WiFi on Commuter Buses in Utah

The Deseret Morning News September 29, 2006 published a story that the Utah Transit Authority demonstrated WiFi on three commuter buses. As reported in Governing Magazine August 2007 UTA is now expanding it to all commuter buses. It found that the offer of WiFi attracted riders. The cost of equipment was $5,000 per bus and the average number of riders is 6,000 per month. There is as yet no charge for the service.

Social Indicators: U.S. Life Spans Lag -- Now Ranks 42nd

Stephen Ohlemacher wrote for the Associated Press (reprinted in the Hartford Courant August 12, 2007) that people in the U.Sl do not live as long as people in 41 other countries. The U.S. has been slipping for decades in international rankings of life expectancy. A baby born in 2004 can expect to live to 77.9 giving a rank of 42 down from 11th two decades ago. The top five in life expectancy: Andorra, Japan, Macau, San Marino and Singapore. The full story is online for a limited time at: http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-lifeexpect0812.artaug12,0,7311656,full.story (Note 4). (Image source: www.halorejuvenator.com/images/lifespan.jpg)

Infrastructure: Can't Do Nation

John McQuaid wrote for the Washington Post (reprinted in the Hartford Courant August 12, 2007) on the decline in our ability to get big things done right in the area of infrastructure. One core claim: "outsourcing eliminates incentives to perform well and shields contractors from accountability." The story is available online for a limited time at: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/commentary/hc-commentarybig0812.artaug12,0,3373676,full.story

Information for Decision Making: Using Google Maps

On July 27, 2007 the New York Times published an article entitled: With Tools on Web, Amateurs Reshape Map making (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/27/technology/27maps.html?_r=1&adxnnl=
1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1185634036-BOzh30GIJzV6+t54ZQkygg). The story lead with a map made by an amateur of the spread of graffiti in Federal Way, Washington. In the words of the mapmaker: “Any time you can take data and represent it visually, you can start to recognize patterns and see where you need to put resources,” said Mr. Lamb, whose map now pinpoints, often with photographs, nearly 100 sites that have been vandalized. What applications might the use of tools such as Google maps have for individuals, groups and agencies to organize data for decision making in graphic and low cost ways? (Note 2)

Innovation: Crowd Sourcing

National Public Radio broadcast a story on July 28, 2007 on "crowd sourcing" also called "open sourcing" that involves putting problems out to a world wide network of innovators to come up with solutions. One firm mentioned was Innocentive (http://www.innocentive.com/) that links research and development needs with a worldwide network of problem solvers. "Crowdsourcing" according to Wikipedia is " a neologism for a model in which a company or institution outsources the solution of a problem to the public. For example, the public may be invited to develop a new technology, carry out a design task, refine an algorithm or analyse large amounts of data." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing). What applications of this approach might be there be for addressing challenges in the public sector? (Note 1)