Home » Articles posted by James A Jacobs (Page 120)
Author Archives: James A Jacobs
Private Sector Supports Public Data
A recent Farm Foundation Forum, sponsored by The Farm Foundation, addressed the issue of "Data Collection on Agriculture in a Time of Fiscal Constraints." A presentation [pdf] by Tom Wegner of the private company Land O’Lakes, Inc. addressed the value of public data, the challenges to data collection, and the impacts and consequences of cutbacks in the collection of public data. Wegner noted that public data from the USDA is reliable, objective, consistent, timely, and unbiased, and widely available for all. He said that Land O'Lakes uses public data for business planning, risk management, and evaluating policy options. He concluded by saying that Land O’Lakes is strong advocate of continuing public collection of agricultural data. An audio file of the Forum is available. It is very nice to see the private sector recognizing the value of public data at a time when many politicians are challenging, not just the funding of data collection, but the very idea that the government should be involved in such activities. See also: Farm Foundation Briefing Focuses on Agricultural Data, COSSA Washington Update, Volume 30, Issue 17 (September 26, 2011) The Consortium of Social Science Associations. Continue reading
Open Data Sites: State, Local, International
Looking for open data at the state, city, agency, or international level? The U.S. Data.gov site has a page of links:
It lists 29 states, 11 cities, 172 agencies and sub-agencies, and 21 countries with open data web sites. Continue readingPublic Printer Boarman Appears On News Program
From GPO Press Release announcing Boarman's appearance on a Washington D.C. television news show:
Public Printer Boarman Appears On NBC 4 News Program FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 27, 2011 No. 11-55 PUBLIC PRINTER BOARMAN APPEARS ON NBC 4 NEWS PROGRAM WASHINGTON-Public Printer Bill Boarman was a guest on NBC 4's Viewpoint program. Boarman discussed a variety of issues about the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) with NBC 4's anchor Jim Handly. The half-hour news program focused on GPO's role in meeting the information needs of Congress, the White House, and Federal agencies. Boarman and Handly also discussed GPO's 150th anniversary and transformation into the digital information platform for the Federal Government.
FCC Rules: Preserving the Open Internet
The Federal Communications Commission has published its Final Rule on Preserving the Open Internet. Hat tip to Benton's Communications-Related Headlines:
- Preserving the Open Internet. AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule. 47 CFR Parts 0 and 8 [GN Docket No. 09–191; WC Docket No. 07–52; FCC 10–201] 59192 Federal Register Vol. 76, No. 185/Friday, September 23, 2011, Rules and Regulations. This Report and Order establishes protections for broadband service to preserve and reinforce Internet freedom and openness. The Commission adopts three basic protections that are grounded in broadly accepted Internet norms, as well as our own prior decisions. First, transparency: fixed and mobile broadband providers must disclose the network management practices, performance characteristics, and commercial terms of their broadband services. Second, no blocking: fixed broadband providers may not block lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices; mobile broadband providers may not block lawful Web sites, or block applications that compete with their voice or video telephony services. Third, no unreasonable discrimination: fixed broadband providers may not unreasonably discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic.
NASA ringtones
Need I say more?
- Download NASA Sounds Here's a collection of NASA sounds from historic spaceflights and current missions. You can hear the roar of a space shuttle launch or Neil Armstrong's "One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind" every time you get a phone call. Or, you can hear the memorable words "Houston, we've had a problem," every time you make an error on your computer. We have included both MP3 and M4R (iPhone) sound files to download.
Latest Comments