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Brass were afraid findings were "unrealistic"—and would lead to bigger budget cuts
In January of 2015, as the US Department of Defense was chafing under the sequestration of its budget, the Pentagon leadership got some great news. A study prepared by the Defense Business Board (DBB) and a team from the global management consulting giant McKinsey and Company found that even with "moderate" changes to business practices, the DOD could save $125 billion over five years.
That would be enough to fully fund operations for 50 Army brigades, 10 Navy carrier strike group deployments, or 83 wings of F-35 fighter aircraft (one wing being about 36 aircraft—purchase price not included) for each of those five years. And all that savings could be had simply by fixing the military's bureaucratic back-office, according to the study—a force of more than one million uniformed government, civilian, and contractor employees. DOD's bureaucratic force is now almost as large as the military's active duty force itself, which stands at 1.3 million soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen. continued…
The U.S. government quietly gained expansive new surveillance abilities after a last-ditch effort to stop changes to the federal code of criminal procedure died on the Senate floor.
Senator Ron Wyden tried three times on Wednesday to stall the rule changes, which let judges give federal agents the authority to hack multiple computers in any jurisdiction at once, including those belonging to innocent malware victims.
“By sitting here and doing nothing, the Senate has given consent to this expansion of government hacking and surveillance,” said Wyden on Wednesday. “Law-abiding Americans are going to ask ‘what were you guys thinking?’ when the FBI starts hacking victims of a botnet hack. Or when a mass hack goes awry and breaks their device, or an entire hospital system and puts lives at risk.”
Under the old version of “Rule 41,” agencies like the FBI needed to apply for a warrant in the right jurisdiction to hack a computer, presenting difficulties when investigating crimes involving suspects who had anonymized their locations or machines in multiple places. Under the new version, a federal judge can approve a single search warrant covering multiple computers even if their owners are innocent or their locations are unknown. continued…
A detailed map shows that agencies across the United States are paying substantial fees to third-party applications to learn more about the populations they are sworn to protect.
Brennan Center For Justice
In a world that is becoming increasingly communicative — where people often receive their news, share news, state their opinions and post pictures with their whereabouts via social media — the lines are perhaps a bit more blurry about how such information can be used.
Last month, the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute, released a map that details specific cities, counties and law enforcement agencies across the United States that have spent at least $10,000 on social media monitoring software.
All of the data — which comes from public reports, information from the government procurement database SmartProcure, public records requests via the ACLU of Northern California and the investigative news site MuckRock — found that nationwide, at least 151 police departments, cities and counties spent millions of dollars collectively on social media monitoring software. continued…
The term "wearable technology" can refer to a wide variety of gadgets you strap on your body, from smartwatches and fitness trackers to headworn virtual reality systems. We spent plenty of time with all of the above in 2016: These are our picks for the best wearables money can buy.
Google's smartphone-based virtual reality can do big things down the road, after compatibility widens and developers make more content for it. Right now it has a small handful of games and works with an even smaller handful of phones.
Its sleek, fabric construction does, however, mark a step forward for mobile VR design. And its remote-pointer, while a far cry from the motion controls on the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive (read on), is akin to using a Wii remote in VR. continued…
GIZMODO
Apple’s AirPods have been plagued by delays after they were announced alongside the iPhone 7 earlier this year, and now we might finally know exactly why. A new report in the Wall Street Journal says that Apple engineers are still struggling to make the product ready for mass production, citing a sync issue and a microphone issue. The report cites a single anonymous source: a “person familiar with their development” Otherwise, details are thin.
AirPods were Apple’s $160 answer to its latest iPhone missing a headphone jack, and the company originally said they’d ship in late October. Now, Apple hasn’t offered an actual ship date. The Wall Street Journal reports:
A person familiar with the development of the AirPod said the trouble appears to stem from Apple’s effort to chart a new path for wireless headphones. In most other wireless headphones, only one earpiece receives a signal from the phone via wireless Bluetooth technology; it then transmits the signal to the other earpiece.
Your Own Motion Could One Day Power Your Cell Phone
Looking forward to the day when you don't have to charge your cell phone or activity tracker?
Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a device they've dubbed a nanogenerator that lets motion charge a mobile device or a wearable.
A cell phone using this technology, for instance, would need no battery. Your own motion would provide power.That day might not be as far away as you think. continued…
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A regional power utility that serves much of the western United States is under multiple federal investigations for possible fraud, waste and abuse, according to records obtained by ABC15.
The Western Area Power Administration, or WAPA, is a division of the United States Department of Energy that sells power to wholesale electric utilities, municipalities, tribes and other agencies in 15 western states, including Arizona, that serve millions of people.
Multiple whistleblowers within WAPA have alleged widespread misconduct and inappropriate spending within the agency, ABC15 has learned. Arizona’s Senators Jeff Flake and John McCain have also called for an investigation.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has started requesting documents and conducting interviews, records show. Committee leaders said they are investigating financial and facility mismanagement based on allegations made by several whistleblowers.
There is also a criminal investigation underway by the Department of Energy Officer of Inspector General . continued…
Special event marks fourth large-scale solar project with the U.S. Military in Georgia
Leaders from Georgia Power and the U.S. Army joined elected officials, community leaders and other dignitaries at Fort Stewart near Hinesville, Ga. today to dedicate a new 30 megawatt (MW) on-base solar facility. The 30 MW alternating current, or 42 MW direct current, solar generation facility is the fourth completed by Georgia Power in collaboration with the military, joining similar on-base solar facilities recently unveiled with the U.S. Army at Forts Benning and Gordon, as well as the Department of the Navy (DON) at Naval Submarine Base (SUBASE) Kings Bay.
Leaders from Georgia Power and the U.S. Army joined elected officials, community leaders and other dignitaries at Fort Stewart near Hinesville, Ga. today to dedicate a new 30 megawatt (MW) on-base solar facility. Georgia Power is currently developing more than 150 MW of solar generation to serve the state's electric customers through five large-scale projects with the U.S. Army and DON. Construction of the fifth project at Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany is currently underway.
"Completing the third and final installment of our collaborative 3x30 solar program with the U.S. Army is a tremendous accomplishment for our company and our customers who will benefit from this energy source," said Norrie McKenzie, vice president of renewable development for Georgia Power. "Since we announced these projects in May of 2015, the Army has been a steadfast partner and truly recognizes the importance of renewable energy for the base, the community, the state and the country." continued…
The passage of a Senate Bill that will bailout nuclear plants will destroy jobs and hurt pocketbooks according to the following statement from AARP Illinois State Director Bob Gallo.
"Today, on the last day of Veto Session, the General Assembly sent terrible news to millions of Illinois consumers as it passed Senate Bill 2814, the bill pushed by Exelon, ComEd and Ameren to bail out the nuclear plants in Clinton and the Quad Cities via a multi-billion dollar rate increase, the highest in our nation's history.
"AARP, on behalf of its 1.7 million Illinois members, is extremely disappointed at this decision, which will hurt the pocketbooks of older residents, working families, and low-income individuals, and will also hurt countless businesses across Illinois.
"It is outrageous that the General Assembly can work together to negotiate a bailout for highly profitable Exelon, but they haven't been able to negotiate a state budget for over two years, a vital budget for our state's most vulnerable citizens that need services provided for by non-profit and far less profitable agencies that are struggling to keep their doors open. continued…