Miscellaneous

We’re All Rising Stars!

Can someone tell me more about the point/rank system on Govloop? I know that getting more points is good but what does it mean to be a “Rising Star?” When does one increae “rank” above being a “Rising Star?” (i.e., how many points/activity does one need to get to the next level and what areRead… Read more »

2012 Federal Virtual Worlds Challenge Announced

News from Rik Panganiban of Nonprofit Commons: “2012 Federal Virtual Worlds Challenge Announced – This year there are TWO grand prizes of $25,000! Check it out! Engaging Learning focus area is a call for demonstrations of learning activities in virtual environments. http://fvwc.army.mil/” Original post

Reflections on Readers’ Responses to “Requiem for a ‘Last Angry Man’”

As a writer and communicator, this has been an unprecedented week. First, I took the plunge and wrote about my dad’s recent death while also reflecting on his immigrant family “fight to life” struggles and the ebbs and flows, the highs and lows of a father-son relationship. (For the essay, email [email protected] or Click here:Read… Read more »

What does Aneesh Chopra Think About Innovation?

Just read this great interview by Deloitte Review with US CTO Aneesh Chopra. Awesome insights into the importance of innovation! Below are a few of the key points from the interview. I hope you enjoy and learn as much as I did. Ecosystems for Innovation: An interview with U.S. CTO Aneesh Chopra Historically, larger companies,Read… Read more »

Curbside buses cut into Amtrak ridership

Curbside intercity buses like Bolt and Megabus, which pick up and drop off passengers on public streets instead of using a terminal, are attracting riders from Amtrak trains and airplanes thanks to cheap fares, WiFi, and free bottled water. In a study of 1,025 intercity bus passengers in six cities, researchers at DePaul University (IL)Read… Read more »

25 Years of Disaster Response

On April 19, 1995, a bomb detonated outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, destroying much of the building, including its daycare center. More than 160 people lost their lives that day, 99 of them civilian federal employees, targeted because they worked for the U.S. government. In the days following this tragedy,Read… Read more »

WufooPress

Last year, we got through 362 applications for the fellowship without printing out one application. (And yes, that was also because last year, at this point, we didn’t own a printer that could have handle that; still don’t actually.) This year, we’ve gotten even more applications, and to handle them, we decided to automate theRead… Read more »

Using Dashboards in Government

The use of dashboards in the federal government took off when President Obama released his Open Government initiative in early 2009. Here’s a snapshot of where they are today, and some lessons learned from the pioneers. Vivek Kundra is leaving the federal government after having served as its first chief information officer. Probably one ofRead… Read more »