Now Posting at Cleveland Examiner

The Examiner web platforms let people sign up to write on specific topics for (mostly) exposure and (a little) cash. I signed up to be the Cleveland Church and State Examiner. The spot was open and it's one of my strongest interests. And rather than bore all of you and the Akron Legal News audience with church/state all the time, I have a new platform for that stuff.

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So here's the deal. Pay, such as it is, is based on traffic (the site carries ads, especially of the smoking hot news reader telling you about Acai berry sort.) I will be posting links to my Examiner pieces here, plus my other social media stuff. It would be a big help if you would surf over and check them out. It's a great way to feed a starving blogger and (hopefully) be entertained and informed as well.

So far I have this piece looking at how Elena Kagan might view church/state controversies as a Supreme Court justice, this take on the Parma sex education controversy and, just up, a law wonkish piece on what we are talking about when we talk about Establishment Clause -- and other legal terms.

UPDATE: Links are fixed now.

Tomorrow in Akron Legal News (Shameless Plugs, Pt. 1)

I've mentioned previously my latest writing venture, a biweekly column in the Akron Legal News. Tomorrow will be my fifth column since all this started. Since they haven't run me out yet, this seems solid enough to start blogging about without jinxing it. So I'll start posting a preview with a few links, perhaps a nut graf or two and maybe even a few snippets from the cutting room floor. Unfortunately you have to get the dead tree version of the Legal News to actually read the thing as my columns aren't being posted on the website yet.

So this week I was inspired by the 50th anniversary of Strunk and White's Elements of Style and some of the inevitable anti-Elements backlash from the descriptivist camp as a hook. While the descriptivist may have some points about some of the grammar "rules" contained in Elements, I'm concerned that the general reaction against prescriptive grammar has provided some of the impetus to stop teaching grammar in K-12 schools, to the detriment of students and those of us who have to read there writing attempts in college.

Nut graf:

Conjugating verbs, learning parts of speech and diagramming sentences seem rote and pointless, especially to succeeding generations of more digitized students. But that kind of grammar instruction gives us a language to speak about language. We can teach good, clear, readable writing more easily when students understand how the parts of language work together and have a vocabulary for discussing those parts.

Some linkage. The anti-Elements rant that serves as my hook is here. The ABA Journal online post that gave me the idea and a passible claim that it is germane to a legal publication is here. The author, Geoffey Pullum is one of the lead bloggers in Language Log which a linguistics-blog-fan friend says is the biggie in the field. I'm frankly a bit leery about having used the Pullum piece as hook, even though I don't directly take it on because a) Pullum is very good and knows far more about usage than I could ever hope to and b) a survey of his posts reveals that he can be markedly unpleasant to anyone who disagrees with him.

Anyway, if you happen to get the Legal News or otherwise come across it tomorrow, give it a look.

My Latest Gig

Finally I can announce that as of last Wednesday I will have a biweekly column in the Akron Legal News. This has been in the works for some time, then the launch caught me napping. Anyway, I have a pretty free hand to write about law-related topics that interest me. The masthead for the column appears a right.

Unfortunately, the paper doesn't currently post online, so no linkage. Also unfortunately, to make this happen I am selling my pieces outright to the paper, so I can't post them here at the risk of plagiarizing myself. Probably I'll at least let you know what I've written about and maybe include a graf or two. Last week's piece was an intro to me and what I will be doing with the column -- nothing you haven't heard already.

The whole writing thing has been stalled lately for obvious reasons. Hopefully this will keep me in the game for a while until the economy eases.

Akron Press Club Presents "Buckeye Battlefield"

There is still time to reserve a spot for the Akron Press Club "Buckeye Battlefield" program this Thursday. The panelists will be:

• John C. Green, Director, Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, The University of Akron
• Jason Johnson, Assistant Professor, Communication and Political Science, Hiram College
  
• Connie Schultz, Columnist, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Check here for reservation info.

A New Knight Center and a New Freelance Piece.

My latest step in my slow ascent up the ladder of freelance respectability is here, a lead in the Knight Foundation newsletter about the Knight Center of Digital Excellence. Attentive readers may recall that when the Knight Foundation and OneCommunity announced plans for an Akron WiFi zone, they announced creation of this Center of Digital Excellence as part of the overall effort. They moved into their new offices in the United 1 building a couple of weeks ago and hired me to cover the event for their members.

If you aren't inclined to click through to review my work I'll say that the Knight Center (still getting used to saying that and meaning something other than the Convention Center) is a nationwide pro bono networking consulting service run in partnership by the Knight Foundation and OneCommunity. They work toward community internet access by playing what baseball teams call small ball -- small, focused connectivity projects here and there build out networks (mostly in what tech guys call the middle mile) and communities build on that to connect their populations.

It's no small thing for Akron to have gotten this. The effort is getting serious looks as a sort of next generation collection of connectivity models now that some high-profile muni wireless efforts have cratered. I was honored to have been present, if not at the creation, at least on moving day.

(Just so we're clear, my contract with the Foundation was fulfilled by the article; I'm writing this on my own because it's pretty cool and Pho-phriendly news regardless.)

APC Presents Jennifer Brunner. Ohio 16 Debate

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner will speak before the Akron Press Club (and yr. humble blogger is on the programming committee, but did not arrange this one.) Secretary Brunner will speak Thursday, Sept. 4 at the Martin Center on the University campus. Lunch begins at 11:45.

Details and info on reserving tickets here.

In addition, APC's contribution to the Ohio 16th contest is nearly settled. PolitickerOhio reports that candidates John Boccieri and Kirk Shuring have agreed to three debates, on of which will be co-sponsored by APC and the Bliss Institute. Still a few details to be ironed out.

The Brunner program is up now on the Upcoming badge and subsequent Press Club programs will be added as things get posted on the website.

Catalyst Ohio Poll re: Strickland's Education Plans

Catalyst Ohio, a non-profit magazine from which I occasionally get freelance work, is conducting an online poll regarding Strickland's plan to consolidate state education administration. As it happens, that's a central theme of my (long-delayed) take on the Guv's education town hall last week, so I'll push off that post yet again. For now, please click through the link and take the survey.

Here's the message from Catalyst:

Hello Catalyst Reader,

Here's your chance to weigh in on an issue critical to improving Ohio's schools.

What do you think of Gov. Ted Strickland's proposal to appoint a cabinet-level director of education, which would relegate the Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State School Board to the role of advisors?

Please click on www.catalyst-ohio.org. Go to Catalyst Quiz on right and take a minute to share your views.

The link pulls up your default email program with an email to the Editor with the subject line that let's them know it's a survey response.

APC Veterans Panel May 1.

The Akron Press Club will present a panel on veterans health care next week. We've got a great line-up:

Moderator: Eric Mansfield of WKYC

Panel Members:


George Baker, Executive Director, Summit County Veterans Service Commission

Patricia Hall, Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Program Manager, ouis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

Jason L. Huff, Regional Public Affairs Director, Ohio Attorney General’s Office (And a veteran in his own right)


Details:


Date: Thursday, May 1

Buffet Lunch: 11:45 a.m.

Program: Noon

Location: Martin University Cente, 105 Fir Hill, on the University of Akron campus.

Cost: $10 for Akron Press Club members; $15 for non-members.

The program will start immediately following the luncheon, both of which are open to the public.


Reserve a spot: Reservations are requested. Contact Abe Zaidan. Contact info here.

And if you are wandering by the blog for the first time, I sit on the Press Club Board of Trustees and the programming committee, though I didn't put this panel together.

Take the Catalyst Ohio Poll

As regular readers know, I've been writing for Catalyst Ohio, a nonprofit magazine covering urban education issues. The magazine is now conducting an online survey about how people get education news and information. Just click here

The goal of the survey is to ascertain how Catalyst can use new media to serve our audience. Whether you have read (or heard of) the magazine or not, I'd appreciate if you could take five minutes or so to take the survey.

Note that some browsers give people problems with the last question. If it only lets you pick one, pick the most important one.

Things I Do When I'm Not Blogging

My second ever freelance writing job is up on the Catalyst website. Once again I did the Notebook section which includes an interview with Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic.

Among the revelations, that the mayors are again attempting to reach consensus and offer a school funding reform proposal:

Well we just reconvened. I was at the U.S.
Conference of Mayors annual meeting and a
number of Ohio mayors asked me to convene
a meeting. We met there and made a commitment
that I would reconvene a group. We
did that with just mayors and brought an
expert that we had used early on from Colorado.
I understand [Governor Ted] Strickland’s
reluctance to jump in as the first thing
he did to try to solve this because I think there
would have been major problems and I think
he’s played this pretty well. But somewhere
here in the next year and a half we’ve got to
address this issue. This is a huge problem that
I think may only get solved by constitutional
amendment, and in a constitutional amendment
you’ve got to keep it simple. And the
simple way of dealing with it is to deal with the
funding formula first, get off of the property
tax, and shift to an income or sales tax base

By the way, in his State of the State address today, Gov. Strickland reprised the "What if we weren't afraid" trope he used in the cover interview last issue. It's great to be writing for a publication that's so easy to promote.

So Pho, What Have You Been Doing with Yourself?

A fair question. I haven't been blogging much, and it's not for want of material. An aggragation of distractions has kept me away. We've been on the east coast both of the last two weekends, Prof. W is out of town, one of the kids is sick, I've been wrapping up my class and working on a writing project and resolving computer issues. Layer on top of that a set of niggling health problems which, if I catelogued them, would make me sound like Mr. Richard Feder of Ft. Lee New Jersey.

So I haven't been writing much.

Today was my last class. I have a stack of term papers to grade, plus a final to give. The class has taken the most out of me. Studying Con Law has been rewarding -- I learned more this run through than either of the first two times through the material. But it is real work. My class next semester should be less demanding, though probably not as much fun.

Meanwhile, the writing. When Jill posts her "Some People Pay Me to Write" links she pulls of a matter of fact tone. I'm feeling all "OMG, someone is paying me to write! Y'know, read stuff, learn about it and write it up. The thing I've been doing for free for the past few years. I found someone who pays me for that!!!" Anyway, my first paying gig is up. Currently the Notebook is my beat (on pages 4-5 of the .pdf.) I wrote the three In Review items, the Elsewhere piece, found the Quotable quote and did the Q&A with OFT President Sue Taylor. I even got a byline-y thing on that, which was unexpected.

And I'd be remiss in not pointing out that the whole issue is a good read featuring interviews with Gov. Strickland and State Superintendent Susan Tave Zelman. And don't forget that subscriptions for hard copy are free.

Anyway, that's where I've been. Now that class is over I have a little more control over my schedule, especially when I finish the piece I'm currently working on. In the meantime, I appreciate everyone's patience.

Ohio Youth Voices' Exchange Program

Those Youth Agenga kids are still at it. One of the projects for Ohio Youth Voices is an exchange program between rural and urban schools. The Marietta Times ran a nice piece Wednesday about such an exchange earlier this week -- students from Columbus visiting a school in Washington County. I love the quotes from the kids:

• “I felt out of place here,” said Smith. “It’s too quiet for me. And we really express ourselves with our clothing and hair. Here it’s more T-shirts and jeans. It’s more relaxed.”
  


• “(They) live in a city and are exposed to so much,” said Warren senior Casey Arnold. “We’re exposed to ponds, ducks and cornfields. I can’t wait to be exposed to more and be somewhere where we’re not all the same. It’s why I’m so excited for college.”


• “There is a lot to be proud of here,” said Prillerman. “I would love to go to school here. You can tell there is a lot of pride. There’s no graffiti; someone said earlier you could leave your purse somewhere and no one would take it..”

It's a good warm-and-fuzzy piece. What Biz calls "Positivity."

There was another exchange later this week as some Wash Co students visted Columbus. I'll post any press I find about that.

In addition to the usual disclosure that I work for Ohio Fair Schools, one of the partner organizations with Ohio Youth Voices, I drafted the press release sent to the Times. With this post I'm debuting a new topic label: "A Word from Our Sponsor," that I'll use anytime the post is about something I worked on for work.