What's in the News

NITC News

Regional Assets Indicators Web Site Launched

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City recently launched a resource to assess regional innovation and entrepreneurship assets. The Regional Assets Indicators Web page hosts a variety of tools for judging how a region is performing on key economic and demographic factors. The regional asset indicator project provides metrics that regions can use to better understand their economic assets and help inform regional development strategies. Researchers can use these metrics to explore regional attributes and growth. The metrics track important categories such as innovation, creative workforce, human amenities, wealth, infrastructure, and entrepreneurship. The Web site also includes articles that provide further information on each of the indicator categories. Contact Sally Maggard (smaggard@csrees.usda.gov) for more information.

Podcasting Across Nebraska invites communities and regional groups to participate

Podcasting Across Nebraska is currently accepting applications from Nebraska communities and regional groups for participation in the 2006-2007 pilot. Through the Podcasting Across Nebraska program, three to four communities or regional groups will receive training on podcast production as well as hardware and software to be used for podcast production. Participating communities or regional groups will agree to produce at least two podcasts by August 1, 2007. See the Podcasting Across Nebraska section for more information. Applications are due Oct. 13, 2006.

For more information, contact Anne Byers at (402) 471-3805 or e-mail anne.byers at cio.ne.gov.

The Internet and Social Networks

When the Internet first took off, some observers feared that it would contribute to a further weakening of social ties. “Bowling Alone” would be replaced by “Web-surfing Alone.” A new study from the Pew Internet and American Life project indicates these early fears were unfounded. The report, The Strength of Internet Ties, finds that the Internet is helping to build social capital. A new form of community, “networked individualism,” is arising. Via “networked individualism,” people no longer need to rely on a single community for social capital. Instead, they can reach out to different people and communities for different situations. Through email, individuals can maintain close contacts with a much larger and more diverse network. Survey respondents lauded the Internet’s role in helping them connect with other people, get needed information, and make important decisions. In fact, 60 million Americans reportedly have used the Internet when making a major life decision, such as issues around health care for loved ones, pursuing an education, or changing careers.

To view the January 2006 Pew Internet and American Life project report, The Strength of Internet Ties, by Jeffrey Boase, John B. Horrigan, Barry Wellman, and Lee Rainie, visit http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Internet_ties.pdf

Agricultural Department Warns Farmers of Internet Scam

There's a new twist to an old scam that has been occurring on the Internet for years, and it targets the agricultural community.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is warning the public of a scam that is being used to obtain money from unsuspecting farmers and others who offer animals for sale over the Internet. "It's important that you know who you're dealing with in any kind of business transaction, but Internet traders need to be especially aware of scams that could cost them thousands of dollars," said Max Thomas, chief criminal investigator with the department's agricultural crime unit. According to Thomas, three cases involving animals for sale over the Internet have been reported to the Department of Agriculture in one week alone. Traditionally, the scam targets Internet traders of cars, trucks and other big-ticket items, but with a growing trend of farmers now offering to sell their horses, farm equipment and other items through the Internet, scammers are hitting the agricultural community. Here's how the scam works. Through email, an interested "buyer" contacts an individual offering animals for sale on the Internet. The buyer offers to send the seller a cashier's check for several thousand dollars more than the agreed upon price. A check is sent with instructions to cash it and to wire the extra money to an overseas account for pay for shipment costs. In many cases, by the time the check is found to be bogus, the money has already been wired. Although shipment of the animals never takes place, the seller becomes liable for the bad check. "Because these scams often involve an out-of-country address and contact, it's very difficult for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute," said Thomas. "Fortunately, in all three cases reported to us, the victims checked with the out-of-state bank before cashing the checks. But, these forgeries were good and would have been taken by most any bank." Thomas says it's important to report these types of scams to the proper authorities. The Internet Fraud Complaint Center was established as a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center to receive Internet-related criminal complaints. Complaints can be filed online at: www.ifccfbi.gov

TDA is cooperating with other state and federal law enforcement agencies in the investigation of Internet scams involving animals. For more information, contact TDA's agricultural crime unit at 615-837-5181.