Category: take action

politics, social justice and ways you can make a difference in the world around you.

Internet radio providers could pay millions

As hopefully you’ve noticed, on the banner at the top of my blog, we’re still waiting/hoping and fighting for our rights to broadcast music on OrangeNoiseRadio. New rules could force Webcasters to pay higher royalty fees and additional administration fees – fees that are much greater than those paid by satellite and terrestrial radio counterparts.
RealNetworks, Yahoo, Pandora and our hosting company, Live365 have told Congress that the new administration fees could cost $1 billion a year. That’s a lot of money going to waste if you ask me.
From CNet:

Here’s how they say they derived that figure: When the CRB decided earlier this year to change the rules for Internet broadcasters, it also decided to levy a $500 minimum annual fee per Internet radio “channel.” SoundExchange, the non-profit music industry entity that collects the royalty and other fees on behalf of record labels, says that minimum payment is supposed to cover administrative costs.
But since some of the larger Internet radio services potentially offer their listeners hundreds of thousands of unique “channels” (RealNetworks’ Rhapsody offered more than 400,000 in 2006 alone, according to a company spokesman), the companies view the ruling as forcing them to multiply that mandatory minimum payment accordingly (for Real, that would amount to $200 million).
Such an amount would far outpace the $20 million in total royalty fees collected by SoundExchange from the Internet radio industry last year, the CEOs note in their letter. And besides, it’s not even clear that those payments would go to artists, as royalty payments do, the companies argue.

So we have until July 15 to hopefully save Net Radio.
What can you do?
Visit SaveNetRadio.org to get informed and to send letters and/or call your congressional leaders and get them to back and co-sponsor The Internet Radio Equality Act, H.R. 2060, and S. 1353.
If you’re in the Waxahachie area, Joe Barton is your representative. You can call his Washington office at: (202) 225-2002 or send an email via his website: http://joebarton.house.gov.
Also, anywhere in Texas, our U.S. Senators are Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn.
Call Kay Bailey at: (202) 224-5922 or contact her via her website: http://www.hutchison.senate.gov.
Call John Cornyn at: (202) 224-2934 or via his website at: http://cornyn.senate.gov.
Your help is greatly appreciated!

Huckabee on evolution

Mike Huckabee on Evolution and the GOP Debate 6/5/2007

Gov. Huckabee gives a clear answer to his belief in creation during a CNN debate.
He admits he doesn’t know whether it was a literal six days or a longer period of time but he does believe, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
A great answer from a Presidential candidate.
I’m really hoping he and Obama can move to the front of their parties and win their nominations.

Re: Grapevine Rail

*EDIT*
From Waxahachie Council Member Joe Gallo:

Jonathan,

I would be all for it, but the light rail issue is bigger than any one councilmember.
In fact, it’s bigger than any one city.
As far as I know, there are no immediate plans to “make a push for it.
Paul Stevens can give you a better idea of what the probability of light rail ever coming to Waxahachie and what the important issues and problems are.

-Joe Gallo

*END EDIT*

From the Waxahachie City Manager, Paul Stevens, regarding rail in Waxahachie:

Jonathan,

As you probably know, we did participate in the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Regional Rail Study and we are shown as essentially the end of the line for the southernmost point of the Metroplex that would have passenger rail. State Representative Fred Hill did try and get legislation through this session that would allow cities to exceed their sales tax cap if it went toward a transit system. I don’t believe it passed.
We do keep up with any movement that works towards regional rail and will continue to do so. We will attend the Transportation Summit in August and I am sure regional rail and what steps to take next will be discussed.

Thanks,
Paul

In addition, Paul informs me that Waxahachie has a ½ cent dedicated to the Sports Complex and the Civic Center and another ½ cent for property tax relief. Grapevine likely just had a ½ cent prior to the rail tax.

Should churches display the American Flag?


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Originally uploaded by bamakodaker.

The United Methodists are debating whether or not churches should display the American Flag in their sanctuaries.
Rev. Clayton Childers had this to say:

As a staff member at the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, I am frequently asked questions that require me to go where “angels fear to tread.” Questions about displaying national flags in the church’s sanctuary take us into that treacherous terrain.
Many United Methodist churches maintain a tradition of placing the United States flag in the sanctuary, by the altar, within the chancel, or at another prominent location on the church grounds. I heard of one case in which the U.S. flag actually covered the altar itself. So we must ask: Is this an appropriate use of the national flag from both a Christian and United Methodist perspective?
It is an emotional issue. There are probably four objects that people commonly worship as much, or perhaps more, than God: 1) their mothers; 2) their children; 3) the Bible; and 4) the flag. Without getting into my favorable feelings toward the first three, I will say that, as an American, I do have a special fondness for our national flag.
The flag represents the United States at her best – all the high and noble values that we profess and attempt to uphold as a people: human rights and liberty for all, the rule of law without fear or favor, democracy, equality, religious freedom, freedom to assemble, free speech, a free press, the right of privacy and other rights of individuals, and commitment to the common good. These are values I believe in, and I am proud to be a citizen of a country that proclaims its loyalty to these high principles.
On the other hand, I do not believe in blind loyalty. I cannot affirm the idea of “my country, right or wrong.” There are times when the United States has been very wrong in its actions, even outrageously wrong. Until we can own the hard truth of our failures – dare we say “sins” – we can never experience the full and abundant life God would have for us as a people and as one member in the world community of nations.

Read more of his commentary
I still have to go back to Derick Webb‘s words on this:

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it’s to a king & a kingdom

What about you? Do YOU feel comfortable with an American flag on the stage next to you pastor or choir?

Something else I’d like to see

Something else I’d like to see in Waxahachie and other areas of Ellis County – free/cheap municipal wi-fi.
Cities like Dallas are putting free wi-fi in parks and libraries, Philadelphia is putting it everywhere.
The city of Waxahachie should be able to put free wi-fi in countless public areas, like parks, the downtown historic district and others.
Until then I guess we’ll have to keep paying for it at our house and using Chick-Fil-A’s wi-fi.

Read more

Presidential faith

It may not be important in your viewpoint – or it may be very important, but either way the AP asked each of the current presidential candidates about their faith.
AP asked candidates what their religion is, whether there is a particular church that they are a member of, and how often they attend services.
All the candidates say they’re Christian. Seven are Roman Catholic, three are Methodist, three are Baptist, one is Episcopalian, one is Presbyterian, one is Mormon, and one describes himself simply as Christian.
Can you guess which answer I like best?

From the DMN:

DEMOCRATS:

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden: Catholic, attends either St. Patrick’s or St. Joseph’s in Wilmington, Del., when his schedule permits.

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: A “practicing Methodist who attends church as often as possible.”

Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd: Catholic, attends in Washington, Connecticut and when traveling.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards: Methodist, is a member of the Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh, N.C., but is looking with his wife, Elizabeth, for a church near their new home in Chapel Hill.

Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Catholic, member St. Aloysius in Cleveland, attends “not often.”

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama: Christian, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, attends services “frequently, when at home on Sundays.”

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: Catholic, attends St. Francis Cathedral Parish in Santa Fe, N.M., “on a fairly regular basis, and attends services on the road when possible.”

———

REPUBLICANS:

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback: Catholic. He attends two services on Sundays — Mass in the morning at Christ the King Catholic Church in Topeka and then services at Topeka Bible (Evangelical Christian) with his family. “He tries to go to daily Mass whenever he can, wherever he is. When in Washington, he attends St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill.”

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore: Methodist, a member of River Road Methodist, Richmond, Va., “attends his home church as often as his travel schedule allows.”

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani: Catholic, “The mayor’s personal relationship with God is private and between him and God.”

California Rep. Duncan Hunter: Baptist, a member of Trinity Baptist Church in El Cajon, Calif., attends services almost every Sunday, but usually elsewhere because he’s often traveling.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: Southern Baptist, a member of the Church at Rock Creek in Little Rock, Ark., attends services “every Sunday he’s in town.”

Arizona Sen. John McCain: Episcopalian, but his four youngest children are Baptist and he attends the North Phoenix Baptist Church when he is home.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul: Baptist, a member of the First Baptist Church in Lakewood, Texas.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; attends services weekly at a Mormon temple in Belmont, Mass.

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo: Presbyterian, member of the Cherry Hills Community Church in Highland, Colo., attends services “every week I am home.”

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson: Catholic, is a member of St. Peter’s in Madison, Wis., attends services weekly.