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Daily Archives: February 11, 2014

Pew – The Rising Cost of Not Going to College

“For those who question the value of college in this era of soaring student debt and high unemployment, the attitudes and experiences of today’s young adults—members of the so-called Millennial generation—provide a compelling answer. On virtually every measure of economic well-being and career attainment—from personal earnings to job satisfaction to the share employed full time—young college graduates are outperforming their peers with less education. And when today’s young adults are compared with previous generations, the disparity in economic outcomes between college graduates and those with a high school diploma or less formal schooling has never been greater in the modern era…The economic analysis finds that Millennial college graduates ages 25 to 321 who are working full time earn more annually—about $17,500 more—than employed young adults holding only a high school diploma. The pay gap was significantly smaller in previous generations. College-educated Millennials also are more likely to be employed full time than their less-educated counterparts (89% vs. 82%) and significantly less likely to be unemployed (3.8% vs. 12.2%).”

Report – Democracy in Crisis: Corruption, Media, and Power in Turkey

A Freedom House Special Report, February 2014: “Turkey’s government is improperly using its leverage over media to limit public debate about government actions and punish journalists and media owners who dispute government claims, deepening the country’s political and social polarization, Freedom House concludes in a report issued on February 3. “The government must recognize that its efforts to control a… Continue Reading

OCC Comptroller’s Handbook – Mortgage Banking February 2014

“The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC) Comptroller’s Handbook booklet, Mortgage Banking, provides guidance for bank examiners and bankers on various mortgage banking activities, such as the purchase or sale of mortgages in the secondary mortgage market. Throughout this booklet, national banks and federal savings associations (FSA) are referred to collectively as banks, except when it is… Continue Reading

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System – Monetary Policy Report

Monetary Policy Report – February 11, 2014: “The labor market improved further during the second half of 2013 and into early 2014 as the economic recovery strengthened: Employment has increased at an average monthly pace of about 175,000 since June, and the unemployment rate fell from 7.5 percent in June to 6.6 percent in January. With these gains, payrolls have risen a cumulative 3¼ million… Continue Reading

HR 3696 the National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2013

H.R. 3696, (Mr. McCaul) To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make certain improvements regarding cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection, and for other purposes. The “National Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2013”. Full text of H.R. 3696, as introduced [PDF] Subcommittee Markup, January 15, 2014 | Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security… Continue Reading

Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Releases Report on DOD Response to Benghazi

“The House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations released a comprehensive report today, Majority Interim Report: Benghazi Investigation Update, evaluating the response of the Department of Defense (DOD) to the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012.  To undertake the committee’s review, Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon directed the Subcommittee on Oversight and… Continue Reading

Better Markets Files Lawsuit Challenging DOJ Agreement Granting JP Morgan Chase Blanket Immunity In Exchange for $13 Billion

“On February 10, Better Markets filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in DC challenging the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) unilateral, historic and unprecedented $13 billion settlement with JP Morgan Chase. It is the largest settlement with a single entity in the history of the country and involved the biggest, richest and most politically well-connected bank… Continue Reading

Commentary – FBI Issues Cyber Attack Warning To Retailers: Is Chip And PIN The Answer?

Eric A. Packel: “Point-of-sale (POS) systems are under attack.  In the wake of breaches at Neiman Marcus, Target and other stores over the 2013 holiday season, the FBI is now warning retailers to expect similar cyber attacks in the coming months.  The warning came in the form of a 3 page report distributed to numerous retailers… Continue Reading

American Libraries Critical Part of Fabric of Life in a Changing and Challenging World

Anna Clark – “America’s network of public libraries is older than America itself. You can make a strong case that the precursor to our modern book-lending system was developed in Boston in 1636, in Charleston in 1698, by Benjamin Franklin and his Philadelphia cohort in 1731, or in the Massachusetts town that named itself after… Continue Reading

UK – Big Data for Law

“The National Archives has received ‘big data’ funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to deliver the ‘Big Data for Law‘ project. Just over £550,000 will enable the project to transform how we understand and use current legislation, delivering a new service – legislation.gov.uk Research – by March 2015. There are an estimated 50… Continue Reading