Businessman Jailed in LA Supergraphics Case

The LA Times reports a businessman was jailed and held on $1 million bail for the blatant disregard of the city's sign code for allowing an 8 story tall supergraphics sign to be erected without a permit.

As city attorney Carmen Trutanich said in a prepared statement, "The days of lax and inconsistent enforcement of billboard and outdoor advertising laws in this city are over."

Justus proposes bill to give children of undocumented immigrants in-state tuition

It seems that after going through high school here, these kids should be able to go to their state colleges at a decent price. Let's hope more states make this possible. - - Donna Poisl

BY THEO KEITH

JEFFERSON CITY — No one voiced opposition to a bill providing children of undocumented immigrants in-state tuition in a Senate committee hearing Wednesday, something the bill's sponsor said was a surprise.

Still, Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Jackson County, said she wasn't confident the legislation would move any closer to becoming law in the coming year.
Click on the headline to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

Law enforcement officials back immigration reforms

If law enforcement officials want immigration reform, it will definitely help move it along. They especially say that the present system is too expensive. - - Donna Poisl

Facing re-election challenge, Lake County sheriff calls legalization a moral issue

By Antonio Olivo, Tribune reporter

Joining a growing list of local law enforcement officials across the U.S., Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran on Wednesday urged Congress to adopt federal immigration reforms that would legalize the nation's estimated 10.6 million illegal immigrants.

In an interview with the Tribune and its Spanish-language sister newspaper, Hoy, Curran said processing and holding illegal immigrant inmates has become too costly, in the millions of dollars. A Roman Catholic, Curran added that his position also is based on his personal convictions.
Click on the headline to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

The Startup Visa: Create Jobs, Get A Green Card

Other countries have similar plans, sounds like a good idea. Immigrants are often the most entrepreneurial, sad for their country to lose them, but good for the U.S. - - Donna Poisl

Erick Schonfeld, TechCrunch.com

A bill introduced today in the Senate by Democrat John Kerry and Republican Richard Lugar proposes a new type of visa for immigrants who create startups and jobs in the U.S. A similar proposal is part of an immigration reform bill in the House.

The Startup Visa has been controversial and will no doubt draw fire from anti-immigrant forces and xenophobes.
Click on the headline to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

Multicultural Coalition holds open house at its new offices

This multicultural center is serving many people from many different countries in this Nebraska city. - - Donna Poisl

By Harold Reutter

The Multicultural Coalition of Grand Island has been in its new location at Workforce Development, 1306 W. Third St., for a little more than two months.

That’s enough time for staff and volunteers to feel like they are settled in, and that made it a good time for them to welcome visitors to an open house to see the organization’s new offices.
Click on the headline to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

Birthplace weighs heavily on immigrant weight

This study may help immigrants be more aware of the health issues, particularly diabetes, that they should watch for. - - Donna Poisl

by Lynne Peeples

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Where a US immigrant was born could play a significant role in how many pounds they pack on after arriving in America, according to a new study.

What's more, birthplace may alter how heavily body weight influences an immigrant's risk of developing diabetes.

"There was a clear link between being overweight and having diabetes for certain migrant groups, but not for others," Reena Oza-Frank, the study's lead researcher from Emory University, told Reuters Health in an email.
Click on the headline to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

Korean school moves to Gonzaga’s Schoenberg

We don't hear much about what the Korean community is doing in this country. This sounds like a good way for everyone to share cultures. - - Donna Poisl

By Noelle Chadbourne

Generations of Spokane Koreans gathered at Cataldo Hall and the Schoenberg Center on Feb. 13 for the Korean School Open House. They were celebrating the Korean School’s move to Gonzaga University.

The open house was available to the Gonzaga Community, and there were several students present. The open house featured a complimentary array of traditional Korean foods.
Click on the headline to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

Petanque & curling

Every 4 years, when the Olympic Winter Games are on, you hear some people shouting: "That's not a sport!" Passionate curlers get offended, and here we go again...

First of all, that's why they call it the Olympic Games, and not Sports.

"7 reasons why curling is not a sport" - HuffingtonPost

NY Post reporters at least got off their lazy asses chairs, made an effort to try it out for themselves and filed this report:

Much the same can be said about pétanque. Don't judge until you give it a shot first. Personally I don't care whether you call it a sport or a game. As long as we're having fun!

There's no doubt curling & petanque (ànd bocce, lawn bowling & shuffleboard) have a lot in common. The purpose in itself, the way you score, and especially the fact you can knock the other team out. Very different from pin bowling, where you have no way of interfering with your opponent, thus no room for tactics.

What I did not realize is how expensive curling equipment is! Browsing around at Steve's Curling Supplies, I discovered that a new competition curling stone (38 to 44lbs) costs $ 450, and you need 16 for a game, that's $7,200. No wonder they also offer used ones at $3,800 for a set. Brushes run anywhere from $42 to $189. Shoes from $99 to $265. And then come the various accessories.

So if the argument is "which is the cheaper sport game?", petanque wins hands down.

And we need to get more newspapers / TV stations to visit petanque clubs!

Petanque & curling

Every 4 years, when the Olympic Winter Games are on, you hear some people shouting: "That's not a sport!" Passionate curlers get offended, and here we go again...

First of all, that's why they call it the Olympic Games, and not Sports.

"7 reasons why curling is not a sport" - HuffingtonPost

NY Post reporters at least got off their lazy asses chairs, made an effort to try it out for themselves and filed this report:

Much the same can be said about pétanque. Don't judge until you give it a shot first. Personally I don't care whether you call it a sport or a game. As long as we're having fun!

There's no doubt curling & petanque (ànd bocce, lawn bowling & shuffleboard) have a lot in common. The purpose in itself, the way you score, and especially the fact you can knock the other team out. Very different from pin bowling, where you have no way of interfering with your opponent, thus no room for tactics.

What I did not realize is how expensive curling equipment is! Browsing around at Steve's Curling Supplies, I discovered that a new competition curling stone (38 to 44lbs) costs $ 450, and you need 16 for a game, that's $7,200. No wonder they also offer used ones at $3,800 for a set. Brushes run anywhere from $42 to $189. Shoes from $99 to $265. And then come the various accessories.

So if the argument is "which is the cheaper sport game?", petanque wins hands down.

And we need to get more newspapers / TV stations to visit petanque clubs!

Charles Payne and Wall Street Strategies, Inc.

Charles V. Payne, left, is the CEO and Principal Analyst at Wall Street Strategies, Inc. (WSSI), which he founded in 1991. Wall Street Strategies, Inc. is an independent stock market research company that has successfully provided timely and effective equity advice to money managers, brokers, and individual investors. Today, WSSI provides information to over 30,000 subscribers, in more than 60 countries as well as several of the largest bank/brokerage firms.

Charles Payne oversees a team of stock analysts that cover specific industry groups, in addition to monitoring the entire market and individual sectors on his own. Charles got his start in the industry at EF Hutton in 1985 as a stockbroker. After four years he accepted a position with GreenTree Securities in 1989. It was there that he first saw a niche for independent and timely equity advice, which led to the creation of Wall Street Strategies.

Due to the success, Charles has become sought after by many highly respected finance-oriented radio, web and television programs. He is widely recognized in the media as a leader among the analyst community, and is routinely contacted for his market opinions by several prestigious news organizations. Charles is a regular contributor to the Fox Business and Fox News Networks.

In addition, he continually provides opinions on the market to scores of prestigious news organizations such as Reuters, Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times and has been the keynote speaker at many investment conferences worldwide. Charles' new book, "Act Fast, Be Smart and Get Rich" debuted in April 2007. Charles attended Minot State College and Central Texas College during his time in the Air Force and Majored in Criminal Justice.

Rev Al Sharpton and Tavis Smiley Debate Black Agenda

Update: "We Count! The Black Agenda is the American Agenda" (March 19, 2010)

Al Sharpton and Tavis Smiley 'go at it' in public over what the reverend and others said after their meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office at The White House.

The three part audio is provided courtesy Politik Ditto Blog.

Tavis Smiley's "The Black Agenda is the American Agenda" will take place on Saturday, March 20, 2010, 8am (CT), on the campus of Chicago State University at the Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center. Tavis' morning radio show that sparked the 'debate' is also at the link above.

Hat tip to Booker Rising.

The Rest of Everest Episode 131: High Peaks and High Aspirations

After a week off from the regular release schedule, The Rest of Everest returns this week with another excellent episode chronicling a trek up to Everest Base Camp that took place last spring.

This episode is entitled High Peaks and High Aspirations, and it's clear to see where that name comes from before the episode credits have even finished rolling. Stunning vistas are everywhere this time, including early shots of climbers going up Everest it self. They're mostly seen as tiny dots in the distance, but it is beautiful none the less.

The views continue throughout the episode of course, as we continue the trek up the Khumbu Valley. The regular characters that we've been following along are continuing to suffer a bit from the altitude, but BC is now so close they can practically see it. Highlights of the episode include snow capped peaks in all directions, the melodic sounds of yak bells going up the trail, and more insights from the trekkers on what it is really like to be there. Considering I'm going myself soon, I don't know if I should be excited or scared! :)

Catch all of the Rest of Everest episodes on the website or in iTunes. Week in and week out it is consistently great stuff.

Google joins the Cloud Security Alliance

Today we're happy to announce that Google has joined the Cloud Security Alliance, a non-profit organization of experts focused on best practices and education efforts around the security of cloud computing.

Cloud computing continues to gain momentum, and organizations such as the CSA are an important part of an ecosystem that works to increase transparency, lower risks, and promote independent research. The CSA's focus on security best practices offers valuable information to organizations looking to move to the cloud, and as a member of the CSA, we look forward to providing ongoing education about cloud computing and its value to the organizations that use it.

Google's activities with the CSA include sponsoring the Cloud Security Alliance Summit at RSA Conference 2010 on March 1, 2010 in San Francisco, California, and participating in a CSA panel discussion at SecureCloud 2010, held on March 16 and 17 in Barcelona, Spain.

Learn more about Google's cloud computing solutions for organizations.

Posted by Adam Swidler, Google Enterprise Marketing team

EPA Administrator Meets With Stakeholders At Headquarters

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

By Norris McDonald

"A Conversation with Administrator Lisa P. Jackson"

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson sponsored a meeting at the agency headquarters today to have a discussion with stakeholders. The meeting was held in 'The Green Room' just outside of her office and approximately 50 representatives from various organizations and businesses participated. It was a spirited interchange of ideas between the administrator and the attendees. Issues included everything from local business concerns to international activities. As usual, Administrator Jackson was her affable and knowledgeable self. Very patient and interested in the questions from the participants. Previous adminstrators usually organized these types of meetings, made a brief statement and left without taking questions.

I was particularly fascinated with Administrator Jackson's response to my question about international activities: she responded that no EPA administrator had ever visited the continent of Africa. I found that to be shocking. I think that oversight is about to come to an end.

Stephanie Owens, Director of EPA Public Outreach opened the meeting and program presentations were given by: Rafael DeLeon, Esq, Director of Cooperative Evironmental Management, Sarah Hospodor-Pallone, Deputy Associate Administrator for Intergovernmental Relations, Kimberly Y. Patrick, Esq, Deputy Director-Office of Small Business Programs, Myra Blackely, Deputy Director-Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization, Carlton Eley, Green Jobs Team-Ofc of Policy, Economics and Innovation, Willima 'Bill' Saunders, National Ctr for Environmental Research, Marva King, Coordinator & Grants Team Lead-Community Action for a Renewed Environment, Sheila Lewis, Grants Program Manager-Office of Environmental Justice, Michael Zatz, Chief of Market Sectors Group-Energy Star Commercial & Industry Branch, Ginger Potter, Senior Environmental Education Specialist-Environmental Education.

[Photos: EPA]

Siberian Express Expedition Set To Begin Monday!

Speaking of icy adventures, the Siberian Express team of Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely set off from Vancouver yesterday on their way to Siberia, where they hope to begin their expedition on Monday, March 1st.

You may recall, I wrote about this expedition a month back when Ray and Kevin were deep into their training. They will be making an attempt at a speed record for crossing Lake Baikal, the largest and deepest freshwater lake in the world. The lake is frozen this time of the year, making it a perfect opportunity to try to make the 400+ mile journey along its entire length. Despite the fact that they'll be going in unsupported fashion, pulling their gear behind them on sleds, they still intended to cover roughly 40 miles per day.

The expedition has some larger goals beyond the speed record as well. They hope to raise funds for the Ryan's Well Foundation and givingwater.org to help complete clean water projects in Africa. They'll also be connecting with thousands of students across the globe, as part of the impossible2Possible educational outreach programs.

While they're not heading to the North Pole, this is still a tremendous undertaking in a very harsh climate. The Siberian winters are brutal, and they'll be completely exposed out on the ice of the lake, which is gigantic in size. Not only does it cover more than 12,200 square miles of area, it actually reaches 5390 feet in depth as well. Those are staggering numbers for any body of water, let alone a freshwater lake.

North Pole 2010: More Teams Prepping To Go

Yesterday I posted about several of the expeditions that are either already in Canada, or were on their way. Unfortunately, a blizzard had a number of them stranded in a variety of locations, preventing them from reaching Resolute Bay, a popular starting point for arctic explorers. Flights are not expected to resume today, although I've heard that they will begin tomorrow, with several trips planned to make up for the back-log of people and gear waiting to hit the tiny Canadian town.

The teams I spotlighted yesterday aren't the only ones making the trip up north however, as there will be several others hoping to make the journey too. Take for example, Tessum Weber, who is aiming to get underway next week. At the age of 20, he hopes to become the youngest person to reach the Geographic North Pole, and he couldn't have picked a better guide to get him there. Tessum will be traveling with polar legend Richard Weber.

British explorers Dan Darley and Amelia Russell have been in Resolute Bay for more than a week, and have been ready to get started, while they patiently waited for a weather window. According to an update posted on their website yesterday, the window opened for them today. Due to the storms preventing anyone from getting into town, there was an open slot on an outgoing plane today. It seems that they quickly putting the finishing touches on their prep work, and should have hit the ice today. Hopefully we'll get an update from the soon. But for now, you can read more about the pair in this interview over at ExWeb.

Australian husband and wife team Linda Beilharz and Rob Rigato have posted a new dispatch today, and like everyone else, they're waiting out the weather with flights into Resolute still being cancelled. They also note that satellite images have revealed large leads opening up along the northern coastline of Canada, which may be good or bad depending on the weather. If they freeze over, they'll make for smooth and easy traveling, but if they don't freeze, it'll make for long treks around them. For Linda and Rob however, all they can do at this point is wait, as their gear is packed, and they are ready to go. Just waiting for their turn to be delivered to Ward Hunt Island, their starting point.

The Irish Team of Pat Falvey, Clare O’Leary, and John Dowd finished up their training in Yellowknife, Canada awhile back, and should also be preparing for their departure soon. To date, there has been few updates to the team website, although, as I mentioned yesterday, John has been updating his own blog regularly. Hopefully once they get underway, we'll hear more about their efforts as well.

Finally, Italian Michele Pontrandolfo is hoping to make a solo expedition to the Pole as well. While my Italian is spotty (At best!), I can tell from his blog that he arrived in Canada on Monday, and I'm guessing he's waiting, like everyone else, for the weather to clear.

Looks like it's quite the International contingent heading to 90º North this year. When they all get there, perhaps they can hold a U.N. meeting. Or at the very least, share a stick of butter.

Portage to Portage: Jake Has Crossed The Gulf and Rounded Florida

It has been a more than a month since we checked in with Jake Stachovak and his Portage to Portage Expedition. If you're a regular reader, you'll probably remember that Jake is making a journey around the entire Eastern United States, completely by Kayak, beginning and ending in Portage, Wisconsin. He had already paddled down the length of the Mississippi River, and when we last checked in, he was heading out onto the Gulf of Mexico.

It took Jake 37 days to paddle the length of the Gulf Coast, including 30 days in the cockpit and seven days off for bad weather. Now he has turned his kayak north and is beginning to paddle up the Eastern Shore Board. According to his blog, he is currently in the Miami area, where he's been enjoying some rest and relaxation, while he gears up for the next leg of the journey. He's also headed over to the Sweetwater Kayaks Symposium being held in St. Petersburg this weekend, which gives him a good excuse to stay on dry land for a bit longer.

The rest of the journey will see him paddling up the East Coast of the U.S. to New York City, where he'll navigate through canals into Lake Ontario. From there, he'll paddle across the Great Lakes, to the Fox river, which will allow him to paddle upstream, back to Wisconsin, where he started the entire journey from.

Below, is a video of Jake as he officially leaves the Gulf of Mexico behind, paddling under the Highway 1 bridge in Florida, and entering into the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. He pauses long enough to share some thoughts on the journey thus far, but the hilarious captions that his home team put into the video before posting are what really makes it all work. Good stuff and a very cool adventure.

Karen Bass Seeks To Replace Diane Watson in Congress

California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass has announced her candidacy for Congresswoman Diane Watson's congressional seat. Watson recently announced that she would not run for reelection after 35 years in public office.

GreenGov interviewed Speaker Karen Bass at CLCV's Environmental Leadership Awards in December and asked her what qualities the next governor of California should have in order to be considered a green governor. In her view, the governor must first understand that Californians care about the environment. Therefore, the governor must consistently protect the environment through funding, policy, and appointments, and must include the environmental community in the process. She also stated that environmental laws must be strengthened, not weakened, especially during a crisis; further, the state must continue to move forward and maintain our leadership role. See GreenGov video below:

California League of Conservation Voters honored California State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass at their 16th annual Environmental Leadership Awards gala in Los Angeles 12/2/09.

DC Green Muslims

According to the Green Muslims in the District Blog, the group is a network of Muslims in the District of Columbia (and surrounding areas) working proactively to help our communities understand and implement sustainable and eco-conscious ways of living while relating it to our faith and a holistic world-view. These eco-conscious DC-area Muslims are promoting a message of environmental stewardship to both Muslims and non-Muslims in their community.

The strong connection between Islam and protecting the Earth led a group of friends to form the DC Green Muslims in October 2007. A ‘green Muslim’ is someone who realizes that being aware of their impact on the Earth is something that is not a foreign concept to Islam but knows that it is rooted in Islam, according to the groups organizers. DC Green Muslims has worked with Washington Parks and People to revitalize neglected parks and other programs.

Environmentally aware Muslims cite a Qur’anic verse that says amana was offered to the heavens, the earth and to the mountains. However, they refused to accept such a burden and it was transferred to humankind.They propose that in this situation, humanity becomes a fulcrum for the earth. If humanity is centered and whole, the earth is balanced. But if humanity is not balanced -- by harming the environment and not promoting social justice -- corruption will spread on earth. They believe that if the earth can serve as a mosque, this supports a strong argument against polluting its land and its water. (Arab News, 2/20/10)

Join us at America's Small Business Summit

Small business owners often ask us how Google Apps can help improve the way they work. We'll be sharing some answers in May when we join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at this year's America's Small Business Summit.

Every day, thousands of businesses of all sizes sign up for Google Apps to help save money, reduce IT hassles, and improve collaboration. For small business owners, Google Apps provides a familiar set of easy-to-use Google business applications with minimal setup and maintenance costs, so that you can stay focused on more strategic elements of running your business.

We hope that you'll join us at this upcoming summit, and, in the meantime, we invite you to take a look at how a few small businesses are using Google Apps today to help improve they way they work.



Posted by Shaluinn Fullove, Google Apps team

EPA Administrator Appoints Dr. James H. Johnson as Chair of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy & Technology

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has appointed Dr. James H. Johnson, Jr., left, as chair of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT), an independent committee that advises the agency on a broad range of environmental policy, technology, and management issues. He is the first African- American to serve as chair of the committee.

Dr. Johnson is Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering and former Dean of the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Sciences at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He previously served the university as chair of the Department of Civil Engineering and Interim Associate Vice President for Research. Dr. Johnson’s research interests include the treatment and disposal of hazardous substances, the evaluation of minority environmental policy issues and the development of environmental curricula and strategies to increase the pool of underrepresented groups in the science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines. From 1996-2002, Dr. Johnson oversaw the activities of the Engineering Coalition of Schools for Excellence and Leadership in Education, a National Science Foundation-funded consortium. From 1989-2002, he was the associate director of the EPA-sponsored Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic Center for Hazardous Substance Research.

Previous service to EPA includes six years on both the Science Advisory Board and the Board of Scientific Counselors, where he served as chair for two years. Dr. Johnson is currently a member of the National Research Council’s Division of Earth and Life Sciences Oversight Committee, and chair of the Anne Arundel Community College Board of Trustees in Maryland. Dr. Johnson has published more than 60 scholarly articles, contributed to three books and co-edited two books. Dr. Johnson received his B.S. from Howard University, M.S. from the University of Illinois and Ph.D. from the University of Delaware.

North Pole 2010: And So It Begins...

The 2010 Arctic Season is preparing to get underway within a matter of a few days, as adventurous souls begin the long, cold, and dangerous march to the top of the world. The explorers are all gathering in Canada at the moment, putting the finishing touches on their preparation, and eager to hit the ice.

Eric Larsen, fresh off his recent journey to the South Pole, is in Ottawa, and trying to reach Resolute Bay, where he'll start his march to the North Pole. A winter storm in Resolute has prevented travel to that remote town for the better part of today, but Eric hopes to arrive there soon, and being the process of organizing his gear and getting putting the finishing touches on his preparations. This will be the second leg of Eric's Save The Poles Expedition, and if successful here, he'll head on to Everest in the fall, to claim all three "Poles" in one year. Joining Eric on the journey is Darcy St Laurent and Antony Jinman.

Meanwhile, Christina Franco is back in Canada and preparing for her attempt to become the first woman to go solo and unassisted to the North Pole. She's currently in Resolute Bay and up to her eyeballs in prep work. Her latest blog post even has photos of her getting her gear and supplies ready for the first 60 days out o the ice. She is expected to be resupplied en route. She does note that the storm is on going, but that hasn't kept a bear from wandering into town.

Polar explorer John Dowd has completed his prep work in Yelllowknife, located in the Yukon Territory. He notes that he now feels much better on his skies, and isn't falling nearly as much, which I'm sure comes quite a relief considering he's about to undertake a 500 mile journey through the arctic. No word yet on when he'll begin his journey.

Finally, Australian Tom Smitheringale is putting the final preparation together as well, and the countdown clock on his website now reads less than 18 hours to go until he sets out for the Pole. That indicates they'll be leaving Iqaluit, Canada tomorrow, although his most recent blog update says that he is also stranded due to a blizzard. It is beginning to look like the expedition may not set off tomorrow as scheduled after all. His home team says they feel there is a 50/50 chance he'll get to go. How ironic is it that a trek to the North Pole is delayed by a blizzard?

Good luck to everyone. The blizzard will pass soon, and the skies will clear, letting you move forward before you know it. Stay safe out on the ice.

For those of at home following, perhaps we should start a pool on how long it'll be before someone spots their first polar bear. ;)

7 Scary Hikes Caught On Video

Travel blog Gadling.com, for which I'm a contributor, has a great post up today of 7 of the craziest, most dangerous hikes in the world. Each of the hikes on the list features some common denominators, namely they mix in a bit of altitude with a trail that is a bit on the dangerous side. But describing them wouldn't do them much justice, so thankfully, each of them is caught on video, so we understand exactly why they earned the moniker of "crazy".

A few of the hikes we've talked about here before, such as the El Caminito del Rey and Mount Hua in China. Others were completely new, but well deserving of making the list. One of the videos is embedded below so you have an idea of the level of scary we're talking about here. This one is from the top of Winay Picchu, a peak that actually looks down on Peru's famous Machu Picchu. The views look stunning, but watch that last step...

Campaign welcomes decision to drop proposed cabinet papers exemption

The government’s announcement that it has dropped its proposal to exempt cabinet papers from the Freedom of Information Act, and that it will reduce the 30 year rule to 20 years, was welcomed by the Campaign for Freedom of Information today.

The changes follow a review of the 30 year rule by a committee chaired by Paul Dacre, managing editor of Associated News, and set up by the prime minister. In response to the review’s recommendations, the government announced that old government records would be publicly available in The National Archives after 20 years, instead of the current 30 years (though the review had called for 15-year period). But it also said it would create two new absolute exemptions to the FOI Act, one for cabinet papers and the other for the Royal Family. In neither case would the Act’s public interest test apply.

But today the government announced that it had decided that a new exemption for cabinet papers was not necessary. The 20 year period for releasing old files will be introduced. A new exemption for the Royal Family will be created.

The Campaign’s director Maurice Frankel said:

We are extremely pleased that the prime minister has decided to drop the proposed cabinet exemption. That would have ruled out the release of any paper circulated to cabinet or a cabinet committee, even if there would be no harm to decision-making or collective responsibility. Requests for such documents will now continue to be considered on their merits. Cabinet minutes may be unlikely to emerge, given the way the ministerial veto has been used so far, though that too is not entirely out of the question, particularly for older or less contentious material or where the public interest in disclosure is overwhelming. And the 20 year rule will mean old records are more likely to emerge while the events they refer to are still remembered.

The Campaign pointed out that cabinet or cabinet committee papers were protected by existing FOI exemptions for policy formulation and ministerial communications, subject to the Act’s public interest test. The government also has the power to veto decisions of the Information Commissioner or Tribunal. The veto has been used twice to date, blocking the release of cabinet minutes about the war in Iraq and cabinet committee minutes on devolution. However, the veto is judicially reviewable, which provides some safeguard against its casual use.

The new 20 year rule will be phased in over 10 years by doubling the volume of old government records released each year.

However, a new absolute exemption, which will protect information about the monarch, the heir and second in line to the throne for 20 years and then, if the individual concerned is still alive, until 5 years after their death. This exemption will not be subject to the Act’s public interest test. The Campaign said it regretted this change, and believed the public interest test should continue to apply to such matters.

For other members of the Royal Family, an exemption will apply for the same length of time but will be subject to the public interest test.

Notes

The government’s announcement is at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/docs/government-response-30-year-rule-review.pdf

The Government’s outline response to the Dacre report is set out in Gordon Brown’s ‘statement on constitutional renewal’ of 10.6.09 http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19579

The Dacre report can be found at: http://www2.nationalarchives.gov.uk/30yrr/30-year-rule-report.pdf

High Tech Goggles Incorporate GPS, Camera, Kitchen Sink

Recon Instruments and Zeal Optics are joining forces to bring us the most high tech ski goggles you've ever seen. Dubbed the Transcend GPS Goggle, the new eyewear incorporates a GPS chip with a built in heads-up display to give you on the fly information about your current location, speed, altitude, and a whole lot more. Navigation is handled by a couple of buttons located on the side of the unit, and data can be saved and viewed on your computer, as well as uploaded to the Internet to compare and challenge friends.

According to the promo video below, the goggles will include a camera for capturing photos and video on the mountain, as well as navigational information such as trail maps and resort specific runs, information on traffic on the slopes, queues for the lifts, tracking your buddy's location, and so much other stuff that even James Bond would be jealous.Reportedly, the goggles will be on sale on October 1st of this year, and you can pre-order now. The regular version will set you back $350, but for $100 more you can order a pair with lowlight and polarized lens.

Reading through the marketing info on the Transcend googles leaves you with a lot of questions. For instance, how does it feed all of that information to the googles themselves? Does it have bluetooth tethering to a smart phone or does it require its own data connection of some type? Obviously the GPS stuff is loaded on a chip, but real time updates on conditions on the mountain require something more. Still, these look really cool, and would be a lot of fun to play with. They certainly seem a lot nicer than those GPS gloves I wrote about last week.

Do's and Don'ts When Buying A Home

UNHS NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center in Utica, NY, brings you the second in its series of 12 educational videos for consumers. In this video, Homeownership Coordinator Julie Howarth clears up the myths and gives homebuyers the real scoop on buying a home. If you are unable to view the embedded video below, view it here.

First Female Winter Ascent On Denali Underway

According to ExWeb, the first attempt at a winter summit on Denali by a woman is currently underway, with climber Christine Feret and Artur Testov making the bid.

According to the expedition's blog, which is handled through Facebook, the duo was flown from Talkeetna to base camp at 7000 feet on Wednesday, where they've been busy setting up camp ever since. They have dug their first snow cave to serve as a shelter, and are busily preparing to begin their assault on the mountain.

ExWeb has the details on the climb, which will be a unique one to say the least. Christine and Artur estimate that it will take a minimum of 4 weeks to reach the summit, as they'll be climbing in an unusual fashion. The two mountaineers will be heading up the hill, dragging sleds with all of their gear on it behind them. It is estimated that when fully loaded, the sleds weigh more than 250 pounds. According to Christine, they'll hike each day as long as they can, then stop to dig a snow cave for shelter each night. They didn't even bother to bring tents with them on the trip. They did, however, pack a couple of steel shovels, and a ladder for crossing over, and escaping from, crevasses they may find along the way.

The weather on Denali can be quite treacherous at just about any time of the year, but especially so in the winter, when temperatures can drop to -40ºF and freak snow storms can batter the mountain. Standing 20,320 feet in height, it is the tallest mountain in North America, and due to its high latitude, it is pretty much cold there all year long. Thankfully, the climbers are familiar with the mountain, as Christine has already climbed it twice. She does hope to stand on the summit in the winter however, and if successful, she'll become the first woman to do so.

Good luck to her and Artur. Stay warm!

In the News

-CBS Profit Drops 57% on Billboards, Radio Write-Down (Business Week)
-Aspen Takes Action Against Billboard Van (Aspen Daily News)
-Billboards Go Dark in Venezuela (UPI)
-A Digital Billboard That Watches You (ABC News)

Juliet Eilperin Finally Writes About a Black Environmentalist

Washington Post reporter Juliet Eilperin, left, finally recognized a black environmentalist (Van Jones) in an article in that newspaper. AAEA pointed out Ms. Eilperin's proclivity for avoiding recognition of the many blacks participating in the environmental movement. In our opinion, it was a vile example of biased journalism. We know she saw our commentary because when her name is Googled, our comments would be shown. Thank God for Google. It provides a way for long ignored groups such as ours to get our information out into the marketplace when gateskeepers such as Ms. Eilperin have kept us out.

Juliet Eilperin's evolution was not necessarily voluntary. She was compelled to quote President Obama on his environmental programs and when he appointed an African American woman to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa Perez Jackson. Her brand of liberal elitism is reflected in the traditional environmental organizations that are still among the most segregated sectors in American society. They include blacks, just as long as they 'stay in their place.' In the green groups that is on the administrative staff. For the couple of blacks working policy, those places are primarily weatherization and outreach (EJ). There still aren't a handful of black policy professionals working at the green groups.

So we are delighted that Juliet Eilperin finally decided to write an article about a black environmentalist. Too bad Damu Smith died before she decided to bless a black environmentalist with her pen.

Juliet Eilperin Compelled To Quote A Black Environmentalist

Juliet Eilperin Continues Excluding Blacks When She Can

National Geographic Announces 2009 Adventurers of the Year

After three months of voting, during which more than 20,000 ballots were cast, National Geographic Adventure has announced their selection for the Adventurer of the Year, with a tie giving the award to two very deserving winners.

The winners of the award are explorer Albert Yu-Min Lin and soldier/climber Marc Hoffmeister. Lin earned his honors for leading an expedition to a remote part of Mongolia, where he has been searching for the missing tomb of Ghenghis Kahn, which was hidden by the Kahn's followers upon his death back in 1227. For his part, Hoffmeister was recognized for leading a team of Iraq war vets up the West Buttress Route of Denali. A number of those vets, including Hoffmeister himself, were injured in that conflict, with some even losing limbs.

Both of the winners expressed their gratitude for winning the award, but also were quick to note that they are just part of a much bigger team. Each of them also continues their adventures, with Lin continuing his search, while working to maintain the heritage of Mongolia, while Hoffmeister has gotten into whitewater rafting, adventure racing, and more climbing, summiting Kilimanjaro. To read Lin's reaction to wining, click here and for Hoffmeister's comments, click here.

The announcement of these awards continues the return to prominence of the Adventure Blog, which I recently noted had sprung back to life in recent days. It's nice to have it back, and it's nice to see the tradition of the Adventurer of the Year awards continuing.

Walter E. Fauntroy Birthday Celebration Sat. March 13th

Invitation Letter from SCLC

Dear Friend,

In the second half of the 20th century, probably no other person has left a more indelible footprint on the landscape and blueprint of Washington DC History ...than our own Honorable Rev. Dr. Walter E. Fauntroy, (Congressman, Ret.)

Our Birthday honoree, has been at the core of every Civil and Human rights effort during this time span. A DC Public School Graduate, matriculated to Yale University..upon graduation from Yale..., returned back to serve and minister in the valley, from the very neighborhood he grew up in, and subsequently led the transformation of the Shaw community, building and providing jobs, for the least of these. Locally, Nationally, Globally, his record speaks for itself ":..you know his story, and ...you know his song!"

As a respected leader, among this city and most certainly your constituency...I write to ask you to pause and consider "as we open the floodgates of our memories" and share with us in this "Moment in Time" the 77th Birthday Celebration of our friend and brother Walter E. Fauntroy. on Saturday, March 13th.

RSVP with a Sponsorship, Table, and Individual Seat, information. We have followed up on the Ad Packet, for your company's visibility, for this historic occasion. Finally, if you can not attend... please consider to forward your table/ticket to some deserving members of your constituency ...who would treasure this momentous occasion on Saturday, March 13th!

Respectfully,

Keith Silver

WashDC/SCLC, Chapter President
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference

US Team to WUOC Announced!

From Linda Kohn:

I am very proud to announce the selection of the World University Orienteering Championships Team to go to Borlänge, Sweden in July:

Men
Leif Anderson, RMOC
Nick Lewis-Walls, USMAOC (declined)
John Hensley-Williams, GAOC
Brendan Shields, CSU
Keith Andersen, USMAOC
Jordan Laughlin, USMAOC
Kevin Culberg (alt.) USMAOC

Women
Hannah Burgess, USMAOC
Holly Kuestner, BOK
Tori Borish, COC
Alison Campbell, DVOA
Lori Huberman (1st alt.) BOK
Siobhan Fleming (2nd alt.) NEOC

I hope that you will support the WUOC team as they prepare for the Championships. We have a start in raising the $7000 needed to pay entry/room/board expenses (athletes pay their own airfare) thanks to the generousity of BOK who donated the procedes from the Sycamore Scramble to the team. We still have a ways to go!

Moral support is as important as financial so please be encouraging to our athletes as they continue to prepare to represent the US at WUOC.

Blacks Talk About Northeastern Energy at National Grid

Martin Cook,Norris McDonald, Carolyn Green, Frank Stewart, Bill Suggs
The American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) and the Alliance of Black Professionals (ABP)
held an energy forum today at National Grid in Brooklyn, New York with the theme:

“Future of Northeast Energy – What is on the Horizon?”

Panelists included:

Lisa Crutchfield, National Grid

Martin Cook, National Grid

Carolyn Green, National Chair of AABE

Frank Stewart, National President of AABE

Moderator: Norris McDonald, President Center for Environment, Commerce & Energy, African American Environmentalist Association

The forum was held in the Metrotech Auditorium and covered a broad array of electricity, energy and environmental issues facing the Northeast. Some questions considered included: Is there adequate electrical capacity to satisfy the needs of Northeastern states in the next few years? Will energy prices negatively affect the Northeast? How could pending carbon dioxide regulations affect the Northeast? What about the influence of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) on a project 'low-carbon' future? Do you know of any policies that are being put into place to address energy efficiency and alternative technology marketing techniques? How are companies and organizations looking to address the "green divide" to make sure minority communities in the Northeast region are not being left behind? Many other questions were addressed during the forum.

Kayaking South Georgia: Hayley Arrives!

Solo kayaker Hayley Shepard arrived at South Georgia Island yesterday, and according to her blog, the waters are as wild and challenging as she expected. Hayley reports that there are plenty of ice bergs off the shore of the island which sits in the Southern Ocean, not far from Antarctica, and the legendary weather systems are already playing havoc with her plans, as high winds have prevented her support boat from reaching safe anchorage at Eleshul Bay. She and the crew were hoping to reach that place today.

The arrival of her boat at South Georgia followed a week of travel from the Falklands across very rough seas. She'll now spend a few days getting her gear together, and prepping her kayak, to begin her attempt to become the first person to make a solo kayaking expedition around that remote place.

Hayley mentions in her latest blog post that she is over joyed to finally be at the place that has been her goal for so long. She's been plotting this expedition for more than five years, and is even self-funding it, just to see her dream come true. She mentions that the mountains, beaches, and the wildlife all feel more dramatic and welcoming than she had ever imagined, and now she's more eager than ever to head out on the water.

While the entire paddle is "just" 375 miles in length, it will be extremely challenging none the less. The waters are beyond cold, and the weather is unpredictable and dangerous. Still, that's the reason we visit these remote places right? And after a couple of starts and stops, and years of preparation, it seems that at long last Hayley will be getting underway soon. Expect updates on her progress in the days ahead.

The Day the Hummer Died

General Motors Co. said Wednesday it will shut down Hummer after its bid to sell the brand to a Chinese company collapsed.

Heavy equipment maker Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co. pulled out of the deal for Hummer, known for its hulking, military-style SUVs, because it was unable to get clearance from Chinese regulators within the proposed deal timeframe, the manufacturer said in a separate statement.

AP

The Day the Hummer Died

General Motors Co. said Wednesday it will shut down Hummer after its bid to sell the brand to a Chinese company collapsed.

Heavy equipment maker Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co. pulled out of the deal for Hummer, known for its hulking, military-style SUVs, because it was unable to get clearance from Chinese regulators within the proposed deal timeframe, the manufacturer said in a separate statement.

AP

Everest 2010: An Interview With Mike Farris

Alan Arnette continues to prep us all for the upcoming Spring Season on Everest, when he'll have is usual great coverage with plenty of updates on the mountain. Until then, his Everest 2010 page is filling up with pre-season interviews and analysis, which now includes an interview with Mike Farris, a climber who went to the highest mountain on the planet last year, with a goal of climbing independently, only to find himself alone at the summit, and in trouble on the descent.

Before he went, Mike defined how he approached an "independent" climb of the mountain, and Alan included that definition in the pre-interview, background information. That definition was:

•Using most of the available fixed rope is unavoidable. I have to be content with the knowledge that I could climb the route without them, if need be. This doesn’t include the icefall, which requires fixed ropes for safety’s sake for all climbers.

•Anything I want to use above Base Camp, including oxygen, is carried by me. I won’t have any Sherpas carrying tents, food, fuel, stoves, etc. Except:

•Most teams set up an Advanced Base Camp at about 6400m (21,000 ft) and have a kitchen staff to prepare meals. Since I’m paying for this service anyway, I will use this ABC facility.

•I will use the minimum amount of bottled oxygen needed for safety. I won’t know what that amount is until I assess my level of acclimatization and fitness.

In the actual interview itself, Alan asks Mike about why he wanted to climb Everest with "style" and what that meant to him, why he chose to go alone, and what his thoughts were as he made his summit bid. When he set out last year, Make left Camp 4 at 10 PM, and spent eight hours climbing to the Balcony, which is, as Alan points out, a bit on the slow side. Farris reached the summit at 1:39 PM, very late in the day, and was instructed to spend just five minutes there. On the descent, the problems start to arise.

The interview is insightful and interesting, with Mike sharing his thoughts on what happened while he was alone at the top of the world. He also talks about his gratitude to those that helped get him down the mountain safely, and gives us an update on his healing process. Due to his exposure on the mountain, Mike had to have parts of seven fingers removed, as well as both big toes and six smaller toes, but says he is on the mend now.

Definitely a cautionary tale here. Well worth the read.

The Top 8 Natural Wonders of the World

Travel website Wild Junket has put together their picks for the Top 8 Natural Wonders of the World, listing the very best that Mother Earth has to offer us.

These eight locations are pretty much on every adventure traveler's short list of "must see" places. (If they're not, they ought to be!) Each of the entries includes a brief description of why it's earned a spot in the Top 8, with a few photos to help support the cause. Amongst the places that make the list are Igauzu Falls along the Argentinian-Brazillian border, Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, and the Grand Canyon in the U.S. As you can imagine, the other five spots, which I'll leave for you to discover for yourself, are equally interesting and beautiful.

I've been personally fortunate enough to witness five of these locations myself, and it's hard to argue with any of them. I might add the Serengeti to my list of favorite natural wonders, as it is simply amazing not only for the size and scope of the place, but also for the amazing wildlife that is at every turn. Of all the places I've visited, it is probably the one that I miss the most, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in going.

Big thanks to the Wend Blog for give me the heads up on this story.

Backpacker Magazine Does the Editor's Choice Awards Too! On Video No Less!

A few days back we got the Editor's Choice Awards from Outside Magazine, and not to be outdone, Backpacker has followed suit. In fact, Backpacker has done them one better, offering their selections in video format, which is a great way to not only present reviews on gear and other products, but also give us a real, first hand account of what the gear looks like, how big (or small) it is, and how it all operates.

You can check out an example of one of the videos below, and then view all of them on the Editor's Choice webpage. There is plenty to view there, so this should keep you busy for awhile, and there are some great products, with more coming soon.

Warning: The author of the Adventure Blog is not responsible for you draining your bank account to purchase all of this gear.

Flying into the cloud

Every day thousands of companies move to Google Apps, but it's not that often that we get to bring Apps to those who already work among the clouds. We're excited to share that KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has moved 11,200 of their crew members to Gmail as part of their Google Apps Premier Edition deployment. KLM crew members will now be able to send and receive email effectively from any location and using any Internet connected device, including personal laptops, shared computers, BlackBerry devices, mobile phones, or PDA devices.

The adoption of Gmail marks KLM's move to cloud computing. With 25 GB of storage per account, Gmail provides them with a powerful, intuitive and efficient messaging platform with integrated IM (Google Talk) and a series of additional features that facilitate communication.

For example, message translation allows KLM employees to translate email from and into 42 different languages with one click of the mouse. The employees' familiarity with Google's consumer products meant that minimal or no training was needed to complete the deployment.

If you're interested in joining KLM in the cloud, check out http://www.google.com/a

Posted by Adrian Joseph, Managing Director of Google Enterprise for Europe, Middle East and Africa

Tasman Sea Crossing Update: Shaun Carries On!

Yesterday I posted a story about Shaun Quincey, the New Zealander who is attempting to row solo across the Tasman Sea. At the time, we had heard that Shaun has activated his emergency rescue beacon following an especially rough night at sea that saw his little boat, the Tasman Trespasser II, roll over twice, causing equipment to be tossed overboard. Shaun was said to be safe, and mostly unharmed, inside the boats cabin, and he was waiting until dawn to determine the extent of his gear losses, and whether or not he could continue.

Today we have an update on his progress, with the word that he will indeed continue to attempt to row solo across the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, something only his father Colin has accomplished. It seems that after checking over his boat this morning, he discovered that he hadn't lost as much gear as he had feared. All of his emergency equipment is in good working order, and his communications gear is working fine too, which has given Shaun confidence in continuing the journey.

According to Shaun himself, the stormy night on the sea was extremely scary, as you can imagine. At one point, the boat capsized and was turned over for more than 20 minutes, with water rushing into the cabin. The 25-year old Kiwi was tethered to his boat however, and was never in danger of being swept away. He described the experience as "horrific", but he wants to continue on none the less.

Quincey set out from Australia on January 20th, and now has roughly 360 miles to go before he reaches the West Coast of New Zealand and the end of his journey. If everything goes according to schedule, in a few weeks time, he'll join his father as the only two men to successfully make a crossing of the Tasman in solo fashion and under their own power.

LA Sues 27 Sign Companies over Supergraphics

(photo: Kirk McCoy/ Los Angeles Times/ March 25, 2009)

In another encouraging sign that Los Angeles city government has had enough of flagrant violations of its sign law, the City Counselor's Office filed a civil suit this week against 27 companies that have been wrapping supergraphic signs over as many as 250 buildings in the city. Criminal charges are also pending against some companies.

The suit not only seeks the removal of the signs as well as damages and the disgorgement of profits made through the illegal activity. Crimal charges are also pending against some companies.

Update: The Los Angeles Times' coverage of the suit is here.

Underwater Mortgages Hit 11.3 Million

Millions of homeowners are underwater on their mortgages — owing more than their homes are worth — according to new research released this week. According to the study conducted by First American CoreLogic and reported by DSNews.com, more than 11.3 million residential properties, or 24 percent of all homes in the U.S. with mortgages, were in negative equity at the end of 2009.

Many of the people who own these homes are facing foreclosure because of job loss or other circumstance. Faced with these issues, many homeowners are confused about what to do.

Disreputable companies are betting that people in financial distress will be easy targets for their foreclosure and mortgage modification scams. NeighborWorks America continues to push its loan scam prevention efforts and promote its foreclosure prevention counseling initiatives.

WV CHAMBER 2-17-10

Yuengling recently attended a West Virginia Chamber of Commerce event with our wholesale partner, Mona Distributing. The event was held last Wednesday evening at the Hilton Garden Inn, and included some excellent beer and food pairing samples for everyone to enjoy. The impressive menu included crab cakes, beef tenderloin, Hawaiian style chicken kabobs, spring rolls, artisan breads, and prime rib. To compliment this great menu, there was quite the selection of Yuengling available! Fans could choose from Traditional Lager, Light Lager, Lord Chesterfield Ale, Porter, and our Seasonal Bock Beer. At the Yuengling table, attendees learned a lot about the history of America's Oldest Brewery. Attendees also had the chance to win a collectible Yuengling 180th Anniversary Mirror. Events like these demonstrate the excitement that has been evident in the WV market since Yuengling entered the state last year.

Thank you to Chef Jason Hammack and Mike Layne for your help with this event and your continued support of the Yuengling brands. Also, thank you to the Hilton Garden Inn of Morgantown for hosting, and to all of their staff for putting on a successful event.

Comcast Grant to Nat'l Black Caucus of State Legislatures

The Comcast Foundation has made a $50,000 grant to the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) to form the "NBCSL/Comcast Broadband Legislative Fellowship" in order to increase efforts to conduct research and develop solutions regarding broadband adoption among African Americans.

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project's 2009 "Home Broadband Adoption" study and the "Broadband Imperatives for African Americans" report spearheaded by NBCSL and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, there is a disproportionate rate of broadband accessibility and adoption among African American communities.

The newly formed Fellowship between Comcast and NBCSL will provide support for two graduate level public policy fellows to develop public policy recommendations to increase broadband adoption and use by African Americans. The recommendations developed by the Fellowship will further direct the efforts of NBCSL in authoring recommendations to Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as they develop national and local solutions to alleviate disparities in broadband access, adoption, and use.

NBCSL has been a progressive leader in addressing economic, social and political issues that face Americans -- particularly African Americans. Healthcare, juvenile justice, education and international trade are among the policies that NBCSL will address at the state, local and federal levels. Comcast's partnership with the NBCSL further enables Comcast to create opportunities and empower the communities it serves.

Since 2001, Comcast has provided $1.4 billion in cash and in-kind support to national and local non-profit organizations in 39 states and Washington D.C. The company has made a $1.2 million commitment to sponsor the One Economy Corporation's Digital Connectors program for three years, beginning in 2009. (DVRepublic, 12/9/09)

Joint Center Releases Broadband Report

John Gant, Blair Levin, Mignon Clyburn, Nicole Turner-Lee, Ralph Everett

Joint Center Releases Report on Trends in Broadband Adoption and Use Among Minority Americans

National Minority Broadband Adoption: Comparative Trends in Adoption, Acceptance and Use

On the program:

The Honorable Mignon Clyburn, FCC Commissioner

Blair Levin, FCC Broadband Advisor

Norris McDonald, Mignon Clyburn
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies (Joint Center) Media and Technology Institute released a groundbreaking report today at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill that examines how minority groups compare in using the Internet and broadband services, including mobile broadband, to advance their social and economic interests. In the interest of environmental sensitivity, hard copies were deferred in favor of an electronically sharing the report. AAEA President Norris McDonald attended the event and is pictured at left with FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.

The National Minority Broadband Adoption Study obtained telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 2,741 adults living in the continental United States. The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) from December 1, 2009 to January 4, 2010.

The Joint Center releaseed the report at an event at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Remarks: The Honorable Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission,

Ralph B. Everett, Esq., President and Chief Executive Officer, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies,

Blair Levin, Esq., Broadband Advisor, Federal Communications Commission.

Panelists: Jon Gant, Ph.D., Visiting Resident Fellow, Media and Technology Institute, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Blanca Gordo, Ph.D., Center for Latino Policy Research, University of California-Berkeley, John Horrigan, Ph.D., Consumer Research Director, Federal Communications Commission, Ying Li, Ph.D., Research Associate, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Marc Morial, Esq., President and Chief Executive Officer, National Urban League and Chairman, Broadband Opportunity Coalition (BBOC), Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet and American Life Project, Nicol Turner-Lee, Ph.D., Vice President and Director, Media and Technology Institute, Joint Center, and Danny J. Weitzner, Esq., Associate Administrator for the Office of Policy Analysis and Development, National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is one of the nation's leading research and public policy institutions and the only one whose work focuses primarily on issues of particular concern to African Americans and other people of color. The Joint Center will mark its 40th Anniversary of service in 2010.