U.S. Census Releases 2012 Statistical Abstract of the United States Online
Via INFOdocket: The 2012 files are now available at: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ Direct to 2012 Edition PDF Files: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012edition.html Direct to Earlier Versions: http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/past_years.html See Also: A Roundup of Press Reports/Opinion Pieces About the Possible Elimination of the Stat Abstract (via Water Librarians Blog) Continue reading
House Revamps Floor Feed
Eric at Sunlight Foundation Labs reports on a massively improved feed of live updates from the House floor.
- House Revamps Floor Feed, by Eric, Sunlight Labs, (09/27/2011).
- Feed of Live Updates
- XML feed
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.