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A Bureau of Economic Analysis report sheds light on the health of U.S. counties, but experts caution that more analysis is needed for insight into what has driven growth in some counties while others have fallen behind.
In a world of phishing attacks and other technological threats, we need to do a better job of training the men and women who run the polls. There's still time, and it doesn't cost a lot.
Author Stephen King tweeted on January 31, 2020 in response to Facebook’s privacy and misinformation issues. (The Hill — February 3, 2020)
The amount of phone companies that broke the law by selling location data for their smartphone users, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reported last week. The FCC was investigating reports from 2018 that claimed that U.S. phone companies were selling phone location data to third-party firms without the phone users knowing. “For just a few hundred dollars, shady middlemen could sell your location within a few hundred meters based on your wireless phone data.”
Calhoun County, S.C., says that the taxes from online purchases are being collected by neighboring counties due to incorrect ZIP code information. “I think we need to get every nickel we can get.”
Governments across the nation are proposing legislation that would curb the influence and prominence of online misinformation, but until those bills get signed into laws, read online information carefully and critically.
With increasing tech and automation, the next work generation can expect to have 19 jobs over their career, which could require constant skill updating. California’s commission hopes to develop ideas on how to embrace it.
The city will bring in a team of experts to discuss future technology implications, opportunities in transportation with local leaders. “We’re talking about the now of transportation, and how we incorporate that.”
A number of bills have been introduced that seek to transform the relationship between the state's consumers, data brokers and large tech companies, but lawmakers don't necessarily agree on the legislative fine print.
States can now collect sales tax on products purchased remotely, opening the door to billions in new revenue. But how to collect the money is complicated. New software tools might be the answer.
As the number of rides from transportation network companies has surged in recent years, governments feel compelled to charge higher fees to help pay for road congestion problems and to improve public transit.
Deyanira Del Rio, co-executive director of the New Economy Project, said at a hearing last Thursday regarding a bill that prohibits putting restrictions on cash payments. While there is a growing trend to use cashless payments like credit cards or mobile payments, Americans who do not have a bank account would be negatively impacted by the cash restrictions. (The Hill — January 30, 2020)
The number of electric delivery vans that United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) will buy in an attempt to reduce car emissions and delivery costs. The company will also test self-driving package delivery vehicles in partnership with Waymo. UPS hopes the partnerships “will help us continue to push the envelope on technology and new delivery models.”
The Dallas-based company Alto differs from other ride-hailing companies in that it’s “an accessible luxury.” The membership-based service owns its own fleet of SUVs, uniformed drivers and has a signature scent.
Ann Arbor, Mich., only has about 47 percent of the workers it needs to ensure an accurate count for the 2020 Census. The jobs would pay up to $23 an hour. Officials encourage people to “be a part of history.”
Florida Rep. Kathy Castor presented a bill that would strengthen online privacy protections for those under the age of 18. Adding an amendment to the federal law, Castor wants consent from the teenagers, too.
U.S. officials are debating the value of printing money if many people never use cash anymore. Some people think that as credit and debit card use increases, cash may be a waste. Others argue that cash maintains equality.
Could a cyberattack that hit a West Virginia county school system have been prevented if the Office of Technology didn’t have vacancies in 22 percent of its positions? Many fear that private industry will steal all tech workers.
Technology-driven disruption is going to accelerate exponentially, the authors of a new book predict. Government is going to have to figure out how to keep up.
Moriba Jah, an orbital mechanics expert at the University of Texas at Austin, said of the increasing possibility of collisions as satellites are being dumped into Earth’s atmosphere. The U.S. military’s 18th Space Control Squadron has a catalog of approximately 26,000 objects, which includes the 200 satellites that SpaceX has added to the atmosphere since November. Many experts think that a serious collision is only a matter of time, “But I think it’s going to be reactionary, unfortunately.” (NPR — January 29, 2020)
The number of states that permit photos at a voting ballot box if a Wisconsin bill that allows selfies with completed ballots on Election Day gets approved. The state Senate approved the bill on Tuesday and it will now continue to the Assembly. Currently, there are only 18 states that ban photographic displays of marked ballots on Election Day, laws which are not strongly enforced.
The St. Paul police will begin testing new video technology that will help them look for clues and suspects. But some are concerned about the tech being misused. “It’s fundamentally changing the way that you police people.”
A study by AAA found that range anxiety decreases after purchase of an EV and it will only cost about $600 annually to maintain, a comparable figure to gas. But others are skeptical that the initial cost is still too high for most motorists.
The Michigan Supreme Court has decided that on May 1, the general public will be allowed to use their phones in courtrooms. As cellphones become the main form of communication, many are pleased by the decision.
Fulton County, Ga., finalized its $1.2 billion budget for 2020 including spending $17 million on IT infrastructure and cybersecurity. Georgia has been the target of several cyberattacks so officials want to be prepared.
Sen. Roger Wicker said on Tuesday regarding the rule banning cellphones from the Senate chambers during the impeachment trial. The senators aren’t allowed to use cellphones, iPads or even smartwatches in the chamber, so many senators are occupying their time with fidget spinners and long bathroom breaks. “There have been no convulsions that I know of. No senators falling down in the aisle and [going] into delirium [tremens] … wish us well.” (The Hill — January 28, 2020)
The estimated market valuation of Apple Inc. by the end of 2021, analyst Dan Ives predicts. Apple currently has a $1.4 trillion market cap, joining only three other public firms — Microsoft, Alphabet, and Saudi Aramco — with market values over $1 trillion.
By forcing drivers to be on a payroll, a recent law practically ends the ride-sharing business model. Now, it’s attacking the emission allowances of those companies. “California is experimenting with abolishing freedom.”
Allegheny County, Pa., stores about 1,700 tax records online each year. In 2012, they purchased redacting software but didn’t retroactively redact sensitive information from previously uploaded 1997-2010 tax documents — leaving personally identifiable information exposed.
The city hopes to reduce future spills and breaks by replacing old pipes and using drones to inspect pipes in hard-to-reach areas. Officials hope to “improve neighborhood infrastructure and better protect our environment.”
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