No news is good news, at least right now. In late August 2011, CED partnered with Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) and submitted two separate yet similar proposals for Regional Consortia Broadband Planning to the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) that specifically address broadband deployment, access and adoption. If awarded, we will commence work as outlined in the proposals' Action Plans early in January 2012 (NECCC; UCCC). Concurrently, CASF is finalizing public review and comments on infrastructure deployment grants and loans, Phase II of the Regional Consortia Broadband efforts. Quite possibly, we could be submitting additional applications for funds to actually install broadband equipment.  Stay tuned for updates!

Meanwhile, CED/CSU, Chico is steadily supporting the CPUC in its ARRA-funded statewide broadband mapping and data analysis efforts. Some of you may already know this, while my co-worker Warren Jensen is a stats guy, I, however, am more a stats wannabe. Together we make a pretty good team when it comes to formatting, analyzing, presenting and explaining to the un-initiated not just what the data represents, but also what results of our data analysis tells us.   While I'm chomping at the bit to share all that we've learned thus far, I am reminded by my ever-reverent numbers guy, Mr. Jensen, that there is still much polishing to be done.   Again, stay tuned.

On a humorous note, recently I was introduced to an oldie but goodie, How To Lie With Statistics, by Darrell Huff (circa 1954), in which Mr. Huff roundly scoffs at statements that "collapse under a second look", specifically referring to an ad placed in 1948 by a group of electric companies:  'Today, electric power is available to more than three-quarters of U.S. Farms...That sounds pretty good. Those power companies are really on the job.  Of course, if you wanted to be ornery you could paraphrase it into "Almost one-quarter of U.S. Farms do not have electric power available today."  The real gimmick, however, is in that word "available," and by using it the companies have been able to say just about anything they please. Obviously this does not mean that all those farmers actually have power, or the advertisement surely would have said so.  They merely have it "available"---and that, for all I know, could mean that the power lines go past their farms or merely within ten or a hundred miles of them.'

On a second look, change the date from 1948 to, oh, I don't know, say 2008, and replace the words "electric companies" with "Internet service providers"...the words may have changed, but the issue at hand certainly has not!

'Today, broadband---high speed Internet---is available to more than three-quarters of U.S. Farms...That sounds pretty good. Those Internet service companies are really on the job. Of course, if you wanted to be ornery you could paraphrase it into "Almost one-quarter of U.S. Farms do not have broadband available today." The real gimmick, however, is in that word "available," and by using it the companies have been able to say just about anything they please. Obviously this does not mean that all those farmers actually have broadband, or the advertisement surely would have said so. They merely have it "available"---and that, for all I know, could mean that the fiber lines go past their farms or merely within ten or a hundred miles of them.'