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Daily Archives: January 12, 2010

Google Announces "A new approach to China"

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Official Google Blog:

  • “In mid-December, we detected a highly sophisticated and targeted attack on our corporate infrastructure originating from China that resulted in the theft of intellectual property from Google. However, it soon became clear that what at first appeared to be solely a security incident–albeit a significant one–was something quite different…We launched Google.cn in January 2006 in the belief that the benefits of increased access to information for people in China and a more open Internet outweighed our discomfort in agreeing to censor some results. At the time we made clear that “we will carefully monitor conditions in China, including new laws and other restrictions on our services. If we determine that we are unable to achieve the objectives outlined we will not hesitate to reconsider our approach to China.” These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered–combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web–have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.”

    • BEA: International Trade in Goods and Services, November 2009

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    News release: “The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that total November exports of $138.2 billion and imports of $174.6 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $36.4 billion, up from $33.2 billion in October, revised. November exports were $1.2 billion more… Continue Reading

    DOT Announces Historic New Safety Standards for Freight and Passenger Trains – Positive Train Control Systems

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    Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Final Rule, January 12, 2010: “FRA is issuing regulations implementing a requirement of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 that defines criteria for certain passenger and freight rail lines requiring the implementation of positive train control (PTC) systems. This final rule includes required functionalities of PTC… Continue Reading

    ALA – The Condition of U.S, Libraries: Trends, 1999-2009

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    “According to a new report prepared by the American Library Association (ALA), libraries of all types are feeling the pinch of the economic downturn while managing sky-high use. Compiled from a broad range of available sources, The Condition of Libraries: 1999-2009 presents U.S. economic trends (2009), and summarizes trends in public, school and academic libraries… Continue Reading

    Endangered Jaguars to Receive Critical Habitat Protection and Plan for Recovery of U.S. Population

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    News release: “In a far-reaching reversal of Bush administration policy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it will designate critical habitat for endangered jaguars in the United States and develop a jaguar recovery plan. The Fish and Wildlife Service will propose specific areas for critical habitat designation in January 2011, according to… Continue Reading

    New Report Highlights Economic Benefits of Comprehensive Immigration Reform

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    “As the United States slowly pulls free from a deep recession, a groundbreaking new study concludes that comprehensive immigration reform would provide just the type of boost our economy needs. The Center for American Progress and Immigration Policy Center released a joint report, Raising the Floor for American Workers: The Economic Benefits of Comprehensive Immigration… Continue Reading

    EPA Petitioned to Regulate Chemicals That Pose Widespread Risks to Human and Animal Reproduction

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    News release: “The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today to establish water-quality criteria for numerous endocrine-disrupting chemicals under the Clean Water Act, the first step in regulating and eliminating persistent and widespread chemicals that damage reproductive functions in wildlife and humans…Endocrine disruptors persist throughout our nation’s waters and are having… Continue Reading

    New York Fed Publishes Revised Policy for Administration of Primary Dealer Relationships

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    News release: “The Federal Reserve Bank of New York today published a revised policy regarding the administration of relationships with primary dealers intended to provide greater transparency about the significant business standards expected of primary dealers and to offer clearer guidance on the process to become a primary dealer. The revised policy takes into consideration… Continue Reading