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February 24, 2004
GovPro Newsletter
Tuesday, February 24, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 8
Welcome to the GovPro Newsletter brought to you by the Penton Government Media Group. Look forward to news, resources, product and supplier information, and links relating to the government market.
If this message was sent in error or you wish to unsubscribe, see the unsubscribe information below.
Sponsored by CareerBuilder.com
This Week Streamlining Transforms Processes Starlight Star Bright State Budget Shortfalls on the Mend The Debate on Public Defibrillators National Labs Software Calculates Anti Jet Lag Diet News of The Weird
Features
11 Ways to Leave Your Legacy Systems BehindFar Behind
With enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems becoming increasingly commonplace, public-sector entities are certainly no strangers to technology. In fact, many government organizations are in the midst of planning Web-based projects that promise to streamline and automate business processes and system operations. In so doing, they hope to serve their agencies and ultimately, their constituents, more effectively.
New software alone, however, will not solve all of the problems and challenges associated with legacy procurement and disbursement processes. In fact, it can compound them. While new software does provide built-in best practices for procurement and accounts payable functions, end-to-end processesspecifically those processes beyond the softwares reachoften go overlooked. This may result in an agencys questioning why it did not realize all of the benefits promised by the software vendor when the system was initially purchased. Failure to address end-to-end processes results in many inefficiencies and shadow systems that remain in place long after an implementation is complete.
For full text and graphics, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27747/
Lawmakers Act to Preserve Endangered Night Sky
When was the last time you spotted the silky strands of the Milky Way spanning the night sky? For more than two-thirds of Americans, the answer is probably never.
Increasingly, the celestial nighttime view is being obscured by brightly lit shopping malls and the creeping glare of urban sprawl. In fact, 99 percent of U.S. residents live in areas tainted by excessive outdoor lighting known as light pollution, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The result is the Milky Way now is visible only in remote regions, astronomers say.
That ability to see the Milky Way is truly a natural resource that should be protected, and to think that 80 to 90 percent of kids today are deprived of that is heartbreaking, said Leo Smith of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a 10,000-member group based in Tucson, Ariz., that promotes darker nights.
For full text, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27723/
LOOKING FOR A NEW OPPORTUNITY IN YOUR CAREER? Find your next Government Procurement position on CareerBuilder.com. Thousands of jobs are available right now, and you can apply directly online. Discover the new opportunities that await you. View Government Procurement Jobs http://www.careerbuilder.com/PLI/QuickSrchV2.asp?QSKWD=government_procurement&siteid=govproem2
News
State Budget Shortfalls Drop
Most states expect to ride out the fiscal year with only one-tenth of the budget shortfalls they carried at this point last year and 30 states report they should end the year with a modest surplus, according to a 50-state fiscal survey released by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
At the same time, states are projecting more than $35 billion in budget gaps for the 2005 fiscal year.
NCSLs State Budget Update: February 2004 shows the flow of red ink that states grappled with last year is ebbing. States currently report only a $2.5 billion cumulative budget gap, compared with the $25.7 billion they reported one year ago.
For full text, visit: ht/tp://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/?/
Public Defibrillators: High-tech Life-savers or Expensive Gimmicks?
Public defibrillators are not necessarily the best way to reduce rates of sudden death, say several U.S. experts in this months issue of British Medical Journal USA.
Their comments follow two recently published studies examining the benefits of placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in airports, stadiums and other public locations.
For full text, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27721/
National Lab Licenses Anti-Jet-Lag-Diet Software
The Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet is now officially online. Software that computes individualized diet plans to help travelers avoid jet lag has been licensed by Argonne exclusively to AntiJetLagDiet.com LLC.
The Anti-Jet-Lag Diet, developed by the U.S. Department of Energys Argonne National Laboratory, is now officially online. Argonne-developed software that computes individualized diet plans to help travelers avoid jet lag has been licensed exclusively to AntiJetLagDiet.com LLC.
For full text, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27722/
News of the Weird: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/28257/
Links
MSA offers a complete line of personal protection equipment and instruments on GSA. Visit GSA Advantage!, http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.7gjp.4.44b7
or call MSA at 1-888-837-2158 for a GSA catalog.
Custom-designed Meyer snow plows fit exact vehicle frame and weight specifications for exceptional performance in all applications. Visit: http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.7mag.9.2hqf.5bxn
DENIOS manufactures Spill Containment, Chemical Storage and related equipment. Systems provide safe, compliant, and efficient storage of flammables, corrosives and other hazardous chemicals or materials. Visit: http://www.thehazmatpro.com
C & H Distributors provide a fast, efficient way to purchase shelving, cabinets, packaging and shipping products, or office furniture. Visit: http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.75qj.13.1jex.5c17
You may qualify for a FREE Magazine Subscription
Complimentary subscriptions to Government Product News, a product-driven resource, and Government PROcurement, editorial targeting the public sector purchasing professional are available to those who qualify.
To subscribe to Government Product News visit: http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.75qj.15.1jf8.5c17
To subscribe to Government Procurement visit: http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.75qj.16.1jf9.5c17
GovPro Newsletter, 1300 E. 9th St., Cleveland, OH 44114-1503
Copyright 2004 Penton Media, Inc.
Welcome to the GovPro Newsletter brought to you by the Penton Government Media Group. Look forward to news, resources, product and supplier information, and links relating to the government market.
If this message was sent in error or you wish to unsubscribe, see the unsubscribe information below.
Sponsored by CareerBuilder.com
This Week Streamlining Transforms Processes Starlight Star Bright State Budget Shortfalls on the Mend The Debate on Public Defibrillators National Labs Software Calculates Anti Jet Lag Diet News of The Weird
Features
11 Ways to Leave Your Legacy Systems BehindFar Behind
With enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems becoming increasingly commonplace, public-sector entities are certainly no strangers to technology. In fact, many government organizations are in the midst of planning Web-based projects that promise to streamline and automate business processes and system operations. In so doing, they hope to serve their agencies and ultimately, their constituents, more effectively.
New software alone, however, will not solve all of the problems and challenges associated with legacy procurement and disbursement processes. In fact, it can compound them. While new software does provide built-in best practices for procurement and accounts payable functions, end-to-end processesspecifically those processes beyond the softwares reachoften go overlooked. This may result in an agencys questioning why it did not realize all of the benefits promised by the software vendor when the system was initially purchased. Failure to address end-to-end processes results in many inefficiencies and shadow systems that remain in place long after an implementation is complete.
For full text and graphics, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27747/
Lawmakers Act to Preserve Endangered Night Sky
When was the last time you spotted the silky strands of the Milky Way spanning the night sky? For more than two-thirds of Americans, the answer is probably never.
Increasingly, the celestial nighttime view is being obscured by brightly lit shopping malls and the creeping glare of urban sprawl. In fact, 99 percent of U.S. residents live in areas tainted by excessive outdoor lighting known as light pollution, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The result is the Milky Way now is visible only in remote regions, astronomers say.
That ability to see the Milky Way is truly a natural resource that should be protected, and to think that 80 to 90 percent of kids today are deprived of that is heartbreaking, said Leo Smith of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a 10,000-member group based in Tucson, Ariz., that promotes darker nights.
For full text, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27723/
LOOKING FOR A NEW OPPORTUNITY IN YOUR CAREER? Find your next Government Procurement position on CareerBuilder.com. Thousands of jobs are available right now, and you can apply directly online. Discover the new opportunities that await you. View Government Procurement Jobs http://www.careerbuilder.com/PLI/QuickSrchV2.asp?QSKWD=government_procurement&siteid=govproem2
News
State Budget Shortfalls Drop
Most states expect to ride out the fiscal year with only one-tenth of the budget shortfalls they carried at this point last year and 30 states report they should end the year with a modest surplus, according to a 50-state fiscal survey released by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
At the same time, states are projecting more than $35 billion in budget gaps for the 2005 fiscal year.
NCSLs State Budget Update: February 2004 shows the flow of red ink that states grappled with last year is ebbing. States currently report only a $2.5 billion cumulative budget gap, compared with the $25.7 billion they reported one year ago.
For full text, visit: ht/tp://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/?/
Public Defibrillators: High-tech Life-savers or Expensive Gimmicks?
Public defibrillators are not necessarily the best way to reduce rates of sudden death, say several U.S. experts in this months issue of British Medical Journal USA.
Their comments follow two recently published studies examining the benefits of placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in airports, stadiums and other public locations.
For full text, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27721/
National Lab Licenses Anti-Jet-Lag-Diet Software
The Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet is now officially online. Software that computes individualized diet plans to help travelers avoid jet lag has been licensed by Argonne exclusively to AntiJetLagDiet.com LLC.
The Anti-Jet-Lag Diet, developed by the U.S. Department of Energys Argonne National Laboratory, is now officially online. Argonne-developed software that computes individualized diet plans to help travelers avoid jet lag has been licensed exclusively to AntiJetLagDiet.com LLC.
For full text, visit: http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/27722/
News of the Weird: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://www.govpro.com/GPRONewsletter/Article/28257/
Links
MSA offers a complete line of personal protection equipment and instruments on GSA. Visit GSA Advantage!, http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.7gjp.4.44b7
or call MSA at 1-888-837-2158 for a GSA catalog.
Custom-designed Meyer snow plows fit exact vehicle frame and weight specifications for exceptional performance in all applications. Visit: http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.7mag.9.2hqf.5bxn
DENIOS manufactures Spill Containment, Chemical Storage and related equipment. Systems provide safe, compliant, and efficient storage of flammables, corrosives and other hazardous chemicals or materials. Visit: http://www.thehazmatpro.com
C & H Distributors provide a fast, efficient way to purchase shelving, cabinets, packaging and shipping products, or office furniture. Visit: http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.75qj.13.1jex.5c17
You may qualify for a FREE Magazine Subscription
Complimentary subscriptions to Government Product News, a product-driven resource, and Government PROcurement, editorial targeting the public sector purchasing professional are available to those who qualify.
To subscribe to Government Product News visit: http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.75qj.15.1jf8.5c17
To subscribe to Government Procurement visit: http://r.pm0.net/s/c?ij.75qj.16.1jf9.5c17
GovPro Newsletter, 1300 E. 9th St., Cleveland, OH 44114-1503
Copyright 2004 Penton Media, Inc.
