Professor Andrew Odlyzko of the University of Minnesota's Digital Technology Center has, among his many other interests, considered cybersecurity issues and the challenges that they pose. See this recent PowerPoint presentation titled How to Live and Prosper With Insecure Cyberinfrastructure. Related material is here.
Monday’s Washington Post ran an article about steps being taken by both government and the business community to educate the public about the importance of financial literacy. Visa and the Federal Reserve Bank held a conference in Chicago last week to specifically address the growing need for a more financially literate society and recommendations for the public in these uncertain economic times.
I listened last night to President Obama's speech on energy in Newton, Iowa -- good stuff, a little heavy on the cap and trade for my liking, and I think we need to be a little careful about using California as an example.
To pick one antonym of courage, you can read the below and pick your own, from the Washington Examiner (h/t pointoflaw):
Today's Washington Post has an editorial ringing the alarm about "small signs of protectionism … popping up around the globe."
Walter Olson, writing at PointofLaw, gives us -- from Heritage -- "A bit of relevant background for the card check debate from Hans von Spakovsky:"
In an essay in Fortune magazine, J.P. Morgan Chase's Jamie Dimon makes the following predictions about the U.S. economy and the financial system:
"Everybody agrees that tomorrow's electrical grid must incorporate wind and solar power seamlessly. But solving the reliability issue won't be easy," Dan Charles in Science (sub req'd)
Earth Day is a fun day and NEI Nuclear Notes had a little fun with "No Earth Day for Nuclear Energy," my favorite line:
We hang our heads in shame. Nothing to offer the earth – blue skies – crystal waters – frolicsome woodland creatures. Nothing to offer. We stand alone – shoulders drooped, hands in pockets, tears leaking from burgundy eyes.
On the occasion of Earth Day, the Institute for 21st Century Energy continued its efforts to educate the public about current policy issues and their potential implications by releasing a Climate Change 101 fact sheet and video.
Karen Harbert, President and CEO of the Institute, had this to say:
Thomas Friedman today comments on a new study McKinsey study "The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America’s Schools."
On Monday the EPA released a preliminary economic analysis of the Waxman-Markey Discussion Draft, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 -- WSJ coverage here. I'm sure this phrase: "the cap-and-trade policy has a relatively modest impact on U.S.
One on card check from the increasingly comprehensive coverage of the Employee Free Choice act on Twitter:
A World Wildlife Fund (WWF) analyst claims that the European Union is "cheating" the world on climate change. As reported on EurActiv's Climate Change web site page, Stefan Singer, director for global energy policy at WWF, claims that the European Union is playing "tricks on the atmosphere" when it claims it will reduce its emissions by 20% by 2020. In an interview with EurActiv, Singer explained how he had calculated that the EU's own domestic emissions reduction will only amount to "4 to 5%".
On April 8, 2009 the, Palo Alto, California based Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) reported that they had been selected by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the Department of Commerce, to facilitate the development of a smart grid interoperability roadmap for the electricity sector.
Ruth Ann Dailey in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sen. Specter and the Employee Free Choice Act (h/t The Truth About EFCA):
Small businesses not only generate 60% to 80% of net new job growth and most American innovations, but they will also be the ones to lead us out of this economic recession. That’s why the U.S. Chamber is committed to ensuring that small businesses have an environment in which they can grow and succeed. It’s also why we’re committed to highlighting the critical role that they play in our economy and in the pursuit of the American Dream.
Yesterday, the Chamber's Europe & Eurasia team had the pleasure of hosting a luncheon for Mary Coughlan, T.D., Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment of Ireland. The purpose of the luncheon was to learn more about Ireland's role in the global economy, discuss transatlantic issues in general, and promote economic relations between our two countries.
The Eastern Regional Finalist for America's Small Business of the Year Award is Charter School Business Management Inc.
One of the most dangerous ideas to come out of our current economic crisis is the dream that a shared prosperity is best achieved by punishing success. Last month the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy sought to build on this theme by suggesting that the best way to help the poor and minority populations in our country is to punish generosity. Not all kindness, mind you, just charity which they don’t find acceptable.
