in San Miguel

volunteer stuff International Jazz Festival needs volunteers

tips for living here A long listing of many, many things to do in San Miguel

fm2-fm3 tips What are the pros and cons of the FM2 vs FM3 visa?

employee tips Legal Requirement regarding Household Employees

computer tips shortcuts accomplish things faster on your computer

medical & health tips The Tooth Demon (re tooth fillings contain Mercury)

tips- odds & ends Beware of person poisoning dogs in Los Frailes

travel articles How we found San Miguel de Allende, by accident.

local politics Memories of Col. Phil Maher

anti-gossip how gossip hurts, maims and ruins lives and reputations

columnists Restaurant reviews

interviews some Celaya school interviews us here in SMA

personalities Inez Zavala (of Lloyd's)

memories of sma renting, owning, buying, selling real estate in SMA

deaths,obits,eulogies (nothing listed here, yet)

short fiction El Matador

short nonfiction Running with the Bulls in San Miguel

poetry San Miguel Streets

humor in sma Don't look for what you're looking for

publisher's editorial We need you to make this paper succeed

miscellany There is a new baby in the home of Pat and Judy Marzulli

All of the above notwithstanding, we still (and will always) need new input from you, our readers and our writers. Please help us help you by contributing your input, your tips, your events, and your articles.

If you have any QUESTIONS about HOW or WHERE to write, please go directly to "How to write us" at http//sma-news.ds4a.com/instructions-paper.htm

And, another reminder, please do not overlook our contest for favorite articles. There will be a us$1,000 prize for any writing on any subject involving and relating to San Miguel that will have appeared (between March 15th and May 15th) in this paper. The winner will be selected by the readers of this online paper, themselves, in voting that will take place between April 15th and May 20th of this year. You can read more details about how this works on this same web-site at http//sma-news.ds4a.com/events.htm (look under the date of "April 15th to May 20th")

Thanks once again for your support.

San Miguel OnLine News

Subject: publicize your "Local Events" in other places 

I would like to include all of your organization's events, whether recurring or sporadic, whether fund-raising or not, in our new online free newpaper. As we are just getting started, this section is quite bare at this time, but I would like you to look at it anyway. There are no costs involved in this.

You can go to our HEADLINES page at http//sma-news.ds4a.com/index-paper.htm

and then click on "local events"

or you can go directly to LOCAL EVENTS at http//sma-news.ds4a.com/events.htm

Depending upon YOUR software, if you do not go directly to the web-pages by clicking on the above, you can always merely copy the above and paste it into your browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.) instead.

Some options for you to consider.

	You can place notices far in advance (up to two to four months in advance, if you wish).
	You can write more about the event than you could if only you placed the notice in Atencion.
	You can place multi-notices if you have recurring events (the ONLY thing we ask in THIS case is that you input to us the separate notices for each placement date as well as the differentiating information)

Please use the following input format

          Subject SMA paper (so that of the 200 emails we get each day, we don't have to figure out what this is for)

          AND, in the body of the email, insert

          Subject suggested LOCAL EVENTS

          Top line should read

          Date like March 29, 2004 Short name of the event ... (whatever you want to call it) submitted by Joe Doakes, etc.

This way, we can cut and paste it into the web-site software, upload it to the web-site, and it would take us 1 minute or less to insert each event.

I thank you and I look forward to your input.

4/6/04     San  Miguel's free, online, newspaper

3/29/04   ---   us$1,000 prize for writing the favorite articles - the judges will be your own neighbors

The Michael Paul Wein Charitable Foundation announces it will award a us$1,000 prize for any writing on any subject involving and relating to San Miguel that will have appeared (between March 15th and May 15th) in the new and free online newspaper devoted to expatriates living here in town.    The winner will be selected by the readers of that paper, themselves, in voting that will take place between April 15th and May 20th of this year.

How to find the paper for reading, and how to submit articles:

The paper can be found and read at our NEWLY RE-DONE web-site http://sma-news.ds4a.com/index-paper.htm
 
Anyone may enter and publish an entry of any sort (as long as it conforms to the regular instructions for publication in that paper - they are on the above website - just click on "how to write us") between March 10th and May 15th.

The entries for publication may be long or short and should fit into any of the following categories.  For your information, the following list ALSO includes the latest article printed on that page :

letters to us  -- Martin Dodge email
local events  --  April 15 to May 20th - publishing and voting period for new prize
non-profit orgs --  announcing $1,000 award for volunteer lifetime achievement
volunteer stuff -- SMA Online (this paper) needs volunteers
tips for living here -- The Tooth Demon (re: tooth fillings contain Mercury)
fm2-fm3 tips -- What are the pros and cons of the FM2 vs FM3 visa?
employees -- aquinalda, parttime vs fulltime, medical care, social security, retirement, fired vs quit, etc
computer tips -- how to save time by using Mailboxes,  Filters, and Sorting EMAILS
travel articles -- Travel Alert -Theft by military personnel at military checkpoints
local politics -- Biblioteca election results
anti-gossip -- how gossip hurts, maims and ruins lives and reputations
columnists -- Restaurant reviews
interviews --
personalities --
memories of sma -- Memories of Augusta Irving
deaths --
short fiction -- What I want to be when I grow up
short nonfiction -- How I Helped Win the Super Bowl
poetry -- San Miguel Streets
humor in sma -- Always an Adventure
publisher's editorial --We need you to make this paper succeed

As this newspaper and those who write for it are doing this as a volunteer community service, the above award of us$1,000 will be awarded in addition to the MPWC Foundation's annual lifetime achievement award program for volunteerism.    The same procedures will govern this award as govern the annual award to a volunteer for lifetime achievement.   More information is available at http://smanumber1.tripod.com/toc.htm (on the table of contents page, click on "our grantees" and then on "lifetime achievement").  In keeping with the concept of non-monetary volunteer work, the us$1,000 award will be paid to any local non-profit charitable organization that the winner chooses, and not paid to the recipient him- or herself.
                                                                        
How to vote:
1 - all votes must be by email, addressed to the above email address, and bear the following information so that they can be easily tabulated:

	a - Subject:  MY VOTE for favorite writing
	b.- must state the exact date, title, and author that appears at the top of the article that you are voting for
	c - must state the voter's name and address in San Miguel

>font size="3">2 - in order that no one gets to pack the ballot box, only one vote from each email address will be counted.   And for those who have multiple email addresses (such as @hotmail and/or @yahoo and/or the like), only one vote per person at their main email address will be counted.

3 - the votes must be received at the above email address by the cut-off date of 9am on May 20th or earlier.  The votes will be tabulated immediately and the winner announced and the check given by the end of May.

4 - while the article receiving the most votes will be designated the winner, the next 4 highest vote-getters will receive public notice as to the number of votes received.  In cases of ties or suspected chicanery (but who would do that?), fair and impartial judgement will be applied.

Michael Wein, publisher

ps - Please notice our new web-site which we inaugurated on March 24th.  This web-site is free of ALL advertising and therefore should be much easier to read.   You can see it at http://sma-news.ds4a.com/index-paper.htm and we ask that you please change your icons and bookmarks to this new address.

3/21/04   San Miguel de Allende needs you!

The SMA online newspaper is now a week old and it is starting to fill out with articles and information and tips useful to all of you. Of course, it can only grow and be more interesting and useful if you also contribute.

I know that there is a story (or article or letter) inside everyone of you. I selected those that I am now writing to because I know enough about you to know that there is something that you know that others in this town would love to know.

I would like to remind you of that and keep you aware of its existence, this forever free, online, newspaper, so I again send you the web-site address so that you can click on (or copy and paste it into your internet browser) its address and see what is happening and what has happened in the first 7 days of its young life. I suggest you take a more recent look at its present state of being. It is at http//members.lycos.co.uk/expatpaper/index-paper.htm

And I again ask you to write (and email to me) something, anything, long or short, truth or fiction, serious or funny, that applies to San Miguel de Allende in ANY one (or more) of these categories

	letters to this web-site (as opposed to entire articles for the below categories)
	local event schedules (of interest to residents, submitted sufficiently far enough in advance of the event to enable you to plan to attend).
	charitable organizations (articles about them and what they are currently doing)
	volunteer news (including listing available volunteer positions at non-profit organizations)
	deaths of residents of our community (both a listing of recent deaths and obituaries and eulogies)
	tips for living here, regarding fm2-vs-fm3 employees computer tips (and other tips)
	travel (articles about your trips in and around Mexico)
	periodic useful columns from various qualified individuals (see that page for further information)
	interviews with local people (soliciting their opinions on current subjects)
	profiles of local personalities
	memories of San Miguel past, by long term residents
	original fiction (short stories)
	original non-fiction (short articles)
	poetry (original poetry only)
	humor
	publisher's editorial (when appropriate)
	other sections (web-pages) when and if they seem appropriate (based upon YOUR suggestions)

And, by the way, there is a contest that we will announce next week that pays prize money and rewards contributors. An early hint of the details are already available in the paper now.

Thanks. I appreciate your efforts in this attempt to be a public service to our community.

Michael Wein

3/14/04 San Miguel de Allende has a new, free, online newspaper (specifically created for expatriates living here)

Dear San Miguel neighbor,

Haven't you wished there was a reliable source of useful day to day information for we expatriates in San Miguel? Haven't you longed for a way to share your tips, ideas, and thoughts on living here with the rest of us in San Miguel's expat community? Wouldn't you be happy to have all of this as close, handy, and immediately available as your computer?

We understand because we feel the same way. That's why we have decided to create and publish a new, FREE, online newspaper specifically directed at the needs of our San Miguel expatriate community. Of course, no one is excluded from reading this paper but our focus will be on us.

There will be no advertising. This paper will be beholden to no one but you, the reader.  THIS paper will have what YOU want it to have because YOU (and residents like you) will be doing the writing.  We also will have the luxury of being able to publish current news within minutes of receiving any such news. 

The pages will be open to any resident who feels he or she has something to say. We encourage those who wish to do so to write for publication in this online paper.  We want to publish YOUR thoughts. We need YOU to tell us your opinions and your writings.   We need YOU.

Just as with any normal newspaper, you can select (click on) only those sections you want to read and ignore the other sections.   For instance, you don't have to read the sports section, or the classifieds or real estate or arts or business sections if YOU do not want to.  At the beginning, we will concern ourselves with the following categories (in other words, we will have separate web-pages or sections, for each of the following):

	letters to this web-site (as opposed to entire articles for the below categories)
	local event schedules (of interest to residents, submitted sufficiently far enough in advance of the event to enable you to plan to attend).
	charitable organizations (articles about them and what they are currently doing)
	volunteer news (including listing available volunteer positions at non-profit organizations)
	deaths of residents of our community (both a listing of recent deaths and obituaries and eulogies)
	tips for living here,  regarding     fm2-vs-fm3       employees      computer tips       (and other tips)
	travel (articles about your trips in and around Mexico)
	periodic useful columns from various qualified individuals (see that page for further information)
	interviews with local people (soliciting their opinions on current subjects)
	profiles of local personalities
	memories of San Miguel past, by long term residents
	original fiction (short stories)
	original non-fiction (short articles)
	poetry (original poetry only)
	humor
	publisher's editorial (when appropriate)
	other sections (web-pages) when and if they seem appropriate (based upon YOUR suggestions)

Let's make this happen!    What we want you to do NOW is to reply to this email with:

	your ideas for new sections we may have overlooked
	your own writings (letters, articles, etc.) for publication in this online newspaper.
	your feedback on the web-site itself
	anything else you would like to say