2006 Elections and the Internet The Pew Internet & American Life Project has once again released a thorough report: this time on a study of the Net's role in the 2006 elections. Here's the summary: Twice as many Americans used the internet as their primary source of news about the 2006 campaign compared with the most recent mid-term election in 2002. Some 15% of all American adults say the internet was the place where they got most of their campaign news during the election, up from 7% in the mid-term election of 2002. A post-election survey shows that the 2006 race also produced a notable class of online political activists. Some 23% of those who used the internet for political purposes actually created or forwarded online original political commentary or politically-related videos. The full report adds a lot of context to this, of course. For example, 31% of Americans gathered info about the races online and talked about the elections via email. And for those under 36 who have broadband, 35% said the Internet was their main source of information about the races. And Republicans and Democrats were equally likely to rely on the Net for campaign news Thank you to James Jacobs of Free Government Information(FGI)

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News from the TSA TSA TO CUT NUMBER OF NAMES ON 'NO-FLY' LIST By Chris Strohm, National Journal's Technology Daily January 17, 2007 The chief of the Transportation Security Administration told senators Wednesday that his agency will cut in half the number of names on the government's "no-fly" list but cautioned lawmakers against requiring the inspection of all cargo being put on aircraft. A TSA spokesman said the number of people who will be left on the list is classified. The spokesman added that it would be wrong to assume that half the names on the list were wrongly placed there. "TSA has worked with the Terrorist Screening Center to ensure that all the individuals on the list currently pose a threat to aviation," he said. More The Department of Homeland Security also will begin a Traveler Redress Inquiry Program under the TSA on Feb. 20, creating a one-stop process for requesting corrections for people who have been subjected to additional screening or been denied or delayed boarding or travel to or from the United States, he said.