Good to Know…Week of August 16, 2010

STIMULUS NEWS

Where the Stimulus Went and the Economic Headwind It Faces
How much money does it take to restart a sputtering economy? That’s the question the federal government has been trying to figure out for the last year and a half.

To read this article, visit: PBS.org

TECH NEWS

7 Lessons from Outsourcing Failures
Outsourcing remains popular, but it’s fraught with opportunities for failure. CIO Magazine has analyzed several disasters in information technology outsourcing at the state level and developed a list of seven key lessons from which others can benefit.

To read this article, visit: GCN

4 Reasons Why Federal Managers Resist Telework
The best arguments for telework in the federal government will get nowhere unless they take into account the best arguments against it.

And by most accounts, the most visible telework opponents typically are federal managers. Federal employees often tell stories of managers who severely limit or outright ban the option of working from home, even in the face of an agency’s pro-telework policy.

To read this article, visit: GCN.com

JUST PLAIN INTERESTING

EPA Invites Public to Vote in Rachel Carson Contest ?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking the public to vote for their favorite entries in the fourth annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest. A panel of judges selected the finalists in five categories: photography, essay, poetry, dance and mixed media (photography and a poem or essay). Finalists were selected based on originality, creativity, use of an intergenerational team, and ability to capture a sense of wonder. ??

Carson is considered to be the founder of the contemporary environmental movement through her landmark book, “Silent Spring.” Using the title of another of Carson’s books, “The Sense of Wonder,” the contest sought submissions “that best express the ‘Sense of Wonder’ that you feel when observing the sea, the night sky, forests, birds, wildlife, and all that is beautiful to your eyes.” ??

The deadline for voting is November 1. The winners will be announced later that month.

To vote, visit: EPA.gov

Infographic of the Day: How Quickly Can You Start a Business, Around the World?
In the U.S., we take it for granted that starting a business should be quick and simple. But abroad, it can be mind-numbingly complex–and that’s one reason why economists often use the number of days it takes to start a business to gauge a country’s entrepreneurial competitiveness, its prevalence of red tape, and its straight-up corruption. (Since corruption often starts when there’s more red tape–and more opportunities for bribes.)

To read this article, visit: Fastcodedesign.com

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