Digital Government

Telework expansion could save money and diversify hiring pool

Personnel, technology chiefs say IT shortcomings shouldn't hold back agencies from promoting the practice.

Cybersecurity

NIST releases more development standards for smart electric grid

Requirements focus on cybersecurity and interoperability issues to improve technical capabilities, energy management and data exchange.

Digital Government

OMB needs to ensure more accountability for stimulus spending

Federal auditors question the reliability of impending stimulus reports because neither OMB nor agencies of Recovery Act funds are responsible for assuring the data is accurate.

Digital Government

First draft of a framework for building a Smart Grid unveiled

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke unveils the first draft of a framework identifying existing standards for Smart Grid interoperability, laying out steps needed to address the gaps in these standards. The framework is the first step of a three-phase plan by NIST to develop Smart Grid standards.

Digital Government

Congressman uses social media to collect health care reform feedback

Republican Rep. John Culberson of Texas is using technology from SharedBook to invite his constituents to participate in, comment on and debate a pending health care bill in the House of Representatives.

Digital Government

A Paging System In a Library?

Remember when libraries were cathedrals of quiet, a bygone era when even a whispered conversation resulted in a stern look from a no-nonsense librarian?

Digital Government

Panel Passes Cyber Workforce Reform

The House Science and Technology's Research and Science Education Subcommittee passed <a href="http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?newsid=2602">legislation</a> on Wednesday that would strengthen the federal cybersecurity research and development portfolio by improving training for the IT workforce and facilitating better partnerships between the private sector and government. The bill would require federal agencies to create a roadmap detailing its role and the level of funding required to fulfill research objectives, and would require the National Science Foundation to support research on the social and behavioral aspects of cybersecurity.

Digital Government

Tech Industry Jobs Drop 2 Percent

While the U.S. high-tech industry shed 115,000 jobs between January and June 2009, a 1.9 percent decline, it still faired better than the overall private sector, according to a <a href="http://www.techamerica.org/Docs/fileManager.cfm?f=techamerica_cs_midyear_employment2009.pdf">report</a> released on Wednesday by the TechAmerica Foundation.

Digital Government

Students and Digital Diplomacy

The State Department has launched a new program that leverages the Internet and social media to conduct diplomatic missions. The program, called Virtual Student Foreign Service, is part of State's efforts to use technology and a commitment to service among young people to facilitate new forms of diplomatic engagement, according to the agency's <a href="http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entries/virtual_student_foreign_service1/">Dipnote blog</a>.

Ideas

Crowdsourcing Contractor Misconduct

The Sunlight Foundation has a <a href="http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2009/09/22/crowdsourcing-a-legislative-oops/">post</a> today that combines several of our favorite topics: crowdsourcing, collaboration and contractor misconduct (try saying that five times fast):

Ideas

Hate Meetings? You'll Love This

For all of you who hate meetings - and that's probably most of you - here's a recommendation from a New York state assemblyman for fighting swine flu that you'll find a big time saver: Cancel meetings and use the phone.