NewsWatch: Cities and Counties -- Battle for the Soul of Smart Cities

Battle for Control of Smart Cities
Who will own the brains of smart cities -- citizens or corporations? At stake is an impending massive trove of data, not to mention issues of privacy, services, and inclusion. Fast Company

Towns Can't Ban Military Recruiters from Contacting Minors
Ordinances approved by voters in Arcata and Eureka to prohibit military recruiters from contacting minors are unconstitutional attempts to regulate the federal government and limit its authority over the armed forces, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. San Francisco Chronicle

Your Apps Are Watching You
Few devices know more personal details about people than the smartphones in their pockets: phone numbers, current location, often the owner's real name—even a unique ID number that can never be changed or turned off. These phones don't keep secrets. They are sharing this personal data widely and regularly, a Wall Street Journal investigation has found. Wall Street Journal

Top 30 Offshoring Countries
Gartner, Inc. has identified the Top 30 countries for globally sourced activities in 2010-2011, each one rated according to 10 criteria, and found that eight new countries have made their debut in the Top 30. Gartner

Bell Nearly Broke
Scandal-plagued Bell, Calif., is hovering on the brink of insolvency and drastic cuts in city services -- including disbanding the Police Department -- probably will be necessary to fix its finances, according to a review of the city's books that Los Angeles County officials plan to release next month. Los Angeles Times