New comments system and a clarification…
Hello everyone. I’ve installed a new version of MovableType and it uses the TypeKey registration system for comments. At the moment, I’m having a bit of trouble with it, which is highly annoying, since the comments are the best thing about blogging. What’s happening is that when you finish posting a comment, it relaods the archive window in the small pop-up window. Very annoying, and I’m trying to fix that.
Now, the TypeKey system for registering for comments is not mandatory — yet. I’m trying to avoid that. But if I continue to get a lot of spam — or trolls — I’ll make registering for comments mandatory. This is a pain in the butt, I know, but it looks to be a promising means of controlling off-topic comments and spam, etc.
(If you’ve already registered with TypeKey, feel free to log in and use it. But if you haven’t, it’s not necessary to participate.)
Now, regarding the last post. I’m not stopping blogging entirely. I should have made that more clear. I’m just saying that it will have to be separate from my freelance work, and I’ll have to be a little more circumspect in what I write about here. (Of course, if I pitch a story and no magazine buys it, it’s fair game and I’ll post it here.)
By the way, some people asked for links to stories, etc. in the future, and that will definitely be here. Others asked for where I was freelancing. I’m stringing for Time Magazine now, which is a good gig. They’re very nice, I get along with the team, and from a security standpoint, it’s not a bad wing to be under. There are other magazines that I’m waiting to hear from, so I’ll keep that under wraps until something definite is there. But as far as Time goes, look for a major package in next week’s issue on contractors and Iraqi companies. I did the Baghdad reporting for that, and voices of Iraqi subcontractors are loud and clear. (It’s not online yet, but I’ll post a URL when it is.)
In a comment on the previous post, “Edward R. Murrow” (nice nom de net, dude) said I was compromising my independence, and he’s right, to a degree. But Iraq is a completely different environment from during the war. Ironically, it’s actually more difficult to work here than it was then. And compromising my independence is a necessary, well, compromise to ensure safety. Otherwise I won’t be able to do any reporting because I’ll chained to a radiator in some dusty hut outside Fallujah or something — or worse.
So in the next few days, I’ll try to post some more observations as time allows. (No pun intended.) If the book proposal sells soon — hint, hint, Dawn — that will change a lot. So keep you collective fingers crossed.
(By the way, go ‘head and register for TypeKey… It’s free and you don’t have to give any information you don’t want to. I have a feeling I’ll have to implement more stringent restrictions on comments soon.)
