How Social Security Benefits Are Computed: In Brief. Noah P. Meyerson, Analyst in Income Security, May 12, 2014 “Social Security, which paid $812 billion in benefits in 2013, is the largest program in the federal budget. There are currently about 58 million Social Security beneficiaries. Most Social Security beneficiaries are retired and disabled workers, whose monthly benefits depend… Continue Reading
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Author Archives: Sabrina I. Pacifici
How Machine Intelligence Will Transform the Role of Lawyers in the Delivery of Legal Service
McGinnis, John O. and Pearce, Russell G., The Great Disruption: How Machine Intelligence Will Transform the Role of Lawyers in the Delivery of Legal Services (May 13, 2014). Northwestern Public Law Research Paper No. 14-17; 82 Fordham Law Review 3041 (2014). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2436937 “This Article argues that machines are coming to disrupt the legal… Continue Reading
Preliminary Results: Honey Bee Colony Losses in the United States, 2013-2014
“The Bee Informed Partnership, in collaboration with the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is releasing preliminary results for the eighth annual national survey of honey bee colony losses. For the 2013/2014 winter season, 7,183 beekeepers in the United States (U.S.) responded. Collectively, they managed 564,522 colonies in… Continue Reading
Health, United States, 2013 includes special section on prescription drugs
“About half of all Americans reported taking one or more prescription drugs in the past 30 days during 2007-2010, and 1 in 10 took five or more, according to Health, United States, 2013, the government’s annual, comprehensive report on the nation’s health. This is the 37th annual report prepared for the Secretary of the Department of… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports – Biological Defense, Export Controls, Int’l Labor Grants, National Nuclear Security, VA Health Care
BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE: DOD Has Strengthened Coordination on Medical Countermeasures but Can Improve Its Process for Threat Prioritization, GAO-14-442: Published: May 15, 2014. Publicly Released: May 15, 2014. EXPORT CONTROLS: NASA Management Action and Improved Oversight Needed to Reduce the Risk of Unauthorized Access to Its Technologies, GAO-14-315: Published: Apr 15, 2014. Publicly Released: May 15, 2014. FINANCIAL AUDIT: Congressional Award Foundation’s Fiscal… Continue Reading
FCC and ALA react to Open Internet controversy
“On Friday May 15, 2915 the FCC has released a new document on open internet. It seems the FCC is trying to find a solution which will get by the DC Circuit Court which has struck down previous attempts set regulatory standards for internet providers. Also there is an article in the Washington Post about ALA’s concerns… Continue Reading
Go almost anywhere with public transit on Google Maps
Official Google Blog: “More than 70 percent of the world’s population doesn’t own a car—a surprising fact for anyone who’s sat for what seems like hours on end in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Millions of people rely on public transit to get around. That’s why, since 2007, we’ve worked to include public transit routes and schedules in… Continue Reading
A Fragile Rebound for EU Image on Eve of European Parliament Elections
“Support for the European Union may be rebounding just in time for the European Parliament elections, according to a new survey of seven EU nations by the Pew Research Center. After a dramatic decline in the wake of the euro crisis, EU favorability is now on the rise in France, the United Kingdom, and Germany.… Continue Reading
Young Adults, Student Debt and Economic Well-Being
Via Pew, by Richard Fry: “Student debt burdens are weighing on the economic fortunes of younger Americans, as households headed by young adults owing student debt lag far behind their peers in terms of wealth accumulation, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of government data. About four-in-ten U.S. households (37%) headed by an… Continue Reading
The Internet of Things Will Thrive by 2025
Pew – Many experts say the rise of embedded and wearable computing will bring the next revolution in digital technology. “To a notable extent, the experts agree on the technology change that lies ahead, even as they disagree about its ramifications. Most believe there will be: A global, immersive, invisible, ambient networked computing environment built through the… Continue Reading
Uranium Marketing Annual Report
Uranium purchases and prices: “Owners and operators of U.S. civilian nuclear power reactors (“civilian owner/operators” or “COOs”) purchased a total of 57 million pounds U3O8e (equivalent1) of deliveries from U.S. suppliers and foreign suppliers during 2013, at a weighted-average price of $51.99 per pound U3O8e. The 2013 total of 57 million pounds U3O8e decreased slightly compared… Continue Reading
China produces and consumes almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined
EIA – “Chinese production and consumption of coal increased for the 13th consecutive year in 2012. China is by far the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal, accounting for 46% of global coal production and 49% of global coal consumption—almost as much as the rest of the world combined. As a manufacturing country that… Continue Reading
