From the archives: Our May 1999 cover on the Pentagon shedding jobs. 14 years later, the Defense Department is facing job cuts again with the sequestration around the corner.
The best in government management and IT news Curated by Ross Gianfortune and Caitlin Fairchild -- Govexec Nextgov Twitter
February 15, 2013
September 5, 2012
Does the Public Have an Appetite for Political Cookies?
This election season, people started to talk aboutpolitical cookies – a new expression for the term previously used for targeted or customized ads. These are advertisements that are automatically pushed out based an Internet user’s search habits. Computer cookies are files stored on the user’s computer that save the browsing history and behavior on websites s/he visits. This history can be activated by companies to provide a tailored browsing experience as soon as users return to these websites. Every time a user submits information to a website the information is stored. The data in the cookie file is stored locally (and reactivated at return visits) and can also be transferred to another website.
This practice has been around for a while and Google especially has become known for pushing context-relevant ads based on individual email content to Gmail accounts or to search results. Similarly, TV ads are targeting those cable TV subscribers in states that are known to be swing states – or states where pollsters know that there are many undecided voters. Other states, such as NY state – a historically blue state – will likely see very few TV ads.
August 22, 2012
Best Beer-Related FOIA Ever
President Obama likes beer — so much so, in fact, that the news broke last week that he travels with his own White House brew. After chatting with a voter about the beer at an event, the president had a bottle of White House Honey Ale brought out of his campaign bus to prove it.
It’s been public knowledge for awhile that there’s a special White House brew, but now homebrew enthusiasts are hankering to get their hands on the recipe. Some of them launched a petition on the administration’s “We The People” site asking for its release. “In keeping with the brewing traditions of the founding fathers, homebrewers across America call on the Obama administration to release the recipe for the White House home brew so that it may be enjoyed by all,” the petition states.
Unfortunately, as of Tuesday morning, the petition had only 276 signatures, well short of the 25,000 needed to get an official response.
July 13, 2012
Feds significantly expand the use of iris-recognition technology
Staring into a camera with eyes wide open for an iris snapshot may become an alternative to waiting in line at the airport.
The Homeland Security Department is considering branching out from fingerprint matching to iris and facial recognition for identity verification, say current and former DHS officials.
DHS agencies already have begun testing the iris technology on suspected illegal immigrants at Border Patrol stations.
Read the full story at Nextgov.
Image Credit: Valerio Pardi/Shutterstock.com
July 9, 2012
From The Archives: Our cover from February 1996 on the anti-government movement. Things never change though — you can also read about modern efforts in the fight against government spending programs.
July 5, 2012
The cover of our July Issue, with features on President Obama’s changing management style and the future of the Postal Service. Read it here.
June 19, 2012
"So part of my job, I think, as president, is to make government cool again."
—
President Obama on revitalizing the image of the federal government.
Read more at Fedblog.
June 12, 2012
"
The budget appropriations process is broken, and that’s something everyone agrees on. In 2011, there were eight continuing resolutions, three near government shutdowns, one partial shutdown at the Federal Aviation Administration, and a whole lotta gridlock. The prevalence of omnibus legislation means there’s rarely a stand-alone appropriations bill funding individual agencies. All this creates uncertainty and anxiety, personally and professionally, for the 2 million federal workers who run the government.
Lawmakers from both parties have talked for years about moving all federal agencies to a multiyear appropriations process to spare them the pain of continuing resolutions and shutdown threats, but also help them improve program oversight and better allocate scant resources. Last year was such a hot mess that perhaps it will motivate lawmakers to enact real reforms to the annual budget process.
— GovExec reporter Kellie Lunney on the possibility of multiyear budgeting and the federal government’s future fiscal plan.
June 6, 2012
National Anthem: The Boss Edition
Does the United States need a new national anthem? If so, who should write it? When it comes to the second question, Americans clearly have impeccable taste.
According to a new poll conducted for CBS’s 60 Minutes and Vanity Fair magazine, 22 percent of those surveyed favored Bruce Springsteen to compose a new anthem to replace the Star-Spangled Banner.
The Boss beat out Dolly Parton at 19 percent and Stevie Wonder at 18 percent. Bob Dylan was the choice of 11 percent and composer John Williams was favored by 10 percent of respondents.
June 6, 2012
"This is the most highly classified information and has now been leaked by the administration at the highest levels of the White House. That’s not acceptable. Look, this puts American lives in danger, revealing our most highly classified operations, both in cyberwar and in drones. That’s just a fact."
— Senator John McCain on recent security leaks. Read more.
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U.S. Army Col. Eddie Eagan, a veteran of both World War I and World War II, won gold medals both as a boxer in the 1920 Summer Olympics and on a...
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Image description: These U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigators are “tasting” tea. The Tea Importation Act of 1897 was enacted to...
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Meet the 2012 Army Olympians. Go to http://www.thearmywcap.com/ for information on the World Class Athlete Program. (lm)
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Senator Al Franken grills FBI, Facebook, and others on facial recognition technology
Yes, that’s a real, giant Facebook printout:
“I’ll note...
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Image description: An Afghan farmer shows a diseased plant to U.S. Army 1st Lt. Tara Robertson, a Minnesota Army National Guardsman serving with the...
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Infographic Principles Explained By Lego
Stepping on “Data” barefoot in the middle of the night is NO JOKE.
—Daisy -
Members of U.S. Army Special Forces soar out the back of a C-17 Globemaster III at an altitude of 6,000 feet during a high altitude, low opening...
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