Money and Computing
Fed Reserve Gov Brainard: Strengthening the Financial System to Meet the Challenge of Climate Change; opportunities for private-sector investments in low-carbon innovation, infrastructure, energy, and transportation
"There is growing evidence that extreme weather events related to climate change are on the rise — droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and heatwaves are all becoming more common. Climate-related events are already adversely affecting the lives of many Americans. The economic and financial impacts are also increasingly evident: we are already seeing elevated financial losses associated with an increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Some have described Pacific Gas and Electric's bankruptcy as the first climate-related bankruptcy of a major US corporation... more »
How are States Prioritizing Who Will Get the COVID-19 Vaccine First? CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Released an Interim Recommendation For the Highest Priority Group
All states have released updated prioritization criteria for Phase 1, primarily in response to ACIP deliberations and guidance. Some had planned emergency meetings in anticipation of the FDA’s announcement and ACIP’s follow-on recommendation. Importantly, most indicate that these criteria could change depending on supply, vaccine characteristics, and other factors. more »
National Museum of American History: Even Though the Room Is Full, They Are “The Only One in the Room”
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will feature eight such women in its new display, “The Only One in the Room,” which opened on Nov. 20. This “New Perspectives” case will be on view in the museum’s business history exhibition, “National Museum of American History: Even Though the Room Is Full, They Are “The Only One in the Room”” through November 2021. Spanning three centuries of American history, the display will explore the stories of women who made a mark in their respective industries, including banking, beauty, advertising and manufacturing, and examine the obstacles they faced and the context of the times in which they lived. more »
GAO & VETERANS HEALTH CARE: Agency Efforts to Provide and Study Prosthetics for Small but Growing Female Veteran Population
Prosthetics for female veterans has been a national research priority for the Veterans Health Administration since 2017. VHA has funded 8 related studies, but officials said recruiting participants is a challenge. Although the female veteran population is growing, it remains small. Women make up just about 3% of the veteran amputee population. Female veterans received other "prosthetics" from VHA — like eyeglasses and wheelchairs — in addition to artificial limbs. Women made up 7.9% of those receiving prosthetic services in FY 2019, and accounted for about $889 million of the $15.4 billion cost of prosthetics VHA provided from FYs 2015-19. One study aims to develop a prosthetic ankle-foot system that allows female veterans to more easily change footwear with different heel heights. more »