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April 27, 2004
High-Tech Humiliation Helps Nab Tax Cheats
GovPro Newsletter
Tuesday, April 27, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 17
Sponsored by Meyer Products
This Week Sites Shame Businesses into Paying Taxes Fuel Cell Cars Cruise the Bay City NOAA Offers Hi-Res Radar State Spending Down Again This Year Sheriff Communicates in All Formats Army Corps Moves Ahead in Mississippi News of The Weird
Features
High-Tech Humiliation Helps Nab Tax Cheats
More than a dozen states are banking on public humiliation on the World Wide Web to shame businesses and individuals into paying millions of dollars in overdue state taxes. Using catchy names such as CyberShame and Debtor's Corner, states are electronically publishing the names of tax delinquents.
Publicly embarrassing taxpayers in cyberspace is one novel tactic cash-strapped states are using to come up with enough money to balance their books. Tax amnesty programs are another approach many states try to shake more money from taxpayers' pockets.
For full text, visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHdy0AJ
San Francisco Test Drives Fuel Cell Cars
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome will be driving one of the few hydrogen fuel cell cars in existence to some official events this year. The city's Environment Department has leased two fuel cell vehicles from SF Honda, and they will be rotated among various city officials including Mayor Newsom.
"In these times when breaking our dependence on fossil fuels and gaining energy self- sufficiency is critical, San Francisco is demonstrating the viability of clean, alternative technologies," said Mayor Gavin Newsom.
"San Francisco is poised to become the premier stop on California's hydrogen highway," the mayor said.
For full text, visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHdz0AK
MEYER PRODUCTS
Meyer Products offers more than 35 steel and polyethylene snowplows to fit exact vehicle frame and weight specifications for exceptional performance in all applications. Choose from 7 spreaders for sidewalk to highway coverage. Visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BGjj0A8
High-Resolution, Real-Time Radar Data Available from NOAA
High-resolution radar data from the national network of Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) is now available in real time to government, university and private sector users, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced.
This data represents the highest resolution picture of what the radar system is "seeing" in real time - as the antenna spins. As a result, faster, higher resolution and more detailed weather products will be developed. Researchers have already proven the value of this data in various applications. Now it will be available to everyone.
For full text, visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd10A6
Bobcat
Why spend taxpayer money on two or more machines when one machine will do? Bobcat presents the Toolcat(TM) 5600 -- built to handle many jobs with a wide choice of attachments! Visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd20A7
News
Report: States Spend Less; More Cuts in the Offing
State spending declined this year to the lowest level in nearly 15 years, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities to be released on April 22.
For the fourth year in a row, most states likely will turn to cutting programs to balance their books, said the Washington, D.C.-based center, which focuses on budget policies that affect the poor. States cut expenditures over the last three years to fill budget gaps totaling $250 billion.
State spending as a share of the U.S. economy dipped to 4.60 percent for this fiscal year, down from the average of 4.85 percent between 1990 and 2000, the center said.
The report comes as many states are entering final budget planning stages for fiscal year 2005, which begins July 1 in most states.
The center predicts the cuts will be deeper this year because many states have run out of short-term fixes and many state lawmakers are reluctant to raise taxes.
Source: Stateline.org.
465,000+ FATAL HEART ATTACKS OCCUR IN THE U.S. ANNUALLY.
OSHA and the American Heart Association recommend Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the workplace to increase survivability after sudden cardiac arrest. Visit http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd30A8
to safeguard your employees with Cardiac Science's Powerheart(R) AED G3.
Communicating Through Crisis
In order to better handle potential emergencies such as terror attacks, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has turned to a high-speed notification system from Dialogic Communications Corporation (DCC). The system enables the department to draw up a contact list of agencies and groups to notify in the event of an emergency at the click of a mouse. Messages are sent to recipients via their preferred format, including email, cell phone, pagers, fax, and phones.
By linking the notification system with GIS mapping technology, the software can also notify a target audience based on area, such as a street, block, or district. Furthermore, the software has a "status report" feature that tells the dispatcher who has replied to his or her call for help. High-speed notification systems are also useful for supplying information about individual responses that could be used to determine fit-for-duty status and ETAs for gathering and rotating staff members.
In addition, the technology can be used to notify outlying police departments to potentially alleviate traffic jams, summon more personnel, or notify officials of a fleeing suspect. Agencies should ensure that dispatchers or people overseeing the system have strong decision-making abilities, the capacity to quickly reorganize, knowledge of the intelligence field, and access to technical support.
Source: The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC).
Army Corps Rolls Forward With Mississippi Plan
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced it will move forward with a $2.3 billion management plan for the Mississippi River. The plan calls for the expansion of locks on the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers in order to ease traffic congestion through the lock and dam system. A draft plan will be released to the public in early May.
Most of the locks on the river system are 600 feet, while most tows today push multiple barges of 1,000 feet. This has caused traffic congestion on the waterway, the Corps says, but its efforts to ease the backups have been mired in controversy.
According to the Army Corps, immediate construction of seven new locks and the extension of five existing locks, is necessary because of the potential for a catastrophic breakdown in the navigation system. Critics say this rationale has never been expressed before, let alone predicted or evaluated in any Corps study.
Source: Environmental News Service (ENS).
News of the Weird: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd40AA
Event:
Plan to attend the Engineering Green Buildings Conference, July 20-23, 2004, in Cleveland, OH. Engineers and facilities managers can choose from 8 tracks and 27 sessions, learn from case studies on LEED-certified buildings, and gain practical knowledge during practice project sessions. The event is produced and managed by HPAC Engineering magazine. For more information or to register, visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BF6V0Au
Links
Fargo Electronics - The World's Leader in Card Identity Solutions. Visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BG1A0AV
Strong Hold offers heavy-duty, 12-gauge steel cabinets, tables, and desks with 14- gauge shelves. The strongest storage units available. Visit: http://www.strong- hold.com
KEG Technologies, Inc. - Sewer Cleaning Equipment for Experts. Visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd50AB
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
****************************************************** If you would like to subscribe to this weekly newsletter for government professionals send a blank email to: mailto:GovPro_Subscribe@list.pentonmedia.com If you would like to unsubscribe to the GovPro newsletter send a blank email to: mailto:GovPro_Unsubscribe@list.pentonmedia.com GovPro Newsletter, 1300 E. 9th St., Cleveland, OH 44114-1503
Copyright 2004 Penton Media, Inc.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 17
Sponsored by Meyer Products
This Week Sites Shame Businesses into Paying Taxes Fuel Cell Cars Cruise the Bay City NOAA Offers Hi-Res Radar State Spending Down Again This Year Sheriff Communicates in All Formats Army Corps Moves Ahead in Mississippi News of The Weird
Features
High-Tech Humiliation Helps Nab Tax Cheats
More than a dozen states are banking on public humiliation on the World Wide Web to shame businesses and individuals into paying millions of dollars in overdue state taxes. Using catchy names such as CyberShame and Debtor's Corner, states are electronically publishing the names of tax delinquents.
Publicly embarrassing taxpayers in cyberspace is one novel tactic cash-strapped states are using to come up with enough money to balance their books. Tax amnesty programs are another approach many states try to shake more money from taxpayers' pockets.
For full text, visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHdy0AJ
San Francisco Test Drives Fuel Cell Cars
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome will be driving one of the few hydrogen fuel cell cars in existence to some official events this year. The city's Environment Department has leased two fuel cell vehicles from SF Honda, and they will be rotated among various city officials including Mayor Newsom.
"In these times when breaking our dependence on fossil fuels and gaining energy self- sufficiency is critical, San Francisco is demonstrating the viability of clean, alternative technologies," said Mayor Gavin Newsom.
"San Francisco is poised to become the premier stop on California's hydrogen highway," the mayor said.
For full text, visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHdz0AK
MEYER PRODUCTS
Meyer Products offers more than 35 steel and polyethylene snowplows to fit exact vehicle frame and weight specifications for exceptional performance in all applications. Choose from 7 spreaders for sidewalk to highway coverage. Visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BGjj0A8
High-Resolution, Real-Time Radar Data Available from NOAA
High-resolution radar data from the national network of Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) is now available in real time to government, university and private sector users, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced.
This data represents the highest resolution picture of what the radar system is "seeing" in real time - as the antenna spins. As a result, faster, higher resolution and more detailed weather products will be developed. Researchers have already proven the value of this data in various applications. Now it will be available to everyone.
For full text, visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd10A6
Bobcat
Why spend taxpayer money on two or more machines when one machine will do? Bobcat presents the Toolcat(TM) 5600 -- built to handle many jobs with a wide choice of attachments! Visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd20A7
News
Report: States Spend Less; More Cuts in the Offing
State spending declined this year to the lowest level in nearly 15 years, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities to be released on April 22.
For the fourth year in a row, most states likely will turn to cutting programs to balance their books, said the Washington, D.C.-based center, which focuses on budget policies that affect the poor. States cut expenditures over the last three years to fill budget gaps totaling $250 billion.
State spending as a share of the U.S. economy dipped to 4.60 percent for this fiscal year, down from the average of 4.85 percent between 1990 and 2000, the center said.
The report comes as many states are entering final budget planning stages for fiscal year 2005, which begins July 1 in most states.
The center predicts the cuts will be deeper this year because many states have run out of short-term fixes and many state lawmakers are reluctant to raise taxes.
Source: Stateline.org.
465,000+ FATAL HEART ATTACKS OCCUR IN THE U.S. ANNUALLY.
OSHA and the American Heart Association recommend Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the workplace to increase survivability after sudden cardiac arrest. Visit http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd30A8
to safeguard your employees with Cardiac Science's Powerheart(R) AED G3.
Communicating Through Crisis
In order to better handle potential emergencies such as terror attacks, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has turned to a high-speed notification system from Dialogic Communications Corporation (DCC). The system enables the department to draw up a contact list of agencies and groups to notify in the event of an emergency at the click of a mouse. Messages are sent to recipients via their preferred format, including email, cell phone, pagers, fax, and phones.
By linking the notification system with GIS mapping technology, the software can also notify a target audience based on area, such as a street, block, or district. Furthermore, the software has a "status report" feature that tells the dispatcher who has replied to his or her call for help. High-speed notification systems are also useful for supplying information about individual responses that could be used to determine fit-for-duty status and ETAs for gathering and rotating staff members.
In addition, the technology can be used to notify outlying police departments to potentially alleviate traffic jams, summon more personnel, or notify officials of a fleeing suspect. Agencies should ensure that dispatchers or people overseeing the system have strong decision-making abilities, the capacity to quickly reorganize, knowledge of the intelligence field, and access to technical support.
Source: The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC).
Army Corps Rolls Forward With Mississippi Plan
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced it will move forward with a $2.3 billion management plan for the Mississippi River. The plan calls for the expansion of locks on the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers in order to ease traffic congestion through the lock and dam system. A draft plan will be released to the public in early May.
Most of the locks on the river system are 600 feet, while most tows today push multiple barges of 1,000 feet. This has caused traffic congestion on the waterway, the Corps says, but its efforts to ease the backups have been mired in controversy.
According to the Army Corps, immediate construction of seven new locks and the extension of five existing locks, is necessary because of the potential for a catastrophic breakdown in the navigation system. Critics say this rationale has never been expressed before, let alone predicted or evaluated in any Corps study.
Source: Environmental News Service (ENS).
News of the Weird: Bizarre but true stories about real people. http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd40AA
Event:
Plan to attend the Engineering Green Buildings Conference, July 20-23, 2004, in Cleveland, OH. Engineers and facilities managers can choose from 8 tracks and 27 sessions, learn from case studies on LEED-certified buildings, and gain practical knowledge during practice project sessions. The event is produced and managed by HPAC Engineering magazine. For more information or to register, visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BF6V0Au
Links
Fargo Electronics - The World's Leader in Card Identity Solutions. Visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BG1A0AV
Strong Hold offers heavy-duty, 12-gauge steel cabinets, tables, and desks with 14- gauge shelves. The strongest storage units available. Visit: http://www.strong- hold.com
KEG Technologies, Inc. - Sewer Cleaning Equipment for Experts. Visit: http://list.pentonmedia.com/cgi-bin3/DM/y/efeL0D8eaH0JQA0BHd50AB
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
****************************************************** If you would like to subscribe to this weekly newsletter for government professionals send a blank email to: mailto:GovPro_Subscribe@list.pentonmedia.com If you would like to unsubscribe to the GovPro newsletter send a blank email to: mailto:GovPro_Unsubscribe@list.pentonmedia.com GovPro Newsletter, 1300 E. 9th St., Cleveland, OH 44114-1503
Copyright 2004 Penton Media, Inc.
