2008 Data Mining Report (PDF, 46 pages), February 11, 2008. “This is the third report by the Privacy Office to Congress on data mining. This report identifies the data mining activities deployed or under development within DHS, as defined by the Data Mining Reporting Act, and describes the framework the Department will use to report on such activities in the future pursuant to Section 804 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, entitled, The Federal Agency Data Mining Reporting Act of 2007 (Data Mining Reporting Act).”
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Daily Archives: March 18, 2008
Precedent-Setting Penalty Upheld for Underground Fuel Storage Tank Violations at 23 Gas Stations in MD, VA and DC
News release: “EPAs Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) has upheld the agencys enforcement action against the owner of Lowest Price gas stations in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. In cooperation with state and D.C. officials, EPA filed a complaint in September 2002 against gas station owner, Euclid of Virginia, Inc. for violating regulations designed… Continue Reading
Postal Service Announces Free Recycling Through the Mail
News release: “Free and green. Those are the goals of a pilot program launched today by the U.S. Postal Service that allows customers to recycle small electronics and inkjet cartridges by mailing them free of charge. The Mail Back program helps consumers make more environmentally friendly choices, making it easier for customers to discard used… Continue Reading
Citizen Satisfaction with E-Government Falls to Lowest in Three Years
News release: “Citizen satisfaction with federal government websites declines for a third consecutive quarter, according to the first quarter report [Excel] of the University of Michigans American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) E-Government Satisfaction Index. The Index aggregate score for the first quarter of 2008 fell to 72.4 on ACSIs 100-point scale, its lowest score in… Continue Reading
Google for Non-Profits
Official Google Blog: “Today, we’re excited to launch Google For Non-Profits, a one-stop shop for tools to help advance your organization’s mission in a smart, cost-efficient way. This site features ideas and tutorials for how you can use Google tools to promote your work, raise money and operate more efficiently. And to get inspired, you’ll… Continue Reading
DOE OIG Audit Report: Management of the Department's Publicly Accessible Websites
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Inspector General, Office of Audit Services, Audit Report, Management of the Department’s Publicly Accessible Websites, March 2008. “Our audit identified several opportunities to improve the security and management of the Department’s publicly accessible websites. Specifically: We identified over 50 significant cyber security incidents in the last three fiscal years,… Continue Reading
Judge Orders White House to Show Cause Why Missing Email Should Not be Recovered
Follow up to previous postings on litigation and hearings on missing White House email and violations of the Presidential Records Act, today’s news release: “Today, in response to a request by the National Security Archive, which along with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has sued the White House challenging its failure to… Continue Reading
FTC Approves Federal Register Notice Seeking Comments on Revised Proposed Business Opportunity Rule
News release: “Commission approval of Federal Register notice: The Commission has approved the publication of a Federal Register notice seeking comments on a revised proposal for a new trade regulation rule governing business opportunities. Dating from 1978, the FTC historically has had a single rule covering two distinct types of offerings: franchises and business opportunity… Continue Reading
GAO Report on Intellectual Property and Federal Enforcement
Intellectual Property: Federal Enforcement Has Generally Increased, but Assessing Performance Could Strengthen Law Enforcement Efforts, GAO-08-157, March 11, 2008: “Five key agencies play a role in IP enforcement, and their enforcement functions include seizures, investigations, and prosecutions. While IP enforcement is generally not their highest priority, IP crimes with a public health and safety risk,… Continue Reading
Study of Worldwide Airports Reveals Wireless Security Risks for Travelers and Airport Operations
Press release: “…AirTight® Networks, the global leader for wireless intrusion prevention systems…issued the findings from its study to assess information security risk exposure of laptop users at fourteen airports in the United States, Canada and Asia. The company set out to understand the risks to business travelers and their corporate networks of data leakage while… Continue Reading
Sports Illustrated Poised to Release Free Searchable Archive Dating Back 53 Years
New York Times: On Thursday [March 20, 2008] Sports Illustrated “will introduce the Vault, a free site within SI.com that contains all the words Sports Illustrated has ever published [over 53 years] and many of the images, along with video and other material, in a searchable database.” Continue Reading
Environmental Groups Sue Bush Administration to Force Polar Bear Protection
Follow up to previous postings on the status of protection for polar bears, this March 10, 2008 news release, “the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace sued the Bush administration for missing the legal deadline to issue a final decision on whether to list the polar bear under the… Continue Reading
