1.) “Daily Dose: Another Government Shutdown?” by Jeff Ribeira, When the threat of a government shutdown came to light in February, GovLoopers were clearly concerned. They debated whether or not they believed the government would resolve its differences by the spring, launching this Daily Dose into the top spot by far. 2.) “Daily Dose: WhiteRead… Read more »
1.) “What would a ‘government shutdown’ mean in practical terms?” started by Chris Stevenson When the government first threatened to shut down in February, many govies were confused about what exactly this meant to them – what were the consequences? What would change? Would their agency close it’s doors, or remain open? Will they getRead… Read more »
An article in GovTech last Friday reported that public libraries in North Carolina are now checking out e-library books. The North Carolina Digital Library Consortium released a collection that can be downloaded directly from the library onto the patron’s Kindle or Kindle reading app. While this service is more convenient for the public, it isRead… Read more »
The Washington Post featured an interview with Sheila Bair, former FDIC chairwoman, who was honored yesterday at the Top American Leaders forum. Amongst other topics, Bair was asked to comment how women in high political positions cope with comments regarding their physical appearance. “I’ve seen kind and not-so-kind comments about my physical appearance and commentaryRead… Read more »
Last Friday, GovTech published a report outlining how law enforcement tools have evolved from wanted posters, to social media outreach. This form of “community policing” has helped officials with finding missing children, reporting suspicious activity, and informing the public about crimes committed in their neighborhood. “Social networking rapidly has become a valuable intelligence-gathering tool forRead… Read more »
The Washington Post reported this week that President Obama issued an order to agencies, asking them to utilize digital record keeping systems. As of right now, much of the filing that is being done “is based on an outdated approach involving paper and filing cabinets,” but Obama wants to “move the process into the digitalRead… Read more »
According to an article in GovTech, researchers at MIT have found a way to utilize thermal imaging in order to quantify how much energy is being wasted in buildings. This data can be used to help show the public ways to save both power and money on their electric bills. “A roadside scan of aRead… Read more »
An article in the Washington Post reported yesterday that Obama signed the Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act of 2011, which protects Peace Corps volunteers who report wrongdoings, requires volunteers to go through a more rigorous training on sexual assault, and improves advocacy for sexual assault victims. This legislation resulted from a public campaign in memoryRead… Read more »
According to an article in GovTech, they are both rappers. After West Virginia’s Office of Security and Controls won NASCIO’s 2011 recognition award for the “Risk Management Initiatives” category, West Virginia’s chief information security officer, Jim Richards III, submitted a video to NASCIO about the agency’s IT projects to be shown at the association’s awardsRead… Read more »
Today the House is examining whether OPM is “properly equipped to handle an increasing number of federal job applications and the timely payment of retirement benefits.” This is the result of several issues surrounding the USAJOBS website; Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) points out that “taxpayers are now paying for a system that doesn’t work, costsRead… Read more »