News release: “Moody’s Investors Service says that US commercial real estate prices, as measured by Moody’s/REAL National — All Property Price Index (CPPI), declined in April, by 3.7%, bringing the index down to its lowest level since its inception. However, the price recovery that began a year ago among so-called “trophy properties” in the largest… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: June 2011
President Obama Launches Advanced Manufacturing Partnership
“In his remarks he announced the launch of the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), a national effort that brings together industry, universities and the federal government to invest in emerging technologies that will create high quality manufacturing jobs and enhance our global competitiveness.” Executive Office of the President – Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and… Continue Reading
Recent Developments in European Bank Competition
IMF Working Paper – Recent Developments in European Bank Competition, Yu Sun, June 2011: “This paper investigates the degree of bank competition in the euro area, the U.S. and U.K. before and after the recent financial crisis, and revisits the issue whether the introduction of EMU and the euro have had any impact on bank… Continue Reading
Google Apps Accessibility Evaluation Project
“In the summer of 2010, Peter Mosinskis from California State University Channel Islands assembled a team of approximately fifteen volunteers from seven different CSU campuses and one from the UC system to evaluate the accessibility of Google Apps. The team also recruited student volunteers and screen reader users to assist with the testing. Automated, manual,… Continue Reading
GPO : Authenticity of Electronic Federal Government Publications
“The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) has released a new authentication white paper, Authenticity of Electronic Federal Government Publications, which describes GPO’s authentication program and latest activities to ensure its role as a trusted source for disseminating official and authentic Federal government publications to the public. GPO first defined its strategy for electronic content authentication… Continue Reading
Google Posts About FTC's Formal Notification of Business Review
Follow up to posting, WSJ: FTC Plans to Serve Google With Subpoenas, from the Official Google Blog: “At Google, weve always focused on putting the user first. We aim to provide relevant answers as quickly as possibleand our product innovation and engineering talent have delivered results that users seem to like, in a world where… Continue Reading
CBO's 2011 Long-Term Budget Outlook: Testimony Before the House Budget Committee
CBO’s 2011 Long-Term Budget Outlook: Statement of Douglas W. Elmendorf before the Committee on the Budget U.S. House of Representatives, June 23, 2011 “As the economy continues to recover and the policies adopted to counteract the recession phase out, budget deficits will probably decline markedly in the next few years. But the budget outlook, for… Continue Reading
Moody's – Credit Card Revival Supports U.S. Consumer Spending
Scott Hoyt: “U.S. consumers cut spending dramatically during the recession. Even as growth has returned, the level of spending remains low and there is much pent-up demand. One constraint has been the lack of borrowing. Consumer liabilities continue to decline dramatically. A large portion of this decline is due to lenders writing off debt as… Continue Reading
Lawmakers Seek Smarter National, Homeland Security Through Federal Agency Job Rotation
News release: “A bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators introduced bills in the House and Senate Thursday to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal governments national and homeland security missions by encouraging the government-wide integration of Executive Branch employees working in those areas. The Interagency Personnel Rotation Act of 2011, S.1268 and H.2314, would… Continue Reading
Truth About Wireless Phones and the National Do-Not-Call List
FCC: “You may be one of many consumers who have received emails saying youre about to be assaulted by unwanted telemarketing calls to your wireless phone. Rest assured that placing telemarketing calls to wireless phones is — and always has been — illegal in most cases. Why the Confusion? The confusion seems to stem from… Continue Reading
WSJ: FTC Plans to Serve Google With Subpoenas
WSJ: “Federal regulators are poised to hit Google Inc. with subpoenas, launching a broad, formal investigation into whether the Internet giant has abused its dominance in Web-search advertising, people familiar with the matter said. The civil probe, which has the potential to reshape how companies compete on the Internet, is the most serious legal threat… Continue Reading
FTC Files Amicus Brief in U.S. District Court Opposing Proposed Class Action Settlement with Debt Buyer Midland Funding LLC
News release: “As explained in the amicus brief, the proposed settlement raises concerns in three areas in which the FTC has significant expertise: FDCPA and debt collection, privacy and data collection, and class action fairness. First, the FTC is the chief federal enforcer of the FDCPA and has conducted comprehensive assessments of debt collection activities,… Continue Reading
