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Press Banner
July 1, 2008
Felton Water Bills Set to Drop Next Month, Overall Savings Still Not Determined: CalAm to Hand Over Felton Waterworks in Early August
CalAm has opened its doors and its books to the new owners of Felton's water system, providing the first detailed look inside the private company that for years fought off public ownership.

The Wall Street Journal
June 17, 2008
Calls Rise for Public Control of Water Supply
FELTON, Calif. -- The faucets in one of six U.S. homes pour water provided by a private company. Now, some of these communities are revolting against their corporate water systems, attempting to put their water under government control because of concerns over rising rates and service disruptions.

Santa Cruz Indy Media
June 9, 2008
Felton Prevails in Six-Year Fight to Acquire Water System from Cal-Am and RWE
The community of Felton prevailed in its six-year fight to acquire its water system from California-American Water (Cal-Am), a subsidiary of the German multinational corporation RWE.

The Monterey Herald
June 8, 2008
Rants and Raves: THE HERALD'S VIEW
Rave: The fine folks of Felton deserve a hand for spunk, persistence and foresight. Though everyone said it couldn't be done, they have reached agreement to take over the California American Water system in their mountain community. They persuaded Cal Am, with no little help from pending courtroom proceedings, to take $10 million for a system the utility said wasn't for sale. It isn't clear what, if anything, this means for the Peninsula, which has toyed with the takeover idea, but we suspect that rapidly rising water prices hereabouts will eventually generate renewed discussions.

Press Banner
June 6, 2008
Cal-Am settles over Felton water system
Five years after it began, the struggle for public ownership of Felton’s water system is likely over. The San Lorenzo Valley Water District settled with California American Water to buy the Felton water system for $10.5 million and assumption of the $2.9 million debt still owed on construction of the Kirby Street water treatment plant and other facilities.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
June 5, 2008
Water district votes to buy Felton water
Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 5, 2008
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District board unanimously agreed Thursday to buy the Felton waterworks from California American Water for $10.5 million, thus finalizing a deal six years in the making.

The Valley Post
June 5, 2008
CalAm Agrees to Sell Felton Water System
California American Water (CalAm) has agreed to sell its Felton water subsidiary to the San Lorenzo Valley Water District for a cash price of $10.5 million. As part of the deal, the Valley water district will assume CalAm's debt of $2.9 million for the Kirby treatment plant and CalAm will donate watershed land that it purchased from Citizens Water.

Metro Santa Cruz
June 5, 2008
Victory for FLOW
It was a little like winning the Superbowl--if your team is undersized, chronically underfunded and just started playing ball six years ago. On Friday, a small group of Felton activists finally wrested control of their water system away from California-American Water after six years of bitter fighting--and for less than half Cal-Am's original asking price. The water system, which serves 1,330 customers, is now set to be handed over to the San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) for $10.5 million, pending approval by the district's board of directors at its Thursday meeting.

Lexington Herald-Leader
June 3, 2008
California town succeeds in acquiring water system
Felton, Calif., is about to do what Lexington couldn't -- gain public control of its water system.

Diabetes Mine
June 3, 2008
Submit Your 2008 ADA Queries Here
... Desert Dingo racing — Jim Graham and his diabetic Desert Dingo Racing team will make a Sunday appearance at San Francisco’s famous Fisherman’s Wharf. They’ll be autographing “hero cards” featuring photos of their 1969 VW Beetle decorated with warning signs of diabetes on the back.

Food & Water Watch press release
June 2, 2008
Water Activists Slay Corporate Behemoth: Food & Water Watch Applauds Felton, CA’s Victory to Control Water Resources
Washington, DC. After six years of political and legal battles, the town of Felton, California has prevailed in efforts to acquire its water system from California-American Water, which was until recently, a subsidiary of the German multi-national corporation RWE. The San Lorenzo Valley Water District will purchase the water system, which includes 250 acres of forested watershed land, for $10.5 million and take control of the $2.9 million loan residents have been paying for a new water treatment plant.

KSCO
June 2, 2008
Interview on Felton water system sale
Radio reporter Rosie Chalmers interviews me regarding last week's settlement of the Felton water fight.

International Diabetes Federation press release
June 1, 2008
International Diabetes Federation and Desert Dingo Racing host Diabetes Awareness Event on Fisherman's Wharf - June 8 event will promote the theme of this year’s World Diabetes Day campaign and showcase Desert Dingo Racing’s ‘World Diabetes Day” Baja 1000 race VW
SAN FRANCISCO, June 1, 2008 – The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), its World Diabetes Day official partners and Desert Dingo Racing will co-sponsor a public event at The Cannery on Fisherman’s Wharf on Sunday, June 8 to promote diabetes awareness and education.

TorrentFreak
May 31, 2008
Will BitTorrent Sites Become Obsolete
Researchers from several Universities are currently working on a search technology that could make BitTorrent sites obsolete. While the idea of a completely decentralized filesharing network is not new, there are some downsides that are often overlooked.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
May 30, 2008
Cal Am agrees to sell Felton water system for $10.5M
FELTON - California American Water has tentatively agreed to sell the Felton water system to the San Lorenzo Valley Water District for $10.5 million, signalling the likely end of a six-year David-and-Goliath fight between a grass-roots citizens group and the former multinational corporation over local control.

Press Banner
May 30, 2008
Breaking News: Cal-Am agrees to sell Felton system
San Lorenzo Valley Water District and California American Water Co. this afternoon announced an agreement to sell Cal-Am's Felton system to the water district.

Valley Post
May 30, 2008
BREAKING NEWS - Cal Am Agrees to Sell Felton Water System: San Lorenzo Valley Agrees to Up Price to $10.5 Million in Cash plus Assuming $2.9 Million in Debt
California American Water has agreed to sell its Felton water subsidiary to the San Lorenzo Valley Water District for a cash price of $10.5 million, plus continuing bond payments on a treatment facility and a conservation easement. Assuming the water district's board accepts the agreement at a June 5 meeting, the sale will successfully end many years of work by residents to break away from the for-profit, German-based corporation.

Felton FLOW press release
May 30, 2008
FELTON PREVAILS IN SIX-YEAR FIGHT TO ACQUIRE WATER SYSTEM FROM CALIFORNIA-AMERICAN WATER AND GERMAN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION RWE
FELTON, California, May 30, 2008 -- The community of Felton, California today prevailed in its six-year fight to acquire its water system from California-American Water, a subsidiary of the German multinational corporation RWE.

ZDNet Asia
May 28, 2008
P2P music sharing needs regulation to work
Music retailers have been moving away from enforcing DRM (digital rights management) restrictions on music downloads, in hopes of giving the industry a shot in the arm.

Good Times
May 28, 2008
The Power of D, Cubed
Three prominent and qualified Democrats are racing for John Laird's 27th Assembly seat.
Whose routine will reign supreme?

Mid-County Post
May 27, 2008
Four Challengers Seek Assembly Seat: Democratic Primary Race in June Will Likely Decide Who Fills Assembly District 27's Seat
Universal health care, global warming solutions, affordable housing, and educational opportunity and excellence are just a few of the par-for-the-course issues driving the field of Democratic candidates gunning for the District 27 Assembly seat.

Press Banner
May 16, 2008
Flyin’ along: Bug racers run their ride for diabetes cause
Local off-road racing team Desert Dingo Racing conducted a photo shoot at Bonny Doon Village airport on April 27. The shoot was coordinated by Santa Cruz photographer Jeff Luhn, who used a boom pole extended from a truck driving alongside the car to shoot a picture that would appear to be from a helicopter.

TorrentFreak
May 14, 2008
Understanding Anti-Piracy Enforcement
There is a great deal of confusion on the net, as to just how people get warning letters and notices from ISPs and copyright holders. In an attempt to clear the murk, we’ve produced this guide to help clarify what actions are taken, by whom, and how to respond to it.

Valley Post
May 6, 2008
Felton Water Rate Hearing Rescheduled
At the request of California American Water, the local hearing for its request to raise Felton water rates has been moved from late May to June 17. Cal Am has requested that the state Public Utilities Commission grant it a 54.4 percent rate hike for Felton customers beginning in 2009, followed by increases of about 6 percent for each of the next two years.

San Jose Mercury News
May 6, 2008
Digital fingerprint technology testing by BayTSP
Los Gatos-based BayTSP and Nippon Telephone and Telegraph are planning a U.S. field trial of an emerging technology called digital fingerprinting. It is designed to stop the illegal distribution of online audio and video content.

Los Gatos Weekly Times
May 6, 2008
Digital fingerprint technology testing by BayTSP
Los Gatos-based BayTSP and Nippon Telephone and Telegraph are planning a U.S. field trial of an emerging technology called digital fingerprinting. It is designed to stop the illegal distribution of online audio and video content.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
May 5, 2008
Sprenger casts herself as 'outsider' in Assembly bid
In 1983, Barbara Sprenger was living in West Virginia. But she had grown tired of homesteading in the Monongahela National Forest and mailed her brother in Santa Cruz a $20,000 down payment for a new home -- a place in Felton she had never seen.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
May 1, 2008
Water company and residents ready to tangle over water's worth
FELTON -- Local residents are gearing up for what's expected to be a David versus Goliath showdown in the courtroom next month over the value of the water supply in Felton.

Los Angeles Times Bit Player blog
April 30, 2008
More on the RIAA's latest loss
Copyright-law guru Bill Patry makes an intriguing point in his post today on the recent ruling in Atlantic v. Howell, which held that making songs available on a file-sharing network did not, in and of itself, constitute infringement. Although Patry welcomed that portion of the ruling, he took issue with a second key finding by Judge Neil V. Wake. If the courts ultimately side with Patry, it could be much harder for the RIAA to prove its claims.

Silicon Alley Insider
April 28,2008
Viacom's YouTube Cop: YouTube's Still Breaking The Law, All The Time
How's YouTube's filtering system, designed to keep pirated video off the site, working? It's not, says BayTSP, which polices YouTube (GOOG) and other video sharing sites for copyrighted content from the major studios.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
April 23, 2008
Cal Am parent debuts on stock exchange
NEW YORK -- Shares of American Water Works Co. are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange today after the water and wastewater utility's initial public offering priced at $21.50 per share, below the expected price range.

Food & Water Watch press release
April 23, 2008
RWE Unloads American Water on Wall Street Cheaper Than Expected: Food & Water Watch Cites Public Discontent With Private Water Companies as Main Reason
Washington, DC – Today, just seven years after boldly acquiring the largest private water utility in the United States, international utility giant RWE announced that it was getting out of the water business, issuing a public offering of American Water on Wall Street. The Germany-based utility giant RWE and had to lower the price of the opening shares by 10%, likely due to lack of interest among investors.

TMCNet
April 23, 2008
NTT to Test its RMS Technology on BayTSP's Content Authentication Platform
BayTSP has entered into an agreement with Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Corporation to begin field trials of NTT’s Robust Media Search technology integrated with BayTSP’s Content Authentication Platform.

MarketingVox
April 23, 2008
BayTSP, NTT to Launch DIY Copyright Protection Technology for Online Video
BayTSP has formed a partnership with NTT that enables publishers to use video and audio fingerprinting technologies to learn whether their content is misused online, particularly on sites like Google Video, YouTube or Daily Motion.

NewTeeVee
April 22, 2008
Vid-Biz: MySpace, MediaScrape, BayTSP
BayTSP and NTT Partner for Copyright Tracking; NTT’s content recognition technology makes its U.S. debut through BayTSP’s UGC web monitoring service.

Nikkei Report
April 22, 2008
NTT, BayTSP Testing System For Finding Pirated Videos On Net
TOKYO (Nikkei)--Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (9432) said Tuesday that it has joined with U.S. firm BayTSP to begin field trials of a new system that can check large amounts of video being distributed online to determine whether they include copyright infringing material.

DMAsia
April 22, 2008
NTT inks deal with BayTSP
BayTSP has entered into agreement with Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Corporation to begin field trials of NTT’s Robust Media Search (RMS) technology integrated with BayTSP’s Content Authentication Platform (CAP).

CNET News.com
April 21, 2008
BayTSP to track piracy at YouTube, other video sites
BayTSP, a service that tracks file swappers for the big music labels and Hollywood studios, is set to begin testing a new audio and video fingerprinting technology to see whether it can hunt down copyright infringement at sites such as YouTube, Dailymotion, and Yahoo Video.

BayTSP press release
April 21, 2008
NTT, BayTSP begin joint field trial of NTT’s Robust Media Search Technology on BayTSP’s Content Authentication Platform
BayTSP announced today that it has entered into agreement with Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Corporation to begin field trials of NTT’s Robust Media Search (RMS) technology integrated with BayTSP’s Content Authentication Platform (CAP).

International Herald Tribune
April 15, 2008
New York shows progress on film piracy, though it's rampant elsewhere
When Shari C. Hyman tried to buy some pirated DVDs of first-run movies last February, she and her friends went to Canal Street, New York City’s knockoff marketplace. What surprised them was not the racks of phony brand-name handbags, the briefcases of counterfeit watches and other bootlegged merchandise, but rather that illegal DVDs were virtually nowhere to be found.

New York Times
April 14, 2008
Off New York Streets, Film Piracy Is Online
When Shari C. Hyman tried to buy some pirated DVDs of first-run movies last February, she and her friends went to Canal Street, New York City’s knockoff marketplace. What surprised them was not the racks of phony brand-name handbags, the briefcases of counterfeit watches and other bootlegged merchandise, but rather that illegal DVDs were virtually nowhere to be found.

The Valley Post
April 8, 2008
How Much Is Water Worth? In June, a Jury Will Decide the Price Tag for Felton's Water System
When California American Water conceded the San Lorenzo Valley Water District's right to take over its Felton Water subsidiary in March, the only question left for the legal system to decide became, "How much is it worth?"

Metro Santa Cruz
April 2, 2008
District 27 Update
Delegates at last weekend's California Democratic Convention in San Jose had a chance to pick their Chosen One for the District 27 Assembly seat, but the party reps fell short of anointing any of the contenders. It seems the race for termed-out Assemblymember John Laird's seat will remain as tight as ever.

The Mid-County Post
April 1, 2008
Four Democrats Eye Open Assembly Seat
While the new occupant of the 27th District State Assembly seat won't be determined until the November presidential election, the assembly district's large Democratic registration suggests the winner of this June's Democratic primary will likely win the general election. While Republican Bruce McPherson proved that rule wrong in 1992, since then the district seat has been held by a Democrat.

The Californian
March 26, 2008
Campaign spending reports released
Campaign reports released this week show plenty of dollars going to state races in Monterey County.

Newswire Today
March 22, 2008
New Report Shows Huge Growth of Internet Monitoring and Networking Filtering Market
London - Report Buyer has added a new report showing that that the market for internet monitoring and networking filtering will grow massively from virtually nothing a couple of years ago.

Good Times Santa Cruz
March 19, 2008
Crooked Pipes: FLOW prepares for the final battle against RWE for control of Felton’s water utility
How much is water worth? A California American Water (CalAm) internal memo—prepared by a PR firm in 2003 and leaked to activists and the press anonymously—states the following about the prospects of quashing eminent domain mutiny in Felton: “The results of [focus groups] show a grim environment in which the only viable argument appears to be increased taxpayer cost without improvements to service or water quality.”

Carmel Pine Cone
March 14, 2008
Candidates scramble to take Laird's seat
A longtime attorney and activist, and a Carmel chiropractor are the two Monterey Peninsula candidates who will square off against a former Santa Cruz mayor and a San Lorenzo businesswoman in the Democratic primary for the 27th Assembly District seat in June.

Press Banner
March 12, 2008
Assembly hopefuls gather dueling endorsements
If it helps to have the endorsement of other Assembly members, Barbara Sprenger of Felton and Bill Monning of Monterey have a leg up on other Democratic candidates for the 27th Assembly District seat in the June 3 primary.

Metro Santa Cruz
March 12, 2008
FLOW Victory
For the average working stiff Monday is not a day for jubilation, but for Betsy Herbert, Monday, March 10, was sure to be the best day of the week. That was the day the environmental analyst for the San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) learned that her agency had won a crucial court ruling in its attempt to wrest control of Felton's water system from Cal-Am, a subsidiary of the multinational company RWE.

Metro Santa Cruz
March 12, 2008
Strangers With Surveys
The push poll, as readers may know, is one of those unsavory tools of electioneering that gives politics a bad name. Typically it comes in the form of a dinner-hour phone call that sounds like a survey, only with a creepy insinuation ("Would you vote for Candidate X even if you knew he beats his wife?"). The allegation needn't be true to damage a political opponent.

The Valley Post
March 11, 2008
Cal Am: It's Not "If," It's "How Much?": Felton Water Suppliers Agree to Let Jury Establish Purchase Price
In a surprise move, about one week before California American Water went to trial Mar. 17 to fight a local attempt to take over its Felton water system by eminent domain, Cal Am conceded the point. Instead, company officials said they would focus on establishing the Felton system's worth at $25 million in a jury trial set for June. That is significantly higher than the San Lorenzo Valley Water District's $7.6 million offer, or for that matter the $11 million in bonds authorized by Felton voters.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
March 11, 2008
Cal Am drops fight over public interest of water buyout
FELTON -- California American Water Co. dropped its legal opposition Monday to a grass-roots effort to establish whether there is public interest in wresting control of the Felton water supply from the private conglomerate.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
March 10, 2008
BREAKING NEWS: Cal Am drops opposition to public-interest trial over water supply
FELTON - California American Water Company announced today that it will drop its legal opposition to a grass-roots group's efforts to establish whether there is public interest in wresting control of the Felton water supply.

Press Banner
March 10, 2008
BREAKING NEWS: Cal-Am concedes first phase of eminent domain trial
In a bold move, California American Water Co. announced today it would forgo the “right to take” trial that would have determined if the Felton water system is eligible for eminent-domain takeover by the San Lorenzo Valley Water District.

Scotts Valley Press Banner
February 29, 2008
California-American Water Co. has withdrawn its state Public Utilities Commission request to bill Felton residents for the $67,000 awarded to Felton Friends of Locally Owned Water for its work on a previous rate-increase request.

Sprenger 2008 press release
February 28, 2008
California Assembly Members Sally Lieber and Jim Beall, Jr. endorse Barbara Sprenger for Assembly District 27
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Assemblymembers Sally Lieber and Jim Beall, Jr. today announced they have endorsed Barbara Sprenger for Assembly District 27, a seat currently held by John Laird, who terms out at the end of the current session.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
February 26, 2008
Cal Am will suggest spreading fee to Monterey
California-American Water Co. has temporarily withdrawn its attempt to recoup from Felton residents legal fees the company was ordered to shell out to a grass-roots citizens group.

California Progress Report
February 2008
Contested California Democratic Primary Races in June Needed to Increase Turnout and Defeat Prop 98: Sleeper measure could wreak havoc in low turnout election
With no presidential primary on the statewide ballot, voter turnout in June is expected to be abysmal. Which means that Proposition 98 – the extreme right-wing measure to abolish rent control, basic tenant protections, environmental regulations and water laws – could actually pass. But with term limits forcing many state legislators out of office, there will also be a number of competitive June primaries – creating the potential to drive up voter turnout in the state’s more progressive pockets.

Press Banner
February 22, 2008
Filing opens for next election
Just when you thought you’d heard the last of elections for a while, filing has opened for national, state and countywide office for the June 3 primary election ballot.

Monterey Herald
February 14, 2008
Race is on for Laird's seat: Three candidates plan campaign kickoff events
Votes from last week's California presidential primary are still being counted in Monterey County and across the state, but candidates in several area races are already knee-deep in campaigns for the June 3 primary election.

Sprenger 2008 press release
January 30, 2008
Assembly candidate Barbara Sprenger calls for student loan support in return for public service
Barbara Sprenger, candidate for California’s 27th Assembly District, today called for education reform that will reimburse students for a year of college loan payments in return for a year of working in the public or non-profit sector in an underserved area.

Santa Cruz Sentinel
January 26, 2008
Election Digest: Sprenger to host petition drive
Barbara Sprenger, candidate for the 27th District state Assembly seat, will host a petition drive at her house at 11 a.m. today at 330 Orchard Road, Felton.

Press Banner
January 25, 2008
Cal-Am loses bid to stop Felton condemnation
California-American Water Co. tried and failed to short-circuit the eminent domain process under which San Lorenzo Valley Water District is moving to acquire Cal-Am’s Felton water system.

Digital Music News
January 23, 2008
Sony, Universal Layering Watermarks Into Amazon MP3s
Sony BMG and Universal Music Group are both layering watermarks into Amazon MP3s, according to information confirmed by Digital Music News this week. But unlike more detailed watermarks found last year on iTunes Plus, these identifiers are mostly anonymous.

Mid-County Post
January 22, 2008
Voters' Decision on Term Limit Changes Could Keep Laird in Office State Assemblymember John Laird
State Assemblymember John Laird has a lot on his plate this month. Laird is chair of the Assembly's Budget Committee and serves on the joint Senate-Assembly committee. Essentially, the governor's budget proposals get the ball rolling and then Laird's committee develops the Assembly's responses and counter proposals.

Diabetes Hoy
January issue
Pilotos del control
Diabetes Hoy, the official magazine of the Federacion Mexicana de Diabetes, ran a two page feature on Desert Dingo Racing and its partnership with the International Diabetes Federation and World Diabetes Day.

dLife TV
January 20, 2008
Feature segment on Desert Dingo Racing
dLife TV airs a six minute feature on Desert Dingo Racing and its work with the International Diabetes Federation and World Diabetes Day.

Metro Santa Cruz
January 16, 2008
The Waiting Game: The Feb. 5 term limits initiative has Santa Cruz and Monterey candidates for Assembly cooling their heels.
With corporate and union contributors holding their wallets closed until February's vote determines the fate of legislative term limits, candidates for the District 27 Assembly seat are working vigorously to collect as much money as possible from individuals.

AVN
January 11, 2008
Stagliano Speaks Out At AEE Piracy Seminar:
Evil Angel owner on piracy settlement: 'It's not a happy ending'
LAS VEGAS - "It's not a happy ending," said John Stagliano, referring to the multi-million dollar settlement awarded Evil Angel and Jules Jordan Video by the Los Angeles US District Court in the piracy case against Toronto based Kaytel Distribution late last year. " The legal system is very expensive to work with."

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