Veterans Seen as Suffering as U.S. Scraps Health-Records System



Tweet

Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- The Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs may let veterans care fall through the cracks by scrapping a plan to build a joint health-records system, U.S. lawmakers said.

Last year, then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta pledged to "meet or beat" a 2017 deadline to integrate the two agencies' networks, one for troops and the other for veterans.

The agencies instead this month scrubbed their plan because of cost and time concerns, and said they will integrate the data without building a new system. The move may hurt veterans struggling to access military medical records and seeking compensation for injuries, said Representative Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

More:
http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/defense-veterans-affairs-integration-electronic-health-records-45773-1.html

Samsung Increases Business Security Features of Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S4 via SAFE with Knox



Tweet

 

The Samsung Galaxy experience is no longer confined to the fun realm. With the introduction of Samsung SAFE with Knox, the South Korean firm offers secured productivity moments for Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 users.

The new security suite is geared for S3 and Note 2 deployment and will allow owners of the flagship handsets to "switch between their business and personal lives without switching phones," Gotta Be Mobile said in a report.

Clearly, Samsung's agenda is to encroach on the territory previously ruled by BlackBerry and now considered an Apple turf.

More:
http://m.ibtimes.co.uk/samsung-increases-business-security-features-galaxy-s3-439885.html

This one looks interesting - Sassy App Punishes You When You're Being Lazy



Tweet

Take heed, procrastinators: A new apprewards and punishes users based on how many items they check off on their to-do lists.

Promoted as "the world's first to-do list with a personality," Carrot aims to encourage productivity, but is more entertaining than motivating.

Each time users complete a task, they are rewarded with points, which they can later redeem for prizes (including gifts, compliments, jokes and quotes). In response, Carrot — represented on-screen by a blue dot — stays happy.

But when users fail to get things done — watch out. Carrot turns red, evoking the creepy aura of HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. As the description says on Apple's App Store: "You do not want to make Carrot upset."

More:
http://mashable.com/2013/02/28/carrot-app-lazy/

Yahoo Responds to Controversy Over Work-at-Home Ban



Tweet

As much as I like telework, I believe it should be used sparingly and only with clear tasks and assignments. Too often it is abused. 

I think this says it nicely:

To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo! (Insert you organization name here), and that starts with physically being together.

More:
http://mashable.com/2013/02/27/yahoo-work-at-home/

59% of the 'Tuna' Americans Eat Is Not Tuna - Atlantic Mobile



Tweet

Nonprofit ocean protection group Oceana took 1,215 samples of fish from across the United States and genetically tested them in order to bring us the following astonishing facts:

• 59% of the fish labeled "tuna" sold at restaurants and grocery stores in the US is not tuna.
• Sushi restaurants were far more likely to mislabel their fish than grocery stores or other restaurants.

What's for dinner at your local sushi joint? Pretty much anything but what's on the menu.

• In Chicago, Austin, New York, and Washington DC, every single sushi restaurant sampled sold mislabeled tuna.
• 84% of fish samples labeled "white tuna" were actually escolar, a fish that can cause prolonged, uncontrollable, oily anal leakage.

More:
http://m.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/02/59-of-the-tuna-americans-eat-is-not-tuna/273410/

Meet ownCloud 5, The Open Source Dropbox



Tweet

ownCloud is a free software suite, written in PHP, that provides file storage, synchronization, and sharing. It provides the same basic features of Dropbox or Box.net. It also provides a whole lot more.

ownCloud was started three years ago when Frank Karlitschek wanted a free software alternative to proprietary solutions. In the time since the project has attracted a dedicated group of core contributors, made several significant releases, and is available in 42 languages. It's also spun off a commercial project to drive development of ownCloud for enterprise users.

The core ownCloud offering is file storage and synchronization. You also get optional contacts and calendar synchronization, if you want to use it. As an open source application, you can install it on any computer you control. This means you know how and where your data is stored, something which existing hosted solutions abstract away from you. Individuals and enterprises can install ownCloud on their own hardware, and define access policies according to their own needs.

More:

http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/24/meet-owncloud-5-the-open-source-dropbox

LMI Awarded $28.5 Million IDIQ to Support Army Deputy Under Secretary - MarketWatch



Tweet

LMI will lead a diverse, highly qualified team in competing for tasks to support the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army (DUSA) under a $28.5 million multiple-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. The scope of work is reflective of LMI's acclaimed expertise in deep analytics and organizational improvement.

Over the course of the contract's three years, LMI will compete for task awards to provide DUSA with advisory and assistance services for improving organizational alignment, performance management, cross-functional decision making, and knowledge and information management.

More:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lmi-awarded-285-million-idiq-to-support-army-deputy-under-secretary-2013-02-21

Former LMIer tasked with “the most distasteful task” of sequestration



Tweet

Developing plan to furlough of up to 750,000 civilian Defense Department employees

Calling it “the most distasteful task” of his four-year tenure, Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale on Wednesday outlined the process for furloughing up to 750,000 civilian Defense Department employees should looming across-the-board-budget cuts take effect, hours after his department sent Congress notice that a 45-day furlough clock is now ticking.
Given the need to cut $46 billion, or 9 percent in all 2,500 Pentagon accounts if no new budget law is enacted by March 1, “we feel we don’t have any choice,” Hale told reporters. Reductions in force would be too expensive due to requirements for paying for unused vacation and severance, he added.
More:
http://www.govexec.com/defense/2013/02/pentagon-planners-detail-distasteful-sequestration-furloughs/61418/

It's Okay to Open More Than Nine Browser Tabs; Here's How to Easily Manage Them [feedly]



Tweet

Recently, we had a guest post on why you should never have more than nine browser tabs open, and it was quite controversial—even among some of us on staff. So, here's our counterpoint: it's okay to have a ton of tabs open, you just need a few tricks to keep them all organized.

More:

It's Okay to Open More Than Nine Browser Tabs; Here's How to Easily Manage Them

ADMIN HORROR: Enable TLS 1.1 and TLS 1.2 on Windows Server 2008 R2 and IIS 7.5



Tweet

This is worth looking at...

I would make the changes by hand though.

More:
http://www.adminhorror.com/2011/10/enable-tls-11-and-tls-12-on-windows_1853.html

10 Pro-Gun Myths, Shot Down



Tweet

Fact-checking some of the gun lobby's favorite arguments shows they're full of holes

By cutting off federal funding for research and stymieing data collection and sharing, the National Rifle Association has tried to do to the study of gun violence what climate deniers have done to the science of global warming. No wonder: When it comes to hard numbers, some of the gun lobby's favorite arguments are full of holes.

More:

http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2013/01/pro-gun-myths-fact-check

Cyber Security Self Evaluation Tool



Tweet

This is a pretty useful document if you are just getting started...

http://ics-cert.us-cert.gov/pdf/DHS_CyberSecurity_CSSP-CSET-v4.pdf

Where does Apple make money?



Tweet

I thought this would be much different. Especially the percentage from iTunes/Software.

Article:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/01/these-charts-tell-you-exactly-how-and-where-apple-makes-money-right-now/272463/

AirWatch to hire up to 800 new employees at Atlanta headquarters



Tweet

Wow!  Growing like crazy.

Gov. Nathan Deal announced today that AirWatch, an industry leader in mobility technology and security, will expand its present headquarters facility in metro Atlanta, creating 800 jobs over the next two years and investing more than $4 million in new equipment.

"Georgia has become a hotbed for companies engaged in mobile applications and other advanced technologies," said Deal. "Our rapidly accelerating base of knowledge workers not only attracts new industry, but encourages Georgia-grown companies such as AirWatch to commit to staying and expanding here. This decision moves Georgia closer to becoming the No. 1 place in the nation to do business."

AirWatch designs solutions to simplify mobility, including enterprise-grade Mobile Device Management, Mobile Application Management and Mobile Content Management. Founded in 2003 by current owners John Marshall and Alan Dabbiere, the company is headquartered at 1155 Perimeter Center in north Fulton County and currently has a workforce of 650 in Georgia. Hiring has already begun, and the company's expansion is scheduled for completion in 2015.

"We've grown to twice the size of our nearest competitor and expect to double our size this year by combining innovative mobile technology and exceptional talent with the state's economic development resources," said chairman of AirWatch, Alan Dabbiere. "AirWatch and other software companies are playing a critical role in attracting new businesses to the region and solidifying Atlanta as a leading technology player."

With 5,300 customers and nearly 1,000 global associates, AirWatch is more than twice the size of any other Mobile Device Management company. The company is predominately funded by operating cash flow, with no venture capital funding. This, combined with a scalable high-availability architecture, results in virtually every mobility project with more than 20,000 devices being managed by AirWatch. Clients include the top four global Fortune companies, nine of the top 10 U.S. retailers, six of the top 10 global airlines, the top four global energy companies, six of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies, seven of the top 10 global CPG companies, three of the top five U.S. medical device companies, five of the top 10 global luxury goods companies and two of the top three global hotel groups.

More:
http://www.cedartownstd.com/view/full_story/21521373/article-AirWatch-to-hire-up-to-800-new-employees-at-Atlanta-headquarters?instance=home_news_lead_story

The Brydge



Tweet

I have the aluminum model with the speaker and it is AMAZING!
Definitely worth the price.

http://thebrydge.com/order.html

U.S. Employee Outsourced His Job to China, Watched Cat Videos Instead



Tweet

Despite his skills, however, Bob didn't do any work. Here's how a typical day went for him:

9:00 a.m. - Arrive and surf Redditfor a couple of hours. Watch cat videos.
11:30 a.m. - Take lunch
1:00 p.m. - Ebay time 
2:00 p.m. - Facebook updates,LinkedIn
4:30 p.m. - End-of-day update email to management
5:00 p.m. - Go home

This particular company wasn't Bob's only victim; the Verizon report said he similarly scammed "multiple companies in the area," earning several hundred thousand dollars a year, while the outsourced Chinese firm earned around $50,000 annually.

More:
http://mashable.com/2013/01/17/employee-outsourced-china/

This Isn't the Petition Response You're Looking For



Tweet

Love this!

The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn't on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:

• The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We're working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it.
• The Administration does not support blowing up planets.
• Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?

More:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/response/isnt-petition-response-youre-looking

OK Article, but headline from Captain Obvious - "Experts: mHealth poses privacy challenge"



Tweet

Seriously?  Is this a new message?  Who has missed this point?

Despite the potential of mobile healthcare, privacy and security experts say they worry about the added risks of provacy breaches that come with the increasing use of mobile technology.

Lisa Gallagher, senior director for privacy and security at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), says the biggest privacy concern with the use of cell phones in healthcare is lost or stolen phones with unencrypted patient data.

More:

www.mhimss.org/news/experts-mhealth-poses-privacy-challenge

Mobile IT is in for one heck of a ride



Tweet

According to stats presented at the show, global tech device sales are forecasted to reach $1.105 trillion in 2013, with smartphone sales expected to total $334 billion, and tablet sales to total $87 billion.

These kinds of numbers should keep chief information officers and IT security managers up at night, worrying about how to control and secure those devices as the enter the workplace.

A CES panel on BYOD advised companies to develop BYOD policies and deploy technologies that can identify users, monitor devices and secure apps, such as mobile device management products.

According to a survey released by Samsung and IDC at the show, 85 percent of enterprises permit BYOD, but only 25 percent to 30 percent have developed policies and deployed technologies to manage those devices and secure data.

More:
http://www.fiercemobileit.com/story/mobile-it-one-heck-ride/2013-01-09

Mobile - AirWatch offers standalone MDM tool



Tweet

Is your IT security group losing sleep over the growing number of employees and executives demanding their personal smartphones and tablets brought into the company network?

An Atlanta-based mobile device management vendor may offer a solution for large enterprise firms seeking to assuage the BYOD set but at the same time may be worried that getting off the BlackBerry server.

 

AirWatch LLC on Wednesday announced the roll out of a standalone mobile application management tool that provides IT administrators greater flexibility in locking down mobile smartphones, tablets and laptops brought into the corporate network.

The tool, Airwatch said enables mobile device management, mobile application management, mobile content management and mobile email management.

Among the large organizations that use AirWatch are United Airlines,  The National Bank of Canada, Coca-Cola, The Vancouver Airport Authority, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and several other U.S. retailers and federal agencies.

More:
http://m.itworldcanada.com/article.php?aid=146574