Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Author Archives: Sabrina I. Pacifici

NRDC Calls on EPA to Review Use of Pesticide that threatens monarch butterfly populations

“…NRDC is calling on EPA to re-examine the widespread use of glyphosate, commonly called Roundup, in light of its impacts on monarch butterflies.  Glyphosate was last approved by EPA in 1993 before the adoption of genetically modified crops that are tolerant to its use, known as “Roundup Ready” crops.  Now, however, Roundup Ready corn and… Continue Reading

Agencies Should More Fully Evaluate the Costs and Benefits of Executive Training

HUMAN CAPITAL: Agencies Should More Fully Evaluate the Costs and Benefits of Executive Training, GAO-14-132: Published: Jan 31, 2014. Publicly Released: Mar 4, 2014. “Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) from 26 agencies reported that, from fiscal years 2008 through 2012, they spent almost $57 million (in constant 2012 dollars) on executive training provided by external providers. CHCOs reported… Continue Reading

Survey of Mental Health Throughout the United States

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (February 28, 2014). The NSDUH Report: State Estimates of Adult Mental Illness from the 2011 and 2012 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Rockville, MD. “Mental illness is a major public health concern in the United States. Information on the prevalence of mental… Continue Reading

The Importance of Engineering Talent to the Prosperity and Security of the Nation

“The quality of engineering in the United States will only be as good as the quality of the engineers doing it. The recruitment and retention of talented young people into engineering therefore need to be top national priorities, given the crucial importance of engineering to our prosperity, security, health, and well-being. Only 4.4 percent of… Continue Reading

Climate Change: Evidence and Causes

“Climate Change: Evidence and Causes is a jointly produced publication of The US National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society. Written by a UK-US team of leading climate scientists and reviewed by climate scientists and others, the publication is intended as a brief, readable reference document for decision makers, policy makers, educators, and other individuals… Continue Reading

New GAO Reports – Medicare, National Defense, Overseas Threats, Climate Change

MEDICARE: Contractors and Private Plans Play a Major Role in Administering Benefits, GAO-14-417T: Published: Mar 4, 2014. Publicly Released: Mar 4, 2014. NATIONAL DEFENSE:  The Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Competitive Procurement, GAO-14-377R: Published: Mar 4, 2014. Publicly Released: Mar 4, 2014. COUNTERING OVERSEAS THREATS: DOD and State Need to Address Gaps in Monitoring of Security Equipment… Continue Reading

New Draft of Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education

Association of College and Research Libraries – Draft Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, February 2014 [snipped] “Introduction. The changes in higher education, coupled with a more complex information ecosystem than  existed at the end of the last century, demand new engagement with the concept of information literacy. This Introduction explores the reasons for the dramatic shift… Continue Reading

DOD Quadrennial Defense Review

“The Department of Defense has released the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The QDR Factsheet can be found here. The news article is Quadrennial Defense Review Charts Strategy Evolution. he 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) is a legislatively-mandated (USC 10, Sec. 118 (a)) review of the Department of Defense (DoD) strategy and priorities… and outlines the strategic direction… Continue Reading

EPA Sets Cleaner Fuel and Car Standards

Tier 3 Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards Program: “Based on extensive input from the public and a broad range of stakeholders, including public health groups, auto manufacturers, refiners, and states, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today finalized emission standards for cars and gasoline that will significantly reduce harmful pollution and prevent thousands of premature… Continue Reading

Response to Environmental Impact Statement for the Keystone XL Project

“Carbon Tracker responds to the US Department of State’s Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) with our new research report KXL: The ‘significance’ trap. This report shows that the $8+ cost advantage KXL would bring over rail makes extra projects equivalent to the pipeline’s capacity break even. This market view confirms that KXL is significant for a… Continue Reading

Navigating the Pitfalls of Implicit Bias: A Cognitive Science Primer for Civil Litigators

Negowetti, Nicole, Navigating the Pitfalls of Implicit Bias: A Cognitive Science Primer for Civil Litigators (March 3, 2014). St. Mary’s L.J. Legal Malpractice & Ethics, Forthcoming; Valparaiso University Legal Studies Research Paper No. 14-3. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2403938 “Cognitive science has revealed that past experiences and prior assumptions, even those of which we are not… Continue Reading