Author archives

GAO Reports – Highway Trust Fund, Army Working Capital Fund, Defense Facility Condition, Defense Health Care, Federal Prison System, Commercial Space

Highway Trust Fund Administrative Expenses of the Federal Highway Administration, GAO-16-631R :Published: Jun 24, 2016. Publicly Released: Jun 24, 2016 Army Working Capital Fund: Army Industrial Operations Could Improve Budgeting and Management of Carryover, GAO-16-543: Published: Jun 23, 2016. Publicly Released: Jun 23, 2016 Defense Facility Condition: Revised Guidance Needed to Improve Oversight of Assessments …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Economy, Government Documents, Health Care, Legal Research, Transportation

Agreement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies

“The Wassenaar Arrangement has been established in order to contribute to regional and international security and stability, by promoting transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, thus preventing destabilising accumulations. The aim is also to prevent the acquisition of these items by terrorists. Participating States seek, through their …

Subjects: Defense, Economy, Government Documents, Legal Research

Paper – Health Benefits from Nature Experiences Depend on Dose

Not to put too fine a point on it – but – there is no actual dosage level of being in nature – try daily – as often as possible – bring nature to you by creating your own garden – walking around your neighborhood or in the area where you work, what ever you …

Subjects: Health Care

MSU McLellan Free Expression Online Library

“MSU Law’s First Amendment Law Clinic is the only clinical program in the country solely dedicated to the protection of student speech and press rights. Now, a $500,000 donation from leading Michigan attorney and MSU Law Trustee Richard D. McLellan will expand the clinic’s impact nationwide by creating a Free Expression Online Library and Resource …

Subjects: Censorship, Education, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries, Privacy, Social Media

USNews article – Google as global censor across all its brands

Robert Epstein, June 22, 2016: Google, Inc., isn’t just the world’s biggest purveyor of information; it is also the world’s biggest censor. “…But as the golden gateway to all knowledge, Google has rapidly become an essential in people’s lives – nearly as essential as air or water. We don’t let public utilities make arbitrary and …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Internet, Legal Research, Search Engines

Pew survey of Brexit vote reveals sentiments of other EU members

Brexit vote highlighted UK’s discontent with EU, but other European countries are grumbling too – The decision by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union – known as Brexit – shines a spotlight on the divisions in public opinion between the UK and the continental members of the EU, and within the UK on …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

CDC investigation: Blood lead levels higher after switch to Flint River water

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released the results of its investigation into the potential health impact that lead contamination in the Flint, Michigan water supply had on the blood lead levels of local children. The findings indicate that when the source of the water supply was switched to the Flint River, …

Subjects: Energy, Environmental Law, Government Documents, Health Care, Legal Research

The New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness

Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences – “Light pollution in urban centers creates a sky glow that can blot out the stars. The brighter the area in this zoomable map, the harder it is to see stars and constellations in the night sky. In the United States, national parks are often a refuge for …

Subjects: Education, Environmental Law

How does land-based pollution threaten coral reefs?

NOAA infographic – “Many serious coral reef ecosystem stressors originate from land-based sources, most notably toxicants, sediments, and nutrients. Impacts from land-based sources of pollution—including coastal development, deforestation, agricultural runoff, and oil and chemical spills—can impede coral growth and reproduction, disrupt overall ecological function, and cause disease and mortality in sensitive species. It is now …

Subjects: Environmental Law, Government Documents

FTC Guidance – Online Tracking

FTC – Online Tracking: “Have you ever wondered why some online ads you see are targeted to your tastes and interests? Or how websites remember your preferences from visit-to-visit or device-to-device? The answer may be in the “cookies” – or in other online tracking methods like device fingerprinting and cross-device tracking. Here are answers to …

Subjects: E-Commerce, E-Government, Government Documents, Internet, Legal Research, Privacy

Whole Genome Sequencing: Cracking the Genetic Code for Foodborne Illness

“A person commits a crime, and the detective uses DNA evidence collected from the crime scene to track the criminal down. An outbreak of foodborne illness makes people sick, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses DNA evidence to track down the bacteria that caused it. Sound far-fetched? It’s not. The FDA has …

Subjects: Food and Nutrition, Government Documents

Supreme Court Justice uses link shortener in decision

Via Fortune after Josh Blackman’s blog posting on this subject: “A Supreme Court decision got huge attention this week for a stinging dissent by Justice Sotomayor that some have called the court’s “Black Lives Matter” moment. But the decision is also significant because it contains a strange short phrase — http://goo.gl/3Yq3Nd No, that’s not a …

Subjects: Courts, Government Documents, Internet, Legal Research

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