Sunday, August 26, 2018

SEN. MCCAIN -- NET NEUTRALITY UPDATE -- DRAMA

PATRIOT

Senator John McCain has been a true patriot – a defender of freedom serving first in the U.S. military, then the U.S. House of Representatives, finally the U.S. Senate.  He has demonstrated courage, honor and practiced bi-partisanship as effective governing requires.  
  
I have respected his efforts to be truthful with the American people, to speak truth to power, especially in a time when many do not.  I have not always agreed with his positions on issues but welcomed his sincere unselfish efforts to consider what is best for our country.

Senator McCain has succumbed to a glioblastoma brain tumor.   He will be missed, especially in this time when we really need champions of democracy, advocates for equality, protectors of our freedoms, leaders with ethical and moral values.

Thank you!    Rest in peace.
August 29, 1936 - August 25, 2018   

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FREEDOM AND EQUALITY ISSUE UPDATE
                
This net neutrality issue continues to be pertinent to all of us which is why I’m updating California’s actions you can read about in my previous post.  California’s legislative SB 822 has passed.  Our state is one of many seeking to preserve these internet protections.  

Recent devastating fires subjected firefighters to experiencing first-hand what can occur with “throttling”, consequently they recognized this rules need as described HERE:

“CPF, which represents 30,000 firefighters as the state council of the International Association of Fire Fighters, “has come to conclude that if net neutrality is not restored, the effect could be disastrous to the public’s safety,” the statement declared.  “SB 822 will help prevent internet service providers from throttling, thereby preventing data speeds to be manipulated, and, in turn, avoid crippling, or worse, deadly outcomes.”

You may want to see what your state is doing on this issue so you can provide any needed support.  Reuters reports 22 Attorneys general and the District of Columbia have “asked a U.S. appeals court to reinstate... net neutrality rules and reject the Trump administration’s efforts to preempt states from imposing their own rules guaranteeing an open internet.”

“The state attorney generals suing represent states with 165 million people – more than half of the United States population – and include California, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.”

The states argue public safety could be harmed “the absence of open internet rules jeopardizes the ability to reduce load in times of extreme energy grid stress.  Consequently...the reliability of the electric grid”.

If California’s experience is any indication of corporate behavior in an emergency situation we can readily see how easily small businesses and individual internet users speed could be subjected to manipulation of rate charges....and why support of efforts to reinstate network neutrality rules is needed at the state level since our federal government seems to be failing to do so. 

Even though the U.S. Senate voted to keep the internet rules, after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) repealed them, so far the House of Representatives and the White House are still not expected to approve them. 

The states argue without net neutrality the reliability of the electric grid is threatened. 

* * * 
LIFE’S DRAMA

My day-to-day life has been relatively uneventful so far this summer which suits me just fine.   I have no serious drama to reveal which is a welcome state of affairs.  Well, there is at least one matter hanging fire, so to speak, that I’m keeping on a low burner while I ponder how, or if, I want to proceed with what I consider to be unwelcome action.   

I continue needing to sort and organize some materials, to more aggressively enter into right sizing, to consistently engage in exercising-type physical activity, to name a few activities awaiting my attention.   I seem to be lacking motivation to initiate these tasks until I’m lying in bed at night before falling asleep when I become enthusiastic thinking about them.  I have the best of intentions to pursue them the following day. 

I do continue my excursions to the grocery as needed.  Also, I always get my trash, recyclables and greenery bins out to the curb for pickup weekly.  This week I’ve been really unhappy to learn my favored hardware/gardening store is going out of business.  I did shop there since everything on sale.  Now I’ll be stuck having to shop at those big box chains.  My efforts continue becoming more difficult to support independents and smaller business operations as their numbers keep dwindling.    I prefer to continue shopping brick and mortar sites, using internet shopping only selectively.    

Meanwhile, I’ve developed and unhealthy practice of devoting too much time focused on self-gratification – viewing more TV than usual -- episodes of Dick Cavett’s talk shows on Decades that I missed when they aired years ago, plus some mostly music PBS shows.  Also, I keep adding more books to my over-flowing accumulation than my rate for reading them.   I indulge myself some days with occasional afternoon periods of time “just resting my eyes” as my mother used to say when I asked if she had been napping.   

I'm beginning to think I’m in dire need of a self-help group to hold me accountable for not using my time more constructively.  Doing so does not get any easier as I get older I’m discovering.   I may have to actually make a schedule for myself – then somehow make myself follow it -- which goes against the grain for my whole concept of retirement living.  But I’m keenly aware that my time is finite in a way it has never seemed before.  I don’t have unlimited time as it once seemed I did, though on some level I knew that wasn’t true even then.  I will have to review the booklet to renew my driver’s license soon, so maybe that will prod me into becoming more productive.

If there’s one fact I’ve learned over my lifetime it is wise to appreciate any lull in excitement as such a situation is always temporary.  Typically, it’s only a matter of time until the unknown future introduces some unexpected issue or event to challenge my tranquility.   Meanwhile, I ponder just how long can I legitimately indulge myself as I’m doing?  

20 comments:

  1. I could have written this...every single paragraph. We should start a Blogger help group! I always have great plans to jump start my life when I fall asleep at night and find excuses not too the next morning.

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    1. I surely do know what you mean. Help group sounds like a good idea.

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  2. I totally agree with your comments concerning Senator McCain. He was a good person. I had not realized that he was but four days short of being 82 years old.
    Cop Car

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    1. Sen. McCain was unafraid to acknowledge he shared the human condition of being imperfect, that he had made mistakes in his life, but with a humility so lacking in higher levels of our government today.

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  3. I too had a lot of respect for John McCain. He was a reasonable man who served his country in an honorable fashion. He never frightened me like the current occupant does.
    I fear I have also fallen into a minimalist existence. Doing what is necessary but not pushing it. If you find a way to be more productive, let us know. I think a lot of us are in that boat.

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    1. I was hoping commenters here, like you, had found the answer. I’ve wondered if I’m simply being lazy, but this feels different and I’m not even sure procrastination describes my behavior.

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  4. I wondered if you found the list of the 22 states which had joined the Net Neutrality suit? I keep finding the same basic article (AP/Reuter's) but no mention of all the states, just the handful in the text. I'm not confident that my gerrymandered republican state has joined. Sigh.

    As far as being more productive, I'm not sure I can help you out. I do set certain tasks for certain days; park farthest away from places so as to "get more steps in"; set goals for each day; try to do as many things as I can in a standing position so as to prevent too much sitting; get a good brisk walk in each day as weather permits (I live in Northeastern Ohio, not sunny Cali). Nothing genius here, sorry.

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    1. Thanks for sharing some of your routines. I’ve limited my outdoor exposure due to our summer heat, so maybe when our cooler weather arrives i’ll be rejuvenated.

      I found this on Huffington Post:
      “...a coalition of attorneys general from 20 other states ― California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington ― and the District of Columbia.”

      They’re all states with Democratic governors so Ohio may have chosen to not join them despite Gov. Kasich’s stance on some other Republican issues.
      https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/attorneys-general-sue-fcc-net-neutrality_us_5a5e84c3e4b00a7f171b815a

      Here’s another link I found but not sure of reliability plus it’s undated:
      “Should internet service providers be allowed to speed up access to popular websites (that pay higher rates) at the expense of slowing down access to less popular websites (that pay lower rates)? stats discuss
      John Kasich’s answer: No “

      https://www.isidewith.com/candidate-guide/john-kasich/doesmestic-policy/net-neutrality

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  5. Sad hearing about Senator McCain, such a good man.

    Sigh, I have things that I should do, sorting, throwing, and giving away. I just have trouble getting to it, HaHa.

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    1. Trouble getting to it you say? Hm-m-m, whoever heard of such an issue!

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  6. I don't see anything wrong with indulging yourself, as you put it, in not being "constructive" or "productive". Those might be reasonable criteria in a workplace, but if you're retired, surely the only valid objective is to enjoy yourself? Otherwise, what's the point of retiring?

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    1. I agree, but there is a point at which more productive efforts need to be initiated. Helps if one can muster enthusiasm for engaging in them as they don’t become easier as one becomes older.

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  7. McCain was an old school pol - one that understood and expected to work across the aisle. While I did not agree with everything he did, I NEVER thought he was anything less than a true patriot working for what he perceived as the good of the country. He hated the tribalism 45 has thrust us into. At least 45 listened to or bowed to the pressure to fly the flags at half staff through McCain's burial.

    I agree the fire phone situation with Verizon showed what things can be like in Net Neutrality is not real. Verizon should be fined for what they did.

    Alas - I too need a better schedule to kick myself in the butt and get motivated to do something beyond reading and binge watching. More, better sleeping would be nice - LOL getting out and gimping along for a walk needs to be made a priority. I am working on that.

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    1. Perhaps we’ll all get psyched to do what we know we need to do, sooner or later.

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    2. Wait a minute. If there is something wrong with spending time reading, I'm in a heap of trouble!
      Cop Car

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    3. You, too -- lots of reading! I guess the question could be, how much time devoted to that activity is enough?

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  8. I've simplified my life very much since I'm now in my 80's but am happy to say I still live at home. My "Life's Drama" is actually living vicariously through the 4 girls that I sponsor in the AA program ... it's wonderful to be able to help them on the long journey of recovery and it keeps me "current" and happy.

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    1. Your sponsoring activities are certainly laudable providing truly meaningful support for those individuals. Glad you're able to continue gaining satisfaction from this involvement.

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  9. I didn't realize you were blogging again!

    I didn't always agree with McCain but I he was a man of honor, principle and character right up to the end.

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  10. I was no McCain fan as he was a neocon, which to me is not a plus given I have grandsons getting close to the age to get drafted. Hopefully, this country won't go that route again-- whoever we end up with for President when the next test comes along.

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