DIGITAL DIVIDE
Bliley To Hold Hearings on Digital Divide (House)
POLITICAL DISCOURSE
Closing Ads Go Positive (WP)
Gaining Freedom by Modem (NYT)
MERGERS
Bell Atlantic and GTE File With FCC To Split Off GTE's Internet
Backbone(WSJ)
COMMUNITIES
High-Tech Leaders Vow to Support Texas Communities (NYT)
TELECOMMUTING
OSHA Switch Unlikely To Affect Telecommuters (USA)
DIGITAL DIVIDE
BLILEY TO HOLD HEARINGS ON DIGITAL DIVIDE
Issue: Digital Divide
Commerce Chairman Tom Bliley (R-VA) today announced he plans to hold
hearings on bridging the technology gap that exists in the United States.
Bliley also called on President Clinton to include in Thursday's State of
the Union address specific details on his plan to erase the "Digital
Divide." "As the growth of technology continues to move at warp speed, so
does the threat of a Digital Divide that could leave some Americans behind
in the Internet age," Bliley said. "Economic opportunity in the Twenty First
century will be largely dependant on the ability of Americans to learn and
work with the tools available through technological advances. Every American
child, must have access to this technology. The Internet has the possibility
to create opportunity for all of our people. It also has the potential to
create a two class society - the technological haves and have nots. We must
not allow that to happen."
[SOURCE: House of Representatives]
(http://com-notes.house.gov/cchear/hearings106.nsf/12b6a0781fa86e88852567e50
07558f4/75590588e987efb2852568720067659f?OpenDocument)
POLITICAL DISCOURSE
CLOSING ADS GO POSITIVE
Issue: Advertising/Political Discourse
Contrary to the last presidential campaign, the $8 million worth of ads used
by candidates in New Hampshire have been unusually positive. The candidates
have chosen to spend their time trying to connect with wavering voters and
reinforce their core message. Vice President Gore has attempted to position
himself as the champion of the little guy. As Gore spokesman Chris Lehane
says, "When people sit around the breakfast table, you want them to know
exactly what Gore's going to do to help their families." Senator McCain
plays himself as the best potential commander-in-chief. His message is,
"There's only one man who knows the military and understands the world."
Bill Bradley is putting himself forward as "Mr. Health Care," running an ad
in which he speaks movingly of meeting a mother without health insurance.
Gov. Bush is returning to his early theme of improving the moral tenor of
the White House and cutting taxes. As Bush's media consultant says, "It's
looking people in the eye and offering a positive argument." One of the few
attack ads running is not by a candidate. Bob Dole is airing an ad against
Steve Forbes, assailing him for running attack ads in the 1996 campaign.
Dole claims in the ad that, "I emerged the Republican nominee, battered,
bruised and broke, and a much easier target for the negative Clinton-Gore
fall campaign." The ad goes on to say, "I speak up now only because it may
be happening again." The ad is being financed by the Republican Leadership
Council, which is heavily made up of Bush donors and supporters.
[SOURCE: Washington Post (A4), AUTHOR: Howard Kurtz]
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41740-2000Jan27.html)
GAINING FREEDOM BY MODEM
Issue: Internet/Political Discourse
Today, the success of markets is dependent on the prevalence of information
technology. As a result, argues Wright, governments that want prosperity are
forced to tolerate the political freedom brought by the free exchange of
information. Today's leaders must face the same reality that has confronted
authoritarian regimes in the past: "as new information technologies spread,
the cost of stifling them is high." For this reason, Wright believes that
the best rout to political pluralism and human rights in China is economic
engagement. "Still, if history shows that new information technology is a
good bet for expanding liberty," he concludes, "it also shows that, after
placing your bet, you should settle in for a long ride and fasten your seat
belt."
[SOURCE: New York Times (A27), AUTHOR: Robert Wright (author of "The Moral
Animal")]
(http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/oped/28wrig.html)
MERGERS
BELL ATLANTIC AND GTE FILE WITH FCC TO SPLIT OFF GTE'S INTERNET BACKBONE
Issue: Mergers/Telephony
In an attempt to accelerate approval of their $70 billion merger, Bell
Atlantic and GTE have filed a formal plan with regulators that proposes to
split off GTE's Internet backbone as a separate publicly traded company. The
companies hope that the proposal will address regulators' concerns about
Bell Atlantic controlling an Internet backbone. Because the Bell telephone
companies are prohibited from offering long-distance services in their local
markets until they prove they have opened them to competition, Bell Atlantic
must distance itself from GTE's network, which carries long-distance data
traffic. "Clearly we have a lot of work to do at the FCC," said Thomas
Tauke, acting executive vice president of external affairs at Bell Atlantic.
"But I think this fully complies with the statutes, and I am confident that
the FCC will accept it as a solution."
[SOURCE: Wall Street Journal (A4), AUTHOR: Stephanie N. Mehta]
(http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/SB949017875882325523.htm)
COMMUNITIES
HIGH-TECH LEADERS VOW TO SUPPORT TEXAS COMMUNITIES
Issue: Communities/Philanthropy
Several hundred high-tech leaders attended the 360.00 Summit in Austin this
week. The executives decided it was time to connect to not just the Internet
but to the communities that they worked in and depended on. "There is a new
community here that clearly wants to be a part of something," said Joe
Aragona, a venture. "We need for people to commit to do things. "It takes a
commitment to build a community." Many attendees joined Austin Network, a
new organization that will link executives and their money to organizations
that need the help, said organizers Steve Papermaster and Peter Zandan. At
the summit, a "Declaration of Interdependence" was also unveiled. The
document promised more support from the industry in quality of life, social
equity, diversity in entrepreneurship and government issues.
[SOURCE: New York Times (A27), AUTHOR: Associated Press]
(http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/01/biztech/articles/28texas-civic.ht
ml)
TELECOMMUTING
OSHA SWITCH UNLIKELY TO AFFECT TELECOMMUTERS
Issue: Telecommuting
Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stated
Thursday that government workplace safety standards do not apply for home
offices, this should have little impact in the day to day lives of
telecommuters. Companies that already have safety programs in place for home
officers will most likely keep them in place, and those that are lax on the
issue could still find that they are liable for injuries if workers file
workers' compensation claims. Neither employers or OSHA will inspect home
offices, but employers will be required to keep records of any injuries that
occur in telecommuters' home offices. While OSHA had a longstanding policy
holding employers responsible for workplace safety regulations even in home
offices, recent public outcry over the stance led the agency to change its
position.
[SOURCE: USAToday (1B), AUTHOR: Stephanie Armour]
(http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20000128/1888847s.htm)
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