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Daily Archives: July 23, 2008

Google Launches Online Topical Encyclopedia

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Official Google Blog: “A few months ago we announced that we were testing a new product called Knol. Knols are authoritative articles about specific topics, written by people who know about those subjects. Today, we’re making Knol available to everyone.

The web contains vast amounts of information, but not everything worth knowing is on the web. An enormous amount of information resides in people’s heads: millions of people know useful things and billions more could benefit from that knowledge. Knol will encourage these people to contribute their knowledge online and make it accessible to everyone.

The key principle behind Knol is authorship. Every knol will have an author (or group of authors) who put their name behind their content. It’s their knol, their voice, their opinion. We expect that there will be multiple knols on the same subject, and we think that is good.”

  • ABC News: Google Knol Opens to Public Wikipedia Competitor Includes Identified Authors, Rankings, Ads

    • House Passes American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008

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    New York Times: “The House approved far-reaching government assistance on Wednesday for the nation’s housing market, including broad authority for the Treasury Department to protect the nation’s two largest mortgage finance companies from collapse.” House Committee on Financial Services, H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, and Detailed Summary of… Continue Reading

    Farm Foundation Report: What's Driving Food Prices?

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    What’s Driving Food Prices?, July 2008: “Understanding the complex and multiple factors influencing food prices today is important as future policy options are debated, according to a new study released today by Farm Foundation…Written by Purdue University economists Wallace Tyner, Christopher Hurt and Philip Abbott, the study identifies three broad sets of forces driving food… Continue Reading

    CBO Cost Estimate and Joint Cmte on Taxation: Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008

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    H.R. 3221, Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, July 23, 2008. Cost estimate for the bill as passed by the Senate on July 11, 2008, with an amendment transmitted to CBO on July 22, 2008 “This legislation would make a number of changes in federal housing policy. The major changes would: Provide temporary authority… Continue Reading

    Federal Reserve Beige Book July 2008

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    Federal Reserve Beige Book July 2008 [Summary with links to District reports]: “Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts suggest that the pace of economic activity slowed somewhat since the last report. Five eastern Districts noted a weakening or softening in their overall economies, while Chicago characterized its economy as sluggish and Kansas City noted… Continue Reading

    Information Sharing: Connecting the Dots at the Federal, State, and Local Levels

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    Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing: Information Sharing: Connecting the Dots at the Federal, State, and Local Levels, July 23, 2008 See also related GAO Report, Information Sharing Environment: Definition of the Results to Be Achieved in Improving Terrorism-Related Information Sharing Is Needed to Guide Implementation and Assess Progress, GAO-08-492, June 25,… Continue Reading

    New GAO Report: DCAA Audits, Information Sharing Environment, Securing, Stabilizing, and Rebuilding Iraq

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    DCAA Audits: Allegations That Certain Audits at Three Locations Did Not Meet Professional Standards Were Substantiated, GAO-08-857, July 22, 2008 Information Sharing Environment: Definition of the Results to Be Achieved in Improving Terrorism-Related Information Sharing Is Needed to Guide Implementation and Assess Progress, GAO-08-492, June 25, 2008 Information Sharing: Definition of the Results to Be… Continue Reading

    CBO Cost Estimate: Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008

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    H.R. 6331, Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, July 23, 2008 – Direct spending and revenues effects estimate for the bill enacted as Public Law 110-275 on July 15, 2008 “CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 6331 will increase direct spending by less than $50 million over the 2008-2013 period and by $0.3… Continue Reading

    Ensuring a Sustainable Future: An Energy Management Guidebook for Wastewater and Water Utilities

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    “Energy use is the largest source of air pollution in the country and many communities are working to reduce operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The nation’s wastewater plants and drinking water systems spend about $4 billion per year on energy to treat water. If the sector could reduce energy use by just 10 percent… Continue Reading

    CDC Report – Disability and Health in the United States, 2001-2005

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    “Disability and Health in the United States, 2001–2005 examines health-related differences between disabled and nondisabled noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years and over using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The basic actions difficulty measure of disability used in this report identifies noninstitutionalized adults with respondent-reported difficulties in movement or sensory, emotional, or cognitive… Continue Reading