Vol. 1, No. 32, May 31, 1999

It's the Hurricane Season!
Hurricane season begins June 1. Get forecasts on NOAA's National Hurricane Center website.

NEW YORK TIMES:
Citizens' Electronic Inquiries
Get Governments' Attention
"Goodbye, phone-menu torment. Adios, disembodied operators taking calls in the order received. A revolution in customer service is emerging on the government pages of the Web," reports Rita Beamish in The New York Times.

Bulletproof Vest Partnership Is Online
Many of the more than 80,000 jurisdictions--states, units of local governments, and Indian tribes--may be eligible to apply for funds to help purchase bulletproof vests for law enforcement officers. Traditional government funding mechanisms couldn't handle a program this big in a timely way. But web technology helped federal agencies partner across agency lines to get this critical job underway. Eligible jurisdictions can apply for funds online. Manufacturers and distributors of vests that meet federal standards may register on the site. Spread the word.

HUD "Answer Machines" Empower Citizens
The Department of Housing and Urban Development has installed an "Answer Machine" in its 81 offices over the country. It's a desktop computer in a HUD "frame" that gives free access to the Internet and HUD's home page to anyone who drops by.