Follow up to April 16, 2009, Vision of High-Speed Rail in America, from the WSJ: Spain’s Bullet Train Changes Nation — and Fast – “The growth of the Alta Velocidad Española, or AVE, is having a profound effect on life in Spain, where many people have been fiercely attached to their home regions and reluctant… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: April 2009
AP Investigation: Tons of Released Drugs Taint US Water
Via NPR – Marketplace: “U.S. manufacturers, including major drugmakers, have legally released at least 271 million pounds of pharmaceuticals into waterways that often provide drinking water _ contamination the federal government has consistently overlooked, according to an Associated Press investigation.” See also: “graphic shows location of codeine-producing factories near area where a water sample taken… Continue Reading
EIA: U.S. Coal Supply and Demand, OPEC Revenues Fact Sheet
An Updated Annual Energy Outlook 2009 Reference Case (04/17/2009): “This report updates the Reference Case presented in the Annual Energy Outlook 2009 based on recently enacted legislation and the changing macroeconomic environment. U.S. Coal Supply and Demand: 2008 Review (04/15/2009): “This article provides an overview of the year 2008 in the coal industry and covers… Continue Reading
Internet Archive Opposes Google Books Settlement
Follow up to previous postings on Google Book search, “The [Internet] Archive is one of many Internet content providers that have an interest in opposing the proposed [Google Book]Settlement Agreement because it effectively limits the liability for the identified uses of orphan works of one party alone, Google Inc., and provides for a Books Rights… Continue Reading
Chief of Staff States Resources to Handle Bank Stress Results are Adequate
George Stephanopoulos: “White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said on “This Week” Sunday that he believes the government has enough resources on hand that the Obama administration will not have to go back to Congress to ask for more bailout money for the nation’s troubled banks. Emanuel also said he believes the government will… Continue Reading
President Obama's FOIA Memorandum and Attorney General Holder's FOIA Guidelines
DOJ Office of Information Policy FOIA Post – Creating a New Era of Open Government: “On his first full day in office, January 21, 2009, President Obama issued a memorandum to the heads of all departments and agencies on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The President directed that FOIA “should be administered with a… Continue Reading
Middle Class Task Force Report: College Affordability
Staff Report – Financing the Dream: Securing College Affordability for the Middle Class “A central goal of the White House Task Force on the Middle Class is to ensure that public policy is helping middle-class families to realize their aspirations. At the heart of those aspirations is the deep-seated desire of parents to ensure that… Continue Reading
NYT: F.B.I. and States Vastly Expand DNA Databases
F.B.I. and States Vastly Expand DNA Databases, by Solomon Moore: “Law enforcement officials are vastly expanding their collection of DNA to include millions more people who have been arrested or detained but not yet convicted. The move, intended to help solve more crimes, is raising concerns about the privacy of petty offenders and people who… Continue Reading
President Obama Discusses Efforts to Reform Spending, Government Waste; Names Chief Performance Officer and CTO
Weekly Address Transcript: “…I will ask all of my department and agency heads for specific proposals for cutting their budgets. Already, members of my Cabinet have begun to trim back unnecessary expenditures…in the coming weeks, I will be announcing the elimination of dozens of government programs shown to be wasteful or ineffective. In this effort,… Continue Reading
Recent CRS Reports: Savings and Household Wealth in 2007, The Global Financial Crisis, China and the Global Financial Crisis
April 08, 2009 – Savings and Household Wealth in 2007 – April8, 2009 – Business Tax Issues in 2009 April 06, 2009 – Setting and Valuing Health Insurance Benefits April 03, 2009 – The Global Financial Crisis: Analysis and Policy Implications April 02, 2009 – China and the Global Financial Crisis: Implications for the United… Continue Reading
FTC Offers Pay-off Information to Consumers with Non-bank Credit Cards
News release: “Carrying a credit card balance can be expensive for consumers, especially for those who make only minimum monthly payments. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 requires that consumers be provided with toll-free telephone numbers[1-888-600-4804)] to call for an estimate of how long it will take to pay off their… Continue Reading
New Study Examines Technology Generation Gap in the Workplace
News release: “A national survey of American white collar workers found that while technology is widely embraced among working professionals, significant gaps exist among generations regarding its use and application in the workplace. The newly released Technology Gap Survey found generational differences in the effect of technology on workplace etiquette, the blurring boundaries between personal… Continue Reading
