Digital Government

Senators want congressional research available to the public

Bills making reports accessible online failed in the past, but the resolution has more chance of passing the Senate because of Obama's push for transparency.

Digital Government

What Feds Need Masks?

During a Thursday afternoon Web cast on the swine flu with top federal officials from the Health and Human and Services Department, the Homeland Security Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano received an e-mailed question from a Transportation Security Administration worker wondering about the use of face masks.

Digital Government

The Swine Flu Web Talk Show

The Obama administration has deployed all kinds of nifty <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/04/fighting_swine_flu_online.php>Web tools</a> to inform the public about the current outbreak of swine flu - which the Health and Human and Services Department now calls the H1N1 variant of influenza - including a Web cast this afternoon with top federal officials in a format most Americans find comfortable: a talk show.

Ideas

For Google, Public Not Always Public

Google this week piloted a new <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/adding-search-power-to-public-data.html">feature</a> that, according to the company, "makes it easy to find and compare public data," but, in reality, Google itself can't find a lot of the public data out there.

People

Official: Some flu money would go to states

The president's request for $1.5 billion to deal with the swine flu outbreak includes money to help states respond to the disease, an HHS official said.

People

GAO: OMB needs better oversight tools

The Office of Management and Budget needs to better track troubled IT projects after it puts them on a watch list, a new report says.

Modernization

Official: Collaboration is key to successful government

White House official Beth Noveck says the collaborative model used for open-source software should be adopted by the federal government.

Cybersecurity

Bills aim to bolster electric grid's cybersecurity

Legislation to be introduced today in the House and Senate would increase the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's authority to protect the country's electricity grid from cyberattacks.

Modernization

Science site sees training potential

Education and outreach have been the motivation behind SciLands.org, a virtual community in Second Life dedicated to science and technology, whose members include NASA and NOAA, among others.

Modernization

Federal Consortium: Something for everyone

The Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds is looking to address basic challenges with virtual world technology.

Modernization

Virtual training has risks

Second Life and similar virtual environments have a share of dangers for the unwary agency.

Modernization

Virtual learning gets second wind from Second Life

Despite resistance, some agencies are finding fruitful uses for virtual worlds.

Digital Government

Defense's 'top doc' and e-record proponent makes his last rounds

Dr. Casscells, assigned the task to improve care at the maligned Walter Reed Army Medical Center, focused on patients and the network that supports them.