November 12, 2015

Comcast Data Caps

Being discussed on the Thom Hartmann show today.

These are limits on how much data you can download in a service period, typically a month.

This is what happens when you have monopolies, or near monopolies in a necessary service. And while I would say cable TV isn't really a necessity, many consumers are forgoing the high prices for it and switching to streaming over the internet for the shows they actually want to watch. So what does Comcast do...well create "Artificial Scarcity".

Supposedly we pay twice as much for slower internet service in this country than consumers in Europe. Now add this. Everything in this country is setup to extract $ from us. We are consumers, not citizens.

Favorite quote from the article.

“Anyone with half a brain knows that Comcast has been ripping off America.”

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/11/10/3720570/comcast-data-caps-scandal/

June 30, 2015

Along the Greece theme, more here… Coming to the USA I fear.

Though there is no need for it to be this way. What the writer says is really profound imho. I think quite a few of us see a different version of this happening in slow motion here in the US. Look at the Ryan budget that passed the house.

If belonging to the largest and richest trading bloc in the world cannot provide dinner for a retired teacher like her, it has no reason to exist. If a European Union which produces €28,000 of annual GDP for every single one of its citizens cannot provide a safety net for her, then it is profoundly wicked. If this is not a union of partners, but a gang of big players and small players, who cut the weakest loose at the first sign of trouble, then it is nothing. Each one of us will have to engage in an internal battle before Sunday’s referendum. I will be thinking of you, Magda, when I vote. It seems as honest a basis to make a decision as any.

https://www.byline.com/column/11/article/126

June 30, 2015

Obama Admin TPP top trade officials receive bonuses from banks.

Surprise, Surprise!

Well not really.

Officials tapped by the Obama administration to lead the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations have received multimillion dollar bonuses from CitiGroup and Bank of America, financial disclosures obtained by Republic Report show.

Stefan Selig, a Bank of America investment banker nominated to become the Under Secretary for International Trade at the Department of Commerce, received more than$9 million in bonus pay as he was nominated to join the administration in November. The bonus pay came in addition to the $5.1 million in incentive pay awarded to Selig last year.

Michael Froman, the current U.S. Trade Representative, received over $4 million as part of multiple exit payments when he left CitiGroup to join the Obama administration. Froman told Senate Finance Committee members last summer that he donated approximately 75 percent of the $2.25 million bonus he received for his work in 2008 to charity. CitiGroup also gave Froman a $2 million payment inconnection to his holdings in two investment funds, which was awarded “in recognition of [Froman’s] service to Citi in various capacities since 1999.”

http://www.republicreport.org/2014/big-banks-tpp/


IS OBAMA IN A BUBBLE, OR A WILLING PARTICIPANT?

Edited to add that this article was posted back a year ago so may be old news.

June 17, 2015

Senate bill proposes centralizing Weather Service forecasting in 6 regional offices

The most important benefit from the regionalization of the public weather forecast task is to diminish the chances of the local staff being overwhelmed during severe weather outbreaks,” the NAS report said.

The local Mets I know (including some NWS) disagree with this and think it would be more likely the regional offices would be overwhelmed as staffing undoubtedly would be cut, not to mention the loss of local expertise.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/06/16/senate-bill-proposes-centralizing-weather-service-forecasting-into-6-regional-offices/

June 8, 2015

Anti War Activist Confronts Tom Cotton

Not sure if this has already been posted as it occurred a couple of days ago, but it is well worth watching.

I'm really impressed by the calm professionalism of the Military Dad. Can't even begin to express how scary people like Cotton are.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/06/tom-cotton-senate-military-father

May 15, 2015

Rare Rain Delay at the Dogers Game Last Night

"Play was halted for 85 minutes during the sixth inning at a ballpark that hasn't had a weather postponement in 15 years." -CBS Sports.

It's very rare to get significant rainfalls in So Cal in May and there is still light to moderate rain from the LA Basin to San Diego in places. Other parts of California got significant precipitation as well and I was told last night that the higher Sierras received a foot of snow. Yay!

San Diego had 1.63" of rain yesterday. A record daily amount for the month of May. Average monthly rainfall for San Diego in May is .13". I'm quoting from memory here but that should be correct.

I think El Nino is finally kicking in down in California. A few months too late and and several $ short.