DOJ FOIA Post: “In light of Section 9 [Section 9 amends 5 U.S.C. § 552(f), the definitions provision of the FOIA, by including in the definition of record any information maintained for an agency by an entity under Government contract, for the purposes of records management. This provision makes clear that records, in the possession… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: September 2008
OpenTheGovernment.org has published the 2008 Secrecy Report Card
“OpenTheGovernment.orgs fifth annual report, Secrecy Report Card 2008, shows both a continued expansion of government secrecy across a broad array of agencies and actions and some movement toward more openness and accountability, particularly in the Congress. The public has a right to know what its government is doing to preserve health, safety, and the public… Continue Reading
Veteran's Affairs Suicide Prevention Panel Completes Draft Report
News release: “A blue-ribbon panel has praised the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for its comprehensive strategy in suicide prevention that includes a number of initiatives and innovations that hold great promise for preventing suicide attempts and completions. Among the initiatives and innovations the group studied were VAs Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK. The lifeline… Continue Reading
Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law
“The new online edition of the Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law went live in August 2008. The initial upload included over 450 articles including over 120 that relate to judicial decisions and dispute settlement, and a set of articles covering the history of international law since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Of… Continue Reading
Rand: After the War: Nation-Building From FDR to George W. Bush
After the War: Nation-Building From FDR to George W. Bush, By: James Dobbins, Michele A. Poole, Austin Long, Benjamin Runkle: “This book examines how the United States has gained considerable experience in nation-building operations through its participation in at least eight significant operations since World War IIin Germany, Japan, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and… Continue Reading
Rand: Improving the Cost Estimation of Space Systems
Improving the Cost Estimation of Space Systems, By Obaid Younossi et al.: “Why have the costs of acquiring space systems been so high? What are the sources of the problems? To answer these questions, RAND researchers examined the sources of cost growth of Air Force space systems and undertook an extensive study of two space… Continue Reading
Google Announces Revised User Record Retention Policy
Official Google Blog: “we’re announcing a new logs retention policy: we’ll anonymize IP addresses on our server logs after 9 months. We’re significantly shortening our previous 18-month retention policy to address regulatory concerns and to take another step to improve privacy for our users.” Related: Google Response to the [EU] Article 29 Working Party Opinion… Continue Reading
Justice Department Issues Report on Antitrust Monopoly Law
News release: “The Department today issued a report informing consumers, businesses and policy makers about issues relating to monopolization offenses under the antitrust laws. The report, Competition and Monopoly: Single-Firm Conduct Under Section 2 of the Sherman Act, September 2008, U.S. Department of Justice (215 pages, PDF) examines whether and when specific types of single-firm… Continue Reading
Justice Department to Monitor Primary Elections in New York City
News release: “The Justice Department today announced that on Sept. 9, 2008, it will monitor the primary elections in New York (Manhattan), Kings (Brooklyn), and Queens Counties, N.Y., to ensure compliance with federal voting rights statutes, and specifically the minority language provisions of the Voting Rights Act.” More information about the Voting Rights Act and… Continue Reading
U.S. Army Field Manual Section on Knowledge Management
Via Secrecy News: Knowledge Management Section, U.S. Army Field Manual 6-01.1, August 29, 2008 “This manual provides doctrine for the organization and operations of the knowledge management (KM) section. It establishes the doctrinal principles, tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to effectively integrate KM into the operations of brigades, divisions, and corps.” Continue Reading
The Digital Television Transition: No Need to Trash Your TV
News release: “For consumers who choose to buy a new TV, EPA recommends purchasing Energy Star-qualified sets. EPA also encourages consumers to recycle their unwanted TVs, which recovers valuable materials from the circuit boards, metal wiring, leaded glass, and plastics. Last year Americans disposed of more than 20 million TVs, which represents a lost opportunity… Continue Reading
Justice Department Meets with Civil Rights Groups to Discuss Plans for Protecting Ballot Access
News release: “Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Grace Chung Becker, and other senior officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ) met today with leaders of dozens of civil rights groups, as well as national organizations representing state and local officials, secretaries of state and attorneys general… Continue Reading
