SDFM The Business of Defense
-
A Milwaukee-based company is about to begin research on an alternative form of refrigeration for cooling buildings, under a $2-point-nine million dollar energy research grant funded through the federal stimulus package. Using a solid state cooling technology, the privately held Astronautics Corporation of America will research a type of magnetic refrigeration that does not rely on a liquid-based refrigerant. Energy Department officials say, if successful, the breakthrough system could achieve significant energy efficiency, greatly reducing system operating costs compared to conventional compression systems, in addition to producing zero greenhouse gases. In all, $30 million dollars in grant money is being given to 17 different projects around the country that focus on a variety of novel approaches to air-conditioning.
July 21, 2010 -
Scientists led by the National Institutes of Health have discovered antibodies that will prevent most HIV strains from infecting human cells. Two potent human antibodies have been found to stop more than 90 percent of known global HIV strains from infecting human cells in the lab. Scientists have even demonstrated how one of the disease-fighting proteins is able to do it. They found the antibodies using a novel molecular device that homes in on the specific cells that make antibodies that fight HIV. According to the scientists, the antibodies could be used to design improved HIV vaccines, or could be further developed to prevent or treat HIV infection. Moreover, the method used to find the antibodies could be used to find therapeutic antibodies for other infectious diseases.
July 21, 2010 -
The Pentagon is feed up with leaks. \"Over the last two years I\'ve lost a first rate central command commander, and an outstanding commander of ISAF in Afghanistan due to their own missteps in dealing with the media, says Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates. He adds\' \"if you\'re a Captain in a unit that has an embedded reporter\", be as open as possible within the guidelines and rules, but \"if you\'re a Captain working in this building on budget options, I expect you to keep your mouth shut.\"
July 20, 2010 -
A judge in Denver has ruled that a federal law making it illegal to lie about being a war hero is unconstitutional because it violates free speech. The Associated Press reported the ruling, came in the case of Rick Glen Strandlof, a Colorado man who claimed he was an ex-Marine wounded in Iraq and had received the Purple Heart and Silver Star. The military had no record that Strandlof served. Strandlof was charged with violating the Stolen Valor Act, which makes it illegal to falsely claim to have won a military medal.
July 19, 2010 -
July 19th and 21st Hear from FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, Federal Environment Executive Michelle Moore, Dr. David Blumenthal on Health IT, Rich Haley on managing financial resources at the FBI, Professor Tom Davenport on analytics and making better decisions, and Alec Ross on using social media to advance U.S. diplomatic goals. All of this and more next week on The Business of Government Magazine show
July 16, 2010 -
July 12th and 14th Given our size, we have an obligation to embrace green ways of doing business. It\'s our objective to ultimately become known as a world class sustainability leader.
July 16, 2010 -
July 5th and 7th Successful partnerships are characterized by complementary equities, openness and transparency, mutual benefit, shared risks and rewards, and accountability.
July 16, 2010 -
The Army is no longer using the term \"psychological operations\" for the unit in tasked with changing minds behind enemy lines. They say it sounds threatening. Now it\'s going to be called Military Information Support Operations. A U.S. Special Operations Command spokesman says more the new name more accurately reflects the unit\'s job of producing leaflets, radio broadcasts and loudspeaker messages to influence enemy soldiers and civilians.
July 15, 2010 -
J. David Cox AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer John Rowan President, Vietnam Veterans of America Michael Castelle National Fair Practices Coordinator, AFGE Council of Prison Locals Phil Glover National Legislative Coordinator, AFGE Council of Prison Localsbr>
July 15, 2010 -
Is Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in good health? That question is being asked as he\'s again reportedly cancelled a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They\'ve postponed the meeting several times. Israeli media reported last week Mubarak has cancer. Mubarak reportedly went to Germany in the spring for what some describe as urgent treatment. Some sources say it the postponement many be due to political concerns.
July 14, 2010 -
A Yemeni man held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay for eight years has been sent home after a judge concluded he had no connection to al Qaeda and ordered his release, the Pentagon said Tuesday. Reuters reports, Mohammed Odaini is the first Yemeni sent home since U.S. President Barack Obama halted repatriations after allegations that a Yemeni al Qaeda affiliate was behind a failed attempt to blow up a U.S. airplane on Christmas Day.
July 14, 2010 -
Members of the armed services are being asked how they feel about certain situations involving people who are gay. The Pentagon sent out a survey to gauge their opinion ahead of a possible repeal of the \"Don\'t Ask, Don\'t Tell\" policy. Among the key questions are those about privacy issues and living quarters. Some critics claim parts of survey are biased against homosexuals, but the Pentagon claims it is fair.
July 13, 2010 -
The differences between federal workers and the private sector can be seen in the way they look at telework.
July 11, 2010 -
What\'s the big deal about a 32-character string of secret code in the logo of the Pentagon\'s U.S. Cyber Command. The new military command was launched in late May to help centralize Defense Department efforts to protect its computer networks, which are under constant threat from attackers. The Associated Press reports it was created to frustrate everyone from run-of-the-mill hackers to foreign governments looking to steal sensitive information or crash critical, life-sustaining computer systems.
July 11, 2010 -
The National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration - with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy - has started to survey a new ship anchorage site at the mouth of the Mississippi River in the Gulf of Mexico - for ships to undergo inspection and oil decontamination before entering ports. Shipping vessels are currently facing increasing time delays and other challenges as they try to avoid the oil slicks caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A magnetometer survey of a proposed alternate anchorage site would ensure the safety of ships, their crews, and the marine environment by making sure that there are no buried pipelines in the proposed area that would be ruptured by ships lowering their anchors. Maritime commerce is important farmers especially, who need to export their crops through Gulf ports, as do the millions of retail outlets nationwide that rely on a constant flow of imports.
July 09, 2010