Enough of the "Zero means zero"

[highdensitysprawl]

Originally Posted by Cre47

I wouldn't be surprise if the purpose of the City Holler blog is basically to do a war with the zeromeanszeroblogspot. Example look at the poll, this is basically the opposite of a previous ZMZ poll. Though it says the City Holler blog wants to have more balance, could be more like a pro-Larry blogger with his ZMZ- obsession. He too is an anonymous blogger.

City Holler is pulling no punches today as to who they think the ZMZ blog is written by. ZMZ has been pretty nasty recently about O'Brien and dragging his family into their vitriol.

[Cre47]

Oh cry me a river. So what if it is only negative comments about the Mayor (oh and also all councillors and that is both towards left-wing or right-wing councillors- Cullen and Doucet were also criticized at times by the blog)

And lack of balance? Oh please, I've looked at many US bloggers and are pretty one-sided for either the Democrats or the Republicans. Ditto for Canadian blogs one-sided towards the Conservatives or Liberals.

So, so what. And by the way, we get more information (yet okay some speculative, but eh this is a blog) from this blog, that doesn't make the news. This forum most notably Waterloowarrior and ZMZ is making me twice (or more) as informed on what's going in municipal politics (or stuff related to the city) then the media.

Lawyer demands Google reveal identity of city hall blogger

Updated: Fri Aug. 28 2009 17:56:59

ctvottawa.ca

A Canadian privacy lawyer is demanding that Google reveal the person or people behind an Ottawa-based blog about municipal politics, which pays particular attention to the actions of Ottawa's mayor.

"Larry O'Brien has been the most controversial Mayor in the city of Ottawa's history," reads the blog, which flags the mayor's criminal trial, staff changes and other issues.

The Winnipeg-based privacy lawyer hired to work on the case won't say who his client is, but admits he wasn't hired by O'Brien.

"These types of really false and highly-damaging materials need to be removed and there needs to be a much more well-balanced approach taken on this site and others that do respect the legitimate right for people to voice their opinions and even in some cases to speak anonymously against another person's right to protect their reputation," lawyer Brian Bowman told CFRA Thursday.

He said although he respects the right to speak anonymously, people should not be permitted to destroy another person's reputation online.

The identity of the people behind the city hall blog has been a mystery for years. The bloggers are only identified as "John and Jane Smith."

The demand to reveal the bloggers' identities follows a recent court decision in the United States that forced Google to reveal the identity of the person behind a New York-based blog that attacked the reputation of a Canadian-born cover girl.

Vicki Smallman, a former Ottawa municipal candidate with her own blog, doesn't think Zero Means Zero's authors went too far.

"I don't think it's any worse than what Frank Magazine used to publish about public figures," she told CTV Ottawa. "It seems to me to be within the realm, the bounds of free expression."

But Carleton University journalism professor Chris Waddell said bloggers have no special freedom from laws that govern other mediums.

[Rathgrith]

So who is the lawyer acting on behalf of? Its pretty hypocritical to demand that a blogger reveal their identity and not say how you are working for.

That said, I hope the blogger was smart enough to use a pseudonym and then use a proxy server or steal free wi-fi signals to post on their blog. Amussing they knew how to cover their ass.

[Cre47]

Hum, someone from his staff? Lowell Green? Steve Madely? Someone from the Conservatives? We might never know.

Anyways sounds like the mayor has officially abandon his zero means zero hopes
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Mayor totally abandons 'Zero means zero' on taxes

By DEREK PUDDICOMBE, City Hall Bureau

Last Updated: 3rd September 2009, 7:11am


Mayor Larry O’Brien says he has abandoned his 2006 election promise to hold the line on taxes.

In his address to council yesterday morning — his first since May when he left office to deal with his criminal trial — O’Brien said it’s now important that council and staff focus on improving city services.

“Taxes, my friends, are the price we pay for the value we receive from government,” said O’Brien.

During the 2006 municipal election, O’Brien launched his “zero means zero” campaign and pledged not to raise taxes.

However, property taxes have increased by about 10% over the course of the past three budgets.

O’Brien said there’s no reason the city can’t continue to search for more ways to keep costs down.

Some city councillors said the mayor’s revelation is a long time coming.

Bay Coun. Alex Cullen said O’Brien has been speaking with councillors about the need to revisit his pledge not to raise taxes.

“He recognizes this council is not prepared to cut services to reach his zero budget,” said Cullen. “It’s not a surprise.” Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans said it’s unrealistic to hold the line on taxes when municipal costs are rising at least at the rate of inflation.

“I think he understands to grow the city and preserve the services we need to keep pace with inflationary costs,” she said.

During his brief statement, O’Brien said for the remaining 14 months before the 2010 election, councillors and staff must also focus on transit, the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park and how to prevent sewage from spilling into the Ottawa River.

O’Brien also said he wants to solve the problem of sewage backing up into homes across the city as a result of extreme rainfalls, but he isn’t promising any quick fixes.

“I wish I could tell the citizens there are quick fixes, but there are not,” he said.

The mayor has sent a message to the provincial and federal governments asking them to help the city fund its ambitious multibillion-dollar light-rail transit plan.

“This council has followed your direction and we now ask for your personal commitment for the benefit of your home town,” O’Brien wrote to McGuinty.

O’Brien has also asked Deans to lead a review to make sure the city is prepared for a second wave of swine flu.

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