National Congress of Vietnamese Americans Logo

 

 

e pluribus unum - one out of many
GoogleTM
Search NCVA   Search www
HOME eREPORTER PROGRAMS RESOURCES EVENTS MEDIA CENTER MEMBERSHIP ABOUT NCVA
Navigation Include

Focus Areas

Resources

Join Mailing List

Make a Donation


About NCVA
Founded in 1986, the National Congress of Vietnamese Americans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community advocacy organization working to advance the cause of Vietnamese Americans in a plural but united America – e pluribus unum – by participating actively and fully as civic minded citizens engaged in the areas of education, culture and civil liberties.


SPONSORS

NCVA eREPORTER - July 26, 2005

The National Congress of Vietnamese Americans' NCVA eReporter is a regular email newsletter containing information on grant/funding opportunities, events/forums/conferences, available internships and news items pertinent to the Vietnamese American and Asian Pacific American communities.

In this NCVA eReporter:

EVENTS

 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

 JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

 TIPS/RESOURCES

 NEWS

******************
 EVENTS

CAPACD APA COMMUNITY FORUMS ON HOUSING

National CAPACD will be sponsoring a series of events to highlight current trends and issues in Asian American housing and homeownership, and will focus particularly on barriers and opportunities facing underserved Asian American populations.  The series will kick off with our annual briefing to the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) on July 29th, which this year will address Asian American housing research, concerns and steps that CAPAC members can take at the federal level.

Co-sponsored by CAPAC and Freddie Mac, this presentation will be followed by community forums this August in four cities:  Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Santa Clara.  In partnership with local member organizations in each city, the community forums will present current research on housing and homeownership, and discuss both national and local issues.

Locations and Dates

ANNUAL CAPAC BRIEFING - July 25th

***

 SAN JOSE
Hosted by Asian Americans for Community Involvement

When:
Monday August 1, 2005
11:00 a.m. - 1:30 pm

Where: Asian Americans for Community Involvement
2400 Moorpark Avenue, Room 210
San Jose, CA 95128

***

BOSTON
Hosted by Asian CDC

When:
Thursday August 4, 2005
11:00 am - 1:30 pm

Where:
Asian Community Development Corporation, The Metropolitan ommunity Room
38 Oak Street, Boston

***

CHICAGO
Hosted by Asian American Institute

When:
Friday August 5th, 2005
11:00 a.m - 1:30 p.m.

Where:
Asian American Institute
1st Floor Conference Room
4653 N. Broadway, Chicago

***

Los Angeles - TBA

For more information, please contact National CAPACD or the host organization.

David Thor
202-223-2442
dthor@nationalcapacd.org

******************

GATHERING FOR CIVIC LEADERS – NATIONAL SUMMIT ON YOUR CITY’S FAMILIES

The National Summit on Your City's Families, sponsored by the National League of Cities, is the nation’s largest gathering of municipal leaders who are working to improve the lives of children, youth, and families in their communities. Mayors, city council members, and their staff – along with senior administrators in municipal agencies and local school and community partners – will come together to learn, to network, and to lead. The summit will offer high-quality learning and training opportunities, and opportunities to share ideas and lessons learned with peers from other cities and towns. The summit will be held in San Antonio, TX on September 25-28, 2005.

(http://www.nlc.org/IYEF/your_city_s_families_conference/)

******************

CONFERENCES ADDRESSES GLOBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

International Economic Development Council: 2005 Annual Conference

The theme of the International Economic Development Council 2005 Annual Conference is “The Global Economy Is Here…Now What?” The conference has five broad tracks encompassing the critical issues facing economic developers today, and tomorrow: Real Estate Development, Neighborhood Development, International Development, Best Practices and Economic Future Trends. The conference will include general sessions that feature recognized leaders in economic development from around the world, as well as extraordinary thinkers and decision makers from business, academia and government. The conference will be held in Chicago, IL on September 25-28, 2005.

(http://www.iedconline.org/AnnualConference/index.html)

******************

2ND ANNUAL SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF ASIAN AMERICAN LEADERS

Greetings!

The 2nd annual Southeast Regional Conference of Asian American Leaders will be held at the University of Florida on the weekend of October 14-15, 2005.  On behalf of this year's SERCAAL committee, we would like to extend an invitation to all interested Asian American groups in the South to participate.  SERCAAL (pronounced "circle") is a conference that specifically focuses on the new generation of emerging Asian American leaders.  As our theme, "Turn It Up! Educate, Expand, Empower," proclaims, this year's conference aims to bring together wisdom from student leaders, elected officials, educators, activists and other APA leaders to foster education, leadership and advocacy for quality of life.

Come join us at SERCAAL and gain a unique opportunity to network with other young leaders from the Southeast who share both a passion for activism and education.  Enjoy powerful performances and workshops from artists and peers alike. Learn from renowned Asian American speakers and artists about identity, activism, leadership, and issues that face our community today.  Leave armed with tools and support to make positive changes within the community.

For more information about the conference, check out www.sercaal.org. The site is currently under construction and will continue to be updated, so visit regularly!

Any questions?  Contact Liz Hartsell, at lizork@gmail.com, cell phone 352-256-7794, or email SERCAAL at SERCAAL2005@yahoo.com.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

SERCAAL Planning Committees

SERCAAL 2005
University of Florida
October 14-15, 2005
www.sercaal.org
"Revolving 'Round Change"
"Turn It Up! Educate, Expand, Empower,"

(http://www.sercaal.org)

******************
 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

GOOGLE GRANTS

You use it all the time, but did you know the popular search engine Google also has a unique "grant" program for nonprofits? The company awards at least three months of in-kind advertising, through its AdWords program, to qualifying nonprofits, helping organizations connect with donors and constituents, increase awareness of their cause, and generate traffic to the nonprofit's own website.

(http://www.google.com/grants/)

******************

 GEM-SET (GIRLS’ E-MENTORING IN SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY)

GEM-SET is an online mentoring project encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, engineering and technology fields. Since its inception, the program has linked 300 volunteer women mentors with 1,365 girls aged 13-18 through email and a website. The Women's Bureau funded the program from 2001 to 2004, and the project is currently being managed by the University of Illinois at Chicago. GEM-SET features an online Q&A daily digest with questions from girls answered by mentors, and a "How-To" Manual and Archives of Questions and Answers is available through the web site (www.gem-set.org).

(http://www.gem-set.org)

******************

 GEM-NURSING (GROUP E-MENTORING IN NURSING)

GEM-Nursing is a web-based project using the electronic mentoring model to encourage students to explore nursing careers. In 2004, the program linked 202 volunteer nurse mentors with 582 students ages 15-21 through email and a website. Currently, 360 students are registered, with 90 volunteer mentors participating. GEM-Nursing features an online Q&A weekly digest with questions from project participants answered by mentors. It also provides information about career opportunities and sources of financial aid. The web site (www.gem-nursing.org) and listserv is managed by the University of Michigan School of Nursing.

(http://www.gem-nursing.org)

******************

WI$E UP WI$E UP

*Wi$e Up Wi$e Up* is a financial security and retirement savings project for Generation X women that can also be used by other populations. This web-based and classroom-based curriculum covers topics in savings, investing, budgeting, insurance, credit and debt, and retirement planning. In 2004, the program had 547 participants enrolled in classroom and online components. This year, we currently have 300 participants, and growing. The website features volunteer mentors answering questions, and monthly teleconference calls feature experts in financial planning. The Texas Cooperation Extension at Texas A&M University manages the web site (www.wiseupwomen.org).

(http://www.wiseupwomen.org)

******************

 HCR MANOR CARE FOUNDATION SUPPORT SENIORS AND HOSPICE PROGRAMS

The mission of the HCR Manor Care Foundation is to enhance the quality of life in the communities served by HCR Manor Care through support of nonprofit organizations that share the company's vision for improving quality of life for seniors, individuals requiring post-acute services and those needing hospice and palliative care. The Foundation's efforts are focused on sustaining dignity, independence and a sense of well being through support of research, education and community-based service programs. The next application deadline is October 1, 2005.

(http://www.hcr-manorcare.org)

******************

SHOPA KIDS IN NEED FOUNDATION FUNDS CLASSROOM TEACHERS

The mission of the SHOPA Kids in Need Foundation is to recognize, promote, and support initiatives that foster educational excellence. Kids In Need Teacher Grants provide K-12 educators with funding to help them realize their dreams of providing innovative learning opportunities for their students. The purpose of the grants is to provide funds for classroom teachers who have innovative, meritorious ideas but lack the budget to bring them to life. The deadline is the last working day in September, annually.

(http://www.shopa.org/shopa_foundation/teacher_programs.php)

******************

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH GRANTS ADDRESS HUNGER ISSUES

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Domestic Hunger Program

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Domestic Hunger improves the lives of people in need in the United States. The grantmaking program’s priorities include: providing immediate relief for people affected by chronic hunger and poverty; assisting communities through sustainable development to help alleviate chronic hunger and poverty; advocating for justice by changing laws and systems; and educating members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in awareness of issues relating to hunger, poverty and justice. In reviewing grant requests, emphasis is given to projects directed at people with the least resources for meeting their basic needs and women and children living in poverty. The application deadline is October 1, annually.

(http://www.elca.org/grantinghope/)

******************

DELUXE CORPORATION FOUNDATION - EDUCATION, ARTS, AND HUMAN SERVICES SUPPORTED

The Deluxe Corporation Foundation supports nonprofit organizations serving communities where Deluxe Corporation facilities are located. (For a list of company locations go to www.deluxe.com/dlxab/deluxe-foundation-locations.jsp.) The Foundation’s areas of interest include: education, human services, and arts and culture. The Foundation supports organizations that have been in operation for at least two years and have secured support from other funders. Proposals are accepted from February 15 through November 15, annually.

(http://www.deluxe.com/dlxab/deluxe-foundation.jsp)

******************

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ANNOUNCES FUNDING OPPORTUNITY UNDER JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS (JOLI) PROGRAM: EMPHASIS ON SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND MICROENTERPRISE

The purpose of the Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals (JOLI) program is to provide technical and financial assistance to private employers in the community to assist them in creating employment and business opportunities for individuals receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and for other low-income individuals. Projects focus on one of three program strategies: self-employment/micro-enterprise, new business ventures, and business expansion.

The Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services has announced its intent to award 10 to 12 grants with an average projected award amount of $450,000.

Priority will be given to applicants proposing to serve those areas containing the highest percentage of individuals receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) under a State program, which is funded under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act and individuals whose income level does not exceed 100 percent of the official poverty line.

* *Program Strategy 1:* Business Expansion Applicants applying under Strategy 1 must show that the proposed project will provide technical and/or financial assistance to businesses already in existence to allow the businesses to expand by helping them to obtain better marketing services, contracts, access to additional money to help the business grow, etc., resulting in the creation of new jobs.

* *Program Strategy 2:* Self-Employment/Micro-Enterprise Projects Applicants applying under Strategy 2 must show that the proposed project will create self-employment/micro-enterprise opportunities for eligible participants.

* *Program Strategy 3:* New Business Ventures Applicants applying under this strategy must show the development of a new business that will train and employ 40-100 TANF and/or low-income persons to work within that business.

*Deadline:* The due date for applications is *August 19, 2005.*

*Eligibility:* Non-Profits and Faith-Based Organizations are eligible to apply (including faith-based and community development corporations and charitable organizations). Applicants must be are tax-exempt under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 by reason of paragraph (3) or (4) of section 501(c) of such Code.

*Contact:* Carol Watkins
Director Administration for Children and Families
370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: (202) 401-9356
Email: cwatkins@acf.hhs.gov

*For Further Questions:* The July 20 Federal Register [http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-14193.pdf] provides full background, definitions and instructions for application preparation and instruction. Also see Job Opportunities for Low-Income Individuals (JOLI) program.

(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/dcdp/joli/welcome.htm)

******************
 JOBS/INTERNSHIPS

CALIFORNIA ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS INTERNSHIP

Position: Legislative Internship, Asian Pacific Islander (API) Legislative Caucus of the California Legislature; 1 full-time or 2 part-time internships available.

Location: Sacramento, California.

Compensation: Hourly paid position, depending on experience (No benefits)

Desired Skills/Qualifications: The Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, comprised of the five Democratic Asian Pacific Islander Members of the Assembly, is seeking a legislative intern (graduate student, upper division undergraduate, or recent college graduate) to assist the Caucus consultant with all aspects of running day-to-day operations at the Caucus. This is an exciting opportunity to gain exposure to the legislative and political process while working on a wide range of issues relevant to the API community.  To find out more about the API Caucus, please visit http://democrats.assembly.ca.gov/apilegcaucus/.

Responsibilities will include:

*        Community outreach and organizing, including attending community events;
*        Organizing events/functions such as legislative briefings, hearings, press events and annual API Policy Summit;
*        Conduct research on policy and legislation affecting the API community;
*        Compose correspondence and other written materials as necessary;
*        Providing administrative coverage of Caucus office, including phone inquiries, sorting mail, and updating website.

The ideal candidate will possess:

*        Outstanding verbal and written communication skills; ability to write and articulate ideas in a persuasive, organized, and effective manner;
*        Excellent organizational skills with attention for detail;
*        Strong interpersonal skills: ability to interact with legislators, legislative staff, advocates, community leaders, and a wide range of individuals;
*        Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, multi-task and handle multiple projects;
*        Easy going personality and a sense of humor;
*        Proficiency in a wide range of computer software programs desired; graphic design and web design a plus;
*        Knowledge of the legislative process a plus but not required.

Additional:

Preference will be given to individuals who are interested in committing to between six months to one year.

Send candidate's resume with cover letter, two brief writing samples, and references by August 10, 2005 to:

Pam Chueh, Senior Consultant
Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus
1020 N Street # 370
Sacramento, CA 95814
E-mail: pam.chueh@asm.ca.gov

******************

 FLEX OPTIONS FOR WOMEN

Flex-Options is a project that links corporate executive mentors with business owners who are interested in developing flexible workplace policies. It offers web-based resources on best practices, challenges, and tips for developing these policies. In 2004, Flex-Options had 87 employers registered in the project, with 81 volunteer mentors. This year, we continue to recruit employers and volunteer mentors, and we offer conference calls featuring experienced professional and leaders in the flexible workplace field. The web site is www.we-inc.org.

(http://www.we-inc.org)

******************
 TIPS/RESOURCES

THE PANEL ON THE NONPROFIT SECTOR

Convened by Independent Sector -- and comprised of 24 leaders from a wide range of the country's public charities and private foundations -- the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector released its final report to the US Senate Finance Committee last month. The report contains more than 120 recommendations for nonprofits, Congress, and the IRS that would increase transparency, governance, and accountability in the sector. Recommendations were crafted with the input of thousands of people in the nonprofit sector nationwide through field hearings and conference calls. If instituted, the recommendations would constitute the most sweeping changes to nonprofit governance, operations, and regulation in 30 years. The Panel is urging nonprofits to read the report and then to sign onto it.

(http://www.nonprofitpanel.org/final/Panel_Final_Report.pdf)

******************

DIRECT MAIL – HOW TO RAISE $1,000 IN THE MAIL

Although direct mail has undergone bruising changes over the years, it still can be a way of raising money. That's the view of direct response guru Mal Warwick in his book The Mercifully Brief, Real-World Guide to Raising $1,000 Gifts by Mail, in which he emphasizes a long-range perspective that is in a state of preparedness.

It means keeping in mind that the donor must be motivated to experience identification, interest, involvement and investment so that the donor comes to accept the organization as an integral part of his/her life.

For all of this to happen, he recommended three important considerations:

* You must be prepared to take the long view, looking on your work as an effort to build long-term value and spending the necessary money to educate, involve and cultivate your donors.

* Your membership or direct marketing department must be on such good terms with the folks who manage your major donor and legacy work that they will actively cooperate in maximizing contributions from each donor and, where appropriate, following up directly with responsive individuals.

* Your donor acknowledgment process must be both speedy and flexible. It's no use sending out elaborate high-dollar appeals and then failing to thank the donors who respond in anything less than an exemplary fashion and without delay.

(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/directmail.html)

******************

PRIVACY – SOME IDEAS FOR BEST PRACTICES

The Internet provides nonprofits with a remarkable means of gathering large amounts of information about many people in a short time, and many organizations have made good use of this Tool.

With something so wide-ranging, however, it is possible for abuses to occur, even if they are unintentional. In their chapter on integrating databases in the book Nonprofit Internet Strategies, Jeff and Pamela Gignac offer a set of privacy best practices that can help guide any nonprofit that gathers information.

* A nonprofit will come across some very personal information. Be wary, as some of it will be gossip do not add to it or spread it further;

* Make sure the nonprofit is accountable and ethical about what it knows about donors and prospects;

* Respect the privilege of what information brings to the organization;

* Abide by relevant laws and regulations regarding privacy information;

* Be aware that in most countries people have a right to see all that a nonprofit has recorded about them;

* Set up the organization's best practices. Do not record, in any format, information that might be considered libelous or detrimental according to laws or regulations;

* Prepare guidelines regarding the sharing, capturing and tracking of information and follow a research and fundraising code of ethics and standards.

* Make sure that everyone abides by these rules.

* Just because information is found on the Internet doesn't mean that the information should be captured on the nonprofit's database, or anywhere else.

(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/privacy.html)

******************

MARKETING – PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

In their ongoing quest to get the most out of what they have, nonprofits may take time to evaluate their operations. This self-assessment can be a good thing, although it is subject to the pitfall of reaching prearranged conclusions, especially when cost cutting is an issue.

At a recent conference, nonprofit managers learned some of the basics about three areas of operations that may seem self-evident, even if there is a question about the need of all of them.

The three are marketing, public relations and development, and, although in many organizations they operate independently, there can be huge benefits in the three integrating their efforts. The nature and utility of each area was explored in a set of questions about them.

* Why do nonprofits need public relations? The answers are: to raise money, to broaden and maintain volunteer participation, to win public acceptance of new ideas and initiatives and to develop channels of communication with a broad public audience.

* Why do nonprofits need marketing? The answers are: to get to know their customers, because not customers are the same, because there is competition, and both donors and prospects need to understand an organization's services.

* Why do nonprofits need development? The answers are: to create and maintain a philanthropic environment, to fill infrastructure needs for success and to maximize return on investment.

(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/marketing.html)

******************

MARKETING – TIPS FOR YOUR PSAs

One way by which a nonprofit organization can get free, although haphazard, publicity is the public service announcement, or PSA, that appears on radio or television. This announcement can be written by the organization and submitted to the nearest media outlet for public distribution.

In his book The Public Relations Handbook for Nonprofits, Art Feinglass suggests PSAs as handy ways of maintaining visibility because radio and TV stations are required to provide a certain amount of airtime at no cost to serve the public interest.

With that in mind, Feinglass offers a few tips for getting maximum mileage out of PSAs.

* Usually, PSAs are 10- or 30- or 60-second spots. Know the time frame, and write a script for that time. Sometimes stations will specify the number of words they will accept, and they may rewrite your PSA.

* Prepare the PSA on a single sheet of paper, and be sure to include contact information. Organization letterhead can be good for this.

* Make the PSA warm, lively and conversational in tone and content.

* Keep the sentences short and easy to read. Try reading it aloud yourself. If you find yourself gasping for breath, the sentences are too long.

* Avoid words that are hard to pronounce or easily misunderstood.

* Grab the audience's attention right from the outset.

* If a station does run your PSA, send a thank-you letter.

(http://www.nptimes.com/enews/tips/marketing.html)

******************

FOOL VS. JERK: WHOM WOULD YOU HIRE?
HBSWK Pub. Date: Jul 25, 2005

You are the hiring manager with a nasty decision to make. Would you hire the lovable fool or the competent jerk? This Harvard Business Review excerpt suggests that the decision is complicated. By HBS professor Tiziana Casciaro and Duke University’s Miguel Sousa Lobo.

by Tiziana Casciaro and Miguel Sousa Lobo

When given the choice of whom to work with, people will pick one person over another for any number of reasons: the prestige of being associated with a star performer, for example, or the hope that spending time with a strategically placed superior will further their careers. But in most cases, people choose their work partners according to two criteria. One is competence at the job (Does Joe know what he's doing?). The other is likability (Is Joe enjoyable to work with?). Obviously, both things matter. Less obvious is how much they matter—and exactly how they matter.

To gain some insight into these questions, we studied four organizations selected to reflect a wide range of attributes—for-profit and nonprofit, large and small, North American and European. We asked people to indicate how often they had work-related interactions with every other person in the organization. We then asked them to rate all the other people in the company in terms of how much they personally liked each one and how well each did his or her job.

These two criteria—competence and likability—combine to produce four archetypes: the competent jerk, who knows a lot but is unpleasant to deal with; the lovable fool, who doesn't know much but is a delight to have around; the lovable star, who's both smart and likable; and the incompetent jerk, who…well, that's self-explanatory. These archetypes are caricatures, of course: Organizations usually—well, much of the time—weed out both the hopelessly incompetent and the socially clueless. Still, people in an organization can be roughly classified using a simple matrix.

Our research showed (not surprisingly) that, no matter what kind of organization we studied, everybody wanted to work with the lovable star, and nobody wanted to work with the incompetent jerk. Things got a lot more interesting, though, when people faced the choice between competent jerks and lovable fools.

Ask managers about this choice—and we've asked many of them, both as part of our research and in executive education programs we teach—and you'll often hear them say that when it comes to getting a job done, of course competence trumps likability. "I can defuse my antipathy toward the jerk if he's competent, but I can't train someone who's incompetent," says the CIO at a large engineering company. Or, in the words of a knowledge management executive in the IT department of a professional services firm: "I really care about the skills and expertise you bring to the table. If you're a nice person on top of that, that's simply a bonus."

But despite what such people might say about their preferences, the reverse turned out to be true in practice in the organizations we analyzed. Personal feelings played a more important role in forming work relationships—not friendships at work but job-oriented relationships—than is commonly acknowledged. They were even more important than evaluations of competence. In fact, feelings worked as a gating factor: We found that if someone is strongly disliked, it's almost irrelevant whether or not she is competent; people won't want to work with her anyway. By contrast, if someone is liked, his colleagues will seek out every little bit of competence he has to offer. And this tendency didn't exist only in extreme cases; it was true across the board. Generally speaking, a little extra likability goes a longer way than a little extra competence in making someone desirable to work with. [...]

Yet is such a choice unprofessional? Is it a mistake to steer clear of the competent jerk when we have a job to do? Sometimes, yes. We may forgo the opportunity to tap a competent jerk's knowledge and skills because we don't want to deal with his patronizing, brusque, or otherwise unpleasant attitude—which is arguably a modest price to pay for the valuable assistance he can provide. We may even shun the jerk simply to deny him the satisfaction of lording his knowledge over us.

But there are justifiable reasons to avoid the jerk. Sometimes it can be difficult to pry the needed information from him simply because he is a jerk. And knowledge often requires explanation to be useful—you might, for instance, want to brainstorm with someone or ask follow-up questions—and this kind of interaction may be difficult with a competent jerk. Furthermore, in order to learn, you often have to reveal your vulnerabilities, which also may be difficult with the competent jerk—especially if you are afraid of how this might affect your reputation in his eyes or in the eyes of others to whom he may reveal your limitations. By contrast, the lovable fool may be more likely to freely share whatever (albeit modest) information or skills he has and, without any intention of gaining an advantage, help others put them to use.

The likability bias: Pros and cons
Some people are liked pretty much universally. In other cases, likability is relative: One person's friend may be another one's jerk. This is because our positive feelings can result from people's inherent attributes or from the situations we find ourselves in with them. This distinction is important to keep in mind as we try to manage this tendency of people to favor likability over competence in their choice of work partners.

Social psychologists have long known that we like people who are similar to us; people we are familiar with; people who have reciprocal positive feelings about us; and people who are inherently attractive, either in their appearance or their personality—that is, they are considerate, cheerful, generous, and so on. Each of these sources of personal likability can contribute, for better or worse, to the formation of an informal network.

For Better. That we like people who are similar to us—for example, in their background, their beliefs, their interests, their personal style—is one of the most solidly documented findings in the social sciences. After all, these people make us feel good because they reaffirm the validity of our own characteristics and attitudes. But there's a business, as well as a psychological, benefit when similar people choose to work together: Their similar values, ways of thinking, and communication styles help projects flow smoothly and quickly.

Benefits also result when we work with people who aren't necessarily similar, but are familiar, to us. When you launch into a task with those you already know, you don't waste a lot of time figuring out what to expect from them or explaining what you mean every time you say something. In addition, because you are usually relatively comfortable with individuals you know, you're likely to be more accepting of their differences.

We also like to work with people who seem to like us. This can produce a virtuous circle in which everyone is more open to new ideas, more willing to help, and more trusting than would typically be the case. A similarly positive environment can be created if you work with someone who has an attractive personality—someone who is empathetic, for example, or generous. You know that you'll have liberal access to her intellectual resources, however abundant or modest they may be, and are likely to reciprocate by freely sharing your own knowledge.

And a person who is physically attractive? Well, in such a case, the job you do together can be, in some indefinable way, simply a bit more enjoyable than usual.

For Worse. One of the greatest drawbacks of choosing to work with similar people is the limited range of perspectives that a homogeneous group often brings to bear on a problem. A diverse collection of colleagues—whatever the tensions and misunderstandings that arise because of their differences—provides an array of perspectives that can lead to truly innovative approaches to accomplishing a task.

Even groups composed not of similar souls but merely of people who are very familiar with one another miss the chance to integrate the fresh perspective that new players bring to a project. Working with the same old colleagues can also dampen debate: People may hesitate to challenge or reject a bad idea put forward by someone they know and like.

There is also an obvious downside when we gravitate toward people because they like us or because they are pleasant to work with. These individuals, however terrific they may be, aren't necessarily the ones most suited to tackling the task at hand. The required expertise or knowledge may lie elsewhere, in someone who in fact doesn't like us that much or isn't attractive.

One other danger of people working primarily with those they like: They may simply have a good time and get nothing done. An experienced venture capitalist recalls the case of a very capable manager who hired individuals based on his personal affinity with them. "His team had a great time going out for a beer, but the quality of their work was seriously compromised," says the dismayed investor. "If you keep hiring only people you like, you can kill a company."

The objective, therefore, is to leverage the power of liking while avoiding the negative consequences of people's "affect-based choice"—to use the psychological term—of work partners. Keep in mind that we're not talking here about formal work relationships: You work with your boss and your direct counterparts in other divisions whether you like them or not. We're talking only about people's choices of informal, though work-related, interactions. Even so, that doesn't preclude executives from doing some things that will positively affect those interactions and the often task-crucial informal networks that grow out of them.

Excerpted with permission from "Competent Jerks, Lovable Fools, and the Formation of Social Networks," Harvard Business Review, Vol. 83, No. 6, June 2005.

Tiziana Casciaro (tcasciaro@hbs.edu) is a professor at Harvard Business School. Miguel Sousa Lobo (mlobo@duke.edu) is an assistant professor of decision sciences at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.

(http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item.jhtml?id=4916&t=career_effectiveness&iss=y)

******************

 FREE ONLINE TOOL FOR NONPROFITS – SMART CHART

The Smart Chart, sponsored by Spitfire Strategies, is a free interactive online tool to help nonprofit organizations craft winning communications plans. The interactive Smart Chart can help organizations assess their strategic decisions if they are just starting the communications planning process, evaluating a communications campaign already in progress, or reviewing an effort already completed.

(http://www.smartchart.org)

******************
 NEWS

July 20, 2005

GEORGIA MIGRANT FACES DEPORTATION

Alleged slugging of Vietnamese official puts Georgian in spotlight

By Sheila M. Poole (spoole@ajc.com)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Gwinnett County man who survived the Vietnam War could be sent back to the country he fled after allegedly slugging a Vietnamese dignitary during protests last month in Washington.

Tuan Phuoc Le, 33, was arrested by federal authorities and accused of assaulting Nguyen Quoc Huy, vice chairman of the Vietnamese prime minister's office, outside the Willard InterContinental Washington hotel June 21. Huy was part of a historic delegation led by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, the first such visit in the three decades since the Vietnam War ended.

Le's arrest and possible deportation have sparked outrage in the Vietnamese community in the United States.

In fact, Le has become a cause célèbre, with supporters collecting thousands of dollars for his defense and collecting more than 900 signatures in an online petition.

"It's very sad, very miserable for him," said Duc Tran of Philadelphia, a spokesman for the Coalition for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in Vietnam, one of the organizations that led protests against Khai's visit. "His father was American. They should not send him back."

U.S. resident since '93

Le has lived in the United States since 1993 and has permanent residency. After the incident, he was held by immigration authorities in Virginia but has since been released and according to friends is back in Georgia working in construction. Attempts to interview Le at the Lilburn home where he is staying with a Vietnamese family were unsuccessful.

But the immigration charges are not his only worries. Le is scheduled to appear July 29 in U.S. District Court in Washington for a preliminary hearing on the felony assault charge.

According to the criminal complaint, Huy, who was being protected by the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Security Service, was speaking with another member of the Vietnamese delegation when Le "without warning or provocation" hit him on the side of the face and knocked him to the ground. The complaint says Le admitted hitting Huy with his fist and said the official "was a Communist and he killed my U.S. Marine father in Vietnam or words to this effect."

The Vietnamese Embassy did not return several calls seeking comment, and Le's federal public defender on the criminal charge said he has advised his client not to talk to the media and declined to comment further.

In Vietnamese immigrant communities in Georgia and elsewhere, resentment against the Communist government runs strong. "The majority of Vietnamese immigrants are very anti-Communist," said Bang Thuy Bui, publisher of Atlanta Viet Bao, a monthly magazine based in Marietta. "They were the victims after 1975. They were arrested and sent to prison camps."

The Vietnamese population in metro Atlanta has also grown considerably. According to the 2000 census, the top three countries of birth for the foreign-born in Georgia were Mexico, India and Vietnam. Census estimates for 2003 report there were 27,185 Vietnamese-born residents in metro Atlanta, although some put those numbers much higher.

Le, they say, struck a blow — too literally, perhaps — against the Communists.

"We believe in nonviolence," said Tran of Philadelphia. "But he confronted the Communists."

He said he hopes it sends a strong message back home.

"The people in Vietnam are not free to do that," he said. "They live in fear. This information will go back to Vietnam, and they will say we can do this. This is very important symbolism. We show the Communists we are not fearing them anymore."

But Tran fears what will happen to Le if he is deported to Vietnam.

Human Rights Watch has criticized Vietnam for its dismal human rights record and says thousands of democracy activists, members of religious groups and government critics have been jailed or harassed. The organization had urged the Bush administration to press Khai to make reforms.

Violations unclear

Since 2000, nearly 60 Vietnamese citizens have been deported, most of them for criminal violations, said Ernestine Fobbs, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Le was held on $30,000 bond for alleged immigration violations that preceded his most recent troubles. Immigration officials declined to detail those violations, and Le's immigration attorney in Virginia, Parastoo G. Zahedi, said she did not know what they were. "At this point, we have not seen anything, specifically," she said.

Dat Vo, a Boston database engineer and a friend of Le's for more than a dozen years, said Le was not a violent person. Although not a witness to the incident, Vo wonders whether the delegation's visit dredged up painful memories from Le's childhood in Vietnam.

Vo, like Le, is Amerasian. Amerasians were often scorned by Vietnamese society and abandoned by their families.

Vo said that when Le was a child, he was harassed by a group of Communists. One day the group, armed with rifles with bayonets attached, forced him to undress and dance around in a circle, Vo said. To make him dance, Vo said, the group stabbed the ground around his feet with its bayonets, one time cutting him. Vo said Le carries those scars.

"He had a hard time," said Vo, who organized the online petition — Amerasian Friends of Tuan Le. But now, "he has really had time to improve and become a useful member of society."

Vo said Le moved to metro Atlanta from Boston about a year ago. For the last few months, Le has lived in Lilburn with a Vietnamese family.

'We want freedom'

Huy Nguyen, 16, who answered the door when a reporter went to the modest home in a cul-de-sac, said that Le, whom he called "uncle" even though there is no blood relation, sometimes talked about one day returning to Vietnam because life was so stressful in the United States. But Le also strongly disliked the Communists.

In that he found common cause.

"We want to see democracy in Vietnam," said Trung Le, a former South Vietnamese military officer who fled his country by boat to Hong Kong in 1975 and is now trying to help Tuan Phuoc Le (no relation). "We want freedom."

A metro Atlanta radio station, Tient Nuoc Toi, is also lending support.

Station director Tom Nguyen remembers meeting Le on the bus to Washington. Le impressed him as a nice man. "We are Vietnamese and he's Vietnamese," Nguyen said. "He needs help and we help. We treat him like a human. ? He's a good man to us. The government in Vietnam right now is a dictatorship."

(http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/gwinnett/0705/20NATVIETNAM.html)

******************

July 20, 2005

TIME LENDING CALIFORNIA INC. ANNOUNCES INTENT TO ACQUIRE NATIONWIDE SECURITY MORTGAGE CORP.

ORANGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Time Lending California Inc. (OTCBB:TIML) announces the execution of a letter of intent on July 15, 2005, to acquire 51 percent of Nationwide Security Mortgage Corp., a private California corporation.

The aggregate purchase price for the transaction shall be approximately one million dollars ($1,000,000) common stock, in a stock for stock exchange transaction. The transaction will be subject to the completion of due diligence and other customary closing conditions. There is no assurance this transaction will be completed.

About Time Lending
Time Lending is engaged in direct mail marketing for mortgage companies with its (d.b.a.) "Signature Marketing" Division. In addition, Time is engaged in real estate loan brokering and real estate sales.

"Direct mail for mortgage companies is our strength. We are looking for mortgage companies that we can help grow through capital raising and direct marketing! Nationwide Security Mortgage is a natural fit, because Nationwide has been a mail client for three years and has a unique niche with high growth potential," said Michael F. Pope, president.

About Nationwide Security Mortgage
Nationwide is a direct lender and broker providing real estate financing needs nationwide. It is one of the first mortgage bankers owned and operated by Vietnamese-Americans. Nationwide has a strong base in the Vietnamese community in California and other states. The combination of Time's marketing direct mail facilities and Nationwide's knowledge and experience in meeting the Vietnamese-Americans' mortgage needs, will generate strong revenue growth for both companies.

Any statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made in this release represent management's best judgment as to what may occur in the future. Time Lending's actual outcome and results are not guaranteed and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions ("Future Factors") and may differ materially from what is expressed.

For a description of Future Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward looking statements, see the discussion under the section "Risk Factors" included in the company's Form 10KSB and 10-QSB filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20050720005818&newsLang=en)

******************

July 22, 2005

FIGHTING WAL-MART

Lead Editorial

When it comes to small businesses, we should think about what goes into that doughnut, making the sheets on a hotel bed or who’s giving that pedicure. We’ll find that Vietnamese Americans dominate manicure salons, Cambodian Americans prevail in donut shops and Indian Americans own nearly half of the economy hotels and motels. We account for one million of the small businesses that drive our nation’s economy and we have helped revitalize some of America’s most moribund areas.

A juggernaut like Wal-Mart poses an interesting quandary for APAs. With large families to provide for, and often purchasing supplies for work or business as well, discount pricing can be particularly welcomed by many Asian Americans.

But increasingly, APAs are finding that Wal-Mart runs counter to the APA inclination for –– and financial reliance on –– our community’s small business economy.

It’s no coincidence that Southern California’s Rosemead is taking an aggressive stance against Wal-Mart. The city is also headquarters for Panda Express and Huy Fong Foods.

On the East Coast, another Asian American leader who is likely to be elected mayor of Edison, New Jersey has already pledged that fighting Wal-Mart will be a top priority.

For its part, Wal-Mart has made some attempts to reach out.

At its best, the company has supported our community’s future with scholarships and youth programs. At its worst, Wal-Mart can also be patronizing, and talks down to our community with accented and foreign language advertising that typecasts us as either unassimilated immigrants or whitewashed Asians caught up in the mainstream.

The reality is that today’s Asian America is much more complicated and demanding. We only spend our dollars where we can stretch the value of our earnings. But we also require corporate America to be nurturing and supportive of our communities, business enterprises and heritage.

And we’re getting smarter, too, at how we play the game. We realize that our community’s advantage in academic, financial and technological achievements allows us to demand more.

Perhaps, there is no better sign of this newly recognized richness of Asian America than the particular interest we are garnering from the world’s number one retail company.

(http://news.asianweek.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=1289017d00ef929dac5559de3b3205d4&this_category_id=172)

******************

July 22, 2005

WAL-MART DISCOVERS ASIAN AMERICA

By Grace Niwa

Wal-Mart has conquered retailing. It stands as undisputed number one in the world. But, the battle came at the expense of its image with consumers. An odd alliance of competitors, labor unions and activists has been pummeling Wal-Mart in the press. And now complaints from Asia America are catching the attention of the world’s largest retailer.

Many see Wal-Mart threatening the Asian American economic base of small businesses. Numerous studies from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business to Iowa State University’s Department of Economics have questioned Wal-Mart’s aggressive pricing policies. Some say it’s survival of the fittest. But Wal-Mart’s practices have caught the eye of Congress and the ire of local politicians like Jun Choi, mayoral candidate for Edison, New Jersey.

Choi’s campaign has included an anti-Wal-Mart platform. “Blue collar jobs will be lost and small businesses ... owned by Asians will be threatened,” Choi said. “It’s safe to say that Wal-Mart has a negative effect on Asian Business owners. I disagree with Wal-Mart’s corporate philosophy in not providing health care benefits and acceptable wages for a state, which has the highest median household income in the U.S. It would be very tough for families to survive.” Choi is now trying to reverse a decision to let Wal-Mart into his town.

No other racial group depends on small businesses more than Asian America. We have 913,000 small businesses in our community. Without those opportunities, Asian Americans would have a harder time adapting and helping their children advance to more prestigious careers. Many APAs see Wal-Mart as narrowing the road we must take toward achieving the American dream.

Groups like the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) and the Los Angeles-based Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) have announced that they will not take donations from Wal-Mart. They cite Wal-Mart’s policy preventing working class Asian Americans from organizing. Low $8 an hour average wages and a union-free workplace are a part of the way Wal-Mart delivers on its “Always Low Prices” promise. Earlier this year, Wal-Mart said it will close a store in Canada and fire its workforce instead of accepting a collectively bargained contract.

But corporations like Wal-Mart cannot be successful without listening to customers with cash to spend. And Wal-Mart has recently started to court foreign-language speaking APAs. In April, the retailer started its first advertising campaign exclusively in Asian languages. The print and broadcast ads are running in Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Taglish. The campaign was developed by IW Group of Los Angeles. And it will be seen in 9 cities including Los Angeles, Houston and San Jose.

“Wal-Mart believes in featuring real-life people in their advertisements,” Bill Imada, chairman and CEO of IW Group says. “Many consumers have told us that they like the fact the people are real people. Some of them have accents. Some are a bit shy. But the nice thing about the people in Wal-Mart’s ads is that it reflects people who truly appreciate what they find at Wal-Mart.”

The advertising campaign has received mixed reviews and is targeted only to Asian immigrants rather than addressing the Asian American community as a whole.

“We’re excited about our campaign,” Wal-Mart’s Senior Communications Manager Linda Blakely said. “Our goals were two fold. We wanted to acknowledge and thank our Asian American shoppers and also extend an invitation to Asian Americans who have not been to our stores.”

While it is hard to imagine Wal-Mart taking time away from mahjong, the retailer deserves credit for making an effort. Wal-Mart employs about 30,000 Asian Americans. And unlike many U.S. corporations, Wal-Mart has appointed an APA within upper management. Senior Vice President Michael Fung is the company’s chief audit executive. He has a seat on the board of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF), a group that Wal-Mart and other corporations helped to create. APIASF recently gave its first round of $330,000 in scholarships to 165 entering Asian American college freshmen. Wal-Mart also donates to APA groups such as the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), the Asian American Business Association and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

“Wal-Mart doesn’t just give money,” said Michael Chu, NAPABA president. “They put their money where their mouth is. At our last convention, 19 Wal-Mart employees … attended to show support.” NAPABA has received money from Wal-Mart for four years.

Wal-Mart says most of its charity money is given on a local level. So, the best person to contact about donations is often a store manager.

Wal-Mart likes to think of itself as an anchor store that attracts customers to surrounding Asian American small businesses. “We find that small businesses flourish because we bring traffic to the area,” Blakely said. To help small business, Wal-Mart has created a “second tier supplier” program to make it easier for small businesses to sell goods in its stores.

Wal-Mart has done a lot to try to repair its image within Asian America. But, most of its efforts have occurred recently, and repairing a corporation’s image takes a long-term commitment.

(http://news.asianweek.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=942dc02f42fe6b175f6145c6aa988979)

******************

July 22, 2005

FEDERAL OFFICIALS MONITOR VOTING
The Justice Department checked polls during the L.A. mayoral elections to determine if ballots were provided in multiple languages.

By Rong-Gong Lin II, Times Staff Writer

The Justice Department has sent monitors to polling places in Los Angeles this year to determine whether the city is violating the federal Voting Rights Act by not providing official ballots in languages other than English.

Los Angeles prints sample ballots in English as well as Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese. But at polling places, the official ballot is available only in English, and voters are asked to use their sample ballot as a guide to translate.

City Clerk Frank Martinez said he thought the city's procedures complied with the Voting Rights Act, which requires that any jurisdiction that has a substantial number of people who speak a language other than English provide all voting materials in that language.

But in other audits this year, the U.S. Justice Department concluded that three smaller cities in Los Angeles County violated the law by printing official ballots only in English; it reached agreements with the communities to provide official ballots in other languages in the future.

Though not commenting on the Los Angeles inquiry, Justice Department officials said the law was clear.

"Section 203 requires translation of all voting materials … including ballots," said Eric Holland, a spokesman for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "Providing an English-only ballot — [with] a Spanish sample ballot — would not meet this requirement."

Federal officials were sent to Los Angeles to monitor the March mayoral election and the May runoff, part of an investigation of municipalities that are required to offer voting materials in languages other than English. On election day in 2004, the department's Civil Rights Division quadrupled the number of elections it monitored — to 87 in 25 states — compared to the 2000 election.

Ventura County last year agreed to print its official ballots in English and Spanish after the Justice Department investigated its procedures. The county plans to have a single bilingual ballot by next year, said Gene Browning, the assistant registrar.

Riverside County uses a touch-screen voting system, which prompts voters on a video monitor to specify whether they prefer English or Spanish. Orange County uses a similar device, offering electronic ballot versions in Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese.

Los Angeles' population is 47% Latino and 10% Asian. In the mayoral runoff in May, 25% of voters were Latinos and 5% were Asian, according to a Los Angeles Times exit poll.

Los Angeles city voting officials said their system makes it easy for non-English-speaking people to cast ballots. They can use their translated sample ballot as a guide to the official ballot, said Arleen Taylor, chief of elections. Translations can be mailed to voters at their request, and are kept at each polling booth.

"It's always available there, so they can always match it up [to the official English ballot] and fill in the bubble by placing the booklet right next to the ballot," said Jinny Park, assistant chief of the elections division.

Martinez, the Los Angeles city clerk who organizes citywide elections, says he does not believe the Voting Rights Act requires the city to print official ballots in other languages.

He said it would be impractical to fit seven languages on one ballot, and logistically difficult to keep track of multiple versions of an official ballot.

"I believe the Voting Rights Act allows for alternative ways for doing things if it's not practical for putting all the languages on the same ballot," Martinez said. "We thought the ideas we came up with … still allowed people to have the information they need to vote."

Those measures included recruiting more than 1,000 bilingual poll workers, as well as a reserve bilingual poll team.

After the March election, Justice Department officials identified some "relatively minor" signage that had not been translated, Martinez said, including polling place signs. But the city has not received a final monitoring report from the Justice Department.

"We feel very comfortable with our translation of our materials," Martinez said.

Cerritos was another city to which the Justice Department sent monitors, and officials there are still awaiting a final report. Like Los Angeles, the city's official ballot was printed in English, while sample ballots in English, Tagalog, Spanish, Korean and Chinese were available at the polls, said Josie Triggs, the city clerk.

Some experts say it's important to have official ballots translated into languages used by voters who are not native English-speakers.

"The more common case is that somebody who is bilingual but is maybe more comfortable in their [native] language" prefers an official, translated ballot, said Louis Desipio, a political science professor at UC Irvine. It can be particularly important in California, Desipio said, with the often-complex summaries of measures and propositions that appear on the ballot.

Just last week, the Justice Department announced settlements with Azusa, Paramount and Rosemead after concluding they had violated the law. Officials in those cities said they were surprised by the charges, believing that their efforts to translate voting materials complied with federal law. All three cities provided sample ballots in Spanish and other required languages to be used as guides for the official ballot printed in English.

"It was quite a surprise," said Azusa City Clerk Vera Mendoza. "We thought we were in compliance."

The push by the Justice Department has not gone unnoticed by elections officials.

The issue came up at a recent meeting of city clerks organized by Los Angeles County. It prompted Long Beach officials to plan to place translated sample ballots in each polling booth, said Gini Galletta, a city clerk specialist there.

Previously, many of the translations, which include Tagalog, Vietnamese and Khmer, had gone unused because few voters called the city to request them, Galletta said.

But the city has no plans to print the actual ballot in languages other than English, she said.

"Up until this time we have never had an issue with that in Long Beach, so [voters] will have the sample ballot to refer to, and at this particular time we think that will be sufficient," she said. "We could change our mind, but it's never been an issue."

(http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-voting22jul22,1,6958345.story)

******************

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

At 10:06 A.M. EDT

Saturday, July 23, 2005

RADIO ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE NATION

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  Under the Constitution, one of the most consequential decisions a President makes is an appointment to the Supreme Court.  This week I was proud to announce my nomination of Judge John Roberts to be the Supreme Court's next Associate Justice.

Judge Roberts has a stellar record of achievement.  He is a man of sound judgment and the highest integrity.  He has the qualities Americans expect in a judge -- experience, wisdom, fairness and civility.  He has profound respect for the rule of law and for the liberties guaranteed to every citizen.  He will strictly apply the Constitution and laws, not legislate from the bench.

Judge Roberts currently serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which is often considered America's second highest court.  He has also served as a top lawyer at the Department of Justice, an attorney in the White House for President Ronald Reagan, and a distinguished advocate in private practice.  He gained early experience at the Supreme Court as a law clerk to Justice William Rehnquist.  He graduated with high honors from both Harvard College and Harvard Law School.  And as a young man growing up in Indiana, he captained his high school football team and worked summers in a steel mill to earn money for college.

One of the highest honors for any lawyer is to argue a case before the Supreme Court.  In his extraordinary career, Judge Roberts has argued a remarkable 39 cases before the nation's highest court.  He is known by Democrats and Republicans alike as a brilliant thinker, a fair-minded judge, and a decent man.  After I nominated Judge Roberts to the Court of Appeals in 2001, a bipartisan group of more than 150 lawyers sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee -- and here is what they wrote:  "Although as individuals we reflect a wide spectrum of political party affiliation and ideology, we are united in our belief that John Roberts will be an outstanding federal appeals court judge and should be confirmed by the United States Senate.  He is one of the very best and most highly respected appellate lawyers in the nation."

The next step for Judge Roberts is the Senate confirmation process. The process is off to a good start.  Since I announced his nomination, Judge Roberts has met with a number of senators from both parties. Democrats and Republicans have expressed their respect for Judge Roberts' qualifications and intellect, just as they did two years ago when they confirmed him to be a federal appeals court judge by unanimous consent.

In the weeks ahead, the Senate will have an opportunity to rise above partisanship.  I've spoken to Senate Majority Leader Frist and Minority Leader Reid, as well as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, Senators Specter and Leahy.  These senators share my goal of an orderly and dignified confirmation process, and it is important that Judge Roberts be confirmed before the Court reconvenes on October the 3rd.

President Clinton's two appointments to the Supreme Court proved that the Senate can conduct a thorough review and vote on a nominee within a reasonable timetable.  Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed 42 days after the President submitted her nomination, and Justice Stephen Breyer was confirmed 73 days after his nomination was submitted.  In both cases, Democrats and Republicans helped move the process forward promptly and voted to confirm the justices, despite significant philosophical differences.

America is fortunate to have a man of such wisdom and intellectual strength willing to serve our country.  I'm grateful to Judge Roberts' wife, Jane, and their two children, Jack and Josie, and I look forward to the Senate voting to confirm Judge John Roberts as 109th justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Thank you for listening.

END

(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/07/20050723.html)

******************

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MONITORED ELECTION IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

7/26/2005 4:36:00 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: U.S. Department of Justice Public Affairs, 202-514-2008 or 202-514-1888 (TDD)

WASHINGTON, July 26 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Justice Department today announced that federal observers and Civil Rights Division personnel monitored the July 26 special mayoral election in San Diego, California, to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act.

Under the Voting Rights Act, which protects the rights of Americans to participate in the electoral process without discrimination, the Justice Department is authorized to ask the Office of Personnel Management to send federal observers to areas that are specially covered in the act itself or by a federal court order. Federal observers were assigned to monitor polling place activities in San Diego pursuant to a federal court order entered on July 7, 2004.

The observers watched and recorded activities during voting hours at polling locations in the city. Civil Rights Division personnel coordinated the federal activities and maintained contact with local election officials.

On June 23, 2004, San Diego County entered into a settlement agreement with the Justice Department designed to protect the voting rights of minority language voters. Under the agreement, the county must provide voting materials such as voting notices, forms, instructions, ballots, and oral assistance in Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. The observers will gather information concerning compliance with the agreement and other issues affecting minority language voters.

Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of observers and attorneys to monitor elections across the country. In 2004, the Department coordinated and sent 1,463 federal observers and 533 Department personnel to monitor 163 elections in 105 counties in 29 states. This compares to 640 federal observers and 103 Department personnel deployed in 2000.

To file complaints about discriminatory voting practices, including acts of harassment or intimidation, voters may call the Voting Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice website at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/index.htm.

-0-

(http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/index.htm)

(http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=50908)

******************

July 2