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More Tales Of The Cities
With flashback sequences and men in disguise, there was high drama at the Seattle World Trade Organization conference last week. A wide-eyed Michael Maibach, Intel's vice president for government affairs, told a tale of how he had to sneak out of a back door of his hotel to get to E-commerce Day after protestors surrounded the building at WTO ministerial meeting. "It reminded me of antiwar protests at Kent State," he said. During an E-commerce Day speech at the WTO, Commerce Secretary William Daley was presented with a disguise to avoid the throngs of protestors on Seattle streets: a black baseball hat emblazoned with "I Am A Dangerous Terrorist."
Is lobbying cheaper by the dozen? A twelfth person will be seated at Microsoft's table as the Senate Democrat Steering Committee's Jamie Houton assumes his new position. Houton, who has handled high-tech issues as the committee's policy director, will bid farewell to the Hill Friday and make Microsoft his new home Monday.
After serving the Electronic Industries Alliance for 23 years, ex-Vice President of Public Affairs Mark Rosenker has changed gears. Rosenker left the EIA at the end of October for the United Network for Organ Sharing, where he took on the role of assistant executive director for external affairs and managing director of Washington operations on Nov. 15. "It's tough to leave" after spending more than two decades at EIA, Rosenker said. "But I couldn't pass it up. It's a fabulous opportunity." While Rosenker admits he is not as well-versed in organ transplants as he is in tech policy, it is that very fact that makes the challenge more exciting, he said. But Rosenker's allegiance to technology will not be diminished. "Technology is technology," he said, referring to the tech side of medicine. No replacement has been found, but the search for a new public affairs person is winding down, said Senior Vice President of Communications and Government Relations Adrien MacGillivray, who is filling the position temporarily.
Nearly a year after Congress authorized the creation of a commission designed to examine current and potential policies to assure "high quality digital content in schools," the request has come to fruition, said Software & Information Industry Association technology lobbyist David Byer. Under the direction of Byer, the Web-Based Education Commission held its inaugural meeting in November. For the past five years, Byer has lobbied on education and workforce issues and intends to use that expertise to analyze similar matters as the commission's director. According to Byer, the group is planning to address issues such as teacher training, the quality of online and Web-based content, Internet access and the digital divide. Joining Byer are Sens. Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, Bob Kerrey, D-NE, Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-PA, Sun Microsystems Director of Science John Gage, among others.
Gerald L. Epstein's spot at the Office of Science and Technology Policy has been secured. Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the OSTP Neal Lane named Epstein assistant director for National Security. Epstein, who had been senior policy analyst in OSTP, has replaced Bruce MacDonald, who left the position for the private sector. As the assistant director for National Security, Epstein will handle technology issues such as research and development policies to ward against physical and computer-based attacks on critical infrastructures.
For the past few months Federal Communications Commissioner Gloria Tristani has been toying with a possible run for Congress in her home of Albuquerque, NM. But to the administration's relief, Tristani resisted the call, deciding to stay aboard the commission. "I intend to continue to work on the issues about which I am passionate — making sure that all New Mexicans and all Americans have access to the Internet, that every child has the tools they need to compete in the next century, and that all Americans and especially minorities, Native Americans, those living in rural communities and Americans with disabilities, have the opportunity to benefit from the communications revolution," she said in a statement.
Also on the FCC front, Chairman William Kennard received the "Outstanding Leadership Award" from a group of United Nations' partners at the United Nation International Day of Disabled Partners. In his acceptance speech, Kennard referred to the impact of the implementation of Section 225 of the Telecommunications Act, which says that communications services have to be accessible to all "whether that information is provided in product manuals, call centers, or on Web sites." Kennard used the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association's Web site as an example of how industry is making great progress in accommodating those with disabilities. "On this site, persons who are blind can access the Web through computer screen readers, and persons who are deaf can have captioning access to audio files," he said. "This shows encouraging process."
Alcohol, pornography and gambling were the topics of interest at a forum hosted by advocacy group Citizens for a Sound Economy last Wednesday. "Federal legislation on Internet gambling is trying to impose old laws to new technology," said Albert Angel, vice chairman of the Interactive Gaming Council. "They are trying to apply principles from a very different world." In a spartan, basement-like room, industry professionals gathered to discuss the relationship between social ills and the Internet over beer and buffalo wings. Also speaking at the informal event was Wired News reporter Declan McCullagh, who offered his take on such issues as the Child Online Protection Act. According to McCullagh, "It's the parents' job to protect children. The same principles apply online. You wouldn't just let a child walk around in Times Square."
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