Gigabyte March on Washington

The BellSouth records show that the firm’s lobbyists were regularly out on the town hosting people they are paid to influence with drinks and dinner at Washington’s priciest restaurants…

Vicki Taylor, an administrative assistant at BellSouth's Washington office for 16 years, provided the document to NBC News. She's been on leave since she leaked the document. MSNBC

The document, which was obtained from an employee of the telecommunications firm who said she was disturbed by the pattern, sheds light on one of the capital's worst-kept secrets: Congressional gift restrictions are frequently ignored.

Washington Post - More than 80 lawmakers and Capitol Hill aides are listed as having accepted entertainment from lobbyists for BellSouth Corp. at levels that appear to exceed congressional gift limits, according to a document produced by the company's Washington office.

A NEW e-book tells a "sordid story" of business fraud, according to one reviewer. The book's author says it is "the largest fraud case in American history."

The book is "The $200 Billion Broadband Scandal" (newnetworks.com). The author is Bruce Kushnick, a longtime irritant to the telecommunications industry.

The Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN), Mid-Rivers Community Wireless Network, and Free Press invite you to join us for a Community Wireless Networking Summit, March 31-April 2, 2006 in St. Charles, MO (right outside St. Louis).  "Imagine & Implement: The 2006 National Summit for Community Wireless Networks" will focus on grassroots action; impacting national regulations and policies; and building the coalition of community groups, researchers, policy leaders, decision-makers, and activists working to create better broadband services and telecommunications infrastructures.

With Network Neutrality under attack and broadband service continuing to stagnate, it's time we organized to take the public airwaves back from corporate interests and put the public interest back in the spotlight.  Community Wireless Networks are often owned by the communities that deploy them and offer better services for cheaper prices than traditional ISPs.  Anyone interested in making the "public interest" the number one priority in broadband service provision should definitely attend this summit.

Community Wireless developers from across North America will be demonstrating cutting-edge technologies; researchers and programmers will discuss recent breakthroughs and developments; and policy-makers and funders will strategizewith participants on the new initiatives being launched and how we can make an impact in DC.