• Categories

  • Post Archives

    • > Follow us on Twitter
    • Latest Posts

    • Meta

    Posts Tagged
    ‘Internet’



    News Round-Up: Monday, June 20, 2011

    Monday, June 20th, 2011

    A NATO missile kills civilians in Tripoli, loosened regulations of nuclear power plants may make them more dangerous, Rep. Giffords heads home to Tucson, and Bill Clinton has 14 recommendations for fixing unemployment.

    Also, USA Today reports on the record number of laws passed this year that require voters to show photo identification at the polls (http://usat.ly/lFznG9), and E.J. Dionne Jr. of the Washington Post writes how states’ restrictive voter laws are helping to rig the 2012 election (http://wapo.st/l1k6qF).

    Caitlin, Katie, + Perry

    CRITICAL:

    NATO Admits Missile Hit a Civilian Home in Tripoli, http://nyti.ms/lCgwhs

    On Sunday, NATO acknowledged that a missile hit a civilian home in Tripoli. The missile may have killed a handful of innocent civilians. Reporters have seen at least five of the bodies, and Libyan officials claim at least four more were killed.

    Backlog of Cases Gives a Reprieve on Foreclosures, http://nyti.ms/jJxqec

    With the huge number of foreclosures due to the recession, many states do not have the time to kick everyone in foreclosure out of their homes. In New York it would take 62 years to do so, and in New Jersey it would take 49. Courts are becoming more strict after banks were found to use inaccurate “robo-signers” to generate court documents.

    AP IMPACT: US nuke regulators weaken safety rules, http://yhoo.it/kaMmFq

    Federal regulators have been loosening standards on nuclear power plants to keep aging reactors from being closed. An AP investigation found that leaks were allowed 20 times over the original limit. The AP says these practices could “escalate dangers” for not just workers in the plants, but also for “billions of dollars and 19 percent of America’s electricity.”

    For Giffords, a Brief Taste of Her Old Life in Tucson, http://nyti.ms/iXwRHC

    Representative Gabrielle Giffords returns home to Tucson, AZ for the first time since a gunman shot her on January 8th.  She now has a permanent shunt implanted that will drain fluids through a plastic tube into her abdominal cavity.

    It’s Still the Economy, Stupid, http://bit.ly/m2WFaj

    Curious as to what 42nd president Bill Clinton thinks about the economy? With fourteen million Americans unemployed, Clinton outlines 14 ways to get people back to work.

    More states require ID to vote, http://usat.ly/lFznG9

    USA Today reports on the record number of laws passed this year that require voters to show photo IDs at the polls. The paper notes that the wave of Republican victories in the midterm elections gave the GOP the majorities it needed in many state legislatures to pass the laws. Obama strategist David Axelrod called the legislation a “calculated strategy to hold down voter turnout.”

    Is CA Doing Enough to “Rock the Vote?” http://bit.ly/kKmYPC

    California ranked 10th in the Rock the Vote Scorecard. The state could improve it score by allowing online voter registration and same-day registration.

    Rick Perry scouts 2012 bid,
    http://politi.co/kRjT57

    Rick Perry, Governor of Texas since George Bush left to become president, is scouting out a possible presidential run of his own. His closest political adviser saying the chances are 50-50. Perry, popular with the Tea Party, would be an “instant contender” for the nomination.

    Not only .coms as Internet body throws open domain names, http://reut.rs/iAIrxI

    Today there are only 22 “top level domains” online, like .com, .gov, or .edu. Soon anyone starting a website will be able to use whatever domain he or she would like, provided this said person has $185,000 to spend on it. Corporations will likely be the first to register their brand names, such as .toyota or .coke, but communities could follow with names like .nyc or .london.

    CULTURAL:

    A Fresh Young Star Easily Wins the Open, and the Fans’ Affection, http://nyti.ms/jgMXfJ

    21-year-old Californian wins Miss USA crown, http://yhoo.it/m2F5UD

    CNN’s Ed Henry Jumps To Fox News To Become Chief White House Correspondent, http://bit.ly/mFWuBO

    50 Cent Working On Anti-Bullying Novel, http://bit.ly/kum4Q1

    Katie Scholick
    Bio: Duke University, Class of 2013 Majoring in Psychology, Certificate in Markets and Management.

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com



    News Round-Up: Wednesday February 16, 2011

    Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

    President Obama is putting his foot down on big defense budget cuts, Madoff is pointing out the banks for being complicit in his scheme, and Schwarzenegger might be making his way back to the box office.

    CRUCIAL

    Barack Obama Plays Hardball with Veto Threat, http://politi.co/gvln27

    President Obama says that he is open to furthering budget cuts, but not ones that will make the Pentagon and the Department of Defense unworkable.

    Bernie Madoff, Banks “Had To Know ” Of Fraud, http://huff.to/fs5eQQ

    Despite denial of any involvement, Madoff claims that the banks could not possibly have been ignorant as to the fraud he was committing.

    The Future of a Democratic Egypt, http://wapo.st/eMxrQo

    Condoleezza Rice stands by her 2005 remarks that the United States supports Egypt in its quest for peace, and that although turmoil may lie in the immediate future, the ideals behind it will stand the test of time.

    Role for Teachers Is Seen in Solving Schools’ Crises, http://nyti.ms/fLlzKw

    Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asserted his view that teachers unions can be utilized to help, not hinder, many of the problems schools are facing. Many Republicans and some Democrats disagree with Duncan on the role of teachers unions.

    Egypt’s Leaders Found ‘Off’ Switch for Internet, http://nyti.ms/hMozFh

    Egypt was able to shut down the internet for 5 whole days nation wide based on the fact that they own the infrastructure through which the information flows. This shut down not only affected individuals, but also impacted businesses with online components.

    Conservative GOP Could Prompt Some to Skip Iowa, http://bit.ly/dQDTuQ

    Iowa may no longer be as important to presidential hopefuls as it grows more and more conservative.

    Gaffes Continue to Hamper Braun, http://bit.ly/fhPjj1

    Many wonder whether Braun’s charming personality and people skills will be able to win her enough votes to compensate for a rocky, controversial political past.

    Killers Frontman Eats with Romney, http://bit.ly/eYig3d

    It’s hard to say whether Romney sought out Brandon Flowers in order to capture a larger portion of the youth vote, or if Flowers is following in long time friend Bono’s footsteps and becoming politically engaged, but either way the unlikely pair have a strategy up their sleeves.

    CULTURAL:

    Watson: 1, Humans: 0: http://bit.ly/hkP1so

    He’s back: http://bit.ly/hNiq0m

    Bonnaroo reveals initial lineup: http://bit.ly/iBHC

    Katy Perry and Kanye star in new music video: http://bit.ly/dZOref

    Billy Ray scared for Miley: http://bit.ly/f0tWWe

    Lil Wayne challenges Oreos for more Facebook “likes”: http://aol.it/i2yovN

    Kristin Andrews
    Bio: Kristin is Rock the Vote's Communications Intern

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com



    News Round-Up: August 6, 2010

    Friday, August 6th, 2010
    Hello Rockers!

    In today’s news we see broadband getting a boost in rural North Carolina while jobs take a dip in our national economy.

    CRUCIAL:

    Bad news… the economy’s still losing jobs: http://bit.ly/cj8VQI
    July saw a net loss of 131,000 jobs. On the bright side, more jobs were created in the private sector last month than in June or May!

    More than a dozen accused of supporting a Somalian terrorist group?! http://nyti.ms/aJEvLb
    The U.S. is seeing a disturbing trend of terrorist groups sending recruits into our country… and yesterday 14 were indicted for raising funds in America for the Somalian terrorist group Shabab.

    Do you live in Florida? Check out this voter guide: http://elections.orlandosentinel.com
    Orlando Sentinel has put together a voter guide that lets you pick two candidates and compare their policies. Cool, huh?

    Broadband is spreading into rural North Carolina! http://bit.ly/az0dxe
    Governor Perdue announced that NC is getting $83 million in federal money to expand Internet access into rural parts of the states.

    Where else can you register to vote besides www.rockthevote.com? Ohio’s public-aid offices: http://bit.ly/bdCNH4
    Already more than 100,000 low-income Ohio residents have registered to vote since January after the U.S. District Court gave them a chance to register when applying for assistance!

    CULTURAL:

    Would you vote for Wyclef Jean for President of Haiti? http://bit.ly/bgSytX
    This hip-hop star/philanthropist thinks he’s qualified to lead the state. Read the interview he did with CBS to learn more about his thoughts for the country.

    Justin Bieber spread the fever with a surprise performance! http://bit.ly/aepFtX
    How jealous are you of Seminole High School students in Florida? The pop sensation dropped by to perform and present the school a $5,000 donation to support music education.

    Have you seen these viral video releases yet? http://bit.ly/9Rkmmv & http://bit.ly/cEJo8k
    Kanye West’s music video for “Power” (first) and Jackass’s movie trailer for its upcoming 3D film (second) are getting talked about online!
    Rachel
    Bio:

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com



    One-stop shop for Health Care

    Friday, July 2nd, 2010

    Yesterday, the Obama Administration launched HealthCare.gov, a website allowing you to find insurance options and understand your options under the law.

    HealthCare.gov also directs you to other websites to learn about prevention and compare hospital care.
    The two step insurance finder allows you to explore your coverage options by answering a few basic questions on where you live, your current situation, and your future needs; it then automatically sorts through a catalog of public and private options to identify a coverage choice that may be right for you. 

    The website provides detailed information on the law itself, including a cool timeline of what options become available when, explanations for featured provisions, a PDF of the full law, and special sections for some groups and issues. 

    The White House blog boasts of the website’s 500 pages of content and data for more than 1,000 insurance carriers and 5,561 open products.  In addition, the site provides information on the Pre-Existing Condition Plan in every state. 

    Some have compared HealthCare.gov to a travel website. Where are you going and when do you need to get there? HealthCare.gov, offers one-stop personalized shopping access to coverage options as well as comparison tools and information on the Affordable Care Act.  If you’re in the market for health care insurance, take a look at the site before you buy.

    UPDATE: Check out this video primer:

    Danni Lin
    Bio:

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com