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TechnologyDaily Mobile
An Appeal For 'Netroots' Love
by Heather Greenfield
Jeff Maurone, a program manager at Microsoft and the author of a Web log in Washington state, was not too impressed when he recently visited the campaign Internet home of Sen. Maria Cantwell. He supports the politics of the Washington Democrat but decided he could not tolerate the site without complaint.
In an open letter to Cantwell published on his blog, Maurone described the site as "a few bland and dry pages, some non-challenging content, nine (count 'em) photos stretching back a few years, a page to submit information to volunteer, and -- actually, that's about it."
"Until your Web site learns to love the netroots," he added of Internet-based grassroots activists, "it will become more and more difficult to follow your campaign and be passionate about it."
Maurone said if this year's Senate election were based on Web sites, he would choose Republican challenger Mike McGavick. His site has "all the right tools needed to run a progressive campaign," including a blog, podcasts and up-to-date photos, Maurone said.
Just six days later, Maurone reported that Cantwell has a site that is "vastly improved and more in line with that of her challenger."
His next complaint: If Cantwell, a former executive at the online music company RealNetworks is so tech-savvy, why does she not have podcasts, audio that can be downloaded on devices like Apple Computer's iPod? He also said he still has not heard back from the campaign about his offer to volunteer for Cantwell.
Dittus Executive Eyes Global Growth
Dittus Communications is building its global public affairs practice with the addition of Peggy Binzel as senior vice president. She will be in charge of growing the company's international practice through its parent company, Financial Dynamics.
Dittus snagged Binzel from CoreNet Global, where she was president and CEO of the Atlanta-based association representing corporate real estate executives. Before that, she was a vice president at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.
"Peggy has demonstrated excellence as a public affairs strategist for a number of high-profile organizations," Dittus President and CEO Gloria Dittus said. "She also brings extensive global experience and a wealth of knowledge and extraordinary skills to our team as we grow in new markets around the world."
From Bits And Bytes To Dollars And Cents
Todd Grams, the chief information officer at the Internal Revenue Service, is leaving to become the chief financial officer for the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
"The CFO position at NIST is a perfect match at this point in my life -- both professionally and personally," Grams said. "I will have the opportunity to lead NIST's business systems, budget, finance, procurement and grants. I am looking forward to helping Director Bill Jeffrey and the NIST team support the president's American Competitiveness Initiative."
Grams joined the IRS in February 2001 as chief financial officer after more than two decades at the Veterans Affairs Department and White House Office of Management and Budget. He has been noted for helping the IRS obtain its first-ever clean financial opinion from the Government Accountability Office. He became the CIO in June 2003.
"He brought credibility to the IRS modernization effort, and he helped oversee successful implementation of several key programs," IRS Commissioner Mark Everson said of Grams in a statement. "He also helped recast the IT organization, achieving greater efficiencies and hiring more technical professionals."
BSA Gains New Government Affairs Director
After more than a decade on Capitol Hill, Alexander Shively will join the Business Software Alliance as director of government affairs.
Shively was most recently legislative director for Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. He also worked for Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and former Sen. Bob Smith of Maine, and for former GOP Reps. Christopher Cox and Robert Lagomarsino, both of California.
"Alex brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the policy team having spent nearly two decades advising policymakers on a wide range of legislative issues," said Karen Knutson, BSA's vice president of government relations. "His array of talents and skills will help guide BSA and its member companies in addressing the challenges and opportunities that impact the high-tech industry, both in the U.S. and Europe."
Fathers Of Energy Efficiency, Photometry Honored
Manufacturers at first said it could not be done, but they did it and the results produced an entire new industry for energy-efficient cars and appliances. Now the physicist whose work launched a movement toward energy-efficient appliances and vehicles will win the Enrico Fermi Award at a ceremony in Washington this week.
Art Rosenfeld was a researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory when the country faced the oil crisis of the 1970s. He found energy consumption of appliances, like refrigerators, had doubled since 1959 and that car mileage was idling at 14 miles per gallon.
His findings led to state legislation to retool products. The result is that a refrigerator today uses not much more wattage than in 1959. The Energy Department says the resulting innovations have saved more than $100 billion a year over the last 30 years.
"Dr. Rosenfeld is one of the founding fathers of energy efficiency, and the legacy of his research and policy work is an entire new energy-efficiency sector of our economy," Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said.
Rosenfeld will get a fraction of that energy savings as part of the award. The Fermi award, administered by the Energy Department, carries a $375,000 honorarium and a gold medal. The award has extra meaning, as Rosenfeld was actually a student of Fermi when he was in graduate school at the University of Chicago, where he earned his doctorate.
An innovation that could save the United States 10 percent a year in electricity usage is earning honors for another federal scientist.
Yoshihiro Ohno is the group leader of the optical technology division at NIST's physics lab. He is among three NIST scientists receiving a Fleming Award. Ohno's research into the development of semi-conductor based lighting may be the ticket to cutting electric usage.
Carl Williams, chief of the atomic physics division at the lab, is being honored for his work applying quantum mechanics to model the collision of atoms and molecules at temperatures near absolute zero. His work on ultra-cold quantum mechanics has been applied to precision measurement and atomic clocks, and is laying the future for quantum computing.
Bradley Alpert, a computer scientist at NIST's information technology lab, is being recognized for scientific computing, including the development of fast algorithms for solutions in computational physics. Alpert also has been a mentor and leading proponent of math careers for students in high school and college.
Quote Of The Week
"If you've received an email phishing for your information, don't flounder -- send it to spam@uce.gov. Have a whale of a Father's Day"
-- From a free, animated Father's Day e-card from the FTC that warned dads how to avoid getting hooked by "phishing" scams that use phony e-mails and Web sites to commit crimes.
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