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Article filed under Energy, The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Dec 22, 2008

Memo to President-elect Barack Obama on Democratizing the Energy System

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/memo-presidentelect-barack-obama-democratizing-energy-system/

Dear President-elect Obama,

Congratulations on your historic election. Now the truly heavy lifting begins. You have declared your intention to make "a new energy economy" your "No. 1 priority." We urge you to follow a path that leads not only to changes in the fuels underpinning our energy system but also to changes in the structure and dynamic of that system.

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Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Dec 22, 2008

John Farrell Discusses Upcoming Feed-in Tariff Conference

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/john-farrell-discusses-upcoming-feedin-tariff-conference/

John Farrell talks about the upcoming "Bringing Renewable Energy Home:  Energy Policies To Maximize Energy Security And Economic Development" conference on January 9, 2009 at St. Olaf College in Minnesota Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 1 Comment | Updated on Dec 17, 2008

Voter fraud? No, voter suppression.

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/voter-fraud-no-voter-suppression/

Why are we hearing so much about voter fraud and so little about election fraud? After all, the odds of someone voting fraudulently are about the same as those of an American being struck and killed by lightning.

A microscopic evaluation of election data in the 2004 gubernatorial election in Washington state revealed that voter fraud occurred approximately 0.0009 percent of the time. An analysis of the 2004 presidential election in Ohio revealed a voter fraud rate of 0.00004 percent.

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Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Dec 15, 2008

Sunny Post-Partisanship Sounds Nice, but What’s Obama’s Larger Vision?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/sunny-postpartisanship-sounds-nice-whats-obamas-larger-vision/

Responding to criticism that President-elect Barack Obama’s cabinet is composed largely of recycled Bill Clinton appointees, Obama’s close advisor David Axelrod told the New York Times, "He’s not looking for people to give him a vision. He’s going to put together an administration of people who can effectuate his vision." A few days later, after introducing his foreign policy team, Obama himself declared, "I will be responsible for the vision that this team carries out, and I expect them to implement that vision once decisions are made.”   

Which leads to the inevitable question: What is Obama’s overarching vision? What is the philosophical framework that will animate his administration and guide his cabinet officers to adopt policies different from those they embraced in the past? 

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Article, ILSR Press Room, Resource filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Dec 15, 2008

Vidchat Discussion on Open Networks Between Christopher Mitchell and Geoff Daily

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/vidchat-discussion-open-networks-between-christopher-mitchell-and-geoff-daily/

App-Rising.com sits down with Christopher Mitchell to discuss the merits of open networks and how they shift the focus of competition from the characteristics of last mile technologies to the merits of the services being offered. Continue reading

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Article, Resource filed under Waste to Wealth, Zero Waste & Economic Development | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Dec 4, 2008

City of Austin’s Zero Waste Plan

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/city-of-austins-zero-waste-plan/

Earlier this year, by adopting the State’s first Zero Waste Plan for a Texas community, the City of Austin took an important step to move toward a more sustainable future. Austin’s Zero Waste Plan takes into consideration Austin’s current and planned public and private solid waste infrastructure, as well as the city’s Climate Protection Program…. Continue reading

Article filed under Waste to Wealth | Written by admin | No Comments | Updated on Dec 1, 2008

Economic Benefits

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/economic-benefits/

The economic benefits of deconstruction are substantial. One of the biggest challenges to “greening” businesses is overcoming the false perception that environmentally-sound business practices necessarily will increase costs and decrease profits. Deconstruction is helping break that myth. Companies that have participated in ILSR’s projects confirm that: Deconstruction is cost-effective. Not only can buildings be deconstructed… Continue reading

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Article, Resource filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | No Comments | Updated on Dec 1, 2008

Major Flaws Uncovered in Study Claiming Wal-Mart Has Not Harmed Small Business

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/major-flaws-uncovered-study/

A widely publicized study claims that there is no evidence that Wal-Mart has had a negative impact on the small business sector. In reviewing the study, ILSR found fatal flaws. For example, the study relies on the wrong US Census dataset. Using the correct data, our analysis shows that the number of independent retailers fell as Walmart grew between 1982 and 2002. Continue reading

Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Nov 26, 2008

Choice — and a Voice: Broadband Advice for the Obama Administration

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/choice-and-voice-broadband-advice-obama-administration/

Fiber-to-the-home is essential infrastructure.  Communities know they need better broadband networks.  DSL is already too slow, especially on the upload side.  DOCSIS3 cable networks may promise fast speeds this year and next, but ever increasing numbers of users, each inevitably increasing bandwidth utilization, will soon overwhelm this legacy shared architecture.  

Our international competitors have invested in technologies that will bring very fast speeds all the way to the home.  In most areas of the U.S., this can only be achieved with fiber to the home.  And we can connect a fiber to every home if we make it a priority.  Our geography gives us a bigger challenge than others, but we are a nation that rises to challenges.
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