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Rickreall_Post_Office_1
Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Jan 13, 2012

How Obama Can Guarantee a Second Term

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/how-obama-can-guarantee-a-second-term/

Let me suggest a sure fire way Barack Obama can win a second term. Stand in the doorway of a post office scheduled for closing and declare, “Not on my watch.” He will be standing with tens of millions of Americans who are rising up to defend our must trusted and ubiquitous public institution. Last… Continue reading

Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jan 12, 2012

Legislation Alert: Washington Considers Community Broadband Bill

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/legislation-alert-washington-considers-community-broadband-bill

Last year we noted that a bill to expand local authority to invest in publicly owned broadband networks would return in 2012. HB 1711 is in Committee and causing a bit of a stir. “A bit of a … Continue reading

Advanced Electric Meter
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on Jan 12, 2012

How Electricity Pricing Can Boost Distributed Solar – Part 1

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/how-electricity-pricing-can-boost-distributed-solar-part-1-0/

Note: This is a revision of the same post from last week, with an updated time-of-use pricing plan from Los Angeles. What if electricity cost more when the sun was shining? Many utilities are using new electronic “smart meters” to adjust the price of electricity as often as every 15 minutes, to reflect supply and… Continue reading

House with rooftop solar panels
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 6 Comments | Updated on Jan 12, 2012

Solar Grid Parity 101

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/solar-grid-parity-101/

Solar grid parity is considered the tipping point for solar power, when installing solar power will cost less than buying electricity from the grid.  It’s also a tipping point in the electricity system, when millions of Americans can choose energy production and self-reliance over dependence on their electric utility. But this simple concept conceals a… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jan 11, 2012

Democratic energy policy means strong public support for renewables

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/democratic-energy-policy-means-strong-public-support-renewables/

Conducted by market research institute Forsa on behalf of municipal utilities in Germany, the survey found that 61 percent of Germans are willing to pay more for their power if the extra cost helps ramp up the share of renewables. Public acceptance even extends to acceptance of wind turbines “in my backyard”; 54 percent of those surveyed said they would find it “good” or “very good” if a wind turbine were set up nearby.

That’s the German feed-in tariff at work…

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Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jan 10, 2012

Minnesota PUC Information Meeting on Recent FCC Reforms on Jan 12

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/minnesota-puc-information-meeting-recent-fcc-reforms-jan-12

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is hosting an informational meeting on Thursday, January 12, at 1:00. For those who cannot make it in person, it will be webcast here.
The PDF announc… Continue reading

Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jan 10, 2012

DC Revolving Door, Comcast, and Campaign Finance Reform

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/dc-revolving-door-comcast-and-campaign-finance-reform

One of the reasons community broadband networks face so many unique hurdles (often created deliberately by states in response to cable/dsl lobbying) is because of the many ways in which campaign finance corrupts our national and state governments.
Com… Continue reading

320px-2005PoinsettaBowl-Navy-LOS
Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Jan 9, 2012

Is the Super Bowl a Socialist Enterprise?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/is-the-super-bowl-a-socialist-enterprise/

Is the Super Bowl a socialist enterprise?  Yes the language is provocative but not, I believe, inappropriate.  After all Indiana, the site of the next Super Bowl,  is currently governed by those who insist government should play a minimal role and the word they, and their Republican counterparts around the country  use to describe those… Continue reading

Article filed under Broadband | Written by Christopher | No Comments | Updated on Jan 9, 2012

AT&T Fights Broadband Stimulus by Proxy

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/att-fights-broadband-stimulus-proxy

Phillip Dampier at Stop the Cap! has once again followed the money trail to reveal AT&T pulling puppet strings to attack broadband stimulus funds. More significantly, AT&T is trying to… Continue reading