Matthew Sparkes – New research shows that 80 per cent of scientific data is no longer available 20 years after findings are published, as information is lost in old email addresses and obsolete storage formats. “Researchers at the University of British Columbia chose a random set of of 516 studies published between 1991 and 2001 and… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: December 2013
2013 Status of Telework in the Federal Government
2013 Status of Telework in the Federal Government – Report to the Congress. United States Office of Personnel Management, December 2013 “As demonstrated in this second U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) status report under the Telework Enhancement Act (the Act), the utility of telework as a strategic organizational change program is increasingly appreciated within the Federal Government. Reported results… Continue Reading
Google Transparency Report: Government removal requests continue to rise
“We launched the Transparency Report in 2010 to provide hard evidence of how laws and policies affect access to information online. Today, for the eighth time, we’re releasing new numbers showing requests from governments to remove content from our services. From January to June 2013, we received 3,846 government requests to remove 24,737 pieces of content—a 68 percent increase over the… Continue Reading
CRS – Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer
Nanotechnology: A Policy Primer, John F. Sargent Jr., Specialist in Science and Technology Policy. December 16, 2013 “Nanoscale science, engineering, and technology—commonly referred to collectively as nanotechnology—is believed by many to offer extraordinary economic and societal benefits. Congress has demonstrated continuing support for nanotechnology and has directed its attention primarily to three topics that may affect the realization of this… Continue Reading
Agencies Issue FAQ on Collateralized Debt Obligations Backed by Trust Preferred Securities under Final Rules Implementing “Volcker Rule”
“Three federal financial institution regulatory agencies today issued a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document to provide clarification and guidance to banking entities regarding investments in “Covered Funds” and whether collateralized debt obligations backed by trust preferred securities (TruPS CDOs) could be determined to be Covered Funds under the final rules to implement section 619 of… Continue Reading
FDA Taking Closer Look at ‘Antibacterial’ Soap
News release: “When you’re buying soaps and body washes, do you reach for the bar or bottle labeled “antibacterial”? Are you thinking that these products, in addition to keeping you clean, will reduce your risk of getting sick or passing on germs to others? Not necessarily, according to experts at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Every… Continue Reading
OCC Reports Third Quarter Trading Revenue of $4.5 Billion
“Insured U.S. commercial banks and savings institutions reported trading revenue of $4.5 billion in the third quarter of 2013, down $2.8 billion, or 38 percent, from $7.3 billion in the second quarter. Trading revenue in the third quarter was $0.8 billion, or 15 percent, lower than in the third quarter of 2012, the Office of… Continue Reading
Study by NOAA and Partners Shows Some Gulf Dolphins Severely Ill
“Researchers continue to assess the damage to the Gulf of Mexico caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Among the numerous studies that are a part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment, one takes a close look at potential damage done to marine mammals in the Gulf. An aspect of this work includes the careful identification… Continue Reading
Border Adjustments for Economywide Policies That Impose a Price on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
“Human activities around the world are producing increasingly large quantities of greenhouse gases (GHGs), the most abundant of which is carbon dioxide (CO2). In recent years, concerns about the effects those emissions might have on the climate have prompted the Congress, federal regulators, and others to consider policies to reduce them. This CBO report examines… Continue Reading
CBO – Federal Investment
Federal Investment, December 19, 2013 “The federal government pays for a wide range of goods and services that are expected to be useful some years in the future. Those purchases, called investment, fall into three categories: physical capital, research and development (R&D), and education and training. There are several economic rationales for federal investment. It… Continue Reading
International Trade and Carbon Leakage: Working Paper 2013-08
Working Paper Series, Congressional Budget Office. International Trade and Carbon Leakage, Bruce Arnold, December 2013. Working Paper 2013-08 “Under a broad-based carbon tax or cap-and-trade program, some of the reduction in U.S. carbon dioxide emissions would probably be offset by increases in foreign emissions that would not otherwise have occurred, a phenomenon known as carbon leakage. Industries with substantial total… Continue Reading
Measuring OECD Responses to Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries
Measuring OECD Responses to Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries “Strengthening OECD firewalls can only do so much to combat a phenomenon which thrives on weak governance. This report highlights that donor agencies can support this goal through their central role in linking OECD and developing countries, and using their aid to support governments willing… Continue Reading
