BBC: “Mankind’s capacity to store the colossal amount of information in the world has been measured by scientists. The study, published in the journal Science, calculates the amount of data stored in the world by 2007 as 295 exabytes. That is the equivalent of 1.2 billion average hard drives. The researchers calculated the figure by… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: February 2011
Advanced sign-in security for your Google account
Official Google Blog: “Has anyone you know ever lost control of an email account and inadvertently sent spamor worseto their friends and family? There are plenty of examples…that demonstrate why it’s important to take steps to help secure your activities online. Your Gmail account, your photos, your private documentsif you reuse the same password on… Continue Reading
IMF – Enhancing International Monetary Stability – A Role for the SDR?
Enhancing International Monetary Stability A Role for the SDR? Prepared by the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department In collaboration with the Finance, Legal, Monetary and Capital Markets Departments, January 7, 2011 “The SDR has enjoyed renewed attention lately in the context of debates on international monetary reform. To be sure, the term SDR has… Continue Reading
OIG: FEMA's Progress in Implementing the Remedial Action Management Program
FEMA’s Progress in Implementing the Remedial Action Management Program, OIG-11-32, January 2011 “FEMA needs to improve its implementation of the Remedial Action Management Program to identify lessons learned and best practices. Specifically, FEMA officials should: (1) conduct an after-action review for every disaster to identify lessons learned and best practices; and (2) develop instructions or… Continue Reading
WHO – Harmful use of alcohol fact sheet
world Health Organization – Harmful use of alcohol, Fact sheet N°349 February 2011 – Key facts “The harmful use of alcohol results in 2.5 million deaths each year. 320,000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group. Alcohol is the… Continue Reading
New World Health Organization global status report on alcohol and health analyses
News release: “Wider implementation of policies is needed to save lives and reduce the health impact of harmful alcohol drinking, says a new report launched today by WHO. Harmful use of alcohol results in the death of 2.5 million people annually, causes illness and injury to many more, and increasingly affects younger generations and drinkers… Continue Reading
California Supreme Court Rules Zip Code is Personal Information
EPIC: “In Pineda v. William Sonoma, the California Supreme Court has determined that merchants may not require credit card customers to provide ZIP codes. In a unanimous decision, the Court found that ZIP codes are “personal identification information” under the state Credit Card Act of 1971. In the Pineda case, the customer believed that providing… Continue Reading
Administration Plan Provides Path Forward for Reforming America's Housing Finance Market
News release: “The Obama Administration delivered a report to Congress that provides a path forward for reforming Americas housing finance market. The Administrations plan will wind down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and shrink the government’s current footprint in housing finance on a responsible timeline. The plan also lays out reforms to continue fixing the… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: DOE Oversight, Employment Verification, Federal Real Property, Army Medical Personnel, Recovery Act
Department of Education: Improved Oversight and Controls Could Help Education Better Respond to Evolving Priorities, GAO-11-194, February 10, 2011 Employment Verification: Federal Agencies Have Improved E-Verify, but Significant Challenges Remain, GAO-11-330T, February 10, 2011 Federal Real Property: The Government Faces Challenges to Disposing of Unneeded Buildings, GAO-11-370T, February 10, 2011 Military Personnel: DOD Addressing Challenges… Continue Reading
Google "Art Project" – Explore museums from around the world
“What is the Art Project? – A unique collaboration with some of the worlds most acclaimed art museums to enable people to discover and view more than a thousand artworks online in extraordinary detail. Explore museums with Street View technology: virtually move around the museums galleries, selecting works of art that interest you, navigate though… Continue Reading
HUD and VA Issue First-Ever Report on Veteran Homelessness in America
News release: “For the first time ever, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today published the most authoritative analysis of the extent and nature of homelessness among American veterans. According to HUD and VAs assessment, nearly 76,000 veterans were homeless on a given night… Continue Reading
Harvard Health Research: Job strain and heart disease risk in women
“Harvard researchers have uncovered strong links between women’s job stress and cardiovascular disease. Findings from the Women’s Health Study (WHS) a landmark inquiry into disease prevention involving more than 17,000 female health professionals show that women whose work is highly stressful have a 40% increased risk of heart disease (including heart attacks and… Continue Reading
