A Well-Deserved Hiatus

If you hadn't already guessed, we're in a bit of flux right now. That, and with summer here, we'll be taking a short hiatus and won't be posting for a while.

Please do check in with us again soon. Thanks!

Cyberspace Policy Review, Basic Needs Budget Calculator, and more

• The New York Times has an article looking at a new research paper, "The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness.”
  


• The Brookings Institution has a new policy brief, "Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America."
  


• Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) has released "an oversight report called “Washed out to Sea” that details how billions of federal dollars have been wasted on beach nourishment projects while critical infrastructure needs go unmet." See the press release or full report for more. Yes, VB is mentioned on pg. 33.
  


• The National Center for Educational Statistics has released its 2009 Condition of Education.
  


• Docuticker has some good links to resources regarding the White House's Cyberspace Policy Review.
  


• Docuticker also points to the National Center for Children in Poverty and their fact sheet, "Measuring Poverty in the United States." See also their Basic Needs Budget Calculator. Note that only select locations are included.
  


• CEOs for Cities blogs about SPUR, the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association.
  


• The New York Times also writes about the city's new street design manual.
  


• Another NYT article looks at the cost-saving strategies being used by local governments, from consolidation to resource sharing and more.
  
  
• The Boston Globe reports on one city's new measures to attract biomedical companies to their area.

"Biking is the new golf," Cost of Obesity, the 2009 Hurricane Outlook, and more

• CEO for Cities blogs about the cost of obesity in America and its connection to city planning and also gives kudos to NYC's Transportation Commissioner, who is quoted as saying "Biking is the new golf."
  
  
• The Hampton Roads Partnership blogs about the Commonwealth Transportation Board's Draft 2015 Six-Year Improvement Plan.
  
  
• Docuticker points to a new Pew Internet & American Life Project report on Americans' use of online classifieds.
  
  
• Another item from Pew is a presentation on how video games can teach teens to be good citizens.
  
  
• The Congressional Budget Office Director recently testified before the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on the Budget on "the State of the Economy."
  
  
• NOAA has released its hurricane outlook for this season. See their press release or the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook for more.
  
  
• Free Government Information blogs about the U.S. Government YouTube channel.
  
  
• Government Technology reports that the Data.gov is now live. On a related note, the National Academy of Public Administration has a website for submitting your ideas to them on improving government transparency.

Sustainability, An Aging America, and more

• AARP has new research on the need for transportation planners to consider older adults as that population increases rapidly. See "Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America" for more.
  
  
• Docuticker points to a new Dept. of Energy report, "Storage of Captured Carbon Dioxide Beneath Federal Lands." See the press release for more.
  
  
• The CBO Director’s Blog has a post on a new CBO report, "Alternatives for Modernizing U.S. Fighter Forces."
  


• Business Week reports on wearable gear as the next evolution of mobile devices.
  


• On a related note, AppScout.com reports on a new study that indicates that "more than half of all mobile device users are getting content on at least a weekly basis..."
  


• Government Technology reports on the Los Angeles Housing Department's use of an online interactive map to track properties in foreclosure.
  


• GT also reports on the NYPD's purchase on 40 new Nissan Altima Hybrid vehicles to its fleet.
  


• Marketplace reports that San Francisco may become the first city in the U.S. to make composting mandatory.

Volutourism, The Public Sphere project, Green Wheel video, the Delete-O-Meter, and more

• Stateline.org points to a Business Week article about how the economic downturn is forcing some police departments to reduce costs through departmental mergers, consolidations, and more.
  


• ICMA points to a Washington Post article on Montgomery County, MD's plans to use parking meters that accept payment via cell phone.
  


• The Hampton Roads Partnership points to an article on Norfolk's "Public Art Earn and Learn" program which opens its public parking garages to art projects.
  


• VirginiaDem.com points to the new Broadband Availability map now available via the state's Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance.
  


• The International Center for Civic Engagement has a brief blog post about a new "voluntourism" program developed by Seattle's Convention and Visitors Bureau.
  


• Through a post at Acidlabs.org I discovered OpenAustralia.org and The Public Sphere project established by Australian Senator Kate Lundy.
  


• Online Community Engagement blogs about the use of video to facilitate civic engagement and provides a cross-section of examples.
  


• Mark Drapeau has a great post at Online Marketing for Marketers about how Governmetn 2.0 could transform government PR.
  


• OhMyGov blogs about government agencies taking advantage of SaaS, or cloud computing, to integrate web 2.0 tools into their organizations. Also check out the Transportation Security Administration's blog, Evolution of Security, that's highlighted in the blog post. Another REALLY COOL feature is their Delete-O-Meter- a feature added in the name of transparency. Way to go!
  


• CityRyde Bike Sharing Blog posts about a video from the MIT Mobile Experience Lab. Very cool stuff. Enjoy!
  
  
  

  Green Wheel - Smart Mobility & Ubiquitous Computing from MIT Mobile Experience Lab on Vimeo.

  
  

Transparency 2.0, Citizen's Briefing Book, the Cost of Bad Roads, and more

• Stateline.org points to a Washington Post article on President Obama's executive order giving the EPA more authority over the cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay.
  
  
• Jessamyn West at Librarian.net posts a link to a First Mondays article that provides a good overview of cloud computing, "Where is the cloud? Geography, economics, environment, and jurisdiction in cloud computing."
  


• The O'Reilly Radar writes about a new Microsoft service, Vine, "a public-service tool that will be especially useful during disasters."
  
  
• CEO for Cities blogs about an article in The Daily Green about the potential uses of soon-to-be vacant car dealerships.
  
  
• Docuticker points to a new report by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), indicating that "[d]rivers living in urban areas with populations over 250,000 are paying upwards of $750 more annually because of accelerated vehicle deterioration, increased maintenance, additional fuel consumption, and tire wear caused by poor road conditions." See also the press release for a summary.
  
  
• Docuticker also points to a Brookings Institution report, "The Fiscal Effects of Investing in High-Quality Preschool Programs."
  
  
• The White House Office of Public Engagement has released the Citizen's Briefing Book, a compilation of ideas from citizens, not top officials.
  
  
• Free Government Information blogs about a recent article on transparency 2.0 that was posted at Internet Evolution.

Adult Literacy, Open Source, School Readiness, VA wind farms?, and more

• Business Week has an article on the growing debate over the economic impact of immigrants.
  


• Governing reports on a recent survey of city websites, with Washington DC at the top, followed by Portland, Ore., New York, New Orleans and Los Angeles.
  


• The Christian Science Monitor has an article on the latest National Assessment of Adult Literacy from the National Center for Education Statistics.
  


• The May 2009 issue of The Open Source Business Resource focuses on open source in government.
  


• The folks at Commoncraft have MANY short instruction videos on all types of topics. The latest is The World Wide Web in Plain English. Check out their YouTube channel for a list of what else is available.
  


• The Portals and KM blog discusses a post at the Blog Herald, "20 Law-Related Questions Every Blogger Should Know."
  
  
• Docuticker points to two recent publications from the Education Commission of the States, including their International Benchmarking Toolkit and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and ECS issued report — Linking Ready Kids to Ready Schools.
  


• Docuticker also points to recent testimony by the Congressional Budget Office Director, "The Distribution of Revenues from a Cap-and-Trade Program for CO2 Emissions."
  


• And mark your calendars for this Thursday from 7-9pm. There will be a public forum at Town Center regarding the potential of offshore wind energy. Check out the City's news release for details.

Civic Engagement initiatives, Education research, Gov 2.0 bytes, and more

• Business Week features a post by GigaOM about whether videoconferencing and whether it's as cost-saving and environmentally friendly as it's made out to be.
  


• ICMA points to a Washington Post article on Fairfax County's use of Twitter to send out information and interact with citizens. To keep up with all levels of government on Twitter, check out the NEW GovTwit directory that'll be launched May 11th.
  


• ICMA also points to the latest Transit Savings Report just released by the American Public Transportation Association, which finds that "[r]iding public transportation can save an individual an average of $8,691 a year based on the May 5, 2009 national average gas price and the unreserved monthly parking rate..."
  


• OhMyGov! reports on local governments who are "embracing debt forgiveness" because of the current economy- from forgiving parking tickets to overdue library fines, etc.
  


• Stateline.org points to a new iPhone App for following Arkansas' use of federal stimulus money. See the post at Politics in Arkansas for more.
  
  
• Docuticker points to an AARP research paper on "recareering in later life."
  
  
• Another tip from Docuticker is the new report by the the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America, Reaching America’s Health Potential Among Adults: A State-by-State Look at Adult Health, which indicates that "adults with less education are more likely to be in less than very good health than college graduates, and adults in every state fall far short of the level of good health that should be achievable for all Americans."
  
  
• A Pew Center on the States study finds that "the majority of the nation’s governors are increasing or protecting their state’s investments in pre-kindergarten programs in the coming fiscal year." Good news! Meanwhile, however, a new study by the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution indicates that "infants and toddlers are underrepresented in the federal budget."
  
  
• Also on the education front are the results of a recent student poll by Gallup and America's Promise Alliance indicates that "more than one-third of students surveyed in grades 5 – 12 are struggling or suffering, and half (50 percent) are not hopeful..." See the press release by the American Association of School Administrators or the project's website for more.
  
  
• Yet another link from Docuticker takes us to the New America Foundation's State Climate Policy Tracker spreadsheet, which shows progress being made in 33 states. Although many action items are listed for Virginia, no status or projected estimates are included. Most information came from the state's Climate Change website. While there, be sure to check out the Governor's Commission on Climate Change's final report released in December.
  
  
• The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta has a new analysis of real-estate owned (REO) properties which shows the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News MSA to have a "suburban REO to mortgageable property ratio" of 1.08 - only one of 11 MSAs to have a ratio higher than 1.0.
  
  
• The American Library Association reports that PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement) has released a new guide on deliberative democracy that "provides a detailed description of how local civic engagement has grown and developed over the past decade." See the report, “Funding and Fostering Local Democracy: What Philanthropy Should Know about the Emerging Field of Deliberation and Democratic Governance,” or the press release for details.
  
  
• On a related note, Nova Scotia's Democracy 250 initiative has an interesting report on civic engagement among its young adults and offers recommendations for "engaging more young Nova Scotians in the democratic process." See the report, Is Anyone Listening?, for more.
  
  
• The California State Library and VolunteerMatch.org have partnered to develop a new initiative called Get Involved: Powered by Your Library, aimed at increasing civic engagement activities and volunteerism at public libraries. See the press release to learn more or visit the project's website. Very cool!
  

TwHistory, Air Force/Social Media, OhMyGov!, and more

• Business Week has a good overview of the potential use of stimulus money to assist all libraries in providing high-speed internet access to the public.
  


• Another BW article looks at the growing corporate acceptance of iPhones.
  
  
• Free Government Information blogs about a great project that puts history in contemporary contexts by communicating stories via Twitter. As their motto goes, "those who forget history are doomed to retweet it." Priceless!
  


• OBSNews.com reports that Sacremento has started an "Open Town Hall" to allow citizens to voice opinions and ask questions online. The City is using Peak Democracy for this web-based public comment service and the forums are hosted via The Sacremento Bee's website. Nice!
  


• The British blog, Local Government Engagement Online Research, recently highlighted a new video by the Air Force Public Affairs Agency, Emerging Technology Division that "shows how our Airmen are using social media to stay informed and inform others..." Does anyone know if the military's block on most of these web 2.0 tools is still in effect? See their New Media webpage to see what else they offer. Well, anyways, here's the video - enjoy!
  
  
  And be sure to also check out their instructional guide, New Media and the Air Force, for great information, guidelines for use, and best practices.
  


• OhMyGov! blogs about the rise of Colorado's wind turbine manufacturing plants and says that the state is "fast becoming America’s role model for a 'New Energy Economy.'" Read more via the New York Times article they cite.
  

Innovation, Global Warming, GovFresh.com, and more

• A local blogger reports being flown to Texas by the American Petroleum Institute to learn more about offshore drilling.
  


• CEO for Cities blogs about a new competition in Cincinnati to encourage entrepreneurial innovation. See the Cincinnati Innovates website for more.
  


• Free Government Information blogs about an all-in-one RSS feed for information from the U.S. government called GovFresh.com.
  


• Greenbiz.com blogs about stimulus money being used to create the Clean Cities initative, which "aims to support at least 30 alternative fuels and advanced vehicles projects. Among the technologies that can be funded are anything from natural gas and biofuels to plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell power sources for a range of vehicles. Some of the funds can also be applied to public awareness and training programs around alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure. " Another initiative mentioned is the National Council of Black Mayors' "Green the City" initiative.
  


• The Congressional Budget Office Director blogs about a new research paper that looks at the potential impact of global warming in the U.S.
  


• The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), with support from the MacArthur Foundation, has a new report, Leadership for Web 2.0 in Education: Promise & Reality.
  


• PSFK blogs about a sculpture in Sweden that was created to promote alternative transportation, commissioned by a local airport bus company. A nice visual reminder of just how many cars would be off the road if more people used buses and other forms of mass transit.
  
  
  
• Mashable points to an article in Slate where Farhad Manjoo writes about how he stopped using RSS feeds to monitor the news and now uses his own web searching system to much more efficiency. What, no RSS feeds?!? ;)
  


• MediaPost News reported on Friday that "California lawmakers, in a 10-3 vote by the governmental organization committee, rejected a de facto ban on digital billboards in the state Thursday. The panel did not accept claims that digital billboards were unsafe -- a victory for the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, the Motion Picture Association and the California Travel Industry, which opposed the legislation."