About Me 0013: February 2011

Monday, February 21, 2011

Making Money Scams

Social Networks

According to Cisco, criminals are targeting social network users more aggressively. In particular, criminals are spending more time and effort trying to steal users' social networking credentials, since that makes it possible to exploit the trust of all that users' friends.

Although the exploitation of trust is crucial, Cisco predicts a decline in simple phishing and social networking scams. The company expects instead a rise exploits similar to the Zeus trojan, which steals banking credentials and propagates on social networks, mobile devices and more.

Social Engineering

Cisco warns of the "seven deadly weaknesses" exploited by social engineers:

Sex Appeal

Greed

Vanity

Trust

Sloth

Compassion

Urgency

Even the most savvy users can fall prey to social engineering. For example, Thomas Ryan of Provide Security created fake identity called "Robin Sage." Ryan was able to get hundreds of government officials and security professionals to friend this imaginary person on social networking sites and, as a result, share personal information with Ryan.

According to the report:

Clickthrough rates for most malware or spam incidents consistently hover at around 3 percent, according to data from Cisco ScanSafe. While 3 percent may not seem high, imagine the impact of repeated waves of spam to which 3 percent of workers consistently respond to and click on. Even this small percentage is the equivalent of having a gaping hole in the network firewall that cannot be closed. Instead of trying to change human behavior, security researchers are exploring the possibility of changing the way we use software to reduce risks.

Java: The New Number One Target

Java and PDF are both frequently exploited, but according to Cisco Java exploits rose last year and PDF exploits fell. Java surpassed PDF as the most commonly exploited technology.

Cybercrime in the Post-PC Era

According to the report, Windows has been so prevalent and so easy to exploit that there was no need for criminals to try to exploit other systems. However, the proliferation of other devices and OSes along with improved security in Windows 7 has changed that.

However, this move is happening slowly. A report from Forrester on security in the post-PC era notes that mobile device OSes are inherently more secure than desktop OSes due to sandboxing. This means that even jailbroken iPhones and rooted Android phones will be harder to compromise than older Windows PCs. However, social engineers can prey on anyone, regardless of the device they are using.

The Cloud: Friend or Foe?

The report cites the cloud as having both benefits and drawbacks for security. The drawback is that data can be intercepted while traveling between a server and the devices that access it. The advantage is that having data stored off-device makes it hard to extract sensitive information from lost or stolen devices.

Money Mules

The report has an interesting section on "money mules." Once a criminal has stolen a victim's bank account information, they need a way to get the money into their own accounts without getting caught. Money mules are people who transfer money from a victim's bank account to a criminal. One way to do this is to transfer money into the mule's account, then have the mule wire it via Western Union to the criminals overseas. The recipient of the wire from Western Union might not have to provide bank account information to receive the money, making them more difficult to trace.

Some mules are low-level criminals who participate for the money. Others are duped by work at home job ads. Students and people with large debts are often targets.

However, there's a shortage of mules. "Currently, the ratio of stolen account credentials to available mule capacity could be as high as 10,000 to 1," says the report.

Winners of the Cybercrime Showcase

Cisco highlights two winners in this year's "Cybercrime Showcase" - a "good" winner and an "evil" winner.

The Good winner is Thorsten Holz of the security firm LastLine. Holz identified the top 30 servers that the botnet Pushdo/Cutwail used for sending spam. Holz got ISPs to shutdown those servers and, as a result, the rate of spam decreased from 350 billion messages per day to 300 billion per day.

The Evil winner is Stuxnet, which we've covered frequently.

What, No Malvertising?

Surprisingly, there is no discussion of malvertising in the report. You can read our post "What You Need to Know About Malvertising" for more about this threat.

How low is a Facebook scammer prepared to go? Here's a pretty sick rogue application that we've seen affecting some users of the world's most popular social network, leading to the all too familiar money-making survey scam at the end.

OMG she is so busted!! Dad catches Daughter on Webcam!

Hmm. It would be nice to think that no-one would be interested in clicking on a link like that. But human nature being what it is, some folks (guys in particular I would guess) might be tempted to find out more and find they aren't able to show some restraint.

So, what does happen if you click on the link?

First thing you'll see is this splash screen (I've used some pixelation to protect the innocent):

If you are still tempted to click further, you'll be asked by a rogue Facebook application to grant permission for it to be able to post to your wall.

By the way, it's not just your personal Facebook page that the app will be able to post updates to - it will also be able to publish to any pages you might be responsible for, which could prove highly damage if you administer a Facebook page for your firm.

So, after all this, do you get to see the video?

Nope. Instead, you'll be greeted by a survey. And this survey makes money for the scammers behind the scheme as they earn commission for every survey completed.

Worse still, your Facebook account has already been abused by the rogue application which has posted a message about the dad catching his daughter stripping on a webcam for all of your Facebook friends to see.

Wow she got caught so dirty.

Busted!! Dad Catches Daughter on Webcam!

Do not watch unless 18+

Content is graphic. Watch at your own risk!

In this way the scam spreads virally, attempting to earn as much money as possible for the survey scammers.

I know there will be people out there who feel that anyone who clicks on links like this deserve everything they get, but that doesn't mean the rest of us should be bombarded by spammy messages on Facebook just because some of our online friends have turned out to be a littel bit seedy.

We've seen cybercriminals use grubby themes like this to spread their attacks, and no doubt we'll see them again. Human nature isn't going to change and people will carry on clicking on them unless they're educated about the threats. Of course, it wouldn't do any harm if Facebook could work a little harder at preventing scams like this occurring in the first place.

If you have been hit by scams like this on Facebook, and are struggling to clean-up your profile, here's a YouTube video I made which describes what steps you need to take:

(Enjoy this video? You can check out more on the SophosLabs YouTube channel and subscribe if you like)

Make sure that you keep informed about the latest scams spreading fast across Facebook and other internet attacks. Join the Sophos page on Facebook, where over 60,000 people regularly share information on threats and discuss the latest security news.

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Thursday, February 17, 2011

Making Money Fast

Of all the interesting new tech that seems poised to garner a lot of buzz in 2011, near field communication (NFC), is probably the most exciting. If it takes off, it will transform the ways we communicate, share, and make payments with digital devices. This will likely take years to happen, but the groundwork is being laid right now. And RFinity is one of those companies at the forefront.

While Google and Apple are responsible for generating much of the buzz about NFC at the moment, the technology goes far beyond simply having the right type of chip in your mobile device. For example, how do you handle different types of data transfers being made from one device to another? And how to you ensure that they happen as quickly as possible? And most importantly, how do you ensure that they happen securely? Those are the things that RFinity is thinking about.

The company has just raised $4 million from Horizons Ventures in Hong Kong. And the space has gotten so red hot, in fact, that we hear they’re already out raising another round.

And it’s an easy bet for investors to make not only because of the space, but because of where the project originated: The U.S. Department of Energy. Specifically, RFinity was born when a bunch of infrastructure security experts working for the government were assigned to find all the vulnerabilities in cell phones. Through software they came up with, they were able to quite easily eavesdrop, manipulate SMS messages, and even compromise LAN security. Then they set out to figure out a way to stop people from doing those very things. That work led directly to RFinity.

Work originally began in the person-to-person and person-to-vendor sales space by way of mobile applications that route transactions through RFinity’s own secure servers. But now that NFC appears ready, RFinity is making sure they’re ready for it. The idea is that their technology could cut out the middle man here: themselves.

Obviously, the company isn’t going to share all the details on how they secure NFC transfers. But the basic overview is that they verify an incoming NFC signal and ask for a user’s permission before taking any action. Further, if the action is a transaction, it requires a PIN, just as you might do an ATM withdrawal. That’s all pretty standard. But the key is one-time-use transaction codes that RFinity creates on the fly along with complex cryptographic signatures. These ensure that an transaction is secure since it means that every transaction can only happen once. Even if those numbers were intercepted by a hacker, they would be useless beyond the one-time payment.

And even if your phone is lost or stolen, a thief couldn’t do anything without your PIN. And you can remotely shut down your NFC capabilities via RFinity. It’s enough to make me wish I could throw out all my credit cards right now. “Today’s identification and transaction systems are based on what? A magnetic strip on the back of a card, based on a 1950’s technology that relies on a base station to read the information embedded as a series of simple magnetic markers in plastic tape,” writes Josh Jones-Dilworth, who is working with the company to bring them to market.

Again, NFC as a technology is great and potentially game-changing. But the software is still needed to make it actually work. And some of the big guys began realizing that early on as companies like PayPal, Bank of America, and even Subway have been testing out different things with RFinity for some time. In fact, RFinity has actually been doing field tests of the software end of their technology since 2009 in places like Idaho, well before most people in the U.S. had ever thought about NFC.

But now people are starting to care. And soon, they could be caring a lot more. NFC is already built-in to Google’s new Nexus S device — and the company has put out a call for developers to start using the tech. Rumors have the next iteration of the iPhone gaining the technology as well. In other words, I suspect we may be seeing acquisition rumors starting to fly around RFinity in about six months or so. Provided their technology proves up to the NFC challenge, of course.

FUJIFILM ANNOUNCES THE FINEPIX X100 PREMIUM DIGITAL CAMERA

BUILT BY PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Captures Extraordinary, High Quality Images with a Combination of Modern Technology –

APS CMOS Sensor, Fixed Focal Length FUJINON Lens and Debuting the World’s First Hybrid Viewfinder – All Presented in a Classically Beautiful Design

Valhalla, N.Y., February 8, 2011 – FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced the U.S. debut of its FinePix X100 premium digital camera which will begin shipping in March. Inspired by the groundswell of requests by professional and advanced amateur photographers from around the world, Fujifilm has developed a digital camera that was specifically engineered to appeal to this group’s desire for capturing the highest quality images through a high-performance, beautifully crafted compact digital camera.

The FinePix X100 is a high precision digital compact camera that combines modern technology with a traditional camera design to deliver the ultimate in image quality. Featuring an APS-C CMOS sensor (12.3 megapixel), a FUJINON 23mm Single Focal Length Fixed F2 lens, a 2.8” LCD 460K, and the world’s first Hybrid Viewfinder, the FinePix X100 captures exceptionally high quality images.

“It has always been important for Fujifilm to introduce products that are in a class of their own and with the FinePix X100, we have achieved that level,” said Go Miyazaki, division president, Imaging and Electronic Imaging Divisions, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “The combination of a hybrid viewfinder, large APS-C sensor and a precisely matched prime lens, make this camera unique to anything else in the market, and is presented within a rangefinder design that makes it an instant modern classic.”

Quality Within – Custom 12.3 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor

The FinePix X100 features a custom 12.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS high-performance sensor, internally optimized and developed exclusively for this model. Optimization of the angle-of-incidence in conjunction with the specially developed lens maximizes light gathering efficiency extending to the perimeter of the sensor for a sharper image with exceptional clarity. When shooting HD movies, the combination of the large-sized sensor and the large aperture F2 lens, lets users create a soft out-of-focus image — a capability not available in conventional compact cameras. The ideal combination of a fixed focal length lens, high-sensitivity sensor (approximately 10 times the sensitivity of a conventional compact*) and a high-performance image processor captures extremely high quality images from low sensitivity to high sensitivity. In standard form, the planned ISO range is from 200 to 6400, but this can be expanded to include 100 and 12800.

The newly developed EXR Processor takes EXR processing to new heights. Combined with the high-sensitivity sensor, the EXR Processor achieves the highest resolution, sensitivity and dynamic range ever produced by a FinePix digital camera for the ultimate in image quality. The high-speed CMOS sensor read-out and the EXR Processor’s enhanced focusing system contribute to the high-speed AF performance, while the combination of the optical viewfinder and extremely low shutter lag time enhance the image capture experience.

A Quality All Its Own – High-performance 23mm F2 FUJINON Lens

The FinePix X100 comes with a new FUJINON non-collapsible lens structure that expands the realm of photographic expression with sharper resolution from the center to the corners. It has a 23mm (135 equivalent: 35mm) F2 lens, with eight elements in six groups. One aspherical glass molded lens. The adoption of the non-collapsible lens structure with minimized lens length not only contributes to the compact size, but also eliminates telescoping of the lens when the power is on. It’s ready to start taking photos the moment the user turns it on. In addition, the lens features not only the large F2 aperture value, but also an optical architecture that maintains a high degree of resolution even when closed by 1 to 2 stops. The adoption of a 9-blade aperture diaphragm combined with the large F2 aperture and high-quality optics lets users take photos with a beautiful circular soft out-of-focus (bokeh) effect. With macro shooting capability as close as four inches, users can explore the fun and fascination of close-up photography. The built-in ND filter (equivalent f-stop reduction of three) can be switched ON/OFF via simple in-camera settings.

Quality You Can See – World’s First Hybrid Viewfinder

The true enjoyment of photography begins with the thrill of seeing the world through a viewfinder. The new Hybrid Viewfinder has been developed to reintroduce users to this essential camera experience. It combines the window-type “bright frame” optical viewfinder found in rangefinder-type film cameras such as the classic 135-size or medium-format cameras, with the electronic viewfinder system incorporated in most compact or mirrorless digital cameras. By integrating a prism for the 1,440,000 dot LCD panel image on the viewing screen in the reverse-Galilean optical finder, the Hybrid Viewfinder can show both the shooting frame and a variety of electronic shooting data. It can also be used as a high-quality electronic viewfinder to compose or playback shots. With this ability to instantly switch between optical and electronic viewfinder modes using the simple “one touch” control, the new Hybrid Viewfinder offers users expanded freedom in the composition and enjoyment of photography in a wide range of challenging shooting conditions.

The reverse Galilean optical finder with a 0.5X magnification features all-glass elements made from high-refractive index glass and demonstrates low chromatic aberration and distortion.

In optical viewfinder (OVF) mode, the brightness of both the “bright frame” and text data is automatically adjusted according to the brightness of scene area, ensuring that shooting information is always easily and clearly viewable. Also, the displayed shooting data is constantly updated according to changes in shutter speed, exposure, sensitivity and other settings, so that the user’s eye never has to leave the viewfinder. In electronic viewfinder (EVF) mode, the photographer can preview the picture or playback the result with the “through the sensor” image review and high-resolution 1,440,000-dot quality. With a flick of the one-touch lever, the user can switch to EVF to preview and confirm exposure settings, depth-of-field, and white balance – an especially useful capability when shooting macro shots and other scenes that are hard to confirm with only an optical viewfinder.

Quality of Beauty – Stunning Retro Design

The FinePix X100 features a beautiful, high-quality design inspired by the classic look and feel of traditional film cameras. The top cover of the upper control deck and the bottom surface have been die-cast from magnesium alloy (semi-solid metal casting), contributing to a high-precision camera body. All dials and rings are precision milled from metal. The ergonomics of the design offer the perfect balance between compact convenience and user-friendly functionality. Traditional ‘manual’ dials lets the user confirm the position of the settings without turning on the power. The camera’s controls have been carefully thought out to give the photographer simple and speedy access to aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation…etc, allowing maximum creative expression with minimum hassle and enabling the user to view settings – even when the power of the camera is turned off. Custom modes can also be accessed with a one-touch settings change. The chassis has been finished with high-quality leather-like accents and is both a delight to use and a pleasure to hold.

RAW Quality – Image Enhancement Functions

Capturing the scene in RAW format is easy with just a press of the readily accessible RAW Button on the back of the camera. Photographers can use the built-in RAW Development function to process the RAW data in-camera using the camera’s image quality settings. In addition to Fujifilm’s original Film Simulation Modes that give photos the distinctive look of Velvia, PROVIA and ASTIA color reversal film emulsions, X100 expands the scope of photo expression with Monochrome Mode that can be fine-tuned with R/Ye/G filter settings. Separate adjustment of shadow tones and highlight tones lets users reproduce the rich tonality of high-contrast subjects.

Added Quality – The FinePix X100 also offers these additional features:

EVF/OVF Focus Area: The FinePix X100 offers users the choice between the 49-point auto EVF focus area or the 25-point OVF auto focus area as well as the selection of 5 different focus area sizes in EVF mode. Depending on the needs of each scene, the FinePix X100 offers easy focusing by design.

HD Movie mode: Lets users capture the action in 720p high-definition detail. Just like taking still photos, users can capture movies with aperture-priority AE and enjoy a soft, defocused background effect. In addition, the built-in HDMI Mini connector allows users to easily and directly connect the FinePix X100 to high-definition TVs for showing stills and movies with plug-and-play ease.

Motion Panorama: With the built-in Motion Panorama function, it is easy to capture 180° and 120° panoramic photos. Later users can print the results as pin-sharp A3-size (11.7” X 16.5”) enlargements and share the enjoyment of high-quality panoramic photography.

Multi-Bracketing Functions: The FinePix X100 has four types of bracketing functions: AE, ISO, Dynamic Range and Film Simulation. One click of the shutter captures 3 bracketed images of the scene so the photographer knows he’s captured the moment.

Star Quality – Premium Accessory Lineup

The FinePix X100 has these additional elegant accessory options:

Luxury Case: To perfectly compliment the look and premium quality feel of the X100 camera body, a retro leather “quick shot” case with matching strap has been designed to fit the X100 like a glove. Made out of luxurious leather it has been designed with uncompromising attention to detail, ensuring the ultimate ease of use and practicality.

Lens Hood and Adapter Ring: Precision milled from metal, the lens hood and adapter ring will be available as a set. The adapter ring is also compatible with commercially sold 49mm filters.

Auto Flash (TTL – Through The Lens): EF-20 (Guide Number:20) and EF-42 (Guide Number:42) will be newly added to the TTL flash lineup.

Pricing and Availability

The FinePix X100 digital camera will be available in March 2011, and will be priced at $1,199.95.

*Compared with other FinePix compact camera models.

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

Information about business journalism, from the Carolina Business News Initiative. « Why the FT and the Economist have been successful in America � No Comments. NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor. 2011 02.17 ...

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg to Meet With ...

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg to Meet With ...

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg to Meet With ...

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg to Meet With ...

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg to Meet With ...

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg to Meet With ...

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg to Meet With ...

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NYT's Fed reporter to become deputy op-ed editor « Talking Biz News

How To Use Facebook's News Feed Filters

Steve Jobs, Eric Schmidt and Mark Zuckerberg to Meet With ...

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Making Money Working

If you have been frustrated lately by search results on Google, you’re not alone, and Google knows it.

There’s been a drumbeat of criticism of Google’s search results coming out of Silicon Valley — and now the Internet giant has responded, saying it has heard “the feedback from the Web loud and clear” and believes it “can and should do better.”

In particular, the company is talking about stopping “content farms,” which provide low-quality, often unreliable and sometimes plagiarized information on a certain topic, just to get traffic from search.

Google has been making changes to its algorithm to keep low-quality sites from appearing high in searches, search guru and principal engineer Matt Cutts wrote in an official blog post Friday.

But he also writes that, despite Google’s efforts, “The fact is that we’re not perfect, and combined with users’ skyrocketing expectations of Google, these imperfections get magnified in perception.”

It’s unclear whether today’s post has anything to do with yesterday’s announcementthat co-founder Larry Page will be replacing Eric Schmidt as chief executive. But the mea culpa highlights one of the big questions Google has been facing lately: whether its search quality has taken a hit.

Just this month, there have been several posts from prominent tech insiders lamenting the state of Google results.

“Google has become a jungle: A tropical paradise for spammers and marketers. Almost every search takes you to Web sites that want you to click on links that make them money, or to sponsored sites that make Google money. There’s no way to do a meaningful chronological search,” wrote University of California at Berkeley visiting scholar Vivek Wadhwa on TechCrunch.

Software developer Jeff Atwood has complained about content farms in particular. “Last year, something strange happened: The content syndicators began to regularly outrank us in Google for our own content,” he wrote.

Content farms, in general, publish thousands of Web pages a day in an effort to draw views from Google searches. A Wired article from 2009 described their goal this way: “To predict any question anyone might ask and generate an answer that will show up at the top of Google’s search results.”

Sometimes the goal is achieved through low-quality but original articles and videos. Sometimes the sites cut and paste or compile content written elsewhere and use “search-engine optimization” techniques to get their own pages to appear higher in results.

In fairness, content farms are a problem that all major search engines are facing — but Google gets the lion’s share of the attention because it has the lion’s share of the search market.

And Google makes the point that it has made significant progress against “search spam,” in which sites patently lie about what is on the page, inserting keywords to attract people to sites that don’t actually have appropriate content at all.

“A decade ago, the spam situation was so bad that search engines would regularly return off-topic webspam for many different searches. For the most part, Google has successfully beaten back that type of ‘pure webspam,’” Mr. Cutts writes.

Content farms, however, are a different story — much trickier, and when you get down to it, just as annoying for readers.

Google’s algorithm proved to be fairly adept at detecting blatant lies about what was on the page. But information from content farms really is pertinent to the search terms at hand — even if it’s not actually what the reader wants. It’s something that a human is easily able to recognize, but maybe computer intelligence isn’t quite there yet.

And if Google’s algorithm just favors “trusted” sites like major media companies, that could create problems for sites that are obscure but contain legitimate information.

It was a nice idea. Today the unemployment rate is hovering above 9 percent—better than it would have been without the stimulus, most experts agree, but still painfully high. Why didn’t we get more for our money?

While liberals and conservatives alike blame the stimulus itself—It wasn’t big enough! It was never going to work!—the problem may have more to do with how the money was spent. It’s not enough just to inject money into infrastructure, because not all transportation funding is created equal—or at least, it doesn’t create jobs at an equal rate. As any infrastructure policy wonk can tell you, money spent on fixing up existing systems or building mass transit delivers more jobs, and faster, than building new highways. With their wallets bulging with their federal allowance, the states were allowed to spend $26.6 billion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money however they saw fit.

A new study shows that most states didn’t end up making the most of the windfall. The report by the transportation research group Smart Growth America found that states spent more than a third of the money on building new roads—rather than working on public transportation and fixing up existing roads and bridges. The result of the indiscriminate spending? States missed out on potentially thousands of new jobs—and bridges, roads, and overpasses around the country are still crumbling. Meanwhile, the states that did put dollars toward public transportation were richly rewarded: Each dollar used on transit was 75 percent more effective at putting people to work than a dollar used for highway work.

The government meant to get the biggest bang for its buck, with “shovel-ready projects.” But building miles of new roads requires planning, land acquisition, and other lengthy steps that put fewer workers on the job immediately.

Mandel Ngan / Getty Images

The government, of course, meant to get the biggest bang for its buck. The stimulus bill forced states to spend their allocated cash quickly, which was intended to get them to fund maintenance needs—“shovel-ready projects”—that had already been identified. Building miles of new roads, on the other hand, requires planning, land acquisition, and other lengthy steps that put fewer workers on the job immediately.

Some states did that. Sue Minter, Vermont’s deputy transportation secretary, says a longstanding “fix-it-first” policy for infrastructure and bipartisan collaboration shaped Vermont’s decisions about how to use the funds. The state spent all of its highway money on system maintenance, with a small amount going to mass transit. (Minter, a Democrat, was a member of the state legislature at the time.) “This shot of money into our economy was very, very significant. It’s part of the reason we have a relatively low unemployment rate,” she says. Only 5.8 percent of Vermont residents are out of work, one of the nation’s lowest rates. State research shows that ARRA funding employed 11,000 people—a small number overall, but a significant one in a small state. Minter says the maintenance was important for keeping economic growth, particularly in tourism, strong.

Other states, however, took a different tack. Arkansas used 81 percent of its money for new projects and none on transit; it also has a higher unemployment rate than Vermont. And unlike other states near the bottom of the list, just 38 percent of its roads are in good condition, according to a report by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, a trade organization.

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Iowa GOP, Fox News set presidential debate for week before Iowa ...

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