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Daily Archives: June 29, 2010

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: International Offers of Assistance

Follow up to postings on the Gulf Coast oil spill, this news release: “The United States will accept 22 offers of assistance from 12 countries and international bodies, including two high speed skimmers and fire containment boom from Japan. We are currently working out the particular modalities of delivering the offered assistance….The 27 countries which have offered the U.S. Government assistance are: the Governments of Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. The international bodies offering assistance are: the European Maritime Safety Agency, the European Commission’s Monitoring and Information Centre, the International Maritime Organization, and the Environment Unit of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Environment Program. The Department has released a chart of offers of assistance that the U.S. has received from other governments and international bodies. The chart is updated as necessary to include any additional offers of assistance and decisions on accepting the offers. The chart is posted on the State Department Web site.”

New GAO Reports: Environmental Satellites, Military Language Training, Warfighter Support, olar-Orbiting Environmental Satellites

Environmental Satellites: Planning Required to Mitigate Near-term Risks and Ensure Long-term Continuity, GAO-10-858T, June 29, 2010 Military Training: Continued Actions Needed to Guide DOD’s Efforts to Improve Language Skills and Regional Proficiency, GAO-10-879T, June 29, 2010 Warfighter Support: Cultural Change Needed to Improve How DOD Plans for and Manages Operational Contract Support, GAO-10-829T, June 29,… Continue Reading

Presidential Memorandum: Unleashing the Wireless Broadband Revolution

Unleashing the Wireless Broadband Revolution: “Expanded wireless broadband access will trigger the creation of innovative new businesses, provide cost-effective connections in rural areas, increase productivity, improve public safety, and allow for the development of mobile telemedicine, telework, distance learning, and other new applications that will transform Americans’ lives. Spectrum and the new technologies it enables… Continue Reading

OCC's Quarterly Report on Bank Trading and Derivatives Activities: First Quarter 2010

OCC’s Quarterly Report on Bank Trading and Derivatives Activities First Quarter 2010 “The notional value of derivatives held by U.S. commercial banks increased $3.6 trillion in the first quarter, or 1.7%, to $216.5 trillion. U.S. commercial banks reported trading revenues of $8.3 billion in the first quarter, 15% lower than $9.8 billion of revenue in… Continue Reading

MapQuest Launches Redesigned Site

MapQuest Blog: “…we are launching a new user experience on MapQuest and updating our brand to reflect our new direction. We thoughtfully redesigned MapQuest.com to be more helpful, intuitive and engaging where the entire experience is within view and contextually relevant throughout…One of the most obvious changes you will notice in the redesign is the… Continue Reading

The 2010 Council for Disability Awareness Long-Term Disability Claims Review

“Since 2005, the Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) has conducted a proprietary annual review of long-term disability claims among the U.S. working population. The purpose is to identify continuing or emerging trends, and to share them with interested audiences. The 2010 CDA Long-Term Disability Claims Review summarizes quantitative and qualitative long-term disability insurance claims data… Continue Reading

The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care

“For more than 20 years, the Dartmouth Atlas Project has documented glaring variations in how medical resources are distributed and used in the United States. The project uses Medicare data to provide comprehensive information and analysis about national, regional, and local markets, as well as individual hospitals and their affiliated physicians. These reports and the… Continue Reading

President Obama, Vice President Biden Announce $8 Billion for High-Speed Rail Projects Across the Country

Follow up to previous postings on high speed rail in America, this news release: “President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden…[announced] that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is awarding $8 billion to states across the country to develop America’s first nationwide program of high-speed intercity passenger rail service. Funded by the American Recovery… Continue Reading

Association of College and Research Libraries – Futures Thinking for Academic Librarians: Higher Education in 2025

Futures Thinking for Academic Librarians: Higher Education in 2025 (June 2010) “For academic librarians seeking to demonstrate the value of their libraries to their parent institutions, it is important to understand not only the current climate. We must also know what will be valued in the future so that we can begin to take appropriate… Continue Reading

Seismic survey planned by Russian petroleum company poses major threat to Critically Endangered Western Gray Whale population

Western Grey Whale Conservation Plan, via International Union for Conservation of Nature: “The critically endangered western gray whale population, numbering only about 130 animals in 2008, remains on the edge of survival. Although recent data point to a slow increase, the additional death of just one mature female per year could send the population towards… Continue Reading