Ideas

Turbulence Ahead for FAA's NextGen

The Federal Aviation Administration acknowledges there is still a lot of work to do on its ambitious $20 billion program to replace the nation's aging radar-based air traffic control system with a satellite-based network by 2020.

Digital Government

Shinseki, IBM and Agent Orange Claims

In July, the Veterans Affairs Department <a href=http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193853.php>awarded</a> IBM a $9.1 million contract to develop within three months a system to process claims for Vietnam veterans suffering from diseases stemming from exposure to the Agent Orange defoliant sprayed in that country by the Air Force. (The service's units had the motto: "Only you can prevent forests.")

Cybersecurity

Any Word on Zeus?

Earlier this year, the <a href="http://krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/zeus-attack-spoofs-nsa-targets-gov-and-mil/">Zeus</a> banking Trojan infected hundreds of computers within the federal government leaving experts no choice but to prepare for a mass attack. The then e-mail campaign was designed to steal passwords, but at the time was only sent to government and military e-mail addresses.

Digital Government

DARPA aims for fiber-optic link between warfighters' minds, bodies

An award to Southern Methodist University will fund development of two-way, fiber-optic communication between prosthetic limbs and the wearer’s peripheral nerves, reports blogger Brian Robinson.

People

GSA launches online clearinghouse for federal alerts, notifications

The General Services Administration added a new site to its USA.gov Web portal that offers access to thousands of real-time federal notifications and alerts.

Digital Government

Internet doesn't replace traditional news outlets, survey finds

A Pew survey finds that people are consuming more news online, but that traditional outlets shouldn't be forgotten.

Digital Government

DISA moves data closer to the front lines

Alfred Rivera, director of DISA's computing services, discusses the Rapid Access Computing Environment, cloud computing and data center consolidation -- and how those efforts deliver content to the battlefield.

Digital Government

Attacks starting on newly announced Windows vulnerability

Microsoft issued a new security advisory about a vulnerability in the encryption system used with ASP.NET.

People

VA initiative aims to improve communications with veterans

The Veterans Affairs Department is taking a number of steps to maKe it easier for veterans to interact with the agency by phone or via the Internet.

Digital Government

Are remote workers more likely to visit adult sites?

Mobile workers are more likely than officebound counterparts to try to reach blocked web resources -- but not in all categories.

People

CDC awards grants for public health performance management systems

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants to boost the performance management capabilities of public health agencies with new funding.

People

Performance measures and risk: What should leaders stand for?

Blogger Steve Kelman challenges his students to ponder why some politicians are willing to commit to a goal if there is a chance they might fail.

Modernization

Panel opens review of online privacy law

Enacted in 1986, the law aims to provide citizens the same privacy protections online that they are legally afforded offline. The committee hearing today was its first to explore the law in the 111th Congress.

Digital Government

Feds continued to Tweet despite attack on the service

Bug caused White House press secretary's Twitter account to transmit a message of nonsensical chains of letters and symbols.

Digital Government

Pentagon investigating director of psychological centers of excellence

Army Col. Robert Saum is the second chief in the organizations short history of operation, fueling congressional concerns about top management.

Digital Government

Demonizing feds

Things didn’t get any better for feds this month out there in the world of public perception.

Digital Government

Mobile relay system takes air combat training to sea

New mobile technology for the Navy and Marine Corps makes the TCTS air combat training system "rangeless," allowing for advanced training over water.