Bernie’s Transportation Communications Newsletter (TCN) – November 20, 2009

Friday, November 20, 2009 – ISSN 1529-1057

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AVIATION

1) Coverage of FAA Computer Problems

-  FAA Glitch Impacted Military Air Defense

Link to ABC News story and video:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/faa-glitch-impacted-military-air-defense/story?id=9132323

-  FAA Computer Failure Reflects Growing Burden on Systems

Link to article in Federal Computer Week:

http://fcw.com/articles/2009/11/19/update-faa-software-hackers-delays.aspx

-  FAA Glitch Shines Spotlight on Troubled Telco Project

Link to article in Computer World

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9141195/FAA_glitch_shines_spotlight_on_troubled_telco_project

-  FAA or Your Car: Whose Computer Has More Muscle?

Link to ABC News story and video:

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Travel/BusinessTraveler/air-traffic-control-system-overhaul-years/story?id=9131728

2) FAA: Unmanned and Commercial Aircraft Don’t Mix

Link to article in Network World:

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/111909-layer8-faa-civilian-unmanned-airspace.html

3) Bill Seeks to Allow Airlines Access to Cockpit Conversations

Link to article in The Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125866886792856401.html

4) Air Canada Tests In-flight Internet Service

Link to Reuters article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN1918222220091119

Link to news release from Air Canada:

http://micro.newswire.ca/release.cgi?rkey=1711193027&view=13213-0&Start=0&htm=0

CARTOGRAPHY

5) Bing Maps China Grows with New Features

Link to article on Softpedia:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bing-Maps-China-Grows-with-New-Features-127545.shtml

Link to further information from Microsoft:

http://www.bing.com/community/blogs/maps/archive/2009/11/19/bing-maps-china-expands-reach.aspx

Link to Bing Maps China: http://cn.bing.com/ditu/

6) The Art of Maps

What can artists do with maps? What makes maps such a unique art form?

http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=18828

Link to audio recording of Weekday on KUOW Radio:

http://www.kuow.org/podcast/WeekdayA20091119.mp3

PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION

7) Seattle DOT Talks Snow on Facebook

Link to article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/185838.asp

Link to SDOT Winter Weather Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seattle-WA/SDOT-Winter-Weather/169438402522

SAFETY / SECURITY

8) US Government Wants Speedy Screening at More Airports

Link to AP article:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKiEV7AXabtsUR09J62q4Y4R3iFgD9C2SN483

Link to notice in the Federal Register:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-27774.pdf

9) Tiburon, California to Record Every Car Coming and Going

Link to article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/19/BAP71ANBF4.DTL&tsp=1

Link to further information from the Town of Tiburon:

http://www.ci.tiburon.ca.us/news/images/SECURITY-CAMERA-FACT-SHEET-Nov-09.pdf

http://www.ci.tiburon.ca.us/government/town%20council/staff%20reports/2009/council-staff-report-nov18.pdf

TRANSIT

10) Why Weren’t Toronto Transit Riders Alerted to Shutdown?

Link to article in the Toronto Star:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/ttc/article/728462–why-weren-t-ttc-riders-alerted-to-shutdown

11) Feds Publish New Special Education Transportation FAQs

Link to article in School Transportation News:

http://www.stnonline.com/home/latest-news/1545-feds-publish-new-special-education-transportation-faqs

Link to questions and answers from the US Department of Education:

http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cdynamic%2CQaCorner%2C12%2C

TRAVELER INFORMATION / TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT

12) Bob Marbourgh is Still Driven by His Passion

Veteran DC traffic reporter marks 30-years on-the-air.

Link to article in The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/19/AR2009111904267.html?hpid=dynamiclead

13) Speech by Australian Minister for Transport to Australian ITS Summit

Link to speech on Australia.TO:

http://www.australia.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16554

VEHICLES

14) Volt Drive: Great Ride, Interesting Interior and a Friendly Chirp

Electric vehicle is virtually silent so a chirp sound warns pedestrians of the vehicle’s presence.

Link to column on CNBC:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/34062113/

Link to video:

http://gm-volt.com/2009/11/20/worlds-first-journalist-test-drive-of-the-chevy-volt-in-charge-sustaining-mode-occurs-and-isnt-described/

News Releases

1) National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management Celebrates Second Anniversary

2) Bus Users Get Mobile with Arriva M-ticketing Launch

3) North Dakota DOT Provides Wireless Internet at Visitors’ Centers and Rest Areas

4) Smart Cities and Communities, Performance-Based Transportation System Needed to Solve US Congestion, Safety and Environmental Challenge

5) US and EU Join Forces for Cooperative Systems

6) TNO’s Connected Traveler Workshop

Upcoming Events

Electric Drive Transportation Association Conference & Annual Meeting – January 26-28 – Washington, DC

http://electricdrive.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/13273/pid/13273

Friday Bonus

Signs which have lost their original meaning.

http://www.infrastructurist.com/2009/04/16/gallery-amusingly-defaced-street-signs/

Today in Transportation History

1984 **25^th anniversary** – The SETI Institute was founded.  The institute searches for extraterrestrial intelligence by listening for radio signals from space.

http://www.seti.org

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