SDFM The Business of Defense
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The U.S military is playing a significant role in the treatment of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Dr. James Eklund, a retired Army Colonel who served in Iraq, one the most experienced with penetrating trauma in the U.S. Col. Geoffrey Ling, currently on active duty and acting chair of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, were sent the Tucson to help out. They have developed extraordinary expertise in treating some the most difficult and delicate trauma cases.
January 17, 2011 -
Welcome to telework, Mister First Nighter! Six quick tips on how to make that first telework snowday a success.
January 17, 2011 -
Witold Skwierczynski President, AFGE National Council of SSA Field Operations Locals Joseph Riedel Member, AFGE VA Local 2798 Tim McManus Vice President of Education and Outreach, Partnership for Public Service
January 13, 2011 -
January 10th and January 12th, 2011 Exploring ideas to improve government effectiveness. We profile three recent Center reports with authors Dr. David Wyld on Cloud Computing in Government, Dr. Vicki Grant on Process Improvement in Social Service Delivery, and Prof. Sukumar Ganapati on the use of GIS in engaging citizens.
January 10, 2011 -
The production of high quality chocolate, and the farmers who grow it, will benefit from the recent sequencing and assembly of the chocolate tree genome. An international team, including scientists from the National Science Foundation, sequenced the DNA of a variety of Theobroma cocoa, considered to produce the world\'s finest chocolate. Many growers currently prefer to grow hybrid cocoa trees that produce chocolate of lower quality more resistant to disease. Increasing the productivity and ease of growing cacao can help to develop more sustainable economies. Other genes were found that influence the production of flavonoids, natural antioxidants, hormones, pigments and aromas. Altering the genes for these chemicals might produce chocolate with better flavors, aromas and even healthier chocolate.
January 09, 2011 -
The Federal Communications Commission is asking the public to weigh in on a plan to expand the services offered by travelers information radio stations. The stations now typically broadcast traffic information - often near airports or major interchanges - and typically at the high end of the AM band. The FCC wants to expand what the stations broadcast to include weather reports, Amber alerts, and public health warnings. The stations would also get a power boost under the FCC proposal. Many of the stations operate on solar-power or have battery back-up power systems that enable them to continue to provide broadcast information to travelers regionally during significant power outages.
January 09, 2011 -
Thanks to more powerful and reliable super computers - NOAA - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - is now using enhanced weather and marine forecast models for the Great Lakes. That means that forecasts can be extended from 36 to 60 hours into the future to better serve mariners, the shipping industry, emergency responders, water resource managers and others. The Great Lakes Operational Forecast System is now running on the super computers. They operate around the clock, offering a more reliable computing framework to generate Great Lakes forecast models and ultimately producing more timely forecasts. It also marks a first step toward linking NOAA\'s environmental modeling efforts with state-of-the art technology that paves the way for a more seamless way to deliver forecasts.
January 09, 2011 -
The National Archives and Records Administration\'s new Online Public Access is now available. It\'s part of NARA\'s Open Government plan - including the development of online services. Archives officials say it\'s also a key component of the agency\'s Transformation Plan - to become more customer-focused and to ensure the nation\'s heritage is accessible to everybody. The prototype portal provides access to digitized records, and information about the Archives own records. It also provides a centralized means of searching multiple National Archives resources at once. The prototype currently contains 10.9 million permanent electronic records. The National Archives will add additional functionality in the coming year, including an image zooming feature that will enable users to zoom and pan the online holdings, and social sharing through Facebook, Twitter, and other sites.
January 09, 2011 -
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered that a cancer of the digestive tract is linked to a shutdown in an enzyme that helps supply oxygen to cells. In some cases, the enzyme\'s failure to function resulted from errors in genes containing the information needed to make the enzyme. In others, the cause could not be identified, but is believed to be genetic. Gastrointestinal tumors can occur in cells of the nervous system, which control the muscles of the digestive tract. Within the last 10 years, researchers have found that the majority of adults who develop the tumors have mutations in two genes. Researcher say that tracing the roots of the disease to cellular respiration has yielded a promising lead on how the tumors might form. The finding may also lead to the development of treatments for types of the tumors that have not responded to traditional therapies.
January 09, 2011 -
The Department of Energy is now accepting grant applications - for a total of up to $74 million dollars - to support the research and development of clean, reliable fuel cells. The solicitations include up to $65 million over three years to fund continued research and development on fuel cell components with the goal of reducing costs, improving their durability and increasing the efficiency of fuel cell systems. Fuel cells use the energy of hydrogen or other fuels to cleanly and efficiently produce electricity or heat with very few - and inert - byproducts. They can produce power in large stationary systems such as buildings or for vehicles such as commercial forklifts, buses and automobiles. Officials say the awards will help support U.S. leadership in the emerging global fuel cell market, while limiting greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the country\'s reliance on fossil fuels.
January 09, 2011 -
Another potential flare-up has surfaced in Middle East. Palestinian and Israeli officials say Israeli troops mistakenly shot and killed a 65-year-old Palestinian man in his bed during a pre-dawn raid Friday in order to arrest a Hamas militant. Palestinian security and rescue officials in the West Bank city of Hebron said Israeli troops shot and killed the man who lived in the same building but on a different floor as the Hamas militant targeted in the early morning raid.
January 09, 2011 -
General George Casey will complete his tour as Army Chief of Staff later this spring. Gen. Martin Dempsey is expected to replace him. If President Barack Obama accepts and nominates Dempsey, he would have to be confirmed by the Senate. Dempsey is now commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command and previously was acting commander of Central Command. He also led the multi-national training effort in Iraq and commanded the 1st Armored Division in Baghdad.
January 09, 2011 -
Telework is only a part of a bigger desire of younger workers: flexibility.
January 09, 2011 -
Now that the Telework Enhancement Act has been passed, what comes next? Find out what agencies are expected to do now. Host Bill Bransford talks with Cindy Auten of Telework Exchange and Paul Rowson of WorldatWork. January 7, 2011
January 07, 2011 -
U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) Arnold Scott AFGE 6th District National Vice President Bill Wetmore AFGE National Veterans Affairs Council 3rd Executive Vice President William \"B.J.\" Ocker AFGE National VA Council 1st District Representative
January 07, 2011