News release: “As part of its efforts to ensure that consumers are protected in the growing mobile marketplace, the Federal Trade Commission issued a staff report today highlighting key issues facing consumers and companies as they adopt mobile payment services. The report, titled Paper, Plastic or Mobile? An FTC Workshop on Mobile Payments, is based… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: March 2013
VA Review of Alleged Transmission of Sensitive VA Data Over Internet Connections
VA Office of Inspector General, Office of Audits and Evaluations – Review of Alleged Transmission of Sensitive VA Data Over Internet Connections, March 6, 2013 “We substantiated the allegation that VA was transmitting sensitive data, including PII and internal network routing information, over an unencrypted telecommunications carrier network. Office of Information and Technology (OIT) personnel… Continue Reading
Health Insurance Market Reforms: Portability
“Most Americans have access to health insurance through an employer-sponsored health plan, a fact that has made changing or losing a job a complex issue for the purposes of maintaining health insurance. Moving to a new job can be hard if the employer does not offer health insurance, or if the new employers health plan… Continue Reading
Working Paper – Information Flows in Dark Markets: Dissecting Customer Currency Trades
Information Flows in Dark Markets: Dissecting Customer Currency Trades, by Lukas Menkhoff, Lucio Sarno, Maik Schmeling and Andreas Schrimpf. Working Papers No 405, March 2013. Bank for International Settlements “We study the information in order flows of different customer segments in the world’s largest over-the-counter market, the foreign exchange market. The analysis draws on a… Continue Reading
From Dirty to Green: Increasing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Environmental Justice Communities
From Dirty to Green: Increasing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Environmental Justice Communities, Deborah Behles, Golden Gate University School of Law, 2013. Villanova Law Review, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2013. Available at SSRN “The stifling summer heat that raged across the nation was difficult for everyone, but one group had a more difficult time… Continue Reading
Financial crises and bank funding: recent experience in the euro area
Financial crises and bank funding: recent experience in the euro area, by Adrian Van Rixtel and Gabriele Gasperini. Working Papers No 406, March 2013. Bank for International Settlements. “This paper provides an overview of bank funding trends in the euro area following the 2007-09 global financial crisis and the euro area crisis. It shows that… Continue Reading
CRS Reports remain out of public domain – new legislation seeks wider access
Sunlight Foundation Blog, by Matthew Rumsey: March 7, 2013, “Representatives Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and Mike Quigley (D-IL) reintroduced legislation that will make it easier for the public, the media, and government employees to better understand the important policy matters facing Congress. The bipartisan “Public Access to Congressional Research Service Reports Resolution of 2013” would ensure… Continue Reading
BLS – February payroll employment rises (+236,000); unemployment rate edges down (7.7%)
New release: “Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 236,000 in February, and the unemployment rate edged down to 7.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in professional and business services, construction, and health care. Household Survey Data: The unemployment rate edged down to 7.7 percent in February but has shown… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports – Cybersecurity, Defense Technology Development, National Defense, Food Assistance
Cybersecurity – A Better Defined and Implemented National Strategy Is Needed to Address Persistent Challenges, GAO-13-462T, Mar 7, 2013 Defense Technology Development – Technology Transition Programs Support Military Users, but Opportunities Exist to Improve Measurement of Outcomes, GAO-13-286, Mar 7, 2012 National Defense – Department of Defense’s Waiver of Competitive Prototyping Requirement for Combat Rescue… Continue Reading
Federal Reserve releases summary results of bank stress tests
“The Dodd-Frank Act Stress Tests are a set of forward-looking exercises conducted both by the Federal Reserve and by financial companies regulated by the Federal Reserve. The stress tests were mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and are intended to ensure institutions have sufficient capital to absorb losses and support… Continue Reading
CRS – Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2013
Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2013. Valerie Heitshusen – Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process. March 4, 2013 “This report briefly describes current responsibilities and selection mechanisms for 15 House and Senate party leadership posts and provides tables with historical data, including service dates, party affiliation, and other information for each. Tables… Continue Reading
CRS – Oil Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline
Follow up to previous posting on Keystone XL Pipeline Application, this new CRS report – Oil Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline: Background and Selected Environmental Issues, February 21, 2013. “If constructed, the Keystone XL pipeline would transport crude oil (e.g., synthetic crude oil or diluted bitumen) derived from oil sands in Alberta, Canada to… Continue Reading
