Dear diary,
It's almost 2 a.m. and I'm bit weary but really excited about this ever-expanding world of communications. At the workplace, they're trying to teach this old dog some new tricks. I'm beginning to enjoy it.
Much has happened in our community in just the last year to improve communications. Lord knows better communications help solve problems, even prevent them. Good timing and communicating effectively are success essentials.
Yours truly got hooked on the Internet last July and on Windows 95 in August. OK, so both experiences are roughly akin to climbing out of a faithful 1978 Mazda GLC and into a Jaguar -- it takes some getting used to. (And yes, a preposition is a bad think to end a sentence with.)
So, having enthusiastically struggled in front of a computer screen for more than eight hours Monday, June 10, the Wizard of Boz cruised home and immediately fired up the byte monster in the U R NEWS main (and only) location, "The Landfill."
Nope. Bill Gates of Microsoft fame is not a god. However, he has become the world's richest nonroyalty person. Like many success stories (Henry Ford), he was at the right place at the right time with some new ideas.
Say what you will about Gates, Windows95 does something better than any other software in the world: multitasking.
Once "Olde Namzob" got to chucking along on its 8 meg of RAM, we fired up the computer's FM radio and tuned into Salisbury State University's classical station (89.5). In order, the following were activated: the ICNet connection, the Netscape feature, The Shore Journal (good, only 26 people saw the uncorrected version of the last "Unclassified), the Eudora mail connection and the WordPerfect program.
Bingo! One easy column:
"Hi Boz! If you have a moment, check out the Wicomico County Council minutes from May 21st. Zoom in on the paragraph that begins, "In an effort to respond appropriately to requests for information on behalf of the public ..."
What are your thoughts? This couldn't be, wouldn't be, heaven forbid ... CENSORSHIP of public information, would it, Boz? Tell me it ain't so!
Sincerely,"
(The writer's identity is known to this author.)
By tapping on a few keys and clicking an electronic rodent, the research for this topic was accomplished in mere minutes. As recorded in the official minutes (information retrieved from the ICNet home page), here's the topic, verbatim:
"In an effort to respond appropriately to requests for information
on behalf of the public, Mr. (Matt) Creamer reported that the County
Attorney, Edgar A. Baker, Jr. was instructed to develop a policy.
Using guidelines based on State law, Mr. Baker forwarded his initial
recommendation to all County Departments for comment. Council is
being requested to adopt a policy, which does not require legislative
action, to address these public requests. Mr. Baker will investigate
what qualifies as an appropriate request, whether it should be
written and, if the policy is abused retain the right to refuse
the request and have the requestor seek a court order.
"Council raised several points of interest which Mr. Baker will
continue to investigate including, protection against abuse and
staff research time. Upon motion made by Mr. (Vic) Laws, seconded
by Mr. (Rusty) Molnar, and unanimously carried by those present,
Council voted to adopt a Public Information Policy."
For those unfamiliar with the bureaucratic gobbledygook language, the Wicomico County Council wants its legal beagle to make it harder for citizens to obtain information about how our tax dollars are spent.
Censorship? No way. Wicomico's Public Information Policy will end up being just another minor inconvenience to citizens who demand to know. Whatever PIP the council may choose to adopt is already nullified by federal law. It's called the Freedom of Information Act. Newspaper reporters are especially adept at jumping through the required hoops to obtain information public officials sometimes don't want revealed.
While the pols on Capitol Hill are desperately trying to legislate morality on the World Wide Web (think global), the Seven Wise Men on the WCC are spending money to construct an information roadblock.
The notion of our federal government protecting 10-year-olds from porn on the World Wide Web may be a noble gesture. Making it harder for Wicomico County residents to find out how taxpayers' money is spent is an idea without merit.
Every citizen should have easy access to all information concerning the spending of public funds. Period.
Later.
June 4, 1996 John Bozman All Rights Reserved
Tell me what you want to read in this column.