Print This Post Print This Post

Dec

7

In memory of Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941

Filed Under Military, RIP | 5 Comments

Sixty-seven years ago today, the battle of Pearl Harbor began.  About half that many years ago, around the event’s 35th or so anniversary, I wrote a paper for a junior high social studies class on code-breaking during WWII.  And today is the first time I thought of that paper in probably 25 years.  I remember being incredibly fascinated by the writings about the code-breaking work – it’s secrecy and single-minded focus.  But I also remembering reading it back and thinking that to anyone who wasn’t interested in it, it probably sounds like gobbledyguk.  Which is perhaps why there continue to be stories written about whether we knew what when.

I’m not 100% sure whether it’s a good thing or not, but that paper is, as far as I recall, no where to be found anymore. Might be in the attic with some other rare papers I’ve kept (my college thesis on the sociological underpinnings of the Sherman anti-trust laws). For sure, if I ever find it, I’ll have to read it, and laugh, no doubt, at how…high schoolish it sounds.

RIP, Pearl Harbor victims.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:09 pm December 7th, 2008 in Military, RIP | 5 Comments 

Print This Post Print This Post

Dec

7

Marian Harris wins in Ohio Statehouse (D, 19), beats Brad Lewis

Filed Under Democrats, Elections, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse, Voting, Women | 1 Comment

From the inbox:

Provisionals have been counted and we’ve won by 735 votes!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the faith you’ve had in me, for all the help and support you’ve given me – I promise I will represent the 19th House District the best I can and then some.

Thanks again for all you’ve done.

Representative-Elect (that sounds so great!) Marian Harris

And from the Columbus Dispatch:

Democrat Marian Harris has defeated Republican Brad Lewis in the race for an Ohio House seat representing part of Franklin County, election results released this evening show.

Harris padded her 40-vote post-election lead to 735 votes after the Franklin County Board of Elections counted thousands of provisional ballots over the weekend.

Harris got 48.13 percent of the vote to Lewis’ 47.08 percent, while Libertarian Michael Johnston got 4.79 percent.

Way to go, Ohio’s Democratic ladies!  Harris’s win increases the pick-up and switch to Dem majority in the Ohio House starting in 2009.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:36 pm December 7th, 2008 in Democrats, Elections, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse, Voting, Women | 1 Comment 

Print This Post Print This Post

Dec

7

We have a winner: Mary Jo Kilroy (D) defeats former OH House Rep. Steve Stivers (R)

Filed Under Congress, Democrats, Elections, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse, Voting, Women | Comments Off

Finally:

Now it’s official: Mary Jo Kilroy will be going to Washington as the first Democrat to represent any part of Franklin County in Congress in a generation. 

Final vote tallies released this evening by the Franklin County Board of Elections show that Kilroy defeated Republican state Sen. Steve Stivers by 2,311 votes out of 304,053, outside of the 0.5 percent margin to trigger a recount.

Kilroy, a Franklin County commissioner who ran unsuccessfully for Congress two years ago, declared victory within an hour of the release of the vote tallies.

…

Pryce defeated Kilroy by 1,062 votes after a recount in 2006.

Don’t know if it will be enough to put the percentage of women in Congress over 18% but a win is a win. Many congratulations to Rep.-elect Kilroy and her tenacity and stamina.

Hattip Plunderbund.

Stivers is conceding the race and will not request a recount, spokesman Rob Nichols said.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:15 pm December 7th, 2008 in Congress, Democrats, Elections, Ohio, Politics, Statehouse, Voting, Women | Comments Off 

Print This Post Print This Post

Dec

7

Jewish history of Obama home in Chicago

Filed Under Barack Obama, Jewish | Comments Off

From the Chicago Jewish News:

A minor connection involved the fact that the Obamas’ house, located on the South Side of Chicago at 5046 S. Greenwood Avenue, is located across the street from KAM-Isaiah Israel Congregation, Chicago’s oldest Jewish congregation. The Secret Service agents guarding the house use the facilities at the temple. Greenwood is barricaded at both 51st Street and 50th Street and only residents and temple members are allowed to pass through. Temple members have to identify themselves to the Secret Service agents who then call the temple to verify that the visitors are legitimately there and have temple business.

But research shows a far more significant connection between the Obama house and the Jewish community.

Indeed, the title history of the Obama house shows it has a rich Jewish history, one that encompasses both of Chicago’s rival communities, the Reform Hyde Park German Jews and the Orthodox West Side Russian Jews.

…

It is fitting indeed that the Chicago home of President-elect Obama, who has worked hard to bridge the differences among us, has served as a residence to Christians and Jews, native-born and immigrants, as well as a base for both Jewish and Christian organizations. We Jews might even say it was beshert.

Read the full article for the many details of how the home was once a yeshiva, among other things.

Hattip Rabbi Jason Miller.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:22 am December 7th, 2008 in Barack Obama, Jewish | Comments Off 

"));