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Daily Archives: October 30, 2014

Doing Business 2015

Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency, a World Bank Group flagship publication, is the 12th in a series of annual reports measuring the regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. Doing Business presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 189 economies—from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe—and over time. Doing Business measures regulations affecting 11 areas of the life of a business. Ten of these areas are included in this year’s ranking on the ease of doing business: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency.Doing Business also measures labor market regulation, which is not included in this year’s ranking. Data in Doing Business 2015 are current as of June 1, 2014. The indicators are used to analyze economic outcomes and identify what reforms of business regulation have worked, where and why. This year’s report introduces a notable expansion of several indicator sets and a change in the calculation of rankings.”

 

Guide to Cyber Threat 6 Information Sharing (Draft) – NIST

NIST Special Publication 800-150 (Draft) Guide to Cyber Threat Information Sharing (Draft). Chris Johnson, Lee Badger, David Waltermire – Computer Security Division – Information Technology Laboratory, October 2014: “In today’s active threat environment, incident detection and response is an ongoing challenge for many organizations. This publication assists organizations in establishing computer security incident response capabilities that leverage the collective knowledge, experience, and abilities of… Continue Reading

The False Promise of Anonymity – CDT

Sarah St.Vincent and Alex Bradshaw: “In recent weeks, multiple apps promising “secret” messaging have had sensitive data exposed by breaches and the apps’ not-so-secret data-sharing practices. This news makes one thing clear: the term “anonymity,” as used by apps that ostensibly enable individuals to post updates anonymously, often promises too much. Many applications promising anonymity… Continue Reading

What Drives U.S. Gasoline Prices?

EIA, October 30, 2014: “U.S. oil production has grown rapidly in recent years. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, which reflect combined production of crude oil and lease condensate, show a rise from 5.6 million barrels per day (bbl/d) in 2011 to 7.4 million bbl/d in 2013. EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) projects continuing rapid… Continue Reading

New GAO Reports – Disability Compensation, DOD Business Systems Modernization, DOD Space Systems, Energy Policy

DISABILITY COMPENSATION: Review of Concurrent Receipt of Department of Defense Retirement, Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Compensation, and Social Security Disability Insurance, GAO-14-854R: Published: Sep 30, 2014. Publicly Released: Oct 30, 2014. DOD BUSINESS SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION: Additional Enhancements Are Needed for Army Business System Schedule and Cost Estimates to Fully Meet Best Practices, GAO-14-470: Published: Sep 30, 2014. Publicly Released: Oct… Continue Reading

5.5 Million Americans Considering Renouncing US Citizenship

Forbes: “73% of Americans abroad are tempted to give up their U.S. passports, reveals a new survey by deVere Group, an independent financial advisory organization. There are an estimated 7.6 million Americans living overseas. At 73%, that’s approximately 5,548,000 Americans weighing handing in U.S. passports. If all those considering renouncing followed through, it would be the… Continue Reading

WSJ Database for consitutents to explore composition of Congressional representation

“The U.S. House of Representatives was envisioned as a house of the people, directly elected by voters and reflecting their will. But what if Congress also reflected its constituents’ demographics? Explore how members of the House compare with residents of each of the 435 congressional districts, based on the predominant characteristics within each. Then see… Continue Reading