Digital Government
History Detectives
The Library of Congress has been collecting public comments about unidentified photos in its collections. Here is a sample of what people have said about the images.
Digital Government
Product safety commission to use crowd sourcing
A new website will allow researchers to download data sets about incidents involving hazardous products, with the aim of identifying patterns so that warnings can be issued more quickly.
Digital Government
USAspending.gov makeover leaves room for improvement
New tools provide more flexibility, but accuracy and usability still not ideal, observers say.
Digital Government
IRS mistakenly designates thousands of e-file providers as not-for-profits
Inspector general reports that by not verifying the status of groups, the Internal Revenue Service increased the risk for losses from unscrupulous businesses.
Modernization
Senator blasts AT&T over early termination fees for smart phones
An increase in the charge provides another example of why Congress and the Federal Communications Commission need to intervene to protect consumers, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said.
Modernization
Upgrade needed for battlefield satellite communications in Afghanistan, Iraq
With aging satellites processing as much as 300 percent more than their capacity, the Navy is looking for ways to buy more bandwidth until a new system can be launched.
Digital Government
Study raises questions about military's brain injury assessment tool
At issue is determining which technique works best for evaluating mild injuries that can lead to serious impairment down the road.
People
A makeover job for federal hiring
Would-be public servants rejoice at the prospect of a shorter, more transparent hiring process.
Cybersecurity
Former GSA commissioner wins public service award
The American Council for Technology has presented its most prestigious honor, the John J. Franke Award for public service to former GSA commissioner Jim Williams.
Digital Government
VA sets the telehealth table
VA's quiet leadership in telehealth is about to gain a much broader audience as policy-makers look to the technology as a possible means of reducing costs and improving access to care.
People
Social media divides federal workforce
The role social media plays in the workplace is contributing to a generational divide, feds say.
Cybersecurity
Recommended reading
Cameras or cops?; Getting public input on technology projects; The Steve Jobs approach to PowerPoint.
Digital Government
Competition, Washington Style
Defense Secretary Robert Gates continued on Thursday the high visibility campaign he started in a <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2010/05/gates_channels_ike_on_spending.php>speech earlier this month</a> to rein in military spending and argue for a more effective definition of competition in Defense contracts.
Ideas
GSA Adds Tech Office
The General Services Administration is redesigning its Office of Citizen Services and Communications, the division responsible for the agency's public-facing websites and information, to include a technology-focused office.
Digital Government
GSA splits Citizen Services, hires Interior's Bhagowalia
The General Services Administration created a new office to identify and apply new technologies to government operations and service delivery. To help with the effort, GSA has hired the Interior Department's chief information officer.
Cybersecurity
FISMA Has To Change
And then there were two. <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100519_6677.php?oref=topnews">NASA</a> suspended its C&A activity for existing systems, joining the State Department in pushing forward continuous monitoring and starting what might become a domino effect. But is it right for individual agencies to be setting the tone like this? Moreover, if each agency pushes forward with <a href="http://cybersecurityreport.nextgov.com/2010/04/white_house_heroes.php">OMB's CyberScope</a> initiatives and an interpretation on how they relate to FISMA, will the country benefit from multiple models, or will it suffer from fractured leadership?
Digital Government
Agencies Insourcing Tech Jobs
Federal agencies have largely been focusing on the potential for information technology-related work to be insourced back to federal employees, witnesses told a Senate subcommittee on Thursday.
People