Open Data

The 13 Most Bizarre .Gov Domains

What does the U.S. government need with 5,300 domains? Because that’s how many there are on 18F’s complete list of .gov domains. There are plenty of oddball URLs that will have you scratching your head and wondering: What were they thinking? Some domains have no website in place. We’re left to guess—or Google—if these parked domains were registered for campaignsRead… Read more »

WHAT’S THE GOVERNMENT’S GPA?

There’s a lot of power in being able to say exactly and numerically just how smart and successful you are. For instance, certain job applications have minimum college GPA requirements. Alternately, who hasn’t been amongst friends when the loaded discussion of SAT scores surfaces? Contentious or not, it’s important tool for professional development (and braggingRead… Read more »

Federal Data Finally Gets Its Time in the Sunlight

What might be the largest index of government data in the world is about to come to light. How did this radical big data reveal come about? Back in May 2013, President Obama signed the Open Data Executive Order to make government data more accessible to citizens, companies, and entrepreneurs. The order required agencies to create indexes of the datasets theyRead… Read more »

In Toys As In Data, Sharing is Caring

“Mine! Mine! Mine!” Despite my parents consistently emphasizing the importance of sharing, when it came to my Legos or other favorite toys, sharing wasn’t such a simple task. But as time went on, I got better at sharing and saw the benefits (and lack of scoldings) that it generated. The ability to share is anRead… Read more »

Is Open Data Worth the Hype?

“Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing.  Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset.”                      – President Barack Obama, in Transparency and Open Government memo. Today, there is an increased focus on the value of open data, especially inRead… Read more »

The New And Improved Public Library

Libraries are magical places! Growing up, the local library was my favorite place to go. I loved the silence, the endless possibilities of good books, and the feeling of pure escape. But lately, libraries have transformed into so much more than just a book repository. Brian Burke, Managing Director at the Center for Technology inRead… Read more »