Did Lawsuit Prompt Clerk's Office Change?

On Monday a Cincinnatian sued the County because they had a ticket posted on the website and then their identity was stolen.

On Tuesday the Clerk's Office announced that traffic tickets were no longer viewable online. The lawsuit was not reported until today. A three legged dog could have seen this connection.

UPDATE: The The Cincinnati Post reports more and draws the same conclusion I did.

Someone Just Hates Cincinnati

I read this at CincyNation.com:

Walkabout: Some downtown merchants create own problems
A restaurant on Main Street has a torn and filthy awning, and the owners can't understand why business is down. A Vine Street restaurant's employees engage in loud non-stop yapping about their personal lives while a couple try to get through breakfast.

A nearby coffeehouse has an unfriendly clerk who is slow and can't multi-task, and doesn't seem to notice a line of people, some of whom decide to go elsewhere. Sometimes, downtown merchants have no one to blame but themselves.

The website this commentary comes from is run out of Atlanta. Who is the local person writing this type of superficial opinion based on a what believe is a history of hate for the city or at least a desire to see it fail? Would this person have anything to do with the "boycott?" This is the kind of post made on that web site that really needs both an author byline and a perma-link, so it does not just vanish into thin air without anyone to back-up the claims.

Those claims may very well be true. What I don’t understand is that if you are going to attack someone on a “news” site using an editorial, the ethical thing to do is to sign your name to your work.

New Local Blog

An anonymous blogger named "Publius" has started Save Our City, a conservative leaning blog. Who is this mystery blogger and are they known to anyone? They have comments already, which I assume means they sent out an email to some people about the blog. In this city I would think most conservatives would have no problem being open about it, but there are other reasons to keep one's name out of the fray.

I welcome Publius to the Cincy blogosphere and look forward to a good discourse in ideas. I'll be adding a link to my blogroll as soon as possible.

Happy Theocracy Everyone!

The theocratic fascists are out in force this season to do all they can to require everyone to celebrate their religious holidays. They still don't listen to their prophet in chief.

Enquirer Pushes for Ghiz

The Enquirer has published an editorial supporting the appointment of Leslie Ghiz to fill Pat DeWine's council seat when he leaves for the County Commission. How much of the editorial was a targeted message to Republican voters to get out and support her, and not play into the abortion game?

How much of this anti-Ghiz movement is based on the simple fact that she is female? Some of it is based on the bigotry of Sam Malone towards Homosexuals. Lesie supports gay-rights and supported the repeal of Article XII. Malone is playing surrogate to Phil Burress. Sam did Phil's bidding on Article XII, and all other gay rights laws enacted. I would assume that Burress does not like Ghiz, therefore Sam is dragging his feet.

Fair, Balanced, or Just Ignored?

Wonkette summarized how FOX News downplayed the Mess-Hall attack in Mosul yesterday. I too was surprised not to see FOX hitting this hard. MSNBC I think held back some as well, so FOX was not alone. I guess censorship in the Holiday Season is fine. Since FOX is the official Pentagon news channel, FOX fears that the families might panic if they learned the fact that a large number of soldiers were killed.

A Minor League GOOOOOOOOAL!!!!!!!!!

Cincinnati is getting a new professional soccer team next year. The team will play at the Xaiver soccer field.

What was most interesting is that the article brought up an interesting marking stat:

In reviewing the purchase of the team, a comprehensive market research survey was conducted to determine the feasibility of successfully returning soccer to Cincinnati. Cincinnati ranks #2 in soccer participation in the United States behind Kansas City with over 100,000 youth and adults actively playing the sport in the Tri-state area.

The only issue to consider is the age of the kids playing. If they are all 5 years old and stop playing by 9, then their market view is flawed, and will fail if it is based on 5 year old kids.

Traffic Tickets Off Website

The Clerk of Courts has removed images of traffic tickets from the county clerk's website.

This action on the surface appears like a good short term solution to the problem of identity theft. A long term solution would be to change who is allowed to access the whole website. All of the records are open to the public and should stay open to public, but I think it is fair that in order to gain access to such records, you should simply have to make your own identity known to the Clerk's Office. The same thing could be done online if the Clerk's Office required registration before use of the site. The Clerk should keep who accesses the website secret, unless a subpoena is issued for such information.

I don't think the cost of a registration system would be very high. The software should be available right off the self. We could still surf for our neighbor's or political foe's skeletons, but we could be traced if we did something illegal with the information. Are there wholes in the system, likely yes, but this closes most of them.

UPDATE: More from the Post.

He Said What?

Steve Fritsch in his latest BCR Column:

Personally, I think Nate's a good guy who seeks progress for Cincinnati.

Which Nate is Steve talking about?

14 Year Old Teen Tased

Has there been any major fall-out from Cincinnati Police Officers use of a taser gun on a 14 year old kid? The kid reportedly is fine. Tasers have been a big topic in town this year. What would have happened if the cops had to hit the kid to get in under control? Is the use of the baton, pepper spray, or fists better or worse than the taser?

White Death Cometh

Run, hide, buy six gallons of milk and, buy 1,000 batteries, because snow is coming to the tri-state. I myself, for those who don't know, have no fears of snow. I have even less fear of this particular snow storm because I currently am in Florida. Yes, save your regrets, save your tears, save your insults and four letter words.

My only concerns now are that local officials keep the airport open next Monday, and get the damn roads cleared. I will continue remote blogging until then, so don't fear about getting your fix of my trite rantings.

Johnson to be Lt. Gov., Bradley to Treasurer

Taft has has made his movesr and appointed Lt. Gov. Jennette Bradley to Treasurer and Development Director Bruce Johnson to Lt. Governor.

Bradley was expected, but Johnson came out of the blue. I know little about him at this point. This puts rumors about Rob Portman to rest. Portman may still be in line for a post in the Bush Administration, but at this point I think that may be less likely.

WOXY Updated Website

Have a look over at the new WOXY.com.

[Via Nick Spencer]

Out of the Mouths of Babes

The first thing Bush did at his press conference today was to wish everyone "Happy Holidays." I will be waiting for the attacks of the right-wing on Bush for not pushing his theological views on others. I will not be holding my breath, I value living a bit too much.

Big Band Radio Dying

It is great to see local radio station WMKV-FM get national attention. I know radio stations formats are ever changing, and music dies with generations, but in a county this big it is sad that this the last station of its kind. We are growing into a homogeneous society, at least in terms of simple culture. That is going to make for one really boring time in the years to come.

CincyBlog 2004 Top Ten List

I am looking for nominations or considerations of the Top Ten people, events, or what ever of the year. I will be doing two different lists. One a local list and one a national list. I think the National list will be more my own concoction.

Please email me with suggestions, or if you must, post them in comments.

Pin the Tail on the Blackwell

While I agree that Ken Blackwell did everything he legally could to elect George Bush using his State Office, I don't think it hurt his chances of getting elected, unless people focus on the circus of an election he helped create, not his role in helping Bush win.

That kind of charge is far to insider to catch on. Long lines at the polling booths and election machines that failed to work correctly, that is what will damage him. The degree for which it hurts him I think hinges on the primary fight he faces. It will be bloody enough without the Dems saying a word, and they should not say a word. Let another GOPher do the dirty work. Now, if they pass on ammo to candidates, well so be it.

Spreading the Wealth?

Is Ohio such a polarized state that GOP Congressmen can coast to re-election and then Siphon money to other GOP candidates? I say polarized because that many people can afford to not only win big, but give away money to other races. This is not limited to the GOP, but I live in the district of one of Ohio’s siphoners, Rob Portman. I don't know how much longer he will be my congressman, though.

Investigation Pending?

A police cruiser crashed into a home and car parked in a driveway. Something just sounds odd:

Cincinnati police declined to answer requests for information about the accident Saturday. But Svoboda said the officer told him he was driving 35 mph and swerved to avoid several deer that had wandered into the road.

"He did a 360-degree spin, came across my lawn, crashed through the foundation of my porch, slammed into my car and pushed it into my neighbor's yard, then came to rest over the retaining wall on its nose, sticking up at a 45-degree angle," Svoboda said. "I parked my car in the driveway (Friday) night because I knew it was going to be slick and I didn't want anyone hitting it in the street."

I have seen deer in and around Mt. Lookout, so that much I can personally attest to as having happened in recent months. The speed of cruiser appears to an amateur, me, to be too slow to cause this crash.

"We Will Bury You"

Comrade Peter Nikita Bronson has announced to world in his latest column that breaking the rules to push one's religion on others fulfills the Christmas spirit. If you can't give others theocratic oppression, what can you give them?

I am not shocked that Peter will complain when a school does not teach children to follow the rules, but then when a kid breaks a rule he does not like, he writes a column praising the kid for being a thug.

The kid abused the system, broke the rules, and now seeks to gain notoriety by playing Christ in a sick and twisted media show: The Martyrdom of Eric Bast. The made for TV movie will soon be required viewing at every Fundamentalist youth group meeting.

If I was feeling really snarky I would call this kid the poster boy for a new "Hitler-Youth," but that would be way over the top.

I am sure that the Peace Loving people of the People's Republic of Cincinatus will surely push their brand of peace on all of us. General Secretary Burress will lead the way. The Dialetic will prevail. I think I need a shower.