News release: “Domestic coal consumption during the fourth quarter of 2011 decreased by 18.8% from the third quarter of 2011 to 227.1 million short tons, which was the lowest level since the second quarter of 1995. This decrease was primarily the result of lower consumption in the electric power sector. However, declines in domestic coal… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: April 2012
USDA Regional Food Hub Guide: An Innovative Tool for Growing Local Food Systems
“Last week, at the National Good Food Network (NGFN) Food Hub Collaboration Spring 2012 Conference in Chicago (sponsored by USDA and the Wallace Center at Winrock International), USDA released our new Regional Food Hub Resource Guide, a collection of information, resources and background on everything needed to develop or participate in a regional food hub.… Continue Reading
Zillow Home Value Forecast: Majority of Markets To Hit Bottom by Late 2012
Zillow Home Value Forecast: Majority of Markets To Hit Bottom by Late 2012 (Interactive Data), Stan Humphries, April 24, 2012 Nineteen of the 30 metro areas covered by the Zillow Home Value Forecast will reach a bottom in 2012, or have already reached a bottom. Several of those are expected to see significant home value… Continue Reading
Employment-Based Health Benefits: Trends in Access and Coverage, 1997-2010
Employment-Based Health Benefits: Trends in Access and Coverage, 1997-2010. April 2012. EBRI Issue Brief #370 “Since 2002 the percentage of workers with health coverage has been declining, mostly because fewer workers have access to coverage. Both the offer rate (the percentage of workers offered a health benefit) and the coverage rate for employment-based health benefits… Continue Reading
Time Trends in Poverty for Older Americans Between 20012009
Time Trends in Poverty for Older Americans Between 20012009 – April 2012, Vol. 33, No. 4. Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2012 “Generally, poverty rates fell from 20012005 for almost all age groups, and then started rising. This correlates to the two economic recessions that occurred during the last decade. During this period, poverty rates rose… Continue Reading
National Compensation Survey: Health Plan Provisions in State and Local Government in the United States, 2011
National Compensation Survey: Health Plan Provisions in State and Local Government in the United States, 2011 – March 2012 Bulletin 2772 Overview – Tables – Health plan provisions Medical care benefits Fee-for-service plans Health maintenance organizations Selected benefits by type of plan High deductible and non-high deductible health plans Mental health care and substance abuse… Continue Reading
List of CBO publications that analyze the budgetary impact of the Budget Control Act of 2011
List of CBO publications that analyze the budgetary impact of the Budget Control Act of 2011, (P.L. 112-25). Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: Cybersecurity, Farm Bill, Medicare, Urgent Warfighter Needs
Cybersecurity – Threats Impacting the Nation, GAO-12-666T, Apr 24, 2012 Farm Bill – Issues to Consider for Reauthorization, GAO-12-338SP, Apr 24, 2012 Medicare – Important Steps Have Been Taken, but More Could Be Done to Deter Fraud, GAO-12-671T, Apr 24, 2012 Urgent Warfighter Needs – Opportunities Exist to Expedite Development and Fielding of Joint Capabilities,… Continue Reading
Millions of Harvard Library Catalog Records Publicly Available
News release: “The Harvard Library announced it is making more than 12 million catalog records from Harvards 73 libraries publicly available. The records contain bibliographic information about books, videos, audio recordings, images, manuscripts, maps, and more. The Harvard Library is making these records available in accordance with its Open Metadata Policy and under a Creative… Continue Reading
FDA strengthens international collaboration to ensure quality, safety of imported products
News release: “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released the agencys Global Engagement Report detailing the many activities and strategies FDA is using to transform from a domestic to a global public health agency. The report describes the steps the agency is taking to ensure that imported food, drugs, medical devices, and other regulated products… Continue Reading
CFA Report: How Identity Theft Services Measure Up to Best Practices
“The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) released Best Practices for Identity Theft Services: How Are Services Measuring Up?, which analyzes how well identity theft services are providing key information to prospective customers. The study is based on CFAs Best Practices for Identity Theft Services, voluntary guidelines that CFA developed with the help of identity theft… Continue Reading
Joint governement and academic portal assists HR hiring of employees with disabilities
FCW: “An interactive online portal has spawned new hope for people with disabilities exploring a career in the federal government — and for managers looking to recruit them. Launched in September 2011 in response to a directive that requires agencies to boost their efforts to hire employees with disabilities, eFedLink.org connects more than 400 federal… Continue Reading
