Georgeat_private was the first to send along the link to the WSJ article on the Al Qaeda computer nab: http://www.msnbc.com/news/679996.asp?0dm=C247B Duncan Frissell adds this article: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,2001570021-2001606703,00.html --- Postal Service mismanaging e-commerce efforts The Postal Service's ability to harness the power of the Internet is being hampered by mismanagement, according to the General Accounting Office. In a new report, "U.S. Postal Service: Update on E-Commerce Activities and Privacy Protections," (GAO-02-79) GAO argued that the Postal Service has not met its expectations for e-commerce programs, such as electronic bill payment and online stamp sales. The Postal Service expected to generate $104 million from e-commerce initiatives last year. According to data provided to GAO, e-commerce initiatives generated less 1 percent of that in actual revenue. "USPS continues to have difficulty defining, identifying and classifying its Internet-related initiatives, including e-commerce initiatives. Additionally, inconsistency remains in the implementation of its processes and controls for developing, approving and monitoring the performance of e-commerce initiatives," the report said. http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0102/010202.htm IRS misses 2001 telephone customer service goals Taxpayers who called the IRS last year for help waited longer to speak to agency representatives than they did during the 2000 tax filing season, according to a new report from the General Accounting Office. Despite the agency's continued efforts to improve customer service over the phone, taxpayers remained on hold an average of approximately 36 seconds longer during the 2001 tax filing season than they did in 2000, GAO reported. Although the IRS slightly improved its response rate to the number of phone calls it received during the 2001 tax season, it failed to meet its 2001 performance targets for providing taxpayers with correct answers to their questions. "Overall, IRS made limited progress in the 2001 tax-filing season toward its goal of providing world-class telephone service," said the report, "IRS Telephone Assistance: Limited Progress and Missed Opportunities to Analyze Performance in the 2001 Filing Season (GAO-02-212). http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0101/010201m1.htm "On July 30, 2001, we testified before the Subcommittee on Government Efficiency, Financial Management, and Intergovernmental Relations on the results of our review of internal controls over purchase card activity at two Navy units in San Diego, California.1 In our testimony, which is reprinted in appendix I, we reported that the two Navy units we reviewed had a significant breakdown in internal controls over the $68 million in fiscal year 2000 purchase card transactions that we tested, leaving the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Systems Center and the Navy Public Works Center2 vulnerable to fraudulent, improper, and abusive purchases and theft and misuse of government property." http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0232.pdf U.S. Warns Sites Selling Biowarfare Protection Products The FTC has warned 71 Web sites selling products that claim to protect against biowarfare agents to remove any claims they cannot support with scientific evidence or risk legal action. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1007-200-8340388.html Court OKs FTC's Power to Investigate Internet Advertising A federal appeals court has upheld the Federal Trade Commission's authority to investigate Internet advertising claims, even in cases where such claims are made by companies already facing scrutiny from securities regulators. http://www.washtech.com/news/regulation/14414-1.html Judge's Order Keeps Interior Department Sites Shut Down The abrupt shutdown of Internet Web sites run by the U.S. Department of the Interior four weeks ago has left Americans in the dark about activities on millions of acres of federal lands, national parks and monuments. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-000000666jan03.story Military tribunal proposal loses some rough edges Many details of a revamped plan to try terrorists before U.S. military tribunals remain unclear. One change -- requiring the tribunal's unanimous vote before any death entence can be imposed -- appears aimed at easing the concerns of America's European allies. http://www.free-market.net/rd/654616413.html Model state bio-terror law stirs controversy A model bio-terrorism law is drawing criticism over the enormous power it grants state officials. These include the broad power to involuntarily quarantine and vaccinate citizens, as well as authority "to control, restrict and regulate ... food, fuel, clothing and other commodities, alcoholic beverages, firearms, explosives, and combustibles..." http://www.free-market.net/rd/659136647.html Scrutiny on lynx fraud grows Federal agencies are joining forces for a joint investigation to determine why government employees planted evidence of a threatened wildcat species in national forests. The fraud could have resulted in the closure of the forests to many common activities. http://www.free-market.net/rd/689378582.html Maryland police seek law for easier wiretaps Law enforcement officials from across Maryland are proposing legislative changes that would expand their power to monitor private telephone conversations. "There is reason to be concerned that the police will become Big Brother," said ACLU spokesman Dwight Sullivan. http://www.free-market.net/rd/649006114.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice. Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/ To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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