Author archives

Charting An Average Consumer's Spending

New York Times chart and data – All of Inflation’s Little Parts: “Each month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics gathers 84,000 prices in about 200 categories — like gasoline, bananas, dresses and garbage collection — to form the Consumer Price Index, one measure of inflation. It’s among the statistics that the Federal Reserve considered when …

Subjects: Government Documents

Should there be a Freedom of Information Act for the EU?

European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) news release: “The European Commission is publishing amendments to Regulation 1049/2001. The new regulation is an exercise more in clarification and codification, rather than more ambitious reform towards genuine freedom of information. The European Parliament and Council will need to look carefully at whether the adjustments reflect a balance between …

Subjects: Freedom of Information

2007 OMB Watch Annual Report

“Throughout 2007, OMB Watch diligently exposed assaults on public protections and fought for greater government accountability and performance. Our 2007 Annual Report offers you some highlights from the past year.” “OMB Watch, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, was formed in 1983 to lift the veil of secrecy shrouding the White House Office of Management …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Government Documents

CQ: Hundreds of Laptops Missing at State Department, Audit Finds

Jeff Stein, CQ National Security Editor – excerpt: “Hundreds of employee laptops are unaccounted for at the U.S. Department of State, which conducts delicate, often secret, diplomatic relations with foreign countries, an internal audit has found. As many as 400 of the unaccounted for laptops belong to the department’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program, according to officials …

Subjects: Government Documents, PC Security

SEC Investor Education Information Accompanying IRS Refund Checks to 3 Million Americans

News release: “The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that investors awaiting their refund checks from the Internal Revenue Service will simultaneously be receiving information about a new SEC phone-based resource that can help them learn more about various investing topics and avoid investment scams. The SEC information card encourages recipients to “Call Now and …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents

Treasury Economic Update 5.2.08

News release: “Today’s employment report indicates that the U.S. economy continues to work through substantial challenges from the housing adjustment, high energy and food prices, and financial market conditions. The Treasury Department sent out 7.7 million economic stimulus payments to American households this week, and the payments will continue through mid-July. These payments, combined with …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents

Global Climate Change National Security Implications

Global Climate Change National Security Implications. Edited by Dr. Carolyn Pumphrey. 454 pages, PDF. Added May 1, 2008. “On March 29-31, 2007, the Strategic Studies Institute and the Triangle Institute for Security Studies conducted a colloquium on “Global Climate Change: National Security Implications” held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This volume is based on the …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents

NIST Computer Security Division 2007 Annual Report

“The NIST Computer Security Division…release of NIST Interagency Report (IR) 7442: Computer Security Division – 2007 Annual Report. This publication highlights the diverse research agenda that enabled the Computer Security Division to successfully respond to numerous challenges and opportunities in fulfilling its mission to provide standards and technology that protects information systems against threats to …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents

An Introductory Resource Guide to Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

“NIST announces the release of the public draft of Special Publication 800-66 Revision 1, An Introductory Resource Guide to Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule (Draft). This Special Publication (SP), which discusses security considerations and resources that may provide value when implementing the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule, was …

Subjects: E-Government, Government Documents, Legislation, Privacy

Air Force Histories Show Cautious Presidents Overruling Air Force Plans for Early Use of Nuclear Weapons

National Security Archive, April 30, 2008 – “The U.S. Air Force expected to use nuclear weapons against China during the Taiwan Strait crisis of 1958, but President Eisenhower required the Air Force to plan initially to use conventional bombs against Chinese forces if the crisis escalated, according to a previously secret Air Force history obtained …

Subjects: Government Documents