The World Mind Network

Lest you still think social networking on the Web is a waste of your time, here is an opportunity to deploy the real world-changing tools of the likes of Facebook, Twitter, and Skype.

Among the projects established by World Mind Network members are a forum for improving science education co-moderated by Nobel laureate Peter Doherty (1996, Physiology or Medicine) and an interactive blog on the world economic crisis co-hosted by another Nobelist, Edmund Phelps (2006, Economics).

Music and literature also offer ripe opportunities for social networking on the site, including poetry challenges to fit the 140-character limitations of Twitter.

Source: WFS.org

Discarded Data and E-Waste

Discarded Data - A Threat to your security

A study sponsored by BT and Sims Lifecycle has revealed that 34% of discarded hard drives still contain confidential data. The nature of the data might even have threatened national security in the wrong hands. For example:

• a disk bought on eBay revealed details of test launch procedures for the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) ground to air missile defence system.
• two disks from the UK appear to have originated from Lanarkshire NHS Trust containing information from the Monklands and Hairmyres hospitals including: patient medical records, images of x-rays, medical-staff shifts and sensitive and confidential staff letters.

E-Waste Blitz in Victoria

Environment Victoria and the Total Environment Centre have launched a campaign calling on Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, to introduce a national electronic waste recycling scheme to stop toxic TVs, computers and mobile phones being dumped into landfill.

Fraser Brindley from Environment Victoria says e-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in Australia and it's only going to get worse.

"E-waste is toxic and should not be thrown into landfill. Old TVs and computer monitors each contain more than a kilogram of lead which is poisonous and can leak from rubbish tips into our environment. With approximately 168 million pieces of e-waste already in landfill, this is already a huge problem," he says.

Source: Management Today (Aug 2009), Australian Institute of Management

How do you combat these issues?

To begin with it is imperative that business become more responsible for managing waste. In the case of Discarded Data businesses should enforce a policy to remove all sensitive data so that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. When it comes to e-waste there are a number of organisations that are willing to accept older PCs, Monitors and other e-waste. Some even refurbish to make them available for the 3rd world countries.

Business cocooning curbs innovation

While reading Management Today (Aug 2009) I came accross an interesting article entitled: Business cocooning curbs innovation Streamlining business models to survive the GFC is curbing potential innovation, says Lee Ward, General Manager of Unisys global outsourcing and infrastructure services. Many businesses are trapped in a dangerous state of mind, Ward calls 'cocooning'. Business cocooning describes when a business focuses only on cutting operational costs rather than looking at ways to improve business processes through innovation; putting them at risk of not being able to respond efficiently to changes in market conditions. Ward believes outsourcing offers a key way of innovating for a business. "The longer the relationship, the better your suppliers know and understand the intricacies of your business and increase innovation," Ward says. Source: Management Today (Aug 2009), Australian Institute of Management

How will you spend your Kitetime?

Kitetime is taking time out from work to be with your loved ones, and in doing so it helps Redkite support children and young people with cancer and their families. Redkite helps parents spend time where it is needed most through the difficult cancer journey - with their sick child.

To support visit Kitetime

"IT Dashboard" Gives Up-to-Date Look at Tech Spending

Obama Administration Launches New Accountability Tracker

"IT Dashboard" Gives Up-to-Date Look at Tech Spending, Project Results

Washington, D.C.—People wanting to keep a closer eye on how the federal government is spending taxpayers' dollars have a new resource with the launch of the "IT Dashboard." This new tool is a one-stop clearinghouse of information allowing the American people to track federal information technology (IT) initiatives and hold the government accountable for progress and results.

"This administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in government and the IT Dashboard exemplifies that goal," said federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra. "Through the dashboard, we are putting critical information about IT spending at people's fingertips. We are putting ourselves on the line for better management of taxpayers' dollars and better results from technology initiatives."

The dashboard is part of a revamped USASpending.gov site, created through a 2006 law designed to foster greater openness about government spending and contracting. That law, first introduced by then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama and a bipartisan group led by U.S Senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla., was the catalyst for many of the open government initiatives that the Obama Administration has put forward.

"I'm encouraged the administration is taking aggressive steps to deliver the kind of transparency taxpayers expect and deserve. The improvements to the USAspending site will give taxpayers a clearer understanding of how government is spending their money, which will make it easier for all Americans to hold policymakers accountable," Coburn said.

The dashboard gives people the chance to see what IT projects are working and on-schedule (and which are not), offer alternative approaches, and provide direct feedback to the chief information officers at federal agencies—keeping tabs on the people who are responsible for spending taxpayers' dollars for technology. While the dashboard is focused initially on information technology, the Administration plans to adapt it to other aspects of federal spending.

For the current fiscal year, approximately $72 billion is budgeted for IT spending.

The dashboard also will play a significant role in performance management.

"Too often, problems are identified long after things are off track, costing more time and money to correct. The dashboard gives managers and the American public alike up-to-date access to how tax dollars are being spent and the return on their investment," federal Chief Performance Officer Jeff Zients explained. "This will mean greater accountability, improved performance, fewer wasted dollars, and better value for the American people."

The IT Dashboard offers a transparent look at how taxpayer money is being spent on technology projects. For example, a visitor can find the answer to a question like, "How much money does the government spend on IT that supports Science and Innovation? What was the change from last year?" The investment dashboard will illustrate an initiative's cost, timetable, and performance. Importantly, users also will have the direct contact information for the specific agency chief information officer to ask questions about why a project may be late or to offer ideas on how to achieve a goal more efficiently.

Source: usnews.com