SSO Library

Food Crisis

2008-05-22T11:44:00.000-07:00

Global Food Crisis is a compilation of material from 2008 about rising food prices, food security, and contributing factors to the world food situation. It includes updates, maps, key documents, FAQs, data, and resources for further information.

Source: ReliefWeb, administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA

Green Book

2008-05-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

Chairman Rangel Announces Rollout of the 2008 Green Book:

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) today announced the release of the 2008 edition of “Background Material and Data on the Programs within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means,” informally known as the Green Book.

The Green Book provides updated data and information on programs within the Committee’s jurisdiction, such as Medicare, Social Security, Unemployment Compensation, Foster Care and welfare. Additionally, it includes a discussion of related issues, such as the well-being of the elderly and of children and families. Since its first publication in 1981, the Green Book has become a valued reference guide for legislators, administrators, researchers and interested citizens.

Upon completion, individual chapters of this volume will be accessible on the Committee’s website (http://waysandmeans.house.gov/). The first of these completed sections, Child Support Enforcement Program, was posted today. Once all sections have been completed, a printed edition of the entire book will be made available for purchase from the Government Printing Office.

Homeland Security: Small Vessels

2008-05-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

Fact Sheet: DHS Small Vessel Security Strategy

Traditional maritime security efforts have primarily focused on large commercial vessels, their cargoes, and crew. Efforts to address the small vessel environment have largely been limited to traditional safety and law enforcement concerns. Small vessels, however, are readily vulnerable to potential exploitation by terrorists; smugglers of weapons of mass destruction, narcotics, aliens, and other contraband; and other criminals. Small vessels have also been successfully employed overseas by terrorists to deliver Waterborne Improvised Explosive Devices.

As the U.S.S. Cole attack vividly demonstrated, there is a clear need to close security gaps and enhance the small vessel security environment. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) addresses these concerns, providing a coherent framework to improve maritime security and safety. It envisions a coordinated effort of federal, state, local and tribal authorities, together with international partners, private industry, and the recreational users of the waterways.

Carbon Offsets

2008-04-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

Voluntary Carbon Offset Information Portal provides information about buying carbon offsets to neutralize carbon dioxide emissions created by individual air travel. It features a consumer handout on "flying green,"a report on voluntary offsets for air travel carbon emissions, a paper with an overview of international climate change policies and the current carbon market, description of offset project types, a list of carbon offset companies, a glossary, and more. The portal is a joint project of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Tufts Climate Initiative (TCI).

ALEC Report Card on American Education

2008-04-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

2007 Report Card on American Education from the American Legislative Exchange Council (the 14th edition) gathers and presents in a quick-glance format helpful data for reviewing the condition of education among the states. The “snapshot” pages reveal states’ “inputs” and “outputs,” as well as demographic information. Policymakers and parents will be able to easily reference per-pupil spending, for example, as well as class size and achievement scores. By compiling this data from its sources, the Report Card aims to contribute to a well-informed community of parents and leaders.

The Report Card also reviews the data across states to identify any promising relationships among “inputs” and “outputs” in an effort to help answer the question: What works?
The results show that we are not doing enough to prepare America’s children for global competitiveness. International data and trends cannot be ignored. The latest results of comparison among participating nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development peg American students’ achievement levels in science below dozens of other countries including Croatia, Latvia, and mainland China. In fact, the United States scores below the combined average of all countries observed. These results come on the heels of a Wall Street Journal editorial warning that America’s output of American-born Ph.D. students is losing ground to foreign-born students with temporary visas.

Individual state reports also are available.

Subprime Mortgages

2008-04-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Subprime Outcomes: Risky Mortgages, Homeownership Experiences, and Foreclosures provides the first rigorous assessment of the homeownership experiences of subprime borrowers. It considers homeowners who used subprime mortgages to buy their homes, and estimates how often these borrowers end up in foreclosure. In order to evaluate these issues, homeownership experiences in Massachusetts over the 1989–2007 period are analyzed, using a competing risks/ proportional hazard framework. Two findings are presented: first, homeownerships that begin with a subprime purchase mortgage end up in foreclosure almost 20 percent of the time, or more than 6 times as often as experiences that begin with prime purchase mortgages; second, house price appreciation plays a dominant role in generating foreclosures. In fact, most of the dramatic rise in Massachusetts foreclosures during 2006 and 2007 were due to the decline in house prices that began in the summer of 2005.

Source: Federal Reserve of Boston

Transportation and Climate Change

2008-04-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Climate change will have a significant impact on transportation infrastructure and operations : While every mode of transportation in the U.S. will be affected as the climate changes, potentially the greatest impact on transportation systems will be flooding of roads, railways, transit systems, and airport runways in coastal areas because of rising sea levels and surges brought on by more intense storms, says a new report from the National Research Council. Though the impacts of climate change will vary by region, it is certain they will be widespread and costly in human and economic terms, and will require significant changes in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of transportation systems.

Source: National Research Council/National Academies Press

Ozone Layer

2008-03-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

Each year, the depleted region in Earth's protective ozone layer over the Antarctic, or "ozone hole," reaches its largest size during a period in September. Data from a NASA satellite are now in, and images created from the data reveal the extent of the hole in 2007 was about average when compared to measurements from the last few decades.

NASA studies ozone to better understand its relation to air quality and climate." Learn about the "depleted region in Earth's protective ozone layer over the Antarctic," how plants are "used to study air quality from the ground by seeing how ozone ... damages the leaves," and more.

From the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
URL: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/ozone_resource_page.html

Water Infrastructure

2008-03-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

Policymakers are giving increased attention to issues associated with financing and investing in the nation’s drinking water and wastewater treatment systems, which take in water, treat it, and distribute it to households and other customers, and later collect, treat, and discharge water after use. The renewed attention is due to a combination of factors. These include financial impacts on communities of meeting existing and anticipated regulatory requirements, the need to repair and replace existing infrastructure, and concerns about paying for security-related projects.

The federal government has a long history of involvement with wastewater and drinking water systems, with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) having the most significant role, both in terms of regulation and funding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also plays an important role in rural communities through its water and wastewater loan and grant programs. These programs have been popular; however, states, local communities, and others have asserted that various program gaps and limitations may be diminishing their potential effectiveness. They also point to the emergence of new infrastructure needs and issues.

Congressional interest in these issues has grown for some time and is continuing in the 110th Congress. In each of the past three Congresses, House and Senate committees acted on legislation to reauthorize and modify infrastructure financing programs in the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, but no bills were enacted. The Bush Administration has addressed water infrastructure in a number of general ways, but has not offered legislative proposals of its own. EPA’s principal initiative has been to support strategies intended to ensure that infrastructure investment needs are met in an efficient, timely, and equitable manner.

A Congressional Research Service report (Water Infrastructure Needs and Investment: Review and Analysis of Key Issues ), released on February 29, 2008, identifies a number of issues that have received attention in connection with water infrastructure investment. It begins with a review of federal involvement, describes the debate about needs, and then examines key issues, including what is the nature of the problems to be solved; who will pay, and what is the federal role; and questions about mechanisms for delivering federal support, including state-by-state allotment of federal funds. Congressional and Administration activity on these issues from the 107th to the 109th Congresses also is reviewed.

Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists)

Medicare Part D

2008-03-06T12:43:00.001-08:00

AARP Report Finds Brand Name Drug Prices Continue to Soar: According to a report released today by AARP, pharmaceutical companies have substantially raised prices on 220 brand name prescription drugs most commonly used by people in Medicare Part D since the implementation of the drug benefit in 2006. AARP has studied drug prices since 2002 and reported the findings in a series of Watchdog reports. Today’s report expands on the series by focusing its analysis on those brand prescription drugs most widely used by people enrolled in Medicare Part D.

The Watchdog report, which was produced by AARP’s Public Policy Institute (PPI), found that prices of brand name drugs most commonly used by people in Medicare Part D rose by an average of 7.4 percent in 2007 – nearly two and a half times the rate of general inflation. The report concludes that rising prices threaten consumers by increasing the likelihood of higher insurance premiums and the chance that people will fall into the Medicare coverage gap, and increasing the out-of-pocket expenses of those who find themselves in this “donut hole.”

City and County Data Book, 2007

2008-02-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

The County and City Data Book: 2007 has been released. Compiled and issued annually since the 1940s, it incorporates demographic and economic information about the United States from Census Bureau surveys, as well as information from other government and private organizations.

The data cover topics such as population, housing, vital statistics, health care, social programs, education, labor force, wholesale and retail trade, and weather. Geographic areas covered in the County and City Data Book include states, counties, cities with populations of 25,000 or more, and places with 100,000 or more residents.

War On Terrorism

2008-02-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

Analysis of the Growth in Funding for Operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Elsewhere in the War on Terrorism:

If the Administration’s request for 2008 is funded in full, appropriations for military operations and other war-related activities in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the war on terrorism will rise to $188 billion this year and to a cumulative total of $752 billion since 2001. Most of the spending is concentrated in two categories—operation and maintenance, which has roughly doubled from 2004 to 2008, and procurement, which has increased tenfold over that period. The reasons for some of the increases are difficult to determine precisely because available data on the pace of operations and other factors that might affect costs are limited and because some of the funding and reporting categories are very broad. The Congressional Budget Office's analysis is based on supplemental budget requests submitted by the Administration, budget justification materials provided by the Department of Defense, reports on obligations incurred during the war, and committee reports accompanying appropriation acts.

Federal FY 2009 Budget Proposals

2008-02-14T10:35:00.000-08:00

Major Savings and Reforms in the President’s FY 2009 Budget describes and provides funding levels for major discretionary and mandatory savings and reform proposals in the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget. These proposals will result in savings to taxpayers and improved Government services by eliminating or restructuring low-priority programs and programs that are not producing results. The proposals were guided by criteria that considered whether the programs met the Nation’s priorities, constituted an appropriate and effective use of taxpayer resources by the Federal Government, and produced the intended results.

In total, the Budget proposes to terminate or reduce 151 discretionary programs, reducing 2009 spending by $18 billion. These include 103 terminations saving $7 billion and 48 reductions saving $11 billion. The Budget also proposes mandatory spending reforms that will achieve an additional $16 billion in net savings in 2009, and result in $208 billion in savings through 2013. Mandatory savings proposals highlighted in this volume total $19 billion in 2009 and $233 billion through 2013, and exclude reforms that are cost-neutral or result in cost increases.

Source: Office of Management and Budget

In total, the Budget proposes to terminate or reduce 151 discretionary programs, reducing 2009 spending by $18 billion. These include 103 terminations saving $7 billion and 48 reductions saving $11 billion. The Budget also proposes mandatory spending reforms that will achieve an additional $16 billion in net savings in 2009, and result in $208 billion in savings through 2013. Mandatory savings proposals highlighted in this volume total $19 billion in 2009 and $233 billion through 2013, and exclude reforms that are cost-neutral or result in cost increases.

Energy Security and Climate Change

2008-02-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

Managing the Transition to a Secure, Low-Carbon Energy Future seeks to establish a framework for considering the complex and evolving links between energy security and climate change, and identifies three challenges: the evolving and interconnected nature of energy security and climate change definitions and goals, the variables that contribute to an uncertain future, and the trade-offs and unintended consequences involved in addressing both issues.

A workable strategy must be concerned not just with how to design a future in which climate change and energy security concerns are met, but also with the pathway to get there. To guide this transition, this brief offers several guiding principles for devising energy and climate policies that are both effective and politically viable.

Source: Center for Strategic and International Studies

Alternative Energy

2008-01-31T13:30:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Department of Energy's Wind & Hydropower Technologies Program exists to "improve wind energy technology so that it can generate competitive electricity in areas with lower wind resources, and to develop new, cost-effective, advanced hydropower technologies." The website for the program provides overviews of how wind power and hydropower work and exploration of the history and advantages and disadvantages of each. Publications, photographs, and related links are featured.

Most wind energy research is carried out at world-class facilities located at DOE's National Wind Technology Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in cooperation with Sandia National Laboratories. Hydropower research is conducted at Idaho National Energy and Environmental Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Fiscal Policy

2008-01-24T12:50:00.000-08:00

Options for Responding to Short-Term Economic Weakness: The economy has recently been buffeted by several interlinked shocks, and the risk of recession is significantly elevated compared with what it is during normal economic conditions.

In response to a request from the Chairmen of the House and Senate Budget Committees, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has examined the potential role of fiscal policy efforts to expand aggregate demand in the current economic situation and the efficacy of various policy options to do so. This paper also examines options for dealing with the crisis in the home mortgage market, which has contributed to the overall economic weakness. It updates and expands upon a January 2002 CBO analysis of various tax options for stimulating the economy (see Economic Stimulus: Evaluating Proposed Changes in Tax Policy).

Federal Trade Commission Resources

2008-01-17T13:22:00.000-08:00

These Federal Trade Commission: Energy and Environment Web pages compile FTC information regarding energy and environment topics such as labeling and advertising of fuel and automotive products, marketing claims concerning carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates, and EnergyGuide labels for home appliances, plumbing, and lighting products. In addition to consumer and business education materials, they also contain rulings and statutes, press releases and announcements, and other government documents.

Crime Data

2008-01-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

How Crime in the United States Is Measured :

Crime data collected through the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) are used by Congress to inform policy decisions and allocate federal criminal justice funding to states. As such, it is important to understand how each program collects and reports crime data, and the limitations associated with the data.

This report reviews (1) the history of the UCR, the NIBRS, and the NCVS; (2) the methods each program uses to collect crime data; and (3) the limitations of the data collected by each program. The report then compares the similarities and differences of UCR and NCVS data. It concludes by reviewing issues related to the NIBRS and the NCVS.

Source: Congressional Research Service

Healthcare 2008

2008-01-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

Healthcare faces a pivotal year in 2008, says PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute in its annual review of the top health industry issues: anticipation of the outcome of the 2008 presidential election and adjustment to a new Medicare payment system, additional reporting requirements, pressure on Big Pharma to cut costs and innovate, the rise of retail health services and the ongoing evolution of consumer-directed healthcare. The implications of these issues are addressed in the Top Eight Health Industry Issues in 2008, an annual review of the pressing issues in healthcare, released today by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute.

Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers

Senate Report on Global Warming

2007-12-21T08:14:00.000-08:00

Over 400 prominent scientists from more than two dozen countries recently voiced significant objections to major aspects of the so-called “consensus” on man-made global warming. These scientists, many of whom are current and former participants in the UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), criticized the climate claims made by the UN IPCC and former Vice President Al Gore.

The new report issued by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s office of the GOP Ranking Member details the views of the scientists, the overwhelming majority of whom spoke out in 2007.
+ Full Report

Annual Energy Outlook 2008

2007-12-13T12:51:00.000-08:00

The Annual Energy Outlook 2008 (Early Release)-(AEO2008), from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), includes several important changes from earlier AEOs to better reflect trends in the economy and energy markets that are expected to persist. Energy markets are changing in response to the higher energy prices experienced since 2000; the greater influence of developing countries on worldwide energy requirements; recently enacted legislation and regulations in the United States; and changing public views related to the use of alternative fuels, emissions, and the acceptability of various energy technologies, among other factors.

Source: Energy Information Administration

Fiscal Survey of States

2007-12-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

Fiscal Survey of States
In a report released today, Fiscal Survey of States , the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers found that while most states experienced healthy revenue growth during fiscal 2007, some states already have seen significant deterioration of their fiscal conditions and expect revenue and expenditure growth to slow significantly in fiscal 2008. States expect continued expenditure pressures from a variety of sources, including increased funding demands related to health care and Medicaid and to long-term challenges such as demographic shifts, employee pensions and infrastructure. In addition, most states will feel the pinch of the nation’s weakening housing market, both directly from lower sales tax revenues and indirectly as local governments struggle with declining property values and decreasing property tax revenues. Source: National Governors Association/National Association of State Budget Officers

Medicare Part D

2007-11-29T12:50:00.000-08:00

From 2007 to 2008, the average premium for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans rose by 24.5 percent from 2007 to 2008. This rise will result in an average premium price of $293 per year, or $57.70 more than last year.

A new issue brief from the Center for Economic and Policy Research, “Changes in the Costs of Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, 2007-2008 ”, examines prescription drug plan costs nationally and on a state-by-state basis and finds a surprisingly large increase in average cost going into 2008. Even though this increase is somewhat lower than originally projected, costs will exceed projections as early as 2010 if this trend continues. The brief looks at each of the 50 states and analyzes the number of plans offered in 2008, the number plans of offering coverage ‘in the gap’ between initial coverage and the catastrophic level, the number of plans dropping ‘in the gap’ coverage, and the average dollar and percentage increase in premium cost.

Global Warming

2007-11-15T12:54:00.000-08:00

Climate Change and Violent Conflict:

The impact of climate change will make the poorest communities across the world poorer. Many of them are already affected by conflict and instability and thus face a dual risk. International Alert’s new research, A Climate of Conflict: The Links Between Climate Change, Peace and War and The Double-Headed Risk (world map of “countries at risk), finds that the consequences of climate change will fuel violent conflict, which itself hinders the ability of governments and local communities to adapt to the pressures of climate change

Source: Internation Alert

Global Warning

2007-11-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

The Center for American Progress (CA) today issued "Global Warning - The Security Challenges of Climate Change", a chapter in a new report entitled “The Age of Consequences.” During the course of the past year, a high-level working group of foreign policy experts, climate scientists, historians, and other specialists has met regularly to investigate the national security and foreign policy implications of climate change. Many of the key findings of this task force, which was directed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Center for a New American Security, are presented in the new report.

“The Age of Consequences” is organized around three possible climate change scenarios that were developed by Pew Center Senior Climate Scientist Dr. Jay Gulledge, in consultation with other leading experts in the field. CAP’s chapter, “Global Warning - The Security Challenges of Climate Change,” analyzes the foreign policy and national security implications of the most moderate of these scenarios over a 30-year timeframe.

Foreign Drug Manufacturers

2007-11-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

New GAO Report: 1 November 2007:

Preliminary findings suggest weaknesses in the FDA’s program for inspecting foreign drug manufacturers . This report, which includes testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, discusses preliminary information on (1) the extent to which the FDA has accurate data to manage the foreign drug inspection program, (2) the frequency of foreign inspections and factors influencing the selection of establishments to inspect, and (3) issues unique to conducting foreign inspections.

Source: Government Accountability Office

Housing Nonprofit Organization

2007-10-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

NeighborWorks America is the "national nonprofit organization created by Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based revitalization efforts." The website features news, case studies, and reports on subjects such as aging in place, disaster preparedness, foreclosure solutions, home equity protection, manufactured housing, predatory lending, and refinancing. It includes materials about campaigns, such as its free telephone consultation service on foreclosure solutions, and listings of local NeighborWorks member organizations.

Alliance for Climate Protection

2007-10-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

The mission of The Alliance for Climate Protection, founded by former U.S. vice president Al Gore, "is to persuade the American people -- and people elsewhere in the world -- of the importance and urgency of adopting and implementing effective and comprehensive solutions for the climate crisis." Its site features articles with suggestions for reducing climate change at home and at work, stories about people who are working to help solve the crisis, and video clips.

The people involved in the Alliance bring with them substantial cross-sectoral experience covering government (both public service and political), business (including energy, technology, finance and media), and civil society (within and beyond the environmental communities).

Sustainable Biofuels

2007-10-11T07:38:00.001-07:00

Destination Iowa: Getting to a Sustainable Biofuels Future:

Iowa has made a huge investment in corn-based ethanol and reaped some benefits from the biofuels boom--but not without costs to the environment and the economy. Now it’s time for Iowa to make the investments needed to transition to the next generation of biofuels and boost renewable energy production. Destination Iowa, the first report in an exciting new partnership between the Sierra Club and the Worldwatch Institute, explains where Iowa’s bioeconomy is today, where it can go in the future, and charts a course for getting there.

Source: Sierra Club

GAO Reports and Testimonies

2007-10-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released the following reports and testimonies:

--Global Health: U.S. Agencies Support Programs to Build Overseas Capacity for Infectious Disease Surveillance. GAO-07-1186 (September 28).
--Energy Efficiency: Opportunities Exist for Federal Agencies to Better Inform Household Consumers. GAO-07-1162 (September 26).
--Maritime Security: The SAFE Port Act and Efforts to Secure Our Nation's Seaports, by Stephen L. Caldwell, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-08-86T (October 4).
--Stabilizing and Rebuilding Iraq: Serious Challenges Confront U.S. Efforts to Build the Capacity of Iraqi Ministries, by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-124T (October 4). --Combating Terrorism: Law Enforcement Agencies Lack Directives to Assist Foreign Nations, statement for the record by Jess T. Ford, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism, House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-08-144T (October 4).

Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office

Truth in Politics

2007-09-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

FactCheck.org, from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, monitors news releases, debates, web sites, speeches, etc. for the accuracy of what political candidates are saying. A mobile version of their service has just been released.

PolitiFact, a joint project of the St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly, analyzes the candidates’ speeches, TV ads and interviews and determines whether the claims are accurate.

Source: Annenberg Public Policy Center, the St. Petersburg Times, and CQ

U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security

2007-09-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

The United States House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security was created by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. It was first formed as a Select, non-permanent Committee, to provide Congressional oversight on the development of the Department of Homeland Security. The Committee was made permanent when it was designated as a Standing Committee of the House on January 4, 2005, the first day of the 109th Congress and is made up of 19 Democratic and 15 Republican Members of Congress.

Source: U.S. House of Representatives

Arctic Environmental Conditions

2007-09-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

The NOAA State of the Arctic report is a review of environmental conditions during the past five years relative to those in the latter part of the 20th century. The review was conducted by an international group of twenty scientists who developed a consensus on information content and reliability. The report updates some of the records from the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment.
Taken collectively, the observations presented in the report show convincing evidence of a sustained period of warm temperature anomalies in the Arctic, supported by continued reduction in sea ice extent, observed at both the winter maximum and summer minimum, and widespread changes in arctic vegetation. The warming trend is tempered somewhat by shifts in the spatial patterns of land temperatures and ocean salinity and temperature. While there are still large region to region and multiyear shifts in the arctic climate, the large spatial extent of recent changes in air temperature, sea ice, and vegetation is greater than observed in the 20th Century.

Source: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/soa2006/

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

2007-09-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

NCLB Reauthorization Database

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) has launched its No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Reauthorization database — a single source for “who’s saying what” about renewing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The database captures the recommendations of 15 national organizations for revising specific NCLB requirements and provisions, as well as how recent education reform priorities should be part of the NCLB discussion. According to the ECS synthesis and analysis of 15 key education policy stakeholders across 16 issues, the greatest collective agreement emerged in the following areas:
*Allow growth models for calculating Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
*Provide more flexibility for students with disabilities and English Language Learners (ELL)
*Provide adequate funding to support NCLB requirements
*Build state and local capacity to assist low-performing schools
*Offer high-quality professional development
*Target assistance and interventions

Source: Education Commission of the States (ECS)

Hurricane Katrina Second Anniversary: Rebuilding the Gulf Coast

2007-08-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

From: The White House and PBS

On the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Federal government continues to provide assistance and guidance so that the people of the Gulf Coast and their elected leaders may drive the effort to rebuild their lives and their communities. So far, the Federal government has spent $127 billion (including tax relief) on post-Katrina New Orleans, although the entire gross domestic product (GDP) of the state of Louisiana is only $141 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Track the latest developments in the Gulf Coast region's long struggle to rebuild its cities and citizens' lives in a series of broadcast and Web original reports from PBS on the lasting economic impact and environmental effects, as well as efforts in reconstructing the region's infrastructure.(http://www.pbs.org/newshour/local/gulfcoast/)

2007-08-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

From: Vanderbilt University Library:

This is a directory of links to popular Federal government documents on the Internet. The links are organized by topics including major government indexes, business, crime, census, Congress, consumer information, copyright, education, foreign countries, health, impeachment, natural resources, law, scientific reports, transportation, and tax forms. Information on the situation in Iraq is highlighted. http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/romans/fdtf/index.shtml

2007-08-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

From: University of California at Santa Cruz

MetaVid (http://metavid@ucsc.edu) is an open source project from the University of California at Santa Cruz that allows users to keyword search EVERY word spoken (aka transcript search) on the floors of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate and then listen to the audio and/or watch the video. The text transcript comes from the closed captioning associated with each file, and the index dates back to January, 2006. Files can be viewed online and downloaded if desired. Search terms can be set-up on an RSS feed, and an advanced search interface is also available

Minnesota Bridge Collapse

2007-08-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

From: Minnesota Department of Transportation

The State of Minnesota has posted on the Internet its government documents concerning the August 2007 collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge in Minneapolis. They provide news and updates, inspection expenditures (2004-2007), recent inspection reports (including fatigue evaluation), an inventory of deficient trunk highway bridges in Minneapolis (released August 2007), and related material.
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/i35wbridge/
http://fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbis.htm (National Bridge Inspection Standards)

SCHIP

2007-08-01T12:59:00.001-07:00

From: National Center for Policy Analysis

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which covers 6.7 million children and adults, will expire in September. SCHIP consists of 50 different federal-state health plans for children (and in some states adults) in families that earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. Typically, families with incomes above the poverty level, but no more than 200 percent of poverty, are eligible.
The Senate Finance Committee recently voted to reauthorize the program. The Senate bill would expand eligibility to children in families with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or $62,000 for a family of four. House Democrats would raise income limits even higher — to 400 percent of the poverty level ($83,000 for a family of four) — well above the median income.…SCHIP expansion would be costly. The Senate bill would increase spending by $35 billion over five years and the House Democrats would increase spending by more than $50 billion. However, the additional money would mainly buy insurance for children who are already insured. In fact, the families of millions of children currently in SCHIP would have otherwise had private coverage, and most of the children that would be newly eligible already have private coverage. Furthermore, the cost of expansion would be borne by poor families and seniors.

http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba/ba589

Alternative Farming

2007-07-27T06:17:00.000-07:00

From: USDA

Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC)
The AFSIC "specializes in identifying resources about sustainable food systems and practices" by listing links to relevant sites. Searchable, or browse by topics such as sustainability, alternative plants and crops, farm energy options, grazing systems, organic production, ecological pest management, and soil and water management. Also includes related publications and a directory with links to searchable databases that pertain to sustainable/alternative agriculture. From the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Library.
http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_cente...

Iraq Policy Documents

2007-07-25T12:31:00.000-07:00

From the Military Education Research Library Network

Iraq - U.S. Policy Documents

A central repository of publicly available U.S. policy documents.
Includes documents from the White House, Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, Central Intelligence Agency, Other Policy Sources.

Searchable.

Health Insurance Costs

2007-07-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

From the California Healthcare Foundation:

Employer Health Insurance Costs in the United States
Key findings include:
• While wages and salaries increased by 39 percent between 1996 and 2005, health insurance costs to employers rose 97 percent.
• At offering businesses, the share of total compensation paid as health insurance rose from 6 to 8 percent from 1996 to 2005. As health insurance costs increased, the share of compensation paid as wages fell.
• Of those businesses that offered insurance, costs relative to payroll increased 34 percent between 1996 and 2005.
• Premium contributions as a share of payroll were highest for unionized businesses, businesses with a high share of full-time workers, and low-wage businesses.
• Although the increase in health insurance costs was similar across businesses, increases were highest for low-wage businesses. This may be due in part to the fact that compensation for high-wage businesses has increased substantially, while for low-wage businesses it has been stagnant.

Farm Bill Blog

2007-07-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

From Environmental Defense:

The Ruminant: A Daily Update on the Debates Shaping the 2007 Farm Bill

This blog provides news and analysis about "the farm and food policy debates shaping the 2007 Farm Bill." Topics include environmental and conservation issues, subsidies and small farmers, and the actions of freshman legislators.
URL:
http://www.environmentaldefenseblogs.org/healthyfarms/

Housing Afforadability

2007-07-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

From the National Association of Homebuilders:

Metro Area House Prices and Affordability

A question frequently posed to economists at the NAHB is “What happens to housing affordability in my city when house prices rise?” One way to answer this is to change the price of a representative home by a fixed amount and observe the impact on affordability. Based on national mortgage underwriting standards, it is possible to estimate how many households that qualified for a mortgage before a house price increase no longer qualify for one afterwards. Those are the households that are “priced out” of the market for a home.

Applying this approach to the U.S. as a whole (detailed results for all 357 metro areas are provided in Table 1) shows that in 2007—using typical assumptions about the mortgage, down payment, property taxes and property insurance, a $1,000 increase in a median-priced new home, more than 217,000 households.

The size of the priced out effect is largely a function of the income distribution. The larger the number of households that have the income necessary to buy a given priced house before the price increase, the more households will be priced out after the price rise. Conversely, the more expensive the house, the fewer the households adversely affected by a price increase.

Full Report (PDF; 61 KB)
Determining the Number of Households Priced Out of a Market (PDF; 17 KB)
Building Fee Increases and Reduced Housing Affordability (PDF; 37 KB)

Detailed results for all 357 metro areas

Disability Information

2007-07-20T05:48:00.000-07:00

From the U.S. Department of Labor:

New: DisabilityInfo.Gov Introduces New State and Local Resources Map
The federal government’s one-stop Web site for disability-related information and resources —

DisabilityInfo.gov — introduces a new feature, a state and local resources map, designed to assist visitors in finding disability-related information in their own states and localities.

To use the new state and local resources map, simply select one of the nine subject tabs — benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, health, housing, technology or transportation — at the top of any DisabilityInfo.gov page. Then click the map on the right sidebar to find links in that subject area related to your state. You will be directed to easy-to-navigate information and numerous organizations and contacts.

Farm Bill Reauthorization

2007-07-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

From the USDA:
America's Farm Bill 2007

Material from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) about the 2007 reauthorization of the Farm Bill, which provides subsidies to U.S. farmers. The 2007 bill includes "more than 65 proposals [that] correspond to the 2002 farm bill titles with additional special focus areas, including specialty crops, beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged producers." Includes news, fact sheets, and related material on topics such as conservation, energy, forestry, nutrition, and rural development.

URL: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdafarmbill?navtype=SU&navid=FARM_BILL...

Health Care Snapshots

2007-07-18T06:24:00.000-07:00

From the Kaiser Family Foundation:

This is "a series of online publications ... that use charts, data and analysis to provide insight into the political and policy debates about the cost of health care in the United States." Some of the topics include out-of-pocket spending for health care, insurance premium cost-sharing and coverage take-up, health care spending in the U.S. compared with other countries, and effect of changes in medical technology on health care costs.
URL:
http://www.kff.org/insurance/snapshot/

America's Children

2007-07-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

From the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics:

America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007

press release:

Compared to national statistics for the previous year, there has been an increase in the percentage of children living with at least one working parent and the percentage of children living in households classified as food insecure has declined. High school students were more likely to have taken advanced academic courses and the percentage of young adults who completed high school has increased. The adolescent birth rate has dropped to a record low.

Increasing were: the percentage of children served by community water systems that did not meet all applicable standards for healthy drinking water, and the percentage of children living in physically inadequate or crowded housing or housing that cost more than 30 percent of household income. The percentage of low birthweight infants also increased, as did the percentage of births to unmarried women. The rate at which youth were perpetrators of serious violent crime increased slightly.

These findings are described in detail in America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007, the U.S. government’s annual report that monitors the well-being of the Nation’s children and youth. The report is a compendium of the most recently released federal statistics on the nation’s children, issued by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. It presents a comprehensive look at critical areas of child well-being. These encompass family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health.

Congressional Earmarks Database

2007-07-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

From the Office of Management and Budget:

U.S. Congress: New Features Added to Earmarks Database (PDF)

From the announcement:

The first change is that the database will now show earmarks as they move through the FY08 appropriations process. The number of earmarks and the dollar value of those earmarks can be viewed as a bill moves through the legislative process.

The second change is that earmarks for selected authorization bills resulting in expenditures in 2005 have been posted to the database. This is an expansion beyond appropriations legislation, recognizing that while most earmarks appear in annual appropriations bill, some appear in authorization legislation. These new authorization bills include the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.

Direct to Earmarks Database

Health Care Costs

2007-07-12T05:53:00.000-07:00

From the Council on Foreign Relations:

Backgrounder: Healthcare Costs and U.S. Competitiveness

Backgrounder about health care costs in the U.S., where "factoring in costs borne by government, the private sector, and individuals, the United States spends over $1.9 trillion annually on healthcare expenses, more than any other industrialized country." Includes links to related websites and other material about economics and health.
URL: http://www.cfr.org/publication/13325/

Homeland Security Vacancies

2007-07-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

From the House Committee on Homeland Security:

Critical Leadership Vacancies Impede Department of Homeland Security
(PDF; 328 KB)

The Department of Homeland Security became operational in the spring of 2003. This ambitious undertaking pulled together 22 existing Federal organizations into a single new Departmental entity. Since that time, contracting abuses, poor leadership, and low employee moral have been endemic.
As pointed out by the National Journal in its June 2 issue, one of the continuing problems appears to be the over politicization of the top ranks of Department management. This is evident in the fact that some 24 percent of all Department top positions are now vacant. This could lead to heightened vulnerability to terrorist attack when the new administration is installed in January of 2009 and the political appointees who now run the Department exit without ensuring continuity of operations. The gaping hole in Department executive resources is a homeland security issue that must be addressed and rectified immediately.

Natural Disasters

2007-07-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

From ReliefWeb

This browsable list of natural disasters lists by year (back to 1980) major disasters throughout the world. Each entry can be selected and contains data including:
Latest Updates
Maps
Appeals and Fund Tracking
Background (Country Profile, Who’s Working, etc.)

Volunteerism

2007-07-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

From the Corporation for National and Community Service:

Lists & Rankings: Volunteering in America: 2007 City Trends and Rankings

Volunteer rates in America’s largest cities range from a high of 40.5 percent in Minneapolis-St. Paul to a low of 14.4 percent in Las Vegas. After Minneapolis-St. Paul, the cities with the highest volunteer rates are Salt Lake City, Austin, Texas; Omaha, Neb.; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; Kansas City, Mo.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Tulsa, Okla. The cities with the lowest volunteer rate are Las Vegas; Miami; New York; Virginia Beach, Va.; and Riverside, Calif.

News Release and Summary
Executive Summary20 pages; PDF.
Complete Report77 pages; PDF.

Aging Statistics

2007-07-06T10:54:00.000-07:00

From the National Center for Health Statistics:

New Web Database: Learn More about Aging on the New Data and Statistics Web Site

Direct to Data and Statistics on Older Americans (via CDC/National Center for Health Statistics)

Issues related to aging Americans are increasingly important and will continue to be a factor in our nation’s health. CDC’s new Aging Data and Statistics Web page brings together many information sources on the health of the growing population of older adults in the United States with the aim of improving accessibility to information to guide actions and policies to improve the health of all Americans.

Today there are over 37 million people age 65 and over, and that number is expected to rise to more than 70 million by 2030.

Current statistics reveal that Americans are living longer than ever before. In 1900, life expectancy was approximately 47 years. Americans born in 2007 can expect to live, on average, to age 78. Among people who survive to age 65, the average woman lives another 20 years while the average man lives an additional 17 years.

Transportation Atlas Database

2007-07-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics:

Now Available: National Transportation Atlas Database 2007

This 2-CD set [files can be downloaded online] presents a set of nationwide geographic databases of transportation facilities, transportation networks, and associated infrastructure.

These datasets include spatial information for transportation modal networks and intermodal terminals, as well as the related attribute information for these features.

Effects of Global Warming

2007-07-03T06:14:00.000-07:00

From Occupational and Environmental Medicine:

Temperature, temperature extremes, and mortality: a study of acclimatisation and effect modification in 50 US cities (PDF; 166 KB)

From press release (Newswise):

Global warming will cause more deaths in summer because of higher temperatures but these will not be offset by fewer deaths in milder winters finds an analysis published online ahead of print in Occupational and Environment Medicine.
The Harvard researchers analysed city-specific weather data related to the deaths of more than 6.5 million people in 50 US cities between 1989 and 2000.
They found that during two-day cold snaps there was a 1.59% increase in deaths because of the extreme temperatures. However, during similar periods of extremely hot weather death rates went up by 5.74%. Deaths did not rise as steeply when temperature fluctuations were less extreme.
Deaths from all causes are known to rise when temperatures go up, and heart attacks and cardiac arrests are more likely when it is very cold. It was anticipated that global warming would increase deaths during hot temperatures but that this would be compensated for by fewer deaths in the winter.
But the authors conclude: ‘Our findings suggest that decreases in cold weather as a result of global warming are unlikely to result in decreases in cold-related mortality in the US. Heat-related mortality, in contrast, may increase, particularly if global warming is associated with increased variance of summer temperature.’

Annual Energy Review

2007-07-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

From the Energy Information Administration:

Annual Energy Review 2006

The Annual Energy Review (AER) is the Energy Information Administration’s primary report of historical annual energy statistics. For many series, data begin with the year 1949.
Included are data on total energy production, consumption, and trade; overviews of petroleum, natural gas, coal, electricity, nuclear energy, renewable energy, international energy, as well as financial and environmental indicators; and data unit conversion tables.

Fastest Growing Small Companies

2007-06-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

From Fortune Small Business:

Lists & Rankings: FSB 100: America’s fastest-growing small companies, 2007

America’s 100 fastest-growing small public companies. See the full results, plus top 25 companies by revenue growth, stock performance, and more

Lists for 2005 and 2006 are also available.

Slide Show about Top 25

Alternative Medicine

2007-06-28T05:59:00.000-07:00

From the University of Maryland Medical Center:

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Index (CAM)

Collection of material about different types of CAM, such as acupuncture, biofeedback, herbal medicine, hypnotherapy, massage, and yoga.
Includes discussions of conditions (by organ and symptoms), and drug, herb, and supplement interactions and uses.

URL: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/

The Big Read - NEA

2007-06-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

From the National Endowment for the Arts:

The Big Read Becomes The Largest Federal Literature Program Since The W.P.A.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today more than doubled the number of communities taking part in its nationwide reading program, the Big Read. One hundred seventeen cities were awarded grants to produce celebrations of American literature from September through December 2007.

The Big Read, launched nationally in October 2006 by the NEA, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Arts Midwest, encourages literary reading by asking communities to come together to read and discuss one book.
Big Read website

Participating Big Read Cities - 2007 Cycle 2

Philanthropy

2007-06-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

From Giving USA:

U.S. charitable giving reaches $295.02 billion in 2006
(PDF; 101 KB)

U.S. charitable giving reached a new record in 2006, an estimated $295.02 billion, according to Giving USA 2007, the yearbook of philanthropy published by Giving USA FoundationTM and researched and written by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Donors gave an estimated $11.97 billion more than in 2005, a 4.2 percent increase (1.0 percent adjusted for inflation) over a revised estimate for 2005 of $283.05 billion. The 2005 estimate includes nearly $7.4 billion in extraordinary disaster relief giving. If disaster gifts are excluded from the 2005 total, giving in 2006 rose 6.6 percent (3.2 percent after adjusting for inflation).
Full publication available for purchase

Congressional Pictorial Directory

2007-06-25T06:18:00.000-07:00

From GPO Access:

Congressional Pictorial Directory: 110th Congress (PDFs)

The 110th Congressional Pictorial Directory provides a color photograph of each member of the House of Representatives and the Senate for the 110th Congress. It also includes information about a Member of Congress’ length of service, political party affiliations, and Congressional district.
Also contains pictures of the President, Vice President, and House and Senate officers and officials.

Agricultural Requirements from the EPA

2007-06-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

New from the EPA:

From the news release:

EPA has created a regulatory matrix titled, “Major Existing EPA Laws and Programs That Could Affect Agricultural Producers” that provides a succinct, general description of EPA’s requirements for both regulatory and voluntary programs.
This compliance assistance tool should be used by agricultural producers, federal and state regulators, and third party information providers who provide information and services to agricultural producers.

Direct to Matrix Web Site

Sustainable Development

2007-06-21T03:29:00.000-07:00

The SustainLane Government Knowledge Base was open only to government officials until just recently, which it became accessible to the general public. According to Warren Karlenzig, SustainLane director:
Now you can read full documents submitted by urban planners and sustainability managers from across the country. Find out what cities, counties, and states are doing to improve their carbon footprints, quality of life and resource efficiency. Find the latest programs in urban ecology.
We anticipate that several different audiences will find this database valuable, including journalists and citizen activist groups. It’s easy to use. Halfway down the front page is a listing of topics, each of which links to relevant materials in the database:
Climate Change Policy
Economic Development
Energy/ Energy Efficiency
Food/ Agriculture
Forestry/ Street Greening
Green Building/ Development
Land Use/ Planning
Parks/ Open Space/ Habitat
Purchasing/ Investing
Sustainability Management
Transportation/ Fleets
Waste Management
Water/ Wastewater
Just below this listing are links to the most recent materials added to the database, including things like the Philadelphia Local Action Plan for Climate Change, a document about Heat Island Effect Mitigation (from the City of Houston), a Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance from San Francisco, and more. New materials via user submission are added on a continuing basis. A search form allows keyword and fielded searching — e.g., by author, city, county, state, category, city size, document type.

Federal Government Information

2007-06-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

From the Sunlight Foundation:

Databases: Library Of Unified Information Sources (LOUIS) (Beta)

The Library Of Unified Information Sources is a project of the Sunlight Foundation, and an effort, to paraphrase Justice Louis Brandeis, to illuminate the workings of the federal government. The ultimate goal is to create a comprehensive, completely indexed and cross-referenced depository of federal documents from the executive and legislative branches of government. These documents are organized in a user-friendly interface, with a powerful search engine.

You can search broadly for keywords or limit searches to a single document set or range of dates. LOUIS, which daily updates its document depository, even allows you to set up a “standing query” as an RSS feed. LOUIS can alert you every time there is a new document that references your query. For example, if you want to follow “lobbying reform,” and Senators debate the lobbying reform measures of an ethics bill, the LOUIS notifier feed will send an update with a link to the relevant transcript from the Congressional Record.

Sources Currently in LOUIS Database:

Seven sets of federal documents:
Congressional Reports
Congressional Record
Congressional Hearings
Federal Register
Presidential Documents
GAO Reports
Congressional Bills & Resolutions

Information Technology Jobs

2007-06-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

From Computerworld:

Lists & Rankings: 100 Best Places to Work in IT 2007
Direct to Complete List

Top 5:
1) Quicken Loans Inc.
2) University of Miami
3) Sharp HealthCare
4) The Capital Group Cos.
5) The Mitre Corp.

Methodology

Lists in various categories:
Total employees
Total IT employees
IT employee turnover in 2006
IT employee promotions in 2006
Training days offered per IT employee in 2006
Training budget per IT employee in 2006
Percentage of IT managers who are women
Percentage of IT managers who are minorities
View by Company Size and by Region

Public Transportation

2007-06-18T06:43:00.000-07:00

From the Census Department:

Public transportation users concentrated in a handdful of large cities -

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2004/NewsMediaKit.html>
2005 Data User’s Guide

http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2007/Pub_Trans_Tables.xls>
Graphic

Despite rising fuel costs, commuters continued to drive their cars in 2005, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau analysis of data from the American Community Survey. The survey, gathered over the course of the year, found that driving to work was the favored means of commute of nearly nine out of 10 workers (87.7 percent), with most people (77 percent) driving alone.

In contrast, 4.7 percent of commuters used public transportation to travel to work in 2005, an increase of about 0.1 percent over 2000 levels.
About half of the nation’s public transportation commuters can be found in 10 of the nation’s 50 cities with the most workers age 16 or over:

Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. These cities account for 2.9 million of the nation’s 6.2 million users of public transportation (see detailed tables).

Beyond the total number of public transportation users, these cities also had relatively high rates of public transportation use. However, Los Angeles and Houston, with rates of 10.3 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, had lower rates than many other smaller cities, including Minneapolis (12.5 percent); Oakland, Calif. (16.5 percent); Portland, Ore.
(13.3 percent) and Seattle (17 percent).

"This is a prime example of the value of an ongoing survey such as the American Community Survey," said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon.
"With each succeeding year, we’ll be able to see how people respond to changing circumstances, such as rising gas prices."

Hot Growth Companies

2007-06-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

From Business Week:

Lists & Rankings: Hot Growth Companies 2007

The companies on this list are among the most innovative and nimble players around. Our interactive table lets you dive into the numbers to explore the financial performance of the Hot Growth 100.

Want to compare the growth of the No. 1 ranked Hot Growth company to that of No. 100? Or sort the list to find out which company has the absolute highest three-year return on invested capital?
You can sort the list using numerous criteria including:
Location
Name
2006 Rank
12-Month Profits
3-Year Profits

Additional materials located here.

Stem Cell Research - State Laws

2007-06-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

From NCSL:

Comparison of state laws relating to embryonic stem cell and fetal research, with charts showing whether each state specifically permits research on a fetus or embryo, restricts research on the aborted fetus or fetus/embryo resulting from sources other than abortion, has consent provisions, and restricts the purchase or sale of human tissue for research.

Includes an overview of the issue and links to laws and to related resources.

URL: http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/genetics/embfet.htm

Educational Statistics

2007-06-13T04:04:00.000-07:00

The National Information Center for Higher Education Policymaking and Analysis

Provides comparative data for states regarding postsecondary education.

Includes maps, graphs, and data about preparation, participation, affordability, student learning, completion, benefits, employment, and finance.

Also includes special analyses, race/ethnicity data for selected states, answers to policy questions, and interactive data and map generation features.

From the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems.

URL: http://www.higheredinfo.org

StateList

2007-06-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

The Electronic Source for State Publication Lists

"This site provides links to state publication checklists and shipping lists that are currently available on the Internet from 37 states." Can be browsed by state. A joint project of the Documents and Law Libraries at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

URL: http://www.library.uiuc.edu/doc/statelist/check/check.htm

Climate Change

2007-06-11T06:22:00.000-07:00

Nature Reports Climate Change

Nature Publishing Group (NPG) announces the launch of a new website-Nature Reports Climate Change

The Nature Reports sites highlight topical science issues by providing thorough investigative reporting based on peer-reviewed, primary research. The sites will report “the science behind the news, the news behind the science” and explore the social, political and economic implications of the highlighted topic.

Content is accessible for users of all levels of expertise, from scientists, journalists and students, to members of the general public interested in getting the facts behind the headlines, with a vast majority of it freely accessible.

Crime in the United States

2007-06-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

From the FBI:

Documents in the News: Preliminary Uniform Crime Report 2006: Crime in the United States

The stats, which we collected from more than 11,700 law enforcement agencies nationwide, show a rise in violent crime for the second straight year. The increase, however, is less than the 2.3 percent figure reported for 2005 and the 3.7 percent increase reflected in the preliminary six-month report for 2006 released in December.

A snapshot of the other key numbers for the full year:

Violent Crime

Murder: Is up 0.3 percent overall. The number of offenses increased the most—6.7 percent—in cities with a million or more residents and decreased the most—11.9 percent—in non-metropolitan counties.
Forcible rape: Decreased nearly 2 percent overall. Only two population categories experienced increases, both with populations less than 100,000.
Robbery: Rose 6 percent, the highest increase in any violent or property crime category. Each population group except non-metropolitan counties saw an increase.
Aggravated assault: Experienced a slight overall drop of 0.7 percent. The largest cities experienced the greatest declines.
Regional breakdown: Three of four geographic regions (except the Northeast) showed violent crime increases. The largest increase was in the West, with 2.8 percent.

Property Crime
Burglary: Increased slightly, 0.2 percent. The greatest increase—3.3 percent—came in cities with 500,000 to 999,999 residents.
Larceny-theft (down 3.5 percent overall) and motor
Arson: Is up 1.8 percent in all but one population group. Arsons are tracked separately from other property crime offenses.

The stats also include:
A breakdown by major cities;
The overall percent change compared to the prior year since 2003;
National totals for each category by geographic region.

Direct to Full Text Report

News Release

Global Warming

2007-06-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

The Discovery of Global Warming

Expansion of a 2003 book that "tells the history of climate change research as a single connected narrative."
Topics include influences on climate (such as the greenhouse effect and aerosols), models of climate change, climate modification schemes (such as rainmaking), and social relationships and climate changes.
Also includes a timeline through the 1970s and bibliography.

URL: http://www.aip.org/history/climate/

Nanotechnlogy

2007-06-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

From the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Pew Charitable Trusts

Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies

Publications and other materials from this project "dedicated to helping business, government and the public anticipate and manage possible health and environmental implications of nanotechnology," the "ability to measure, see, manipulate and manufacture things usually between 1 and 100 nanometers."

Includes an inventory of consumer products that use nanotechnology, event webcasts, and topical collections.

URL: http://www.nanotechproject.org/

Presidential Elections

2007-06-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

From the Center for Responsive Politics

New Database: Presidential Election (2008 Cycle) Expenditures

The latest database added to the collection of resources at OpenSecrets.

Includes a pie chart and a direct link to access expenditure data for specific candidates.

Hunger Awareness Day

2007-06-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

From America's Second Harvest:

June 5, 2007 "serves as a platform for domestic hunger-relief organizations to raise awareness about hunger in America and the work ... [they] do."

The site features a listing of local events throughout the country, and suggestions for individual, group, and corporate actions for helping to end hunger in America. Also includes links to publications on hunger and poverty in the U.S.

URL: http://www.hungerday.org

Native Americans

2007-05-31T04:36:00.000-07:00

Native American Citizenship

This series of illustrated essays discusses the history of American Indian citizenship and U.S. policy concerning Native Americans.

Subjects include the reservation system, American Indian schools, citizenship for native veterans, the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act, and related topics.

From Nebraskastudies.org, a project of the Nebraska Department of Education and the Nebraska State Historical Society.

URL: URL=http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0700/stories/0701_0140.html

Nonprofit Organizations

2007-05-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

From the John Hopkins Center for Civil Studies:

Nonprofit Fiscal Trends and Challenges (PDF; 967 KB)

Press Release:

Despite continuing fiscal challenges, the percentage of nonprofits reporting severe fiscal stress fell between 2003 and 2006, according to a recent survey by the Johns Hopkins Nonprofit Listening Post Project.

Reflecting this, a substantial majority — 76 percent — of nonprofit organizations in all fields, and of all sizes, reported generally successful financial performance during 2006, the survey showed.
The nearly 750 organizations surveyed are involved in children and family services, elderly housing and services, community and economic development, and culture and the arts.

The study followed up on similar surveys of nonprofit fiscal trends and challenges conducted in 2003.

Bioterriorism

2007-05-29T06:05:00.000-07:00

From The Center for Public Health and Disasters:

Bioterrorism: Are You Prepared?

The materials available through this site were developed specifically to help familiarize physicians with:

agents most likely to be used in a bioterrorist incident
associated signs and symptoms
decontamination and infection control measures
treatment
reporting
working with local, regional, and state facilities
bioterrorism-related information resources.

The Center for Public Health and Disasters is committed to bringing you the best in disaster training materials. We hope this information will help you and your staff learn about recognizing and responding to a biological terrorism event.

The training materials include:

PowerPoint slide presentation
List of bioterrorism-related journal articles
Links to other web-based resources
Frequently asked questions about biological agents

Source: Center for Public Health and Disasters (UCLA)

Airport Codes

2007-05-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

If you are travelling this summer, this is a handy Web site to know about:

World Airport Codes

http://www.world-airport-codes.com/

The place to find airport codes, abbreviations, runway lengths and other airport information.

World Airport Codes provides information for almost every airport in the world.

Using the search box, you can search for airport codes in 5 different ways:
By country name (e.g. Egypt).
By country abbreviation (e.g. GB for Great Britain).
By city name (e.g. Amsterdam).
By airport name (e.g. Heathrow).
By airport code (e.g. LAX).

Health Map

2007-05-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

A map of emerging infectious diseases:

HEALTHmap: Global Disease Alert Map

This site aggregates data from news and health information sources to provide a real-time map of emerging infectious diseases. View all disease alerts by country, or limit results to specific diseases or information source.

Includes a feed of the latest alerts. Created by a team from the Children's Hospital Informatics Program of Children's Hospital Boston and the Harvard-MIT Division of Health, Sciences and Technology.

URL: http://healthmap.org/

Agriculture and Ethanol

2007-05-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

From the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service:

Ethanol Expansion in the United States: How Will the Agricultural Sector Adjust?

World Health Statistics 2007

2007-05-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

From the World Health Organization:

Statistics: WHO publishes key world health statistics

World health statistics 2007, the most complete set of health statistics from its 193 Member States. This edition also highlights trends in 10 of the most closely watched global health statistics. It is the authoritative annual reference for a set of 50 health indicators in countries around the world.

Border Security and Immigration Reform

2007-05-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

From the White House:

Fact Sheet: Border Security and Immigration Reform

Administration Officials And A Bipartisan Group Of Senators Reach Agreement On Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation.

The proposal includes:

Putting Border Security And Enforcement First: Border security and worksite-enforcement benchmarks must be met before other elements of the proposal are implemented.

Providing Tools For Employers To Verify The Eligibility Of The Workers They Hire: Employers will be required to verify the work eligibility of all employees using an employment eligibility verification system, while all workers will be required to present stronger and more verifiable identification documents.

Creating A Temporary Worker Program: To relieve pressure on the border and provide a lawful way to meet the needs of our economy, the proposal creates a temporary worker program to fill jobs Americans are not doing.
No Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants: Illegal immigrants who come out of the shadows will be given probationary status. Once the border security and enforcement benchmarks are met, they must pass a background check, remain employed, maintain a clean criminal record, pay a $1,000 fine, and receive a counterfeit-proof biometric card to apply for a work visa or “Z visa”.

Strengthening The Assimilation Of New Immigrants: The proposal declares that English is the language of the United States and calls on the United States Government to preserve and enhance it, as well as enacting accelerated English requirements for many immigrants….
Establishing A Merit System For Future Immigration: The proposal establishes a new merit-based system to select future immigrants based on the skills and attributes they will bring to the United States.

Ending Chain Migration: The immigration system would be reformed to better balance the importance of family connections with the economic needs of our country by replacing the current system, where nearly two-thirds of green cards are awarded to relatives of U.S. citizens, with a system in which future family immigration will focus on the nuclear family and parents.

Clearing The Family Backlog In Eight Years: Millions of family members of U.S. citizens now wait years in line for a green card, with some waits estimated at as long as 30 years. Family members who have applied legally and have lawfully waited their turn in line will receive their green card within eight years.

Census Information

2007-05-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

From the Census Department:

Statistics: Minority Population Tops 100 Million (U.S.)

The nation’s minority population reached 100.7 million, according to the national and state estimates by race, Hispanic origin, sex and age released by the U.S. Census Bureau. A year ago, the minority population totaled 98.3 million…California had a minority population of 20.7 million — 21 percent of the nation’s total. Texas had a minority population of 12.2 million — 12 percent of the U.S. total.

There were other milestones reached as well during the July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006, period: The nation’s black population surpassed 40 million, while the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander group reached the 1 million mark.

Hispanic remained the largest minority group, with 44.3 million on July 1, 2006 — 14.8 percent of the total population. Black was the second-largest minority group, totaling 40.2 million in 2006. They were followed by Asian (14.9 million), American Indian and Alaska Native (4.5 million), and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (1 million). The population of non-Hispanic whites who indicated no other race totaled 198.7 million in 2006.

See Also: National Characteristics of U.S. Population

Environment-Global Warming

2007-05-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

From NPR and National Geographic:

Climate Connections

This yearlong exploration of climate change throughout the world provides news and features about energy, fuel efficiency, carbon emissions, effects of climate change on plants and animals, activism, and other environmental topics.

Also includes video clips, podcasts, images, and an interactive map showing coverage and conditions around the globe.
URL: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9657621

National Parks

2007-05-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

From the National Parks Service:

Searchable E-book: U.S. National Parks List

Search a database of over 400 National Parks from the National Parks Service. The U.S. National Park Service cares for and protects national parks. People from all around the world visit national parks.

There are nearly 400 natural, cultural and recreational sites across the nation. This eBook provides name, location, contact information and a short description for over 400 National Parks, monuments, historical sites, and more.

Homeland Security

2007-05-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

UN counter-terrorism body launches online information assistance

New: Counter-Terrorism Technical Assistance Database

The Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate has launched an online database containing information about technical assistance both requested by and provided to States.

Energy and Climate Change

2007-05-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

From the World Resources Institute:

A comparison of selected energy options, with respect to energy security and climate change impact.

Full PDF version of chart (609 KB)

Background information (PDF; 479 KB)

U.S. policymakers are now considering a range of options to address the issues of future U.S. energy security and climate change. Energy policies are often proposed to address some combination of these. Yet not all policy options have equal impacts across both, and many options have negative impacts with respect to one or the other.

Green Power Partners

2007-05-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

From the Environmental Protection Agency -

Lists & Rankings:

EPA’s National Top 25 Green Power Partners

1. PepsiCo
2. Wells Fargo & Co.
3. Whole Foods Market
4. U.S. Air Force
5. Johnson & Johnson
6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
7. Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
8. Starbucks
9. DuPont Co.
10. U.S. Department of Energy
11. Vail Resorts Inc.
12. HSBC North America
13. Cisco Systems Inc.
14. Staples
15. New York University
16. The World Bank Group
17. University of Pennsylvania
18. IBM Corp.
19. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
20. NatureWorks LLC
21. Sprint Nextel
22. Safeway Inc.
23. Pennsylvania State University
24. Kohl’s Department Stores
25. Nike Inc.

Civil Rights Web sites

2007-05-10T05:07:00.000-07:00

From the Library of Congress:

New from LC: Civil Rights Resource Guide

This guide provides links to Library of Congress and external Web sites focusing on civil rights and a bibliography containing selections for both general and younger readers.

Consumer Health Information

2007-05-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

New from the FDA:

A Web page, “Consumer Health Information for You and Your Family” (www.fda.gov/consumer), provides comprehensive and timely consumer information.

A free monthly e-newsletter - “FDA Consumer Health Information” (www.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html), will alert consumers to content contained on the page.

Air Quality Information

2007-05-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

From the EPA:

New Database: AirCompare from the EPA

AirCompare, a new EPA-developed air quality tool, provides local air quality information to help people make informed decisions about moving, vacationing or living in different areas of the country.

“From people getting ready to retire to vacationers or those changing jobs, Americans are increasingly considering air quality as they make their plans,” said Bill Wehrum, EPA’s acting assistant administrator for Air and Radiation. “AirCompare helps answer those questions in a way that’s simple to understand.”

AirCompare uses EPA’s popular Air Quality Index (AQI) to explain air quality from a health perspective.

A person with asthma, for example, can use AirCompare to select up to 10 counties across the country — and with the click of a button, find out how many days the air was unhealthy for asthmatics last year. Or someone planning a trip can find out the best time of year to visit a particular area, based on concerns about asthma, heart disease, outdoor activity, or just general interest.

The Price of Gasoline

2007-05-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

From the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights:

The Changing Relationship Between the Price of Crude Oil and the Price At the Pump

(PDF; 191 KB)

From the Press Release:

A report commissioned by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights shows a sharply higher (and still growing) gap between crude oil prices and gasoline prices — and between pump prices in California and the rest of the nation. The study, conducted by oil analyst Tim Hamilton, finds that Californians are paying $7 to $15 per fill-up more than the rest of the nation, with gasoline prices stuck at 40 cents to 55 cents a gallon above the U.S. average.

Because the costs of making gasoline are relatively stable, the disconnect between oil and gasoline prices amounts to a bottom-line bonanza for oil companies, the report concludes.

Presidential Campaign Finance

2007-05-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

From the Center for Responsive Politics -
"a non-partisan, non-profit research group ... that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy."

Compilation of data on campaign contributions for the 2008 presidential election.

Candidate profiles include total funds raised and spent, cash on hand, debts, and a breakdown of sources of the funds (such as individual contributions). Also includes week-by-week comparisons, a donor lookup, contributions by industry, and other data.

URL: http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.asp?cycle=2008

Adolescent Health

2007-05-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Fact sheets, data, and other material about adolescent health topics such as injuries, alcohol and drug use, sexual behaviors, nutrition and obesity, skin cancer, and youth violence.

Includes background on the National Initiative to Improve Adolescent Health by the Year 2010, and links to related websites.

URL:
http://www.cdc.gov/node.do/id/0900f3ec801e457a

Women in Congress

2007-05-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

From the Joint Committee on Printing (via GPO Access)

Women in Congress 1917 - 2006 (House Document No. 108-223)

Reference document including biographical profiles of individual Representatives and Senators, portraits of every woman who has served in Congress, and statistical graphs and charts.

GovTrak.us Updates

2007-05-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

New from GovTrack.us:

Updates at GovTrack.us

GovTrack continues developing into an essential resource for political and legislative research in the U.S. It has many useful tools/databases and it’s free.

What's new:

A new Presidential Candidates page for those candidates that have served in Congress. You can see how they line up in political leanings, sorted them based on their position in GovTrack’s Political Spectrum.

The representative statistics page has been updated to go back a few more years, and the political spectrum has been updated for the 110th Congress.

New download options at the top-right of the main Votes page and on the pages for individual roll call votes so that you can import the data into Excel (CSV format) or use it for other applications (XML format).

Source: GovTrack News and Notes

Taxes

2007-04-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

From the Citizens for Tax Justice

United States Remains One of the Least Taxed Industrial Countries
(PDF; 66 KB)

Taxes continue to take up a relatively small part of American economic output, according to data compiled by Citizens for Tax Justice from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. Census.

For example, in all but two OECD countries, taxes make up a larger percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) than in the United States.