Pew – As internet use nears saturation for some groups, a look at patterns of adoption:”A new analysis of 15 years-worth of data highlights several key trends: For some groups, especially young adults, those with high levels of education, and those in more affluent households, internet penetration is at full saturation levels. For other groups,… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: June 2015
Report documents extensive drought in western states
Follow up to previous posting – California Curtails Senior Water Rights via ProPublica – California’s Drought Is Part of a Much Bigger Water Crisis. Here’s What You Need to Know, by Abrahm Lustgarten, Lauren Kirchner and Amanda Zamora. June 25, 2015. “Why do I keep hearing about the California drought, if it’s the Colorado River… Continue Reading
HHS OIG Reports Fraud Abuse in Cost of Drugs Under Medicare
HHS OIG Data Brief • June 2015 • OEI-02-15-00190. Questionable Billing and Geographic Hotspots Point to Potential Fraud and Abuse in Medicare Part D: “More than 1,400 pharmacies had questionable billing for Part D drugs in 2014 A total of 1,432 retail pharmacies billed extremely high amounts for at least one of the five measures… Continue Reading
CFPB consumer complaint database
“[June 25, 2015] the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) [went] live with an enhanced public-facing consumer complaint database. It includes for the first time over 7,700 consumer accounts of problems they are facing with financial companies concerning mortgages, bank accounts, credit cards, debt collection, and more. The CFPB is also publishing a Request for Information… Continue Reading
Job Opening – New Librarian of Congress
The Atlantic – Robinson Meyer: Experts say that a new librarian should digitize more works, raise more money—and use email. “The current librarian, James Billington, has held the title since his appointment by President Reagan in 1987. Though named by the president and confirmed by the Senate, the Librarian doesn’t change with every new White… Continue Reading
Study – smartphones diminish attention span
A Microsoft study highlights the deteriorating attention span of humans, saying it has fallen from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds: “According to scientists, the age of smartphones has left humans with such a short attention span even a goldfish can hold a thought for longer. Researchers surveyed 2,000 participants in Canada and studied… Continue Reading
National Journal – Mapping Gay Marriage Since 1996
From No States to All of Them: Mapping Gay Marriage Since 1996 How same-sex marriage became legal in the United States, by National Journal Graphics Staff: “A day ago, same-sex marriage was legal in 36 states and the District of Columbia. Now, it’s legal in all 50. The Supreme Court said in a 5-4 ruling… Continue Reading
2014 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
“On June 25, 2015, Secretary Kerry submitted the 2014 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (commonly known as the Human Rights Reports) to the U.S. Congress. The reports, now in their 39th year, are available at State.gov/humanrightsreports and HumanRights.gov/reports. Mandated by Congress, the Human Rights Reports help inform U.S. government policy and foreign assistance. They… Continue Reading
Paper – The Oligopoly of Academic Publishers in Digital Era
PLOS ONE Open Access – “The consolidation of the scientific publishing industry has been the topic of much debate within and outside the scientific community, especially in relation to major publishers’ high profit margins. However, the share of scientific output published in the journals of these major publishers, as well as its evolution over time… Continue Reading
Massive Government Data Breach Even Worse than Reported
EPIC: “A Congressional hearing on the Office of Personnel Management data breach has now revealed one of the worst data breaches in US history. The agency initially reported that the personal information of 4 million government employees was obtained, but news reports suggest the breach was much larger–exposing the social security numbers of more than… Continue Reading
Study – Uncertainty in global groundwater storage estimates
Uncertainty in global groundwater storage estimates in a total groundwater stress framework. Accepted manuscript online: 16 June 2015 Full publication history DOI: 10.1002/2015 WR017351 “Groundwater is a finite resource under continuous external pressures. Current unsustainable groundwater use threatens the resilience of aquifer systems and their ability to provide a long-term water source. Groundwater storage is… Continue Reading
Supreme Court rejects latest challenge to Affordable Health Care Act
United States Supreme Court – KING ET AL. v. BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL., (2015) No. 14-114. Argued: March 4, 2015 Decided: June 25, 201 “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act grew out of a long history of failed health insurance reform. In the 1990s, several States sought to expand… Continue Reading
