Eric H. Doss’s Posterous Site

Computer Failure Causes Gridlock In MD County

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You know what else is an abomination, Maine? Lobster

Today you decided that homosexuals are lesser human beings who don't deserve the same rights are heterosexuals. You have just illustrated to the nation that you, like California, believe popular vote is a valid and moral way to decide human rights. I'm really glad we didn't use this method back when legalizing interracial marriage, but I guess the whole majority rule, minority rights thing isn't too important too you. But if you're going to go and base your legal decisions on the Bible, I thought I'd like to point out one little thing to you so your logic is at least consistent. In the same book that condemns homosexuality, there's another verse that you may find important:

Leviticus 11:9-12 says:
⁹ These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
¹⁰ And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:
¹¹ They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
¹² Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

Deuteronomy 14:9-10 says:
⁹ These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat:
¹⁰ And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.

So, get cracking on that next referendum. I mean, you don't want to be hypocrites, do you?

S.C. pardons Tom Joyner's uncles who were executed in 1913

Tim Berners-Lee Is Sorry About the Slashes

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San Francisco to Open 311 to Developers

This guest post was written by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who was elected to the position in 2003 and reelected in 2007. In this guest post, Mayor Newsom announces plans to build an Open platform for the City’s 311 Customer Service Center for developers to build applications on top of it.

Earlier this year, we announced a first of its kind application that allows San Franciscans to access the City’s 311 Customer Service Center via Twitter.

With a tweet or text — potholes, broken street lights and other issues are being reported and fixed. The 311-Twitter service has made it easier for constituents to connect with government and has helped city agencies respond to problems faster.

The 311 Center is at the heart of our efforts to improve government accountability and transparency. Since its launch in March 2007, 311 has answered over 7 million calls and thousands of more requests online.

Each week, I receive reports of what services citizens are requesting and if they are being fixed. Now thanks to a web site called EveryBlock anybody can get a detailed break down of what people are asking for by block, neighborhood, zip code and day. This section of EveryBlock was created from a 311 data feed available on DataSF.org and is featured in the DataSF App Showcase.

The expansion of 311 to Twitter and the Internet was just the beginning of opening access to city services.

Announcing the Open 311 Platform

Today, I am pleased to announce that we are going to transform 311 into a tool of even greater value by building an Open 311 platform. Open 311 will allow software developers to write web applications that do two things: 1) get service request data from the 311 system, and 2) submit new service requests to city departments.

Making an Open 311 API (Application Programming Interface) available to our tech savvy citizens will open the current 311 service to those who wish to build applications on top of it.

We hope that many applications will be built from Open 311. For example, a smart phone application that allows citizens to easily report new issues to city departments with their device’s camera and GPS system. This would create mapped and photographed issues that make it easier for the city to locate, investigate and resolve problems.

The success of DataSF and the DataSF App Showcase has proven that the public will create innovative applications when given access to the information they need. We anticipate the same response and innovation from Open 311.

If you are interested in using the Open 311 API, we would like to hear from you.

Join Mayor Newsom on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, SamValtenbergs

Tags: developers, open 311, San Francisco-San Jose

Name ‘n Shame

Meet the senators who voted against Al Franken’s amendment which punishes contractors that “restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault, battery and discrimination cases to court.”

Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)

Lovely to see so many “family values” conservatives on the list.