Government Technology - March 2008 - (Page 12)

the last mile Group Publisher: EDITORIAL Editor: Associate Editors: Chief Copy Editor: Managing Editor: Justice and Public Safety Editor: Technology and Politics Editor: Features Editor: Staff Writers: Editorial Assistant: Contributing Editor: Contributing Writers: DESIGN Creative Director: Graphic Designers: DON PEARSON dpearson@govtech.com STEVE TOWNS stowns@govtech.com EMILY MONTANDON emontandon@govtech.com JESSICA JONES jjones@govtech.com MIRIAM JONES mjones@govtech.com KAREN STEWARTSON kstewartson@govtech.com JIM MCKAY jmckay@govtech.com CHAD VANDER VEEN cvanderveen@govtech.com ANDY OPSAHL aopsahl@govtech.com MATT WILLIAMS mwilliams@govtech.com JIM MEYERS jmeyers@govtech.com CORTNEY TOWNS ctowns@govtech.com TOD NEWCOMBE tnewcombe@govtech.com MERRILL DOUGLAS, SUZANE BRICKER, PATRICK MICHELS, KAYT SUKEL KELLY MARTINELLI kmartinelli@govtech.com CRYSTAL HOPSON chopson@govtech.com MICHELLE HAMM mhamm@govtech.com JOE COLOMBO jcolombo@govtech.com TOM MCKEITH tmckeith@govtech.com STEPHAN WIDMAIER swidm@govtech.com JOEI HEART jheart@govtech.com JUDE HANSEN jhansen@govtech.com JON FYFFE jfyffe@govtech.com TIM KARNEY tkarney@govtech.com EAST PAM FYFFE pfyffe@govtech.com WEST, CENTRAL LESLIE HUNTER lhunter@govtech.com EAST SHELLEY BALLARD sballard@govtech.com WEST, CENTRAL KRISTA O’SULLIVAN kosullivan@govtech.com WEST, CENTRAL MELISSA CANO mcano@govtech.com EAST ERIN HUX ehux@govtech.com WEST, CENTRAL GLENN SWENSON gswenson@govtech.com SHANNON DURHAM sdurham@govtech.com SABRINA SHEWMAKE sshewmake@govtech.com ANDREA KLEINBARDT akleinbardt@govtech.com WHITNEY SWEET wsweet@govtech.com LANA HERRERA lherrera@govtech.com KARIN PRADO kprado@govtech.com STACEY TOLES stoles@govtech.com VIKKI PALAZZARI vpalazzari@govtech.com PETER SIMEK psimek@govtech.com MICHELLE MROTEK mmrotek@govtech.com JULIE DEDEAUX jdedeaux@govtech.com GOSIA USTASZEWSKA subscriptions@govtech.com DENNIS MCKENNA dmckenna@govtech.com DON PEARSON dpearson@govtech.com CATHILEA ROBINETT crobinet@centerdigitalgov.com LISA BERNARD lbernard@govtech.com PAUL HARNEY pharney@govtech.com ALAN COX acox@govtech.com DREW NOEL dnoel@govtech.com BY C HA D VA NDER VEEN TECHNOLOGY AND POLITICS EDITOR Criminal Masterminds f you read this column regularly, first of all, thank you. You can take pride in the fact that doing so assures your position in the upper echelon of society. Second, you are aware that I’ve written before about my fear the Internet may permanently retard our collective intelligence. Following up that notion is a happy and hilarious side effect that can be witnessed today: The Internet, and especially Web videos, has become a showcase for criminals who helpfully make their impending arrest much easier for law enforcement. An incident involving Rudy Villanueva and Tony Logan, residents of Miami-Dade County, Fla., is a perfect example. Villanueva I waved two handguns, menacingly pointing the weapons at the cameraperson and Villanueva while repeatedly pulling the trigger. The guns evidently were not loaded. Phase 2 of this cunning stunt involved posting the video to, where else, YouTube. Now even if you’ve already made up your mind about our main characters, they are due some credit for actually knowing how to post a video to the popular site. It’s not as easy as you might think. Once online, the video quickly drew the interest of — you guessed it — the Metro Dade Gang Unit. After watching the video, officers accepted Logan’s offer to “come get it,” and the ATF and Miami-Dade Police Illustrator: Production Director: Production Manager: Internet Director: PUBLISHING VP Strategic Accounts: VP Bus. Development: Sr. Director of Sales: Regional Sales Directors: Account Managers: Business Development Director: National Sales Administrator: Regional Sales Administrator: Director of Marketing: Dir. of Custom Events: Custom Events Manager: “The Internet may permanently retard our collective intelligence.” heads up a rambunctious men’s organization — or “gang,” if you insist — known as the Bird Road Boys. His associate, Logan, also is allegedly a member. One evening in early January, the two men struck upon an idea, no doubt fueled by various smokeables and beverages served in 40-ounce containers. The plan was to have Villanueva’s girlfriend videotape the men taunting the Metro Dade Gang Unit, daring police to come catch them. “Metro Dade Gang Unit, here I am, baby,” Villanueva advised. Logan followed his pal’s comments with a string of expletives, an invitation for cops to “come get it,” and closed his commentary with a second helping of obscenities. To add dramatic effect to the scene, Villanueva held aloft a shotgun in one hand and an AK47 in the other. Meanwhile, Logan MAR_08 Department arrested both men. Villanueva, a thrice-convicted felon, was arrested on possession of a firearm by a felon, and Logan was charged with knowingly providing a firearm to a felon. This incident is but one of a slew of examples of the societal dregs using the Internet to show us just how stupid they are. Of course, people of such caliber would never admit they posted the video out of stupidity — probably because an imbecile rarely realizes he is an imbecile. Crime videos are usually made to earn “street cred,” or as Villanueva said, to instill fear in his enemies. (For you geeks, that’s like experience points in World of Warcraft, but this is a violent street gang.) Ironically the result was not fear, but laughter from the online community and a job for police made a lot easier. Custom Events Coordinator: Dir. of Custom Publications: Director of Web Products and Services: Web Services Manager: Proj. Manager, Web Products and Services: Web Advertising Manager: Subscription Coordinator: CORPORATE CEO: Executive VP: Executive VP: CAO: CFO: VP of Events: Marketing Director: Government Technology is published by e.Republic Inc. Copyright 2008 by e.Republic Inc. All rights reserved. Government Technology is a registered trademark of e.Republic Inc. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily those of the publisher or editors. Article submissions should be sent to the attention of the Managing Editor. Reprints of all articles in this issue and past issues are available (500 minimum). Please direct inquiries to the YGS Group: Attn. Erik Eberz at (800) 290-5460 ext.150 or governmenttechnology@theygsgroup.com. Subscription Information: Requests for subscriptions may be directed to Circulation Director by phone or fax to the numbers below. You can also subscribe online at www. govtech.com. 100 Blue Ravine Rd. Folsom, CA 95630 Phone: (916) 932-1300 Fax: (916) 932-1470 www.govtech.com PRINTED IN THE USA 12 http://www.govtech.com http://www.govtech.com http://www.govtech.com http://www.govtech.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - March 2008

Government Technology - March 2008 Contents Point of View Big Picture The Last Mile On the Scene Four Questions for... Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers Let's [Not] Get Physical No Data Left Behind Conservation King Community Drug Test Reinventing the System Better Late Than Never Closing the Deal Spectrum Products Personal Computing signal:noise Digital Communities The Expanding Focus of Digital Communities The Digital Imperative Hot Fusion Redefining Municipal Wireless Made in the USA Bridge Detectives The 2008 Agenda

Government Technology - March 2008

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