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Author Archives: Sabrina I. Pacifici

BIS – Revised Basel III leverage ratio framework and disclosure requirements – consultative document

Revised Basel III leverage ratio framework and disclosure requirements – consultative document – June 2013: “An underlying feature of the financial crisis was the build-up of excessive on- and off-balance sheet leverage in the banking system. The Basel III reforms introduced a simple, transparent, non-risk based leverage ratio to act as a credible supplementary measure… Continue Reading

Post Recession, LGB Americans Are More Likely to be Poor than Heterosexual Americans

New Patterns of Poverty in the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community, By M.V. Lee Badgett, Laura E. Durso, Alyssa Schneebaum, June 2013: “As poverty rates for nearly all populations increased during the recession, lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) Americans remained more likely to be poor than heterosexual people. Gender, race, education and geography all influence poverty rates… Continue Reading

Williams Institute: Supreme Court Rulings Strike down DOMA and Prevent Enforcement of California’s Proposition 8

News release:  Marriage rulings make federal protections available for up to 114,000 legally married same-sex couples nationwide and open marriage to CA’s estimated 1.1 million LGBT adults “The Supreme Court’s rulings regarding the federal Defense of Marriage Act in United States v. Windsor and regarding California’s Proposition 8 in Hollingsworth v. Perry have important social, economic and legal consequences… Continue Reading

Capital Words – visualizes frequently used words in Congressional Record

“For every day Congress is in session, Capitol Words visualizes the most frequently used words in the Congressional Record, giving you an at-a-glance view of which issues lawmakers address on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Capitol Words lets you see what are the most popular words spoken by lawmakers on the House and… Continue Reading

BEA – Gross Domestic Product and Corporate Profits Profiles

BEA news release: National Income and Product Accounts Gross Domestic Product, 1st quarter 2013 (third estimate);  Corporate Profits, 1st quarter 2013 (revised estimate), June 26, 2013 “Corporate prrofits from current production (corporate profits with inventory valuation and capital consumption adjustments) decreased $28.0 billion in the first quarter, in contrast to an increase of $45.4 billion in the fourth… Continue Reading

New GAO Reports – Managing For Results, Moving to Work Demonstration, Program Evaluation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Managing For Result – Executive Branch Should More Fully Implement the GPRA Modernization Act to Address Pressing Governance Challenges, GAO-13-518, Jun 26, 2013 Managing for Results – 2013 Federal Managers Survey on Organizational Performance and Management Issues (GAO-13-519SP, June 2013), an E-supplement to GAO-13-518, GAO-13-519SP, Jun 26, 2013 Moving to Work Demonstration – Improved Information and Monitoring Could Enhance Program… Continue Reading

Thirteen Economic Facts about Social Mobility and the Role of Education

Thirteen Economic Facts about Social Mobility and the Role of Education, Michael Greenstone, Adam Looney, Jeremy Patashnik, and Muxin Yu. The Hamilton Project • Brookings Institution. June 2013. “This document provides thirteen economic facts on the growth of income inequality and its relationship to social mobility in America; on the growing divide in educational opportunities and… Continue Reading

Education at a Glance 2013 – OECD Indicators

Education at a Glance 2013: OECD Indicators: “Governments are paying increasing attention to international comparisons as they search for effective policies that enhance individuals’ social and economic prospects, provide incentives for greater efficiency in schooling, and help to mobilise resources to meet rising demands. As part of its response, the OECD Directorate for Education and… Continue Reading

Library of Congress Transitions to Free, Online-Only Cataloging Publications

“The Library of Congress has announced a transition to online-only publication of its cataloging documentation. As titles that are in production are released, the Library’s Cataloging Distribution Service (CDS) will no longer print new editions of its subject headings, classification schedules and other cataloging publications. The Library will instead provide free downloadable PDF versions of… Continue Reading

The Computer Desktop Encyclopedia

The Computer Desktop Encyclopedia: “The Computer Language Company was founded in 1978 by husband-wife team Alan Freedman and Irma Morrison. When Freedman couldn’t find a computer dictionary that would meaningfully augment the computer literacy classes he taught to Fortune 500 companies, he set out on a quest to purchase his first computer and write this… Continue Reading

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Tracking and Monitoring of Potentially Fraudulent Petitions and Applications for Family-Based Immigration Benefits

DHS OIG –U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Tracking and Monitoring of Potentially Fraudulent Petitions and Applications for Family-Based Immigration Benefits – June 12, 2013 “USCIS has procedures to track and monitor documentation related to petitions and applications for family-based immigration benefits suspected of being fraudulent. However, once family-based immigration petitions and applications were investigated and adjudicated,… Continue Reading

Commentary – Ebooks in 2013

Ebooks in 2013 – Promises broken, promises kept, and Faustian bargains, By Clifford A. Lynch “Printed books have served us rather well—as a society, as readers, and as authors—for centuries. When the possibilities of ebooks first emerged, we hoped that they would build on this strong foundation, improving the experience of the printed book, making… Continue Reading