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Where Jill Will Talk Like She Writes
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The White House Project
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Dec
31
Is it 12:01 am yet?
Filed Under Flip | 2 Comments
I really, really, really do expect 2008 to be different. But first, I need to go to sleep. My kids are zooming around on sugar from ice cream, M&Ms and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups while I try to catch-up on news on my oldest child’s laptop - without my glasses (so excuse typos). I had the same but maybe I need about four times as much to give me the same energy?What’s 2008 going to be like? I’m not sure but I feel good about it. I’m thinking that the key word or concept will be integration - an integration of ideas, people, hopes, expectations, output.One of my all time favorite movie scenes is in Apollo 13, when Houston and the astronauts have to find a solution to a problem - they have no choice. Unless they just want to choose death. Which they don’t.I would say that 2008 will be a bit like that. We have to find solutions, we have no choice. Unless we just want to choose nothing.That’s just not one of the above.Happy New Year.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:56 pm December 31st, 2007 in Flip | 2 Comments
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Dec
30
Now this is what I’m talking about re: juvenile justice & curbing behavior
Filed Under Social Issues, Crime, Mental health | 2 Comments
Talk about finding solutions being sought in the most ironic places:
At Georgetown, in the newly formed Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, which is headed by former Clinton cabinet member, Shay Bilchik, who was the head of the OJJDP (part of the US Department of Justice and aka Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquincy Prevention - Chip Stewart was the head of it when I worked at DOJ) and most recently past executive director of the Child Welfare League of America. Here’s an interesting article about Bilchik and the CWLA (I was active with the group when I worked at Bellefaire, which was during the David Liederman era at CWLA - they had great conferences in Washington, DC).
Here’s Professor Bilchik’s bio from when he headed the OJJDP:
SHAY BILCHIK
Shay Bilchik was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Administrator of OJJDP on October 7, 1994, and sworn in on October 11, 1994. He previously served as Associate Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. As Administrator, Mr. Bilchik is responsible for the agency congressionally mandated to lead the effort to address the public safety issues of juvenile crime and youth victimization. His OJJDP leadership responsibilities include identifying effective strategies for addressing juvenile crime through research; coordinating, implementing, and supporting effective programs and encouraging innovative approaches to deal with existing and emerging juvenile justice issues; developing priorities and goals and setting policies to guide Federal juvenile justice issues; providing technical assistance and training to essential components of the juvenile justice system; and disseminating information on juvenile justice trends, programs, and new approaches.
Mr. Bilchik began his career in 1977 as an Assistant State’s Attorney for the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida in Miami. In 1979, he was promoted to Juvenile Division Chief and later to Deputy Chief Assistant for Administration. In 1985, he became Chief Assistant for Administration and was responsible for administering an office of more than 200 attorneys. Mr. Bilchik had supervisory authority over juvenile prosecution programs, including those involving prosecution of juveniles as adults in the Criminal Division. He also established and had oversight responsibility for the Child Advocacy Center, which is a multidisciplinary intake unit for cases involving victims of child abuse. As a Prosecutor, Mr. Bilchik served as the Coordinator of a number of special programs, including the Police-Juvenile Prosecutor Liaison and the School-Juvenile Prosecutor Liaison projects. He has lectured extensively on juvenile justice issues and served on the faculty of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. In addition, he was the author of the “Court Handbook for Dade County Lawyers, Juvenile Practice Section,” 1980 and “Prosecuting Juveniles in Criminal Courts — An Empirical Analysis,” 1984. Mr. Bilchik has served on numerous task forces and advisory committees dealing with juvenile delinquency and drug abuse issues. He also was involved in drafting a number of juvenile justice and child abuse legislative proposals in Florida. Mr. Bilchik received his education at the University of Florida, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1975 and a jurum doctor in 1977.
Very fortuitous to have found this article, just before New Years.
I see not so invisible omens. Don’t you just know that Bilchik is going to be getting an e-mail from me? I’d also love to know if a very special friend of mine in Miami who has been a prosecutor in juvenile court in southern Florida for at least 15 years knows Bilchik, and vice versa.
Chills.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:06 pm December 30th, 2007 in Social Issues, Crime, Mental health | 2 Comments
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Dec
28
Dispatch’s Ann Fisher on Ohio women getting into politics
Filed Under Campaigning, Women, Elections, Ohio, Politics | Leave a Comment
Perfect column for the new year. Thank you, Ann:
Too few women are involved [in politics] to this day. The White House Project aims to change that, and it wants to start them young.
Fran Ryan must have understood that in 1992 when, as Franklin County Democratic Party chairwoman, she tapped Jennifer Brunner to run for judge. Brunner, a mother of three children younger than 12, passed that time, “but once the idea was put into my head … it never left,” she said. “And eight years later, I ran for judge and I won.”
Last year, she was elected Ohio’s first female secretary of state, but she would be among the first to say that much, much more is needed.
The numbers tell the story: Ohio ranks 47th in the nation in the number of women representatives; and the U.S. is 69th in the world in that category, pathetic showings by any standard.
Whether you think you’re interested or not, check this out. June 2008 - Ohio (exact dates almost final). Details forthcoming and applications to open after January 1.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:43 pm December 28th, 2007 in Campaigning, Women, Elections, Ohio, Politics | Please comment
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Dec
27
Newly elected official? Go get some learnin’
Filed Under Government, Elections, Ohio, Politics | 7 Comments
I received word about the Newly-Elected Officials Certificate Series, put out by the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, last week. It starts 1/17/08. Here’s the site at the Levin College, you can see the program brochure here and here’s some basic info I received with the e-mail:
Regardless of political party, I’m certain we all agree on one thing - Cuyahoga County needs smart elected officials who understand how to govern. You are a leader in this community and I’m certain you know many people who would benefit from taking one or more of these classes.
This 9-session series is terrific - just what new political officer-holders need. And they don’t even have to sign up for all 9 classes…they can pick and choose. It’s also a great refresher course for elected officials who’ve been in office a while (as well as their staffs, campaign managers, political supporters and just about anyone who cares deeply about public service).
The faculty at CSU for this series is outstanding; everyone on that faculty knows their stuff and they’re excellent teachers, too.
For more information you can call Bruce Hennes at 216-321-7774, or Zoe Tyler or Suzanne Pokorny at 216-687-2206.
I have no official connection to Bruce Hennes or this series of classes, but I do appreciate receiving information from him from time to time (which this was).
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:11 am December 27th, 2007 in Government, Elections, Ohio, Politics | 7 Comments
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Dec
27
Who would be on your Strong Women playlist?
Filed Under Writing, Women, Culture | 8 Comments
I’m sure I’ve got some odd ones on there and some predictable ones too, but for Cleveland Carole, here are the lyrics to the Alanis Morrissette song I included:
“Not The Doctor”
I don’t want to be the filler if the void is solely yours
I don’t want to be your glass of single malt whiskey
Hidden in the bottom drawer
I don’t want to be a bandage if the wound is not mine
Lend me some fresh air
I don’t want to be adored for what I merely represent to you
I don’t want to be your babysitter
You’re a very big boy now
I don’t want to be your mother
I didn’t carry you in my womb for nine months
Show me the back door
Visiting hours are 9 to 5 and if I show up at 10 past 6
Well I already know that you’d find some way to sneak me in and oh
Mind the empty bottle with the holes along the bottom
You see it’s too much to ask for and I am not the doctor
I don’t want to be the sweeper of the egg shells that you walk upon
And I don’t want to be your other half, I believe that 1 and 1 make 2
I don’t want to be your food or the light from the fridge on your face
At midnight, hey
What are you hungry for
I don’t want to be the glue that holds your pieces together
I don’t want to be your idol
See this pedestal is high and I’m afraid of heights
I don’t want to be lived through
A vicarious occasion
Please open the window
Visiting hours are 9 to 5 and if I show up at 10 past 6
Well I already know that you’d find some way to sneak me in and oh
Mind the empty bottle with the holes along the bottom
You see it’s too much to ask for and I am not the doctor
I don’t want to live on someday when my motto is last week
I don’t want to be responsible for your fractured heart
And it’s wounded beat
I don’t want to be a substitute for the smoke you’ve been inhaling
What do you thank me
What do you thank me for
Visiting hours are 9 to 5 and if I show up at 10 past 6
Well I already know that you’d find some way to sneak me in and oh
Mind the empty bottle with the holes along the bottom
You see it’s too much to ask for and I am not the doctor
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:00 am December 27th, 2007 in Writing, Women, Culture | 8 Comments
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Dec
26
Valdis Krebs networks patterns of political book buying
Filed Under Writing, Government, Culture, Politics | 14 Comments
This network visualization of political book buying is insanely amazing. I’ve asked Valdis for a mind meld, but I’m sure I don’t have enough capacity to absorb even a one-millionth of what I’d need to think the way Valdis does. Thank goodness he thinks the way he does.
Thanks, Valdis (and Toddie Downs).
What I see:
People read what reinforces their beliefs - they are looking for affirmation that the way they think is okay and rational and justifiable. They don’t want to read anything that will shake their foundation.
I just bought three books today, none of them particularly political in the traditional sense (someone gave me Obama’s book and I haven’t read it yet; I also have The Holy Vote and I have only started it; I also have We’re All Journalists Now and I’m half way through that - I’m halfway through several books; I pulled out Gift from the Sea the other night when I was having trouble getting through some things):
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:56 pm December 26th, 2007 in Writing, Government, Culture, Politics | 14 Comments
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Dec
26
Dave Barry nails it
Filed Under Culture | 6 Comments
Hindsight is 20/20: more affirmation of why it was that I double majored in government and sociology, from “Dave Barry on College”:
For sheer lack of intelligibility, sociology is far and away the number one subject. I sat through hundreds of hours of sociology courses, and read gobs of sociology writing, and I never once heard or read a coherent statement. This is because sociologists want to be considered scientists, so they spend most of their time translating simple, obvious observations into scientific-sounding code. If you plan to major in sociology, you’ll have to learn to do the same thing. For example, suppose you have observed that children cry when they fall down. You should write: “Methodological observation of the sociometrical behavior tendencies of prematurated isolates indicates that a causal relationship exists between groundward tropism and lachrimatory, or ‘crying,’ behavior forms.” If you can keep this up for fifty or sixty pages, you will get a large government grant.
Hattip to The India Uncut Blog.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:00 pm December 26th, 2007 in Culture | 6 Comments
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Dec
26
ODP Women’s Organizing Convention 1/12-13/08
Filed Under Women, Announcements, Politics | 2 Comments
I don’t know a lot about this event - I’m trying to get more details. I’ll be at RootsCamp on Sunday, 1/13 but maybe I’ll try to pop over to the ODP? Anyone going?
By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:00 pm December 26th, 2007 in Women, Announcements, Politics | 2 Comments
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Dec
26
Remains of the Year, Politics Edition
Filed Under WH2008, Campaigning, Statehouse, Elections, Remains of the Day, Politics | 1 Comment
2. Are political moderates tuning out, or something else? I believe intimidation and a dislike of others’ tactics are the culprits.
3. Charlie Wilson on Charlie Wilson and the movie about Charlie Wilson
4. The Rothenberg Political Report’s best and worst of politics, 2007
5. Speaking of women, they’re training up across the country and in June, in Ohio - get your applications ready ladies - but start here by trying to become a pundit
6. National Conference on State Legislatures Top 10 Issues forecast for 2008 - think it applies to Ohio?
7. Gov. Strickland and the GOP-led statehouse play nice? Eh. They’re circling, big time.
8. Play the next-president futures market
9. Project Vote Smart -a fantastic resource
10. “Political campaign spending on advertising media and marketing services is expected to soar 43 percent to an all-time high of $4.5 billion in the 2008 election cycle…” (fourth item down)
11. Lawyers lead the pack in how much they give to political candidates. Lots of charts and data.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:00 am December 26th, 2007 in WH2008, Campaigning, Statehouse, Elections, Remains of the Day, Politics | 1 Comment
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Dec
26
Remains of the Year, Citizen Journalism Edition
Filed Under Writing, 'Roots News, Remains of the Day, Media, Tech, Blogging | Leave a Comment
2. CNN’s Year-end citizen journalism wrap-up (seems a bit like an oxymoron though, no?)
3. Cyberjournalist.net’s top stories of 2007
4. Training a new generation of citizen journalists around the world (hattip to PJNet.org)
5. The Chief Source - showing how it’s done (but guys, can you figure out a tagging system or something so I could have linked to all the NH trip posts? Let me know if there’s some simple way I’m missing - which is VERY possible)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:00 am December 26th, 2007 in Writing, 'Roots News, Remains of the Day, Media, Tech, Blogging | Please comment
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Dec
26
Remains of the Year, Blog Buzz Edition
Filed Under Remains of the Day, Tech, Blogging | Leave a Comment
1. Ultimate Blogs: Masterworks from the Wild Web. Most of us can skip it, especially if you listen to the NPR piece. Yeah, I know, why didn’t we think of this? (George - that BFD book - it’s out there, I know it.)
2. Blogging is about giving. I agree 100%.
3. A list of the best newspaper blogs for comments, community and readability.
4. Automakers blog to make their point, connect with customers.
5. FOIA reform: Bloggers are journalists too - finally albeit still limited
6. Stanford profiles its state of the blogosphere and counts 60-70
7. Blogonaut’s top 10 strange but true legal stories of the year
8. ABA Journal’s Top 100 Blawgs (plenty about politics, gossip, lawyers behaving badly, etc.)
By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:00 am December 26th, 2007 in Remains of the Day, Tech, Blogging | Please comment
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Dec
25
Remains of the Year, Media and Journalism Edition
Filed Under Writing, Remains of the Day, Media | 2 Comments
1. When truthiness becomes more important than truth and excludes or slants information because of how the mainstream media uses those editors they have that blogs don’t.
2. Anyone want a master’s degree in media psychology and social change? I was born too soon.
3. The Wire, an HBO show about newspapers, has been around for five seasons and is in its final year? Oops.
4. Deans of eight journalism schools, “