Noblesse Oblige

If you are like me then you are sick and tired of seeing jobs flee the state, our schools and roads running down, our health care choices diminishing while costs go up, and more budget deficits ballooning in the future. We need a reasonable tax revenue to secure the health of our citizens, the future of business in our state, and the future of our children.  However Governor Brownback and the zealots behind him have a pretty devil may care view about everything but tax breaks for big businesses that seem to wheedle more advantage out of our bewildered legislators at every opportunity while failing to pay their fair share.

The real dilemma faced by voters in this primary election is how the heck do you tell the moderate candidates from the laissez-faire zealots backing Brownback, especially since the zealots are trying to lay it all off on Brownback and pretend they are moderate now? The good news is that the Mainstream Coalition has created a list of endorsements to help you weed through the candidates in your area. I’m including it below or you can visit this link:

2016 MainPAC Primary Election Endorsements

Printable PDF Table

Today Bernie Sanders gave a full-throated, unreserved endorsement to Hillary, here’s a transcript of the final segment:

In these stressful times for our country, this election must be about bringing our people together, not dividing us up. While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans, Muslims, women, African Americans and veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Yes. We become stronger when black and white, Latino, Asian American, Native American – all of us – stand together. Yes. We become stronger when men and women, young and old, gay and straight, native born and immigrant fight to rid this country of all forms of bigotry.

It is no secret that Hillary Clinton and I disagree on a number of issues. That’s what this campaign has been about. That’s what democracy is about. But I am happy to tell you that at the Democratic Platform Committee which ended Sunday night in Orlando, there was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced, by far, the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party. Our job now is to see that platform implemented by a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House and a Hillary Clinton president – and I am going to do everything I can to make that happen.

I have known Hillary Clinton for 25 years. I remember her as a great first lady who broke precedent in terms of the role that a first lady was supposed to play as she helped lead the fight for universal health care. I served with her in the United States Senate and know her as a fierce advocate for the rights of children.

Hillary Clinton will make an outstanding president and I am proud to stand with her here today.

You can read the full text of his speech here:
Boston Globe transcript of Bernie Sander’s endorsement speech.

So you just got that credit from the Apple settlement and Amazon is having a fire sale with one priced at $50.00.

Some get confused between Memorial day and Veterans day, but there is a difference. On Veteran’s day we honor all veterans, those living and those who fell.

On Memorial, or Decoration day as it was previously known, we honor those who have fallen. We honor them by visiting their graves, their monuments, and we decorate their graves with memorabilia and flowers. Decoration day was originally created by order in 1868 to honor those who fell in the civil war.

On Tuesday, the American Counseling Association (ACA) announced that it would pull its 2017 Conference & Expo out of Nashville, Tennessee, due to the state’s new anti-LGBT legislation. Signed into law in April, HB 1840/SB 1556 allows a therapist or counselor to refuse to treat clients whose “goals, outcomes, or behaviors… conflict with a sincerely held principle” of that mental health professional, endangering vulnerable Tennesseans most in need of mental healthcare and treatment. “This was not an easy decision to make,” ACA CEO Richard Yep said in a statement. “After thoughtful discussion, the ACA Governing Council made the difficult—and courageous—decision on behalf of our membership… By relocating from Tennessee, ACA is standing up to this discriminatory law and we remain committed in the battle to ensure that this law does not become the national standard.”  Mr. Yep elaborated on the ACA’s opposition to HB 1840/SB 1556 in video to its members:

Source: American Counseling Association Relocates Nashville Conference Over Tennessee’s Anti-LGBT Law — Protect Thy Neighbor

Put the union vs Verizon dispute in the article aside – this confrontation points out a major shortfall in modern telecommunications. As VOIP, SKYPE, and internet connectivity displaces traditional telephone service it should have to meet some of the same standards of reliability, redundancy, and availability that the old PTSN network does. All cable modems should come with battery backup, all internet plant should become as reliable as our old copper PTSN telephone plant. The FCC and local cable franchising authorities are falling down in not mandating better service from cable tv and internet providers.

The complaint stems from Verizon’s “Fiber is the Only Fix” program, in which Verizon automatically sets up copper-to-fiber upgrades when customers with copper-based landline phones call for repairs twice in 18 months. Though many customers welcome the shift to fiber because it brings more reliable and faster Internet access, some prefer to keep copper-based landline phones because they can remain in service during long power outages. FURTHER READING VERIZON WON’T FIX COPPER LINES WHEN CUSTOMERS REFUSE SWITCH TO FIBER “Do not fix trouble” with copper lines, Verizon document says. FURTHER READING VERIZON WORKERS STRIKE OVER LOST JOBS AND REFUSAL TO EXPAND FIBER Non-union employees will take over customer service and network repairs. The union, the Communications Workers of America (CWA), claims Verizon is violating a ban on deceiving consumers and a requirement that customers be given 90 days’ notice before retiring copper networks. Verizon denies the union’s accusations and called the complaint a “publicity stunt” timed to coincide with a strike that began three weeks ago and involves 36,000 Verizon workers. Verizon argues that the FCC’s 90-day rule applies only to the retirement of entire central offices, not service to individual homes.

Source: Verizon workers’ union wants investigation of forced fiber upgrades | Ars Technica

This morning on our walk the moon was a mere sliver, a celestial fingernail clipping hanging in the sky.