News release: “The Securities and Exchange Commission today delivered a report to Congress mandated by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 that recommends against the suspension of fair value accounting standards. Rather, the 211-page report by the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant and Division of Corporation Finance recommends improvements to existing practice, including reconsidering the accounting for impairments and the development of additional guidance for determining fair value of investments in inactive markets, including situations where market prices are not readily available.”
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Daily Archives: December 30, 2008
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index Falls to a New All-Time Low in December
News release: “The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased moderately in November, declined to a new all-time low in December. The Index now stands at 38.0 (1985=100), down from 44.7 in November. The Present Situation Index plummeted to 29.4 from 42.3 last month. The Expectations Index decreased to 43.8 from 46.2 in November.”… Continue Reading
Brady Campaign Files Suit Asking Court to Strike Down Bush Administration Change to Guns in Parks Rule
News release: “The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence today filed suit in federal court asking that the court strike down a last-minute Bush Administration rule change allowing concealed, loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and seeks an injunction… Continue Reading
Home Price Declines Worsen As We Enter the Fourth Quarter of 2008 According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices
News release: “Data through October 2008, released today by Standard & Poors for its S&P/Case-Shiller1 Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, shows continued broad based declines in the prices of existing single family homes across the United States, with 14 of the 20 metro areas showing record rates of annual decline… Continue Reading
NASA Releases Columbia Crew Survival Investigation Report
Columbia Crew Survival Investigation Report, NASA/SP-2008-565, 400 pages, PDF. “The Columbia accident was not survivable. After the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) investigation regarding the cause of the accident was completed, further consideration produced the question of whether there were lessons to be learned about how to improve crew survival in the future. This investigation… Continue Reading
Pew Survey: Post-Election Voter Engagement
Those Active in the Obama Campaign Expect to be Involved in Promoting the Administration, by Aaron Smith, Research Specialist, Pew Internet & American Life Project, December 30, 2008: “Voters expect that the level of public engagement they experienced with Barack Obama during the campaign, much of it occurring online, will continue into the early period… Continue Reading
Census Bureau: Utah is Fastest-Growing State
News release: “Utah was the nations fastest-growing state between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, as its population climbed 2.5 percent to 2.7 million, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. Arizona was the second fastest-growing state, increasing 2.3 percent between 2007 and 2008. Texas, North Carolina and Colorado completed the… Continue Reading
Permanent Task Force on Nuclear Weapons Surety Report: Nuclear Weapons Inspections for the Strategic Nuclear Forces
Permanent Task Force on Nuclear Weapons Surety Report: Nuclear Weapons Inspections for the Strategic Nuclear Forces, December 2008, Office of Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. Report of the Defense Science Board 2007 Summer Study: Challenges to Military Operations in Support of U.S. Interests: Volume I: Executive Summary Report of the Defense Science… Continue Reading
FERC Report Marks Significant Progress in Demand Response, Advanced Metering
News release: “Demand response and advanced metering programs have made significant progress in serving more consumers across the country, says a new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) report that charts the expansion of these energy-saving programs since 2006. The report, 2008 Assessment of Demand Response and Advanced Metering, is FERCs third annual report on demand… Continue Reading
The U.S. Code, 2006 Edition Now Online
“The United States Code is the codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. It is divided by broad subjects into 50 titles and published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Since 1926, the United States Code has been published every… Continue Reading
Treasury Announces TARP Investment in GMAC
News release: “The Treasury Department today announced that it will purchase $5 billion in senior preferred equity with an 8% dividend from GMAC LLC as part of a broader program to assist the domestic automotive industry in becoming financially viable. Under the agreement GMAC must be in compliance with the executive compensation and corporate governance… Continue Reading
Bureau of Economic Analysis: Personal Income and Outlays, November 2008
Bureau of Economic Analysis full release and tables: “Personal Income and Outlays, November 2008: Personal income decreased $20.7 billion, or 0.2 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) decreased $11.8 billion, or 0.1 percent, in November, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) decreased $56.1 billion, or 0.6 percent. In October, personal… Continue Reading
