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Jan
15
Israel to produce oil for $25/barrel
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
So says this article from a site called Israel21c. With this Ohio-Israel tech convention happening next week, and the topic of alternative fuel sources always a hot one in Ohio, I’m thrilled that Yid with Lid posted this story.
An Israeli company intends to revolutionize oil production by recycling oil shale rock into high quality fuel.
Haifa-based A.F.S.K Hom Tov recently demonstrated its patented method of extracting high quality oil and natural gas from a mixture of bitumen and oil shale rock. Bitumen – or asphalt – is the residue obtained by distillation of crude oil.
Experts predict the process will return oil at just $25 dollars a barrel and the additional natural gas produced would further boost the financial feasibility. With crude oil prices currently floating over the $50 a barrel mark, this proposed method is generating interest around the world.
All I want is a room somewhere,
Far away from the cold night air.
With one enormous chair,
Aow, wouldn’t it be loverly?
Lots of choc’lates for me to eat,
Lots of coal makin’ lots of ‘eat.
Warm face, warm ‘ands, warm feet,
Aow, wouldn’t it be loverly?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:57 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
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Jan
15
Don’t just talk the talk, listen to it re: Ohio’s foster care system
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I don’t know who the guests will be, but given the number of high profile foster cases we’ve seen over the last couple of years, as well as the very deserved kudos to Cuyahoga County DCFS’s efforts in foster care, I would expect the hour to go very quickly tomorrow morning on WCPN’s The Sound of Ideas:
Inside Ohio’s Foster Care System
When it comes to the foster care system in Ohio, it’s often the abuses that grab headlines – but they don’t really tell the whole story. For example, in six years, Cuyahoga County Children’s Services has cut in half the number of children in custody. On The Sound of Ideas, we’ll get the view from inside the state’s foster care system. We’ll hear from foster parents and foster children, and we’ll find out what goes into helping kids in custody build new lives.
Listen here live or go to the archives later in the day.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:27 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
Senator McCain wants to know if I’m going to support him
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That would be a no. Followed by a “Well, thank you ma’am. I’ll let him know.”
End of story. Except for one other thing: get my name right, would you? Zimon, like in Simon.
Ugh. It’s starting already, isn’t it? What on earth list did they pull my name from? I’ve never voted GOP for president in my life and Independent only for John Anderson.
Calgon…
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:11 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
Israel to produce oil for $25/barrel
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
So says this article from a site called Israel21c. With this Ohio-Israel tech convention happening next week, and the topic of alternative fuel sources always a hot one in Ohio, I’m thrilled that Yid with Lid posted this story.
An Israeli company intends to revolutionize oil production by recycling oil shale rock into high quality fuel.
Haifa-based A.F.S.K Hom Tov recently demonstrated its patented method of extracting high quality oil and natural gas from a mixture of bitumen and oil shale rock. Bitumen – or asphalt – is the residue obtained by distillation of crude oil.
Experts predict the process will return oil at just $25 dollars a barrel and the additional natural gas produced would further boost the financial feasibility. With crude oil prices currently floating over the $50 a barrel mark, this proposed method is generating interest around the world.
All I want is a room somewhere,
Far away from the cold night air.
With one enormous chair,
Aow, wouldn’t it be loverly?
Lots of choc’lates for me to eat,
Lots of coal makin’ lots of ‘eat.
Warm face, warm ‘ands, warm feet,
Aow, wouldn’t it be loverly?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:57 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
JIB Awards
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Okay – I know, it’s just another award. And I barely fit in with the crowd (just look at some of the names of the blogs). But I enjoy many on the list of 300 and most are written or frequented by people with whom I’d otherwise never interact. I like that. There also are a few that I know others follow, like Little Green Footballs and Yourish, among several.
So go check it out and if you feel like it, vote for me (I’m nominated in the personal blog and best of the rest, at the end, categories) when the time arrives (1/22). Right now, they’re just nominating.
Be prepared for some pretty partisan stuff. Often well-written, thoughtful and sometimes very insider (I don’t get at least half of the inferences), these blogs represent a subculture that even I don’t know very well.
And I like that too. Even if I don’t always agree with what I’m reading.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:56 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
But WHY did 72 other countries refuse to accept former Cleveland Imam, Fawaz Damra?
Filed Under Politics | 5 Comments
I don’t know. Does anyone?
From the International Herald Tribune:
In 2004, [Fawaz Damra] was tried and convicted of concealing ties to terrorist organizations on his citizenship application [to the U.S.] 10 years earlier.
Stripped of his U.S. citizenship and facing deportation, Damra entered a deal with federal authorities to self-deport, his attorney Mo Abdrabboh said.
“The reason he agreed to that is he thought he could go to Jordan,” Abdrabboh said. “It wasn’t taken into account that self-deportation is harder than it seems.”
No country would take him. Even Jordan, where he holds citizenship, refused. After his time to self-deport elapsed, he was taken into custody in November 2005, then spent a year in a Michigan jail.
…
Damra was to be deported to the Palestinian territory, but was arrested when he was presented to Israeli immigration officials Jan. 4 for admission to the West Bank.
Damra is in an Israeli prison awaiting a 1/25 court appearance.
What was the reasoning used by the 72 nations that refused to accept him prior to 1/4/07? Political pressure from the U.S.? Other reasons related to suspected terrorist activities? Where’s the backstory?
Here’s a lengthy story from the Plain Dealer yesterday, but no mention of why so many other countries refused to accept Damra.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:19 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | 5 Comments
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Jan
15
Don’t just talk the talk, listen to it re: Ohio’s foster care system
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
I don’t know who the guests will be, but given the number of high profile foster cases we’ve seen over the last couple of years, as well as the very deserved kudos to Cuyahoga County DCFS’s efforts in foster care, I would expect the hour to go very quickly tomorrow morning on WCPN’s The Sound of Ideas:
Inside Ohio’s Foster Care System
When it comes to the foster care system in Ohio, it’s often the abuses that grab headlines – but they don’t really tell the whole story. For example, in six years, Cuyahoga County Children’s Services has cut in half the number of children in custody. On The Sound of Ideas, we’ll get the view from inside the state’s foster care system. We’ll hear from foster parents and foster children, and we’ll find out what goes into helping kids in custody build new lives.
Listen here live or go to the archives later in the day.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:27 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
Senator McCain wants to know if I’m going to support him
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
That would be a no. Followed by a “Well, thank you ma’am. I’ll let him know.”
End of story. Except for one other thing: get my name right, would you? Zimon, like in Simon.
Ugh. It’s starting already, isn’t it? What on earth list did they pull my name from? I’ve never voted GOP for president in my life and Independent only for John Anderson.
Calgon…
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:11 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
Three Torahs and counting for Lee Fisher
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
When I saw this picture of Lt. Governor Lee Fisher taking the oath on Saturday, January 13, I wondered what each of the books might be – might they be siddurs or a chumash?
I don’t know, but according to the Dayton Daily News, when Fisher took the oath a week ago today, he did in fact do so with his hand on three Torahs:
Most elected officials place a hand on just one holy book when they take an oath of office. Not Lee Fisher.
Ohio’s new lieutenant governor used three Torahs when he took the oath last Monday from Ohio Supreme Court Justice Thomas Moyer — one from his son Jason, a second from his daughter Jessica and the third was a family Torah.
Nice.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:00 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | 3 Comments
Print This Post
Jan
15
JIB Awards
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
Okay – I know, it’s just another award. And I barely fit in with the crowd (just look at some of the names of the blogs). But I enjoy many on the list of 300 and most are written or frequented by people with whom I’d otherwise never interact. I like that. There also are a few that I know others follow, like Little Green Footballs and Yourish, among several.
So go check it out and if you feel like it, vote for me (I’m nominated in the personal blog and best of the rest, at the end, categories) when the time arrives (1/22). Right now, they’re just nominating.
Be prepared for some pretty partisan stuff. Often well-written, thoughtful and sometimes very insider (I don’t get at least half of the inferences), these blogs represent a subculture that even I don’t know very well.
And I like that too. Even if I don’t always agree with what I’m reading.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:56 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
Print This Post
Jan
15
Don’t just talk the talk, listen to it re: Ohio’s foster care system
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
I don’t know who the guests will be, but given the number of high profile foster cases we’ve seen over the last couple of years, as well as the very deserved kudos to Cuyahoga County DCFS’s efforts in foster care, I would expect the hour to go very quickly tomorrow morning on WCPN’s The Sound of Ideas:
Inside Ohio’s Foster Care System
When it comes to the foster care system in Ohio, it’s often the abuses that grab headlines – but they don’t really tell the whole story. For example, in six years, Cuyahoga County Children’s Services has cut in half the number of children in custody. On The Sound of Ideas, we’ll get the view from inside the state’s foster care system. We’ll hear from foster parents and foster children, and we’ll find out what goes into helping kids in custody build new lives.
Listen here live or go to the archives later in the day.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:27 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
Print This Post
Jan
15
But WHY did 72 other countries refuse to accept former Cleveland Imam, Fawaz Damra?
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
I don’t know. Does anyone?
From the International Herald Tribune:
In 2004, [Fawaz Damra] was tried and convicted of concealing ties to terrorist organizations on his citizenship application [to the U.S.] 10 years earlier.
Stripped of his U.S. citizenship and facing deportation, Damra entered a deal with federal authorities to self-deport, his attorney Mo Abdrabboh said.
“The reason he agreed to that is he thought he could go to Jordan,” Abdrabboh said. “It wasn’t taken into account that self-deportation is harder than it seems.”
No country would take him. Even Jordan, where he holds citizenship, refused. After his time to self-deport elapsed, he was taken into custody in November 2005, then spent a year in a Michigan jail.
…
Damra was to be deported to the Palestinian territory, but was arrested when he was presented to Israeli immigration officials Jan. 4 for admission to the West Bank.
Damra is in an Israeli prison awaiting a 1/25 court appearance.
What was the reasoning used by the 72 nations that refused to accept him prior to 1/4/07? Political pressure from the U.S.? Other reasons related to suspected terrorist activities? Where’s the backstory?
Here’s a lengthy story from the Plain Dealer yesterday, but no mention of why so many other countries refused to accept Damra.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:19 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
Print This Post
Jan
15
Senator McCain wants to know if I’m going to support him
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
That would be a no. Followed by a “Well, thank you ma’am. I’ll let him know.”
End of story. Except for one other thing: get my name right, would you? Zimon, like in Simon.
Ugh. It’s starting already, isn’t it? What on earth list did they pull my name from? I’ve never voted GOP for president in my life and Independent only for John Anderson.
Calgon…
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:11 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
Ohio Dems, Reps hope to dump term limits
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
I do too. From the Plain Dealer (albeit an AP byline):
Republican and Democratic leaders have agreed to push for extending term limits for state lawmakers to 12 years, up from eight years.
…
Ohio voters approved eight-year term limits in 1992 for Ohio’s members of Congress, state lawmakers and statewide executive officeholders. The U.S. Supreme Court later struck down the congressional term limits.
Several lawmakers have remained in the Statehouse by running for the other chamber when they hit the eight-year limit in one. The amendment allows them to keep hopping from House to Senate and back.
Bennett and Redfern said eight years is an appropriate term for the governor and other statewide officeholders, and they won’t seek to alter those.
Gov. Ted Strickland supports extending terms for lawmakers, although he believes it is unlikely term limits could be eliminated, a spokesman said.
David Zanotti of the Ohio Roundtable is roundly against the elimination of term limits:
David Zanotti, president of the nonprofit policy group Ohio Roundtable who led the 1992 term-limit campaign, said he will fight any extension. He said [Ohio GOP Chair, Bob] Bennett and [Ohio Dem Party Chair, Chris] Redfern, who is also a House member, are career politicians trying to protect their friends and paychecks.
“If the people of Ohio give legislators 12 years, they’ll be back on the next ballot trying to eliminate term limits altogether,” Zanotti said.
Zanotti said if state lawmakers don’t know how the legislature works within six months of taking office, then they shouldn’t be there in the first place. He blamed extreme partisanship in the legislature on Bennett and Redfern doing “anything to get the drop on the other guy to get control of the state’s purse strings.”
I don’t actually care much for the reasoning behind either side. I believe in something much more simple: it’s my vote and I’ll return someone if I want to.
First, I’d love to see the Secretary of State’s office work to beef up voter education so that voters accept the responsibility and use their power to kick those who should be removed and replace them with better choices. If, as an electorate, we fail to make that happen, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Then, the other pieces people complain about – such as the money and the cronyism that develop on behalf of incumbents – need to be managed as well, but not by taking away the voter’s ultimate say. These pitfalss shouldn’t be allowed to serve as an excuse as to why more of us don’t vote and don’t vote to get rid of people who don’t represent what we say we want.
Talk about trying to take back the vote.
Here’s a report on term limits from last year released by the National Conference of State Legislatures. The report’s title? “Term limits erode effectiveness of legislative branch.”
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:03 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | 3 Comments
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Jan
15
Ohio Public School Dialogue materials: can they help all of us?
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
The Community Press published this article yesterday about how one school district (Batavia Local) hopes to purchase materials from the Ohio Public School Dialogue organization to help stakeholders better understand how school funding works, or doesn’t, as the case may be. The materials circulated through mini-workshops in 2005 and 2006 and are now being re-worked, according to the article.
The Ohio Fair Schools Campaign described the effort this way in 11/05:
The Ohio Public School Dialogue (OPSD) is a unique program, developed by educators, to engage, educate, and empower communities about school funding in Ohio. OPSD is offering 5 regional mini-workshops, lasting about 3 hours, to acquaint participants with how they can implement this innovative program in their communities. These sessions will demonstrate, with hands-on activities, learning tools and unique visuals, which will assist communities to engage in dialogue about Ohio’s school funding system.
I hope that such sessions are resurrected, particularly if they align with explanations of how things work now, and how the proposed amendment would change the current system.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:11 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
Three Torahs and counting for Lee Fisher
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
When I saw this picture of Lt. Governor Lee Fisher taking the oath on Saturday, January 13, I wondered what each of the books might be – might they be siddurs or a chumash?
I don’t know, but according to the Dayton Daily News, when Fisher took the oath a week ago today, he did in fact do so with his hand on three Torahs:
Most elected officials place a hand on just one holy book when they take an oath of office. Not Lee Fisher.
Ohio’s new lieutenant governor used three Torahs when he took the oath last Monday from Ohio Supreme Court Justice Thomas Moyer — one from his son Jason, a second from his daughter Jessica and the third was a family Torah.
Nice.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:00 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | 3 Comments
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Jan
15
ONE Ohio, spread the word about this new blog
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
My school district invited me to an excellent all-day workshop last week for parents and teachers that focused solely on how to improve reading through a seven-skill mantra. I hope to find time to write about it more. The afternoon was spent brainstorming ideas that would bring the knowledge to the kids and the parents, and hopefully thread through the classroom and community as well.
One problem that became apparent as we brainstormed was…the digital divide. Many of us came up with ideas that involved the use of computers. But the teachers and some of the parents reminded the group that yes, Virginia, even in a school district like Orange, which encompasses Pepper Pike, Orange Village, Moreland Hills, Woodmere, and Hunting Valley, plus parts of Bedford Heights, Solon and Warrensville Heights, many families have no computers and little opportunity for acccess to computers.
That’s why I say that Bill Callahan’s new effort, ONE Ohio, which you can read about on the new blog, ONE Ohio, is so important. If Ohio means business in improving the educational opportunities for Ohio’s kids, which in turn improves life opportunities for Ohio’s kids, we must attack this technical divide. Now. Because the more we advance, the more the tools are going to be used that also happen to be tools that are the most out of reach for the ones who need them the most.
Thanks, Bill. (Nice financial supporters too, way to go)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:20 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Jan
15
But WHY did 72 other countries refuse to accept former Cleveland Imam, Fawaz Damra?
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
I don’t know. Does anyone?
From the International Herald Tribune:
In 2004, [Fawaz Damra] was tried and convicted of concealing ties to terrorist organizations on his citizenship application [to the U.S.] 10 years earlier.
Stripped of his U.S. citizenship and facing deportation, Damra entered a deal with federal authorities to self-deport, his attorney Mo Abdrabboh said.
“The reason he agreed to that is he thought he could go to Jordan,” Abdrabboh said. “It wasn’t taken into account that self-deportation is harder than it seems.”
No country would take him. Even Jordan, where he holds citizenship, refused. After his time to self-deport elapsed, he was taken into custody in November 2005, then spent a year in a Michigan jail.
…
Damra was to be deported to the Palestinian territory, but was arrested when he was presented to Israeli immigration officials Jan. 4 for admission to the West Bank.
Damra is in an Israeli prison awaiting a 1/25 court appearance.
What was the reasoning used by the 72 nations that refused to accept him prior to 1/4/07? Political pressure from the U.S.? Other reasons related to suspected terrorist activities? Where’s the backstory?
Here’s a lengthy story from the Plain Dealer yesterday, but no mention of why so many other countries refused to accept Damra.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:19 pm January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
Print This Post
Jan
15
Ohio Dems, Reps hope to dump term limits
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
I do too. From the Plain Dealer (albeit an AP byline):
Republican and Democratic leaders have agreed to push for extending term limits for state lawmakers to 12 years, up from eight years.
…
Ohio voters approved eight-year term limits in 1992 for Ohio’s members of Congress, state lawmakers and statewide executive officeholders. The U.S. Supreme Court later struck down the congressional term limits.
Several lawmakers have remained in the Statehouse by running for the other chamber when they hit the eight-year limit in one. The amendment allows them to keep hopping from House to Senate and back.
Bennett and Redfern said eight years is an appropriate term for the governor and other statewide officeholders, and they won’t seek to alter those.
Gov. Ted Strickland supports extending terms for lawmakers, although he believes it is unlikely term limits could be eliminated, a spokesman said.
David Zanotti of the Ohio Roundtable is roundly against the elimination of term limits:
David Zanotti, president of the nonprofit policy group Ohio Roundtable who led the 1992 term-limit campaign, said he will fight any extension. He said [Ohio GOP Chair, Bob] Bennett and [Ohio Dem Party Chair, Chris] Redfern, who is also a House member, are career politicians trying to protect their friends and paychecks.
“If the people of Ohio give legislators 12 years, they’ll be back on the next ballot trying to eliminate term limits altogether,” Zanotti said.
Zanotti said if state lawmakers don’t know how the legislature works within six months of taking office, then they shouldn’t be there in the first place. He blamed extreme partisanship in the legislature on Bennett and Redfern doing “anything to get the drop on the other guy to get control of the state’s purse strings.”
I don’t actually care much for the reasoning behind either side. I believe in something much more simple: it’s my vote and I’ll return someone if I want to.
First, I’d love to see the Secretary of State’s office work to beef up voter education so that voters accept the responsibility and use their power to kick those who should be removed and replace them with better choices. If, as an electorate, we fail to make that happen, we have no one to blame but ourselves.
Then, the other pieces people complain about – such as the money and the cronyism that develop on behalf of incumbents – need to be managed as well, but not by taking away the voter’s ultimate say. These pitfalss shouldn’t be allowed to serve as an excuse as to why more of us don’t vote and don’t vote to get rid of people who don’t represent what we say we want.
Talk about trying to take back the vote.
Here’s a report on term limits from last year released by the National Conference of State Legislatures. The report’s title? “Term limits erode effectiveness of legislative branch.”
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:03 am January 15th, 2007 in Politics | 3 Comments
Print This Post
Jan
15
Three Torahs and counting for Lee Fisher
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
When I saw this picture of Lt. Governor Lee Fisher taking the oath on Saturday, January 13, I wondered what each of the books might be – might they be siddurs or a chumash?
I don’t know, but according to the Dayton Daily News, when Fisher took the oath a week ago today, he did in fact do so with his hand on three Torahs:
Most elected officials place a hand on just one holy book when they take an oath of office. Not Lee Fisher.
Ohio’s new lieutenant governor used three Torahs when he took the oath last Monday from Ohio Supreme Court Justice Thomas Moyer — one from his son Jason, a second from his daughter Jessica and the third was a family Torah.
Nice.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:00 am January 15th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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