CLONMEL -- The Skunk Works has started development of an online course, taught through Moodle's Virtual Learning Environment that leads to European Credit Transfer System certification in Web Writing Skills. The core of the course revolves around effective composition and blogging.

BN -- Every week I discover a time-saving technique using Google. I just thumbed through a book that will add another 30 timesavers to my skillset. This week, I was interested in songs by Irish artists that dealt with "home." Google allows you to do a phrase search even if you don't have an idea of what the complete phrase looks like. Wildcard search allows one to use an asterisk for any word that's missing. Google will fill it in automatically. This technique is very useful if you're on a radio quiz show trying to find lyrics for the last word of a verse.

CLONMEL -- Multimedia degreee student Alan McGuire explains why wireless Internet access is a smart move for colleges. It's a matter of speed--no queues for seats at workstations when you can open up your laptop and post away.

DUBLIN -- I shared a Gallace moment in the Douglas Hyde Gallery today. It happened through layers of white oil on canvas that evoked a shared memory, captured by the artist in her quiet, fastidious way. The cavernous void of the Douglas Hyde Gallery swallows Maureen Gallace's paintings but not to the detriment of the artwork. For Gallace understates her craft as a matter of course and those who know her art understand the need to see it up close.

DASHES -- "Write good content. Develop an audience that cares about what you're doing. Do something that's relevant to people in your field."

GLOBAL PR BLOG WEEK -- The first Global PR Blog Week recently concluded and produced a stack of notes that I have to integrate into lesson materials for PR331, the college PR course I teach. I'll be meeting with Tom Murphy to share some of these reflections but in the meantime, I have some important discourse to consider from our online session.

NEW MEDIA MUSINGS -- JD Lasica cites seven things RSS is good for along with five reasons companies should publish an RSS feed.

JOHO -- One of my Googlenyms is "Irish Typepad." Another is "sunny southeast." The most interesting Googlenym about me is "refused leave to land." Although some readers might like to know I work with the happiest girl in Ireland.

IRISH TIMES -- Art critic Aidan Dunne has traveled around to most third level graduate shows. He thinks "there is a tendency to take the old manual processes for granted. This may relate to the prevalent assumption that ideas matter more than their material expression, that content outweighs form, but it is a reckless assumption."

CLONMEL -- The multimedia degree programme opens with a Writing Skills course and by completing the Skillscard, students earn their stripes as full-fledged web authors. We certify 10 specific skills.