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May

31

Chase and Sky Bank are GOING DOWN

Filed Under Politics | 9 Comments

Two local bank workers must have thought they’d witnessed a woman having a mental breakdown this morning while I stood in their lobbies and uttered streams of words that, to them, I’m sure, made no sense. And they’d be correct.

However, if they thought that watching me perseverate – as they denied my request to notarize a document because I don’t bank at one of the companies and I only have a mere tens of thousands of dollars in credit available with the other one and still I fail to qualify for notary services – was uncomfortable, they should remind themselves to take pleasure in that tiny dose of discomfort as I prepare to unleash the full wrath of a consumer done wrong.

Obviously they’ve never before denied notary services to a writer who also blogs and loves to blather about unethical and possibly illegal practices that also happen to deny common sense.

Research questions into:

The United States Notary Association

The National Notary Association

Letters soon to be written to:

JP Morgan Chase and Sky Bank

Useless award goes to:

Ohio Secretary of State website

Ooo! Ooo! A Horshack moment: the Better Business Bureau!

Let me end with this, from the National Notary Association’s brochure, What is a Notary Public?

Because there is no such thing as a “Notary private,” privately employed Notaries remain duty-bound to put the law above all other matters and to serve all members of the public – not just business clients. This commitment to high standards of integrity protects the interests of both the employer and the public and allows the Notary to play a key role in the company’s continuing success.

Seems like some folks have forgotten that key role, I’d say. I look forward to being of assistance in educating them about their lapse.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:05 pm May 31st, 2006 in Politics | 9 Comments 

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May

31

Chase and Sky Bank are GOING DOWN

Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment

Two local bank workers must have thought they’d witnessed a woman having a mental breakdown this morning while I stood in their lobbies and uttered streams of words that, to them, I’m sure, made no sense. And they’d be correct.

However, if they thought that watching me perseverate – as they denied my request to notarize a document because I don’t bank at one of the companies and I only have a mere tens of thousands of dollars in credit available with the other one and still I fail to qualify for notary services – was uncomfortable, they should remind themselves to take pleasure in that tiny dose of discomfort as I prepare to unleash the full wrath of a consumer done wrong.

Obviously they’ve never before denied notary services to a writer who also blogs and loves to blather about unethical and possibly illegal practices that also happen to deny common sense.

Research questions into:

The United States Notary Association

The National Notary Association

Letters soon to be written to:

JP Morgan Chase and Sky Bank

Useless award goes to:

Ohio Secretary of State website

Ooo! Ooo! A Horshack moment: the Better Business Bureau!

Let me end with this, from the National Notary Association’s brochure, What is a Notary Public?

Because there is no such thing as a “Notary private,” privately employed Notaries remain duty-bound to put the law above all other matters and to serve all members of the public – not just business clients. This commitment to high standards of integrity protects the interests of both the employer and the public and allows the Notary to play a key role in the company’s continuing success.

Seems like some folks have forgotten that key role, I’d say. I look forward to being of assistance in educating them about their lapse.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:05 pm May 31st, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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May

31

Free science education tools to rocket Ohio’s students to the top

Filed Under Politics | 6 Comments

I didn’t appreciate my older brother enough when we were kids, but he didn’t appreciate me too much either. Although we’re only three years apart, our differences in style and benchmarks represent just how much the world changed during certain sets of three years. For example, I was 12 when Nixon resigned, not yet Bat Mitzvahed and completely absorbed in hating my parents for moving us to a new school and selling my Suzy Homemaker oven. At the same moment in time, my big bro, at 15, could taste his driver’s license, his first job and high school, not to mention a few things teenagers liked to experiment with circa 1974. He loved MAD magazine, black lights and Star Trek. I spent my sick days doing needlepoint wallhangings of panda bears and self-designed hooked rugs of butterflies.

As we’ve aged, however, we’ve developed a qualified affinity and respect for one another. Our styles clash still, but our tolerance for one another – and the fact that, with our younger brother, we comprise the insider party establishment that knows what life during our childhood was really like – far exceeds any irritation caused by the clashes.

Now, as some readers may have gleaned, within the last two weeks, I’ve been trying to maintain a boundary between the personal and the all-too-personal, and haven’t provided many specifics about certain struggles of late. It will remain that way. However, what I can say is that this evening, I received an email from my older brother, who doesn’t send me too many emails, and when he does? It’s usually to direct me to an article about how rotten Ken Blackwell is or how Ohio has to get it’s act together or it’s going to totally f**k up the rest of the country for the rest of eternity (really, he sends me stuff like that). My bro is an activist – a flesh and blood, goes to rallies kind of activist. I’m just a poseur, as you nine readers know, because, you know, all I do is blog.

So, when I saw the subject line of his email, “This should bring back memories…,” I got really nervous. Watergate? Steak night (when inevitably someone from the dinner table would argue with someone else at the dinner table and a third and/or fourth someone would leave the dinner table)? The old Buick Estate Wagon I damaged and then got away with blaming the accident on him?

None of the above.

Instead, what I found inside the email was a link to this.

Take a look at those album covers.

Come on! Who can forget (and I SWEAR I am blogging this from total memory):

The sun is a mass of incandescent gas
A gigantic nuclear furnace
Where hydrogen is built into Helium
and la la la la la la la la la.

Okay – I can’t remember the rest of those words without cheating, but I do remember the tune. (If you’re a They Might Be Giants fan, you must listen, now.)

I’m almost positive that our set came from the gas stations. Do you remember when you’d drive around on a Saturday and look for gas cheaper than 29cents/gallon, as the weekend’s activity? (didn’t everyone do that? wait – don’t tell me – I don’t want to know that we were the only ones)

Now, of course, I must download these tunes so that not only my kids can listen and learn, but I can too.

Don’t you think that, between NPR’s Science Friday, Ms. Frizzle and these six records, at least some of Ohio’s students can learn more science than they may already be exposed to?

Thanks bro. You reminded me of at least one very positive, pleasant, repetitive memory from our childhood. AND, you might have provided the answer to keeping Ohio from bringing on Armageddon (or wait, do some Ohioans want that to happen?).

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:25 am May 31st, 2006 in Politics | 6 Comments 

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May

30

Free science education tools to rocket Ohio’s students to the top

Filed Under Politics | 6 Comments

I didn’t appreciate my older brother enough when we were kids, but he didn’t appreciate me too much either. Although we’re only three years apart, our differences in style and benchmarks represent just how much the world changed during certain sets of three years. For example, I was 12 when Nixon resigned, not yet Bat Mitzvahed and completely absorbed in hating my parents for moving us to a new school and selling my Suzy Homemaker oven. At the same moment in time, my big bro, at 15, could taste his driver’s license, his first job and high school, not to mention a few things teenagers liked to experiment with circa 1974. He loved MAD magazine, black lights and Star Trek. I spent my sick days doing needlepoint wallhangings of panda bears and self-designed hooked rugs of butterflies.

As we’ve aged, however, we’ve developed a qualified affinity and respect for one another. Our styles clash still, but our tolerance for one another – and the fact that, with our younger brother, we comprise the insider party establishment that knows what life during our childhood was really like – far exceeds any irritation caused by the clashes.

Now, as some readers may have gleaned, within the last two weeks, I’ve been trying to maintain a boundary between the personal and the all-too-personal, and haven’t provided many specifics about certain struggles of late. It will remain that way. However, what I can say is that this evening, I received an email from my older brother, who doesn’t send me too many emails, and when he does? It’s usually to direct me to an article about how rotten Ken Blackwell is or how Ohio has to get it’s act together or it’s going to totally f**k up the rest of the country for the rest of eternity (really, he sends me stuff like that). My bro is an activist – a flesh and blood, goes to rallies kind of activist. I’m just a poseur, as you nine readers know, because, you know, all I do is blog.

So, when I saw the subject line of his email, “This should bring back memories…,” I got really nervous. Watergate? Steak night (when inevitably someone from the dinner table would argue with someone else at the dinner table and a third and/or fourth someone would leave the dinner table)? The old Buick Estate Wagon I damaged and then got away with blaming the accident on him?

None of the above.

Instead, what I found inside the email was a link to this.

Take a look at those album covers.

Come on! Who can forget (and I SWEAR I am blogging this from total memory):

The sun is a mass of incandescent gas
A gigantic nuclear furnace
Where hydrogen is built into Helium
and la la la la la la la la la.

Okay – I can’t remember the rest of those words without cheating, but I do remember the tune. (If you’re a They Might Be Giants fan, you must listen, now.)

I’m almost positive that our set came from the gas stations. Do you remember when you’d drive around on a Saturday and look for gas cheaper than 29cents/gallon, as the weekend’s activity? (didn’t everyone do that? wait – don’t tell me – I don’t want to know that we were the only ones)

Now, of course, I must download these tunes so that not only my kids can listen and learn, but I can too.

Don’t you think that, between NPR’s Science Friday, Ms. Frizzle and these six records, at least some of Ohio’s students can learn more science than they may already be exposed to?

Thanks bro. You reminded me of at least one very positive, pleasant, repetitive memory from our childhood. AND, you might have provided the answer to keeping Ohio from bringing on Armageddon (or wait, do some Ohioans want that to happen?).

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:25 pm May 30th, 2006 in Politics | 6 Comments 

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May

30

Free science education tools to rocket Ohio’s students to the top

Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment

I didn’t appreciate my older brother enough when we were kids, but he didn’t appreciate me too much either. Although we’re only three years apart, our differences in style and benchmarks represent just how much the world changed during certain sets of three years. For example, I was 12 when Nixon resigned, not yet Bat Mitzvahed and completely absorbed in hating my parents for moving us to a new school and selling my Suzy Homemaker oven. At the same moment in time, my big bro, at 15, could taste his driver’s license, his first job and high school, not to mention a few things teenagers liked to experiment with circa 1974. He loved MAD magazine, black lights and Star Trek. I spent my sick days doing needlepoint wallhangings of panda bears and self-designed hooked rugs of butterflies.

As we’ve aged, however, we’ve developed a qualified affinity and respect for one another. Our styles clash still, but our tolerance for one another – and the fact that, with our younger brother, we comprise the insider party establishment that knows what life during our childhood was really like – far exceeds any irritation caused by the clashes.

Now, as some readers may have gleaned, within the last two weeks, I’ve been trying to maintain a boundary between the personal and the all-too-personal, and haven’t provided many specifics about certain struggles of late. It will remain that way. However, what I can say is that this evening, I received an email from my older brother, who doesn’t send me too many emails, and when he does? It’s usually to direct me to an article about how rotten Ken Blackwell is or how Ohio has to get it’s act together or it’s going to totally f**k up the rest of the country for the rest of eternity (really, he sends me stuff like that). My bro is an activist – a flesh and blood, goes to rallies kind of activist. I’m just a poseur, as you nine readers know, because, you know, all I do is blog.

So, when I saw the subject line of his email, “This should bring back memories…,” I got really nervous. Watergate? Steak night (when inevitably someone from the dinner table would argue with someone else at the dinner table and a third and/or fourth someone would leave the dinner table)? The old Buick Estate Wagon I damaged and then got away with blaming the accident on him?

None of the above.

Instead, what I found inside the email was a link to this.

Take a look at those album covers.

Come on! Who can forget (and I SWEAR I am blogging this from total memory):

The sun is a mass of incandescent gas
A gigantic nuclear furnace
Where hydrogen is built into Helium
and la la la la la la la la la.

Okay – I can’t remember the rest of those words without cheating, but I do remember the tune. (If you’re a They Might Be Giants fan, you must listen, now.)

I’m almost positive that our set came from the gas stations. Do you remember when you’d drive around on a Saturday and look for gas cheaper than 29cents/gallon, as the weekend’s activity? (didn’t everyone do that? wait – don’t tell me – I don’t want to know that we were the only ones)

Now, of course, I must download these tunes so that not only my kids can listen and learn, but I can too.

Don’t you think that, between NPR’s Science Friday, Ms. Frizzle and these six records, at least some of Ohio’s students can learn more science than they may already be exposed to?

Thanks bro. You reminded me of at least one very positive, pleasant, repetitive memory from our childhood. AND, you might have provided the answer to keeping Ohio from bringing on Armageddon (or wait, do some Ohioans want that to happen?).

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:25 pm May 30th, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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May

29

Happy Memorial Day

Filed Under Politics | 1 Comment

Where my head’s been at (is that not the most AWFUL way to end a question ever uttered? with the word “at”??)

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:35 pm May 29th, 2006 in Politics | 1 Comment 

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May

29

Happy Memorial Day

Filed Under Politics | 1 Comment

Where my head’s been at (is that not the most AWFUL way to end a question ever uttered? with the word “at”??)

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:35 pm May 29th, 2006 in Politics | 1 Comment 

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May

29

Happy Memorial Day

Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment

Where my head’s been at (is that not the most AWFUL way to end a question ever uttered? with the word “at”??)

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:35 pm May 29th, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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May

28

Letter to Matt Bai re: Can Bloggers Get Real

Filed Under Politics | 4 Comments

I posted about Mr. Bai’s NYT Sunday Magazine piece here on Brewed Fresh Daily. After several attempts at locating a specific email for him, I settled for letters AT nytimes DOT com.

In focusing on content that supports the conclusion that big box blogs “vanquish the party’s insider establishment [and] simply take its place,” Mr. Bai ignores the millions of bloggers who use blogs as a dialectical tool to learn about politics.

The real threat to making this “iteration of American politics” meaningful isn’t the swapping out of insiders. The real threat comes from the possibility that whomever occupies the inside will ignore or runover the other millions – who are, in their individual way, trying to get out the vote. As a sometimes political blogger in Ohio, I’ve observed this threat first-hand since the Ohio Democratic Party leadership changed hands early last winter.

Mr. Bai should have focused more on how, just as the animals in “The March of the Penguins” must trade places with the outsiders on a regular basis in order to preserve the entire species against the harsh environment – as well as learn what it means to be from, to live on and to have to protect the fringe, so too should whomever next occupies “the party’s inside” make sure it respects the contribution of every Democratic thinker who takes the time to blog his or her thoughts, no matter whether it’s a blog linked to 11,000 other sites, or one.

Sincerely,

Jill Miller Zimon, JD, MSSA
blogging at www.writeslikeshetalks.blogspot.com

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:14 pm May 28th, 2006 in Politics | 4 Comments 

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May

28

I love Helen Thomas

Filed Under Politics | 6 Comments

I’ll never be Helen Thomas, ever. I’m thinking more along the lines of Diane Rehm. But I do love Helen Thomas even more after reading this “Questions For” edition in the NYT Sunday Magazine.

However, one note to Deborah Solomon: I always turn to your Questions For page either first or second (it competes with Lives for my attention) when I pull out the magazine. But lately, your questions often seem to be longer than the answers from the subjects. I know it’s not necessarily your fault that they provide short replies, but might you consider how you’re asking what you’re asking? I just would rather see you elicit more information from the respondents.

And, now that I think of it, reading a bit more about you, I’m thinking that maybe some new media combination of you and Rehm and Thomas would make an excellent role model. See how helpful blogging can be?

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:06 pm May 28th, 2006 in Politics | 6 Comments 

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May

28

First Amendment applies to "online reporters," says San Jose court

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Hattip to Buckeye State Blog for noting, quoting and linking to this New York Times article. The case addressed Apple’s assertion that it’s “…entitled to know the source of leaked data published online.”

The gist:

In its ruling, the appeals court said online and offline journalists are equally protected under the First Amendment. “We can think of no workable test or principle that would distinguish ‘legitimate’ from ‘illegitimate’ news,” the opinion states. “Any attempt by courts to draw such a distinction would imperil a fundamental purpose of the First Amendment.”

The ruling states that Web sites are covered by California’s shield law protecting the confidentiality of journalists’ sources.

Calling on Wendy Hoke: How ’bout under Ohio’s shield law? Do we have any case law on that yet?

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:01 pm May 28th, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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May

28

Letter to Matt Bai re: Can Bloggers Get Real

Filed Under Politics | 4 Comments

I posted about Mr. Bai’s NYT Sunday Magazine piece here on Brewed Fresh Daily. After several attempts at locating a specific email for him, I settled for letters AT nytimes DOT com.

In focusing on content that supports the conclusion that big box blogs “vanquish the party’s insider establishment [and] simply take its place,” Mr. Bai ignores the millions of bloggers who use blogs as a dialectical tool to learn about politics.

The real threat to making this “iteration of American politics” meaningful isn’t the swapping out of insiders. The real threat comes from the possibility that whomever occupies the inside will ignore or runover the other millions – who are, in their individual way, trying to get out the vote. As a sometimes political blogger in Ohio, I’ve observed this threat first-hand since the Ohio Democratic Party leadership changed hands early last winter.

Mr. Bai should have focused more on how, just as the animals in “The March of the Penguins” must trade places with the outsiders on a regular basis in order to preserve the entire species against the harsh environment – as well as learn what it means to be from, to live on and to have to protect the fringe, so too should whomever next occupies “the party’s inside” make sure it respects the contribution of every Democratic thinker who takes the time to blog his or her thoughts, no matter whether it’s a blog linked to 11,000 other sites, or one.

Sincerely,

Jill Miller Zimon, JD, MSSA
blogging at www.writeslikeshetalks.blogspot.com

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:14 am May 28th, 2006 in Politics | 4 Comments 

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May

28

I love Helen Thomas

Filed Under Politics | 5 Comments

I’ll never be Helen Thomas, ever. I’m thinking more along the lines of Diane Rehm. But I do love Helen Thomas even more after reading this “Questions For” edition in the NYT Sunday Magazine.

However, one note to Deborah Solomon: I always turn to your Questions For page either first or second (it competes with Lives for my attention) when I pull out the magazine. But lately, your questions often seem to be longer than the answers from the subjects. I know it’s not necessarily your fault that they provide short replies, but might you consider how you’re asking what you’re asking? I just would rather see you elicit more information from the respondents.

And, now that I think of it, reading a bit more about you, I’m thinking that maybe some new media combination of you and Rehm and Thomas would make an excellent role model. See how helpful blogging can be?

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:06 am May 28th, 2006 in Politics | 5 Comments 

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May

28

First Amendment applies to "online reporters," says San Jose court

Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment

Hattip to Buckeye State Blog for noting, quoting and linking to this New York Times article. The case addressed Apple’s assertion that it’s “…entitled to know the source of leaked data published online.”

The gist:

In its ruling, the appeals court said online and offline journalists are equally protected under the First Amendment. “We can think of no workable test or principle that would distinguish ‘legitimate’ from ‘illegitimate’ news,” the opinion states. “Any attempt by courts to draw such a distinction would imperil a fundamental purpose of the First Amendment.”

The ruling states that Web sites are covered by California’s shield law protecting the confidentiality of journalists’ sources.

Calling on Wendy Hoke: How ’bout under Ohio’s shield law? Do we have any case law on that yet?

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:01 am May 28th, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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May

28

Letter to Matt Bai re: Can Bloggers Get Real

Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment

I posted about Mr. Bai’s NYT Sunday Magazine piece here on Brewed Fresh Daily. After several attempts at locating a specific email for him, I settled for letters AT nytimes DOT com.

In focusing on content that supports the conclusion that big box blogs “vanquish the party’s insider establishment [and] simply take its place,” Mr. Bai ignores the millions of bloggers who use blogs as a dialectical tool to learn about politics.

The real threat to making this “iteration of American politics” meaningful isn’t the swapping out of insiders. The real threat comes from the possibility that whomever occupies the inside will ignore or runover the other millions – who are, in their individual way, trying to get out the vote. As a sometimes political blogger in Ohio, I’ve observed this threat first-hand since the Ohio Democratic Party leadership changed hands early last winter.

Mr. Bai should have focused more on how, just as the animals in “The March of the Penguins” must trade places with the outsiders on a regular basis in order to preserve the entire species against the harsh environment – as well as learn what it means to be from, to live on and to have to protect the fringe, so too should whomever next occupies “the party’s inside” make sure it respects the contribution of every Democratic thinker who takes the time to blog his or her thoughts, no matter whether it’s a blog linked to 11,000 other sites, or one.

Sincerely,

Jill Miller Zimon, JD, MSSA
blogging at www.writeslikeshetalks.blogspot.com

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:14 am May 28th, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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May

28

I love Helen Thomas

Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment

I’ll never be Helen Thomas, ever. I’m thinking more along the lines of Diane Rehm. But I do love Helen Thomas even more after reading this “Questions For” edition in the NYT Sunday Magazine.

However, one note to Deborah Solomon: I always turn to your Questions For page either first or second (it competes with Lives for my attention) when I pull out the magazine. But lately, your questions often seem to be longer than the answers from the subjects. I know it’s not necessarily your fault that they provide short replies, but might you consider how you’re asking what you’re asking? I just would rather see you elicit more information from the respondents.

And, now that I think of it, reading a bit more about you, I’m thinking that maybe some new media combination of you and Rehm and Thomas would make an excellent role model. See how helpful blogging can be?

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:06 am May 28th, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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May

28

First Amendment applies to "online reporters," says San Jose court

Filed Under Politics | Leave a Comment

Hattip to Buckeye State Blog for noting, quoting and linking to this New York Times article. The case addressed Apple’s assertion that it’s “…entitled to know the source of leaked data published online.”

The gist:

In its ruling, the appeals court said online and offline journalists are equally protected under the First Amendment. “We can think of no workable test or principle that would distinguish ‘legitimate’ from ‘illegitimate’ news,” the opinion states. “Any attempt by courts to draw such a distinction would imperil a fundamental purpose of the First Amendment.”

The ruling states that Web sites are covered by California’s shield law protecting the confidentiality of journalists’ sources.

Calling on Wendy Hoke: How ’bout under Ohio’s shield law? Do we have any case law on that yet?

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:01 am May 28th, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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May

27

3500 jobs @ 8-15/hour, from Fieldworks, for Ohio Learn and Earn

Filed Under Politics | 9 Comments

This isn’t a secret, but it took me a while to find it, and I haven’t heard much about it anywhere.

* Learn & Earn — the slots at racetracks issue — announced that it will be hiring 3,500 Ohioans to solicit signatures through FieldWorks, a professional petition gathering firm. Pay will range from $8 to $15/hour. Then on Wednesday, Attorney General Jim Petro approved the Learn & Earn ballot language, permitting the group to begin collecting the nearly 323,000 signatures needed.

I have no idea how long it takes to get 323K signatures but 3500 x 8 = $28,000 and 3500 x 15 = $52,500. That’s for one hour. If it only took Ohio Learn and Earn one hour to get 323,000 signatures, it would cost whomever is paying Fieldworks, somewhere between $28,000 and $52,500.

Somehow, I’m sure it takes several more hours than that. Let’s say it take 3500 people 10 hours a piece to get 323,000 signatures. That would cost between $280,000 and $525,000.

Now, I’ve had the kind of stressful past nine days that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, and it’s waaaaay past the time I should be writing anything for public view. So maybe my numbers are off and someone can correct me.

But still, that’s a lot of scholarship money right there, no?

UPDATE: So then I found this, which indicates that hires can make $2100-4000/month for campaign staff for management and administrative positions to run the petition drive. That would be in addition to the 3500 getting the signatures, right? Again, that’s a nice chunk o’change, would easily pay some tuition.

And, notice that in this ad (go near the bottom, under May 17, Administrative Director) for hires, FieldWorks identifies the petition drive’s goal as being related to home health care. Yet, in this one, FieldWorks just says it’s for a state-wide petition drive. Aw, benefit of the doubt, maybe FieldWorks is working on some other state-wide petition drive in Ohio that I don’t know about. Totally possible, yah?

FieldWorks is also hiring in Las Vegas, and emphasizes other elements of itself in this ad. No indication of what issue or what petition is involved, if indeed it’s a specific one.

UPDATE x2: Aw, well, see? I just bet I’m the last to know: FieldWorks helped/is helping? with the Nebraska gambling petition drive. And I must give credit where credit is due. Lisa Renee at Liberal Common Sense wrote about much of this on May 16. Thanks, Lisa Renee.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:31 am May 27th, 2006 in Politics | 9 Comments 

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May

26

3500 jobs @ 8-15/hour, from Fieldworks, for Ohio Learn and Earn

Filed Under Politics | 9 Comments

This isn’t a secret, but it took me a while to find it, and I haven’t heard much about it anywhere.

* Learn & Earn — the slots at racetracks issue — announced that it will be hiring 3,500 Ohioans to solicit signatures through FieldWorks, a professional petition gathering firm. Pay will range from $8 to $15/hour. Then on Wednesday, Attorney General Jim Petro approved the Learn & Earn ballot language, permitting the group to begin collecting the nearly 323,000 signatures needed.

I have no idea how long it takes to get 323K signatures but 3500 x 8 = $28,000 and 3500 x 15 = $52,500. That’s for one hour. If it only took Ohio Learn and Earn one hour to get 323,000 signatures, it would cost whomever is paying Fieldworks, somewhere between $28,000 and $52,500.

Somehow, I’m sure it takes several more hours than that. Let’s say it take 3500 people 10 hours a piece to get 323,000 signatures. That would cost between $280,000 and $525,000.

Now, I’ve had the kind of stressful past nine days that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, and it’s waaaaay past the time I should be writing anything for public view. So maybe my numbers are off and someone can correct me.

But still, that’s a lot of scholarship money right there, no?

UPDATE: So then I found this, which indicates that hires can make $2100-4000/month for campaign staff for management and administrative positions to run the petition drive. That would be in addition to the 3500 getting the signatures, right? Again, that’s a nice chunk o’change, would easily pay some tuition.

And, notice that in this ad (go near the bottom, under May 17, Administrative Director) for hires, FieldWorks identifies the petition drive’s goal as being related to home health care. Yet, in this one, FieldWorks just says it’s for a state-wide petition drive. Aw, benefit of the doubt, maybe FieldWorks is working on some other state-wide petition drive in Ohio that I don’t know about. Totally possible, yah?

FieldWorks is also hiring in Las Vegas, and emphasizes other elements of itself in this ad. No indication of what issue or what petition is involved, if indeed it’s a specific one.

UPDATE x2: Aw, well, see? I just bet I’m the last to know: FieldWorks helped/is helping? with the Nebraska gambling petition drive. And I must give credit where credit is due. Lisa Renee at Liberal Common Sense wrote about much of this on May 16. Thanks, Lisa Renee.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:31 pm May 26th, 2006 in Politics | 9 Comments 

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May

26

3500 jobs @ 8-15/hour, from Fieldworks, for Ohio Learn and Earn

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This isn’t a secret, but it took me a while to find it, and I haven’t heard much about it anywhere.

* Learn & Earn — the slots at racetracks issue — announced that it will be hiring 3,500 Ohioans to solicit signatures through FieldWorks, a professional petition gathering firm. Pay will range from $8 to $15/hour. Then on Wednesday, Attorney General Jim Petro approved the Learn & Earn ballot language, permitting the group to begin collecting the nearly 323,000 signatures needed.

I have no idea how long it takes to get 323K signatures but 3500 x 8 = $28,000 and 3500 x 15 = $52,500. That’s for one hour. If it only took Ohio Learn and Earn one hour to get 323,000 signatures, it would cost whomever is paying Fieldworks, somewhere between $28,000 and $52,500.

Somehow, I’m sure it takes several more hours than that. Let’s say it take 3500 people 10 hours a piece to get 323,000 signatures. That would cost between $280,000 and $525,000.

Now, I’ve had the kind of stressful past nine days that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, and it’s waaaaay past the time I should be writing anything for public view. So maybe my numbers are off and someone can correct me.

But still, that’s a lot of scholarship money right there, no?

UPDATE: So then I found this, which indicates that hires can make $2100-4000/month for campaign staff for management and administrative positions to run the petition drive. That would be in addition to the 3500 getting the signatures, right? Again, that’s a nice chunk o’change, would easily pay some tuition.

And, notice that in this ad (go near the bottom, under May 17, Administrative Director) for hires, FieldWorks identifies the petition drive’s goal as being related to home health care. Yet, in this one, FieldWorks just says it’s for a state-wide petition drive. Aw, benefit of the doubt, maybe FieldWorks is working on some other state-wide petition drive in Ohio that I don’t know about. Totally possible, yah?

FieldWorks is also hiring in Las Vegas, and emphasizes other elements of itself in this ad. No indication of what issue or what petition is involved, if indeed it’s a specific one.

UPDATE x2: Aw, well, see? I just bet I’m the last to know: FieldWorks helped/is helping? with the Nebraska gambling petition drive. And I must give credit where credit is due. Lisa Renee at Liberal Common Sense wrote about much of this on May 16. Thanks, Lisa Renee.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:31 pm May 26th, 2006 in Politics | Please comment 

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