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Daily Archives: September 22, 2009

NTSB Ongoing Review of DC Metro Crash Raises Serious Safety Concerns

Washington Post: Rail Agencies Told to Check Systems for Signal Failure – Federal Probe Raises Concerns Nationally: “Federal investigators issued urgent safety recommendations nationwide Tuesday about the train control system at the center of the fatal Metro crash in June. The investigators, while not officially declaring a cause for the crash, say a possible design anomaly in an automated control system could have allowed it, raising serious concerns about the safety of Metro and all other transit systems with the same technology. Investigators also raised concerns about how routine maintenance could have affected the performance of the system. Metro and other transit agencies should examine their train control systems, in cooperation with the manufacturer, to guard against further malfunctions, the agency said. The National Transportation Safety Board sent advisory letters with the recommendations to Metro, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Transit Administration and Alstom Signaling, the company that makes the train protection equipment.”

HHS – Fighting Back Against Cancer: Health Insurance Reform & Cancer in America

Fighting Back Against Cancer: Health Insurance Reform & Cancer in America, September 2009 “Rising health care costs leave a growing number of Americans either uninsured or with insurance that does not provide the coverage they need and deserve – especially the 11 million Americans with cancer. The results of a recent survey estimated that 72… Continue Reading

An Overview of Successful National Broadband Goals from Around the Globe

An Open Technology Initiative Policy Brief – 100 Megabits or Bust! An Overview of Successful National Broadband Goals from Around the Globe, By Chiehyu Li and James Losey, New American Foundation, September 17, 2009 When the Federal Communications Commission delivers a National Broadband Plan to Congress in February 2010 the United States will not be… Continue Reading

Housing Costs for Homeowners With Mortgages: 2007 and 2008 American Community Surveys

Housing Costs for Homeowners With Mortgages: 2007 and 2008 American Community Surveys, American Community Survey Reports Issued September 2009: “This report presents data on median selected monthly housing costs for homeowners with mortgages at the national and state levels based on the 2007 ACS and 2008 ACS. It also ranks the states by their 2008… Continue Reading

Men's and Women's Earnings by State: 2008 American Community Survey

Men’s and Women’s Earnings by State: 2008 American Community Survey, American Community Survey Reports, issued September 2009: “This report is one of a series produced to highlight results from the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). The report series is designed to cover a variety of economic topics, such as poverty, occupation, home values, and labor… Continue Reading

DOD COMISAF Initial Assessment (Unclassified) — Searchable Document

Washington Post: “The Department of Defense on Sunday evening released a declassified version of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s [Commander – NATO International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan U.S. Forces, Afghanistan] assessment of the war in Afghanistan. The Post agreed to publish this version [searchable], which includes minor deletions of material that officials said could compromise future… Continue Reading

Roll Call: The 50 Richest Members of Congress

The 50 Richest Members of Congress: “Even membership in Congress’ most exclusive club couldn’t insulate lawmakers from the economic downturn. According to Roll Call’s annual examination of House and Senate financial disclosure forms, while the 50 richest Members of Congress remain financially flush — each with a minimum net worth of nearly $5.5 million —… Continue Reading