Free Speech
WSJ: Censoring Free Speech
WP: Group Blocks Postings of UUNet Customers
Arts
WP: "Arts Education" Colors Debate
Education Technology
WP: Ballou Seniors Tackle Lessons in Technology, Tenacity
Telephone Regulation
NYT: Nynex Captures the Regulators
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* Free Speech *
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Title: Censoring Free Speech
Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com/(A18)
Author: WSJ Editorial Staff
Issue: Free Speech vs Campaign Reform
Description: "What we have is two important values in direct conflict:
freedom of speech and our desire for healthy campaigns in a healthy
democracy. You can't have both," says Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-MO) who has
proposed a constitutional amendment to restrict some political speech. But
others -- especially the state of Wisconsin -- are already trying to enforce
laws that limit political ads. "It's been over 20 years since Buckley v.
Valeo, and it's time those who want to limit political speech in the pursuit
of some higher value get another lesson from the high court." [For more on
campaign reform see http://www.destinationdemocracy.org/]
Title: Group Blocks Postings of UUNet Customers
Source: Washington Post (C1)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-08/05/077l-080597-
idx.html
Author: Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Issue: Free Speech/Internet
Description: In response to UUNet's failure to curb junk postings using its
service, protesters destroyed 80,000 Usenet postings originated from the
Internet provider's service. Of the messages destroyed, only 600 were not
product pitches, the protesters said. "These people are not government
agents or the police. They have absolutely no right to cancel service on
someone else's infrastructure," said a UUNet representative. "We're trying
to send a message to UUNet," the protesters said. "They've been flatly
ignoring our complaints. We don't want to punish them or cause them
problems. We just want them to stop causing Net problems." Usenet newsgroups
have been flooded of late with unrelated sales pitches and pornography. [For
more information on junk e-mail see http://www.junkemail.org/scamspam]
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* Arts *
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Title: "Arts Education" Colors Debate
Source: Washington Post (B1)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-08/05/032l-080597-
idx.html
Author: Jacqueline Trescott
Issue: Arts
Description: National Endowment of the Arts proponents and opponents alike
are clinging to the idea of arts education as a reason to retain or kill the
Endowment. NEA Chairman Jane Alexander has emphasized the endowment's
mission to educate American about arts. Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) has
proposed block grants to the states to do arts education. "I think it sends
a mixed message. We will support arts for students, but some of our leaders
are saying we don't value it outside of the school setting. That doesn't
make sense," said a director of a kids art education program. [For more on
the arts see Open Studio at http://www.openstudio.org]
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* Education Technology *
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Title: Ballou Seniors Tackle Lessons in Technology, Tenacity
Source: Washington Post (C1)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-08/05/066l-080597-
idx.html
Author: Peter Behr
Issue: Education Technology
Description: Of 23 students who enrolled in a computer network
administrators training program at Ballou High School (Washington, DC), only
8 completed the program and only 2 have passed the Novell certification test
and moved on to network admin jobs. Archie Prioleau, a retired IBM executive
who launched the program, says the task was tougher than the students or the
sponsors expected, but with the difficulties have come unexpected dividends
for the students as well. Many students were not prepared for the rigors of
the program, but were persistent, put in the work, and matured into young
adults. Ballou will offer the program again next Fall and there is a waiting
list to get in. Students who are certified by Novell are guaranteed jobs in
suburban DC tech firms. [For more information on Ballou's program see The
Learning Connection http://www.benton.org/Library/Schools/three.html]
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* Telephone Regulation *
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Title: Nynex Captures the Regulators
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/editorial/05tue2.html (A24)
Author: NYT Editorial Staff
Issue: Telephone Regulation
Description: Editorial accuses New York State Public Services Commission's
pride in opening local phone markets to be little more than rhetoric. The
PSC has adopted interconnection rules that favor the local monopoly and did
not raise any objections to Nynex's merger with its biggest potential rival
Bell Atlantic. Editorial guesses that the PSC is afraid of undermining
Nynex's financial well-being since it would probably mean cut-backs in
service which is already the nation's worst. Customers have little choice as
competition has yet to come to the state. [For more on phone regulation see
http://www.benton.org/Policy/96act/#phone]
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