Judi Hasson

 

Posts by Judi Hasson

GSA Hearing Reveals Bribery Investigation, Employee Travel Suspended

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The first congressional hearing into the GSA’s Las Vegas conference scandal revealed investigations into possible bribes and kickbacks and that the agency is forcing two employees to pay the government for private parties they held. And, as Monday’s hearing began, GSA employees were informed that all non-essential travel was suspended.

GSA officials testified at the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform in the first of four hearings this week on Capitol Hill into the scandal over the $823,000 four-day retreat for 300 employees in 2010. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 16, 2012 at 6:00 PM

NARA’s 1940 Census Launch Delivers Lessons In Big Data, Cloud Computing

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When it comes to big data and high public demand, the cloud can be a federal agency’s salvation.

That’s what the National Archives and Records Administration learned during the recent and long-anticipated 1940 census launch — the largest-ever release of publicly available data in the federal government. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 16, 2012 at 8:00 AM

FDA Launches Mobile Device To Find Tainted Eggs

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The Food and Drug Administration has turned a mobile tablet that it calls the “Egg Pad” into a virtual detective squad to uncover the presence of tainted eggs and health violations during farm inspections.

Using a Panasonic Toughbook and software developed for the FDA by Booz Allen Hamilton, the Egg Pad guides inspectors through a series of questions. Based on the answers, the device brings up additional questions and information the inspectors need to answer. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 9, 2012 at 2:00 PM

Video Boasting Lavish Las Vegas Outing Released

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GSA staffers who went on a posh Las Vegas retreat paid for by the federal government produced a video about their exploits that has made its way onto YouTube.

The video showed a staffer in a parody about their four-day extravaganza that cost $823,000 and is now the subject of a congressional probe. Among the lyrics: Keep reading →

 /  Published April 6, 2012 at 10:30 AM

The Cloud Saves Big Data For NARA

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A cloud environment came to the rescue to expand capacity and speed up access for the National Archives and Records Administration this week as part of a contingency plan that can be used by any federal agency anticipating a big demand for huge amounts of data from the IRS to the Department of Agriculture.

This incident, spawned by the 1940 Census records release online April 2, underscores the importance and flexibility of cloud computing. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 4, 2012 at 5:24 PM

GSA Chief Martha Johnson Resigns Over Lavish Conference

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The General Services Administration went “over-the-top” in spending $820,000 on a training conference in Las Vegas, the IG said. And GSA Administrator Martha Johnson took the fall Monday over the lavish event that included expensive dinners, fancy entertainment and elaborate receptions.

Johnson resigned after the inspector general concluded in a report that her agency improperly paid for a training session that featured a mind reader, bicycle giveaways, lots of expensive meals, hiring outside conference planners and an after-hour reception that cost $31,000, not to mention six trips to the site by GSA officials to plan the event, costing nearly $150,000. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 3, 2012 at 8:53 AM

VA To Unplug Employees Who Skip Cybersecurity Training

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The Department of Veterans Affairs will lock employees out of its networks if they fail to take the required yearly cybersecurity and privacy training on time – 365 days after their last refresher course.

VA CIO Roger Baker announced the policy last week to button down security and privacy on the VA’s internal and external internet sites that have been hit by security breaches and privacy violations – both internal and external – on a regular basis. An employee who doesn’t meet the yearly deadline will be blocked out on Day 366. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 2, 2012 at 10:00 AM

USDA Fine-tunes Twitter For Food Recall Alerts

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When it comes to food safety, the government’s ability to inform consumers fast with word of recalls due to contamination can make the difference between life and death.

To that end, the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is harnessing the power of technology and social media. Keep reading →

 /  Published March 26, 2012 at 11:30 AM

New Digital Census To Disclose Secrets From Great Depression

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Technology will allow first-time, instant public access to federal records that provide an extraordinary snapshot of Americans at the end of the Great Depression and on the verge of World War II. Lauded as a goldmine for researchers and the public, the 1940 Census will be released online April 2. The records document secret details of 132 million people, including 21 million who are still alive today, what their lives were like during those trying times, how long they were out of work and what America looked like in a different century.

It will provide us with a real slice of life during a momentous time in our nation’s history.” – Robert Bernstein Keep reading →

 /  Published March 21, 2012 at 3:30 PM

Bon Jovi Backs Innovative Program To Help Homeless Vets

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Rock star Jon Bon Jovi joined forces with the Department of Veterans Affairs Monday in challenging software developers to create mobile apps that can help homeless vets connect with services they need in real time and nearby.

Bon Jovi, who runs a community kitchen in New Jersey among his many philanthropic endeavors, is partnering with the federal government to launch an innovative idea that challenges private entrepreneurs to create a mobile apps to help a needy population. Keep reading →

 /  Published March 20, 2012 at 9:05 AM
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