Volume 26 • No 02 • 2003
ISSN 0742-468X • Since 1978
On-line Since 2000
Out of the Box
Editor's note: In “Out of the Box” we bring you news snippets that are not necessarily related specifically to GIS. These are items that come across my screen that help me understand our industry, by understanding the world around us. For the complete article just click “Details Here.” Think of it as thinking Out of the Box
In State and Local Government …
• As a sluggish economy and revenue shortfalls continue to plague state government
budgets, many governors are deciding how best to use limited funds for competing
priorities — and some are looking at technology as one answer. Details Here
• Snow is hurting already tight city budgets. Schenectady City Council President Frank Maurizio said the snow put that city deeper into a deficit situation after spending $110,000 on overtime alone after the holiday nor’easter. In Syracuse, where $600,000 were added to last year's $3 million snow–removal budget, officials aren't sure it will be enough. Syracuse is running nearly 20 inches of snow above normal, Rochester nearly 30 inches. Details Here
In Technology …
• Forget coupons and advertising; the next frontier for location-based wireless services is the location-appropriate downloadable app. Details Here
• “Criminal activity on the Internet is growing — not steadily, but exponentially, both in frequency and complexity, ” said Larry Ponemon, chairman of the Ponemon Institute, an information management group and consultancy. “Criminals are getting smarter and figuring out ways to beat the system.” The number of successful, and verifiable, worldwide hacker incidents for the month of January is likely to surpass 20,000 — above the previous record of 16,000 in October, as counted by mi2g, a computer security firm based in London. Details Here
• Automated Vulnerability Remediation - The Cure for Security's Common Cold. This Executive White Paper from the Aberdeen Group provides insight into the evolution of automated vulnerability remediation, an overview of the types of solutions available, examples of suppliers, and criteria that IT buyers can use when evaluating solutions. Details Here
• Technology companies and the Pentagon reached an agreement to release more spectrum for the next generation of wireless devices. This could lift the popularity of high-speed wireless Internet service. Details Here
In Utilities …
• Vermont must upgrade its electric lines, build more power plants or start
conserving energy better to avoid future power shortages, according to the
people who run the state's high voltage power grid. “We’ve seen a big
increase in summer demand over the past three years, but no major power
plants or lines have been built in Vermont for about 20 years,” Tom Dunn, a
project manager at the Vermont Electric Power Co (VELCO), said. Details Here
• Pakistan "saboteurs" reportedly blast gas pipeline. The main gas pipeline to
the Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province [NWFP] from Sui was blown up
again on Sunday [26 January] night as the blast completely damaged two
supply pipes of 30 inch and 20 inch diameter. The incident took place inside
Balochistan, a few kilometres away from Sui. Initial reports suggested the
saboteurs dug out the subsurface supply line and blew it up with a bomb.
This main supply line catered to around 45 per cent needs of the total gas
requirement of the Punjab and the NWFP. The channels supply 600m cubic feet
from the total of 1000 mc/ft of gas every day to Punjab and the NWFP. The
big explosion was followed by a huge fireball, which could be seen from
miles. The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline [SNGPL] teams were despatched to the
spot and the restoration work was underway. Details Here
• The Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA) is preparing to raise electric rates this fall for the first
time in six years, TVA distributors were told. The proposed rate
changes would boost wholesale rates to residential and commercial customers by 8.1 percent. “The time has come when we simply need more money to
meet the important environmental commitments we have made,” TVA Chief
Financial Officer David Smith said. “In order to offset the costs of
installing emissions control equipment needed to cover the requirements of
the existing Clean Air Act, we are proposing a rate increase for fiscal year
2004.” The rate increase is projected to yield an additional $365 million a
year for the federal utility. Details Here
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