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Daily Archives: May 16, 2011

White House: Launching the U.S. International Strategy for Cyberspace

“White House officials released an international cyberstrategy here today that will help to build a “coalition of nations [with a] mutual interest in securing cyberspace,” Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said…To realize fully the benefits that networked technology promises the world, these systems must function reliably and securely. People must have confidence that data will travel to its destination without disruption. Assuring the free flow of information, the security and privacy of data, and the integrity of the interconnected networks themselves are all essential to American and global economic prosperity, security, and the promotion of universal rights. Almost a third of the world’s population uses the Internet and countless more are touched by it in their daily lives. There are more than four billion digital wireless devices in the world today. Scarcely a halfcentury ago, that number was zero. We live in a rare historical moment with an opportunity to build on cyberspace’s successes and help secure its future for U.S. citizens and the global community. For these technologies to continue to empower individuals, enrich societies, and foster the research, development, and innovation essential to building modern economies, it must retain the openness and interoperability that have characterized its explosive growth. Underlying these are technical principles and effective governance structures that demand our support. At the same time, our networks must be secure and reliable; they must retain the trust of individuals, businesses and governments, and should be resilient to arbitrary or malicious disruption.”

  • You can read the full strategy (pdf) and a fact sheet on the strategy (pdf).
  • EFF: Documenting Tools for Beating Internet Censorship

    “Because we believe that Internet censorship is not only against the basic purpose of the Internet, which is to let people communicate what the want to with the people they want to communicate with, but also fundamentally against the universal right to freedom of opinion and expression [which] includes freedom to hold opinions without interference… Continue Reading

    Survey: Annual Household Gasoline Expenditures Topping $3,000

    “A recent national survey of 2000 representative Americans found that very large majorities (85 percent) are concerned about gas prices, think it important to reduce oil consumption (87 percent), and believe it important to increase fuel economy standards (75 percent). The survey also revealed that most Republicans, as well as most Democrats, agree that the… Continue Reading

    New GAO Reports: Military Housing, Warfighter Support, Seafood Safety

    Military Housing: Enhancements Needed to Housing Allowance Process and Information Sharing among Services, GAO-11-462, May 16, 2011 Warfighter Support: Improved Joint Oversight and Reporting on DOD’s Prepositioning Programs May Increase Efficiencies, GAO-11-647, May 16, 2011 Seafood Safety: FDA Needs to Improve Oversight of Imported Seafood and Better Leverage Limited Resources, GAO-11-286, April 14, 2011 Continue Reading

    NOAA: Smoke-related chemical discovered in the atmosphere could have health implications

    News release: “Cigarette smoking, forest fires and woodburning can release a chemical that may be at least partly responsible for human health problems related to smoke exposure, according to a new study by NOAA researchers and their colleagues. Using a custom mass spectrometer designed by the researchers, the NOAA-led team was able get the first… Continue Reading

    Consumer Protection, Legal Services, and Financial Stability: An Exchange

    Consumer Protection, Legal Services, and Financial Stability: An Exchange, Melissa B. Jacoby – University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill – School of Law; Anna Gelpern, American University Washington College of Law. Fordham Urban Law Journal, Vol. 38, 2011, UNC Legal Studies Research Paper No. 1829686 “This exchange between us recasts the challenge of… Continue Reading

    Google Economic Impact Report 2010

    “Local businesses are growing. We’re helping. Google’s not just a search engine. We’ve also helped hundreds of businesses in every U.S. state to grow. Across the U.S., Google’s search and advertising tools provided $64 billion of economic activity in 2010. Click the map to see Google’s economic impact in your state. The state-by-state advertiser, publisher,… Continue Reading

    Speech: Promoting Research and Development: The Government's Role

    Chairman Ben S. Bernanke At the Conference on “New Building Blocks for Jobs and Economic Growth,” Washington, D.C., May 16, 2011 Promoting Research and Development: The Government’s Role “Innovation has not only led to new products and more-efficient production methods, but it has also induced dramatic changes in how businesses are organized and managed, highlighting… Continue Reading