Good to Know…Week of September 19, 2011

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
NOAA to Build ‘Weather-Ready’ Nation
In fact, after a record number of weather disasters so far in 2011, federal authorities have launched a campaign to build a “weather-ready” nation with new technology and applications, support services and partnerships.

To read this article, go to: FCW.com

VOIP 911: A Low-Cost Way to Expand Emergency Comm
The nation’s emergency 911 call systems are evolving to accommodate wireless communications and take advantage of the data, text and video capabilities of ubiquitous IP networks.

To read tis article, go to: GCN.com

POVERTY AND RECESSION
Adding Context to the Census Bureau’s Income and Poverty Report
The Census Bureau reported today that the nation’s poverty rate grew to 15.1% in 2010, an increase for the third year in a row, and that median household income declined in 2010.

To read this analysis, go to: PewSocialTrends.org

A Fresh Narrative on Aid Dependence
Strong growth and greater autonomy are making poor countries less aid reliant, claims a report that offers the development community a fresh take on a traditionally discomfiting issue.

To read this article, go to: Guardian.co.uk

TECHNOLOGY
UN Launches Info App
Free mobile app to aggregate and stream news feeds to enlist support for foundation’s campaigns.

To read this article, go to: Broadcastingcable.com

Mobile Ticketing for Public Transportation
With customers helping themselves to a greater extent and eliminating the need for paper tickets to be printed and distributed, the potential for cost savings for transportation agencies is obvious.

To read this article, go to: Accenture.com

Counties Move Auctions Online to Increase Revenue
In an economy in which county governments have been forced to do more with less–a cliché that seems to be here to stay–public officials increasingly are looking to rid themselves of live auctions in favor of online auctions hosted on a third-party website.

To read this article, go to: GovTech.com

PUBLIC WORKFORCE
Seattle Approves Paid Sick-Leave Requirement
Seattle becomes just the third city in the country, after San Francisco and Washington, D.C., to mandate paid leave for employees to care for themselves or family members when ill. The state of Connecticut also has approved mandatory paid sick leave.

To read this article, go to: SeattleTimes.com

Federal Employees Lauded at Washington Gala
Nine federal employees from across the country will be honored Thursday night at a black-tie event in Washington for their extraordinary contributions to public service.

To read this article, go to: GovExec.com

As Four-Day Workweek Ends, Utah Opens on Fridays
This week, for the first time since 2008, Utah state government will be open for five days, marking the end of the state’s closely watched experiment with a four-day workweek.

To read this article, go to: Stateline.org

EDUCATION
SAT Reading Scores Fall to Lowest Level on Record
AT reading scores for the high school class of 2011 were the lowest on record, and combined reading and math scores fell to their lowest point since 1995.

To read this article, go to: Google News

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE: WAGES
The High Road to High Wages: Denmark’s Answer to the U.S. Model
In the last few decades, Denmark has succeeded in substantially reducing its reliance on low-wage work. The absence of low-paying jobs–a sharp contrast to the employment situation in the United States–is a source of pride among Danes: “Danes do not like to see other Danes struggling,” said Lars Andersen of the Economic Council of the Labour Movement, a union-affiliated think tank in Copenhagen. “We are very sensitive about that.”

To read this article, go to: RemappingDebate.org

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE
Innovations in Maternal and Infant Health Address Chronic Problems Creatively
More than 350,000 women die each year around the globe from complications of childbirth, and 3 million children die in the first month of life. In the face of such dire numbers, development experts will focus on what is working around the world to improve the situation next week during the Millennium Development Goals assessment at the U.N. General Assembly.

To read this article, go to: PBS.org

INTERESTING…
Low-Hassle Ways To Cloud-ify Your Work
Want your files accessible online, but don’t like the idea of not keeping a local copy? These tools let you sync and collaborate, but also give you offline copies and peace of mind.

To read this article, go to: FastCompany.com

Powering A City With Its Subways And Massive Spinning Wheels
Coming to a city near you soon: By adding giant flywheels to subway systems, cities are able to harness the power created by thousands of braking trains, using it to accelerate other trains or feeding it back into the grid.