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Daily Archives: March 16, 2011

Pew Research: The Internet and Campaign 2010

More than half of all American adults were online political users in 2010: “Fully 73% of adult internet users (representing 54% of all U.S. adults) went online to get news or information about the 2010 midterm elections, or to get involved in the campaign in one way or another. We refer to these individuals as “online political users” and our definition includes anyone who did at least one of the following activities in 2010:

  • Get political news online – 58% of online adults looked online for news about politics or the 2010 campaigns, and 32% of online adults got most of their 2010 campaign news from online sources.
  • Go online to take part in specific political activities, such as watch political videos, share election-related content or “fact check” political claims – 53% of adult internet users did at least one of the eleven online political activities we measured in 2010.
  • Use Twitter or social networking sites for political purposes – One in five online adults (22%) used Twitter or a social networking site for political purposes in 2010.”

New GAO Reports: 401(k) Plans, Cybersecurity, Dept. of Labor Tech & Financial Controls, Government Performance, Private Health Insurance

401(k) Plans: Issues Involving Securities Lending in Plan Investments, GAO-11-359T, March 16, 2011 Cybersecurity: Continued Attention Needed to Protect Our Nation’s Critical Infrastructure and Federal Information Systems, GAO-11-463T, March 16, 2011 Department of Labor: Further Management Improvements Needed to Address Information Technology and Financial Controls, GAO-11-157, March 16, 2011 Government Performance: GPRA Modernization Act Provides… Continue Reading

EPA Proposes First National Standard for Mercury Pollution from Power Plants

News release: “In response to a court deadline, today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever national standards for mercury, arsenic and other toxic air pollution from power plants. The new Power Plant Mercury and Air Toxics Standards – which eliminate 20 years of uncertainty across industry – would require many power plants… Continue Reading

FTC Testifies Before Senate Commerce Committee on Privacy; Industry Efforts to Implement "Do Not Track" System Already Underway

News release: “In testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, the Federal Trade Commission discussed its efforts to protect consumer privacy through enforcement actions, consumer education, and policy initiatives like the FTC staff’s recent preliminary privacy report. The report proposes a framework to balance consumer privacy with industry innovation by: 1) building… Continue Reading

Forecast for Plume's Path Is a Function of Wind and Weather

NYT: “A forecast by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization shows how weather patterns this week might disperse radiation from a continuous source in Fukushima, Japan. The forecast does not show actual levels of radiation, but it does allow the organization to estimate when different monitoring stations, marked with small dots, might be able… Continue Reading

EURO-LEX Official launches of LII of India – 108 databases

“The Legal Information Institute of India (LII of India) was officially launched in Delhi on 9th March, 2011, followed by the first regional launch in Hyderabad on 11 March. Further regional launches will take place in Bangalaru and Kolkota over the next fortnight. Each launch is hosted by a partner National Law University. The official… Continue Reading

EPIC Urges Congress to Suspend Body Scanner Program, Require Public Comment Period

EPIC: “In a hearing before the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, EPIC urged Congress to suspend the use of airport body scanners for primary screening. EPIC said the devices were not effective and were not minimally intrusive, as courts have required for airport searches. EPIC cited TSA documents obtained in EPIC’s FOIA lawsuit which… Continue Reading

NRC Provides Protective Action Recommendations Based on U.S. Guidelines

News release: “Under the guidelines for public safety that would be used in the United States under similar circumstances, the NRC believes it is appropriate for U.S. residents within 50 miles of the Fukushima reactors to evacuate. Among other things, in the United States protective actions recommendations are implemented when projected doses could exceed 1… Continue Reading

Report: 2010 U.S. Cost of a Data Breach

News release: “The Ponemon Institute proudly presents the 2010 U.S. Cost of a Data Breach, the sixth annual study concerning the cost of data breach incidents for U.S.-based companies sponsored by Symantec Corporation. The average organizational cost of a data breach increased to $7.2 million and cost companies an average of $214 per compromised record,… Continue Reading