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
* * *
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”.
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?
