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Feb
16
OPENERS says, hit us with your best shots
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
As previously noted here, the Plain Dealer’s political blog, OPENERS, has undergone a facelift. While preparing Shabbat dinner this evening, I opened up this week’s podcast of Jean Dubail and Mark Naymik outlining political news items from this week.
Then, at the end, Dubail mentions the redesign and how it “…allows people to actually post comments. In the past, people have had to use their own blogs to go after us and now you can do it directly on our blog posting…”
Can’t wait to see how those comment threads develop. But you don’t actually think it will stop us from blogging about you, now do you? 
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:03 pm February 16th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Feb
16
When Bloggers hookup: getting hired, getting sponsored, getting snookered, getting lost
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
Hatttip to Feministing for pointing to this Christian Science Monitor commentary that analyzes what happens when bloggers and pols hookup.
At Buckeye State Blog, Jerid is soliciting input re: BlogPac‘s offer to sponsor BSB (and As Ohio Goes according to the BSB post).
Why lump these two items together? Because their existence further reveals an en masse movement – by people who want to amplify their message – to pluck individuals who’ve taken a risk and expressed themselves – often through blogs – in a way that resonates with other individuals. Such pluckers know that this skill should not be taken for granted.
Anyone can rant and call people names. But not everyone can express themselves in a way that makes other people care and think and re-think and change. And so, when people need people to help them spread and/or amplify a message, where do they go? They can hire PR and marketing folks, professional communications folks. And, now, more and more, they can go to a place where they will find people willing to speak their mind and do so in a powerful yet intimate way: the blogosphere, or blogworld, in which nearly 60 million blogs reside and in which at least a few folks, previously unknown, can do what the pluckers need.
Of course, many of those folks are blogging for their own reasons, and maybe for very different reasons, from one to the next. Some will be more easily enticed to hook-up with pols once approached, and others less inclined. That’s all okay too.
These options – trading in independence for affiliation with something bigger, or maintaining independence at the risk of reaching a smaller audience – don’t vary too much, no matter how you finesse them. Just like you can’t be kind of pregnant, you can’t be kind of being paid by someone. Either you are, or you aren’t. Being transparent about it just means that you’re letting the consumer know so that he or she can decide how to weigh what’s then said on the blog or by the individual.
Every blog author must decide for him or herself as to which direction they want to go in. I’ve imagined that so long as I could write for someone, work on something that is a passion of mine, that promotes and furthers and advances a belief I hold dear, being paid to do so would be fine. Otherwise, not likely to happen.
In fact, recently someone who continues to work on a project I left some time ago, a project which caused me great moral tzuras at different times, was told that she’s taken on my role as the group rabblerouser. I take pride in that, of course, because it helps me know that I didn’t back down, even if I ended up compromising and eventually moving on.
Politicians finding bloggers to help them express themselves to more people is a natural development. Larger groups like Blogpac seeking to wield a way into Ohio voters’ consciousness, likewise, is a natural development.
And so, maybe bloggers deciding that being shown the money is worth giving up independence is also a natural development.
But if that’s so, it’s also just more evidence, like the weather we’ve had in Cleveland lately, of what little impact humans sometimes have on natural developments. And how, in turn, the choices we make likewise affect those developments.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:11 pm February 16th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
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Feb
16
OPENERS says, hit us with your best shots
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
As previously noted here, the Plain Dealer’s political blog, OPENERS, has undergone a facelift. While preparing Shabbat dinner this evening, I opened up this week’s podcast of Jean Dubail and Mark Naymik outlining political news items from this week.
Then, at the end, Dubail mentions the redesign and how it “…allows people to actually post comments. In the past, people have had to use their own blogs to go after us and now you can do it directly on our blog posting…”
Can’t wait to see how those comment threads develop. But you don’t actually think it will stop us from blogging about you, now do you?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:03 pm February 16th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
Print This Post
Feb
16
When Bloggers hookup: getting hired, getting sponsored, getting snookered, getting lost
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
Hatttip to Feministing for pointing to this Christian Science Monitor commentary that analyzes what happens when bloggers and pols hookup.
At Buckeye State Blog, Jerid is soliciting input re: BlogPac‘s offer to sponsor BSB (and As Ohio Goes according to the BSB post).
Why lump these two items together? Because their existence further reveals an en masse movement – by people who want to amplify their message – to pluck individuals who’ve taken a risk and expressed themselves – often through blogs – in a way that resonates with other individuals. Such pluckers know that this skill should not be taken for granted.
Anyone can rant and call people names. But not everyone can express themselves in a way that makes other people care and think and re-think and change. And so, when people need people to help them spread and/or amplify a message, where do they go? They can hire PR and marketing folks, professional communications folks. And, now, more and more, they can go to a place where they will find people willing to speak their mind and do so in a powerful yet intimate way: the blogosphere, or blogworld, in which nearly 60 million blogs reside and in which at least a few folks, previously unknown, can do what the pluckers need.
Of course, many of those folks are blogging for their own reasons, and maybe for very different reasons, from one to the next. Some will be more easily enticed to hook-up with pols once approached, and others less inclined. That’s all okay too.
These options – trading in independence for affiliation with something bigger, or maintaining independence at the risk of reaching a smaller audience – don’t vary too much, no matter how you finesse them. Just like you can’t be kind of pregnant, you can’t be kind of being paid by someone. Either you are, or you aren’t. Being transparent about it just means that you’re letting the consumer know so that he or she can decide how to weigh what’s then said on the blog or by the individual.
Every blog author must decide for him or herself as to which direction they want to go in. I’ve imagined that so long as I could write for someone, work on something that is a passion of mine, that promotes and furthers and advances a belief I hold dear, being paid to do so would be fine. Otherwise, not likely to happen.
In fact, recently someone who continues to work on a project I left some time ago, a project which caused me great moral tzuras at different times, was told that she’s taken on my role as the group rabblerouser. I take pride in that, of course, because it helps me know that I didn’t back down, even if I ended up compromising and eventually moving on.
Politicians finding bloggers to help them express themselves to more people is a natural development. Larger groups like Blogpac seeking to wield a way into Ohio voters’ consciousness, likewise, is a natural development.
And so, maybe bloggers deciding that being shown the money is worth giving up independence is also a natural development.
But if that’s so, it’s also just more evidence, like the weather we’ve had in Cleveland lately, of what little impact humans sometimes have on natural developments. And how, in turn, the choices we make likewise affect those developments.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:11 pm February 16th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments
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Feb
16
OPENERS has a new look (updated)
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
Crisper than the other one, color-themed for politics, can’t tell if that dome is Columbus or D.C. and need to figure out where to locate the archives (on an old looking cache or…?).
Nice job.
Update: From the comments, fomer PD reporter for Cincy, Bill Sloat believes the cupola is not the one in Columbus. Also, I just signed in to be able to leave comments. I posted one but they do appear to be moderated or held – that is, it didn’t post immediately so we’ll have to see what the scoop is with those. (I left a very innocuous question. As a test. Just kidding. It’s a real question I had.)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:08 pm February 16th, 2007 in Politics | 3 Comments
Print This Post
Feb
16
OPENERS says, hit us with your best shots
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
As previously noted here, the Plain Dealer’s political blog, OPENERS, has undergone a facelift. While preparing Shabbat dinner this evening, I opened up this week’s podcast of Jean Dubail and Mark Naymik outlining political news items from this week.
Then, at the end, Dubail mentions the redesign and how it “…allows people to actually post comments. In the past, people have had to use their own blogs to go after us and now you can do it directly on our blog posting…”
Can’t wait to see how those comment threads develop. But you don’t actually think it will stop us from blogging about you, now do you?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:03 pm February 16th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
Print This Post
Feb
16
When Bloggers hookup: getting hired, getting sponsored, getting snookered, getting lost
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
Hatttip to Feministing for pointing to this Christian Science Monitor commentary that analyzes what happens when bloggers and pols hookup.
At Buckeye State Blog, Jerid is soliciting input re: BlogPac‘s offer to sponsor BSB (and As Ohio Goes according to the BSB post).
Why lump these two items together? Because their existence further reveals an en masse movement – by people who want to amplify their message – to pluck individuals who’ve taken a risk and expressed themselves – often through blogs – in a way that resonates with other individuals. Such pluckers know that this skill should not be taken for granted.
Anyone can rant and call people names. But not everyone can express themselves in a way that makes other people care and think and re-think and change. And so, when people need people to help them spread and/or amplify a message, where do they go? They can hire PR and marketing folks, professional communications folks. And, now, more and more, they can go to a place where they will find people willing to speak their mind and do so in a powerful yet intimate way: the blogosphere, or blogworld, in which nearly 60 million blogs reside and in which at least a few folks, previously unknown, can do what the pluckers need.
Of course, many of those folks are blogging for their own reasons, and maybe for very different reasons, from one to the next. Some will be more easily enticed to hook-up with pols once approached, and others less inclined. That’s all okay too.
These options – trading in independence for affiliation with something bigger, or maintaining independence at the risk of reaching a smaller audience – don’t vary too much, no matter how you finesse them. Just like you can’t be kind of pregnant, you can’t be kind of being paid by someone. Either you are, or you aren’t. Being transparent about it just means that you’re letting the consumer know so that he or she can decide how to weigh what’s then said on the blog or by the individual.
Every blog author must decide for him or herself as to which direction they want to go in. I’ve imagined that so long as I could write for someone, work on something that is a passion of mine, that promotes and furthers and advances a belief I hold dear, being paid to do so would be fine. Otherwise, not likely to happen.
In fact, recently someone who continues to work on a project I left some time ago, a project which caused me great moral tzuras at different times, was told that she’s taken on my role as the group rabblerouser. I take pride in that, of course, because it helps me know that I didn’t back down, even if I ended up compromising and eventually moving on.
Politicians finding bloggers to help them express themselves to more people is a natural development. Larger groups like Blogpac seeking to wield a way into Ohio voters’ consciousness, likewise, is a natural development.
And so, maybe bloggers deciding that being shown the money is worth giving up independence is also a natural development.
But if that’s so, it’s also just more evidence, like the weather we’ve had in Cleveland lately, of what little impact humans sometimes have on natural developments. And how, in turn, the choices we make likewise affect those developments.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:11 pm February 16th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
Print This Post
Feb
16
OPENERS has a new look (updated)
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
Crisper than the other one, color-themed for politics, can’t tell if that dome is Columbus or D.C. and need to figure out where to locate the archives (on an old looking cache or…?).
Nice job.
Update: From the comments, fomer PD reporter for Cincy, Bill Sloat believes the cupola is not the one in Columbus. Also, I just signed in to be able to leave comments. I posted one but they do appear to be moderated or held – that is, it didn’t post immediately so we’ll have to see what the scoop is with those. (I left a very innocuous question. As a test. Just kidding. It’s a real question I had.)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:08 pm February 16th, 2007 in Politics | 3 Comments
Print This Post
Feb
16
OPENERS has a new look (updated)
Filed Under Politics | Comments Off
Crisper than the other one, color-themed for politics, can’t tell if that dome is Columbus or D.C. and need to figure out where to locate the archives (on an old looking cache or…?).
Nice job.
Update: From the comments, fomer PD reporter for Cincy, Bill Sloat believes the cupola is not the one in Columbus. Also, I just signed in to be able to leave comments. I posted one but they do appear to be moderated or held – that is, it didn’t post immediately so we’ll have to see what the scoop is with those. (I left a very innocuous question. As a test. Just kidding. It’s a real question I had.)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:08 am February 16th, 2007 in Politics | Comments Off
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Feb
16
Ohio House of Representative Josh Mandel (R, 17th) has been appointed to the following committees:
Alternative Energy
Criminal Justice
Insurance
Public Utilities (Vice Chair; Chairman = John P. Hagan, R, 50th)
Now, I know nothing. I mean, I really know nothing about the rhyme and reason for how and why which freshman representatives get which appointments. But I know where I live and I know what cities are in my district. And I need someone to explain to me how these four committees relate to the work I would hope my representative will do for my district.
Maybe there isn’t supposed to be a connection. Maybe that’s naive. Or maybe my puzzlement is well-placed. I just have no idea. So I’m sure some kind soul will come along and explain what they think the reasoning must have been for how and why Representative Mandel received these specific appointments.
And how he become a vice chair of the Public Utilities committee in his first six weeks of being a representative for the 17th District, Ohio House of Representatives, representing numerous suburbs east of Cleveland.
Bill Callahan, in particular – what does this mean, if anything?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:51 am February 16th, 2007 in Politics | 10 Comments
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