HoustonChronicle.com News
Feb. 18, 2002
Volume 7.07
In this Issue:

Letter from the Editor

::::::

Plus:

*News Happens
*What's New at HoustonChronicle.com
*How to Send Us Community Notices
*How to Contact Us

::::::

Letter from the Editor:

Let's discuss links this week.

Yep, those little underlined words and phrases that link off to various
pages and content all over the Web.

You start here. Click. You're somewhere else. Click. Somewhere else again.

But every now and then ... click, and you're nowhere at all.

Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Us, too.

We spend a lot of time trying to make sure that all of the links we place
on the site work when we place them and then continue to work for as long
as they remain visible on the site. But we are human, and we do make
mistakes from time to time no matter how carefully we try to watch our
fingers as we enter these arcane strings or how often we try to check them
afterwards.

Of course, that's where you come in. 

If you stumble across a link on the HoustonChronicle.com site that isn't
working, please let us know. We will be very anxious to fix it so it will
work for both of us and let you know when we have things working properly
again.   

We do have a special intercept page and e-mail address -- badlink@chron.com
-- that we try to use whenever possible to speed the correction process
along, but an e-mail to almost any of the general addresses on the Web site
-- hci@chron.com, website@chron.com, webmaster@chron.com or others you may
find on the site will work as well. Even direct to me at the e-mail address
below.

This really works only for links on our site. We cannot control links that
other sites may post or that Web search sites may provide for articles that
may once have existed on HoustonChronicle.com.

Most news articles are visible on HoustonChronicle.com pages the same day
they appear or would appear in the newspaper. Even though they may not be
visible the next day, the links for them will continue to work for about
two weeks and then expire. 

Web search sites and others that point to expired content without us
knowing about it can send you off to that previously mentioned "nowhere"
part of the site.

We cannot always restore these old links. However, if you will let us know
what they are supposed to represent and about when they might have appeared
on the site, we will do our best to give you back a link that will provide
access to them. 

Thanks for visiting, and please help us keep our links alive.

Mike Read
Editor HoustonChronicle.com News
mike@chron.com

:::::

**News Happens

It isn't just your imagination. 

We've got news going on all over the place right now, and we're all
scrambling just to keep up.

Ongoing developments here, in Washington and in New York about the Enron
collapse and bankruptcy? We're constantly updating things at:
http://www.HoustonChronicle.com/enron

The Andrea Pia Yates murder trial opens before the jury today, and we will
be adding continuously to the package of stories we've been maintaining at:
http://www.HoustonChronicle.com/drownings

Sports fans from all over the world are watching the medal chases going on
in Salt Lake City. We'll keep you up to the minute and right on top of
things at:
http://www.HoustonChronicle.com/olympics

Closer to home, the action is out at the Reliant Astrodome where the
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is in full swing. You can keep up with the
rodeo results and check the quality of the musical entertainment every day
at:
http://www.HoustonChronicle.com/rodeo

We're not ignoring the national and international aftermath of the
terrorist attacks of September 11 either. Every new development is posted
as quickly as it can be verified at:
http://www.HoustonChronicle.com/terror

It's also the middle of another campaign season as politicians from both
major parties push toward primary elections less than a month away that
will decide who's on the ballot this coming November. The Chronicle's
Editorial Board offers its opinions about the best of the lot at:
http://www.HoustonChronicle.com/recommendations 

And we're constantly scanning the community and the wire reports for
anything else you might be wanting information about. We try not to let
anything major slip up on you. Check the home page often at:
http://www.HoustonChronicle.com

:::::

*What's New at HoustonChronicle.com

**News You Can Use

Not all of the important information is as earthshaking as any of the
events above, but the little tremors may affect you even more.

We've gathered up some of these and strung them on the right side of the
home page beneath a little blue tag that reads "Inside."

Tired of telemarketers always calling just as you sit down to dinner or
about the time the TV show gets really interesting? Block 'em! And we've
got a path to the Texas Public Utility Commission's site to do just that
linked up for you right out on the home page. 

Shocked trying to figure out what electricty deregulation really means to
you? We've got a doorway to all the information you need to make an
informed choice, even if your decision is not to do anything (which is one
of the choices). Right below the telemarketing piece on the page. 

And taxes. Lordy, lordy, who doesn't need help this time of the year with
income tax forms? And we've got a site for sore calculators right there
with the others. Labeled "It's tax time," and it'll help ease the confusion
if not the financial pain.

As times and needs change, we'll be swapping these pieces out just to keep
them helpful.

Find what's available "Inside" at:
http://www.HoustonChronicle.com


:::::

**Archives Access for Non-Subscribers

For a couple of year now, the online archives of the Houston Chronicle and
the Houston Post have been open to Houston Chronicle subscribers. Those of
the Post are offline for some review right now. And HoustonChronicle.com
has partnered with Qpass to provide an easy and safe way for
non-subscribers to purchase access to archival material online.

Three kinds of passes allow non-subscribers to search the archives. One is
for 30 days, another for seven days, and a third lasts for 24 hours.  To
buy a pass and start a search, simply go to

http://www.HoustonChronicle.com/archives

That site also includes answers to any questions you might have about
this new service.

Please note that the Houston Chronicle archives includes only text of
news articles appearing in the Chronicle starting in 1985. It does not
include photographs, classified ads or paid death notices. As part of the
SubscribersADVANTAGE program, the archives remain free to Houston Chronicle
subscribers.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

*How to Send Community Notices to HoustonChronicle.com

If you or your organization has a public service announcement or news
about volunteer positions that you need filled, please send them via 
email to mailto:gwen.lewis@chron.com

HoustonChronicle.com reserves the right to edit any notices. 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

*How To Cancel Your Subscription to the Newsletter

HoustonChronicle.com News is never sent unsolicited, but if you desire
at any time to stop receiving the newsletter, please go to your mailing
list management page:

http://www.chron.com/mail/control.hts/97197771

or to be removed immediately go directly to:

http://www.chron.com/mail/unsub.hts/8/97197771

If you don't have access to a web browser, you can send any
email message to U-A8.10.97197771@chron-news.com and you will be
automatically removed from the newsletter list.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

How to contact us:
The HoustonChronicle.com World Wide Web site is located
                at http://www.HoustonChronicle.com/

The HoustonChronicle.com e-mailaddress is
mailto:hci@chron.com

The office phone number is (713) 220-2700.  We are located at 801
Texas Ave., Houston, Texas 77002. Comments to the HoustonChronicle.com
News editor may be directed to
mailto:mike.read@chron.com
or technical issues to the list manager at
mailto:mike.read@chron.com

*************************************************************