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« May 2008 | Main | July 2008 »
Monday, June 30, 2008 - 17:34:42
Those Pesky Anonymous Bloggers !
From time to time, I get some snarky comment or email about something I've said on this blog. Such is the cost of thrusting my opinion on the few are willing to suffer through my tortured prose. To me, anonymous comments represent democracy with a capital "D" and press freedom. Every once in a while, on the Arkansas Blog, a vicious flame war ignites, with one anonymous poster trying to guess the identity of another anonymous poster. Here is an idea if you really want to know -- offer a reward to learn the identity of anonymous posters.(From the Legal Reader) Partner Offers $10K Bounty for Blogger’s Identity
A Chicago lawyer who is being criticized, along with his law firm, in an anonymous Internet blog supposedly authored by a fellow attorney has offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who can provide him with the identity of "Troll Tracker."The anonymous blogger, who claims to be "just a lawyer; interested in patent cases but not interested in publicity," has criticized Raymond Niro and his 30-lawyer IP boutique, Niro Scavone Haller & Niro, for representing clients who own patents but don't necessarily make products. Instead, the firm earns licensing fees from users of the patented technology—and potentially sues users if they don't pay up, explains the Chicago Tribune.
Although Troll Tracker claims a First Amendment right to criticize the firm anonymously on the blog, Niro says the blogger should take responsibility for his or her views. Plus, he points out, knowing the identity and affiliations of the blogger likely would affect the way that readers perceive the Troll Tracker's critique.
Green Party Candidates Outnumber Republican Candidates In Arkansas
This isn't new news, but the Green Party has found more candidates to run in contested elections than the Arkansas Republican Party. It takes lots of courage to run in any election - let alone against a popular incumbent. Republicans used to put up a sacrificial lamb to run. There was a clear trend that if you ran against a democrat - Huckabee would soon appoint you to some board or governmental agency post. For example, Betty Dickey ran for Attorney General. Then, she gets appointed Chief Judge of the Supreme Court. Some lucky candidates, e.g. Bud Cummins, even got to be appointed U.S. Attorney, at least until back-stabbed by his own party. Now with no mechanism to get these appointments, few Republicans are willing to make the sacrifice.I'm not familiar with all of the Green Party candidates - but I am willing to bet they are much closer tied to common voter in each race than some of their incumbent opponents. I just hope they get as much media attention as did some of these past Republican candidates who were also long-shots but were at least given a chance to be heard.
Privacy of Court Records
Putting all of Pulaski County's court records online sounds great - at least until I find where my social security number is accessible to anyone with internet access. Our circuit clerk, Pat O'Brien, is 100% correct - it is legal to put these records online - and these records are all public documents. I also believe him when he says it would take years and years to go through and redact social security numbers and other information from decades of court records. So what is the solution?
For one, we can make sure that future court records don't have these problems. I notice where the Arkansas Supreme Court has weighed in on this issue and proposed keeping most private information - private. ( here is their new proposed rule ) This still doesn't answer the issue of the old documents.
The Federal Courts have taken a slightly different approach. Like state circuit court records, the federal records are also public. They have been stored in electronic form for the most part as well. However, to electronically access these records, you need to sign up with the "PACER" system. Then, you have to pay per page you want to access. I think the last time I checked it was ten cents or so.
I think a compromise would be to do something similar -- but set a nominal expense such as 1 cent a page. Or, the clerk's office could require registration for anyone who wants to view the documents and require a credit card number to verify that those who register are who they say they are. That would certainly discourage identity thieves from freely sifting the records for social security numbers without fear of identification. Of course, it wouldn't help much if they stole the credit card to begin with, which is their field of expertise. Another option would be to limit the number documents that could be accessed per day.
Internet access to court records would be a good issue to hold public hearings and solicit comments about as well - as it obviously effects, to some degree, almost everyone in the county. While there will be some speedbumps on the way - I think our circuit clerk is certainly building on his promise to bring efficiency to the clerk's office.
Billionaire Pleads Guilty to Sex Abuse
Billionaire investor Jeffrey Epstein today pleaded guilty to hiring underage girls for erotic massages and sex and will spend 18 months in a Florida county jail on the felony convictions. ( link)
This is the second U.S. billionaire this year I've seen in serious trouble. Not only does he have to do eighteen months of jail - he has to register as a sex offender. I guess you can't always just pay people off like in the old day.s
Friday, June 27, 2008 - 11:23:15
Newest Threat to Public Welfare: Saggers
Police in Michigan are going to start giving tickets to people with sagging pants ( just like they considered doing in Pine Bluff.) Specifically, they are going to give out tickets if bare buttocks are exposed. I wonder if this includes women with low-rise jeans and excessively small thongs too. I predict the Flint Police Department will be ridiculed until this law is no longer enforced.
Flint Police Warn Of Enforcement On 'Saggers'
Police Cracking Down On Plummeting Waistlines
On Thursday, Flint police chief David Dicks released a memo that Flint will be the latest city to campaign against pants that slip below waistlines. Anyone wearing pants or shorts that expose their buttocks can be arrested for indecent exposure, according to the memo.
According to Dicks, those who reveal their underwear and dress in this manner as a form of "self expression" are no longer practicing free speech.
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“How are you going to get arrested for something you wear?” said one Flint resident.
The memo states that sagging pants will now rise to the crime of indecent exposure and or disorderly persons.
Experts and other cities have said the "bare your britches look" reflects laziness and encourages gang activities.
However, Dominique Clack argues the opposite and told TV5 that the city needs to focus on bigger issues.
"They need to be worried about people out here committing murders and drug dealers. Don't let pants be an issue," he said.
"We ain't never heard someone got shot because their pants were sagging."
A misdemeanor offense will be given out to anyone caught abusing the saggy pants ordinance, punishable by 93 days to a year in jail and/or $500 fine.
TV5 wants to know if you think people who wear sagging pants are really breaking the law, let us know.
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