Modernization
Can the Apple iPad get any workplace respect?
Apple's iPad tablet computer is attracting some interested glances from government
Digital Government
Would More Training Really Fix the Leadership Skills Gap?
Readers of this blog will recall that a few weeks ago, the Merit Systems Protection Board reported findings that many front-line supervisors lack leadership skills because those doing the hiring put greater emphasis on candidates’ technical know-how.
Digital Government
Agriculture Department announces more broadband grants
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Wednesday his department was providing $1.2 billion to help fund 126 projects nationwide aimed at promoting broadband access and adoption, while also spurring economic development and job creation.
Digital Government
Inspector: Standard coding for contract awards will help fight fraud
Agencies now use different alphanumerical schema to track their awards, making it 'unnecessarily arduous' to identify $110 billion in improper payments the government makes every year.
Digital Government
Defense top doc nominee labels electronic health records a priority
Dr. Jonathan Woodson says the department should shift the focus of the e-health network from capturing administrative data to providing better service to clinicians.
Digital Government
New law requires OMB to post information on contractors
The database is expected to document criminal and civil proceedings, terminated contracts, vendors banned from doing business with the government.
Modernization
Library of Congress forges digital preservation alliance
The Library of Congress is forming a new partnership dedicated to preserving and providing access to digital content.
People
Agencies' unique coding systems hinder Recovery Act oversight, official says
The board that oversees money from the stimulus law ran into an old problem: agencies doing things their own way and forgetting about unity, official says.
Cybersecurity
DOE Discloses Power Grid Threats
In the interest of serving the greater public good, the Energy Department recently disclosed an analysis of the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of private and government electric power grids. Typically cyber weaknesses at private utilities -- and even in specific government energy programs -- are kept close to the vest.
Digital Government
Reading the ASD/NII Tea Leaves
The "removal" of Teresa "Teri" Takai, California's chief information officer, from her planned nomination hearing on Monday to become the assistant secretary of Defense for networks and information integration and Defense CIO was no accident.
Digital Government
Hacking for Lactation
If you're a software coding guru, the National Library of Medicine -- and breastfeeding mothers everywhere -- need you.
Ideas
The Email Guessing Game
An obstacle I encounter regularly in this job is locating contact information for specific individuals in the federal government. Unless I've met someone directly or been given their email and phone number by a colleague, it takes a good amount of time to track them down. I regularly have to ask, "Do you know the email standard at [agency name]?"
Modernization