Few groups have been watching the course of the sequestration battle more closely than federal contractors. With billions and trillions of dollars in future sales at stake, many are making plans, just in case. The research firm Market Connections just completed a survey of contractors. It asked not only what they think about sequestration, but what they plan to do in case it happens.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development rated poorly again on the Best Places to Work survey this year. The agency came in last place in 2010 rankings. But a recently developed grassroots program called the Under 5 Group seeks to improve morale, particularly among the new hires.

U.S. Commerce officials returned a few a days ago from the World Conference on International Communications in Dubai. The conference was widely reported to be a failure. And that might be a good thing. Sponsored by the UN’s International Telecommunications Union, the conference was a forum for repressive regimes such as China, Russia, Iran and parts of Africa who want to clamp down on the free flow of information. They signed a treaty, but free countries did not.