I’ve never heard a contract specialist say, “FARSite Clause Logic is awesome”. But they should be saying that. It has the potential to save a hundred of hour per year for each contract specialist (of which there are tens of thousands). Unfortunately, I don’t know anybody that uses it. I know I don’t use it.Read… Read more »
I’ve become the designated “social media guy” for a massive organization (25,000+ people). For a while, the responsibilities of this role consisted primarily of explaining what the Twitters were and why people cared about what you ate for lunch. As social media has grown in popularity, so too has the internal and external demand forRead… Read more »
A project war room used to make sense especially if you are managing a complex project. Having a central place to hold project team meetings, brief stakeholders, and analyze data that helps you to control the project was needed as late as the early 90s. However, as with many other management methods, the rise ofRead… Read more »
Thanks to a tweet by Evgeny Morozov I came across this new research paper by W. Ben Towne and James D. Herbsleb, published in the current edition of Journal of Information Technology & Politics (Volume 9, Issue 1, 2012, pages 97-115): Design Considerations for Online Deliberation Systems (subscription required) ABSTRACT. Online deliberation enables structured, topicalRead… Read more »
Dark money has haunted the psyche of good government reformers. Recent changes in campaign law raise the prospect of unlimited donations, routed to political action committees through 501(c)4 “social welfare” organizations that don’t have to disclose contributors’ names. That could allow innocuously named groups to shelter powerful individuals and corporations and the influence they’re exercisingRead… Read more »
A Sunlight analysis of the fight on Capitol Hill over SOPA is generating some pushback in the online community from activists who think we overstated the role of money and corporate lobbying in the debate. In the interest of broadening and deepening the conversation, we asked one of our critics, Mike Godwin, a former counselRead… Read more »
Sunlight Executive Director Ellen Miller responds to this guest post by Mike Godwin: There is little in Mike Godwin’s response that we disagree with. As he writes, the debate over SOPA and PIPA was changed not by “politics as usual” or a late infusion of interest group lobbying cash, “but the participation of the onlineRead… Read more »
The revolving door is alive and well in Washington. In less than three years, at least 378 House staffers employed in personal and committee offices have left Capitol Hill to become registered lobbyists, a Sunlight Foundation analysis of House disbursement data and federal lobbying records finds. More than two in five former House staffers whoRead… Read more »
From the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments: “The District of Columbia was recently selected as one of five capital cities to receive the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greening America’s Capitals technical design assistance. This assistance will focus on green design and pedestrian/bicycle safety in the public spaces surrounding the Anacostia Metro Station and its proximityRead… Read more »