So many things around us are changing so fast. Can we pause for just a moment?
Out of the blue comes a letter from Federated Telephone announcing disruptive changes. I believe Federated when they say they had no choice. But now I have to scratch my head yet again, just like when the Morris city council passed its water softener law. I moved mountains trying to get that one figured out. I still don't have the lay of the land for that.
Will the city council next pass a law requiring all residences to have energy-efficient windows? Where we'd all have to foot the bill? This law would be in the same spirit as the water thing.
Recycling requirements affect me. I would be more inclined to prepare meals at home if I could conveniently used canned products. I'd have to deal with the recycling requirement for cans, and this involves cleaning them properly. How exactly to do that? I could stuff some paper toweling into the cans and scrub a little, but there's a risk of getting cuts. If I turn on the faucet and seek to clean this way, food substance from the inside of the can, such as chili or baked beans, would go down the drain. Then I'd have to worry about eventual drain issues: call the plumber.
Plumbers do not recommend using products like Drano. Who to listen to? This is a common issue.
The city council passed its law re. softeners, making it all very legal, and then what to do? Call a so-called "water quality company?" These are private businesses that seek to make money. In theory, the people with those companies should come to your house and give you the best possible professional advice, serving your interests. I don't think we can count on that.
My own personal experience went very badly.
Energy-efficient windows are a great idea. They are expensive. I had Western Products come to my house soon after Mom died, when I had more time to deal with such things, and I think they did a wonderful job. I give them an A-plus rating. Would that we could count on this type of relationship all the time.
What is Federated Telephone announcing? It's very drastic. I would not be a customer of Federated if it did not offer cable TV. And now the company is announcing the end of its cable TV service, effective sometime in 2022 (no exact date yet). It doesn't end there. Sooner than that, in April in fact, Federated will implement a small price increase - no big deal with this issue - and in late July will remove certain channels like the ESPNs. I'm not a sports nut but I don't mind checking in on ESPN sometimes. It has been a part of the service.
I was quite satisfied with my Federated package: phone, home wi-fi and cable TV. Previous to Federated my family used Mediacom. I did not find out until it was too late how to do business with Mediacom. Now I know. What you do, is to call Mediacom and negotiate. You negotiate a three-year package. Three years seems pretty much written in stone.
It's a pure negotiation: you tell Mediacom what you're willing to pay per month over a three-year period for a particular service, then they can OK it. Their part of the deal is that they cannot raise your rate over the three years. Like I said: negotiate.
Maybe I'd consider going back to Mediacom, I don't know. Most likely I'd see if I can get all my entertainment needs met with my laptop, as I could engage YouTube with its incredible possibilities, along with "I Heart Radio" and others. Wouldn't it be ironic if a lot of us went back to terrestrial radio?
History: the "able cable"
I remember when cable TV first came to Morris. My neighborhood could not get it at first. We are semi-rural. Today we are in the city limits out on (beautiful) Northridge Drive. I heard my friends talk about the "able cable" as it was called then. Our museum should preserve tidbits like that. Ah, the "able cable" so us kids could watch "Gilligan's Island" if we wanted.
For a long time my family had just KCMT-Alexandria so we could watch NBC shows only, like "Bonanza." But not "Gunsmoke." The non-NBC shows existed in a netherworld from our perspective. It was like a scarce commodity. Carol Burnett? Walter Cronkite? We simply heard or read about these people, like the "historic" comment made by Cronkite as he finally broke a taboo and said, in effect, that the Vietnam war sort of sucked. Lyndon Johnson was influenced.
Those were the days long before "viral" movements that germinated with the advent of digital.
Federated Telephone gives us sort of a "sob story" of how it's forced into its drastic move. Maybe they can't help it, but now I have another wrinkle to deal with in my life, as I strive to adjust as a 66-year-old.
Cultural changes too
These days I reflect back on some of the politically incorrect or sexist banter I'd engage in, much of it in the workplace like with certain irreverent employees of the printing press in Lowry. My God, I'd be fired in a heartbeat today! No exaggeration.
I'll remind: I am the same exact age as Andrew Cuomo. I remember when my co-worker Howard Moser went into the camera room at Quinco Press and said "Brian said to tell (female employee's name withheld) to quit staring at his butt all the time."
Come on, you can laugh at that! Or, maybe not. Maybe you'll look at the David Bowie song "Changes" in a different way, due to lyrics presented as if the guy is stuttering. I have noticed that Mel Tillis made a change some time ago: never allowing references to his speech impediment again, because those references were made in a way suggesting amusement. His impediment happens to be stuttering. It is not something to be mocked.
While we're at it, be sure to discard your "Dr. Seuss" books.
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| Mr. Potato Head |
We become aware of this through Fox News which is part of my Federated TV package. "Cutting the cord" can at least relieve us of the ungodly cesspool of Fox News, n'est-ce pas?
Tiger sports update
Big night in Tiger sports Thursday. Jackson Loge lit it up with 51 points in a win over Benson. The Tiger girls hosted the Hancock Owls and came out on the short end. Coverage is on my "Morris of Course" site which I invite you to visit. Here is the permalink:
My Lenten week podcast
My late mother would be pleased I'm sharing spiritual-themed thoughts for this
Lenten season of 2021. I allude to the special challenges of the
mainstream Christian denominations. There is decline. Mom cherished her
church which is now in the ELCA, and I compliment that synod on its
inclusive and progressive attitudes. Here is the permalink to my "Morris
Mojo" podcast:
https://anchor.fm/brian-williams596/episodes/Another-Lenten-week-erdhtg - Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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