August 25, 2009 – Treatment of Noncitizens in H.R. 3200 [America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009] August 19, 2009 – Insurance Regulation: Issues, Background, and Legislation in the 111th Congress August 14, 2009 – Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy August 11, 2009 – Financial Regulation and Oversight: Latin American Financial Crises and… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: August 2009
EPA Announces New Steps to Protect Americans from Lead Poisoning
EPA website on Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil: “Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead also can be emitted into the air from motor vehicles and industrial sources, and lead can enter drinking water from plumbing materials. Lead may cause a… Continue Reading
New Rule Prohibiting Unwanted "Robocalls" to Take Effect on September 1
News release: “Beginning September 1, 2009, prerecorded commercial telemarketing calls to consumers commonly known as robocalls will be prohibited, unless the telemarketer has obtained permission in writing from consumers who want to receive such calls, the Federal Trade Commission announced today…The new requirement is part of amendments to the agencys Telemarketing Sales Rule… Continue Reading
FCC Announces Notice of Inquiry on Mobile Wireless Competition
News release: “In an effort to obtain data for its next mobile wireless competition report, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) [August 27, 2009] announced a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) that seeks to enhance its analysis of competitive conditions in the mobile wireless market. The NOI also seeks to better understand the net effects on the… Continue Reading
Scripps Environmental Accumulation of Plastic Expedition Seeking the Science of the Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch
SEAPLEX website: “A thousand miles off California, the North Pacific Ocean Gyre contains one of the oldest and largest ecosystems on Earth–but it may be in danger from a deluge of accumulated plastic trash. Dubbed the “Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch,” the debris at the center of the North Pacific Ocean has the potential to… Continue Reading
Labor Department Office of Workforce Security Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims
News release, August 27, 2009: “In the week ending Aug. 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 570,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 580,000. The 4-week moving average was 566,250, a decrease of 4,750 from the previous week’s revised average of 571,000. The advance seasonally adjusted… Continue Reading
American Bar Association Kicks Off One Million Trees Project in Baltimore
News release: “The American Bar Association, in partnership with the Alliance for Community Trees (ACT) and the Parks & People Foundation, will kick off the ABAs One Million Trees Project in a public ceremony Sept. 23 at Franklin Square Elementary/Middle School in West Baltimore. The event is being held in conjunction with the 17th Annual… Continue Reading
FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile, Second Quarter 2009
FDIC Quarterly Banking Profile, Second Quarter 2009: The Industry Posts a Net Loss for the Quarter Burdened by costs associated with rising levels of troubled loans and falling asset values, FDIC-insured commercial banks and savings institutions reported an aggregate net loss of $3.7 billion in the second quarter of 2009. Increased expenses for bad loans… Continue Reading
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality – State-specific health care quality information
2008 State Snapshots – “The State Snapshots provide State-specific health care quality information, including strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. The goal is to help State officials and their public- and private-sector partners better understand health care quality and disparities in their State. State-level information used to create the State Snapshots is based on data… Continue Reading
Putting Work to Bed: Stressful Experiences on the Job and Sleep Quality
Putting Work to Bed: Stressful Experiences on the Job and Sleep Quality. Burgard, Sarah, and Jennifer Ailshire. 2008. PSC Research Report No. 08-652. July 2008. Most adults spend one third of every day sleeping and another third of most days at work. However, there is little analysis of the possible connections between common workplace experiences… Continue Reading
Perceived Job Insecurity and Worker Health in the United States
Perceived Job Insecurity and Worker Health in the United States. Burgard, Sarah, Jennie Brand, and James S. House. 2008. PSC Research Report No. 08-650. July 2008. “Economic recessions, the industrial shift from manufacturing toward service industries, and rising global competition have contributed to declining optimism about job security, with potential consequences for workers health. To… Continue Reading
Teens and Mobile Phones Over the Past Five Years: Pew Internet Looks Back
Teens and Mobile Phones Over the Past Five Years: Pew Internet Looks Back, by Amanda Lenhart: “Teenagers have previously lagged behind adults in their ownership of cell phones, but several years of survey data collected by the Pew Internet & American Life Project show that those ages 12-17 are closing the gap in cell phone… Continue Reading
