Great exchange between Steve Davenport (look at the comment section) at Development Gateway and Dennis Whittle from Global Giving on how best to enable feedback loops
http://blogs.cgdev.org/globaldevelopment/2013/01/make-a-consumer-reports-for-aid.php

The You Choose Campaign has now launched
http://mashable.com/2013/01/31/one-you-choose-campaign/

Hans Rosling on open data and Co2 emissions
http://blog.okfn.org/2013/01/21/carbon-dioxide-data-is-not-on-the-worlds-dashboard-says-hans-rosling/

Report on tax and data
“A new definition of a permanent establishment must be introduced, grounded in the fact that users play a key role in digital value creation. […] This tax can be compared to the concept of a carbon tax, which grew out of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on climate change. It would tax 1) any company 2) that collects data through regular and systematic monitoring 3) from lots of users based in France and 4) that refuse to comply with stronger privacy and user empowerment requirements.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/singularity/2013/01/28/corporate-tax-2-0-why-france-and-the-world-need-a-new-tax-system-for-the-digital-age/

Germany open data progress seen as disappointing
http://opengovgermany.com/2013/02/04/german-government-screws-up-open-data/

Interesting  post on whether there is a german open gvt movement
http://opengovgermany.com/2010/10/14/is-there-a-german-open-government-movement/

Great piece on human centered design here
http://www.fastcoexist.com/1681319/redesigning-public-services-so-they-can-actually-help-people#1