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February 8th, 2010
Stronger Efficiency, Renewables Measures Would Benefit Consumers, Industry
Source: Union of Concerned Scientists
If Congress passed climate and energy legislation that strengthened the energy efficiency and renewable energy standards in the version the House of Representatives approved last June, consumer electric and natural gas costs would be $113 billion lower by 2030, and emitters would pay 4 percent less in compliance costs, according to an analysis released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The analysis also found that stronger renewable energy and efficiency policies would avoid the need for nearly 50 new nuclear reactors and diversify the nation’s energy mix more quickly than the current bill would.
+ Full Document
Posted in Business and economics, Consumer issues, Energy, Government and politics | No Comments »
February 8th, 2010
Security in Iraq: A Framework for Analyzing Emerging Threats as U.S. Forces Leave
Source: RAND Corporation
U.S. withdrawal from Iraq could affect Iraq’s internal security and stability, which could in turn affect U.S. strategic interests and the safety of U.S. troops and civilians in Iraq. U.S. policy-makers need a dynamic analytic framework with which to examine the shifting motivations and capabilities of the actors that affect Iraq’s security. The framework recognizes dangers from extremists, mainstream political actors, and the politicization of the security forces. It asserts that security in Iraq depends on the major political actors using the political process instead of violence to achieve their goals, and professional, apolitical security forces. Extremist violence, while inevitable, cannot by itself threaten the state. To help achieve U.S. goals in Iraq, long-term U.S.-Iraq military cooperation should have three missions: building security force capability, enhancing its professional character, and building confidence between Iraqi state and Kurdish regional forces. Fulfilling these three missions will require well-prepared and well-placed, relatively senior professionals at every level; development of long-term relationships with Iraqi counterparts; and, possibly, a newly agreed mandate. With such efforts, the United States should be able to contribute to continued strengthening of the internal security and stability of Iraq even as it withdraws its forces.
Posted in Government and politics, Middle East, Military and defense | No Comments »
February 8th, 2010
USDA Announces New Framework for Animal Disease Traceability
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced today that USDA will develop a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability in the United States, and undertake several other actions to further strengthen its disease prevention and response capabilities.
…
The framework, announced today at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Mid-Year meeting, provides the basic tenets of an improved animal disease traceability capability in the United States. USDA’s efforts will:
- Only apply to animals moved in interstate commerce;
- Be administered by the States and Tribal Nations to provide more flexibility;
- Encourage the use of lower-cost technology; and
- Be implemented transparently through federal regulations and the full rulemaking process.
+ Animal Disease Traceability
Posted in Government and politics, Health and healthcare, Veterinary Medicine/Animal Welfare | No Comments »
February 8th, 2010
IRS Debunks Frivolous Tax Arguments
Source: Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service today released the 2010 version of its discussion and rebuttal of many of the more common frivolous arguments made by individuals and groups that oppose compliance with federal tax laws.
Anyone who contemplates arguing on legal grounds against paying their fair share of taxes should first read the 80-page document, The Truth about Frivolous Tax Arguments.
The document explains many of the common frivolous arguments made in recent years and it describes the legal responses that refute these claims. It will help taxpayers avoid wasting their time and money with frivolous arguments and incurring penalties.
Congress in 2006 increased the amount of the penalty for frivolous tax returns from $500 to $5,000. The increased penalty amount applies when a person submits a tax return or other specified submission, and any portion of the submission is based on a position the IRS identifies as frivolous.
IRS highlighted in the document about 40 new cases adjudicated in 2009. Highlights include cases involving injunctions against preparers and promoters of Form 1099-Original Issue Discount schemes and injunctions against preparers and promoters of false fuel tax credit schemes.
+ Full Document (PDF; 444 KB)
Posted in Government and politics, Legal and law enforcement, Taxation | No Comments »
February 8th, 2010
FEMA Releases Draft National Disaster Recovery Framework
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the interagency Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group, today issued a draft of the National Disaster Recovery Framework —focused onengaging state, local and tribal governments, nonprofit partners, the private sector, and the public to enhance the nation’s ability to recovery from disasters.
The report is now available for review by visiting DisasterRecoveryWorkingGroup.gov. The comment period will begin next week when the report is also posted to the Federal Register, and the comment period will run from that time through Feb. 26, 2010. This comment period continues the extensive stakeholder outreach efforts undertaken by the interagency Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group, established in October 2009 by President Obama and co-chaired by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan.
The National Disaster Recovery Framework provides a model to collectively identify and address challenges that arise during the disaster recovery process—designed to help the broad emergency management community work better together to support individuals, households and communities as they rebuild and restore their ways of life following a disaster.
+ National Disaster Recovery Framework Initiative
Posted in Government and politics, Natural Disasters | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
EPA Releases Electric Utility Plans to Improve Safety of Coal Ash Impoundments
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released action plans developed by 22 electric utility facilities with coal ash impoundments, describing the measures the facilities are taking to make their impoundments safer. The action plans are a response to EPA’s assessment reports on the structural integrity of these impoundments that the agency made public last September. Coal ash was brought prominently to national attention in 2008 when an impoundment holding disposed ash waste generated by the Tennessee Valley Authority broke open, creating a massive spill in Kingston, TN, that covered millions of cubic yards of land and river and is regarded as one of the worst environmental disasters of its kind in history. Shortly afterwards, EPA began overseeing the cleanup, as well as investigating the structural integrity of impoundments where ash waste is stored.
+ Coal Combustion Residuals Impoundment Reports
Posted in Energy, Environment, Government and politics | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Health Spending Projections Through 2019: The Recession’s Impact Continues
Source: Health Affairs
The economic recession and rising unemployment—plus changing demographics and baby boomers aging into Medicare—are among the factors expected to influence health spending during 2009–2019. In 2009 the health share of gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to have increased 1.1 percentage points to 17.3 percent—the largest single-year increase since 1960. Average public spending growth rates for hospital, physician and clinical services, and prescription drugs are expected to exceed private spending growth in the first four years of the projections. As a result, public spending is projected to account for more than half of all U.S. health care spending by 2012.
Posted in Business and economics, Consumer issues, Government and politics, Health and healthcare | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
More than 30 Percent of Seniors Are Not Immunized Against Pneumonia in 36 States; New Report Finds Low Adult Vaccination Rates in U.S.
Source: Trust for America’s Health
A new report, Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives, released today by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) found that more than 30 percent of adults ages 65 and older had not been immunized against pneumonia in 36 states as of 2008. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other experts recommend that all seniors should be vaccinated against pneumonia, which is a one-time shot for most individuals, since seniors who get the seasonal flu are at risk for developing pneumonia as a complication.
Nationally, 33.1 percent of seniors had not been immunized against pneumonia, and even in the state with the highest immunization rate – Oregon – more than one quarter (26.8 percent) of seniors were not immunized. Washington, D.C. had the lowest number of seniors immunized, with nearly half (45.6 percent) of seniors not immunized.
Overall, the Adult Immunization report found millions of American adults go without routine and recommended vaccinations each year, which leads to an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 preventable deaths, thousands of preventable illnesses, and $10 billion in preventable health care costs each year. In addition to low rates of pneumonia immunizations, only 2.1 percent of eligible adults have had the tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough vaccine in the previous two years; only 10 percent of eligible adult women have had the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine; and only 36.1 percent of all adults were vaccinated against the seasonal flu in 2008.
+ Full Report
Posted in Diseases and conditions, Health and healthcare | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Regulating Industry-Funded Science Could Harm Patient Safety, Report Finds
Source: Center for Ethical Solutions (via Competitive Enterprise Institute)
Corporate funding of medical research does not lead to irreconcilable conflicts of interest or raise the possibility of harm to patients, according to a new study published today by the Competitive Enterprise Institute. The study, conducted by medical ethics scholars from the non-profit Center for Ethical Solutions, found that often over-looked motives such as scholarly ambition, glory seeking, or a fear of academic failure tend to be more likely motives than monetary interest in most cases of harm to patients.
…
Critics point to a small number of unfortunate and tragic cases in which financial conflicts of interest may have played a role in research-related injuries and deaths, then proceed to condemn the profit motive in biomedical research as a whole. However, the report shows how monetary interests of sponsors tend to align with the broader interests of patients and society as a whole: both are dependent upon research that results in successful medical products which improve human health.
+ Full Report
Posted in Business and economics, Consumer issues, Ethics, Health and healthcare, Science | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Study Reveals Potential Evolutionary Role for Same-Sex Attraction
Source: Association for Psychological Science
Male homosexuality doesn’t make complete sense from an evolutionary point of view. It appears that the trait is heritable, but because homosexual men are much less likely to produce offspring than heterosexual men, shouldn’t the genes for this trait have been extinguished long ago? What value could this sexual orientation have, that it has persisted for eons even without any discernible reproductive advantage?
One possible explanation is what evolutionary psychologists call the “kin selection hypothesis.” What that means is that homosexuality may convey an indirect benefit by enhancing the survival prospects of close relatives. Specifically, the theory holds that homosexual men might enhance their own genetic prospects by being “helpers in the nest.” By acting altruistically toward nieces and nephews, homosexual men would perpetuate the family genes, including some of their own.
Two evolutionary psychologists, Paul Vasey and Doug VanderLaan of the University of Lethbridge, Canada tested this idea for the past several years on the Pacific island of Samoa. They chose Samoa because males who prefer men as sexual partners are widely recognized and accepted there as a distinct gender category—called fa’afafine—neither man nor woman. The fa’afafine tend to be effeminate, and exclusively attracted to adult men as sexual partners. This clear demarcation makes it easier to identify a sample for study.
Past research has shown that the fa’afafine are much more altruistically inclined toward their nieces and nephews than either Samoan women or heterosexual men. They are willing to babysit a lot, tutor their nieces and nephews in art and music, and help out financially—paying for medical care and education and so forth. In a new study, the scientists set out to unravel the psychology of the fa’afafine, to see if their altruism is targeted specifically at kin rather than kids in general.
+ Full Paper
Posted in Children and families, Gender and sexuality, Social and cultural issues | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Tax Foundation Submits Statement Supporting Business Tax Simplification
Source: Tax Foundation
The Business Activity Tax Simplification Act would establish a clear physical presence standard to apply to online retail transactions and prevent burdening interstate commerce, according to written testimony submitted today by Tax Foundation Tax Counsel Joseph Henchman to the House Judiciary Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee.
…
Changing nexus rules is just one way states have attempted to shift the tax burden to non-residents — something they’ve been doing for a long time, according to Henchman. With the growing popularity of online retail sales, questions arise about where the transaction takes place and the proper way to tax it. A physical presence rule provides an easy and logical answer to where the transaction is located, identical to the answer given for brick-and-mortar businesses.
Taxation based on economic nexus standards threatens interstate commerce, harms long-term economic growth and undermines the principles of sound tax policy: simplicity, neutrality, transparency, and stability, Henchman notes.
Congressional action to adopt a physical presence standard may be the best vehicle for preventing burdens to interstate commerce, because it can be more comprehensive and accountable than judicial action and can also better address issues of transition, retroactivity, and de minimis exemptions (which would allow a business to conduct limited business activity without establishing nexus and being subject to a tax), according to the statement.
+ Full Document
Posted in Business and economics, Consumer issues, Internet, Taxation | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Environmental and Health Groups Face Off Against Household Cleaner Giants in Court
Source: Earthjustice
Public health and environmental advocates faced off against household cleaning giants Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Church and Dwight and Reckitt-Benckiser in a Manhattan court today in a fight for transparency about the toxic chemicals in cleaning products.
The manufacturing giants are refusing to follow a New York state law requiring them to disclose the chemical ingredients in their products and the health risks they pose. Independent studies show a link between many chemicals commonly found in cleaning products and health effects ranging from nerve damage to hormone disruption. With mounting concern about the potential hazards of chemicals in these products, advocates are defending consumers’ right to know and asking companies to follow the law.
…
The first-of-its-kind lawsuit could have national implications and comes as momentum builds nationally and internationally for toxics chemical reform. Today, the United States Senate committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing looking into the current science on public exposures to toxic chemicals. Advocates are awaiting introduction of federal legislation to reform the nation’s badly broken system of regulating toxic chemicals. And internationally, companies are preparing to comply with Europe’s new chemical regulations (known as REACH).
+ Lawsuit (PDF; 81 KB)
+ Brands targeted in the lawsuit (PDF; 43 KB)
+ Women’s Voices for the Earth report (PDF; 1.2 MB)
+ Disclosure report filed by Sunshine Makers, Inc. (PDF; 827 KB)
Posted in Business and economics, Consumer issues, Environment, Health and healthcare, Legal and law enforcement, Safety | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Haiti + 27 = 28 Countries in Crisis
Source: UNICEF/United States Fund
As global attention focuses on efforts to provide lifesaving support to the people of Haiti, UNICEF today released its Humanitarian Action Report (HAR) 2010. This annual report spotlights the most severe crises impacting children and women around the world and includes an appeal for additional assistance.
…
This year’s report highlights the situation of children and women in 28 countries and territories that have been identified as being in the most desperate need, and seeks $1.2 billion to help them. HAR 2010 emphasizes the increasing importance of partnerships to meet the needs of children and families affected.
Children are suffering in many different places, and for a range of reasons. In 2009, large-scale and repeated natural and man-made disasters struck Southeast Asia, while emergencies in the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan intensified.
+ Full Report
Posted in Children and families, Health and healthcare, Human rights, International, Natural Disasters, Poverty, Social and cultural issues | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States: Four Case Histories
Source: U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has scheduled a hearing, “Keeping Foreign Corruption Out of the United States: Four Case Histories,” on Thursday, February 4, 2010, at 9:30 a.m., in Room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
The Subcommittee hearing will examine how some politically powerful foreign officials, their relatives, or close associates – referred to in international agreements as “Politically Exposed Persons” or PEPs – have used the services of U.S. professionals and U.S. financial institutions to bring millions of dollars in suspect funds into the United States to advance their interests. Four case histories will illustrate how some PEPs have used U.S. lawyers, realtors, escrow agents, lobbyists, bankers, and others to circumvent U.S. anti-money laundering and anti-corruption safeguards. It will also look at how some U.S. professionals have actively helped PEPs avoid bank scrutiny or facilitated suspect transactions with no questions asked. The hearing will also examine whether U.S. policies and practices to combat foreign corruption and money laundering need strengthening. Witnesses will include government agencies, including the State Department, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), as well as lawyers, a realtor, and representatives of financial institutions.
+ Staff report (PDF; 2.2 MB)
Archived webcast and witness testimonies also available.
Posted in Business and economics, Ethics, Government and politics, International Relations, Legal and law enforcement | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Four New Publications from the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
+ Counterfeit Medicines (PDF; 198 KB)
Counterfeiting of medicines is increasing, is often linked to other criminal activities and poses risks to public health. It exposes people to medicines of unverified quality, safety and efficacy. This POSTnote considers the extent of the global counterfeit medicine trade, its impact in the UK and the technologies and policy options available to combat it. It also examines the risks and benefits of online pharmacy, one of the main ways in which counterfeits are distributed.
+ Lighting Technology (PDF; 197 KB)
Electric lighting accounts for around one-fifth of electricity consumption, both in the UK and globally. Under recent legislation, the traditional incandescent lamp is being phased out in the UK, saving 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by 2020 (equivalent to the emissions of around 180,000 households today). This POSTnote gives an overview of energy efficient lighting currently available and under development. It examines policy initiatives to drive uptake, as well as relevant health, environmental, public perception and economic issues.
+ Pets, Families and Interagency Working (PDF; 167 KB)
All agencies, professions and individuals who have contact with children have a duty to safeguard them. Government guidance has highlighted the need for agencies to work together and share information to achieve this aim. It has been suggested that organisations that work with animals should be included in the safeguarding agenda on the basis that there may be an association between cruelty to animals and family violence. This POSTnote examines the evidence base for this assumption, and the rationale for cross-reporting between different agencies.
+ Diagnosing Dementia (PDF; 178 KB)
Dementia currently affects 700,000 people in the UK, yet only 1 in 3 cases receives a formal diagnosis from a doctor. Dementia costs the UK economy £17bn a year and is one of the main causes of disability in later life. A key aim of the Department of Health’s 2009 National Dementia Strategy is early diagnosis. This is intended to improve quality of life through increased support, prevention of harm and reduction in care home admissions. This briefing outlines current diagnostic practices, research into newer tools and service provision proposals that aim to increase early diagnosis.
Posted in Diseases and conditions, Health and healthcare, Prescription drugs, Technology, United Kingdom, Veterinary Medicine/Animal Welfare | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
The Transportation Lobby: Main Street Chases Transportation Money
Source: The Center for Public Integrity
While polls show Americans don’t want to make transportation policy through earmarks, that hasn’t stopped local officials from going after them. As lawmakers grappled with renewal of an expiring multi-year transportation law last September, the number of cities and counties lobbying on transportation had grown by 80 percent since the last time a transport bill was about to expire, in the fall of 2003. And the cities and counties who list transportation as among their priorities spent a total of more than $35 million lobbying Washington through the first three quarters of last year; if even a quarter of that spending was solely devoted to transportation, it totals more than $8 million, a hefty sum for cash-strapped local governments.
Those numbers track with another sobering trend line. The Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank, notes that the last few transportation bills “have been marked by the rapid proliferation of federal transportation programs and by an increasing reliance on congressional earmarks,” adding that “both are symptoms of lack of focus and accountability.”
A harsh judgment, to be sure. But until the local lobby sees a new vision from Washington, the scramble for cash remains the only way to play, insiders say.
Posted in Business and economics, Government and politics, Infrastructure, Political process, Transportation and travel | No Comments »
February 7th, 2010
Representation of Children in Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings
Source: Child Welfare Information Gateway
The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires States to document in their State plan provisions for appointing a guardian ad litem (GAL) to represent the child’s best interests in every case of abuse or neglect that results in a judicial proceeding. The GAL may be an attorney or a court-appointed special advocate (CASA)—or both—who has received appropriate training.1 The GAL represents the child at all judicial proceedings related to the case and has the responsibility to:
- Obtain firsthand a clear understanding of the situation and needs of the child
- Make recommendations to the court concerning the best interests of the child
At the State level, statutes specify when the court must appoint a representative for a child who is involved in an abuse and neglect proceeding, and whom the court may appoint. As described in the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ Resource Guidelines: Improving Court Practice in Child Abuse and Neglect Cases, there are a number of ways that a child’s interests can be represented.
+ Full Document (PDF; 605 KB)
Hat tip: John Vogel
Posted in Children and families, Legal and law enforcement | No Comments »
February 6th, 2010
Lottery Profits Flat; Increasing Retailer Outlets Is Critical to Increasing Sales
Source: Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, Florida Legislature
+ Growth in Lottery transfers to the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund has leveled off and current forecasts indicate continued slowing of revenue growth due to the economic recession.
+ The Lottery has taken several steps to maximize its sales and transfers to education, including joining Powerball, adding instant ticket vending machines, and redesigning Lotto. While the Legislature could consider authorizing new games such as video lottery, keno, vending machines for on-line games, and Internet-based games, these options would likely increase associated negative social costs and could conflict with the proposed Indian gaming compact. A more acceptable alternative would be for the Lottery to increase the number of participating retailers, as its market penetration rate is lower than that of other successful state lotteries.
+ The Lottery’s operating expense rate continues to decline, making it among the most efficient U.S. lotteries. It could realize additional efficiencies by continuing to explore ways to reduce costs for leasing office space, providing field support functions, and compensating retailers.
+ Full Report (PDF; 7.3 MB)
See also: Lottery Jackpots, Retailer Density, and Advertising Drive Transfers to Education
Posted in Business and economics, Government and politics, Sports, recreation and leisure | No Comments »
February 6th, 2010
2009 State Teacher Policy Yearbook
Source: National Council on Teacher Quality
From press release (Word):
A new, 52-volume report released today by the not-for-profit, non-partisan National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) finds that state teacher policies largely work against the nation’s goal of improving teacher quality. While the national focus on teacher quality has never been greater, the broad range of state laws, rules and regulations that govern the teaching profession remain broken, outdated and inflexible and too often impede rather than promote serious reform.
The report finds that: 1) states’ poor and misdirected oversight contributes to the low quality of many of the nation’s teacher preparation programs; 2) the burdensome requirements of states’ so called alternate routes to certification block talented individuals from entering the profession; 3) the impact of teachers on students’ learning–the single most important job of a teacher–gets almost no consideration in either teachers’ evaluations or decisions about tenure; 4) states are not doing enough to make it possible for districts to move away from anachronistic compensation schemes; and 5) state laws make it too difficult and too costly for districts to remove ineffective teachers.
+ National Report (PDF: 2.9 KB)
+ Individual state reports (PDFs)
Posted in Education, Government and politics, K-12, Labor | No Comments »
February 6th, 2010
The Educational Crisis Facing Young Men of Color (PDF: 4.8 MB)
Source: The College Board
In recent years, it has become common to talk about the “Two Americas,” one characterized by opportunity and wealth, and the other characterized by significant social and economic strife. Indeed, the current economic crisis has exacerbated this national conversation and made the contrasts between the Two Americas even more stark.
Many would argue that the same dichotomy exists in our nation’s system of public education. One is a system that reflects the best that our schools have to offer, with challenging courses and exciting labs, dynamic and well-qualified teachers, strong student engagement, and active parent involvement — always with an eye toward preparing students for college and successful careers. The other system suffers from low student academic achievement, a seeming inability to instill in students a belief in the possibility of their societal success, and few expectations that students will even complete high school, much less enroll in college.
There is, however, a Third America. This is an America that is almost totally ignored by mainstream society. This America is often captured in popular television documentaries and newspaper stories and includes frightening statistics about unemployment, poverty and high rates of incarceration. The citizens of this Third America are primarily men, and mostly men of color. These men now live outside the margins of our economic, social and cultural systems. They are the byproduct of many societal failures — including the failure of our nation’s schools.
Posted in Education, Gender and sexuality, Race, Social and cultural issues | No Comments »
