Day archives: March 7th, 2013

BLS – February payroll employment rises (+236,000); unemployment rate edges down (7.7%)

New release: “Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 236,000 in February, and the unemployment rate edged down to 7.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in professional and business services, construction, and health care. Household Survey Data: The unemployment rate edged down to 7.7 percent in February but has shown …

Subjects: Government Documents

New GAO Reports – Cybersecurity, Defense Technology Development, National Defense, Food Assistance

Cybersecurity – A Better Defined and Implemented National Strategy Is Needed to Address Persistent Challenges, GAO-13-462T, Mar 7, 2013 Defense Technology Development – Technology Transition Programs Support Military Users, but Opportunities Exist to Improve Measurement of Outcomes, GAO-13-286, Mar 7, 2012 National Defense – Department of Defense’s Waiver of Competitive Prototyping Requirement for Combat Rescue …

Subjects: Cybercrime, Government Documents

Federal Reserve releases summary results of bank stress tests

“The Dodd-Frank Act Stress Tests are a set of forward-looking exercises conducted both by the Federal Reserve and by financial companies regulated by the Federal Reserve. The stress tests were mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and are intended to ensure institutions have sufficient capital to absorb losses and support …

Subjects: Government Documents

CRS – Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2013

Party Leaders in the United States Congress, 1789-2013. Valerie Heitshusen – Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process. March 4, 2013 “This report briefly describes current responsibilities and selection mechanisms for 15 House and Senate party leadership posts and provides tables with historical data, including service dates, party affiliation, and other information for each. Tables …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents

CRS – Oil Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline

Follow up to previous posting on Keystone XL Pipeline Application, this new CRS report – Oil Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline: Background and Selected Environmental Issues, February 21, 2013. “If constructed, the Keystone XL pipeline would transport crude oil (e.g., synthetic crude oil or diluted bitumen) derived from oil sands in Alberta, Canada to …

Subjects: Government Documents

CRS Report – Gun Control Proposals in the 113th Congress

Gun Control Proposals in the 113th Congress: Universal Background Checks, Gun Trafficking, and Military Style Firearms, William J. Krouse. Specialist in Domestic Security and Crime Policy, March 1, 2013 “Congress has debated the efficacy and constitutionality of federal regulation of firearms and ammunition, with strong advocates arguing for and against greater gun control. The mass …

Subjects: Congress, Legal Research

Identifying Term Interbank Loans from Fedwire Payments Data

NY Fed Reserve: Identifying Term Interbank Loans from Fedwire Payments Data. Dennis Kuo, David Skeie, James Vickery, and Thomas Youle. March 2013 – Number 603. “Interbank markets for term maturities experienced great stress during the 2007-09 financial crisis, as illustrated by the behavior of one- and three-month Libor. Despite widespread interest in these markets, little …

Subjects: Government Documents

Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering

“The National Science Foundation (NSF) last week released its biennial report, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, which provides a snapshot (as of 2010) of the participation of those groups which are underrepresented in science and engineering education and employment in the United States. The report, which takes its data primarily …

Subjects: Government Documents

Partnership for a Healthier America Releases First Report on Private Sector Progress in Childhood Obesity Efforts

“The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which works with Honorary Chair First Lady Michelle Obama and the private sector to end childhood obesity in a generation, today released its first report on the progress of private sector commitments to address the epidemic. The report comes as PHA kicks off its second Building a Healthier …

Subjects: Government Documents

Air Pollution in Asia: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map

Air Pollution in Asia: Frequently Asked Question “Air Quality Designation: Update to the EPA AirNow standard February 7th 2013. For historic reason, the aqicn website has been using the China MEP (Ministry of Environmental Protection) designation for the air quality levels. This is now past history, and the designation will follow, from now on, the …

Subjects: Internet