Ideas
When I Grow Up . . .
In a recent <a href=http://www.cio.com/article/603965/The_New_New_CIO_Role_Big_Changes_Ahead> article</a> on how chief information officers can become part of an organization's senior leadership team (rather than an order taker who makes sure the e-mail or data center doesn't go down), CIO.com quotes Tom Davenport, professor of management and information technology at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass.:
Ideas
Sweet Cell Phone Dreams
In another sign of just how attached individuals have become to their cell phones, two thirds of adults say they have slept with their mobile device or placed it next to their bed at night, according to a survey released on Thursday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.
Ideas
It's All in How You Look at It
Virginia computers that support issuing new or updated drivers licenses in the commonwealth have been down for a week. Commonwealth officials issued a statement today trying to play down how much inconvenience this caused drivers:
Ideas
The Narrow-Banded Brain
Stephen Baker, author of the <em>Numerati</em>, <a href=http://thenumerati.net/index.cfm?postID=632>wrote in his blog</a> on Tuesday that there may very well come a day when eye witness accounts could be less of a factor in courts and replaced by the ever increasing deluge of data provided by security cameras, digital recorders and databases. He points to research that indicates humans typically focus on just 1 percent of their field of vision when observing their surroundings and fill everything else on the periphery from memory. That's not a good thing when recounting what you saw in a court of law.
Ideas
Feds Bid Up Labor Costs?
For years, federal managers have complained they lose workers to the private sector mostly because they are not able to pay them as much as the private sector offers. The best and brightest go to companies for more money, as well as a faster track to upper-level management and a more entrepreneurial spirit. At least that's what most former feds have told me. Oh yeah, also because they face a huge college tuition bill for their teenage children, which is much harder to afford on a government salary.
Ideas
Turning On to Social Networking
Older Americans are quickly becoming avid users of social media - something their children are sure to be embarrassed about.
Ideas
What're Cyber Workers' Salaries?
The SANS Institute, a cybersecurity research and training company in Bethesda, Md., is conducting a survey of how much information security workers make in the federal government. And they want to hear from you, Mr. and Ms. Federal Cyber Employee.
Ideas
Find Your Agency
What are the most popular Web ions on the Web? For a visualization of the top 2 million "favicons," sized by relative popularity of the sites, go <a href=http://nmap.org/favicon/>here</a>. Make sure you use the online viewer to drill down. Zoom in and try to find your federal agency.
Ideas
State: Dial "FLOOD" for Pakistan
State Department officials, following the United Nations lead, now are accepting donations via text message to help support recovery and reconstruction in Pakistan where floods have displaced about 20 million people and spread deadly waterborne diseases.
Ideas
High Risk List Posted
The Office of Management and Budget just released its <a href="http://it.usaspending.gov/?q=content/highpriority-projects">high-risk list</a> of information technology projects. A full story will be posted later today.
Ideas
White House Throwback Home Page
My colleague Tom Shoop, editor of Government Executive, <a href="http://blogs.govexec.com/fedblog/2010/08/open_government_v_10.php">posted</a> in the FedBlog an image of the home page for the White House website circa 1994:
Ideas
You Can Teach Old Dogs New Tricks
OK, that's not meant as a dig. But it's a good description of a quick turnaround for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who almost boastingly stated during his 2008 presidential campaign, "I don't e-mail," and then watched his opponent Barack Obama digitally fly past him to claim the presidency. The nearly 74-year-old senator came in at the No. 1 spot among senators in a Digital IQ ranking.
Ideas
Intel Has a Good Story with McAfee
Intel Corp.'s announcement that it would by security firm McAfee Inc. for $7.68 billion could have an interesting play in the federal information technology market, according to Washington tech analysts. By having a McAfee at your fingertips, Intel can bolster the security in its chips, giving it a leg up in agencies looking for safer PCs, laptops, and wireless devices, some federal IT market watchers say.
Ideas
North 'Hermit Kingdom' Korea on Twitter
North Korea <a href=http://twitter.com/uriminzok>is on Twitter</a> and the United States asked the communist country if it was "prepared to allow its citizens to be connected as well?" tweeted <a href=http://twitter.com/pjcrowley>Philip J. Crowley on Tuesday welcomed North Korea</a>, assistant secretary of State for public affairs.
Ideas
Kundra Former Workers Go to Jail
Two former employees of federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra, back when he served as the District of Columbia's chief technology officer, have been sentenced to more than year-long prison terms for participating in a kickback scheme, according to the <em>New York Times</em>.
Ideas
Squaring Off on Recovery Jobs
The chairman of the board that oversees Recovery.gov released on Monday a statement promoting the transparency of the stimulus-tracking website, just as Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee alleged the site is a public relations effort aimed at inflating the accomplishments of the administration.
Ideas
An Open Government Lesson
<em>The New York Times</em> had a front-page <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/web_headlines/wh_20100813_3510.php>article</a> on Friday on how the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, drug and medical-imaging companies, universities and nonprofit groups worked together to try to find the biological markers that show the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Ideas
NMCI Comments Wanted
Looks like the editors over at Wired's <a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/">Danger Room blog</a> are working on a piece on NMCI, the Navy's massive intranet, which is up for an <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100709_9862.php?oref=search">upgrade</a>. They want your opinions, according to a <a href="http://twitter.com/dangerroom/status/21072398364">Tweet</a>.
Ideas