Hey, Beth Noveck is working at the White House getting really serious about giving all Americans a serious voice in running our Federal government.

She talks about how this is happening at city and state levels in Open Government Laboratories of Democracy:

1. Customer service done in good faith is public service.
2. Customer service anchors you to reality.

You've heard how government rank and file workers are working together, throughout the US and with citizens, to provide increasingly better public service.  Their dedication has been consistently impressive, particularly during some bad years.

I've been chatting recently mostly with Federal workers, though the following is true of all large...

A year ago today, the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, with the Ad Council, launched a big campaign to welcome new veterans home and help 'em...

I've already praised Consumer Reports for standing up for Americans, taking on some really powerful and ruthless politicians.

Now, the AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons,...

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Hey, I love nature, if it makes itself convenient for me. These were all shot from my home office, where I do customer service for craigslist.

I've identified around thirty species, often with the help of social media.

You can share the excitement at...

Yup, that's me, figuring I should practice what I preach, in addition to strongly supporting the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Hey, the folks at Sunlight Foundation have introduced an augmented reality app, you point it around you, and you can see what companies have gotten the money. Check it out:

The folks at Consumer Reports provide some of the most trustworthy reporting anywhere, doing lots of fact checking, with the highest degree of integrity humans can exhibit.

They give...

The folks at Consumer Reports provide some of the most trustworthy reporting anywhere, doing lots of fact checking, with the highest degree of integrity humans can exhibit. (yes,...

Sometimes banks try to pull a fast one on you, like mailing statements nearly late, then charging you for late fees.

Consumer Reports is helping get reasonable consumer...

We're seeing something new from Washington, sites which are being used to help figure out how to better serve citizens.

Toward that ends we're seeing sites used to get ideas as to how to run agencies better, and how to improve fundamental processes involved in areas like acquisition, the...

The big deal is that it contains provisions fought for by the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America like mandatory mental health screenings, which have the potential to save more lives than all the MRAP's money can buy.

Check out UPDATE: Senate Passes NDAA, Mental Health...

People in Washington get increasingly dedicated to better public service, often via the Net.

In September 2009, the CDC launched a three-month text messaging pilot to get the word out regarding big health issues, like the H1N1 thing.

To subscribe to the pilot, text HEALTH to 87000. They tell me...

Hey, as part of my DonorsChoose.org fundraising challenge, I'm supporting the kids and teachers at the East Elementary School in Dillon, South Carolina....

Well, I had written recently about the need for people to work together so we could figure out ways to select and share news that was important, trustworthy, and needed to get persistent mind-share.

Maybe that applies to entertainment media as well. For example, a music label seems to...

There are a lot of new technologies which already affect news consumption and future business models. As a nerd, I'm excited by the new tech, particularly mobile, including new display systems and pervasive connectivity.

However, the tech is secondary, not nearly as important as repairing some current issues with trust...

Women now make up 11% of the forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, so this is a real urgent time to help out.  They're facing serious, unique service and...

Okay the deal is that there are lots of fancy reasons to want it, like online grassroots democracy.

The folks at the FCC are on top of it, moving the country ahead.

My day job biases me toward the mundane, ground level stuff that broadband can do for everyday life:

• video...

Veterans, particularly wounded war-fighters, need our help in different ways, and one has to do with getting the Veterans Administration the budget it needs.

Last week the Senate didn't get the VA budget passed- for the 20th time in the last 23 years - and six million veterans who rely...