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Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on May 11, 2013

Why Won’t Conservatives Let Communities Decide for Themselves?

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

In his 1996 State of the Union Address Democratic President Bill Clinton famously declared, “the era of big government is over.”  And during his tenure he did everything he could to make that true–deregulating the telecommunications and the financial industry, enacting a free trade agreement severely restricting the authority of the federal government to protect… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 10, 2013

AT&T and ALEC Take Aim at Connecticut for Third Year in a Row

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/att-and-alec-take-aim-connecticut-third-year-row

StopTheCap! reports there are three bills in the Connecticut General Assembly that, if passed, will leave little or no protections for customers of plain old telephone service who encounter difficulties with service. AT&T and ALEC back these bills for the third year in a row. Such bills are not new to our readers who often… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 9, 2013

Susan Crawford to Speak in San Francisco May 14th

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/susan-crawford-speak-san-francisco-may-14th

On May 14th, Susan Crawford will speak at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in San Francisco. The event will be hosted by the Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) of the CPUC, and the theme of the discussion will be “Digital Communications in the United States: Should Broadband Communications be a Public Utility Service?” The… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on May 8, 2013

New York Times on Internet in America, Genachowski Legacy

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/new-york-times-internet-america-genachowski-legacy

Eduardo Porter has an important column today in the business section of the New York Times, “Yanking Broadband From the Slow Lane.” He correctly identifies some of the culprits slowing the investment in Internet networks in our communities. The last two paragraphs read: Yet the challenge remains: monopolies have a high instinct for self-preservation. And… Continue reading

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Featured Article, Resource filed under Composting, Waste to Wealth | Written by Brenda Platt | No Comments | Updated on May 8, 2013

Composting Supports Jobs and Healthy Watersheds, Say New ILSR Reports

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

Two new reports from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s Composting Makes $en$e Project document the importance of expanded composting and compost use to enhance soils, protect watersheds, reduce waste, and create green jobs and a new made-in-America industrial sector. For press release, click here. With compostable material making up almost one-half of municipal solid waste, there… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on May 7, 2013

Andrew Cohill Explains Common Mistakes in Community Networks – Community Broadband Bits #45

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/andrew-cohill-explains-common-mistakes-community-networks-community-broadband-bits-45

This is a show I have been wanting to do for years – discussing some of the common mistakes that have been make by community owned networks. Offering broadband and other telecommunications services is a difficult business for any entity, public or private and all network owners make mistakes. The vast majority of these errors… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on May 6, 2013

Government Funded Interstates and Fraud

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/government-funded-interstates-and-fraud

In the coming years, we will continue to see groups and elected officials funded by the big cable and telephone companies try to delegitimize any public sector investment in Internet networks. We have already endured a year of mostly-frivolous charges against BTOP and BIP stimulus programs. At times like this, it may be helpful to… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 6, 2013

Community Owned Network in New Mexico Helps Save Lost Pets

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/community-owned-network-new-mexico-helps-save-lost-pets

We recently learned about Aztec, New Mexico’s, free downtown Wi-Fi  so we decided to contact Wallace Begay, the IT Director, to find out more. This desert community of about 6,600 people not only offers the free service, but uses its fiber to serve government, schools, and even four-legged residents. Begay tells us that in 1998… Continue reading

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 4, 2013

New Yorkers Envious of Lafayette and Chattanooga? Yes.

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/new-yorkers-envious-lafayette-and-chattanooga-yes

In a recent New York Daily New article, Scott Stringer wrote about the Big Apple’s tech employment trends. He noted that more tech related positions now come to the city but those jobs still tend to elude women and people of color. He suggests looking at New York’s own workforce and offering better science and… Continue reading

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Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on May 3, 2013

5 Barriers to and Solutions for Community Renewable Energy

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/5-barriers-solutions-community-renewable-energy/

Community renewable energy has significant political and economic benefits, but is often hindered by five major barriers. Watch this vividly illustrated presentation to learn how communities can overcome the barriers and advance more local renewable energy. ILSR Senior Researcher John Farrell gave this presentation as part of a Sustainable Economies Law Center webinar on April… Continue reading