Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with government

Credible books about UFO's?

Brodiggitty — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:09:20 -0800

Looking for a well-researched, non-quack book about the American Government's response to UFO's from the 1940s onward. I saw a decent documentary on the history channel the other night about how the American government dealt with UFO sightings in the 40s and 50s. It touched on a close encounter in the 1950s around Washington D.C. when jets were scrambled to intercept orange lights showing up on radar. The documentary also touched on precursors to project blue book, and how they dealt with sightings.

What I'd like is a book similar to the documentary. I'd like a well-researched and balanced look at these events. I'm more interested in what various government organizations had to say about (and how they responded to) the general UFO phenomena in the 40s and 50s (or later) rather than eyewitness accounts of the sightings themselves. The book should be by a credible journalist or historian, if at all possible. The focus should be beyond Roswell, although I don't see how any book could not touch on this.

Again, just to be clear: government response to sightings, not just sightings in themselves. Not written by a quack. Nothing focusing on abductions either.

Non-FOI vs FOI

blue_wardrobe — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:54:03 -0800

A (US) government agency wants to create a database of data that is voluntarily submitted by members of the public. The database has fields of data that get populated, some with personal data. The data records are made freely available to the public either through a regular periodic data dump, or through FOI requests, although personal data is blanked out (some fields in their entirety, some fields partially) To what extent can said agency decide it also wants "non-FOI fields" added to the database. What is allowed to be exempted from FOI requests other than personal data?

Where bureaucracy and internet collide

jmnugent — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:59:23 -0800

Does the city you live in have a great website? What (specifically) makes it great? I'd like to revisit (and hopefully expand on) a similar question from 2006. While the preceding answers were acceptable, I'm hoping people will go into more specific details about what content or features makes their local city website joyfully useful.

As a citizen, I dont find myself going to the city website for much of anything. Its not a "bad" website per se, it has baseline functionality (pay bills, search library, find parks,etc) but its also disappointingly "utilitarian". There isnt anything "drawing me in". I'm hoping Ask.Mefi responses will include examples like:

"My local city website is drop-dead gorgeous!" (link)

"Almost all city websites have basic info w/x/y,etc , but my city has THIS" (link)

Active citizen forums?
real-time/live chat ?
unique (unexpected) e-services?
single sign-on to access all e-services?
easy navigation?
incentives for citizen involvement?
incentives for youth involvement?
A vibe that they actually "get" the web (concept)?

I realize its government and my expectations may be WAY to high, but (without saying to much) I'm hoping to become involved in making my local city website better - so seeing examples of how its "done right" might help me generate (or steal) ideas. :)

government records

amsterdam63 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:40:48 -0800

Are records kept by government about the architectural blue prints of every building built? In movies like Sneakers you always see people getting these blueprints, are these records really kept? Seems interesting, and I'm wondering why its done.

Neeed assistance

quseio — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:26:19 -0800

I am part time and make 100, or so dollars a week.often less what i want to know is can i recieve any goverment assistance i can barely afford insurance. I am trying to find a better job but it isnt going very fast i live in lancaster pa

Applying for a government job (what to reveal in the application and more)

mintchip — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:19:52 -0800

Applying for a government job (what to reveal in the application and more) I'm interested in applying for a government job. The job application asks you to reveal any time you were let go from a job within the past five years.

I had been let go from one job, but I was only there a short while and considered the decision "mutual" since they one let me go after I told my supervisor--twice--that I was unhappy with the position. I was able to collect unemployment. I realize it might seem "wrong" to hide it, but frankly the position just didn't work out and I don't want it to hinder me going forward.

1. If I don't reveal this, how likely is it to be found out?
2. If I do reveal this, is it likely to keep me from being considered for the position?
3. Any tips for getting into a state/local government job? Does it help to have connections? The application process seems quite formal so I'm not sure how having connections would help.
4. Anyone here have a state/local government position? How do you like it?

Thanks!

Mashing up government data

baggymp — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:31:44 -0800

I'm trying to lead a crusade for government to publish it's statistics and data in a way that is mashable. Is it possible to define a standard digital format that could apply to a diverse array of data sets? The sort of examples for which this might apply are crime statistics, bus and train travel times, recent house sales, mapping data etc.

If it were possible to define a standard, what would it be and how could you describe it to people without an IT background?

Gov't RFP Sites?

digitalprimate — Mon, 26 May 2008 04:34:54 -0800

What US governmental RFP sites are worth the time/money - or do you know of any free ones that are not impossible to search? I've recently joined a small (but highly capable) market research firm, and we're looking to expand into bidding for governmental contracts.

Searching turns up subscription sites such as Find RFP, bidnet, and governmentbids.com. There is also the next-to-impossible-to-use FedBizOps (the official, free site sponsored by the USofA itself and any hints on using that beast of a site would also be most appreciated). I'm sure there are more sites like these.

So which one's of these - or other sites - don't just push tons of inappropriate RFPs to your inbox? Which ones have a decent signal to noise ratio? And which ones have search functionality designed by someone who speaks a a language similar to English?

Will US immigration make me pay old parking tickets?

xanthippe — Wed, 14 May 2008 01:15:06 -0800

Very old parking tickets/fines and US immigration... do I have to pay up when I come home? I am a US citizen, but left about 3 years ago and haven't gone back to visit since. When I left, I gave my car (registered in my name) to a friend who managed to generate some $700+ of parking fines in New York before finally disposing of it in a manner which is not entirely clear to me - I believe it was eventually towed to a junkyard by the police after being abandoned for some time on the streets of Brooklyn. I suspect, however, that the State of New York, given the opportunity, would claim I owe them a big chunk of cash for this.

Question: if I come back to visit the USA, is this going to turn up in my file when I'm going through immigration or any other likely situation? If so, would this happen anywhere, or only in New York? (In other words, should I avoid flying in or out of JFK?) Do these sorts of fines go away after some time (if so, how much) or remain and accrue interest forever? How can I be most confident of this not being an issue on my visit?

Income tax versus Fair tax....help

madmamasmith — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:32:48 -0800

I need to better understand the proposed tax systems. Mainly the fair tax or sales tax versus an income tax. I am writing a paper for school on the viewpoints of TTARA (The Texas Taxpayers and Research Ass.) and CTJ (citizens for tax justice) but cannot gain a clear idea of what each side is proposing. Obviously the republicans want the fair tax, and since TTARA is business minded, I assume they too seek the fair tax, or at least support it. But what is the Dem idea of fair taxation? Do they want an income tax? What is all this talk on CTJ about income tax cuts? I don’t have the patience to sift through all the material so I'm hoping someone can give me a basic idea of the differing positions on the matter. Mainly answer the question of who wants what and why, and who benefits most from each plan.... Also what about the working poor, do they benefit most from an income tax? Etc. Etc.

Monetary Policy and the Fed, when do we raise and lower rates and why?

idledebonair — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:38:21 -0800

Economics Filter: Monetary Policy and the Fed, when do we raise and lower rates and why? What are some possible reasons the Fed would raise or lower rates and why would they do so?

10 Planks of the Communist Manifesto

Geppp — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:28:17 -0800

How many of the 10 Planks of the Communist Manifesto have been adopted into modern society? For example, #10 for the most part, has seemed to been enacted throughout modern society. Are there any other examples of successful (or unsuccessful) implementations of any of the other planks? (I'm not just talking about modern society, but historical and other examples also)

National Security Personnel System anyone?

snsranch — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:30:42 -0800

So I've been converted from civil service in the U.S. (WG/GS etc.) to NSPS and need help writing Supervisory/Managerial Performance Objectives. This is a shot in the dark as the system is relatively new. Specifically, does anyone have examples other than the ones posted on the "official" websites? I actually love to write, but this is pretty formulated and it would be very helpful to see what others have done with it. If you would like to share stuff and not have it posted here, please use the e-mail in my profile.

If you have any comments about or experiences (love/hate) with the new system that's appreciated too.

Thanks, folks and wish me luck!

Launching a website that contains public government data

lunchbox — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:46:42 -0800

Where can I find information about the legality of using public government data on my website? I came across the website EveryBlock.com, which takes data from city governments and posts them on its website in a nice user interface. These include things like dates and locations of crimes, liquor license violations, and so on. (I have also seen websites that allow you to search for sex offenders in your neighborhood.) I am interested in a vaguely related idea that would involve using public government data that is already available on the internet. What are the rules about copying data from government websites and using it for a private website? It seems legal since EveryBlock is doing it without apparent problems, but I'd like to know how I can go about ascertaining this if I want to use a particular city or state's data. (Note: I'm just looking for general information on this topic, and not specific legal advice about my idea.)

Illegal Immigrants in College

madmamasmith — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:04:22 -0800

Can anyone tell me the percentage of children of illegal immigrants who attend college? Specifically in Texas. We are arguing the HB 104 (in state tuition bill) in my government class and I need to know how many children of illegal immigrants who were not born in the US actually attend institutions of higher education....

The power to tax is the power to destroy

mullingitover — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:04:28 -0800

Does the 'use tax' charged by states for purchases made outside their borders violate the commerce clause? Inspired by this question and my desire to not completely derail it. If a state can, through whatever legal contortions it can devise, tax an out-of-state purchase at all, can't it ultimately destroy the ability to purchase goods and services out of state? After all, if it can tax 1%, can't it tax 1,000,000%? It seems to me that this kind of state-held power could lead to intranational trade wars if it's allowed. Imagine the ramifications if California decided to viciously protect its economy. The fact that it's perhaps difficult to enforce right now doesn't seem relevant, given the trivial nature of recording and auditing a person's spending history.

Are unions still relevant?

doppleradar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:47:01 -0800

Are unions still relevant? Why do we need unions now? Aren't safety, wage, and other concerns addressed by govt regulations/standards these days? Any distinct differences between right-to-work and union-friendly states?

I understand the importance of unions historically and philosophically, so that's not really what I am looking for here.

Where does all the ivory go?

IndigoJones — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:48:34 -0800

What do governments do with seized contraband that cannot legally be bought or sold, cannot be set free, but ought not be simply destroyed? I'm thinking elephant tusks and rain forest hard woods, that sort of thing.

Are there special accounting requirements for dealing with the Defense Department Acquisitions program?

mrhappy — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:20:41 -0800

Looking for tips on dealing with the defense department acquisitions system. Basically, I am preparing taxes for a new LLC that expects to land some government contracts, and they are asking me about how best to deal with DFARS. None of my accounting connections knows anything about this. Should I just refer them to a D.C. based CPA who has experience, or is it not a big deal?

The future of government

baggymp — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:35:32 -0800

How should government change the way it provides services in response to the technological revolution happening around us? I'm giving a speech to 500 civil servants on Monday. It's working title is Government 2.0 - yeah I know, it's a bit hackneyed.

Peculiarly, the event might just help shape future government policy in the UK. So I want get it right.

So far I'm touching on:

1. The hive mind as a force for good
2. Freeing up data to the open source community
3. New ways of consulting with information communities

This and more. Can you help me? All ideas welcome.

Historical "jawboning"?

yesno — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:18:01 -0800

Can you think of any examples of "jawboning" from history? A phenomenon in American politics is that of "jawboning"-- whereby politicians or regulators engage in strong rhetoric or issue "policy statements" with the end of getting businesses and people to behavior a certain way "voluntarily"-- either through pure moral suasion or through the threat of explicit regulation. This is sometimes known as "regulation by raised eyebrow."

I am wondering if any historians among you can think of interesting examples of this kind of behavior from history-- be it statements by one of Napolean's ministers, or a Roman emperor. Statements by people or groups that actually *could carry out explicit regulations are best (a legislator might not be able to get any votes, and so his words can be safely ignored).

I know this one is a long shot, but I've found Ask MeFi to be one of the best sources for these kinds of recherché questions.

How to verify state-issued sales certificate/tax ID?

boygirlparty — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:18:41 -0800

How do you verify a state seller's permit/resale certificate and/or tax ID for US businesses? I know you can verify some state issued certificates online (like CA, TX and MN) to make sure that declared resale certificates and/or Tax IDs are legitimate, but is there a site or place where you can do this for any/every US state?

Having a hard time navigating Michigan's gov website in particular.

I want to save the world... no seriously

DetonatedManiac — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:42:11 -0800

I am considering going back to grad school. All I know is that when I get out I want to put myself in the position where I can do the most good for protecting the environment. What specific job should I shoot for (Government, Non profit, other?) and what degree do I need (MPA, MPP, JD other)? Ok, I know that is a bit broad so let me narrow it.

I already have a liberal arts undergrad degree and I am not going back to school to get a pure science degree (nothing against science I am just not the engineer/scientist type). I want a legit, life long career so not Eco Terrorism or Volunteer work (as honorable and necessary as Volunteer-ism is).

Plus I want to make as big an impact as reasonably possible, not just "save one whale" but "protect the whole ocean" sort of thing

My thoughts to this point: Get a JD and become environmental defense lawyer or get an MPA and work for an environmental non-profit or in a government agency like the EPA. Or get both the JD and MPA in a dual program and do some combination of both.

Help me flesh out these or some other paths and how to get on them. Which will allow me to do the most good?

Let's get out of this country

Meg_Murry — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 14:33:04 -0800

I'm trying to renew my passport, which expired about six years ago and is now lost, but the government doesn't seem to believe this situation is possible. Is this process the same as replacing/renewing a still-valid lost passport? Last night my boyfriend surprised me with a proposal and invited me on a celebratory trip to Scotland (yay! and yay!). I said yes to both. Now I need to renew my long-expired passport and have realized that it is lost. I looked at the forms online and the related government websites, and all references to replacing lost or stolen passports seem to mean lost or stolen valid passports. I'm assuming that the process is the same for my case (apply in person, bring a copy of my birth certificate in addition to other ID), but can't find confirmation online. Also, my previous passport was issued when I was about 12, if that matters.

I know I can call on Tuesday when the government offices reopen, but I'd like to know what to expect beforehand (and also, the sooner I know, the sooner I can stop worrying about the passport and start planning the trip!). Any personal experiences with this situation or similar situations would be much appreciated! (As would Scotland-related travel tips, but then that's probably another question for another day.)

Can you be my Bartlett today?

mccxxiii — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:23:21 -0800

Is there a quote by a Founding Father about how the First Amendment really protects religion from the government, not the other way around? I know about Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists ... but I have this feeling that there's another famous quote. Maybe it's by a more modern judicial person rather than a Founding Father? Even if you can't remember the whole quote, give me a hint about who/what to look for and I'll keep researching. I just have this feeling that there's a famous quote floating around out there that I can't quite put my finger on.

Any hints at all would be fabulous. Thanks much.