Government Technology - November 2007 - (Page 12)

the last mile Group Publisher: EDITORIAL DON PEARSON dpearson@govtech.com BY C HA D VA NDER VEEN TECHNOLOGY AND POLITICS EDITOR Editor: Associate Editors: Chief Copy Editor: Managing Editor: Justice Editor: Technology and Politics Editor: Green Technology Editor: Staff Writer: Contributing Editor: Contributing Writers: Editorial Assistant: DESIGN STEVE TOWNS stowns@govtech.com JESSICA JONES jjones@govtech.com EMILY MONTANDON emontandon@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 TAMARA WARTA twarta@govtech.com SHANE PETERSON MERRILL DOUGLAS, ADAM STONE CORTNEY TOWNS ctowns@govtech.com Idiocracy, Inaction very month, we tell of dedicated public servants striving to increase government’s accessibility for citizens. From innovative IT projects, to transportation and emergency response, government agencies nationwide really try to use technology to enhance our lives. But have you ever thrown your hands up because some members of the public complain no matter what you do? Does some people’s inability to operate basic Web applications make you wonder why you even bother? I’d wager that at least once, you’ve thought, “What’s wrong with some people?” If you’ve Creative Director: Graphic Designers: E Another instance of how slow-witted some Americans are: this obsession with celebrities. Why does anyone care about Lindsay Lohan’s latest drug-fueled escapade or which screen starlet has the best beach body? They’ll argue it’s just a bit of escapism, a reprieve from daily life. But maybe these folks can’t bother giving serious thought to the real issues directly affecting them. If so, how does government reach people who are less concerned about their own affairs than Brad Pitt’s love life? E-government’s purpose is to get people online instead of in line. But how do you convince those who still won’t use their check Illustrator: Production Director: Production Manager: Internet Director: PUBLISHING 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 VP Strategic Accounts: VP Bus. Development: Sr. Director of Sales: JON FYFFE jfyffe@govtech.com TIM KARNEY tkarney@govtech.com EAST PAM FYFFE pfyffe@govtech.com WEST, CENTRAL EAST SHELLEY BALLARD sballard@govtech.com WEST, CENTRAL Regional Sales Directors: LESLIE HUNTER lhunter@govtech.com Account Managers: KRISTA O’SULLIVAN kosullivan@govtech.com WEST, CENTRAL MELISSA CANO mcano@govtech.com EAST ERIN HUX ehux@govtech.com WEST, CENTRAL ANDREA KLEINBARDT akleinbardt@govtech.com SHANNON DURHAM sdurham@govtech.com NANCY GLASS nglass@govtech.com SABRINA SHEWMAKE sshewmake@govtech.com WHITNEY SWEET wsweet@govtech.com Director of Marketing: National Sales Administrator: Regional Sales Administrators: Dir. of Custom Events: How does government reach people who are less concerned about their own affairs than Brad Pitt’s love life? never imagined or uttered such words, you’re a better person than I. But for those who have wondered about the public’s collective intellect, I commiserate with you. Today I read about seemingly an entire town gathering to see a mysterious apparition that’s materialized on a garage door every day at 6 p.m. for the last two weeks. Many claim the image is the Virgin Mary. Video shows believers touching the specter and gasping in awe. It also shows their hands and arms casting shadows over Mary. Since it appears daily at exactly 6 p.m., maybe it’s not a vague message from God, but in fact … sunlight. This isn’t a rant against the religious. It’s just an example of what government faces when it tries to get John and Jane Q. Public to grasp newer technologies that can improve their lives. cards at the supermarket, choosing to wait for their total, dig for their checkbook and then finally write a check, enraging those of us who haven’t yet mastered the fine art of patience? All too often, people just don’t care about government. In the 2004 presidential election, 197 million Americans were eligible to vote. Of those, 142 million actually registered. Among those, 126 million voted. That means at least 55 million Americans are too apathetic or dumb to care — 55 million who write checks at the grocery store, drive 45 mph in the fast lane and still use AOL by choice — if they use the Internet at all. Is this a generalization? A bit. Is it elitist? Could be. But it’s also probably true. I feel bad for public-sector IT employees. So often you strive to help inform people, only to have them balk at the technology and the opportunity. But, as the old saying goes, ignorance is bliss. Custom Events Manager: LANA HERRERA lherrera@govtech.com Custom Events Coordinator: KARIN PRADO kprado@govtech.com Dir. of Custom Publications: STACEY TOLES stoles@govtech.com Business Development Director: Publisher’s Executive Coordinator: GLENN SWENSON gswenson@govtech.com SARAH LIX slix@govtech.com Director of Web Products and Services: VIKKI PALAZZARI vpalazzari@govtech.com Web Services Manager: PETER SIMEK psimek@govtech.com Proj. Manager, Web Products and Services: Web Advertising Manager: Subscription Coordinator: CORPORATE MICHELLE MROTEK mmrotek@govtech.com JULIE DEDEAUX jdedeaux@govtech.com GOSIA USTASZEWSKA subscriptions@govtech.com CEO: Executive VP: Executive VP: CAO: CFO: VP of Events: 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 Government Technology is published by e.Republic Inc. Copyright 2007 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 Reprint Management Services (RMS): Attn. Tonya Martin at (800) 360-5549 ext.157 or . 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 . 100 Blue Ravine Rd. Folsom, CA 95630 Phone: (916) 932-1300 Fax: (916) 932-1470 NOV_07 12 PRINTED IN THE USA http://www.govtech.com http://www.govtech.com http://www.govtech.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - November 2007

Government Technology - November 2007 Contents Point of View Way Back Machine The Last Mile GT Spectrum Big Picture Building Better Government Up Close Inspector Gadget By the Numbers Money Talking No Greenwashing Pinching Pennies Bay Bridge Bustle Two Cents Products Signal: Noise

Government Technology - November 2007

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