Author archives

New NatureServe Canada report finds increase in globally at-risk species in Canada

“A new NatureServe Canada report on globally rare species in Canada shows an increase in the number of animals, plants and lichen facing threats to their existence. In fact, 517 species that occur in Canada are now classified as being globally at risk. The report, entitled On Guard For Them: Species of Global Conservation Concern …

Subjects: Climate Change, Environmental Law, Government Documents

Government Watchdog to Conduct Review of Trump Transition Process

News release: “The U.S. Government Accountability Office  has initiated an investigation of conflicts of interest and other problems affecting President Trump’s transition. The review was requested in November 2016 by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.  The Members of …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Legal Research

Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress

CRS – Introduction to the Legislative Process in the U.S. Congress, Valerie Heitshusen, Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process. April 7, 2017. [via FAS] This report introduces the main steps through which a bill (or other item of business) may travel in the legislative process—from introduction to committee and floor consideration to possible presidential …

Subjects: Congress, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation

Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response

CRS – Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response. Carla E. Humud, Coordinator Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs; Christopher M. Blanchard, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs; Mary Beth D. Nikitin, Specialist in Nonproliferation April 7, 2017. “A deadly chemical weapons attack in Syria on April 4, 2017, and a U.S. military strike in response …

Subjects: Congress, Defense, Government Documents, Legal Research

The Board Can Improve the Effectiveness of Continuous Monitoring as a Supervisory Tool

Office of Inspector General Evaluation Report, March 29, 2017. 2017-SR-B-005 “We assessed the effectiveness of continuous monitoring as a supervisory activity for large, complex financial institutions, including Large Institution Supervision Coordinating Committee (LISCC) firms and large banking organizations (LBOs). The Federal Reserve System plays a major role in regulating the U.S. financial system. Specifically, the …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

America’s 10 Most Threatened Rivers

Outside: “The days of regular “river fires” in America may be long gone, but that doesn’t mean the country’s waterways are clean. In its last nation-wide survey, the EPA found that more than half the US’s rivers are in “poor condition” and too polluted to adequately support marine life. “America’s streams and rivers,” the EPA …

Subjects: Environmental Law, Government Documents, Legal Research

Search Database of Millions of Previously Classified Documents on Industrial Poisons

“Columbia University’s Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health, located at its Mailman School of Public Health, and the City University of New York’s Graduate Center are proud to jointly present Toxic Docs. This dataset and website contain millions of pages of previously secret documents about toxic substances. They include secret internal memoranda, …

Subjects: Environmental Law, Freedom of Information, Legal Research, Search Engines

Digital project makes gifs out of beautiful images from Bodleian

And now for something completely different, old is new again!  Adam Koszary manages the Arts Council England ‘digital project thing’ between Reading Museum and the Museum of English Rural Life – From his article: “I spent just over a year at the Bodleian being sassy on social media and making GIFs out of centuries-old collections. …

Subjects: Education, Libraries, Social Media