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The best and worst places to work in the federal government

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

(The Hill) – Federal government employees sounded off on their workplaces in an annual survey by the Partnership for Public Service, giving insight to what are the best — and worst — places to work in the sprawling federal bureaucracy.The survey ranked 17 large, 27 mid-sized and 30 small agencies in the federal government, basing the ratings off of three promptsI recommend my organization as a good place to workConsidering everything, how satisfied are you with your job?Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your organization?It also ranked the departments on 12 different workplace issues, like pay, diversity and leadership.The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was ranked as the best overall large agency, those with over 15,000 employees, marking its second year running in the top spot. Coming in last for the large agencies was the Social Security Administration, which had the lowest overall rating of all agencies in the survey, regardless of size. The...

City of Austin: Salvation Army downtown shelter to close doors without forcing anyone to the streets

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The woman in charge of Austin's homeless strategy assured members of the Public Health Committee Wednesday that no one will be forced out into the streets when a downtown shelter closes Saturday. On Feb. 17, Salvation Army announced it would be closing its downtown shelter March 15, citing it could not continue to offer the desired level and quality of care due to the age and condition of the facility. At the time, 97 people were using the shelter.Dianna Gray, the city’s Homeless Strategy Officer, said the Salvation Army agreed to extend the shelter for another month and will close it by April 15. Salvation Army to extend shelter operations to help relocate remaining clients Gray told the PHC there were three people left at the downtown shelter as of Wednesday.Those three would be relocated to the NorthBridge shelter, located on 7400 North Interstate 35, over the course of Wednesday and Thursday, Gray said.Gray presented a breakdown of where people had gone a...

Warm spring days ahead of weak cold front

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We're back to the 80s this afternoon, and we'll spend more days than not above the 80° mark over the next week.Today will feature mainly sunny skies, dry conditions and warm temperatures as highs return to the upper 70s and low 80s. Overall, today looks to be a great day to get outside and enjoy the springtime warmth!Thursday's forecast - mainly sunny, dry and warmClouds increase tonight into Friday as a storm system passes far to our north. Rain chances remain low (10%) as a dryline attempts to approach the area from the west. Although confidence isn't great in storm development, there is a "marginal" threat (1 out of 5) of a strong to severe storm on Friday if storms were to overcome the odds and form.Low risk of strong to severe storms in our northern counties on FridayA cold front will follow on Saturday bringing a slightly better (but still low) chance for spotty showers and storms to start the weekend. Afternoon highs will spike to near 90° ahead of the front ...

Texas bills call for renewables to help save declining fossil fuel sector

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

(The Hill) – The Texas Senate on Wednesday passed a package of bills that would cut support from wind and solar power and force renewable electricity producers to help pay for new fossil fuel power plants. The five bills are part of a larger campaign by the Republican-controlled body to redirect growth in the states' flourishing renewable energy sector — by far the largest in the country — toward oil and gas.The effort seeks to establish the long-term primacy of “dispatchable” electricity — in practice, gas powered plants — over renewables.The package acts as a counterpoint to the shifting reality of Texas’ energy landscape. While the state is by far the nation’s largest emitter of fossil fuels, new renewable electricity is cheaper and often more attractive than new gas power plants — particularly with the 30 percent renewable energy tax credits passed by Democrats last September. Plus, wind and solar power has been crucial to keepin...

Caztek’s GridPak solar generator is designed, developed and manufactured in downtown St. Paul

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

As an engineer, Casimir Sienkiewicz has worked on mouse-like user controls for implantable sleep apnea devices, military-grade radio casings designed to work in war zones and heart pump rotors no bigger than your fingernail.His engineering firm, Caztek, brought a bit of all three design standards to its newest prototype — the GridPak, a rolling, solar-powered electrical generator designed, developed and manufactured in downtown St. Paul.Equipped with some 4,000 pounds of lithium batteries and measuring 18 feet in length, the boat-sized generator and its moving solar array can be taken into rugged, off-road terrain to power anything from a disaster relief effort to a golf tournament or outdoor music fair through the power of the sun. Caztek created GridPak for Trystar, a Faribault-based power distribution company better known for producing box panels, transformers and industrial cables.“If you’re consuming what you’re generating off the solar array … you...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Was I Wrong to Keep a Friend's Dog Out of My House?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma is about dogs and friends. Here's the email: Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I am in the middle of a fight with a good friend of mine all because of his girlfriend's dog. I recently had a little get together with friends. Now all of my friends know that I am allergic to most if not all dogs. Anyway, my one friend Ken is dating a new young woman. Well, Ken and his girlfriend came to the house with her little dog. When they came to the house, I explained that I could not let the dog inside because of my allergies. They both said, oh it's a "hypoallergenic dog" and it won't cause any problems. I love dogs but I also know I can't be around them so I said I was sorry but I could not let the dog inside. So my friend Ken asks what to do and I simply said bring the dog home and then come back. Well, he was really angry, and they both left and did not come back. Now ...

Ask Amy: Theater kid’s future rests on a curtain call

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

Dear Amy: I am a major theater kid!I love everything about the theater. In 2020, I won a regional award from my production of “Guys and Dolls” (I was Sarah).This was right before COVID hit. In 2021, I started to do the school plays at my high school. I got some decent roles, but none as big as the ones I got before.At our school’s show for “The Sound of Music” (I was Marta) a casting agent came to our play to cast people for an off-Broadway play.I didn’t hear much about it and thought no one got picked.A few days later one of my friends told me they picked seven kids from our production.I was devastated, as I have been performing all my life, and thought I was really good at it.This is even more disappointing, considering it is my junior year and I’m considering going to a college for theater.Should I quit?— Supporting Role SadnessDear Supporting Role: To respond, I’m turning to an expert, my friend Mo Rocca. Mo is a grown-up theater kid who is a sought-after actor on televisi...

Cybersecurity: Main and emerging threats  

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

Find out about the top cyber threats in 2022, the most affected sectors and the impact of the war in Ukraine, Society.The digital transformation has inevitably led to new cybersecurity threats. During the coronavirus pandemic, companies had to adapt to remote working and this created more possibilities for cybercriminals. The war in Ukraine has also affected cybersecurity.In response to the evolution of cybersecurity threats, Parliament adopted a new EU directive introducing harmonised measures across the EU, including on the protection of essential sectors.Read more on new EU measures to fight cybercrime.Next image: Discover the main cybersecurity threat types Switch view mode to mosaic Switch view mode to list of images Top 8 cybersecurity threats in 2022 and beyondAccording to the Threat Landscape 2022 report by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (Enisa), there are eight prime threat groups:1. Ransomware: hackers seize control of someone’s data and demand a ransom to res...

Presale Codes for SZA The SOS Tour with Raye

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

If you might kill your ex — then we have just the tour to make you feel at home. SZA is touring her wildly popular SOS album with a new North American and European leg dubbed “The SOS Tour” with special guest Raye. The new Europe dates will begin June 1 in Amsterdam, Netherlands and stretch through June 21 in Dublin, Ireland, followed by a North American leg launching on September 20 in Miami, FL and wrapping October 29 in Phoenix, AZ with two stops here in Los Angeles on October 22 and 23 at Crypto.com Arena — see below for all dates. Passwords and presale codes for the SZA The SOS Tour with Raye tickets are as follows:Presale codes for SZA The SOS Tour with RayePresale tickets for SZA The SOS Tour with Raye go on sale today, April 13 and we’ve been told the following presale codes and passwords may work. Details are subject to change, and vary by event date:Live Nation website presale code or password: VINYLLive Nation mobile app presale code or password: COVERTS...

Condominium sells in Palo Alto for $1.9 million

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:36 GMT

447 Homer Avenue – Google Street ViewThe property located in the 400 block of Homer Avenue in Palo Alto was sold on March 21, 2023 for $1,920,000, or $1,215 per square foot. The condominium, built in 1981, has an interior space of 1,580 square feet. The property features three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a garage, and four parking spaces. It sits on a 784-square-foot lot, which also has a pool.Additional units that have recently changed hands close by include:On Waverley Street, Palo Alto, in October 2022, a 1,592-square-foot unit was sold for $1,793,000, a price per square foot of $1,126. The unit has 2 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 2,238-square-foot unit on the 500 block of Homer Avenue in Palo Alto sold in December 2022, for $3,500,000, a price per square foot of $1,564. The unit has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In December 2022, a 1,781-square-foot unit on Channing Avenue in Palo Alto sold for $3,375,000, a price per square foot of $1,895. The unit has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.