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Daily Archives: November 19, 2020

FEMA Releases National Risk Index: New Online Data Shows Natural Hazards Risks for Communities

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“The National Risk Index (The Index) is an online tool to help illustrate the nation’s communities most at risk of natural hazards. It is made possible through a collaboration between FEMA and dozens of partners in academia; local, state and federal government; and private industry.  The Index leverages best available source data to provide a holistic view of community-level risk nationwide by combining multiple hazards with socioeconomic and built environment factors. It calculates a baseline relative risk measurement for each United States county and census tract for 18 natural hazards, based on Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience…Specifically, the National Risk Index can help with:

  • Enhancing hazard mitigation plans
  • Identifying the need for more refined risk assessments
  • Encouraging community-level risk communication and engagement
  • Developing codes and standards
  • Informing long-term community recovery
  • Prioritizing and allocating resources
  • Updating emergency operations
  • Informing the insurance and mortgage industries
  • Educating new homeowners and renters

Information Overload Helps Fake News Spread, and Social Media Knows It

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Scientific American: “…We prefer information from people we trust, our in-group. We pay attention to and are more likely to share information about risks—for Andy, the risk of losing his job. We search for and remember things that fit well with what we already know and understand. These biases are products of our evolutionary past,… Continue Reading

COVID-19: Government Resources for Real-Time Economic Indicators

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CRS Insight via LC – COVID-19: Government Resources for Real-Time Economic Indicators updated November 19, 2020: “This CRS Insight presents select real-time economic indicators that attempt to measure the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemicon the U.S.economy. Created by select federal government agencies, these new or unique indicators attempt to measure the demographic,… Continue Reading

Federal Telework: Key Practices That Can Help Ensure the Success of Telework Programs

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Federal Telework: Key Practices That Can Help Ensure the Success of Telework Programs, GAO-21-238T: Published: Nov 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal agencies have used telework as a strategy to help them continue their work in trying circumstances. We assembled our past work on federal telework to provide information… Continue Reading

Inside the Chaotic, Cutthroat Gray Market for N95 Masks

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The New York Times – “As the country heads into a dangerous new phase of the pandemic, the government’s management of the P.P.E. crisis has left the private sector still straining to meet anticipated demand…The N95 respirator is emblematic of globalized capitalism: It is made out of fossil fuels, manufactured at enormous scale, often in… Continue Reading

Weather Photographer of the Year 2020

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“Now in its fifth year, The Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) Weather Photographer of the Year competition 2020 in association with AccuWeather provides a platform for the world’s very best weather photography, depicting weather in its widest sense. The weather in its many forms can make for some of the most stunning photography. With a constantly changing… Continue Reading

Foreign Legal Gazettes Database

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“On December 8 at 2pm ET, the Law Library of Congress will host a webinar to demonstrate how to use our new Foreign Legal Gazettes Database to explore the Law Library’s vast collection of foreign legal gazettes. The Law Library has been collecting foreign legal gazettes since the mid-19th century. We are one of the… Continue Reading

Top 8 trends shaping digital transformation in 2021

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ZDNet – “IT’s role is more critical than ever in a world that’s increasingly dependent on digital. Organizations are under increasing pressure to stay competitive and create connected experiences. According to Salesforce MuleSoft Connectivity benchmark report, IT projects are projected to grow by 40%; and 82% of businesses are now holding their IT teams accountable for… Continue Reading

Top Shots From the 2020 International Landscape Photographer of the Year

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The Atlantic – “More than 3,800 entries were received in this year’s landscape-photography competition, from professional and amateur photographers around the world. Judges of the International Landscape Photographer of the Year contest narrowed the field down to a “Top 101” and then further, to award several category prizes and the International Landscape Photographer of the… Continue Reading

FDA Releases New Outbreak Investigation Table

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“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is committed to transparency and keeping the public and stakeholders informed of our work upholding the safety of our food supply. As part of this continued commitment, today we are releasing a new tool to communicate foodborne illness outbreak information frequently and as soon as the FDA begins an… Continue Reading