Anyone who lives, works or drives through the Washington, D.C., region has probably had firsthand experience with D.C. traffic. It’s evil, unforgiving and soul crushing. And we’re not exaggerating.

With the federal government accounting for a large percentage of the workforce in the District, it’s fair to say that federal employees are a large part of the car traffic choking the major roads and highways surrounding D.C. during rush hour.

The effect of federal employees isn’t limited to just the area immediately surrounding Washington, D.C., however. Military bases and other large federal employers can cause similar situations in other regions.

Take for example a recent letter to the editor sent to the Free Lance-Star by a local Virginia man who travels to work along I-95. In his letter, the gentleman discusses the traffic he sees during his commute, and how the exit for the Marine Corps base at Quantico backs up onto the very major thoroughfare every morning. With his wife working at Quantico, he’s nervous that someone not paying attention will slam his car into the line of traffic backed up onto 95 and potentially hurt someone he loves.

In addition to the threat of an accident and potential harm that could come from it, this kind of daily commute through traffic is a nuisance and a time-suck. How much happier and more productive would these employees be if this could be avoided most mornings?

By embracing telework and advanced technologies like video teleconferencing (VTC) and telepresence that enable telework, the federal government could create a more productive workforce and do its part to keep traffic flowing across the country.

By breaking down the walls between public servants and telework, VTC is enabling a new way of working. So, why hasn’t your agency embraced telework?

Goldman, Sachs & Co., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated will be the joint global coordinators as well as joint book-running managers for the offering. BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. will also be acting as joint book-running managers. Lazard Capital Markets LLC, RBC Capital Markets Corporation and UBS Securities LLC will be acting as joint lead co-managers; Allen & Company LLC and Evercore Group LLC will be acting as co-managers for the offering.

When available, a copy of the preliminary prospectus may be obtained from Goldman, Sachs & Co., Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, via telephone: +1 866 471 2526, via facsimile: +1 212 902 9316, or by e-mail: prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com; from J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.; c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, New York 11717, Attn: Prospectus Department, or by telephone +1 866 803 9204; from Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated Attention: Prospectus Department, via telephone: +1 866 718 1649, 180 Varick Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10014, or by e-mail: prospectus@morganstanley.com.

A registration statement relating to the securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. The securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, the securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction.

The measure, designed to expand the use of telework by federal employees, was defeated on the House floor last May by opponents who claimed to be worried about the ballooning Federal deficit.

But the principal author of the bill, Rep. John Sarbanes, (D.-Md.), isn’t giving up. He says the telework bill will be re-considered on the floor of the full House as early as tomorrow.”

Read more here

By Vlad Savov posted Jul 15th 2010 1:41AM

Yes, the Droid X has joined the Kin… in being available to buy on Verizon’s online Wireless store. No shock or awe here, it’s a cent under two Benjamins with a two-year deal and you can give it the shopping basket treatment right now. Either that or wait in line overnight like a lovesick puppy, it’s up to you.

Digium’s Switchvox Mobile is a freely available application for the iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones. Switchvox Mobile seamlessly integrates your Switchvox SMB phone system with your smartphone, unifying your communications no matter where you are.

Even if you don’t have a Switchvox phone system yet, you can see how unified communications can work for you by using Switchvox Mobile’s Demonstration Mode. In Demo Mode, you’ll find a sample account that shows you what Switchvox Mobile has to offer.

Requirements

• Switchvox SMB 23120 (4.5.2) or later
• Appropriate network access to Switchvox (more information)
• iPhone OS 3.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
• BlackBerry Device Software 4.2.1 or later. Compatible with Bold, Tour, Curve, Pearl, and Storm devices.

Download / Availability

Switchvox Mobile for iPhone is available through the iTunes App Store.

Switchvox Mobile for the BlackBerry is available through the BlackBerry App World.

• 60 minutes free calls to landlines in Algeria for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Argentina for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Australia for a month
• 400 minutes free calls to landlines in Brazil for a month
• 60 minutes free calls to landlines in Cameroon for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Chile for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Denmark for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in France for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Germany for a month
• 60 minutes free calls to landlines in Ghana for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Greece for a month
• 60 minutes free calls to landlines and mobiles in Honduras
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Italy for a month
• 60 minutes free calls to landlines and mobiles in Japan for a month
• 120 minutes free calls to landlines in Mexico for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in the Netherlands for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in New Zealand for a month
• 120 minutes free calls to landlines in Nigeria for a month
• 60 minutes free calls to landlines in Paraguay for a month
• 60 minutes free calls to landlines in Serbia for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Portugal for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Slovakia for a month
• 120 minutes free calls to landlines in Slovenia for a month
• 120 minutes free calls to landlines in South Africa for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in South Korea for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in Spain for a month
• 120 minutes free calls to landlines in Switzerland for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines in the UK for a month
• 60 minutes free calls to landlines in Uruguay for a month
• Unlimited free calls to landlines and mobiles in the USA for a month

Time to chat it up with other folks about the world cup.

Here is the blog post

Be sure you get your Google Voice number if you don’t have one.

voice.google.com

“Wave open sign-ups: Google Wave is open to all users at wave.google.com, as a Google Labs product — no invitation needed. Google Apps administrators will also have the option to add Wave as a Labs feature for their domains, helping groups of people communicate and work together more productively.”

I have never seen an IP phone that looked military spec  until now.

“Elektrobit, commonly known as EB, introduced two new VoIP phones designed for the military: the Field Phone and Desktop Phone.

Announced at Eurosatory, a military trade show held in Paris, these new VoIP phones are pretty impressive. They’re both very rugged, able to withstand the trauma of field work, but they’re not just muscle.”

Read more here