Simplification

Cass Sunstein, former Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, in his new book, Simpler, shares the three most important things he learned during his time in the White House. "People stop making some important mistakes when they speak in a foreign language." Citing the example of cost-benefit analysis as a foreign language, … Continue reading Simplification

Round Two of US-Canadian Rivalry

On the 15th of June in 1859, Lyman Cutlar, an American recently settled on San Juan Island, shot a pig which " ... having been at several times a great annoyance and that morning destroyed a portion of his garden ... " Affidavit of Lyman A. Cutlar Regarding Pig Shooting, September 7, 1859 (click on image to view … Continue reading Round Two of US-Canadian Rivalry

Open Government Appreciations

This week the American Society of Access Professionals (ASAP) honored the National Archives with its two highest awards. The President’s Award for Distinguished Public Service was awarded to Miriam Nisbet, Director of our Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). And the Director’s Award for Superior Public Service was awarded to the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB).  … Continue reading Open Government Appreciations

Happy Public Service Recognition Week!

Yesterday we celebrated the accomplishments of National Archives staff across the country in our annual Archivist's Awards Ceremony. I read from Senate Resolution 99 which commends public servants for their dedication and continued service to the United States and acknowledging that " ... public service is a noble calling." I also read from President Obama's … Continue reading Happy Public Service Recognition Week!

You Are What You Search

In early December 2009, Google announced on their blog titled "Personalized Search for Everyone" that they would be using 57 "signals" derived from your previous searching behavior in order to predict the sites you were most likely to choose in your search. Netflix, Yahoo, Facebook, and YouTube, to mention just a few, use similar predictive … Continue reading You Are What You Search