The Trump administration’s FCC is in the process of getting
rid of net neutrality rules which govern the internet in this country. This is
a terrible idea for consumers and a great idea for the giant telecom companies.
What does it mean to you? Well your internet bill will certainly go up if you
have any interest in visiting the most popular websites. The rules are in place
to keep the internet treated like a utility, accessible to all at a reasonable price.
If the rules are jettisoned Internet service providers will be able to stop or
slow down the delivery of certain websites and also charge customers extra fees
for high-quality streaming services. The companies say this is a good thing. It
will allow people to pay what they want for the service they want. The problem
is they then control the information on the web and only people that can afford
it will be able to access much of what they can now. Look at it like your cable
bill. You have to pay large premiums to get many of the channels you actually
want to watch. Extra for sports…extra for movies etc etc. What if you internet
provider could decide to charge you more to access Amazon or Google or Facebook
or Netflix? You get the idea. The idea to get rid of the rules are the work of
FCC chairman Ajit Pai, another anti-regulatory Trump appointee, working to
dismantle any governor on the engine of big business. This battle was fought
back in 2015 and the consumers prevailed. Some would ask, why not just let
competition rule the day? If you don’t like the fees charged by one ISP, just
go to another? The problem is that less than a quarter of the country has more
than one ISP available for their households. There is no competition in many
places. The idea of an equal and open internet for everybody, not just those
that can afford it, is an important concept in todays world. Broadband should
be viewed as a public utility as essential as the electricity that comes into
your home. Net Neutrality rules were upheld by the courst back in 2016. If the
rules are eliminated there will certainly be another court fight. Pai’s FCC has
shown its anti-consumer cards in other areas. Last week they announced a plan
to allow corporations to control more broadcasts and media sources in
particular communities leading to fewer voices being heard and possible
monopolies on the information you get. This is another step in the direction of
the flow of information being controlled by a few and the availability of the
information only being available to those who can afford it. This is the road
to authoritarianism. Something the Trump Administration has been on the road to
since Inauguration Day. You can do something. Contact you Congressman and tell
them you are not in favor of getting rid of net neutrality. It may not help in
the climate of this Republican controlled Congress but its better than sitting
back and doing nothing while you watch you internet access be priced out of
your home.
Its Nov 22
nd
which of course is the anniversary of
the assassination of JFK. How would the country have been different if JFK
lived. Most books, movies or tv shows think it would have been better. Stephen
King’s time travelling novel “11/22-63” says be careful what you wish for. It’s
a fascinating drop down the rabbit hole if you are a fan of history, science
fiction and what-if stories it’s a doozy. It’s also been made into a
mini-series starring James Franco. Well worth seeking out.
Todays birthdays include the E-Street bands Stevie Van Zandt
who is 67, Jamie Lee Curtis who turns 59 and Rock & Roll Hall Of Famer Tina
Weymouth who turns 67. Who is Tina Weymouth you ask? Well she played bass in
the Talking Heads and also fronted her own project called the Tom Tom Club
which released an early hip-hop song in the 80’s called “Wordy Rappinghood”. It’s
weirdly interesting to me. What do you think?
For some of us, another piece of our childhood passed away
yesterday. David Cassidy, the teen heartthrob for a generation of girls in the
early 70’s died at the age of 67. Cassidy was the only member of the fictional “Partridge
Family” who could play an instrument and
actually had some musical chops. He had substance abuse problems through his
life which may have contributed to a rapid decline in his health.
The Badgers came up just short last night as UCLA scored on
a drive to the basket at the buzzer for a 72-70 win. Greg Gard thinks his team
is talented but needs to be able to get over the hump in some of these games.
He thinks it will come with more experience for his young squad. Wisconsin will
host a very good UW-Milwaukee team on Friday. This may be the first season in
awhile where Milwaukee could get the win.
Long time local tv sports guy Dale Ryman is transitioning to
the news side of things. He will take over as the anchor on the 9 pm news on
WZAW as well as other news duties with WZAW and WSAW. The new sports guy Reece
Van Haaften comes from KSFY in Sioux Falls South Dakota which is interesting because
our new news director at WSAU is Micahel Leischner who comes from out sister
station KELO in Sioux Falls. Michael starts with us on Monday.
Elections have consequences..,. I spent much of this section
on the above material on net neutrality but there is some other stuff…..A bill,
drafted by the pesticide industry is making the rounds in Washington to gauge
interest. It would bar expert wildlife scientists fromassessing what harm
pesticides can do to 1800 endangered species unless the makers of those
pesticides ask for their input. Scott Pruitt’s EPA has already overruled his
own scientists to prevent a ban on a Dow/Dupont pesticide that cause brain
damage in children so what should we expect anything different when it comes to
endangered animals? Chlorpyrifos is a chemical developed by the Nazi’s that is
now produced by Dow Chemical. It’s a nerve agent and was supposed to be banned
this year. The Trump administration has decided its safe to be used on our
fruits and vegtables. Dow also gave
Trump a million dollars in campaign contributions. Pruitt’s tenure at the EPA
may be the most lasting damage that Trump does to this country. Siding with the
polluters over the rest of us because they can write big campaign checks is so
odious it defies description.
Quotes of the Day
“This tax bill is going to add $1.5 trillion to the deficit
over the next ten years. If this were a Democratic bill we wouldn’t even be
voting on it. That’s how hypocritical this place has become”- Rep. Walter Jones
“Rape has become any sex that a woman ends up regretting she
had”-Alex Marlow, editor of Brietbart (no, he really said this)
“Just a reminder that last year on Thanksgiving Native
Americans were being tortured by dogs, illegal scare tactics, being run over by
angry white people all to protect our water and this year on Thanksgiving they
are cleaning up 200,000 gallons of spilled oil on a South Dakota reservation”-
Unknown
“Every time a man tells me to stop whining about feminism, I
feel like saying “you first”.-Aparna Nancherla
“Trump today claimed that Doug Jones, the man who
successfully prosecuted the Klan bombers who in 1963 murdered four little black
girls inside Birminghams 16
th
street Baptist Church is “soft on crime”. Perhaps he doesn’t think that was a
crime”-Jamil Smith
“So who is ready for a world in which Democrats force Al
Franken out of the Senate while Republicans vote Roy Moore in?”-David Frum
“Of course Donald Trump believes and supports Roy Moore. If
people believe women and Republicans begin abandoning candidates with multiple
credible allegations of sexual misconduct, then Trump is logically the next to
go”-Ezra Klein
Songs Of The Day…here’s some David Cassidy for you.
