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High Wattage And Low Blows
Rep. J.C. Watts, R-OK, is PAC-ing an extra punch with the launch of his new Web site JCWatts.com. As chairman of the American Renewal PAC, Watts unveiled the site to further the committee's efforts to boost the conservative Republican majority in Congress. "The Web is a powerful medium and taking our vision for America online will enable us to share it with more and more Americans from coast to coast," Watts said in a statement. For those looking for pictures and videos of Watts, there are plenty to be found on the site, as well as biographical information. The Web site also offers information on American Renewal PAC, a calendar of events, the option of signing up to receive a newsletter from Watts, the opportunity to submit questions, as well as make donations online.
Contacting members of Congress via telephone is too passe for the majority of adult Internet users polled by Juno Online Services and Internet advocacy firm e-advocates. "These survey results should serve as a 21st century wake-up call to legislators still stuck in the 19th century," said Juno Advocacy Network Director Roger Stone in a statement. "Members of Congress who unplug voters trying to reach them by e-mail may find those same voters doing some unplugging of their own next November." More than 155,000 people responded to the survey conducted between November 5 and December 7, with 81 percent saying it was "important" or "very important" for Congress members to operate a public e-mail address to communicate with constituents. Only 11 percent would pick up a receiver and dial up a representative on the telephone, according to the survey. "With nearly half of U.S. adults now online, lawmakers who ignore Internet democracy do so at their peril," said Pam Fielding, a principal of e-advocates.
The George Washington University made sure to cross its Ts and dot its Is when it announced the recipients of the Golden Dot awards for online political advocacy. "The GSPM (Graduate School of Political Management) is pleased to be able to recognize outstanding achievements in online advocacy," said Michael Cornfield, a GSPM professor, at the 6th Annual Politics Online Conference. "We think awards like these help promote the development of politics on the Internet in a manner that upholds democratic principles and values." Receiving top honors for its site created to raise money in support of politicians opposed to the impeachment of President Clinton was MoveOn.org founded by Wes Boyd and Joan Blades. Among other winners was the Iowa Republican Party's Web site, which received the Golden Dot for "best message." The awards are given to honor political efforts that have a lasting effect on the U.S. government.
It's got the whole world in its hand. Palm Computing was awarded the 6 millionth U.S patent Friday. Commerce Secretary William Daley and newly-minted Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Q. Todd Dickinson presented the patent to the 3Com company for its HotSync technology. Accepting the patent at the ceremony held at the Herbert C. Hoover Building in Washington was Alan Kessler, president of Palm Computing. The technology enables users of Palm Computing handheld devices to synchronize their information with a computer by touching one button. "Lightning quick advances in computer-related technology are one of the main drivers of this nation's thriving economy," Daley said. "Unprecedented progress in science and technology also continue to shorten the time it takes our patent system to log new patents. It took some 80 years to get from patent number 1 to patent 1 million. It has taken only one tenth of that time to go from 5 to 6 million patents." A factoid: the first numbered patent was issued in 1836, although the first patent was issued in 1790.
To sirs and madams, with love. Among anyone's worst nightmares just might be what happened to an aide to Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-AL, Friday. The aide accidentally e-mailed a love letter intended for her boyfriend to a number of the senator's constituents Friday. According to the Birmingham News, recipients of the letter immediately called and e-mailed Session's office, alerting the staff of the problem. But if that wasn't enough, Sessions' Chief of Staff Armand DeKeyser called in investigators to determine if the faux pas was the work of a hacker. The investigators ruled out that possibility, saying it was most likely an error. DeKeyser said he would wait until the investigation is complete to determine whether to punish the full-time staffer for the "embarrassing" e-mail snafu.
"We were there to talk about trade and others were there to break windows," said National Association of Manufacturers Director of Media Relations Scot Montrey of his experience at the Word Trade Organization conference in Seattle. During his time at the ministerial, Montrey was tear-gassed about five times. "I was caught in the middle of the street, in the middle of a cloud of tear gas, completely incapacitated," he said, recalling one of the more serious incidents. "I thought I was going to die." As if that wasn't enough, he had another run-in, which he described as "surreal." In attempt to get into a hotel next to the convention center, Montrey had to bust through a thick human shield encapsulating the building. He found what he thought was a weak link and made a dash for it, but was tackled by a group. Soon after, the riot police dragged him into the hotel when he realized he had lost his only pair of glasses in the shuffle. After hearing that Montrey lost his glasses, some of the protestors started to look for them, and eventually someone returned them.
Subtitles saved the day at last Thursday's launch of a Web site aimed at increasing the Latin American vote in the upcoming elections. There were a few tense moments at the event hosted by StarMedia, the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) and the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, when AHAA President-elect Daisy Exposito introduced a pair of television advertisements scheduled to be broadcast on Spanish TV to promote the message. The commercials were spoken in Spanish and subtitled in English but due to technical difficulties, the minute long spots had no sound. On the screen, mouths were moving, but no words were emitted, causing a bit of confusion as to what was taking place. Eventually, Exposito apologized, saying that the ads would not be broadcast without audio. But all was not lost. In the end, they tried airing both ads a second time, but that time without a hitch.
A former deputy mayor of Seattle has been appointed Microsoft's director of community affairs. Bruce Brooks will join Microsoft's team, overseeing the company's charitable programs, while serving as senior vice president for MWW/Savitt, a Seattle-based PR firm, where he advises clients on such matters as government relations and corporate philanthropy. Brooks served as deputy mayor to Seattle Mayor Norm Rice, from 1995 to 1997.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela and wife Graca Machel saw more than Seattle's sights at a recent three-day visit. "I’m honored to be associated with Nelson Mandela and Graca Machel, who have improved people’s lives in such meaningful ways, " said Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $10 million to The Nelson Mandela Foundation and $5 million to Machel's Foundation for Community Development, which aim to improve health care, education, economic development and bring social accord to Africa. "Through our foundations, we want to bring their voices and stories to the world so we can collectively address the challenges facing us in health care, education, economic development and access to technology. Our dream is to help strong communities flourish throughout Africa," Machel said.
Congratulations to National Journal's Technology Daily Senior Writer Drew Clark on the birth of a strong and healthy baby boy Elijah Joseph on Dec. 2.
Send comments and contributions to Jessica Smith.
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