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Oct

15

Journalism, what is it good for?

Filed Under Media | Comments Off

I’ve been hording posts about journalism. Have a look:

1. Is your loyalty to news or newsprint? From Wendy Hoke of Creative Ink

2. Rasmussen report that says “53% say Internet has been good for journalism”

3. Channel 19 fabricated a story about strippers? No!

4. Covering global warming, with lessons from the blogosphere

5. Notes from the Networked Journalism Summit (the kind of thing I’d go to if I lived in driving distance, easy driving distance, or walking distance maybe)

6. How to beat the online competition

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:21 pm October 15th, 2007 in Media | Comments Off 

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Oct

15

It’s the Ohio government structure, stupid

Filed Under Business, Government, Ohio, Statehouse | Comments Off

“Employment Growth, Future Prospects, and Change at the Ohio Rural-Urban Interface” is the second in a series of reports being done by Mark Partridge, the Swank Professor of Rural-Urban Policy, and Jill Clark, program manager of the Exurban Change Project. According to the press release noted below, this report for the “Growth and Change” series examines economic and demographic trends in the state.

As noted in this Capital Blog post (which is based on this press release):

Traditional explanations of the state’s downturn don’t make much sense under scrutiny, the researchers said. There’s simply not sufficient evidence to blame Ohio’s continuing poor performance on popular explanations, such as a declining manufacturing base or bad Midwestern weather, because other Great Lake states face the same problems.

“Let’s stop blaming the loss of manufacturing and start looking at some things that are more systemic,” Clark said. “Those things are harder to address, but we need to start looking at them.”

In particular, the state’s governmental structure caught the researchers’ eyes.

“We have expensive government,” Partridge said. “I’m not saying we’re wasteful, but when you have a governmental body, you need boards, overseers, all kinds of overhead that aren’t truly necessary to provide services. The problem lies in how we set up Ohio’s government in the 19th century. Is this really how we want to do business in the 21st century?”

Clark said that not all Great Lakes states have a governmental structure like Ohio’s, in which every village, township and county have separate governing boards and councils. States that have “thinner” governments, such as Wisconsin or Minnesota, tend to be doing better economically than those that have more governmental layers, such as Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

“Ohio has so many villages and townships, and most have their own fire department,” Clark said. “The state should consider offering incentives to work more regionally.”

Replacing the current governmental structure with a leaner, regionally focused structure is a tall order, the researchers admit. But in the long run, making the transition would pay off.

So all the talk we hear about regionalism – makes you wonder, just a wee bit – which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:40 pm October 15th, 2007 in Business, Government, Ohio, Statehouse | Comments Off 

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Oct

15

Bazaar Bizarre

Filed Under Announcements, Cleveland+, Culture, Ohio, Women, Writing | 2 Comments

Shannon Okey is one of my favorite bloggers – and I actually should amend that to say that she is one of my favorite people that I’ve met through blogging, though I haven’t seen her lately.  But she is a treasure and one of her big, fun projects is Bazaar Bizarre. This is the third year I’ve known about the event and I haven’t made it – yet.  But I swear – I am going to work hard to make it this year.

Here’s some info about it, hattip to Brewed Fresh Daily:

Mark your calendars now — the fourth annual Bazaar Bizarre Cleveland is taking place in downtown Cleveland on Saturday, December 1st from noon to 9:00 p.m. This year we’re in a new venue, the Sincere Building, right near Lola, the Corner Alley and all kinds of downtown fun. (Disclosure: I’m a show organizer)

Bazaar Bizarre, which began in Boston almost seven years ago, is a hip, fun indie craft fair that now takes place in Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and San Francisco each year. The vendor application for Cleveland is now online.

Featuring everything from handmade jewelry and clothing to art and toys, it’s a great one-stop non-mall holiday shopping experience and a way to support small local businesses. We’re also soliciting performers — in years past we’ve had belly dancers, DJs and more — if you’re interested, email cleveland_info@bazaarbizarre.org!

In addition, BazBiz will be the first Pop Up City event in Cleveland. Pop Up City is a series of temporary events in vacant places. Civic Innovation Lab funds will be used to develop, implement, and promote these events. Some events (i.e. temporary restaurants and shops) will generate revenue, although they will require an initial investment to get started. Others are not income-producing; these events will be supported with Civic Innovation Lab funds, neighborhood partnerships, and other funding sources.

In a nutshell:
Bazaar Bizarre Cleveland 2007
Saturday, December 1 — noon to 9:00 p.m.
Corner of East Fourth and Prospect (2079 East Fourth), Cleveland
More info

See you there!

I really do hope she sees me there this year.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:25 pm October 15th, 2007 in Announcements, Cleveland+, Culture, Ohio, Women, Writing | 2 Comments 

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Oct

15

How a bill becomes a PITA: the anti-stripper law will never be enforced

Filed Under Business, Government, Ohio, Statehouse | 8 Comments

Here’s the Act Summary for Sub. S.B. 16, also known as the anti-stripper law, among many other things.

So, now that the state of Ohio law enforcement force will have to enforce this law, let’s look at what they’ll have to do. In this post, I’m just going to let you read over the act’s language. Now, I have a legal education and I can tell you, this bill is a minefield for absolutely arbitrary and capricious applications.

Someone remind me again – who is the law supposed to be helping? Because reading it, looks like the lawyers who will be litigating its existence are the only ones who will be benefitting in any way, shape or Maidenform.

 

ACT SUMMARY

· Prohibits a sexually oriented business from being open for business between midnight and 6 a.m., except that a sexually oriented business that holds a liquor permit may remain open until the hour specified in the permit if it does not conduct, offer, or allow any sexually oriented entertainment activity in which the performers appear nude.

· Prohibits a patron of a sexually oriented business who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family to knowingly touch any employee of the business while that employee is nude or seminude or touch the clothing of any employee while that employee is nude or seminude.

· Prohibits an employee who regularly appears nude or seminude on the premises of a sexually oriented business, while on the premises and while nude or seminude, from knowingly touching a patron who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or another employee who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or the clothing of a patron who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or another employee who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or allowing a patron who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or another employee who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family to touch the employee or the employee’s clothing.

· Authorizes the legislative authority of a municipal corporation to request the Attorney General’s guidance and assistance in drafting an ordinance regulating adult entertainment establishments and requires the Attorney General to provide that guidance upon request.

· Requires the state to indemnify a township, the trustees of a township, a municipal corporation, and the legislative authority of a municipal corporation that adopts a resolution or ordinance regulating adult entertainment establishments in accordance with the Attorney General’s legal guidance from liability incurred in the enforcement of the resolution or ordinance if the court finds the resolution or ordinance unconstitutional or otherwise legally defective but prohibits the state from providing such indemnification for any part of a judgment or settlement covered by insurance, resulting from acts manifestly outside the scope of an officer’s or employee’s responsibilities or from malicious purpose, bad faith, or wanton or reckless behavior, or that is for punitive damages or any part of a consent judgment or settlement that is unreasonable.

 

CONTENT AND OPERATION

Prohibitions related to sexually oriented business

Definitions

The act defines “sexually oriented business” for use in its prohibitions related to such businesses as an adult bookstore, adult video store, adult cabaret, adult motion picture theater, sexual device shop, or sexual encounter center, but does not include a business solely by reason of its showing, selling, or renting materials rated NC-17 or R by the Motion Picture Association of America (R.C. 2907.40(A)(15)). See COMMENT 1 for other definitions related to those prohibitions.

Hours of operation

The act prohibits a sexually oriented business from being or remaining open for business between midnight and 6 a.m. on any day. However, if a sexually oriented business holds a liquor permit, it may remain open until the hour specified in the permit if it does not conduct, offer, or allow sexually oriented entertainment activity in which the performers appear nude. A violation of this prohibition is “illegally operating a sexually oriented business,” a misdemeanor of the first degree. (R.C. 2907.40(B) and (D).)

“No-touch” rule

The act prohibits a patron of a sexually oriented business who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family from knowingly touching any employee of the business while that employee is nude or seminude or touch the clothing of any employee while that employee is nude or seminude. The act also prohibits an employee who regularly appears nude or seminude on the premises of a sexually oriented business, while on the premises of that business and while nude or seminude, from knowingly touching a patron who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or another employee who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or the clothing of a patron who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or another employee who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or allowing a patron who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family or another employee who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family to touch the employee or the employee’s clothing. A violation of either prohibition is “illegal sexually oriented activity in a sexually oriented business” and is a misdemeanor of the first degree if the offender touches a specified anatomical area of the patron or employee or the clothing covering a specified anatomical area (includes human genitals, pubic region, and buttocks and the human female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola). Otherwise, a violation is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. (R.C. 2907.40(C) and (E).)

Indemnification

Townships

Under continuing law, a township may adopt a resolution regulating adult entertainment establishments. “Adult entertainment establishment” and the terms used in the definition of “adult entertainment establishment” are defined in R.C. 2907.39 (see COMMENT 2). Upon the request of a township, the Attorney General must provide without charge legal guidance and assistance to the township in developing, formulating, and drafting a resolution regarding the operation of adult entertainment establishments. (R.C. 503.52(A) and (B)(2).)

The act requires the state to indemnify a township and its trustees from liability incurred in the enforcement of a resolution that is authorized by R.C. 503.52, that was drafted in accordance with legal guidance provided by the Attorney General, and that a court finds to be unconstitutional or otherwise legally defective. Except as noted below, the state must pay any judgment in, or amount negotiated in settlement of, any civil action arising from the enforcement of the resolution. The state is not permitted to indemnify a township or its trustees until all appeals have been exhausted or the action has otherwise been finally resolved. The state is not permitted to indemnify a township or its trustees for any of the following or to the extent that any of the following apply:

(1) Any part of the judgment or settlement that represents damages that are covered by a policy of insurance for civil liability;

(2) Any part of the judgment or settlement that is based upon an officer or employee of the township acting manifestly outside the scope of the officer’s or employee’s employment or official responsibilities, with malicious purpose, in bad faith, or in a wanton or reckless manner;

(3) Any part of the judgment that is for punitive damages;

(4) Any part of a consent judgment or settlement that the Attorney General determines is unreasonable. (R.C. 503.52(F).)

Municipal corporations

The act authorizes the legislative authority of a municipal corporation to request the Attorney General to provide legal guidance and assistance in developing, formulating, and drafting an ordinance regarding the operation of adult entertainment establishments that does not conflict with general laws, R.C. Chapter 4303., or any rule adopted by the Division of Liquor Control. Upon such a request, the Attorney General must provide the requested legal guidance and assistance to the municipal corporation. The ordinance may include, but need not be limited to, antinudity restrictions, limitations on hours of operation, interior configuration requirements, and requirements that an adult entertainment establishment and its employees obtain licenses or permits to operate as an adult entertainment establishment or to be employed by an adult entertainment establishment. The ordinance may create one or more criminal offenses and impose criminal penalties related to the operation of adult entertainment establishments or may provide for civil sanctions for violations of the ordinance.

The act requires the state to indemnify a municipal corporation and the members of the municipal corporation’s legislative authority from liability incurred in the enforcement of an ordinance that is authorized by the provisions discussed in the prior paragraph, is drafted in accordance with legal advice given by the Attorney General, and that a court finds to be unconstitutional or otherwise legally defective, to the same extent as the state must indemnify a township and its trustees under the act (see “Townships,” above). (R.C. 715.55.)

 

COMMENT

1. Definitions:

“Adult bookstore” or “adult video store” means a commercial establishment that has as a significant or substantial portion of its stock in trade or inventory in, derives a significant or substantial portion of its revenues from, devotes a significant or substantial portion of its interior business or advertising to, or maintains a substantial section of its sales or display space for the sale or rental, for any form of consideration, of books, magazines, periodicals, or other printed matter, or photographs, films, motion pictures, video cassettes, compact discs, slides, or other visual representations, that are characterized by their emphasis upon the exhibition or description of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas.

“Adult cabaret” means a nightclub, bar, juice bar, restaurant, bottle club, or other similar commercial establishment, regardless of whether alcoholic beverages are served, that regularly features individuals who appear in a state of nudity or seminudity.

“Adult motion picture theater” means a commercial establishment where films, motion pictures, videocassettes, slides, or similar photographic reproductions that are characterized by their emphasis upon the display of specified sexual activities or specified anatomical areas are regularly shown to more than five individuals for any form of consideration.

“Characterized by” means describing the essential character or quality of an item.

“Employee” means any individual who performs any service on the premises of a sexually oriented business on a full-time, part-time, or contract basis, regardless of whether the individual is denominated an employee, independent contractor, agent, or otherwise, but does not include an individual exclusively on the premises for repair or maintenance of the premises or for the delivery of goods to the premises.

“Nudity,” “nude,” or “state of nudity” has the same meaning as in section 2907.39 of the Revised Code (the showing of the human male or female genitals, pubic area, vulva, anus, anal cleft, or cleavage with less than a fully opaque covering; or the showing of the female breasts with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple).

“Operator” means any individual on the premises of a sexually oriented business who causes the business to function or who puts or keeps in operation the business or who is authorized to manage the business or exercise overall operational control of the business premises.

“Patron” means any individual on the premises of a sexually oriented business except for any of the following:

(1) An operator or an employee of the sexually oriented business;

(2) An individual who is on the premises exclusively for repair or maintenance of the premises or for the delivery of goods to the premises;

(3) A public employee or a volunteer firefighter emergency medical services worker acting within the scope of the public employee’s or volunteer’s duties as a public employee or volunteer.

“Premises” means the real property on which the sexually oriented business is located and all appurtenances to the real property, including, but not limited, to the sexually oriented business, the grounds, private walkways, and parking lots or parking garages adjacent to the real property under the ownership, control, or supervision of the owner or operator of the sexually oriented business.

“Regularly” means consistently or repeatedly.

“Seminude” or “state of seminudity” has the same meaning as in section 2907.39 of the Revised Code (a state of dress in which opaque clothing covers not more than the genitals, pubic region, and nipple of the female breast, as well as portions of the body covered by supporting straps or devices).

“Sexual device” means any three-dimensional object designed and marketed for stimulation of the male or female human genitals or anus or female breasts or for sadomasochistic use or abuse of oneself or others, including, but not limited to, dildos, vibrators, penis pumps, and physical representations of the human genital organs, but not including devices primarily intended for protection against sexually transmitted diseases or for preventing pregnancy.

“Sexual device shop” means a commercial establishment that regularly features sexual devices, but not including any pharmacy, drug store, medical clinic, or establishment primarily dedicated to providing medical or healthcare products or services, and not including any commercial establishment that does not restrict access to its premises by reason of age.

“Sexual encounter center” means a business or commercial enterprise that, as one of its principal business purposes, purports to offer for any form of consideration physical contact in the form of wrestling or tumbling between individuals of the opposite sex when one or more of the individuals is nude or seminude.

“Specified sexual activity” means sexual intercourse, oral copulation, masturbation, or sodomy, or excretory functions as a part of or in connection with any of these activities.

2. R.C. 2907.39 defines “adult entertainment establishment” as an adult arcade, adult bookstore, adult novelty store, adult video store, adult cabaret, adult motion picture theater, adult theater, nude or seminude model studio, or sexual encounter establishment, all of which are also defined in that section. The statute expressly excludes from “adult entertainment establishment” an establishment in which a medical practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist, or similar professional person licensed by the state engages in medically approved and recognized therapy, including, but not limited to, massage therapy, as regulated pursuant to R.C. 4731.15.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:06 pm October 15th, 2007 in Business, Government, Ohio, Statehouse | 8 Comments 

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Oct

15

AAPC-Bliss Institute panel on News, Bloggers and New Media in 2008 Ohio: Reviews

Filed Under Blogging, Campaigning, Elections, Ohio, Politics | 6 Comments

I’ll be writing about the event later today, probably this evening.  But here are some reviews so far:

The Chief Source’s Kyle Kutichief:

Jill Miller Zimon did an excellent job of leading the discussion on why bloggers are important to Ohio. She talked about us being primary sources for information and doing the kind of digging that the main stream media doesn’t have the interest to do. She also said that blogs are often “hyper-local” in their coverage. I liked that term and enjoyed her presentation. She is a good spokeswoman for the bloggers of Northeast Ohio. 

From emails I’ve received (names removed to protect the innocent, in case they were just being nice):

“I learned a lot from your panel and hope we will continue to work together!”

“You were the star of the Bliss show. We – as well as the students – learned a lot from your presentation.”

“You helped make a good event a great one.”

“You shattered many of my notions about bloggers and you can rest assured you now have a devoted fan at [redacted]…”

“Your presentation on the panel was great….I admire what you have accomplished with your work….to encounter a blogger who was educated, intelligent and with a pleasant disposition was refreshing.”

“Your presentation was excellent, remaining poised and in command with some of the largest names in Ohio Journalism speaks to your character.”

“…early reports indicate you were great!  Nice work.”

“you did a great job on last night’s panel—took courage to do a powerpoint for that many people but you pulled it off….I had to leave during Q&A but it was enjoyable & educational.”

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:18 pm October 15th, 2007 in Blogging, Campaigning, Elections, Ohio, Politics | 6 Comments 

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Oct

15

Israeli body not captured soldier

Filed Under Foreign Affairs | Comments Off

From The Media Line:

A Hizbullah operative and the bodies of two Hizbullah fighters have been returned to Lebanon in exchange for the body of an Israeli civilian, according to media reports from Beirut.

The living Hizbullah man is Hasan Akeel, who was captured by Israeli troops during last year’s fighting between the two in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli, an Ethiopian immigrant, died at sea three years ago, his body possibly washed up on the Lebanese coastline.

The swap was facilitated in part by the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL. The deal was brokered by German officials.

Sigh.  Maybe next time?

Families of those still held in jails or hostage on both sides of the border are expressing hope that this swap will lead to further exchanges.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 1:57 pm October 15th, 2007 in Foreign Affairs | Comments Off 

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Oct

15

Israel-Lebanon swap bodies

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But we know which bodies yet. From The Media Line:

The remains of one or two bodies of Israelis were transferred to A-Naqoura, a border crossing on the Israeli-Lebanese border on Monday, the Arabic language channel Al-‘Alam is reporting.

 

The names of the Israelis were not mnetioned on the Iranian channel. Al-‘Alam said the bodies were those of two Israeli soldiers but a conflicting report said it was the body of an Israeli civilian.

 

It is possible the bodies in question are those of two Israeli soldiers, Ehud Goldwaser and Eldad Regev, who were kidnapped on July 12, 2006 in a Hizbullah attack on Israeli forces on the Israel-Lebanon border.

Neither side is commenting on the report. I’m sure there will be more news to follow.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:00 am October 15th, 2007 in Foreign Affairs | Comments Off 

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Oct

15

Why Ann Coulter will never get to heaven

Filed Under Jewish, Judaism, Marketing, Media, Religion, Women, Writing | 10 Comments

I am exhausted from the debate Dave of NixGuy and I have been engaged in about Ann Coulter and perfecting Jews and the tenets of the 80% versus the desires of the 1.5% (though some say 3% or even a bit more).

But I urge you to go read what we’ve written today, because the post contains absolutely basic, necessary questions that we all need to answer – for ourselves and each other.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:22 am October 15th, 2007 in Jewish, Judaism, Marketing, Media, Religion, Women, Writing | 10 Comments 

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