“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that Energy Star certified clothes dryers are now available nationwide through major retailers. At least 45 models of dryers earning the Energy Star label, including Whirlpool, Maytag, Kenmore, LG, and Safemate, are at least 20 percent more efficient and now available at prices comparable to standard dryers. “Dryers… Continue Reading
Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002
Monthly Archives: February 2015
Why CBO Pro Why CBO Projects That Actual Output Will Be Below Potential Output on Average jects That Actual Output Will Be Below Potential Output on Average
“Overall economic activity often is measured as the market value of the economy’s total output of goods and services—the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). For many reasons, GDP rises in some periods and falls in others, but those fluctuations occur around a rising path that is determined by growth in three particular factors in the… Continue Reading
Japan plans to restart some nuclear plants in 2015 after Fukushima shutdown
EIA: “Previously one of the world’s largest producers of nuclear-generated electricity, Japan has relied heavily on fossil fuels following the meltdown at Fukushima Dai-ichi and subsequent shutdown of the country’s nuclear fleet. In 2013, when almost all of Japan’s nuclear fleet was shut down, more than 86% of Japan’s generation mix was composed of fossil… Continue Reading
Motion Picture and Video Industry Receipts Exceed $80 Billion
“The U.S. Census Bureau released data today from the 2012 Economic Census showing that receipts for the nation’s motion picture and video industry (NAICS 5121) – covering the entire process from production to projection − increased $1.2 billion (1.5 percent), from $79.8 billion in 2007 to $81.0 billion in 2012. These receipt totals include ticket… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports – DOD Building Partner Capacity, Defense Business Transformation, GAO’s High-Risk Series, Mental Health
Building Partner Capacity: DOD Should Improve Its Reporting to Congress on Challenges to Expanding Ministry of Defense Advisors Program, GAO-15-279: Published: Feb 11, 2015. Publicly Released: Feb 11, 2015. Defense Business Transformation: DOD Has Taken Some Steps to Address Weaknesses, but Additional Actions Are Needed, GAO-15-213:Published: Feb 11, 2015. Publicly Released: Feb 11, 201 GAO’s… Continue Reading
Groups rally to counter massive loss of monarch butterflies
The Campaign to Save the Nearly One Billion Lost Butterflies – by Dana Driskill “Save the pandas. Save the polar bears. Save the bald eagles. Some threatened animals will inevitably receive more press than others, but what’s shocking is the lack of dialogue surrounding the disappearance of 970 million monarch butterflies since 1990, an alarming… Continue Reading
Take a Security Checkup on Safer Internet Day
Official Google Blog: “Online security is on everyone’s mind these days. According to a recent Gallup poll, more people are worried about their online accounts being hacked than having their home broken into. Security has always been a top priority for Google. Our Safe Browsing technology identifies unsafe websites and warns people before they visit… Continue Reading
For Preventing Disease, Data Are the New Drugs
Is giving up your biological secrets too bitter a pill? By Tim McDonnell: “…A new cadre of medical researchers believes that examining the full genetic information of as many people as possible will reveal not just the cures for health problems ranging from pre-term birth to cancer and autism, but the predictive insight to prevent… Continue Reading
Role of the Networked Public Sphere in the U.S. Net Neutrality Policy Debate
“Media Cloud is pleased to announce the publication of Score Another One for the Internet? The Role of the Networked Public Sphere in the U.S. Net Neutrality Policy Debate: In this paper we study the public debate over net neutrality in the United States from January through November 2014. We compiled, mapped, and analyzed over 16,000… Continue Reading
Remedy for your health-related questions: health info in the Knowledge Graph
Google Official Blog: “…starting in the next few days, when you ask Google about common health conditions, you’ll start getting relevant medical facts right up front from the Knowledge Graph. We’ll show you typical symptoms and treatments, as well as details on how common the condition is—whether it’s critical, if it’s contagious, what ages it… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports – Critical Technologies, Land-Use Agreements, Medicaid, Prenatal Drug Use
Critical Technologies: Agency Initiatives Address Some Weaknesses, but Additional Interagency Collaboration Is Needed, GAO-15-288: Published: Feb 10, 2015. Publicly Released: Feb 10, 2015. Land-Use Agreements: Improved Data Reliability and Monitoring Needed for Department of Veterans Affairs, GAO-15-134T: Published: Feb 10, 2015. Publicly Released: Feb 10, 2015. Medicaid: Additional Federal Action Needed to Further Improve Third-Party… Continue Reading
Using ESPCs to Finance Federal Investments in Energy-Efficient Equipment
CBO Report – “A variety of laws and executive orders require federal agencies to improve the energy efficiency of their facilities and to pursue a range of other energy-related goals. Because the availability of annual appropriations is limited, the Administration encourages federal agencies to use other types of financing—such as energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs)—to… Continue Reading
