Random Thoughts – Page 18

Climate and Science and the Current Occupant of the White House

Perhaps the petty and farcical corruptions of the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency have angered and/or amused you to the point of distraction. National Geographic magazine has made it easy to keep current with our federal government’s attacks on science and environmental regulation. They publish a regularly-updated listing of the latest news on their web site. Their latest post: “Trump Officials Set Aside Evidence of National Monuments’ Successes.”

Bookmark “A Running List of How President Trump Is Changing Environmental Policy” to keep your outrage up to date.

Who Could’ve Predicted This?

THEN–

Arguing its case in federal court, AT&T assured the judge that its acquisition of Time Warner would, contrary to what the Justice Department’s anti-trust suit claimed, magically bring more competition to the industry and result in lower prices for its DirecTV customers.

NOW–

DirecTV is raising prices $5.00 per month. “To continue delivering the best possible streaming experience for both new and existing customers, we’re bringing the cost of this service in line with the market,” AT&T said in a statement explaining their concept of more competition.

Oh, yeah and… (from the Los Angeles Times) “The announcement comes days after an industry analyst said AT&T had quietly increased an ‘administrative fee’ on its wireless customer bills in a recent move that could generate almost $1 billion a year in additional income. The analyst speculated that some of the fee could be intended to cover the costs of the Time Warner merger.”

U.S. Opposes Mother’s Milk

At a gathering of the World Health Assembly under the auspices of the United Nations, Ecuador was to introduce an innocuous resolution supporting breast feeding as a sensible alternative to manufactured baby formula. The resolution stated that research shows mother’s milk is healthiest for children and countries should discourage inaccurate or misleading marketing of non-breast milk alternatives.
The United States would not have it. With the current administration firmly aligned with behemoth corporations, including the $70 billion baby-food market, American representatives wanted language removed that called on governments to “protect, promote and support breast-feeding.” They also wanted removed a section that exhorted government policymakers to limit promotion of food products that many experts say can have harmful effects on young children.
When Ecuador did not comply, the U.S. threatened trade sanctions and withdrawal of military aid. Ecuador gave in. In the end, Russia trumped the U.S. by formally introducing the resolution in lieu of Ecuador. The U.S. dropped its demand for alterations, and gave Russia the opportunity to be the good guy and declare it was a matter of principle. “We feel that it is wrong when a big country tries to push around some very small countries, especially on an issue that is really important for the rest of the world,” said a Russian delegate.
Read the entire story in the failing New York Times.

On a lighter note…

Independence Week in the Neighborhood

Staying close to home during the extended holiday…

Aerial tram maintenance. Finished the job in only three weeks.

Protesters at Immigration & Customs Enforcement building face off with Homeland Security police.

ICE protest transitioning to homeless encampment? Inventory on adjacent Tesla sales lot disappeared for a week, but has returned. Demonstrators/squatters are not a danger to expensive automobiles?

A nice place to raise a family… if only they wouldn’t shit on the pedestrian pathway.

The Mavericks tearing the proverbial house down.

Celebrating Independence

(Originally published 2016.) Liberty4th-of-july

John Adams declared that July 2, the date the Second Continental Congress voted to declare the thirteen colonies independent from Great Britain, would be celebrated “…with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.” The written Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4. Continue reading “Celebrating Independence”