Fact Sheet, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, Washington, DC, August 4, 2008: Dangerous Depots – The Growing Humanitarian Problem Posed by Ageing and Poorly Maintained Munitions Storage Sites Around the World, August 4, 2008. Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: August 2008
Major Internet Companies Agree To Governance Code in Countries Restricting Access
News release: “U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that a number of the largest American internet companies [Microsoft, Google, Yahoo], human rights organizations and other stakeholders have reached agreement on a voluntary code of conduct that would govern internet companies operating in countries where internet freedom is restricted, like China.” See also Senate Judiciary Committee,… Continue Reading
A National Study of Chronic Disease Prevalence and Access to Care in Uninsured U.S. Adults
A National Study of Chronic Disease Prevalence and Access to Care in Uninsured U.S. Adults, Annals of Internal Medicine [subscription or fee req’d] Andrew P. Wilper, MD, MPH; Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH; Karen E. Lasser, MD, MPH; Danny McCormick, MD, MPH; David H. Bor, MD; and David U. Himmelstein, MD, 5 August 2008 | Volume… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: Medicare, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Medicare: Covert Testing Exposes Weaknesses in the Durable Medical Equipment Supplier Screening Process, GAO-08-955, July 03, 2008 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Managing Potential Economic Impact of Applying U.S. Immigration Law Requires Coordinated Federal Decisions and Additional Data, GAO-08-791, August 04, 2008 Continue Reading
Congressional Privacy Leaders Ask Internet Companies For Customer Tracking Data
EPIC: “Senior members of Congress have requested details of Internet companies’ efforts to spy on their customers. The 33 targeted Internet companies, including AT&T, Time Warner, Microsoft, and Google, may be tracking the activities of Internet users. Congressman Edward J. Markey warned that “new technologies, such as deep packet inspection’ technologies, have the ability to… Continue Reading
The Right to Health and Health Workforce Planning: A Guide for Government Officials, NGOs, Health Workers and Development Partners
“Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), in consultation with numerous African NGOs, government officials, and individual health professionals, is releasing a guide today that shows how even very poor countries can build human rights into their health workforce planning and raise the standard of health among their citizens. The document is called The Right to Health… Continue Reading
DHS OIG Reports: Hurricane Katrina Multitier Contracts, Gulf Coast Hurricanes Mission Assignment Funding, Info Tech Letter for FEMA
OIG-08-81 – Hurricane Katrina Multitier Contracts (PDF, 26 pages ) New 08/04/2008: “Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, was the most destructive and costly natural disaster in United States history. It caused over $81 billion in estimated property damage and resulted in more than 1,500 deaths. Three weeks later, Hurricane… Continue Reading
Beach Water Quality Monitoring System
Beach Water Quality Monitoring System: “This partnership effort between Earth 911, and participating states and communities will provide you with specific information regarding the most recent water quality conditions at your local beaches. You will also be given access to community-specific actions that you can take to help keep local beaches, coastal waters, and lakes,… Continue Reading
Planetary-Scale Views on a Large Instant-Messaging Network
Planetary-Scale Views on a Large Instant-Messaging Network, Jure Leskovec and Eric Horvitz Abstract: “We present a study of anonymized data capturing a month of high-level communication activities within the whole of the Microsoft Messenger instant-messaging system. We examine characteristics and patterns that emerge from the collective dynamics of large numbers of people, rather than the… Continue Reading
Our Changing Planet: The U.S. Climate Change Science Program for Fiscal Year 2009
News release: “The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP)…announced the release of the report Climate Models: An Assessment of Strengths and Limitations, the 10th in a series of 21 Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAPs) managed by U.S. federal agencies. Developed under the leadership of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), this report, SAP 3.1, describes… Continue Reading
Executive Order: Further Amendments to Executive Order 12333, United States Intelligence Activities
Executive Order: Further Amendments to Executive Order 12333, United States Intelligence Activities – “1.1 Goals. The United States intelligence effort shall provide the President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council with the necessary information on which to base decisions concerning the development and conduct of foreign, defense, and economic policies, and the… Continue Reading
Global Internet Freedom Consortium Offers China-Based Reporters Software to Break Through Internet Blockade
News release: “The Global Internet Freedom Consortium (GIFC) announced today that their anti-censorship software tools are ready to help journalists and tourists during the Olympics, to circumvent China’s Internet blockade. The software, which is available free of charge, can be downloaded onto a hard drive or USB drive to safely and effectively overcome the Internet… Continue Reading
