News release includes links to referenced documents: “Edward Ted Moore Kennedy served as U.S. senator for the state of Massachusetts from November 7, 1962 until his death. He was a long-time leader in the Democratic Party and candidate for that partys presidential nomination. During his senate tenure, Kennedy served in several senior leadership positions, including… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: June 2010
American Banker: Bank Regulators to Discourage Reliance on Rating Agencies
Bank Regulators to Discourage Reliance on Rating Agencies, American Banker, Friday, June 18, 2010 – By Jeff Horwitz: “The big three credit rating agencies have long made the disclaimer that investors should not use ratings as a substitute for independent judgment. Now regulators want banks to prove they aren’t doing that. Regulators told American Banker… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: High Speed Rail, hallenges of Managing Electronic Records, Oil and Gas Management, Secure Border Initiative
High Speed Rail: Learning From Service Start-ups, Prospects for Increased Industry Investment, and Federal Oversight Plan, GAO-10-625, June 17, 2010 Information Management: The Challenges of Managing Electronic Records, GAO-10-838T, June 17, 2010 Oil and Gas Management: Key Elements to Consider for Providing Assurance of Effective Independent Oversight, GAO-10-852T, June 17, 2010 Secure Border Initiative: DHS… Continue Reading
Pew Internet Survey: Adults and Cell Phone Distractions
Adults and Cell Phone Distractions, by Mary Madden, Lee Rainie, June 18, 2010 “Cell phones appeal to Americans for many reasons, starting with the benefits of constant connection to family and friends. In the era of smart phones, instant and ubiquitous access to information, news, and games on handheld devices also draws users into deeper… Continue Reading
White House: Ending Lobbyist Appointments to Agency Boards and Commissions
News release: “For too long, lobbyists have wielded disproportionate influence in Washington. Its one thing for lobbyists to represent their clients interests in petitions to the government, but its quite another, and not appropriate, for lobbyists to hold privileged positions could enable them to advocate for their clients from within the government. It was for… Continue Reading
White House issues two additional steps in the fight against waste, fraud, and error
OMB news release: “This morning, the President issued a memorandum directing that a Do Not Pay List be established, a single source through which all agencies can check the status of a potential contractor or individual. Too often, an agency does not check all the different databases the government has or finds it difficult to… Continue Reading
Pew Report: The future of cloud computing
The future of cloud computing, by Janna Anderson, Lee Rainie, June 11, 2010 “Technology experts and stakeholders say they expect they will live mostly in the cloud in 2020 and not on the desktop, working mostly through cyberspace-based applications accessed through networked devices. This will substantially advance mobile connectivity through smartphones and other internet appliances.… Continue Reading
Three engineering studies support MMS knowledge of critical flaws on oil rig
CSM: “Government regulators have said that the failure of the Deepwater Horizon’s blowout preventer April 20 was unforeseeable. But studies conducted for federal regulators in MMS or with their participation show that blowout preventers were known to have ‘safety critical’ vulnerabilities. The federal agency charged with setting safety standards for offshore oil exploration failed to… Continue Reading
Supreme Court Rules Against Text Message Privacy, Permits Search of Public Employee's Pager
EPIC: “The Supreme Court has issued a ruling in City of Ontario v. Quon, a case concerning the reasonablenees of a search of a public employee’s pager. EPIC filed a “friend of the court” brief in the case, arguing that data minimization practices should be followed for electronic searches, and that the search, which uncovered… Continue Reading
Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010
Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 Continue Reading
D&B Report – 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Follow up to postings on the Gulf Coast oil spill, from D&B – 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Preliminary Business Impact Analysis for Coastal Areas in the Gulf States “Since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico on April 21, 2010, the emphasis has been on capping the oil well and… Continue Reading
DOJ & FBI: Hundreds Arrested in Mortgage Fraud Sweep
News release: “From industry insiders to straw buyers, nearly 500 people have been arrested in a nationwide mortgage fraud takedown that reflects the coordinated efforts of law enforcement to address the growing problem of crime in the housing industry. Mortgage fraud ruins lives, destroys families, and devastates whole communities, Attorney General Eric Holder said this… Continue Reading
