Clues ... December 2008

Take your clues from Governing.com

If you aren't already familiar with the website Governing.com and its daily e-letter, it is rich with insights and resources that point to both the present and the future.

Voice as password

Rhode Island is launching a new voice verification system to reduce unemployment insurance fraud. When beneficiaries call in to the telephone claim system, their voices will serve as their passwords. Read more >>

Compact fluorescent bulbs present mercury challenges

Lots of advertising has encouraged people to replace incandescent light bulbs with compact flurescent bulbs (CFLs) that use 75 percent less energy and last up to ten times longer. But, they contain mercury and need to be recycled carefully – and that message is not carried as loudly. Read more >>

New apps for Google Maps

Hurricane Ike destroyed the vegetation and other natural markers the state of Texas used to delineate boundaries between public and private land. A GLO Earth application points to a solution. Read more >>

Resistance to change – important for the future

"... resistance is, in fact, a vital ingredient in change. Especially in achieving tranformational change ...," says Babak Armajani in a provactive article. Read more >>