Metallica

I was in the process of posting an article on my other blog about name preferences when I came upon an Associated Press news about a couple who petitioned their government to allow them to name their daughter “Metallica.” The parties are currently hurling arguments at each other in court.

In case you’re wondering, I did not pluck this out from a U.S. court record database. The incident happened in Sweden. Naming your child Metallica would not be a problem here in the United States. I’m sure that you would encounter hundreds of people bearing that name in the telephone directory of your state alone.

I don’t know why the Swedish government made such a fuss out of the parents’ request. Their baby has already been Christened, but the Swedish National Tax Board refused to record it in their registry. An official of the agency bluntly branded the name as ugly. But if you’ll ask me, it’s anything but ugly. I admit that it’s quite an unusual name though, but I’m sure many would find it cool.

The couple already won in the county level, with the County Administrative Court ruling that the tax body had no legal basis in denying the registration of the name. The agency was not convinced and appealed the case to a higher judicial body.

Baby Metallica is now in a precarious situation. Since her name is not yet legally recognized, she can’t be issued pertinent documents or instruments, such as a birth certificate or a passport. In fact, the couple already cancelled their travel plans last month because a passport cannot be issued to persons not recorded in the government registry.

I’m not sure if a similar incident has already happened here in the United States. As far as I know, a couple or parent can bestow any name upon their children.

A Penny More

I’ve always believed that we should return to society what we have received from them. We owe what have right now to God, and it’s only right that we pay Him back even if He’s not asking us to do the same.

Such was what real estate tycoon Genshiro Kawamoto did when he handed over three of his mansions in Hawaii to homeless families. The scene where Kawamoto eyes swelled upon being thanked tearfully by a recipient was featured in almost all dailies around the world.

The billionaire pledged that he would continue this act of kindness by opening up 8 of his 22 houses in the area to families who don’t have a place to go.

There’s a catch to this, though. While he gave the keys of his mansions to the needy recipients, he didn’t give them the titles to the properties. The lucky homeless families would only stay there as tenants. However, no rent would be asked of them. Kawamoto even gave them a thousand dollars to help them move in. The recipients would also have to pay the utility bills.

I’m all praises for Kawamoto. However, I think he should’ve done more than just open up his mansion to the needy. He already has more than enough to live comfortably until his death, and I’m sure that his heirs would be getting more than what they could spend in a lifetime upon the former’s demise. The least that he could do then to express his thanks to the Big Guy is to give rather than to lend some of his blessings.

Sure, letting the homeless families stay in his mansions rent-free would be of tremendous help to them. However, the billionaire has less than 30 mansions in the state. He could help hundreds or even thousands more if he sells just two of his mansions and use the proceeds thereof to build low-cost, but decent houses.

There are some who doubt the true motive of Kawamoto’s actions. He was said to have been quite heartless in evicting tenants before in the different estates that he owns. I wonder if he already has a court record for violating lease contracts or other agreements to that effect.

Again, I want to stress that I’m all praises for Kawamoto’s action. However, if he really wants to be of help to society, he should give instead of lend.

Paid to Read Novels

Where do you get your daily dose of crime and mystery tales?

If you grew up during the 80s like I did, then chances are is that you held and read a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys pocketbook. If reading was not your thing back then, then maybe you’ve been an avid fan of the hit series Murder She Wrote. If you were already in your 40s or 50s when the first Apple Mac was released, then maybe a few Sherlock Holmes or Ian Fleming novels graced your bookshelf.

For those who were born during the time when Cable TV was already around, Court TV probably whetted their appetite for crime and suspense stories. We have cable since 1995, but I must admit that my fingers don’t stop pressing the remote whenever I chance upon that channel. Don’t get me wrong. I’m very interested in mystery or crime flicks, especially if they’re based on a true story. However, I guess I’m just more of a book person than a boob tube one.

I haven’t read a crime and mystery novel for some time now. In fact, I think the last one that I’ve read was an Ian Fleming masterpiece. I have some Agatha Christie titles on my desk, but they’re more of for show than for reading :) I’m reading court records everyday, and some of them involve the commission of crimes. For those whose job involve researching and processing court records, reading Nancy Drew novels is like going to the office.

But for me, it’s the other way around. Going to the office is like going to the public library to read mystery novels. I love reading. This is the reason why I stuck with my current job of processing public records even if I could jump to another ship which offers higher pay and better dental :) I love my job, and I don’t see myself changing career anytime soon.

The Art of Living

“What good would that do to you after graduation?”

That was the first question and the initial reaction that my mom had when I told her that I want a liberal arts degree. I was so engrossed with many books and topics on humanities during high school that I was bent on pursuing a degree that has many subjects or electives on the matter.

I was able to convince her that my future would not be jeopardized by having a liberal arts diploma. But I must admit that I had a hard time enumerating the possible jobs that I could get with a degree that deals with almost anything under the sun.

I originally planned to go to law school after graduation. However, I didn’t find law that much interesting. It would definitely be cool to be called “counsel.” But then again, I would most probably be called something else when I become a member of the bar. It’s not that flattering when you’re being referred to as a reptile or a dreaded member of the marine species.

I’m happy with the way things turned out after graduation. While my job might not get me a BMW or a Jaguar anytime soon, I think I could safely say that I’m living quite comfortably. Hmm maybe I should delete this line. My boss would probably use this blog entry to ward off any requests for a raise.

Although I ditched my original plan of becoming a lawyer, my present job ironically deals partly with the law. You all know that I handle or process public records for a living, and that includes court records. I think I’ve already read tons of statute and case books that could propel me to graduation day in any law school in the country. But, then again, I’m already happy with what I am and with what I have today.

Land of the Free, But Not for the Brave

Contrary to popular opinion abroad, America remains to be a very conservative society. While the state values and upholds each of its citizen’s right to freely express himself or herself, this right has been deemed to be not absolute.

Take for example the right to stage a protest. Everybody has a right to go to the streets and profess his dismay over the way things are going or being done in government. However, the protest should be done in an orderly manner. In some cases, permits would have to be secured from the local government concerned.

Not everybody is aware of the limitations, though. Indeed, the qualifications or exceptions to the rule are mostly lodged in the federal and local statute books and not in the Constitution. Some can be found in the decisions promulgated by the courts.

I’m not a lawyer, but I think it’s safe to say that the exceptions to the freedom of speech, of the press, and of choice refer to cases or instances wherein the rights or lives of others might be harmed or disrupted. If this is the exception that the law contemplates, then I’m all for it. The exercise of a constitutional right should not result in the violation of another.

This opinion or stand of mine has recently been tested or questioned by an incident in Largo City where government officials are contemplating on firing their city manager due to the latter’s plan of undergoing a sex change.

I’m a Catholic, and I’m fully aware of the Church’s stand on gender change. However, I’m of the opinion that it’s every citizen’s right to choose how he should take care of his body. If persons are allowed to undergo surgery for certain bodily enhancements without employment repercussions, then how come Largo City manager Steve Stanton has been threatened to be fired if he pushes through with his intention of undergoing a gender change? I think the city council overreacted on Stanton’s revelation. They should heavily consider his sterling track record as a city manager before they make a decision.

Taking Its Part

It’s comforting to know that the government is continuously looking for ways by which court and criminal records can be easily and systematically accessed.

Many have harbored fears that the proliferation of online court record-retrieval services may have given the government an excuse to leave this need to the private sector. I was therefore elated when I chanced upon a very useful and important project by the Department of Justice on their Web site.

The National Criminal History Improvement Program is not actually new. In fact, this undertaking started more than a decade ago. It aims to ensure the availability of various public records, especially criminal and court files, to the police and other government agencies. This removes the unnecessary impediments that hamper inter-agency coordination as far as accessing and sharing their registries or databases are concerned.

I’ve heard of projects that have been prematurely abandoned due to lack of funding or interest. I’m glad that the government is continuously working on the program despite the fact that it has already accomplished much.

Goodbye Michael, Hello Kobe!

I told you he is the heir-apparent.

Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, five rebounds, six assists, and six steals to lift the West past the east in the recently concluded NBA All Star Games.

I’ve been a Laker fan since my grade school days, and I’m always very happy when a member of my favorite ball club garners one of the individual awards that are regularly given by the league.

Bryant is undeniably the best player in the NBA today. Many consider him as the successor of Michael Jordan. He’s turning out to be a very good role model, too. However, there are still some who doubt if he could be a good ambassador of the league and of the game.

Bryant has been charged with sexual assault. I already forgot the details of the case. Maybe I’ll try to check the court record for its status. I’ll write about charge after I’ve verified the file.

Feeling Blue

My friends and I got together a few nights ago for some beer and nachos at a nearby restaurant. What was supposed to be a 2-hour dinner turned into a 5-hour thought-provoking gathering that tested the patience of the establishment’s proprietor.

So what was the topic of our “thought-provoking” conversation last Friday? I can’t exactly remember. I already exceeded my booze limit by the 3rd hour. I guess the subject was not that worthwhile after all.

Wait. I remember one. Fred told us about a news article that he had read a few months ago. He was quite serious when he narrated it to us. It was about a man in Spain who robbed a Pharmacy of all its Viagra. Although the story was not that hilarious, we had a hearty laugh at the way Fred delivered it.

Surprisingly, the robber returned later that day and brought with him two bouquets of roses. Apparently the famous blue pill worked and the robber was just showing his gratitude.

What’s with Spanish men and their machismo. I bet that man hasn’t committed any crime in his entire life until that fateful day. From the way Fred described him, I’m sure you won’t even find a single court record wherein he is the defendant. Poor guy. But then again, lucky him :)

Bringing the Court Clerk to Court

A client of ours has recently complained about the rude treatment that she has been getting from the staff of a small county court. I wasn’t really surprised by her revelation, though. She’s a very demanding person. Well, I know there’s nothing wrong with being demanding. However, she’s very unreasonable most of the time.

I tried to pacify her by saying that the court clerk and his assistants were probably just tired considering that they’re processing hundreds of similar requests on top of the other tasks that they’re supposed to do. I think that my explanation had a positive effect on her because she said that an administrative case against the staff would be quite an overreaction.

To ensure that her anger won’t spike up again, I just gave her the URL of a Web site (http://court-record-online.org) which allows persons to check and retrieve court records without the inconveniences involved when they would opt to personally obtain it in the courts. She was quite amazed by my suggestion. She even joked that she might not need our services anymore.

The Flu

I got sick today. I should’ve anticipated this since last Monday. I was already coughing incessantly since last Sunday. However, my barking spells usually just last for an hour before I go to sleep. I was always perfectly fine during the day.

I was still able to go to the office to pick up the court records that I was supposed to bring to a client. However, I was already having a hard time keeping my head straight up. I even stopped my car in the nearest alley to prop myself up.

I thought I was still ok. When my boss saw me after lunch, he told me that I really looked miserable. I was immediately asked to go home. It was more of an order, actually. I was quite surprised with the concern that my boss have shown towards me. But then again, knowing him, I think he was just afraid that I may get everybody sick if I continuously sneeze the virus out of me in the office. :)

Assistance Nonetheless

A friend of mine recently went to our office to ask for legal assistance. She thought that we have a battery of lawyers considering the fact that we handle or process public records, including court files.

Although we couldn’t represent her in court, we were able to enlighten her on some of the issues surrounding her legal problem. She had just been evicted by her landlord last month for allegedly subletting the place she’s living in to another. She insists that the allegation of the property owner was not true. She clarified that the supposed sub lessee was actually her niece from Australia who stayed with her for 2 months because she still couldn’t find a place near NYU.

We provided her with several state and federal court decisions, the facts and issues of which mirror that of the situation she is currently in. Although she left our office without accomplishing her objective of hiring a lawyer, she was nonetheless relieved to have been able to know that she has a solid case against her landlord

Squeeks and Grinds

My hard drive has been grumbling a lot lately. I initially thought that it was just normal. Silly me. One doesn’t need to have a computer engineering degree to know that a squeeking hard disk is anything but normal.

I don’t know who’s to blame. Many would say that it’s the user’s fault. But that can’t be in my case. I haven’t subjected my unit to any abuse. It’s a laptop, but it’s virtually just a desktop since I hardly use it outside my room. It’s made for mobile computing so its components should be sturdy enough for rough or careless use. But again, I rarely use it while I’m on the go.

Should I blame the laptop maker? I made some research on the manufacturer before I bought their product. There weren’t too many praises, but the number of complaints posted online was also close to nil.

Maybe it’s the hard drive manufacturer. Oh well. Charge it to experience. I’ll be very meticulous next time. I’ll check court records first and see if the manufacturer has been the subject of any complaint regarding the sale or distribution of faulty products.

Fly By

Is it just me or did January just flew past by us without making its presence felt? It is as if the month was not even included in this year’s calendar. February is just less than a week away and it’s a certainty that we won’t be feeling it much either.

January was supposed to be the longest month of the year. The holiday hangover usually slows our pace down. However, I can’t remember a day in this month where I noticed my hair and nails growing. Everybody in the office was always busy with something. I still find myself doing a task or two even if I’ve already finished my court records assignment as early as last week.

It wouldn’t be long now before we welcome spring. I just hope that I’ll be able to savor each day of the year. I don’t want to grow old too fast.

The Heat is On

California is leading the way in the country’s fight against global warming.

The state’s regulators have recently passed a measure which prohibits power firms from purchasing electricity from sources that emit strong pollutants. The new rule is expected to fast track the development of greener alternatives.

I’ve never been this concerned about the environment. I’m sure many people around the world are starting to feel the effects of global warming. This year’s erratic weather and climate patterns should force local and national governments alike to take an active role in reducing pollution in their respective areas.

I sdon’t know why some high-polluting factories or power plants are still being allowed to operate. Some say that their lawyers were able to obtain a lengthy injunction. I’m not sure if that’s true. I’ll try to check their court records and see if they’ve abused court processes or remedies to their advantage.

Speaking Tongues

I recently encountered a court record which some would possibly mistake as coming from a Greek or Latin court rather than from an American Tribunal.

I showed the file to Paul and he merely smirked at it, saying that the judge who wrote it probably didn’t even understand the foreign jargon that he littered in his decision. I teased him a bit by saying that he probably lambasted the judge because he had a hard time deciphering or translating the Greek or Latin terms. Paul is the department’s self-proclaimed “foreign language expert.”

I’m glad that I don’t often encounter court records that are replete with Latin phrases or maxims. They may give a decision a semblance of scholarliness, but it also needlessly complicates the record. Contrary to popular perception, many court record readers are non-lawyers. It is therefore imperative that judicial decisions should be crafted in such a way that laymen would be able to understand it without constant reference to dictionaries.

Fossilized Court Records

I woke up an hour early than I usually do today. I would’ve wanted to take an early bath and head to the office as early as 7:00 a.m., but the freezing temperature has effectively nailed me to my bed.

Who needs a refrigerator with this temperature. I think the hot dogs in my freezer would still easily surpass its expiry date even if I just store them inside my closet.

I hope that preserving very old court records is as easy as keeping food from being spoiled. There was a time when I wanted to check two case files that date back to the late 1800s, but the custodian refused to allow me to touch them. He said that the pages and the cover were already very brittle, and that exposing it to moisture might further aggravate its discoloration.

There’s a wealth of legal, literary, and historical information in court records, especially the old ones. Their custodians should exert an effort to make them available to the public. If they’re afraid that may not maintain the records in their original state if they are constantly being accessed, then what they should do is reproduce them in microfilm so that they could easily be read.

Fiery Protests Against Crematoriums

I attended the burial of my former college classmate’s father last Sunday. We thought that we would still be able to see the body. Unfortunately, my classmate’s family decided to keep the wake short. A few college buddies of mine who went along with me also thought that the burial would be at a later date.

It wasn’t exactly a burial, though. The body was cremated. It’s the first time that I was able to attended a cremation. I didn’t witness the actual process, but I saw the ashes when it was presented to the family of the deceased.

I know that cremation is practical and that cemeteries are, in a way, a waste of real estate. However, I still want to be buried to the ground when I die. Besides, the future of cremation is somewhat in jeopardy since many health groups are claiming that it is hazardous to the people’s health.

It has been found out that cremation emits 320 pounds of mercury per year. The source of the emission comes from the dental fillings. Activists doubt that the findings of the Environmental Protection Agency are accurate, contending that the number could actually be higher.

I’m not sure if there’s any crematorium that has already been charged for damaging one’s health due to mercury emissions. I’ll try to look for court records around the country involving crematoriums and incinerators. If the activists’ claims are true, then Congress should really consider enacting stiffer regulations for these establishments.

Dark Results

I’ve stumbled upon a 2-year old court record where a group of South Americans sued a soap manufacturer for allegedly selling a defective product.

The complainants said that they were led to believe by the manufacturer that they would have whiter skin in just 2 weeks after using the product. Although their complexion did change after two weeks, it was a change that they didn’t expect.

Majority of the complainants suffered burn-like results, while a number of them developed white spots all over their body. Experts say that that the damage is irreversible.

I pity the complainants. Many companies have perfected the art of deception through advertisements. I hope that they get the justice that they deserve.

I wonder why many people in the tropics are obsessed in having whiter skin. Don’t they know that many Caucasians are envious of their bronze complexion? Well, I guess it’s a matter of preference rather than of general opinion.

Safe at Home

I was at home searching for court records on the Internet when fear struck New York over the mysterious gas that enveloped Manhattan.

Some offices and establishments sent their employees home early. Unfortunately, many weren’t able to take advantage of their early dismissal since the city government has also temporarily suspended the subway services.

My boss was unperturbed and refused to heed the suggestion of some of my officemates to cancel the afternoon meeting. He averted a backlash when it was announced that the odor permeating around the city wasn’t lethal.

One of the things that I like about my job is that it could be done anywhere as long as there’s an Internet access. Information Technology is fast changing the way people work. Gone are the days when company databases mean endless rows of file cabinets. Time will come when going o the office would simply mean going to your living room.

An Ideal Week

I invited a few friends over at my place for some beer and nachos. I had a very productive week, and I wanted a little celebration to cap it off.

I went to the country courthouse early this morning to get the court records that I requested from the court clerk last Wednesday. It was still hot from the photocopying machine when it was given to me.

I was supposed to go back to the office by lunch to place a small bet on the Lakers, but my boss suddenly called and asked me to proxy for him in a meeting just across town.

The meeting was boring. I would’ve dozed off by the second hour had it not been for the delicious Starbucks coffee that I took a few minutes before the conference started.

I wasn’t able to go back at the office since the meeting already adjourned at 7pm. I just called Paul and the rest of the guys and asked them if we could have some beer at my place and watch the game together.

I won the bet, by the way. LA won by a mile :)

Good Start

I finally got the jumpstart that I needed to kick off the year. I think I’ve already told you that my first task for 2007 would be to conduct a court record search and a background check on the New England property that a client of ours wants to buy.

I woke up early yesterday and decided to do the search and check even before the client gave me the additional details that he thought might be helpful to the undertaking. I plowed through a couple of matches though, but I was still able to get the information that I wanted before lunch.

Needless to say, the client was impressed. He thought that it would take us another week before the property could be thoroughly checked. I surprised him by giving him all the information that he asked for last week. Now all he has to do is to write a check (for the property owner and for our company, of course) :) I think this is going to be a good year for me. No more dilly dallying or procrastinations.

New Year, Old Task

The New Year revelry has officially ended, and it’s back to work for most of us starting tomorrow. The first task that I will be doing for the year would be to conduct a court records search for a client who I’ll also be meeting for lunch tomorrow.

The first quarter of the year is the longest (well, at least for me). There are very few holidays during this period, and everybody will be busy wrapping up 2006 reports and drawing up plans for 2007.

The second quarter isn’t much of a consolation since it’s tax season. I guess I have to wait until summer for a meaningful respite from work.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I abhor my job. In fact, I’m enjoying it. It’s just that the holidays have inspired me to slack off a bit. Well, maybe not just a bit. I hope my court records search tomorrow would be a breeze. I need something good to get me going.