“Voting rates among young adults fell to 38.0 percent in 2012 from 44.3 percent in 2008 following increases in two consecutive presidential elections (2008 and 2004), according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report on age and voting patterns released today. These statistics come from Young Adult Voting: An Analysis of Presidential Elections, 1964-2012, which uses data… Continue Reading
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Author Archives: Sabrina I. Pacifici
Integrating Environmental and Human Health
“Sustainable health care is a work in progress. While virtually everyone recognizes the need for the industry to reduce its considerable impact on the environment, sustainability is rarely a high priority among decision makers at U.S. hospitals. There is so much short-term uncertainty and financial pressure in the industry today that it’s hard for many… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports – Collision Aftermarket Technologies, HUD Rental Assistance, SBA
TRANSPORTATION: Federal Vehicle Collisions and Aftermarket Collision Avoidance Technologies, GAO-14-408R: Published: Apr 24, 2014. Publicly Released: Apr 24, 2014. HUD RENTAL ASSISTANCE DEMONSTRATION: Information on Initial Conversions to Project-Based Vouchers, GAO-14-402: Published: Apr 24, 2014. Publicly Released: Apr 24, 2014. SMALL BUSINESS RESEARCH PROGRAMS: Agencies Did Not Consistently Comply with Spending and Reporting Requirements, GAO-14-567T: Published: Apr 24, 2014. Publicly Released: Apr 24, 2014. Continue Reading
CFPB – Mortgage closings today
A preliminary look at the role of technology in improving the closing process for consumers, April 2014 “The mortgage closing process is complex and often onerous for all involved. For most consumers, closing a mortgage signifies the most substantial financial transaction they will complete in their lifetimes. However, the process can be time-consuming and confusing. Consumers face a daunting… Continue Reading
Existing-Home Sales Remain Soft in March
News release: “Existing-home sales were essentially flat in March, while the growth in home prices moderated, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Sales gains in the Northeast and Midwest were offset by declines in the West and South. Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, slipped 0.2 percent to a… Continue Reading
Senate panel report on allegations of Homeland Security IG misconduct
Via WaPo – “Report from an oversight panel of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Operations Committee finds that Charles K. Edwards, the former senior watchdog for the Department of Homeland Security, altered and delayed investigations at the request of senior administration officials, compromising his independent role as an inspector general. Read the related story.“ Continue Reading
A User’s Guide to the Fiscal Year 2015 Defense Budget
“The U.S. Department of Defense’s fiscal year 2015 budget request outlines a sound path to responsibly meet the risks and challenges of the current national security environment. The plan also proposes a number of smart, targeted reductions to defense spending that will maintain U.S. military capabilities and the All-Volunteer Force while helping return the country… Continue Reading
Estimates of illegal and unreported fish in seafood imports to the USA
“Illegal and unreported catches represented 20–32% by weight of wild-caught seafood imported to the USA in 2011, as determined from robust estimates, including uncertainty, of illegal and unreported fishing activities in the source countries. These illegal imports are valued at between $1.3 and $2.1 billion, out of a total of $16.5 billion for the 2.3… Continue Reading
New Website Helps Vets Manage Benefits, Apply for Loans
“eBenefits is a portal; a central location for Veterans, Service Members, and their families to research, find, access, and, in time, manage their benefits and personal information. eBenefits offers: A personalized workspace called My Dashboard that provides quick access to eBenefits tools. Using eBenefits tools, you can complete various tasks. You can apply for benefits, download… Continue Reading
Go back in time with Street View
Google Official Blog: “If you’ve ever dreamt of being a time traveler like Doc Brown, now’s your chance. Starting today, you can travel to the past to see how a place has changed over the years by exploring Street View imagery in Google Maps for desktop. We’ve gathered historical imagery from past Street View collections dating back to… Continue Reading
Research Focuses on effective use of color in data visualization
The Right Colors Make Data Easier To Read by Sharon Lin and Jeffrey Heer “Artists and designers regularly use semantically resonant colors in their work. And in the research we conducted with Julie Fortuna, Chinmay Kulkarni, and Maureen Stone, we found they can be remarkably important to data visualization.” Continue Reading
Visualizing Health Policy: A Snapshot of US Global Health Funding
Kaiser Family Foundation: “This month’s Visualizing Health Policy infographic shows global health funding’s share of the US federal budget, the flattening of US funds for global health during the 21st century, where US dollars for global health are spent, the major areas receiving US global health funding, and how the US public overestimates the percentage of the… Continue Reading
