Sac Forums .com - WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

Eric

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WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« on: March 05, 2008, 11:52:43 AM »

WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

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The Executive Director of Women Escaping A Violent Environment, or WEAVE, says a Sacramento Bee article on state worker salaries could help perpetrators find their victims online.

The article in Wednesday's Sacramento Bee focuses on increases and disparities in salaries earned by state workers. The controversy surrounds a link from the article to a searchable database where you can enter a state worker's name and find out how much they make and where they work.

WEAVE Executive Director Beth Hassett says her organization has been deluged with calls from state workers who fear they will be found by those they are hiding from. "One phone call in particular was really disturbing, from a woman who had been successfully hiding from her ex-husband, and he read the article, got on line, figured out which department she had been transferred to, and contacted her and threatened her," said Hassett.

http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=39152


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Mr.Carmichael

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2008, 12:06:00 PM »

What a sick and deplorable thing for the Sacramento Bee to do! I am definitely canceling my subscription because of this. I read in the comments that one woman who had been able to hid from her abusive ex husband has already been found an contacted by him! Victims' blood will be on the Bee's hands!


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Privacy916

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2008, 12:11:41 PM »

I just posted a link here in the comments on SacBee.com. Let's see if we can get a better discussion going here without all the ignorant state employee haters.

This database is absolutely useless unless you are searching for a specific person, which is dangerous to provide. It also negates any reasoning you tried to relate in your response to our previous comments. The SacBee's response is full of empty comments and meaningless defensive posturing for the inevitable class action law suit. If you wanted to provide a real service, based on the topic of the article, you would provide totals per department, totals per classification, a way to search by department or classification and NOT REQUIRE NAMES in a database search!! There is absolutely no reason to do what you have done other than to spite state employees, those who keep California's infrastructure running.


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Privacy916

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2008, 12:13:18 PM »

Here's a picture of Melanie Sill:

Phone: 916-321-1002

Email: msill@sacbee.com

ZabaSearch.com: http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_zaba.php?sname=Melanie%20Sill&state=CA&ref=&se=&doby=&city=&name_style=1 http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_zaba.php?sname=melanie%20sill&state=NC&ref=&se=&doby=&city=&name_style=1

Interesting link that mentions Melanie Sill: http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/111342.php

Husband: Bennett Groshong

Husband's ZabaSearch.com: http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_zaba.php?sname=benneth%20groshong&state=NC&ref=&se=&doby=&city=&name_style=1

Sill was born in Nebraska, Sill grew up in Waipahu, Hawaii, and is married to Bennett Groshong, a software developer and electrical engineer. She holds a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


« Last Edit: March 05, 2008, 01:35:19 PM by Privacy916 »	Logged

alterego

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If you're really worried about being located

« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2008, 12:28:40 PM »

check www.zabasearch.com and your panties will really be in a bunch. Check it out - you can even find the addresses and phone numbers of people like Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, Shawn Colvin, Paris Hilton, and other famous people on there. If you have moved or own multiple properties there will be multiple records, but if someone wanted to come after you, it would certainly put them on the right track. And it would send them to your HOME.


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Privacy916

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2008, 01:41:29 PM »

Yup..... I used zabasearch to find info on both Ms. Sill and her husband, including what appears to be a definite hit on their former address in NC. Nothing definite in CA yet. There is also spock.com, which, apparently, searches social networking sites. Nothing found there on either person.

This appears to be the Phillip Reese who wrote the article:
http://www.spock.com/Phillip-Reese-Xvstn13I
http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_zaba.php?sname=phillip%20reese&state=CA&ref=&se=&doby=&city=&name_style=1

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=148645212

Quote

I live in California, where it's always sunny, except when it's not. I write for a newspaper. I play computer games. I never eat fruit. I am married. I have three dogs but only like two of them. I usually win arguments, unless there is fistfighting involved. It's been way too long since I last put on waterskis. I collect maps and photos of city skylines.

Phillip Reese
Sacramento Bee
Staff Writer
2100 Q St
Sacramento CA 95816-6899 US
Phone: (916) 321-1137
Cell: (916) 321-1109


« Last Edit: March 05, 2008, 01:46:33 PM by Privacy916 »	Logged

Eric

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2008, 02:41:13 PM »

Normally, I wouldn't allow such information to be posted about people, but really, they asked for it.

I really want to hear Ms. Sill's answer to this: What purpose does it serve to see how many "Smiths" work for the state, where they work, and what they make? That is all the database is good for - that and finding a specific person. It is impossible to use to find department and/or class totals, which is all that should matter.


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e8soldier

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2008, 03:04:48 PM »

We need to put more pressure on the Bee. Cancel subscriptions, email and call their staff to complain, call all the Bee's sponsors and tell them you won't buy their products. Start a lawsuit - who care's if we win, it will cost the be a lot of money to fight it and damage their reputation.

We just need a way to coordinate this effort and stick it to the Bee as hard as we can.


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Eric

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2008, 03:11:31 PM »

I have just removed all subscription links/banners to the Sacramento Bee from SacForums.com.


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e8soldier

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2008, 04:00:42 PM »

Eric,

That was very very cool. We really appreciate your support. I think SACFORUMS might be a good place to rally the troops.

SPREAD THE WORD!


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Eric

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2008, 04:21:37 PM »

Yes, please, spread the word

Apparently, this whole thing started w/ the Contra Costa Times wanting city employees' salaries. It went all the way to the California Supreme Court and they found that there isn't a law that says the info cannot be provided. Which means that you should contact your legislator and recommend this.

It went from the Contra Costa Times to the San Jose Murcury News, then to the Chico Enterprise Record. Doing a search for a random "smith" on the ChicoER site, provides even more detailed information than can be found on SacBee.com, such as hours worked, overtime, etc.

All of the databases were created by Caspio.com


« Last Edit: March 05, 2008, 04:23:58 PM by Eric »	Logged

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Privacy916

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2008, 04:52:59 PM »

Here's an interesting tidbit about Melanie Sill:

I see the Bee has hired Melanie Sill as their new editor. She was the guilt presuming columnist at the Raleigh News and Observer who wrote the infamous "We know you know" column at the beginning of the Duke non rape, non assault - lets hang the white boys hoax. Her inflammatory writing was instrumental in igniting the racial firestorm and to hell with due process ethic with which DA Nifong was able to perpetuate this criminal conspiracy. Only in the MSM could such incometance be rewarded with a promotion.
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/11/is-the-sac-bee-.html


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e8soldier

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2008, 04:54:37 PM »

See item 6. Looks like sacbee broke the law.

http://www.calaware.org/downloads/Top10_CPRAExemptions.pdf


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e8soldier

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2008, 05:07:51 PM »

Here's the full legal opinion - If you skip down to the last half or so it clearly shows that what SACBEE did was ILLEGAL!

http://www.cfac.org/handbook/cases/Teamsters_v_Priceless.pdf


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e8soldier

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Re: WEAVE: Database Puts State Workers at Risk

« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2008, 05:11:46 PM »

I belive Melanie was also the one that wrote front page: "It's a miracle - 12 Miners survive"

Unfortunately, only one survived - The whole nation was outraged over that one!


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