Ideas
Orszag Hints at Flat Budgets
Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag spoke at a Government Executive leadership breakfast on Tuesday and talked about the Obama administration's effort to close the federal government's "IT gap," a situation in which many agencies work on computer systems -- or on no systems at all -- that are woefully behind what the private sector has.
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Real vs. Robotic Mules
On Afghanistan's mountainous terrain, there are places where <a href="http://www.militaryspot.com/resources/item/humvee/">Humvees</a>, the military's four-wheeled and diesel-powered beast, can't go. But mules can. Armed with a knack for survival and "entirely nonpartisan about the contents of its load," writes Susan Orlean in a <em>New Yorker</em> article, the mule has proved a valued trooper in the military.<p>
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Tweeting for Startup Visa
Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists flew in to Capitol Hill last week to promote the Startup Visa Act, a bill to amend immigration law and make it easier for foreign entrepreneurs to stay in the U.S. -- and create jobs here -- if they demonstrate funding from U.S.-based investors. This wasn't just a stakeholders' party. So far, more than 780 voters have sent over 2800 messages to their elected representatives - through 2gov, a nifty tool that channels Tweets to Congress. And 95 percent are supporting the bill.
Ideas
More Airport Body Scans
The Homeland Security Department on Friday announced that it will expand the use of advanced imaging technology--the controversial body scans--to 11 U.S. aiports by summer, thanks to $1 billion in Recovery Act funds.
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Cloud Computing Trauma
Customer service matters. When it comes to cloud computing, a little bit could go a long way.
Ideas
Virtual Training, Real Battle
Live, on-the-ground battlefield preparation is difficult to come by outside of the battlefield itself. Enter <a href=http://ict.usc.edu/projects/urbansim>UrbanSim</a>, a research prototype simulation currently being used to train U.S. Army personnel in complex urban counterinsurgency and stability operations.
Ideas
Facebook and the Hatch Act
Marc Ambinder, who blogs for Nextgov sister site Atlantic.com, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/03/state-department-removes-political-fan-pages-from-facebook-site/36984/">raises an issue</a> for agencies that have created a Facebook page -- which seems like just about every agency.
Ideas
GSA Signs Up For OpenID
The General Services Administration has approved universal sign-in applications for use on government Web sites, provided by Equifax, Google and Paypal, that will allow citizens who are securely logged in to one site to instantly and safely switch to another agency site without having to login again.
Ideas
Distraction.gov -- Not
Yes, <a href=http://distraction.gov/>Distraction.gov</a> is a real Web site. No, it isn't a compilation of crossword puzzles, <a href=http://www.sporcle.com/>Sporcle</a> quizzes and Gawker-worthy gossip. In fact, it has nothing to do with giving feds a little diversion at work.
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Facebook No Show at Hearing
A senator chastised the social-networking service Facebook on Tuesday for refusing to attend his subcommittee hearing on global Internet freedom, while simultaneously seeking the government's help in resolving Internet blockages overseas.
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Is Cybersecurity All Hype?
Wired's Ryan Singel wrote a long <a href=http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/03/cyber-war-hype/>post</a> in the site's Threat Level blog arguing that much of the concern over the security of the Internet is being fueled by federal contractors, which would benefit financially from the government pursuing policies to lock it down and to track 'Net users.
Ideas
Service Academy Apps Go Paperless
Applying for nomination to West Point just got a little faster and more environmentally friendly. Vice President Joe Biden on Monday announced the launch of an <a href=http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice-president-biden/academy-nominations>online application</a> for several U.S. service academies.
Ideas
That Silly Internet Thing
Our colleagues at Government Executive <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=44672&oref=todaysnews">point to a blog post</a> that highlights a 1995 <em>Newsweek</em> article on how the Internet will fail. A great line: " . . . no computer network will change the way government works."
Ideas
Banana vs. Pringles
With more than 2,400 Web pages, the federal .gov space is full of little-known and interesting tools. The Agriculture Department, for example, comes to the rescue of all those in need of quick nutrition information.
Ideas
Called Out For Bad Behavior
Recovery.gov, the Web site tracking progress of the economic stimulus package, is naming names when it comes to stimulus-funded tech companies who have twice failed to report on their spending.
Ideas
Army Launches Tech-Focused App
The Defense Department is known to be high tech, but the general public doesn't often hear about much of what goes on inside the Pentagon walls. In the spirit of engagement, the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command last week debuted Army Technology Live, a free iPhone app intended to build dialogue around Army tech initiatives.
Ideas
Track Your Census Participation
The 2010 census is fast approaching, and a friendly challenge could help boost public excitement. The Census Bureau today launched an <a href="http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/" target="blank">online mapping tool</a> showing the 2000 census' participation rates across states, counties and cities.
Ideas
Open Government Momentum Continues
Agencies continue to innovate in response to the Obama administration's open government initiatives, said panelists at a Wednesday event sponsored by Government Executive, Nextgov's sister publication.
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