CNET: “Google’s Street View cars collected the locations of millions of laptops, cell phones, and other Wi-Fi devices around the world, a practice that raises novel privacy concerns, CNET has confirmed. The cars were supposed to collect the locations of Wi-Fi access points. But Google also recorded the street addresses and unique identifiers of computers… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Monthly Archives: July 2011
The Vanishing U.S.-E.U. Employment Gap
The Vanishing U.S.-E.U. Employment Gap, Christian Grisse, Thomas Klitgaard, and Ayşegül Şahin. Federal Reserve Bank of New York. “The employment-to-population ratiothe share of adults that are employedhas historically been much higher in the United States than in Europe. However, the gap narrowed dramatically in the last decade and had almost disappeared by the end of… Continue Reading
Patent Trolls
“Why would a company rent an office in a tiny town in East Texas, put a nameplate on the door, and leave it completely empty for a year? The answer involves a controversial billionaire physicist in Seattle, a 40 pound cookbook, and a war waging right now, all across the software and tech industries.” This… Continue Reading
Federal Reserve: Report to the Congress on Credit Ratings
Report to the Congress on Credit Ratings, July 2011 “Section 939A of the Dodd-FrankWall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the act) requires each federal agency to review its regulations and identify (1) any regulation that requires the use of an assessment of the creditworthiness of a security or money market instrument and (2) any… Continue Reading
OCLC Report: Seeking Synchronicity: Revelations and Recommendations for Virtual Reference
News release: “A ground-breaking membership report from OCLC Research suggests that by transforming virtual reference (VR) service encounters into relationship-building opportunities, librarians can better leverage the positive feelings people have for libraries. This is critically important in a crowded online space where the biggest players often dont have the unique experience and specific strengths offered… Continue Reading
Report: Majority of Americans oppose raising the debt ceiling
“The Chicago Booth/Kellogg School Financial Trust Index finds that 69 percent of Americans with a view on the issue are against raising the debt ceiling, with the remaining 31 percent in favor. Although the majority of survey participants oppose raising the debt ceiling, the Index finds that 46 percent of people surveyed did not have… Continue Reading
A Nationwide View on State-Licensed Mortgage Entities Quarter I 2011 Updated July
Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Registry – A Nationwide View on State Licensed Mortgage Entities Quarter I 2011. Updated July 18, 2011. Conference of State Bank Supervisors “This report compiles data from the first quarter of 2011 concerning companies, branches, and mortgage loan originators who are state-licensed or state-registered through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System… Continue Reading
NMLS Consumer Access – Free Service to Verify a Mortgage Company or Individual
“As outlined in the federal agencies Final Rule implementing the SAFE Acts federal registration requirement, certain pieces of federal registrant information will be made publicly available through Consumer Access. Federal registrant information is currently scheduled to be made publicly available through Consumer Access on August 1, 2011, shortly following the end of the federal registration… Continue Reading
Employment-Based Health Benefits and Taxation: Implications of Efforts to Reduce the Deficit and National Debt
Employment-Based Health Benefits and Taxation: Implications of Efforts to Reduce the Deficit and National Debt, July 2011. Employee Benefit Research Institute Issue Brief #360 “The United States is facing severe financial issues. The federal budget ran a deficit in 36 of the years between 1971 and 2010, increasing the debt held by the public from… Continue Reading
Looks Too Good To Be True.com webstie
“While the Internet can be a safe and convenient place to do business, scammers are out there in “cyber world” targeting unsuspecting consumers. The Looks Too Good To Be True.com website was built to educate you, the consumer, and help prevent you from becoming a victim of an Internet fraud scheme. The website was developed… Continue Reading
EIA: Green Pricing and Net Metering Programs 2009
Green Pricing and Net Metering Programs 2009, July 2011. U.S. Energy Information Administration “In 2009, a total of 680 electric industry participants reported having customers in green pricing programs, 6 percent more than in 2008. The number of customers in green pricing programs increased for the third consecutive year in 2009, reaching a high of… Continue Reading
Research interstate moving companies, obtain consumer protection information, read and file complaints
News release: “The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has launched a newly designed Web site with resources to help consumers protect themselves from fraudulent or unscrupulous interstate household goods moving companies. The Web site – www.ProtectYourMove.gov – includes a user-friendly database that allows visitors to look up interstate moving companies… Continue Reading
