FYI Tidbits – GIS Geographers predicted bin Laden’s hideout location
They do not work for the CIA or military intelligence, but undergraduate students at UCLA two years ago helped develop an analytical tool which allowed them to predict Osama bin Laden’s hiding place ~~ well, almost predicted: their model said that there was a 80.9 percent chance that bin Laden was hiding in the town of Abbottabad, where he was killed on Sunday by U.S. special forces; the students used a theory called “island biogeography”; the theory says that species on large islands are much more likely to survive a catastrophic event than species on small islands; “The theory was basically that if you’re going to try and survive, you’re going to a region with a low extinction rate: a large town,” says the professor who guided the research
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http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/geographers-predicted-bin-ladens-hideout-location
Summer Jobs with the Federal Government
Some jobs might become full-time employment
WASHINGTON, DC /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ ~~ Summers are synonymous with hot days at the beach, picnics at the park, and lots of fun outdoors. For some, summers are also a busy time of year ~~especially if you’re a student looking for a summer job.
Fortunately for you, the government is hiring.
Federal agencies have many summer jobs available for both students and recent college grads. The best part is that many of these positions are available across the country ~~not just in the nation’s capital, Washington, DC.
Wide-Ranging Jobs
Every year, federal agencies turn to students to fill temporary positions that range from administrative assistants and technicians to other support staff in the fields of engineering, national security, environment, health, and technology.
You can see the extensive array of jobs available by going to the student section of USAJobs.gov, an online portal that centralizes job postings across the federal government.
“There are opportunities virtually in every area you can imagine,” said Angela Bailey, Deputy Associate Director for Recruitment and Hiring at the Office of Personnel Management, the agency that runs USAJobs.gov.
Wages for these positions vary from $9 to $15 an hour, and applicants must be at least 16 years of age. Although you need to be a U.S. citizen to get most of these jobs, there are some positions for noncitizens (it depends on the position and the agency).
How to Apply for a Job
Federal summer job searches generally begin by going to USAJobs.gov/studentjobs/ where you can search postings by keywords, geographical areas, and type of student positions. If you find a job that you like, you can apply for it right there on the site.
Federal agencies are not required to post all of their jobs on USAJobs.gov, and in fact many positions are not announced there. That’s why Bailey suggests that you use the portal as a guide for the type of government work that interests you and then reach out to agencies.
“I recommend that students visit the agencies’ websites or call them by phone to see if there are any jobs available,” she said.
To increase the chances of landing a summer job with the federal government, Bailey offers the following advice:
~~ Start searching for a summer job in March or April. By June, agencies have already identified which students they are going to hire.
~~ Apply for jobs related to your area of study. For example, if you’re a psychology major then look for jobs in industrial organization; if you study computers look for opportunities in the area of cyber security.
~~ Speak with school counselors since your school may have a direct relationship with federal agencies and they can help you land a job.
~~ Speak with someone you know who works for the agency where you’d like to work. This person might help you understand the process better and offer you more specific advice.
Long-Term Opportunities
Besides summer jobs, the government has other programs for students and recent graduates including internships, apprenticeships, fellowships, and grants to help students get more education or experience in a specialized field.
Bailey says students should look at these summer jobs as more than temporary employment, as they can be the beginning of a career with the federal government. These temporary jobs allow students to see if public service is something they want to do in the long term.
So far, it’s worked pretty well for both agencies and students.
“We get to try them out and they get to try us out,” she said. “It’s a win-win for everybody.”
USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov are the U.S. Government’s official web portals in English and Spanish, and part of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
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SOURCE GobiernoUSA.gov/USA.gov
CONTACT: Laura Godfrey, Laura.godfrey@gsa.gov, +1-202-341-7124
Web Site: http://www.usa.gov
Employees Will Stay For The Work But Leave For Career
BlessingWhite’s recently released 2011 Employee Engagement study provides insight into the factors that drive employees to stick with – or quit – their current job.
PRINCETON, NJ /PRNewswire/ ~~ In a global study by consulting firm BlessingWhite, the top reason employees worldwide give for staying with their employer is “My work. I like the work that I do.”
What is the most important factor influencing your plans to stay?
~~ My Work. I like the work that I do. 30%
~~ My career. I have significant development or advancement opportunities here. 17%
~~ My organization’s mission. I believe in what we do. 11%
~~ No desire for change. I am comfortable here. 10%
~~ My job conditions. I have flexible hours, a good commute, etc. 10%
~~ My finances. I expect a desirable salary, bonus, or stock options. 7%
~~ Other (The Economy, My Manager, My Colleagues) 15%
In contrast, the top reason employees of all age groups give for jumping ship: “My career. I don’t have opportunities to grow or advance here.”
What is the most important factor influencing your thoughts about leaving?
~~ My career. I don’t have opportunities to grow or advance here. 26%
~~ My work. I don’t like what I do or it doesn’t make the most of my talents. 15%
~~ My finances. I want to earn more money. 15%
~~ My desire for change. I want to try something new. 12%
~~ My manager. I don’t like working for him or her. 10%
~~ Other (The Economy, Job Conditions, Org. Mission, Colleagues) 18%
“Business leaders are right to be concerned about retention of top talent,” said BlessingWhite CEO Christopher Rice. “And while raises may encourage some workers to stick around, our findings suggest that employees – especially high performers ~~ will remain in jobs that challenge them, utilize their expertise, and provide meaning.”
The Employee Engagement Report 2011 explores workplace attitudes among employees on four continents and is based on survey responses of nearly 11,000 employed professionals. Among the study’s other findings:
After enjoyable work, career advancement is the second most important retention factor in India, China, Australia/New Zealand and Southeast Asia. In North America and Europe, favorable job conditions (e.g., a good commute or flexible hours) ranks second.
Although workers across generations agree on their top reasons for staying and leaving, the youngest workers (Generation Y or Millenials) place higher priority on career opportunities than they do their work. Likewise, Gen Y employees are more likely to leave in pursuit of more money. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, seek more interesting work and change (something new).
Rice advises business leaders to help their workforce rethink career notions. “When employees understand that today’s career is all about creating a portfolio of assignments and projects, not necessarily promotions and new titles, they’re better prepared to concentrate on finding work that they enjoy – and work that can help the organization achieve its goals.”
Intended for line executives and HR leaders, Employee Engagement Report 2011 presents five levels of engagement: Engaged, Almost Engaged, Honeymooner & Hamsters, Crash & Burners, and Disengaged. The recommendations focus on the roles and responsibilities of executives, managers, and individuals in driving engagement every day. The report can be accessed at http://www.blessingwhite.com/eee__report.asp.
The engagement survey was conducted between July 2010 and October 2010, and results were compared with pre-recession data (gathered December 2007). 27% of the 10,914 survey respondents reside in North America. More than half of respondents hold executive, management, or supervisory titles.
About BlessingWhite:
BlessingWhite is a global consulting firm in Leadership Development and Employee Engagement. Based in Princeton, NJ, with locations in London, Chicago, San Francisco and Melbourne, the firm has worked with nearly three million professionals in thousands of organizations. www.blessingwhite.com
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SOURCE BlessingWhite
Contact: Christopher Rice, President & CEO, BlessingWhite, 908-904-1000, ext. 8000, chrisr@bwinc.com, or Mary Ann Masarech, Employee Engagement Practice Leader, 203-368-6694, maryannm@bwinc.com.
Web Site: http://www.blessingwhite.com
Universal Health Care ~ Only One in Six Employers Favor a Universal Health Care System Funded by Tax Dollars
New Survey Reports Employer Opinions on Health Care Benefits and More
INDIANAPOLIS, IN /PRNewswire/ ~~ Despite concerns about the impact of rising health care costs on their businesses and employees, only one in six employers (16.3 percent) say they favor a federally tax-funded universal health care system, according to the 2011 UBA Benefit Opinions Survey.
Nearly all (99.4 percent) top decision makers are concerned with the impact of health care costs are having or are going to have on their overall corporate costs, according to newly released data. More than 50 percent said it is a critical concern. Just slightly fewer (97.9 percent) are also concerned with the impact health care costs are having on their employees, up nearly 20 percent from three years ago and nearly identical to last year. These results were consistent regardless of industry, employee size category or geographic region. Additional findings presented in the survey include:
~~ 96.9 percent of employers still believe a good benefits program helps attract good employees while 93.8 percent believe good benefits keep employees from leaving.
~~ Employers are less prepared to meet the legislative and regulatory requirements placed upon them, and those requirements are becoming increasingly complex.
~~ Nearly three-quarters of the employers responding felt there is a definite role for the federal government to play regarding health: requiring the disclosure of cost and quality information of hospitals and physicians.
“On an encouraging note, there is a trend of employers implementing wellness and health management strategies that they feel are having a positive impact on chronic conditions and the effectiveness of these programs in general,” according to William Stafford, Vice President, Member Services.
The UBA 2011 Benefit Opinions Survey includes employer perspectives on Health Care Strategy, Benefits Philosophy and Opinion, Health Plan Management, Personal Health Management, Scope of Benefits Offered and Employee Communications.
Copies of the UBA 2011 Benefit Opinions Survey are available for purchase after May 1 by downloading the order form or through the nearest UBA Member Firm listed on the UBA website at www.UBAbenefits.com.
ABOUT THE UBA SURVEYS – The 2011 UBA Benefit Opinion Survey complements the 2010 UBA Health Plan Survey, the nation’s largest comprehensive and validated survey of plan design and costs, with responses from 17,113 health plans sponsored by 11,413 employers nationwide. As the largest survey of its kind, the UBA Health Plan Survey provides health plan benchmarks by a greater number of specific industries, regions and employer size categories than is available from any other resource.
ABOUT UNITED BENEFIT ADVISORS – United Benefit Advisors is a member-owned alliance of more than 140 premier independent benefit advisory firms with offices in more than 165 offices throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K., and is one of the nation’s top five employee benefits advisory organizations. As trusted and knowledgeable advisors, UBA Members collaborate with more than 2,000 professionals to seek out ideas, expertise and best-in-class solutions that positively impact employers and make a real difference in the lives of their employees and families. Employers, advisors and industry-related organizations interested in obtaining powerful results from our shared wisdom should visit UBA online at www.UBAbenefits.com to locate their local UBA Member Firm.
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SOURCE United Benefit Advisors
CONTACT:William Stafford Vice President, Member ServicesPhone: 317-705-1800 bstafford@UBAbenefits.com
Web Site: http://www.UBAbenefits.com
FYI Tidbits – New York proposes biometric IDs to combat Medicaid fraud
New York lawmakers are currently considering a bill that is aimed at reducing Medicaid fraud by requiring all patients to carry biometric ID cards; under the proposed law all Medicaid recipients would receive a special card that contains their biometric data from a palm scan that must be presented to receive service; installing the card readers and issuing the identity cards would cost an estimated $20 million, but could result in as much as a $5 billion reduction in Medicaid fraud each year; the legislation could set off a debate about privacy concerns.
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http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/new-york-proposes-biometric-ids-combat-medicaid-fraud
Terrorists Using Online Games Undetected by CIA and NSA
Researcher Reveals Imminent Threat to National Security
SCHIEDAM, Netherlands and NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ ~~ Despite billions of dollars spent by intelligence agencies like NSA and CIA on technologies to intercept and monitor electronic messages and communications, terrorists all over the world are able to communicate without fear of discovery, using online computer games.
The CIA tentatively acknowledged this threat in its 2008 Data Mining Report and started the Reynard Project as a “seedling effort” to detect suspicious behaviour and actions in the virtual world. Although online gaming has exploded and hundreds of millions of people participate in these games, not much has been heard about the Reynard Project since.
Recently the danger of terrorists using computer games as a secure communication channel led to alarming news articles by major newspapers in Europe, following the release of the technothriller MMORPG: How a computer game becomes deadly serious.
Dutchman Emile van Veen spent two years researching how terrorists could utilise so called Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). These online games appear to be an unbreakable code for intelligence agencies and offer communication channels like email, chat and voice chat. They are violent by nature, making it virtually impossible to detect dangerous conversations. They can be accessed from any computer, anywhere, by using anonymous accounts. Van Veen’s story is set in both the real and the virtual world, a novel concept in itself. Emile van Veen: “Especially reproductions of our real world are dangerous. Someone who wants to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge could examine the target in detail and scout his way in and out as well.” He thinks the danger is imminent.
After the release of his thriller in Europe, Van Veen received a lot of worried press attention. “Many people accused me of bringing this to the attention of terrorists and criminals. That’s unfair, it’s already there. The Intelligence Community must act and they must act fast. I hope my novel helps in bringing about a sense of urgency,” he says.
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Source: Safe Haven Investments BV
Note to editors: The book MMORPG: How a computer game becomes deadly serious [ISBN 9781456318086] by Emile van Veen is available through most retail channels in both paperback and eBook. For interview requests and more information please visit the author’s website http://www.emilevanveen.com or email adrienne@emilevanveen.com. Mob: +31634134814
New Study Finds 62% Of Working Parents Are Too Stressed to Have Sex With Their Spouses, Go to the Gym or Call a Friend
Nearly Half (44%) of Working Parents are Frequently Burning a Candle on Both Ends When It Comes to Juggling a Career and Kids
WALTHAM, MA /PRNewswire/ ~~ According to a national survey commissioned by Care.com, Inc. (http://www.care.com), sixty-two percent of working parents revealed that they are too stressed from managing their jobs and their families to go to the gym, call a friend or have sex with their spouses. A quarter of working parents (25%) reported that they would leave their current jobs for less or considerably less money if that would provide more flexibility in their lives.
With more than a third (34%) of parents relying on their nannies or babysitters to make their lives run smoothly, 62% find that it is stressful to extremely stressful when a childcare crisis, such as a sick nanny or babysitter or a school closing occurs. And while more than half (58%) of parents have a childcare back-up plan, only ten percent rely on their employers to provide emergency back-up care as a benefit.
Care.com, Inc., the premier source of trustworthy family care options, including profiles of hundreds of thousands of babysitters, nannies, and senior caregivers, found in its survey that the greatest source of stress for parents was managing work-life balance. More than a third of parents – (35 percent) cited work-life as most stressful while a quarter of parents (24%) felt that finding a trusted care provider for their child is more stressful than keeping their relationship with their spouse happy (18.4%) and excelling at their jobs (11.3%).
“While the White House recently announced the great strides of women in the workplace, this survey shows that the work-life balance for so many working parents remains elusive,” said Wendy Sachs, editor in chief of Care.com.
“The Care.com survey finds that despite successful careers, our work is impacting our personal lives in unhealthy ways. Working moms, particularly those with young children, are exhausted and stressed by a workday that for many never ends because we are tethered to technology 24/7,” Sachs said. “It’s no surprise that moms who are toting buzzing BlackBerries in their bags chock-full of work emails, can feel tapped out and not eager for sex. Stress kills the libido.”
The Care.com survey was conducted via an online survey at Care.com among 600 adult parents 18 years of age from February 22 – March 1, 2011.
About Care.com, Inc.
Founded in 2006, Care.com is the largest and fastest growing service used by families to find high-quality caregivers, providing a trusted place to easily connect, share caregiving experiences and get advice. The company addresses the unique lifecycle of care needs that each family goes through-child care, special needs care, tutoring and lessons, senior care, pet care, housekeeping and more. The service helps families find and select the best care available based on detailed profiles, background checks and references for hundreds of thousands of mom-reviewed and pre-screened providers who seek to share their services. Through its Care.com Employer Program, corporations can offer Care.com memberships as a benefit to employees. www.care.com.
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SOURCE Care.com
CONTACT: DKC, Eva Ross, Eva_ross@dkcnews.com, +1-212-981-5218, or Sara Levin, Sara_levin@dkcnews.com
Web Site: http://www.care.com
2011.04.28 ~ Webcast ~ Finding Future Talent in a Security Clearance World
Webcast: Talent Strategies and the Competitiveness of the US Aerospace and Defense Industry
Date: April 28, 2011 at 2:00pm Eastern / 11:00 am Pacific
The retirement of baby boomer engineers, program and resource managers, and a range of other executives who were inspired by the Cold War and space race to enter the defense and aerospace industries has already begun and is expected to increase in the coming years.
The competition for talent is expected to intensify. A paucity of engineers and other A&D managers entering the field in the 1980s and 1990s means few can step up to take the place of those who are retiring.
The issue is not simplified by the fact that personnel have to be carefully vetted for security clearance, along with other challenges. In the face of these human resource challenges, how are US A&D firms adapting to cope in a global marketplace?
Webcast: Talent Strategies and the Competitiveness of the US Aerospace and Defense Industry Date: April 28, 2011 at 2:00pm Eastern / 11:00 am Pacific
Join Defense Systems for this complimentary webcast as experts from Economist Intelligence Unit and Oracle will discuss and demonstrate:
* How employers can make the most of the employees they already have while creating an environment conducive to attracting new talent;
* How major A & D corporations are supporting the rise of a new generation of scientists and engineers, and
* How companies can strengthen their teams to be sure they have the essential resources needed to win big contracts.
Speakers:
James Watson, Consulting Editor, Economist Intelligence Unit James has worked on a range of bespoke research programs, surveys and reports for the Economist Intelligence Unit’s clients covering a variety of industry and management issues over the past 5 years. He is the author of numerous studies, including CEO Briefing and a major study on how companies operate in emerging markets. Prior to joining the Economist Intelligence Unit, James spent eight years working as a journalist and editor in the UK, Singapore and South Africa.
Stan S. Kuruvilla, Industry Strategist, Oracle Primavera Stan focuses on helping aerospace and defense companies understand the value of Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (EPPM) solutions in managing programs and projects. Stan has over 14 years of experience in the technology industry, with a number of those years in consulting and development. Stan has been with Primavera since 2008.
REGISTER NOW! http://tinyurl.com/4oqfcfc
Sponsored by Oracle
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1105 Media, Inc. Government Information Group publication
2011.03.23 Seminar // Careers in International Development, Washington DC
Want to work towards the greater good?
Careers in International Development
Sponsor: The American Foreign Service Association, 2101 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
Find out what it takes to land a job in international development with Kate Warren, Director of Global Recruitment Services at Devex – the leading provider of recruitment services to the international development community.
* MARCH 23rd, 2011 – WASHINGTON, D.C.
* MARCH 30th, 2011 – NEW YORK CITY
Attendees will learn…
* Which organizations, NGOs, and foundations are currently hiring
* Resume, interview and cover letter tips, networking advice, and other valuable guidance
* Realities vs. misconceptions of working in international development
* How to navigate your career path once you’ve landed the job
* And more
All attendees receive:
* The brand new FPA U Careers in International Development Tool Book
* Automatic enrollment in the Foreign Policy Association’s Global Jobs email alerts
* Light food and drink during a networking session
Space is limited. Register at WWW.FPAU.ORG
All seminars are $49 for members of co-sponsoring organizations and $65 for non-members.
About FPA U
FPA U provides internationally minded individuals with the tools needed to realize successful careers in global affairs.
No other institution gives you the practical information you need to prepare for, break into, or navigate a career in international affairs.
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Foreign Policy Association
