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Monthly Archives: February 2014

Risk, Incentives, and the Desirability of Prudent Managers

Friedman, Henry L., Risk, Incentives, and the Desirability of Prudent Managers (February 1, 2014). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2399690 “I analyze a model in which the CFO oversees a reporting system that provides information useful for monitoring, decision-making, and contracting. The CFO’s actions influence the precision and bias of the performance metric, as well as the… Continue Reading

Ray Kurzweil changing the landscape of Google with new focus on robotics

Guardian: “Ray Kurzweil…believes that we can live for ever and that computers will gain what looks like a lot like consciousness in a little over a decade is now Google’s director of engineering. The announcement of this, last year, was extraordinary enough. To people who work with tech or who are interested in tech and who are… Continue Reading

Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012

Vital and Health  Statistics, Series 10, Number 260. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health. Interview Survey, 2012. Data from the National Health Interview Survey. February 2014. “This report provides national estimates for a broad range of health measures for the U.S. civilian non institutionalized population of adults. The other two reports in this set provide estimates of selected health measures for the U.S.… Continue Reading

Pakistan one of only four countries in the world that make tax records public

Sheila S. Coronel via her blog,  WatchDog Watcher:  “On February 15, Pakistan became one of only four countries in the world that make tax records public. The other three are Norway, Finland and Sweden. A year ago, no one would have thought this was possible. Pakistan, after all, is a cesspool of corruption and a… Continue Reading

What Courses Should Law Students Take? Harvard’s Largest Employers Weigh In

Coates, IV, John C. and Fried, Jesse M. and Spier, Kathryn E., What Courses Should Law Students Take? Harvard’s Largest Employers Weigh In (February 17, 2014). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2397317 “We report the results of an online survey, conducted on behalf of Harvard Law School, of 124 practicing attorneys at major law firms. The survey… Continue Reading

Report – Gender at Work

World Bank: “Women around the world still face huge, persistent gender gaps at work, according to a new report by the World Bank Group, which calls for bold, innovative measures to level the playing field and unleash women’s economic potential. By virtually every global measure, women are more economically excluded than men, according to Gender at Work.… Continue Reading

Human Smuggling and Trafficking into Europe: A Comparative Perspective

Migration Policy Institute Report by Louise Shelley, February 2014: “Human smuggling and trafficking are rapidly growing transnational criminal activities that involve the recruitment, movement, and delivery of migrants from a sending region to a destination. This report examines trafficking and smuggling trends and routes to Europe, and profiles the facilitators and clients/victims of such activities. Trafficked or smuggled… Continue Reading

CRS – Career and Technical Education: A Primer

Career and Technical Education (CTE): A Primer, Cassandria Dortch, Analyst in Education Policy, February 10, 2014. “Career and Technical Education (CTE), often referred to as vocational education, provides occupational and non-occupational preparation at the secondary, postsecondary, and adult education levels. CTE is an element of the nation’s workforce development system. As such, CTE plays a role in reducing unemployment and… Continue Reading

CRS – Vulnerable Youth: Background and Policies

Vulnerable Youth: Background and Policies, Adrienne L. Fernandes-Alcantara, Specialist in Social Policy, January 13, 2014 “The majority of young people in the United States grow up healthy and safe in their communities. Most of those of school age live with parents who provide for their well-being, and they attend schools that prepare them for advanced education or vocational training… Continue Reading

2014 U.S. Climate Action Report to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

“On January 1, 2014, the Department of State submitted the 2014 U.S. Climate Action Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).  This report, which includes the First U.S. Biennial Report and Sixth U.S. National Communication to the UNFCCC, details actions the United States is taking domestically and internationally to mitigate, adapt to,… Continue Reading

Canadian Court Decision on Copyright Trolls and P2P Lawsuit

Via Michael Geist: “The federal court has released its much anticipated decision in Voltage Pictures v. Does, a case involving demands that TekSavvy, a leading independent ISP, disclose the identities of roughly 2,000 subscribers alleged to have downloaded movies without authorization. The case attracted significant attention for several reasons: it is the first major “copyright troll”… Continue Reading

Release of Federal Reserve Financial Crisis Documents Shines Light on Government Response

CNNMoney: “If it wasn’t already obvious, it certainly is now: The Federal Reserve didn’t see the Great Recession coming until it was in the thick of the crisis. “I think there are a lot of indications that we may soon be in a recession,” former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told his colleagues in January 2008,… Continue Reading