Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel stated that the company’s new coronavirus vaccine, which was clear for a phase 2 trial on Thursday by the FDA, would not be ready for immediate release to the public and that the distribution of the potential vaccine would need to be handled carefully between Moderna and the White House. Yahoo Finance’s Anjalee Khemlani joins The Final Round panel to break down the latest news about the coronavirus.

Does history repeat? Many of us, no doubt, remember the crash of the doc.com bubble back in 2000, and at least one analyst sees that pattern repeating before our eyes. Will Meade, who built his reputation in stock analysis with Goldman Sachs, believes that the current rally is only temporary, and that the markets are likely to fall again in 2H20 – by as much as 40%.Meade points that, like in 2000, we have the risk and uncertainty of a Presidential election coming up, and then adds, “The NASDAQ in 2000 did a similar bear market bounce as stocks this year — dropped 40%, then bounced 42% off the bottom retracing 61.8% of its drop. It stalled then fell 43%, making a new low four months later.” If Meade is right, then the true market bottom is due to hit us in late July or early September.The analyst is not all doom and gloom, however. While he is predicting bad news and tough times for the stock markets, he also points out that investors can act now to buffer their personal positions. His advice: move to liquid assets and build a cash savings buffer.Shoring up the savings account is only part of a strong defensive strategy. Investors can also shift their portfolio toward dividend stocks, relying on the steady income from the dividend payments to compensate for lower share price appreciation.We’ve used TipRanks database to find three high-yielding stocks that offer reliable payments – and all three have gotten the thumbs up from Maxim analyst Michael Diana.Ellington Financial, Inc. (EFC)We’ll start in the financial sector, with a small-cap company in the mortgage finance niche. Ellington operates as an investor, putting money into consumer loans, equity investments, mortgage backed securities, and both residential and commercial mortgages. It’s a standard portfolio for a mortgage-focused real estate investment trust.As an REIT, Ellington naturally offers a high dividend. REITs are required to a return a high percentage of profits to investors, and dividends are a sure way to comply with that regulatory provision. In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, and consequent economic damage, Ellington had to reduce its monthly payment starting with the April 29 payout. However, the company is maintaining a 54% payout ratio – returning more than half of earnings to investors. The 8-cent per share payment annualized to 96 cents, and offers investors a yield of 10%.Right now, the Fed’s key interest rate is down to the 0 to 25 basis point range, and Treasury bonds are yielding less than 1%. Even among dividend stocks, the average yield is just 2%. So, EFC’s 10% dividend yield is a fantastic return. Looking ahead, the company is expected to show 40 cents per share in earnings for Q1, more than enough to maintain the new monthly dividend.Maxim’s Michael Diana has tagged EFC as a ‘top pick,’ particularly noting the company’s strong management team: "Managing an mREIT even in 'normal' times is a difficult task, as the manager must balance leverage, prepayment protection, interest income, hedging, and diversity of financing sources to position the investment portfolio to withstand unexpected shocks without giving up too much income. When an unexpected shock does occur, crisis management skills are required to dynamically hedge and reposition the portfolio. We have followed EFC longer than any other analyst and, in our view, EFC management possesses all of these skills."Diana puts an $18 price target on EFC shares, implying a whooping 82% upside potential that fully supports his Buy rating. (To watch Diana’s track record, click here)Wall Street agrees with Diana’s assessment here. The analyst consensus on this stock is a Strong Buy, and it is unanimous, based on 4 Buy reviews set in recent weeks. Shares are selling at a comfortable entry point, just $9.87, and the average price target of $14.38 suggests room for a robust 46% upside growth this year. (See Ellington stock analysis on TipRanks)AGNC Investment (AGNC)Based in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC, AGNC is another REIT. The company’s portfolio is centered on residential mortgage-backed securities, but with a twist. Most of AGNC’s portfolio investments are guaranteed by the US government. The company’s portfolio includes $70.7 billion in such agency-supported securities, out of a total value of $93 billion.AGNC reported fiscal Q1 earnings at the end of April, and beat the forecast on EPS. Per-share earnings came in at 57 cents, based on $65 million in net interest income. The income interest figure is down significantly from the previous quarter, reflecting the economic troubles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. On a positive note, AGNC’s cash holdings increased 55% in the first quarter, reaching $1.29 billion by March 31.A solid cash position and safe guarantees on the portfolio make AGNC an attractive investment, and the reliable monthly dividend adds icing to that cake. Like EFC above, AGNC lowered its monthly payment in Q1. The new payment is 12 cents per share per month, which annualized to $1.44 and gives a strong yield of 11.5%. At 63.2%, the payout ratio shows that the dividend is easily sustainable at current income levels – and has room to raised back to previous rates when conditions warrant.Diana is bullish on this stock and upgrades his rating from Hold to Buy. The analyst noted, "While turmoil in the mortgage markets at the end of March resulted in losses and lower book values for all mREITs, AGNC was able to meet all of its margin calls and, importantly, take relatively fewer realized losses, and therefore retain more earnings power post-turmoil. This is why we believe the dividend, currently yielding 11.7% (vs. ~5% for peers) is safe."Along with the Buy rating, Diana gives AGNC a $15 price target, indicating a potential for 20% upside appreciation in the coming 12 months.The analysts are somewhat cautious on AGNC, a sentiment caught by the 8 to 3 split between Buy and Hold reviews. The consensus rating on the stock remains a Moderate Buy, while the $14.53 average price target implies a 14% upside potential. (See AGNC stock analysis on TipRanks)Manhattan Bridge Capital (LOAN)Last on our list is a NYC-based micro-cap lending company, Manhattan Bridge Capital. The company offers short-term financing and collateralized loans. Typical collateral includes real estate and tradeable stock, and the loans are usually used as first mortgages. LOAN originates, services, and manages its loan portfolio, and most of its customers are professional real estate investors and developers.The coronavirus epidemic has hurt real estate development and construction – exactly the type of projects that LOAN finances – in general, but that hit has been especially hard in New York City. At both the State and City levels, lockdown restrictions have been severe, and the mortgage loan environment is described by Diana as ‘challenging.’On a positive note, LOAN has covered its quarterly dividend payment, despite lower Q1 earnings. At 11 cents per share, the quarterly dividend annualized to 44 cents and offers investors a yield of 10.8%. Again, this compares favorably to most investment return yields out there.The high dividend yield alone makes this an attractive investment opportunity, but Diana also points out the stability of Manhattan Bridge’s portfolio, writing, “LOAN has never had to foreclose on a property and has never experienced a loan default.”With the stable portfolio in mind, Diana goes on to say, “We believe LOAN deserves to trade at a P/E premium to [peers] because of its: 1) lower leverage; 2) higher profitability; 3) better credit quality; 4) lower earnings volatility; and 5) dividend growth (which is possible in 2021, in our view, if the environment improves and stabilizes).”Diana’s $6 price target on the stock implies a healthy 46% one-year upside potential, and fully backs his Buy rating on the stock. Diana’s is the only recent Wall Street review of this stock – but should his thesis prove correct, expect LOAN to attract both stock analysts and investors in the near future. It offers a low cost of entry with a high potential return – an unbeatable combination. (See LOAN stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for dividend stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.

Investors are still uncertain just where the stock market is headed. Essentially, there are two competing opinions right now. One says that we’re just in a bear market rally, and that the worst is yet to come. The other thesis states that the current rally is real, and will mature into a new bull cycle as the economy restarts in the second half.Writing from JPMorgan, Marko Kolanovic, the investment bank's quant analyst, holds fast to that optimistic view. Kolanovic believes that epidemiological data suggests we are past the worst of the coronavirus spread, justifying the lifting of social and business restrictions. And that will open up economic activity, which will then find stimulus from low Fed interest rates and increased government ‘pump priming’ spending.Kolanovic sees the stimulus policies as more important than Q1’s weak earnings, writing, “The combined suppression of the risk free rate and credit spreads by the Fed likely has a bigger positive impact on equity valuation, compared with the negative impact of the temporary earnings loss.”Kolanovic is not the only JPM analyst who sees potential in the stock markets. The firm’s equity analysts have been working overtime to find the stocks best positioned to lead a potential bull rally. We’ve used the TipRanks database to pull up three of their stock picks, to find out why the JPM experts are tapping them for over 30% growth.KAR Auction Services (KAR)The first stock on our list belongs to a company in the second-hand vehicle market. KAR Auction Services operates a marketplace – both online and in the physical world – for used vehicles. The company sells to both individual and business buyers, people looking for a car to drive and garages looking to source parts for the shop floor. KAR sold over 3.7 million vehicles in 2019, bringing in $2.8 billion in auction revenue.KAR shares have been hit hard by the coronavirus epidemic. The combination of economic shutdowns and social lockdowns have not just put a hold on car sales – they have simply reduced the need for vehicles.Q1 earnings showed a 6% reduction in revenue, to $645.5 million, and a collapse in net income to $2.8 million from $15.3 million in the year-ago quarter. As noted, these steep reductions are attributable to the effects of the pandemic response. KAR shares are still down 38% year-to-date, badly underperforming the broader markets.However, JPM’s analyst Ryan Brinkman believes the current downturn is the time to buy in to KAR shares. The low price offers an attractive point of entry, and the stock has a clear path forward when economic activity resumes. Brinkman writes, “We believe that once stay-at-home orders are lifted and the situation moves from being one of a unique public health crisis to that of a more familiar economic downturn, aftermarket end-markets, including auctions, will earn their reputation for resiliency. People will drive again substantially similar to before, and volumes will return to salvage auctions.”Along with that optimistic assessment, Brinkman upgrades KAR from Neutral to Buy. His $19 price target suggests a strong 46% upside potential in the next 12 months. (To watch Brinkman’s track record, click here)Overall, KAR shares hold a Moderate Buy rating from the analyst consensus, which breaks down into 4 Buy reviews and 3 Holds. While the analyst corps is somewhat divided, their average price target is in line with Brinkman’s. (See KAR stock analysis at TipRanks)J2 Global Communications (JCOM)Next up is an internet communications company. J2 Global owns a diverse portfolio of 40+ online content brands, including IGN, Mashable, PCMag, BabyCenter, Everyday Health among others. In addition, J2 also runs a Cloud Service business, offering eFax and eVoice among other online services. The company boasts nearly $1.5 billion in annual revenue, and saw Q4 earnings rise to $2.19 per share.The Q4 earnings were the highest in two years, and capped a full year of rising earnings. Q4 is typically J2’s strongest quarter, while Q1 is typically the weakest, so the $1.35 estimate for Q1 earnings is less indicative of poor performance than one may think at first. On an important note, that Q1 estimate represents a modest increase of 1.5% year-over-year.JCOM shares’ price performance has roughly mirrored the broader market’s during the past three months. JCOM lost 35% in the initial slide, and has risen 21% from its trough.Initiating coverage of the stock for JPM, Cory Carpenter set a Buy rating, with a $105 price target that indicates room for 32% upside growth. (To watch Carpenter’s track record, click here)Supporting his stance, Carpenter notes the company’s strong Cloud position, writing, “We believe Cloud Services is well positioned to capitalize on growing security & privacy needs, with bundling & cross-sell potential, and we like that Digital Media monetizes through multiple rents—ads, subs, & affiliate commerce.”Key drivers for Carpenter's bull thesis include: "1) Total growth strategy drives sustainable growth, with $1B+ capital to deploy [...] 2) Diversified portfolio of leading Cloud Services & Digital Media brands. [...] 3) Strong FCF generator with M&A flywheel. JCOM prioritizes FCF, not growth at all costs, which it largely redeploys into M&A. JCOM’s 40% EBITDA margin is driven by Cloud Services’ ~50% margin and Digital Media’s ~35% margin."Carpenter is broadly in line with the rest of Wall Street, which has assigned JCOM more "buy" ratings than "holds" over the past three month -- and sees the stock growing about 26% over the next 12 months, to a target price of $101.30. (See J2 Global stock analysis on TipRanks)Montage Resources Corporation (MR)Last on our list is a small-cap hydrocarbon exploration and production company. Montage is based in the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, where it operates natural gas and crude oil drilling wells. Montage holds over 195,000 undeveloped core acres, and operates 325 actively producing horizontal wells. The value of the company’s holdings is clear from its stock performance; in the last three months, while the markets have generally slid into a bear cycle, MR shares have gained 55%.Even with the COVID-19 epidemic and the collapse of oil markets, MR was able to increase its net daily production during Q1, reaching 6610.7 MMcfe. This was above both company guidance and analyst estimates. Quarterly income of $62.7 million also beat the expectations. The company has curtailed some production in low-margin crude oil, to compensate for the soft oil market prices.Analyst Arun Jayaram, reviewing MR for JPM, upgraded his stance on the shares from Neutral to Buy. His $8 price target implies a 43% upside growth potential for the coming year. (To watch Jayaram’s track record, click here)Jayaram is clear on his reasons for upgrading this stock. He says of MR, “We expect the market to largely look through negative estimate revision risk to 2020 forecasts to the emerging bullish natural gas narrative in 2021… Meanwhile, the company’s FCF yield of 23% leads the peer group and is well above the peer group average of 10%...”The Strong Buy analyst consensus on MR shares is based on 5 recent reviews, including 4 Buys and a single Hold. The company’s strong natural gas production is tangible asset, and its enviable free cash flow is attractive for investors. Shares are selling for $5.59, while the average price target of $6.22 suggests a modest upside of 1.6%. (See MR stock analysis at TipRanks)To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.

GitHub on Wednesday announced two new security features designed to help developers identify vulnerabilities and potential secrets in their code.

The company announced several new products at its Satellite virtual conference, including ones aimed at helping customers write and consume more secure code.

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The Czech Republic and the United States have signed a joint declaration Wednesday for cooperating on security of 5G technology.

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Popular communications platform provider Zoom Video announced on Thursday that it has acquired secure messaging and file-sharing service Keybase for an undisclosed sum. The move is the latest by the company as it attempts to bolster the security of its offerings and build in end-to-end encryption that can scale to the company’s massive user base.

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Recorded Future this week announced the availability of Express, a free web browser extension designed to help security teams prioritize vulnerability patching and alerts from security information and event management (SIEM) tools.

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North Korea-linked hacking group Lazarus has been leveraging a Mac variant of the Dacls Remote Access Trojan (RAT), Malwarebytes reports.

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Cisco Patches High Severity Vulnerabilities in Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD)

Cisco this week released security updates to address more than 30 vulnerabilities in various products, including 12 high severity flaws impacting Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD).

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Samsung this week released its May 2020 set of security updates for Android smartphones, which includes a patch for a critical vulnerability impacting all of its devices since 2014. 

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Microsoft says it’s investigating claims that its GitHub account has been hacked, and while some say the leaked files appear to be legitimate, it’s unlikely that they contain any sensitive information.

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Google this week announced that Google Authenticator users can now transfer 2-Step Verification (2SV) secrets between devices.

The new feature is meant to make it easier for users to manage their Google Authenticator 2SV codes across multiple devices.

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Nigerian cybercriminals specialized in business email compromise (BEC) attacks were observed leveraging COVID-19 lures in recent attacks on healthcare and government organizations, Palo Alto Networks reveals.

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 Have you tried sowing lettuce seeds in a 100 cell propagation tray with exactly one seed per cell? if you did, you will know what I am talking about. It takes a lot of time to just sow one seed per cell, it is almost like meditation. Now scale it up to hundreds of such […]

TDS vs EC meter – Which one to buy? If you are a beginner in Hydroponics, it is certain, at some point, you would have had this question in your mind. Should I buy an EC meter or a TDS meter? While the users are split on which one is better, it is good to […]

Trellising tomatoes using the tomato hook and tomato clips Please check out this video I made on Trellising tomato plants. If you are growing indeterminate or vine tomatoes, they will have to be supported due to their tall growing nature. Trellising tomato plants is done either by a stick or a twine. Twine is the […]

  Pollination and its importance Without pollination, you can’t have the fruits of your effort (pun intended as always ;-). Pollination is a process where the pollen from the male parts of the flower are transferred to female flower or female parts of the flower. This step has to happen for fruit set to happen. […]

Underpins company plan to expand commercialization and definitive manufacturing relationships

Buying a used car online does not have to be intimidating. With these four easy tips, you can make sure that you are getting the best vehicle for your money.

Generators for sale in preparation for Hurricane Matthew

Extreme endurance motorcycle rider to attempt 9th world record, "Greatest Distance on a Motorcycle in 24 Hours (Individual)" this weekend in Uvalde, Texas. Follow live at www.carlreese.net starting on February 24, 2017.

Visual content demonstrates the best way to protect an accident injury case

Austin personal injury attorney Chip Evans said the state ranks among the worst in the nation for motorcycle safety. Texas is behind only South Carolina and Mississippi in the number of number of motorcycle fatalities per registered motorcycles.

Billy Johnson of the Billy Johnson Law Firm in Pikeville, Ky., says highways are especially dangerous during summer months.

WeeTect, a global leader in designing and manufacturing safety accessories, today announced that it will start supplying shatterproof helmet visors for OEM/ODM markets.

Indiegogo campaign will launch on September 20, 2017.

WeeTect announces its new generation of photochromic visor inserts.

Billy Johnson, a personal injury attorney in Pikeville, KY, said that a greater awareness of the threats facing motorists could reduce the number of vehicle crashes.

Columbia attorney Mark Evans encourages drivers and lawmakers alike to improve Missouri's poor record on road safety.

Connecticut manufacturer has been supplying custom storage solutions since 1945.

Sanford, Florida Power Sports Dealership Continues Partnership with Kyle Farnell

Chip Evans said that the innovative design was focused on usability and improved client interaction.

Jinggu Energy, a leading inverter supplier in China, announced the publication of their website content: The Ultimate Buying Guide of Power Inverter.

Roadsport Honda is a 14-year Consumer Choice Award Winner. The company has been in business since 1974 and it is GTA's leading Vehicle Service shop, Vehicle parts sales, Body shop & Automotive Sales & Leasing Service Provider.

Washtech is headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia and has been in the car wash equipment sales and service business for over 20 years.

Leveraging connected car capabilities with 13 top brands reduces customer friction and puts on-demand car care company ahead of the curve

This newly updated website offers visitors car title loans in San Diego

In exciting news, Hydro dipping experts TSAUTOP Hydrographics recently announced they have broken into the European market closing a large deal in Lissoneo, Italy.

To accommodate rapid growth and expansion of the product line, BMS promotes one of their top dealers to lead them into the next decade.

In celebration of National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, Personal Injury Attorney Ed Smith Offers Tips to Help Motorcyclists Ride Safely

A leader in audio electronics, Glenn Stasky turns a near-disastrous encounter with wildlife, into a life-saving mission to produce motorcycle lighting unlike anything that the market has ever seen before. Introducing Clearwater Lights.

The Sidekick Stool SK3, the essential garage companion

Mobile 24/7 Locksmith Offers Key Replacement And Key Duplication Services For Residences, Commercial Businesses, Automobiles, High-Security Safes, And More In Riverside, California

Southern California: Just thinking about our vast region (larger than many states), diverse population (numbering in the millions), and its unique role in the historical and cultural development of the state and nation boggles the mind.

(Click on all images to enlarge)

How the Los Angeles region became what it is today is a long and complex story. Much of our local history is preserved in libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions. Other valuable and unique collections - those that reveal the stories of neighborhoods, families, influential Angelenos - are scattered across the region, and are curated by smaller institutions and individual enthusiasts.

Our own collections at Metro's Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library and Archive are also an integral part of the history of the Los Angeles area. In order to promote the rich legacy of transportation history in Southern California, we play an active role in L.A. As Subject, a research alliance of more than 250 separate collections dedicated to preserving and improving access to the unique history and culture of Los Angeles. L.A. As Subject is hosted by Unversity of Southern California, and has announced the program for its marquee event of the year.

On Saturday, October 23, 2010 during American Archives Month, L.A. As Subject holds its 5th Annual Archives Bazaar in USC's Doheny Memorial Library.

The event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., features more than 70 historical collections and archives, and is free of charge.

History comes alive at this wonderful event where you can browse rare collections, consult with experts, and learn about researching Los Angeles and Southern California history, online tools, how to preserve your own personal history collections and images, and many other topics.

The full program for 2010 can be found here. The Special Guest Speaker will be KPCC host and L.A. Times columnist Patt Morrison, discussing how libraries and historical archives have informed her work. Morrison was a member of two Los Angeles Times reporting teams that won Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of the 1992 riots and the city's 1994 Northridge earthquake.

The Archives Bazaar is a great opportunity for the public to interact with these member institutions and individuals who bring their unique collections together in one place. This event allows scholars, researchers, archivists, librarians, students, history enthusiasts, documentary filmmakers and "L.A. Nerds" the opportunity to visit several institutions at once - to network, explore, ponder, and marvel at the many fascinating facets of Los Angeles and Southern California.

Imagine all those fascinating libraries, archives, museums, historical societies and cultural institutions from throughout Southern California sharing their collections and stories in an "Antiques Road Show" type of setting. It would cost a small fortune in admission and transportation costs to visit just some of the more than 70 participating institutions (including us) which have reserved their exhibit space so far. On October 23, they're all on display for you to peruse, ask questions, and explore...for free!

Other programming for the 5th Annual Archives Bazaar includes:

PANEL DISCUSSION: EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
Today, the iconic newsboy hawking a newspaper on the street corner is only a memory. When will the newspaper and the newsstand also become memories? When will newspaper morgues become just that, or are they still a viable source for researchers? Join a panel of newspersons and newspaper archivists who will discuss the past, present, and future of the newspaper industry in Southern California.

PANEL DISCUSSION: BLOGGING L.A.
In recent years, blogs have become an indispensable source of news and information about the Los Angeles region. But what is their role in promoting Los Angeles history and investigating the city’s identity? Join three Southern California bloggers as they discuss how blogs can interpret the region’s past, present, and future.

PANEL DISCUSSION: UNCOVERING THE LEGACY OF DAVID ALFARO SIQUEIROS
Join Luis C. Garza, Oliver Mayer, and moderator Liza Posas for a conversation about the ongoing legacy of Mexican mural artist David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896–1974). In 1932, Siqueiros traveled to Los Angeles and painted three murals, which were met with resistance—two were whitewashed shortly after their creation. Despite the efforts to censor his artistic vision, his work has inspired artists from the 1930s to the present day and contributed to the development of the modern mural movement in Los Angeles and beyond.

PANEL DISCUSSION: L.A. TAKES FLIGHT
From aviation pioneers to daring test pilots to space shuttle assembly plants, human flight has long played an important role in Southern California. Learn how Los Angeles took flight as panelists Kenneth E. Pauley, Linda McCann, and Michael Palmer share the hidden aviation stories they have discovered in the region’s libraries and archives.

DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENING: BRIDGING THE DIVIDE: TOM BRADLEY AND THE POLITICS OF RACE
This documentary is the first to tell the story of Tom Bradley, the first African-American elected mayor of a major U.S. city without a black majority. It is the story of an extraordinary multiracial coalition that transformed the city and in, the process, changed American politics. We will be screening a 20-minute trailer of this work-in-progress.


DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENING: THE LEGEND OF PANCHO BARNES
Florence “Pancho” Barnes was one of the most important women in twentieth century aviation. A tough and fearless aviatrix, Pancho opened a ranch near Edwards Air Force Base that became a famous—some would say notorious—hangout for test pilots and movie stars. Known as the Happy Bottom Riding Club, it became the epicenter of the aviation world during the early Jet Age. Since then, Pancho herself has become something of a legend, a fascinating yet enigmatic icon whose swagger is often celebrated, but whose story has been largely unknown—until now.

EDUCATIONAL SESSION: PRIVATE PASSION — PUBLIC RESOURCE
A personal fascination and individual zeal can create a collection that has value to the wider world. Such focus can illuminate details and connections that more general collections might miss. Local collectors will share their personal insights into history, and how they have assembled materials that might otherwise be dispersed and potentially never available to researchers.

EDUCATIONAL SESSION: RESEARCHING LA 101
Ever wondered how to get started with your Los Angeles research, or research in general? This presentation will provide a detailed overview of how and where to start, including researching basics useful for anyone working with primary and secondary source material. Topics will include researching from home, visiting the archives, the ins and outs of reading rooms, and more.

The Transportation Equity Network (TEN) has released More Transit = More Jobs: The Impact Of Increasing Funding For Public Transit (31p. PDF). TEN is a coalition of more than 350 grassroots organizations in 41 states that has worked since 1997 to build a more just, prosperous, and connected America.

This study asks two key questions:

What would be the effect on jobs in each metropolitan area of shifting 50% of the money spent on highways to public transit?

How many jobs would be created in each metro area if we increased funding on public transit at the rate indicated by the Transportation For America proposal for the next transportation authorization act?

The report highlights several statistics in answering those questions based on data from Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPS) in 20 U.S. metropolitan areas. For example, 1,123,674 new transit jobs would be created over a 5-year period for a net gain of 180,150 jobs without a single dollar of new spending.

However, if federal spending on transit increased as proposed by TEN and Transportation For America, an estimated 1.3 million jobs over the life of the law would be created, as well as almost 800,000 more jobs than under present federal transporation law (SAFETEA-LU).

The Federal Highway Administration published the 2009 Urban Congestion Trends (8p. PDF) document last week. This brief report utilizes a dashboard format to convey year-over-year changes in key traffic measures: daily hours of congestion, time penalty for eqach trip, worst-trip time penalty. Some key observations include:

• Overall, congestion had declined in almost all monitored regions between 2008 and 2009
• Less wasted time and fewer hours of the day were devoted to stop-and-go traffic in 16 of the 23 monitored regions
• At least one of the three measures improved in 20 of the 23 monitored regions
• Congestion is lowest during the summer vacation season

The report goes on to explain how operational improvements can mitigate congestion and promote smooth, safe and consistent traffic flow.

Examples provided from around the country include high-occupancy/toll lanes, freeway ramp metering, improved information coordination, work-zone management, and traffic signal system improvement programs.

In Managing Increasing Ridership Demand (32p. PDF), The FTA's Transit Cooperative Research Program presents an overview of a study mission investigating how several transit operators and agencies in Latin America accomodate sudden and significant growth in the number of riders and increasing demand for service.

Case studies from Guayaquil (Ecuador), Santiago (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Porto Alegre (Brazil) were selected because they have faced and successfully dealt with challenges similar to recent ridership grown in the United States.

Each city's responses offer unique insight into managing increasing transit ridership and providing various perspectives on serving the mobility needs of their communities.

Two International Transit Studies Program study missions such as this are conducted each year. They have three objectives: To afford team members the opportunity to expand their network of domestic and international public transportation peers, to provide a forum for discussion of global initiatives and lessons learned in public transportation, and to facilitate idea sharing and the possible import of strategies for application to transportation communities in the United States.

For more than forty years Jan Gehl has helped to transform urban environments around the world based on his research into the ways people actually use — or could use — the spaces where they live and work.

In Cities For People (Washington : Island Press, 2010), his revolutionary new book, Gehl presents his latest work creating (or recreating) cityscapes on a human scale. He clearly explains the methods and tools he uses to reconfigure unworkable cityscapes into the landscapes he believes they should be: cities for people.

Taking into account changing demographics and changing lifestyles, Gehl explains how to develop cities that are lively, safe, sustainable, and healthy.

The book is extensively illustrated with over 700 photos and drawings of examples from Gehl’s work around the globe. Jan Gehl is based in Copenhagen.

Intelligent Transportation Systems, or ITS, integrates different computing, control, and communication technologies to help monitor and manage traffic management that helps reduce congestion while saving lives, time, and money.

While mobility and safety are the primary objectives of any good transportation system, security has also become an equally important consideration in their design and operation.

This new work, Transportation Infrastructure Security Utilizing Intelligent Transportation Systems (Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, 2008), provides a comprehensive treatment of techniques to leverage ITS in support of security and safety for surface transportation infrastructure.

Through the book's multidisciplinary approach, readers gain a comprehensive introduction to the diverse aspects of transportation infrastructure security as well as how ITS can reduce risks and be protected from threats with such topics as computer systems, risk analysis, and multi-modal transportation systems.

This book, which will serve as a textbook and guide, provides:

• Current ITS approaches to security issues such as freight security, disaster and evacuation response, HAZMAT incidents, rail security, and ITS Wide Area Alerts
• Guidance on the development of a regional transportation security plan
• Securing ITS itself and privacy issues involved in any collection and use of personally identifiable tracking data
• Exercises, question-and-answer sections, and other helpful review tools for the reader

Filling a gap in the practical application of security, this book offers both students and transportation professionals valuable insights into the new security challenges encountered and how to manage these challenges with the use of computerized transportation systems.

Railways are an environmentally friendly means of transport well suited to modern society.

However, noise and vibration are key obstacles to further development of the railway networks for high-speed intercity traffic, for freight and for suburban metros and light-rail.

Railway Noise And Vibration: Mechanisms, Modelling And Means Of Control (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2009) brings together coverage of the theory of railway noise and vibration with practical applications of noise control technology at source to solve noise and vibration problems from railways.

Each source of noise and vibration is described in a systematic way: rolling noise, curve squeal, bridge noise, aerodynamic noise, ground vibration and ground-borne noise, and vehicle interior noise.

This work also discusses in full the theoretical background and practical workings of railway noise, including the latest research findings, and forms an extended case study in the application of noise control techniques.

Author David Thompson is Professor of Railway Noise and Vibration at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, University of Southampton (U.K.).

This week, we highlight three new titles from the ASPA Series in Public Administration and Public Policy.

Market disruptions, climate change, and health pandemics lead the growing list of challenges faced by today’s leaders. These issues, along with countless others that do not make the daily news, require novel thinking and collaborative action to find workable solutions. However, many administrators stumble into collaboration without a strategic orientation.

Using a practitioner-oriented style, Strategic Collaboration In Public And Non-Profit Administration: A Practice-Based Approach To Solving Shared Problems provides guidance on how to collaborate more effectively, with less frustration and better results.

Linking collaboration theory to effective practice, this book offers essential advice that fosters shared understanding, creative answers, and transformation results through strategic collaborative action. With an emphasis on application, it uses scenarios, real-world cases, tables, figures, tools, and checklists to highlight key points.

The appendix includes supplemental resources such as collaboration operating guidelines, a meeting checklist, and a collaboration literature review to help public and nonprofit managers successfully convene, administer, and lead collaboration. The book presents a framework for engaging in collaboration in a way that stretches current thinking and advances public service practice.

A guidebook through the minefield of government contracting and procurement, Government Contracting: Promises and Perils describes the dangerous practices commonly applied in the development and management of government contracts and provides advice for avoiding the sort of errors that might compromise their ability to protect the public interest.

It includes strategies for increasing profits for government contractors, rather than incurring burdensome costs, through compliance with government mandated subcontracting and financial management systems.

Drawing from his in-depth investigation of government agencies across the country, the author examines present-day scenarios that regularly lead public servants and government committees to manage contracts with tools that are less than optimal and to select contractors that may not be the best qualified. He then delineates practical processes, contracting documents, and contract management tools to mitigate detrimental outcomes and alternative approaches to supplant the imperfect methodologies.

The author includes a CD-ROM with the book that provides a number of practical tools that you can apply as well as examples of contracts and templates that are the best he discovered during his research. The book also outlines an approach for performing advance contract planning, conducting contract negotiations, and administering contracts useful when planning for the management of the contracting process throughout the contracting cycle, negotiating a contract that protects the interest of all contracting parties, and ensuring successful contractor performance.

Filling a gap in project management literature, Managing Public Sector Projects: A Strategic Framework for Success in an Era of Downsized Government supplies managers and administrators—at all levels of government—with expert guidance on all aspects of public sector project management.

From properly allocating risks in drafting contracts to dealing with downsized staffs and privatized services, this book clearly explains the technical concepts and the political issues involved.

In line with the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) and the PMBOK^® (Project Management Body of Knowledge), David S. Kassel establishes a framework those in the public sector can follow to ensure the success of their public projects and programs. He supplies more than 30 real-life examples to illustrate the concepts behind the framework—including reconstruction projects in Iraq, the Big Dig project in Boston, local sewer system and library construction projects, and software technology.

This authoritative resource provides strategic recommendations for effective planning, execution, and maintenance of public projects. It also:

• Highlights the differences between managing projects in the public sector versus the private sector
• Explains how to scrutinize costs, performance claims, and the backgrounds of prospective contractors
• Presents key safeguards that should be included in all contracts with contractors, consultants, suppliers, and other service providers
• Details the basics of project cost estimation, design and scheduling, and how to hold contractors responsible for meeting established project standards

In an age of downsized government and in the face of a general distrust of public service, this book is a dependable guide for avoiding management practices that are common to projects that fail and for adopting the practices common to projects that succeed in terms of cost, schedule, and quality.

The Metro Transportation Library has begun collecting, cataloging and providing access to “digital” documents via our online catalog. These important resources have been produced and disseminated in electronic format – rather than being released “on paper.”

Up until now, we had been providing access to plenty of digitized documents - those which were scanned to provide electronic portability for resource sharing.

Some of our print documents (books, reports, etc.) had digital versions published along with print copies, and we had linked to those in our online catalog. Other items that were published in print were scanned to create a PDF document, allowing them to be emailed or easily accessed in other ways. For example, our collection of historic L.A. transit plans offers numerous full-text digital documents.

In both cases, the digital documents supplemented the original print versions. They appear in our online catalog just as a book does, but with links to a URL that opens the PDF document for that title.

However, more and more information is being “born digital” -- published electronically, as opposed to in print format. Rather than printing these items out to add to our collection, we are cataloging the electronic version to conserve resources and provide better access and more options for our users.

We wanted to share with you some of the many benefits of growing our digital documents collection and why it is important to capture these “born digital” documents for posterity.

Digital documents do not take up valuable space. We save paper (and time, and ink) by not printing out electronic documents. We save additional resources by not binding, labeling and barcoding printed documents, as well as other physical processing. Cataloging the electronic version provides all the content directly to our users in a direct, cost-efficient manner.

Digital documents do not get lost or stolen. The Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Library & Archive has its own server space to host digital documents in our digital libraries. We have created organized directories to facilitate sharing resources in a timely manner. By storing the documents electronically on our own servers, they are easily located and safeguarded from disappearing from the collection. There are numerous ways books, reports and other print documents can disappear from a collection: theft, mis-shelving, loss, never returned after checkout, or sustaining damage that hinders their use. Electronic access does not pose these problems.

Digital documents can serve multiple users simultaneously. While there is something to be said for the experience of curling up in bed with a great book, that book can only be experienced by one person at a time. Libraries are embracing eBooks because they reduce or eliminate the wait time for popular titles.

Likewise, our digital documents collection will accommodate multiple users at the same time. For example, when lengthy environmental impact reports (EIRs) are released to the public for review and comment, we now provide the user with the ability to consume this information at the same time as others, as well as at the time and place of his or her choosing.

Digital documents are findable as well as searchable. These resources are located the same way as other material formats in our collection. Our users will find relevant digital documents when searching the online catalog, although we do not currently have the ability to limit search results to only digital documents.

However, once a digital document is found, the user can open the link to the PDF and execute a keyword search within the document for the information they want.

Users can quickly locate specific data or text with a few keystrokes from home or their mobile device, as opposed to making a request of the Metro Library, having staff search for and locate a print document, scanning or sending the document to the user, and the user then searching through it for the information they need.

Like online news stories that disappear all too quickly, some resources that should persist forever often go away before they can be accessed. References to them often last longer than the access provided by the producer, leading users to waste time trying to track down something that no longer exists.

Transit advocacy groups go by the wayside, organizations merge with others, while other entities change their Internet domain names -- all these scenarios cause users to waste time searching for vanished resources, or search for URL links to desired documents that cannot be found.

Creating a lasting home for these items and making them permanently accessible meets these challenges. By cataloging electronic resources that fit our collection profile, we not only provide access to them, but preserve them as well.

As one of the premier transportation research collections in the country, we want to grow our collection to remain responsive to Metro’s ambitious mobility agenda moving forward. We can achieve this without using up more physical space or many of the costs associated with print documents.

Finally, we are mindful that more and more users will be accessing our collection via mobile devices in the coming years. New smartphones, e-readers and iPads allow students, researchers, historians, and anyone interested in transportation information the ability to access us however they like.

These devices will continue to provide users with greater amounts of information, more quickly, and in more customizable fashion, where they want and need it. Our growing digital documents collection helps us prepare for these for 24/7 access needs: anytime, anywhere.