Call Oliver Stone. The military-industrial complex is alive and well!
Seems telecom execs want to be right in the thick of things at the 50th anniversary celebration of NATO, April 23-25, here.
The cost of admission: a cool $250,000. That, according to a Washington Post report, is what it costs to become a director on the NATO summit host committee. All told, the NATO Welcome Wagon plans to raise $8 million for the event. Among those on board are Arnold Brenner (Motorola Inc.), Richard McGinn (Lucent Technologies Inc.), Daniel Akerson (Nextel Communications Inc.), Richard Notebaert (Ameritech Corp.), Edward Whitacre Jr. (SBC Communications Inc.) and Joseph Gorman (TRW Inc.).
Now, no one is accusing high-tech executives of exploiting a most excellent opportunity to lobby top brass and political dignitaries from NATO-including newest members Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic-for military and private-sector business in central and Eastern Europe.
… In addition to inventing the Internet and slopping hogs, Al Gore has another distinction: wireless industry poster child. Newsweek reports Gore, a bit gun-shy after being caught dialing for dollars from his office, now requires aides to carry two mobile phones: one for regular political business and another for real political busine$$.
Speaking of which, there is silly speculation Gore may be considering New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen as a running mate in 2000. Her husband, Bill, is running Gore’s New Hampshire primary. Gov. Shaheen, who-if memory services correctly-got a helping hand a few years ago from a top wireless lobbyist, is in a bit of a pickle. You see, the Granite State hates the idea of an income tax about as much as it despises mobile phone towers.
On antenna siting, Shaheen’s covered: Rep. Charles Bass (R-N.H.) has a bill to give locals more clout over towers. On taxes and electricity deregulation, though, Shaheen is on her own.
Bass’ measure, facing resistance from House telecom subcommittee Chairman Billy Tauzin (R-La.), picked up a co-sponsor in Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.). A new federal appeals court ruling on an Amherst, N.H., antenna dispute involving Omnipoint Corp. could strengthen the case for legislation.
Meantime, in the aftermath of the National Capital Planning Commission’s rejection of Bell Atlantic Mobile’s Rock Creek Park tower applications, Tauzin responded: “This is a shell game. Look for Mr. Markey and me to do some fireworks.”
The good news is the Park Service has a different kind of win last week. They caught Big Daddy and his clan of cherry tree chomping beavers before they mistook a cell tower for a cherry tree.
