From the Government and Here to Help

http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=6f1977de9eff4c384dc8d6527&id=a59b095cf0&e=d57c427f96

18F is a GSA-sponsored effort that has been getting good reviews. By bringing those with coding and other skills together and creating what seems to be almost an entrepreneurial lab development environment, this effort is bearing fruit on the margins (where most gains are made), by finding ways to improve the small, but numerous daily interactions many of us have with various levels of government. They are looking for ideas...

18F main site:

https://18f.gsa.gov/

The Secret to Saving Cities During Earthquakes Could Be What’s Underneath Our Buildings – Next City

https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/earthquake-protection-test-viba

Asian Coast Guard's on the Front line

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21659771-asian-coastguards-are-front-line-struggle-check-china-small-reefs-big-problems

Naval Buildups in the South China Sea | The Diplomat

http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/naval-buildups-in-the-south-china-sea/

If the Moon were one pixel in size

http://flowingdata.com/2015/07/14/if-the-moon-were-one-pixel-in-size/

USCGC BOUTWELL Star of Stage and Screen

At long last, the "Drug Wars" Season Two has premiered on Fusion TV; the USCG portions of this were primarily filmed during USCGC BOUTWELL's summer 2014 deployment. If not available on your cable provider, here is a link:

http://fusion.net/video/165006/drug-wars-season-2-episode-1-watch-the-full-episode/

Some perspective

Stepping back and appreciating has value

http://iambeggingmymothernottoreadthisblog.com/2015/07/11/radiating-joy/

Fun With the GAO

GAO areas of focus and interest telegraph (sometimes very directly) the areas of focus of Congress. They also can provide agencies with perspectives on ongoing projects, as well as warnings of where one may be going astray. Of course, GAO reports after the "bad" happens often shine a light on bureaucratic decisions and processes that are embarrassing or worse.

Recent reports on some topics of (eclectic) interest:

3D Printing: Opportunities, Challenges, and Policy Implications of Additive Manufacturing
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-505SP

DoD Arctic Planning
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-566

Preliminary Observations on Air Force A-10 Divestment
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-698R

Changes in Electricity Generation and Consumption patterns
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-15-524

Great American Stations Project

Great write-ups on many stations around the US, plus helpful tips if you want to begin your own restoration project. Hmmm...

http://www.greatamericanstations.com/

"Has the U.S. Navy become the Haight-Ashbury of sea power? In a way."

A good read (to which those of us with our own experiences with the pendulum of spare parts carriage can relate), but the lead analogy is worth the time.

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/littoral-combat-vessel-the-us-navys-great-relearning-13262

New Feature

I have added a link to Google-mapped travel recommendations on the blog sidebar. These are all places that I have been; in the case of establishment (rather than sights), I have included a date to allow assessment as to the "freshness" of my experience. All of the usual caveats apply: no guarantees, no endorsement/compensation for me, etc. These are all simply places that have left a positive impression and, if you asked me for ideas/recommendations for a given area, these are the kinds of places I would provide. Enjoy!

Direct link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zpvuzqB3tuiA.kfx2NkbTcamA&usp=sharing