Blog #10: Grants by the Government

There are many websites created by the government that are used by citizens. Many of them are simply informative, while others were created to help aid the citizens. One example that we should all be familiar with as being college students is fafsa.gov. This is a website to apply online for financial aid for education. 

There is another website that can be accessed: www.grants.gov.

This is a site that is for more than just college students, this is one that is given from a federal agency to the recipient that is meant to carry out a specific purpose (such as the financial aid being used for school purposes).

You can sift through the different departments to find a match on what kind of grant you are wanting to apply for. There is a page of 26 links for the departments offering grants. Such as the Department of Congress, Department of Education, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, etc. Each link that you click on will direct you to a new page that has different grant opportunities.

You can also categorize the grants by categories, the newest opportunities, agencies, or eligibility. This site is easy to use and makes it more convenient for people who are searching for help funding things that the government may be willing and able to contribute funds.



"About Grants.gov." Grants.gov. Grants.gov, n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2013.

Free Money. Digital image. Friends of Refugees. NSC (National Security Counsel), 19 July 2010. Web. 6 Nov. 2013.

Blog #9: Healthcare.gov - 3 Things That Don't Mix

There will always be disagreements regarding three topics - healthcare, government, and technology. When you add them all together you get healthcare.gov. And yes, it caused problems. 

Earlier this month, healthcare.gov launched... and failed. The message below was a common sight, and while the crash is blamed on a quick influx of people, there were numerous technological problems to begin with. Like the IPO of Facebook, more research should have been done prior to the launch. There was too much hype and not enough results. An article by ARS Technica, discussed the "seven deadly sins of Healthcare.gov" that I list below and discuss in my own terms. 

1) Hyper-Complexity. There were 3 companies working on the program website with their own objectives. The site needed an actual web page, a computer software to communicate applications from different computers, and a data integration center to collect and disperse the data. It's like having a German brick layer, a Chinese glass-maker, and an American metal worker all trying to build one house in Italy. 

2) Dependency issues. All of the users' data comes from a company outside the government and the tech industry. Therefore, when changes needed to be made to the data, such as names not matching the ages, then you had to rely on a third party that may or may not be reliable all the time. Imagine your roommate controlling whether you get you pass your exams or not.

3) All new construction. The Affordable Care Act is a completely new bill, therefore the systems and algorithms to match it are completely new. Healthcare.gov takes information from other places like insurance companies, yet their systems don't match the new systems. Hence new 'middleware" software has to be developed. When UNC-Charlotte creates a new major, the professor may have taught at a university before but he has to create all new material to make a syllabus.

4) Rolling requirements. As with anything, when they were creating the system, unexpected problems kept arising. Issues added and diminished the requirements of the website and it also created a fluctuating deadline. The CEO of Pepsico constantly changes her long-term strategy to compensate for unexpected factors such as a recession.

5) Anti-testing.  With a fast-approaching deadline, programmers did not have time to test the programs they created. President Obama did a demo, yet it was never pre-tested like companies do with their products. Imagine if you were told that all you had to do to graduate college was give a speech on your major the next day. You probably would make a lot more mistakes than if you had a whole year to prepare for it. 

6) Release late and once. Gallagher suggests that the government could have released a small portion of the site at a time, such as putting up information about the program and it's features the first week and then insurance data the next. In a sense, they bit off more than they can chew. Try eating a caramel-covered apple in one bite.

7) Anti-bugfixing.Programmers did not put the anti-bug software onto the site until after it was launched. Without the appropriate tracking devices, they couldn't figure out where the problems stemmed from. In the morning, try putting you socks on after you shoes. You may be able to do it, but you'll probably have difficulty functioning throughout the day. 

Systems may seem complex, but the problems faced in implementing a system correlate to common every-day problems. The main issue with Healthcare.gov is creating having to create the webpage so quickly. Coordinating between companies to collect data and integrate into an operating system takes time which is why most IT companies only come out with new products and services about every year or two. 

Check out the website at https://www.healthcare.gov/. What do you think? Are there any other "sins" of the website you can think of? How can the government go about implementing systems for legislation going forward?

Gallagher, Sean (2013, October). The seven deadly sins of Healthcare.gov. Retreived from http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/10/the-seven-deadly-sins-of-healthcare-gov/

Blog #8: Improvements for the government's health exchange?

Has anyone tried to enroll through the healthcare.gov site yet? Along with its many controversies, the online health care exchange has had a rocky start. The White House has had problems marketing the site and its purpose to the American people with only a small amount of the population having gone to the site to visit it. Even fewer people actually enrolling for insurance using the site. I haven't had a chance to browse through the website since it has officially been opened so I seem to be part of the majority that has not used the site yet.

Recent polls show that almost half of the population that have visited the site have found it difficult to use. Due to technical glitches and software issues, one of the major problems that the online health exchange is facing is its lack of employees to manage the software running the entire operation. Fatigued by political motives, a government shutdown, and poorly tested programs, hope for the health care exchange has diminished while government officials and contractors try and resolve the issues.

Earlier this week it was announced that Health and Human Services brought in Verizon to resolve and improve the performance of healthcare.gov. Hopefully, Verizon is able to solve the websites crashing problem as well. The White House has stated that they are in the process of using companies outside of their current contractors to repair the exchange as soon as possible. We can only hope! What do you think? Will you use the website to enroll soon? Do you think the site can be repaired?




Works Cited:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/21/verizon-hhs-healthcare-site-fix/3144761/
http://www.nytimes.com/news/affordable-care-act/2013/10/21/awareness-grows-of-online-insurance-exchanges-and-their-problems-survey-finds/?_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/us/politics/from-the-start-signs-of-trouble-at-health-portal.html?pagewanted=2
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57608686/report-verizon-called-on-to-improve-healthcare.gov/
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/android-news/245852-patched-google-wallet-verizon-galaxy-s4.html
http://endrtimes.blogspot.com/2012/09/white-house-and-fema-recognize.html

Blog #7: Snapchat is teaming up with Law enforcement

Law Enforcement agencies have added a new frontier to their investigations; Snapchat. This phone application was sold on its claim that all pictures you take and send through this application are deleted after a ten second viewing window. However, what if these “snaps” are never opened?

A recent article now confirms claims that the co-creators of Snapchat have tapped into their servers to hand over unopened “snaps” to law enforcement per request of a warrant. If you aren’t concerned yet, a forensic software company has already found a way to retrieve opened “snaps” that were claimed to have been deleted forever off the phones of android users, and this company hasn’t stopped there. Claims say that this company shouldn’t be too far from retrieving opened “snaps” from iPhone users as well.

If you find yourself getting upset with Snapchat, you should know that they are only handing over these criminally incriminating “snaps” to avoid legal trouble themselves. Under the federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), Snapchat is legally obligated to provide evidence if requested by a search warrant. So this should raise the question of whether there is anything that a normal user can send via the internet without the government having access to it.

With the nation moving toward a totally virtual world on the internet, are we under the sorely mistaken illusion that without a paper trail nothing is traceable? With this new information coming to light the youth of America needs to be more cautious as to what transpires over the internet. Everything you search, send, and receive can somehow find its way into the hands of the general public as well as local law enforcement. So I urge you to be cautious of what you involve yourself in over the next few years as we move into a more public society over the internet. They say a picture is worth a thousand words but one mistake today, such as a criminally incriminating “snap”, could cost you much more.

Holpuch, Amanda. "Snapchat Admits to Handing Unopened 'snaps' to US Law Enforcement." The Guardian. N.p., 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.

Blog #6 Governments use Internet to give information to its citizens and accelerate transactions and processes.

Nowadays we live in an information age and the Internet has become in a very helpful tool to make our life easier.  We depend on the Internet because we have created our world based in this technology. For that reason, the US government is using the Internet to get closer to its citizens.

One way to do this is making new information available, for example: agency spending, text of legislation, government data, what papers are needed to obtain a particular permission, where are the offices and what are their office hours, etc. The goal of this is to try to be more transparent, allow the population to follow the actions of their governors and make easier and more comfortable to the citizens the transaction of their processes. 

One advantage that the government uses the Internet is that now you can download and submit all the forms and papers that you will need to transact something. This is easier for the citizens and accelerates the process to get what you are looking for. Also, through the website you can track the status of your applications and pay for some services. For example in North Carolina you can pay the taxes for individual income, sales utility, privilege license, motor fuels, corporate franchise, etc. in the website of the State, this saves your time because you can avoid be waiting in long lines.

Likewise, in the website of North Carolina there is a menu called NCWorks Online where job seekers can look for jobs, find training and education and elaborate resumes; while the employers can find and search market information and find the candidates for some specific job. You must register by creating an account and then you can begin searching the job information according to your needs (city, address, salary, hours, etc.) In addition you can know the occupation profile and details and the labor market analysis. 

According to Smith, there are mainly three different ways in which the citizens interact with the government:

*Data driven: government agencies post their data online and allow the citizens to access it.

*Organized around new online platforms: the interactions are moving outside the website, for example: blogs, social networks, email, etc.

*Participatory: the citizens share their personal views, needs and problems with the government.

What do you think of the governments that use the Internet?  Have you ever used any of these services?

Sources

North Carolina government (2013). NCWorks Online. Retrieved from < https://www.ncworks.gov/ vosnet/Default.aspx>

Smith, A. (2010). The Internet gives citizens new paths to government services and information. Retrieved from < http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Government-Online/Summary-of-Findings.aspx>.

Blog #5: Tax E-Filing

I know it’s not tax season, but wouldn’t it be great if it was? Knowing you will get a check in the mail in a couple of weeks or deposited to your bank account? If you don’t already, maybe you should consider filing your taxes online. The trend of e-filing has taken off with great success. I ran across an article from a couple of years ago on NBCNews.com where is talked about how filing your taxes online is the new norm. It’s really easy and you could even submit it on your phone, crazy right? The article also talks about how secure the process is. You can check the progress of when you will get your tax refund. 

The IRS website also touched on how it’s much faster to file since some of the programs such as TurboTax that offer to do the calculations for you. Another cool feature is the audit protection tools that are said to be built in. 

At the same time, it is important that we check the spyware and antivirus setting on our computer as we can never be too careful when submitting confidential information such as a social security number. Taxpayers are of all ages young and old, so of course we still have the old school generations who might prefer to do the hard copy, so the e-filing won’t necessarily work for them. They might subscribe to thing they don’t need which will make the process longer and inefficient. 

At the end of the day if you know that you are not very computer savvy or have a complicated case, you may be better off hiring a professional to do your taxes, or at least consulting an actual person rather than a Q&A section on the program you use.

Are you comfortable filing your own taxes with the help of certain programs like TurboTax? Or is this something you trust a professional taking care of?

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42275764/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/tax-season-e-filing-becomes-new-normal/#.UkpEpT8zdL4

http://www.irs.com/articles/the-benefits-of-filing-your-taxes-online

http://www.trexglobal.com/property-management/rental-tax-deductions/other-real-estate-tips/property-managers-landlords-five-good-reasons-to-e-file-your-tax-return

http://www.ehow.com/info_7833033_benefits-disadvantages-filing-taxes-electronically.html

Blog #4: Obamacare: Insurance Marketplace Launching October 1st

Only 5 more days until the "Obamacare" marketplace opens up to the American public. Launching October 1st, Americans will be able to conveniently look up health insurance information, coverage, rates, and purchase insurance online. People who are currently uninsured or insured and want to see what their options are will be able to go to one site to access health insurance companies information. The site states that, "with one marketplace application, you can learn if you can get lower costs based on your income, compare your coverage option side-by-side, and enroll. 

With the online exchange, the Government hopes to enroll an estimated 7 million Americans who are currently uninsured. Once the marketplace opens, people can enroll and purchase health insurance and receive coverage as soon as January 1st, 2014. The marketplace is also open to currently insured Americans who want to see what other options are available to them. 

The government has many online systems available to the public such as; departmental agencies, representative contact information, checking your credit, changing your address, filing your taxes, and many more. Obviously there will be potential technical glitches when the site is officially up and running but I think that it looks user friendly and contains a lot of information about what exactly the marketplace is and how to use it, etc. 

Many opponents argue that the marketplace will give easy access for hackers and will allow the government the ability to violate the privacy of Americans. A toll free number has been provided for people to call in and report fraudulent activity. The Obama administration will also be announcing measures to reassure Americans that they will be protected in the online marketplace.

Check out the link below to see the marketplace:
Health Insurance Marketplace, Affordable Care Act

So what do you guys think? Will be this an effective tool for Americans to access information? 




Sources:
Begley, S. (2013, September 17). Obamacare customers may show up in fits and starts| Reuters. Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/17/us-usa-healthcare-enrollment-idUSBRE98G13620130917

Felsenthal, M., & Morgan, D. (2013, September 18). Obama administration seeks to bolster U.S. health law privacy| Reuters. Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/18/us-usa-healthcare-privacy-idUSBRE98H0MC20130918

Health Insurance Marketplace. (n.d.).healthcare.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from https://www.healthcare.gov/what-is-the-health-insurance-marketplace/

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/science/assets_c/2013/06/healthcare-gov-homepage-thumb-570x348-125912.jpg

Blog #3: E-Governments: Decreasing Entertainment, Increasing Efficiency

       When I first came to Charlotte, I had to register my car at the DMV (Division of Motor Vehicles). Sure I had to wait a couple hours in line, yet the entertainment was worth it. I witnessed an employee act so rudely to a customer that the customer started cursing in words I've never heard, and she started throwing her papers at the employee all while attempting to climb over the counter to fight the employee. Luckily, her husband grabbed her and threw her out the door. She managed to escape him and open the door again to yell some more obscenities to the rest of us, and then slammed the door... except the door had a hydraulic hinge which prevents it from being slammed. That upset her even more.

       Apparently, most people don't find those situations amusing or efficient because we now have e-government which utilizes systems to move public sector services online. E-government, as defined in our textbook, is the use of the Internet and related technologies to digitally enable government and public sector agencies’ relationships with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government. 

       To sample, Charlotte’s Mecklenburg Country has its own page referring to e-government where you can pay taxes, rent a park, search the birth index, and watch board meetings (sounds fun).  Our local government describes e-commerce as “electronic customer service.” Just as human customer service has its upsides and downfalls, as does internet-based service. The very first link I clicked on the Char-Meck’s e-government page failed because the host website had been shut down – a clear sign that the county does not routinely update the website. What is better – government employees who are highly criticized for their mistakes or government websites that cannot function unless perfectly coded?

       The Economist ran an article several years ago about the pros and cons of e-government. One of the major cons was how it takes human empathy out of the equation. When a cop pulls you over for speeding, you can explain to him you’re in a hurry to make it to court on time for your last speeding ticket. When it’s done through technology and there are cameras and radars that catch you speeding, it’s hard to argue with. 

       Yet The Economist also points out the cost-benefits and the organizational benefits of e-government. Moving services to the Internet eliminates direct costs such as unnecessary paper work and indirect costs such as the gas and time it takes for citizens to complete a trip to a customer-service related public facility. Technology increases timeliness and organization because all the data can go straight to one source which from there can be analyzed (particularly taxes). E-government has expanded services as well such as being able to look at a map and see where construction is going on. Something much more difficult to find out when you have to contract a public employee. 

From your experience, is e-government better or do you want face-to-face contact? What other pros and cons do you see? Do you have any predictions about the future?

Sources: 

Mecklenburg County Government (2013). Mecklenberg County e-Government. Retrieved from http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/CountyManagersOffice/eGovernment/Pages/default.aspx

The Economist newspaper (2013). The Good, The Bad and The Inevitable. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/node/10638105?story_id=10638105