August 31, 2004
USPTO Enters the Digital Era
"Officials at the Commerce Department's U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently began publishing patent examiners' decisions on the Web for all prospective inventors to see, as part of a new system called Public Patent Application Information Retrieval, or PAIR." [Link]
See my related posting from August 2 here.
Search MIT Theses
"Welcome to the digital library of MIT Theses, a collection of selected MIT master's and doctoral theses available online. Please note that this is NOT a complete collection of MIT theses. It includes only theses that were scanned by Document Services in the past few years, for printing or electronic delivery to requesters. The range of years represented in the collection, however, is 1888 to present." [Link]
NYTimes Weighs in on P2P Copyright Battle
Grokster and the Information Exchange
Spammers Hijack DoD and Senate Computers
Hackers hijack federal computers
August 30, 2004
IRS IT Modernization Program Subject of Treasury OIG Audit
The Audit Trail System for Detecting Improper Activities on Modernized Systems Is Not Functioning (link to HTML version).
From Federal Computer Week: "A software problem prevents users from querying the system that tracks when IRS financial data is accessed."
Check That Quote!
From Blogoscoped, this Quote Finder "checks possible sources or quotations for every sentence of a text using Google."
Will Your "Personal Health Record" Be Online Within 10 Years?
Medical Records May Go Online - "Health industry, tech firms, government agencies might collaborate to build a secure database of patient records." [link via D. Cavallini] Related references and resources are as follows:
Office of the National Health Information Technology Coordinator (ONCHIT), created by Executive Order 13335, signed April 27, 2004.
Your Medical History on a Microchip: Having Key Data Ready in an Emergency
Health Information Technology: Improving Quality and Value of Patient Care
S. 2421- A bill to modernize the health care system through the use of information technology and to reduce costs, improve quality, and provide a new focus on prevention with respect to health care.
Government Secrecy and National Security
From the Washington Post (reg. req'd), Secret Court Poses Challenges - Non-Government Litigants Lack Access, Ways to Influence Cases and Too Much Secrecy, as well as this report, Secrecy and National Security by Bruce Berkowitz, Hoover Digest, Summer 2004. [links via Secrecy News]
Related references: Statement of Ms. Carol A. Haave (Deputy Undersecretary of Defense) on Classification Policy, submitted August 24, 2004 hearing, Too Many Secrets: Overclassification as a Barrier to Critical Information Sharing.
Call for Commission on Classified Gov Docs
August 28, 2004
EU May Create Corporate E-Filing System
From the Compliance Reporter: "The European Commission will consider creating a pan-European electronic filing system similar to EDGAR, the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval filing system used in the U.S., according to an industry official familiar with the Commission's plans."
August 27, 2004
CRS Reports on Secrecy and Intelligence Policies
As referenced in Secrecy News:
Secrecy Versus Openness: New Proposed Arrangements for Balancing Competing Needs, updated August 26, 2004.
The Protection of Classified Information: The Legal Framework, updated August 5, 2004.
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence: Term Limits and Assignment
Limitations, August 12, 2004.
Intelligence Community Reorganization: Potential Effects on DOD
Intelligence Agencies, August 6, 2004.
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Programs: Issues for Congress," updated August 4, 2004.
Information Warfare and Cyberwar: Capabilities and Related Policy
Issues, updated July 19, 2004.
August 26, 2004
Discouraging Online Networked Trafficking Inducement Act of 2004
Industry offers alternative to P2P bill.
Related references: from Corante, the 5 page PDF version of the proposed Discouraging Online Networked Trafficking Inducement Act, (S. 2560), and from THOMAS, the Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004, S. 2560, June 22, 2004.
CA Bill Requires Employee Notification of Email Monitoring
SB 1841 -- an act to add Section 436 to the Labor Code, relating to electronic monitoring of employees, awaits action by Governor Schwarzenegger.
From the press release by bill sponsor Senator Debra Bowen: "SB 1841 requires employers to give employees a one-time written notice if they plan to read e-mail, track Internet use, or use other electronic devices to monitor employees on or off the job. The bill requires employers to explain what will be monitored – for example employee e-mail content or location based on a GPS-chipped cell phone or car – but doesn’t require employers to tell employees each time they're about to read an e-mail or check an employee's whereabouts."
Report Documents Secrecy and Government Documents
Press release: 'Report Card' Finds 60% Rise in Secrecy at a Rising Cost of $6.5 Billion Last Year, August 26, 2004. "Government data confirm what many have suspected: secrecy has increased dramatically in recent years under policies of the current administration. For every $1 the federal government spent last year releasing old secrets, it spent an extraordinary $120 maintaining the secrets already on the books, according to an analysis by OpenTheGovernment.org."
"Secrecy Report Card: Quantitative Indicators of Secrecy in the Federal Government, is an initial effort to establish measurable benchmarks for evaluating the level of secrecy in government. The study was released Aug. 26 by OpenTheGovernment.org, a coalition of more than 30 organizations calling for more democracy and less secrecy in government."
Can Your Office Copier Be Hacked to Access Confidential Documents?
A brief article in the August 26 Wall Street Journal, page B6, raises important questions concerning the security of confidential corporate documents stored on the hard drives of digital copiers, and potentially accessible by hackers if the drives have separate network addresses. From the article: "If a human resources department uses a digital photocopier to record employees' social security or driver's licenses, "That information is resident on that hard drive," says Edward McLaughlin, president of Sharp Document Solutions. "It is something that every financial institution is all over."
For additional information, see this report from Sharp, Document Security and the Digital Copier and Printer.
New Gov't Air Passenger Screening Program Announced
From the TSA press release today: "The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced it will move forward to test a new passenger-prescreening program called Secure Flight... Under Secure Flight, TSA will take over responsibility for checking airline passengers' names against terrorist watch lists – a function currently administered by each airline individually. The move will help eliminate most of the false alerts caused by the current out-dated system. When in place, Secure Flight will help move passengers through airport screening more quickly and reduce the number of individuals selected for secondary screening – while fully protecting passengers' privacy and civil liberties."
August 25, 2004
DOJ's Criminal Enforcement Actions Against P2P Copyright Piracy
Prepared Statement of Attorney General John Ashcroft - Digital Gridlock, Wednesday, August 25, 2004:
"The protection of America's intellectual property is a priority for the Department of Justice. In March of this year, I announced the creation of an Intellectual Property Task Force to examine how the Department can better protect the innovative and creative capacity of our economy....Today, I am announcing the first federal enforcement action ever taken against criminal copyright theft on peer-to-peer networks. Today's enforcement action is a natural progression in our comprehensive effort to combat theft of intellectual property over the Internet. This morning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed six search warrants in Texas, New York, and Wisconsin at five residences and one Internet service provider. Today's action is part of an investigation known as Operation Digital Gridlock."
Update: Justice Department Announces Operation Web Snare Targeting Online Fraud and Crime, August 27, 2004...."announced the arrests or convictions of more than 150 individuals and the return of 117 criminal complaints, indictments, and informations in a collaborative nationwide enforcement operation directed at major forms of online economic crime and other cybercrimes."
Trial Technology
Anatomy Of Trial Technology: "Trial technologies are all the buzz for legal technologists, early adopters, vendors, and consultants - but have they made it to the main stream practice of law? This article traces availability and use of trial preparation and presentation software, court technology, and more through the most recent ABA Legal Technology Survey Report volume on Courtroom and Litigation Technology." by Catherine Sanders Reach.
Senate Working Group to Evaluate 9/11 Commission Proposals
From the Daschle press release: "Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle today appointed members to a bipartisan Senate working group that will examine how best to implement the Commission's recommendations that deal with reform of the Senate's oversight of intelligence and homeland security."
Searchable Database on Social and Economic Data from House Cmte. on Ways & Means
The 2004 Green Book (WMCP 108-6) of the House Ways and Means Committee available to search and browse in the Ways and Means Committee Prints.
"The House Ways and Means Committee Green Book provides program descriptions and historical data on a wide variety of social and economic topics, including Social Security, employment, earnings, welfare, child support, health insurance, the elderly, families with children, poverty and taxation."
August 24, 2004
August 23, 2004
Army OIG Report On Air Passenger Data Mining
U.S. Army Inspector General Agency Report of Investigation (ROI), 21 June 2004 (29 pages, PDF): "...an investigation to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged release of personal data related to a security enhancement study for the Army..."
See also, Army: JetBlue Data Use Was Legal and related postings here.
Software Removes Metadata Content Trail From Sensitive Documents
From internetnews.com, this article details an update to software of interest to the legal community which facilitates the removal of sensitive information generated during the collaborative preparation of client related documents.
Maryland Case Challenging Lack of E-Voting Paper Trail To Be Heard this Week
From the Campaign for Verifiable Voting, August 21, 2004: "...the case of Linda Schade et. al. vs. Linda Lamone et al. will be heard by Judge Manck in Anne Arundel Circuit Court in downtown Annapolis on Wednesday, August 25th through Friday, August 28th. Progressing further than any other electronic voting suit in the nation, this case calls into question the legality of paperless voting machines under Maryland law which requires paper ballots."
Google and Yahoo's Impact on Web Searching
More Is Not Necessarily Better
"Few people realize that 95 percent of all Web searches in the United States are handled by two companies, Google and Yahoo, either directly or through other sites that use their technology...The influence of search companies in determining what users worldwide can see and do online is breathtaking."
E-Voting Machines Remain Under Scrutiny
E-Vote Machine Certification Criticized
See also electionline.org, "produced by the Election Reform Information Project, is the nation’s only non-partisan, non-advocacy website providing up-to-the-minute news and analysis on election reform," and previous beSpacific posts on e-voting.
Beta URLinfo from FaganFinder
"URLinfo is a tool for handling web pages: finding information about it, translating it, finding related pages, etc."
August 21, 2004
9/11 Commission Releases Two Staff Reports, and Concludes Work Today
Press release, August 21, 2004: 9/11 Commission Releases Two Staff Monographs: "The Commission has released the following staff reports to the Commission, available in PDF format."
Monograph on Terrorist Financing (155 pages)
Monograph on 9/11 and Terrorist Travel (241 pages)
See also these relates articles from AP and Reuters respectively: Sept. 11 Commission Formally Disbands and FBI Fumbled on Terror Financing, 9 / 11 Panel Says
August 20, 2004
GAO Report Indicates States Leverage IT to Combat Medicare Fraud
Medicaid Program Integrity: State and Federal Efforts to Prevent and Detect Improper Payments GAO-04-707, July 16, 2004, Highlights.
"States also reported using information technology to integrate databases containing provider, beneficiary, and claims information and conduct more efficient utilization reviews."
Consumer Reports Adds E-Ratings
"ConsumerReports.org e-Ratings were developed to help consumers navigate the web efficiently, effectively, and with confidence. Based on a systematic review of specific features on selected web sites in various categories, our exclusive e-Ratings are ongoing, with new product, service, and information categories added regularly." [Link]
Redacted Gov't Documents and Challenges to Patriot Act
From the Washington Post (re'g req'd), U.S. Uses Secret Evidence In Secrecy Fight With ACLU, and the related ACLU press release. See also Record Number of FOIA Requests Received by Federal Gov't in 2003.
Association and Academic Websites Provide U.S. Election Resources
American Political Science Association's Media Resource webpage for the 2004 U.S. elections. "APSA has gathered resources on key themes in the presidential and congressional elections, including introductions by leading political scientists in the United States, contact information for dozens of prominent scholars around the country, and citations for recent and cutting-edge political science research."
Election Law@Moritz, from the Ohio State University: "information and insights on the laws governing federal, state and local elections. [via InSITE]
August 19, 2004
Innovative Search Applications To Browse Data Collections on Web and Hard Drives
Making a Web Search Feel Like a Stroll in the Library
Work-Around to Website Registration Goes Offline and Then Back Online
This June 14 posting, Online Newspapers Increasingly Require User Registration, mentioned a website registration work-around called BugMeNot. Posts on Metafilter indicate that the site no longer works. (See this posting from the site's owner for an explanation.)
The site is now back online, at the same url.
Ninth Circuit Rules Distributors of P2P File Sharing Networks Not Liable For Copyright Infringement
From EFF: "Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals made a crucial decision (PDF, 26 pages) in support of technology innovators by declaring that distributors of the peer-to-peer software Grokster and Morpheus cannot be held liable for the infringing activities of their users."
ALA Testing New Interactive Copyright Resource for Librarians
ALA Washington Office Pilots Copyright Hotline:
"The American Library Association Washington Office's Office for Information and Technology Policy (ALAWASH) is piloting an electronic bulletin board where librarians can post questions and answers to their copyright questions under the watchful eye of copyright experts."
Essay on Growing Financial Implications of Phishing
From Crypto-Gram: Websites, Passwords, and Consumers.
"Criminals follow the money. Today, more and more money is on the Internet. Millions of people manage their bank accounts, PayPal accounts, stock
portfolios, or other payment accounts online. It's a tempting target: if a criminal can gain access to one of these accounts, he can steal money. And almost all these accounts are protected only by passwords."
States Expand E-Gov't Services
This USA Today article provides examples of a range of services for citizens that have migrated to state sponsored web portals, from traffic alerts to payment mechanisms for various licensing fees.
Related news, Michigan Captures Top Spot in Digital State Survey.
August 18, 2004
Practical Guide to Intranet Training
The ABCs of Intranet Learning
Survey Spotlights the Contributions of Government Employees
From the press release: "On August 18, 2004, the Partnership for Public Service released a new national survey revealing that, despite the most polarizing campaign season in decades, Republicans and Democrats surprisingly agree on one thing: the value of federal government work...But, despite the positive attitudes and interest, efforts to fill critical skills gaps in the federal government workforce – from Arabic translators to information technology specialists to biodefense experts – are in trouble unless specific actions are taken, according to the Partnership."
A New Call to Service in An Age of Savvy Altruism - Public Attitudes About Government and Government Workers, August 2004
Metro Area Bloggers Collaborate on Locale Specific Info
From CNN, 'Insider' info puts city blogs on the map.
Additional references: metroblogging and D.C. Bloggers.
New Listserv for SP2 Help and Related Resources
"EDUCAUSE has created a listserv for institutions to share experiences and advice about the impending Microsoft release of Service Pack 2 (SP2). Support and help desk staff, security officers, and others will be prime beneficiaries. You can subscribe to the listserv and access archives online."
Related resources from Microsoft: Windows XP Service,
Pack 2 Resources for IT Professionals and Some programs seem to stop working after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2. See also What to Do When XP or 2000 Won't Boot.
Installing Windows XP Service Pack 2: One Librarian's Experience
Google's Amended S-1 Discusses GMail, Privacy Issues and Comments
Google Inc · S-1/A · On 8/13/4.
See also this press release, dated August 18: Google Inc. Requests Effectiveness of IPO Registration Statement, which includes a link to the updated prospectus.
Related reference: from kottke.org, a link of the recent interview with Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, and from the Financial Times, Comment: Ignore Wall St's whining - Google's IPO worked.
August 17, 2004
9/11 Commission Chair Endorses Travelers' WatchList
9/11 Commission Recommendations on Transportation Security, Monday, August 16 2004 - The Testimony of Thomas Kean, Chairman, 9/11 Commission:
"Use of these lists ["no fly" and "automatic selectee"] should not be delayed while the argument about a successor to the CAPPS prescreening system continues. This screening function should be performed by the TSA, not the air carriers. It should utilize the larger set of terrorist watchlists maintained by the federal government, and air carriers should be required to supply the information needed to test and implement this new system."
GAO Addresses Barriers to E-Health Records
HHS's Efforts to Promote Health Information Technology and Legal Barriers to Its Adoption, GAO-04-991R, (PDF, 64 pages) August 13, 2004:
"Technologies such as electronic health records (EHR) and bar coding of certain human drug and biological product labels have been shown to save money and reduce medical errors. However, only a small number of U.S. health care providers have fully adopted health IT. Significant financial, technical, cultural, and legal barriers to the adoption of health IT exist."
Efforts to Eliminate Spyware May Compound the Problem
Web users bit by fake software - 'Spyware' removers frequently a scam.
For reference, see Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products and Web Sites, and the Center for Democracy and Technology's Spyware resource center that includes links to press releases and associated documents on proposed efforts, state and federal, to combat spyware.
Four Yahoo Search Features Not Found on Google
A teaser from Tara Calishain's upcoming book, Web Search Garage: Four Things Yahoo Can Do That Google Can't.
NY AG Launches Prescription Drug Pricing Website
Press release: Welcome to AG Rx - Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's Prescription Drug Price Website: "A recent statewide survey conducted by my office has found that prices of prescription drugs in New York State can be very high and can vary widely from pharmacy to pharmacy. On this website, we have posted the results of our survey to demonstrate to you the value of comparing prescription drug prices among New York pharmacies to get the lowest price for your medications. This site may also help you locate a pharmacy where you can buy your particular prescription at a lower cost."
New Study Ranks Customer Satisfaction With Online Retailers
Amazon Gets Top Marks For Customer Satisfaction In Study
Will the White House Website Embrace Blogs?
The Washington Post (reg. req'd) reports, in White House Goes to the Blogs, that White House Internet Director Jimmy Orr is interested in incorporating more blog-like features into the White House website.
For reference, see White House Online Discussion Forum With the Public
Testimony of Acting CIA Director on Post 9/11 Security Issues
Testimony of Acting Director of Central Intelligence John E. McLaughlin before the Senate Armed Services Committee on 9-11 Commission Findings, 17 August 2004. (Unclassified, PDF, 13 pages)
Subtle Tweaking of Regs Can Have Significant Consequences
This is the third and last installment in a Washington Post series (reg. req'd) detailing how changes to specific agency regulations by this administration has significantly impacted large numbers of Americans and resulted in substantial environmental consequences.
See this link for the first two installments in the series.
August 16, 2004
Trend Toward Open Access to Scholarly Scientific Publications
From Boston.com, Internet publishing attracting academics:
"...the factors driving the shift to so-called open-access journals, including the reach and power of the Internet, rising subscription prices, and pressure from patients, are forcing changes in the world of scientific publishing. Universities are rebelling against rising subscription costs, as scientists chafe at paying for access to research that builds on their own work."
See also this July 20, 2004 report from the House of Commons, Science and Technology Committee - Scientific Publications: Free for all? (browsable, html version) and my posting, Open Access to Scientific Publications the Focus of Congressional Action.
Second Article in WPost Series on the Regulatory Process
Part two of a three part series from the Washington Post:'Data Quality' Law Is Nemesis Of Regulation:
"A Policy Puts Science on Trial - A last-minute addition to an unrelated piece of legislation has created a tool for attacking the science used by federal agencies as a basis for new regulations." (part one of the series.)
Relevant reference from this article, text provided by OMB - "Section 515, Public Law 106-554 (the Data Quality Act) required the Office of Management and Budget to promulgate guidance to agencies ensuring the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information (including statistical information) disseminated by Federal agencies."
Gilmore v. Ashcroft: Requirement to Show ID for Ground and Air Transport
Appellant John Gilmore's Opening Brief, John Gilmore v. John Ashcroft (PDF, 61 pages), filed August 16, 2004, United States Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit.
See also Flight ID Fight Revived and EFF friend-of-the-court brief (PDF, 30 pages).
Commission on Presidential Debates
The website of the Commission on Presidential Debates includes links to sites and dates of the debates currently scheduled, the respective moderators as well as a link to a page that will host the 2004 debate transcripts.
Commentary: Search Engines Used to Locate Info Specific Site Content
Jakob Nielsen, When Search Engines Become Answer Engines, August 16, 2004:
"Increasingly, the Internet user experience is becoming one of dipping a toe into websites rather than truly "visiting" them. Using search engines as their Web interface, people simply grab query-related nuggets from sites, but don't engage with the sites themselves."
Blogs, RSS, Marketing, Collaboration and More
Blogs: The Marketing Killer. This article reviews how major corporates are leveraging blogs and RSS feeds for marketing, collaboration and current awareness monitoring.
Hearing on Transportation Security Highlights Continued Lapses
Hearing, Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, 9/11 Commission Recommendations on Transportation Security, Monday, August 16 2004.
Links to opening remarks and Panel 1 statements.
Related article from CNN.
The 9/11 Commission Report, July 22, 2004
August 15, 2004
Federal Reserve to Implement Web-Based Payment Services
This New York Post article [via Slashdot] discusses the Federal Reserve's transition from a DOS application to an Internet solution for all financial services transactions, which has prompted security concerns.
For reference and more details, see FedLine Advantage - Financial Services Electronic Access, and FedFocus (PDF, 12 pages, May 2004 issue).
Commentary on Public Records and the Internet
The different standards applied to the dissemination of court filings and to the disclosure of financial data on judges is a topic of interest to legal researchers.
Substantive Regulatory Initiatives Overshadowed by Terrorism Issues
August 14, 2004, New York Times, Out of Spotlight, Bush Overhauls U.S. Regulations. This article documents how significant changes to agency regulations during this administration have impacted citizens while often unreported and unchallenged as news continues to focus on national security issues.
August 15, 2004, Washington Post, Bush Forces a Shift In Regulatory Thrust (first of three part article): "The analysis, combined with the more detailed look at specific regulatory decisions, shows how an administration can employ this subtle aspect of presidential power to implement far-reaching policy changes."
August 13, 2004
FTC Request Public Comment on CAN-SPAM Regs
FTC press release:
"The Federal Trade Commission will publish a Federal Register Notice on Friday, August 13, 2004, seeking public comment on proposed rules regarding commercial electronic mail messages. The CAN-SPAM Act, which took effect January 1, 2004, requires that the Commission issue regulations “defining the relevant criteria to facilitate the determination of the primary purpose of an electronic mail message.” In this Federal Register Notice, the FTC introduces proposed criteria to facilitate the determination of when an e-mail message has a commercial primary purpose, and seeks comments in response to this proposal."
Related reference: Survey: 86 percent of spam from US. Data from CipherTrust.
Data Collection from Auto Black Boxes Raises Privacy Issues
EPIC Urges Privacy Protections for Auto Black Boxes :
"In comments, EPIC urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to create privacy protections for "Event Data Recorders," black boxes in vehicles that record crash data. EPIC noted that the boxes can become platforms for broader surveillance and that information collected by them should be subject to fair information practices."
For reference, see the NHTSA Event Data Recorder (EDR) Website.
CFR and Federal Register Available Via Science.gov
"The current Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and Federal Register (FR) are now available via science.gov, the Federal interagency science Web portal, which provides a federated search across multiple databases from multiple agencies." [Link]
August 12, 2004
Quick Tech Guide Assists in Respone to Trojan or Virus
Recovering from a Trojan Horse or Virus, August 12, 2004.
Website That Verifies Legitimate Online Pharmacies
From the Internet Pharmacy and Online Pharmacies Verification website:
"To be VIPPS certified, a pharmacy must comply with the licensing and inspection requirements of their state and each state to which they dispense pharmaceuticals. In addition, pharmacies displaying the VIPPS seal have demonstrated to NABP compliance with VIPPS criteria including patient rights to privacy, authentication and security of prescription orders, adherence to a recognized quality assurance policy, and provision of meaningful consultation between patients and pharmacists." [reference from Washington Post article, Web Pharmacies Can Endanger Your Health and Wallet]
Alternative Browsers Offer Useful Features Along With Learning Curve
In Search of a Browser That Banishes Clutter
According to this article only 5% of the market uses a browser other than IE, but the alternatives, such as FoxFire, are gaining new users at a rapid pace.
"Groupthink" Now Questioned in Reporting of WMD Issue
The Post on WMDs: An Inside Story Prewar Articles Questioning Threat Often Didn't Make Front Page (Washington Post, reg. req'd).
Definition of groupthink.
Testimony from Dr. John J. Hamre, Former Deputy Secretary of Defense, before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, hearing on 9/11 Commission Recommendations: Counterterrorism Analysis and Collection—The Requirement for Imagination and Creativity, August 4, 2004. "...the tendency to group-think is inherent in our system. Despite the sophistication and size of these organizations, the intelligence community is still relatively small and isolated. The community is understandably and necessarily preoccupied with protecting sources and methods. And bureaucracies naturally fight for resources. In that kind of an environment, intelligence bureaucrats, like bureaucrats of any type, strive to please their policy bosses. Taken together, these factors contribute too much to a narrowness of perspective. The shorthand label given to this problem is "group think."
Search Engine Use Continues to Remain Strong
From the Pew Internet & American Life Project, a new Data Memo on Search Engines (PDF, 7 pages):
"Pew Internet Project data show that on any given day, more than half of all Internet users who are online will use a search engine. About 64 million American adults are online on a typical day and more than 38 million of them are using search engines. Moreover, the frequency of searching is impressive, too. More than a third of searchers (35%) report they launch a search at least once a day, (with two-thirds of that group reporting that they use search engines several times a day.) Another third search a number of times during the week (half search 1 – 2 days a week and half search 3 – 5 days a week). The final third search less frequently than that."
Increased Work for Firms Specializing in Electronic Discovery
The Surging Evolution of E-Discovery
Privacy Issues Addressed in Upcoming Redesign of Website to Access Gov't Regs.
EPA progresses on online public-comment project.
See Regulations.gov
August 11, 2004
Former President's Website Seeks to Motivate Young Voters
Clinton's new campaign push: getting out the vote. Missing from the online version, but available in print, the following urls associated with the article:
Clinton Center, the Jimmy Carter library, the Carter Center, George W. Bush library, and the Gerald R. Ford library.
August 10, 2004
CBO Report Addresses Copyright and Digital Rights Issues
From the Congressional Budget Office, Copyright Issues in Digital Media, August 2004.
"This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) paper reviews current copyright law in the United States and considers the unique aspects of digital technology's challenge to that law. It also examines the prospects for a market-based resolution to copyright disputes over digital content and explores the effect of potential revisions to copyright law on economic efficiency and equity. While this analysis suggests some issues and concerns that the Congress may wish to consider during its deliberations about any changes in copyright law, in keeping with CBO's mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, the paper makes no policy recommendations."
Labor Dept. Website Announces Topical E-Mail Updates
"The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today announced a new effort to expand website usage with the introduction of an e-mail subscription management system...The department will be rolling out the system in phases with the first including several major agencies in addition to the Office of the Secretary and other information available from the DOL homepage. Initially, there will be 99 initial subscription options across 15 categories." [Link]
Department of Labor updates by e-mail
Warehouse Clubs Target of Cybercrimes
From AP: Big-time ID Theft A Symptom of Database Culture. This article details the scope and scale of retail credit card fraud and ID theft, crimes which are registering steadily increasing statistics...a downside of the "database nation."
Commentary on Open Access Publishing and Its Costs
The devil you don’t know: The unexpected future of Open Access publishing by Joseph J. Esposito:
"With the advent of the Internet and online publishing, the notion has arisen that access to the world’s research publications could be made available to one and all for free, presumably by shifting the costs to other places in the value chain and disintermediating publishers, a circumstance called Open Access (OA) publishing. While there are many hopes embedded in this view (lower costs, wider access, etc.), it appears more likely that Open Access will come about not through a revolution in the world of legacy publishing, but through upstart media built with the innate characteristics of the Internet in mind. An unanticipated outcome of this situation will be that the overall cost of research publications will rise, though the costs will be borne by different players, primarily authors and their proxies."
Maryland Citizens and Advocacy Groups Seek to Decertify E-Voting Machines
"Lawyers representing eight Maryland citizens today filed a petition with the state supreme court seeking to decertify or fix Diebold voting machines that computer security experts have deemed insecure. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), working with over a dozen organizations concerned with voting integrity, has filed a friend of the court brief (PDF, 20 pages) supporting the suit. Groups signing on to the brief include People for the American Way, Common Cause, Center for Constitutional Rights, America's Families United, and the Verified Voting Foundation." [Link]
Related resources: Campaign for Verifiable Voting in Maryland, beSpacific postings on e-voting, and this August 8 New York Times article, Rolling Down the Highway, Looking Out for Flawed Elections.
August 09, 2004
Storing the World's Knowledge and Searching For It Raise Different Digital Challenges
Next-generation search tools to refine results.
Report Highlights Improvements in Gov't IT Security
"The Federal Government Is Results Oriented; A Report to Federal Employees," the Office of Management and Budget, August 9, 2004:
"The Federal Government is managing its IT more professionally as a resource for improving results. Seventy percent of the Federal Government's IT systems are secure, versus 26 percent three years ago; so there is greater integrity in the data housed in these systems. Seventy-two percent of agencies have mechanisms in place to validate performance relative to cost, schedule and performance goals for their IT investments; about half of those agencies meet at least 90 percent of their cost and schedule goals. The Federal Government has also made great strides in expanding the availability and use of electronic services for citizens. For more information about the 24 E-Government projects see http://whitehouse.gov/omb/egov/."
Google and Yahoo Settle Patent Dispute
Yahoo! and Google Resolve Disputes: "Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Google will take a license to U.S. Patent No. 6,269,361 and several related patents, held by Yahoo!'s wholly-owned subsidiary, Overture, and Yahoo! dismissed its patent lawsuit against Google. The two parties have also resolved a dispute regarding shares issuable to Yahoo! pursuant to a warrant to purchase Google shares in connection with a 2000 services agreement."
Related news reports from Reuters and CNet.
ACLU Report on Gov't Data Mining
ACLU press release today: "The release of the 38-page report, entitled The Surveillance-Industrial Complex: How the American Government is Conscripting Businesses and Individuals in the Construction of a Surveillance Society, marks the launch of the ACLU's Surveillance Campaign, which is designed to regain consumers' personal privacy rights by mobilizing people to contact prominent companies – such as drugstore chains, insurance companies and retailers – to ask them to take a "no-spy pledge" to defend their customers’ privacy against government intrusion. A list of suggested companies for consumers to contact is available online at www.aclu.org/privatize."
Review of RSS Readers for Windows
Jeremy Wagstaf's briefly annotated list of RSS Readers includes useful reader comments and suggestions about several applications that may be new to you. Take a look.
August 06, 2004
White House Online Discussion Forum With the Public
This AP article, via CNN, highlights the Ask the White House online discussion forum between citizens and members of the administration. Previous posting on this e-gov initiative.
Related article: E-democracy, e-mail and bloggers - quotes from Jimmy Orr, White House Internet Director, on issues related to the "Ask the White House" service.
Metasearch Engine For Medical Data
OmniMedicalSearch.com [via reviews by ResearchBuzz and SearchEngine Watch]:
Features: using the drop-down menu, users may choose to search one or all of the 15 indexed medical search engines, and may choose either the MedPro option ("primarily for medical professionals") or the Basic option ("customized for the general public"). In addition, users may search one or all of the 10 medical news search sources, one or all of the 6 medical image search sources, and there is also a feature to search 970 online dictionaries at once.
August 05, 2004
Open Access to Scientific Publications the Focus of Congressional Action
From UPI: "Congress is moving to force a shift to "open access," a form of free-to-consumer publishing, for scientific papers. The move angers commercial publishers, who see their livelihoods threatened, and scares scientific societies, who are afraid they will face revenue losses or new costs they cannot afford. Even librarians, who pushed for the move, are cautious, because they are concerned for the health of the scientific societies."
A link to the National Library of Medicine Section of the July 2004 NIH Report language, from the House Appropriations Committee, is here. In addition, see Access to Biomedical Research Information (PDF, 14 pages), May 2004, by the Director, NIH.
See also, NIH research to be open access and my previous posting, Publisher to Allow Open Source Access to Academic Papers.
PubMed, from the National Library of Medicine, provides access to over 12 million MEDLINE citations.
GAO Report on Redaction of Judicial Disclosure Data
Federal Judiciary: Assessing and Formally Documenting Financial Disclosure Procedures Could Help Ensure Balance between Judges' Safety and Timely Public Access GAO-04-696NI, June 30, 2004 (Please note, the full text of this GAO report is not available in electronic form at this time.) Abstract:
"During calendar years 1999 through 2002, the most recent years for which complete data were available when we began our review, federal judges submitted 661 requests for redaction of information in their financial disclosure reports...The judiciary's procedures for processing redactions to and public requests for financial disclosure reports have not been formally documented and have not been assessed with respect to their ability to provide reasonable assurance that the judiciary can safeguard sensitive information and provide timely responses to public requests for copies of reports."
Related information: see also this Washington Post article, published August 5.
New Search Engine Worth a Look
IceRocket, a privately owned and operated Search Engine
"IceRocket is pioneering commercial search by putting the interests and wants of consumers before advertisers. IceRocket uses innovative metasearch technology to search the Internet's top search engines, including WiseNut, Yahoo, MSN, Teoma, Altavista, Alltheweb, Lycos, and many more. IceRocket offers a full suite of Internet search products and search-related services."
August 04, 2004
ACLU Publishes Analysis of 9/11 Commission Report
Civil Liberties and the 9/ 11 Commission - An ACLU White Paper on Notable Findings and Recommendations in the Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States [PDF, 18 pages]
"The following analysis attempts to list and analyze those parts of the 9/ 11 Commission report most relevant for the contemporary debate over civil liberties."
Record Number of FOIA Requests Received by Federal Gov't in 2003
"The total number of Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act access requests received by all federal departments and agencies during Fiscal Year 2003 was 3,266,394. This is 863,456 more than the number of requests received during Fiscal Year 2002, an increase of nearly 36%, and it marks the first year in which the three-million-request level has been reached. It also stands as the greatest one-year increase ever in FOIA requests received." [DOJ FOIA Post]
Finalists for Sweeping Electronic Records Archives Project Announced
August 3, 2004 press release - National Archives Names Two Companies to Design an Electronic Archives
"Today, Archivist of the United States John W. Carlin announced the two companies (Lockheed Martin and Harris Corporation) that will lead the way in designing a technological solution to the challenge of preserving electronic information across space and time."
Spam Sent to Cell Phones Banned By FCC
FCC Takes Action To Protect Wireless Subscribers From Spam: "The Commission adopted a general prohibition on sending commercial messages to any address referencing an Internet domain associated with wireless subscriber messaging services."
August 03, 2004
Senate on Its Way to Wireless Future
From Government Computer News: According to the Senate's CIO, "We’re implementing what we need to accomplish the vision of giving senators, staffs and committees the ability to do their job anytime, anywhere and under any circumstances..."
Do Search Engines Really Deliver News Links From Thousands of Sources?
This interesting posting from Digital Deliverance, although based on a limited analysis, raises important questions about the range and extent of sources made available to search engine users for a "top news" story on a given day.
Creating Search Queries to Generate RSS Feeds
Tara (Research Buzz) is just terrific. See her posting today on