Archive for July, 2009

Sometimes, when you're leaving a message on a cell phone answering system, they waste your time with a message telling you what you know. Specifically, they think they need to tell you to leave a message at the beep. David Pogue, at the NY Times, has a solution at ‘Take Read More…

Hey, they're getting the idea that Twitter is a good way to get the word out effectively. Tom Watson, a member of Parliament, is a leader in the UK in this space: Check out Government advice urges tweeting New government guidance has been published urging civil servants to use the Read More…

I do have Juncoes, but I figure John C is right regarding Mystery bird! with an attitude!

or, ThunderBirdBath: two birds enter, and … two birds leave. (click for larger)

Hey, maybe it's time to check out the "craigslist for service" AllForGood.org Volunteering in America 2009, the most comprehensive data ever assembled on volunteer trends and demographics, found that a total of 61.8 million Americans volunteered through an organization in 2008, up one million from the previous year. America's volunteers Read More…

Okay, Candi's has worked a lot on this, and now she's free to speak out regarding real advice and experience in  Now the Real Innovation Begins. There's a lot of people in government ready to go, providing better customer service and internal processes, but there are regulatory issues and internal Read More…

UPDATE: I'm hearing it's a Pine Siskin… except for the white-tailed companion okay, it has chest markings like a house finch, but head very different. (Click links for bigger photos.) Here's another shot. Here's what appears to be its equally mysterious companion

Yes, I'm a big fan of the show. Check out MadMenYourself

The new GI bill provides the funding for war veterans to go to college. The Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America has created a site which has all the information veterans need on getting that funding. Check out newgibill.org It features the most accurate, interactive benefits calculator available, along withanswers Read More…

Hey, lots of people in US government doing increasingly good jobs of customer service, and Government Computer News has a good list for everyone to check out at Great .Gov Web Sites One example: Data.Gov sets the tone for transparent government SITE: Data.Gov | USASpending.gov AGENCY: Office of Management and Read More…

Hey, the Military Times has a little on an ongoing scandal regarding Halliburton and KBR, the defense contractors who won lots of "no bid" contracts. check out IG: Military, KBR at fault in electrocution The Defense Department’s Inspector General has determined that military leaders and a military contractor failed to Read More…

Jeffrey's a web manager at EPA, who has lots of serious experience and advice for good customer service for government. Check out Social Media: Some Resources and A Challenge including: Social Media Subcouncil’s wiki Social media and the gov’t: a brief overview for managers social media section of webcontgent.gov usa.gov has Read More…

It's at AARP. (Disclaimer: I'm a member, I'm old!) It'll be at www.aarp.org/townhall tomorrow at 1.30 pm Eastern, 10.30 am Pacific. If you want to submit a question for the town hall: http://aarp.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/Obama_Town_Hall_registration_b As the debate on health reform heats up and as Congress prepares to adjourn for August recess, Read More…

A lot of good people are trying to fix the way we get honest enforcement from Washington, in this case, regarding food care. A strong food safety bill, HR 2749, will shortly be voted on by the House of Representatives. Please just take a minute to tell your Congressman  to Read More…

Hey, the new administration is serious about supporting the troops with more than just talk. The House just passed a bill supporting the caregivers for Wounded Warriors. Check it out here

Robins sing no longer In the dawn's golden light But they'll return next Spring. (yes, very bad bird haiku)

Hey, if you're interested in honest health care reform, check out Tweet Your Senator. The good guys need a hand.

Washington is now catching up with the neglect of prior years. The deal is that the Senate passed a critical mental health screening program as part of the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. The new program would require the Department of Defense to conduct confidential face-to-face mental health screenings by Read More…

Maybe a Wilson's Warbler?

DNA performs computing functions in living tissue, including our own. Looks like we just got a breakthrough. Bacteria make computers look like pocket calculators Computers are evolving – literally. While the tech world argues netbooks vs notebooks, synthetic biologists are leaving traditional computers behind altogether. A team of US scientists Read More…

Hey, he was our old pal, and maybe this is him, or maybe Stumpy II. Anyone know how long pigeons live? (look carefully)

Just outside my office window, maybe fifty feet away. I fear I might resemble lunch.

Hey, Macon Phillips does a good job here. He's the real deal, about gov't which tells you what's going on, as opposed to hiding it.

Hey, over at fedscoop.com, I blog Gov2.0: getting serious about transforming government which is about how to get real about reinventing government. I'd appreciate it if you could check it out. Here's a little bit: There are a lot of people around who are beginning to transform government into something Read More…

Hey, in the UK, one of the leaders in digital engagement is Member of Parliament Tom Watson. In MoD sticks with insecure browser  he discusses his dismay that so many in UK government are using a dangerously insecure browser, Internet Explorer 6: Members of the armed forces will carry on Read More…

Well, I agree with the folks in a Time magazine survey of Americans. They ask: Now that Walter Cronkite has passed on, who is America's most trusted newscaster? The Daily Show does some remarkable work, like the only reporting on just what Cheney was doing when he shot his friend.

The NY Times discusses a report regarding the use of the mobile Internet: The report found that nearly half of all African-Americans and English-speaking Hispanics (the study did not include a Spanish-language option) were using mobile phones or other hand-held devices to surf the Web and send e-mail messages. By Read More…

I've been encouraged to help out via microfinance loans in the West Bank of Palestine, by people from the governments of the US, Israel, and Palestine. This is "public diplomacy", a kind of service to the community. Toward that end, I've joined the board of LendForPeace.org, a group devoted solely Read More…

Hey, Clay Shirky's one of the folks who's really good at social media and the evolution of media. He just published Not an Upgrade — an Upheaval where he has a lot to say: The hard truth about the future of journalism is that nobody knows for sure what will Read More…

Chestnut-backed Chickadee. (click for larger image)

She's outside as I type this. Doesn't seem to regard the Lesser Goldfinches as breakfast. Might realize I might be tasty. (click for larger photo.)

Hey, it looks like the IT dashboard, introduced weeks ago by the Federal CIO, Vivek Kundra, has already gotten big results. Check out Evidence-based decisions: …. the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), under the leadership of Secretary Shinseki and VA CIO Roger Baker, announced that it will temporarily halt 45 Read More…

Outside my window, just moments ago. Red-tailed hawk.

Hint: it's Claire's fourth birthday, she's my pal.

Okay, I'm obsessed, but that's the gig. This was during a playground build for Kaboom! for Bret Harte Elementary in San Francisco. It's part of the serve.gov thing, related to AllForGood.org, which is the "craigslist for service", as phrased by Barack Obama and Colin Powell. for more, check out the Read More…

Here's a moor hen on the River Cam in Cambridge. Yes, I'm easily entertained.

Okay, I'm involved with the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, and you might know that Colbert just did some really good shows in Iraq. Well, the IAVA folks will make him an honorary vet, but we need you to vote!

Hey, Gwynne Kostin from DHS is one of the folks figuring this out, and if you're interested, check out Gwynne on dot-gov: What Is the Most Important Thing? Those few days when the Internet was free and open–a new, more transparent, collaborative and participatory way–for government to communicate and interact Read More…

(yes, I'm stealing this from Ellen Miller at Sunlight Foundation) Beth's at the White House, leading the effort toward Open Government, which is about serious online grassroots democracy. This is genuinely a Big Deal. Beth will be speaking about her new book, Wiki Government: How Technology Can Make Government Better Read More…

On the River Cam, Cambridge UK, with the Traveling Geeks.

In the UK, I had the opportunity to speak with a few people involved in the transformation of UK government. They include Labour and Tories, elected officials and civil servants. Much of the leadership and much of the civil service is committed to new forms of digital engagement and public Read More…

Hey, I do some writing at InternetEvolution.com, and the folks there just contacted me. They're looking for "site moderators," people to moderate their message boards (which essentially means posting insightful comments and driving conversations). There are perks that come along with it. For more information they can email Nicole at Read More…

Hey, I know for sure that Paul's the real deal, trying to address the immense backlog of veterans claims resulting from the Bush administration. I figure if you're going to support the troops, you should actually do it, and the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America are getting it done. Read More…

My God, Scoble, Did You Think We Wouldn’t See These? What happens in London when a group of American blogger types heads over to geek out? They get drunk, put on wigs and get friendly with the locals, apparently. Former Guardian columnist Paul Carr (@paulcarr) sends us links to a Read More…

Well, Obama said that public service would be exciting, at least to the young, and that campaign promise is being fulfilled by what one hopes is the new "civic generation." Politico reports that the new spirit of service has inspired thousands more to serve in Washington: Every summer, about 20,000 Read More…

Recently, I was part of the Traveling Geeks tour of UK tech, including the Reboot Britain conference. (The Geeks are a collection of talented journalists, and myself.) I was struck by the repeated comment that failure is stigmatized in UK business culture. In Silicon Valley, failure is just a normal Read More…

Hey, people should get credit! check out Slashdot: theodp writes "The Federal CIO got a standing ovation for the new Federal IT Dashboard. Federal contractors got the cash. But sneak a peek at the 'customcode' directory behind the Dashboard, and you'll see that some individuals also helped bring it to Read More…

Well, I was confused at the start of the Traveling Geeks tour, but have learned a coupla things. This is my (over-simplified) version. The "government" in the UK is the majority party, who selects ministers including the Prime Minister.  It's somewhat analagous to "administration" in the US. (The majority might Read More…