null0entropy.bsky.social

Federal corporate political spending has already reached nearly $650 MILLION ahead of the midterms, according to @publiccitizen.bsky.social. That’s an all-time high — and we’re still months away from Election Day. Big Money is the real threat to “election integrity.”

Rant #5 tangent If a charity wants a donation, doesn't it behoove them to get the donor's name right? I have told several charities I do not donate if they can't bother to get my name correct. Some corrected the error, but are now back to the WRONG form. Mislabeled address tags are waste of money

Rant 5++ Consider possible legal ramifications: if one receives a bill to 1st MI last, is that person legally obligated to pay the bill if their legal name is first middle last, especially if there are hundreds of people with the same first MI last?

Rant 5 cont + I understand updating records to reflect people's legal name of preferred name would be a massive undertaking, but the sooner it's started, the better. It may take years, but it should be done.

Rant 5 cont.: Despite the fact that memory is now dirt cheap, those organizations refuse to update name formats to reflect a person's preference or legal name format. Although my social security card has my full name on it, Medicare refuses to update my files because they're still stuck in the 50s.

Rant #5 Back in the 50s & 60s computer memory was very expensive; every bit mattered; consequently, we were stuck by IRS, Social Security, Medicare, et al. with the name format first name, middle initial, last name regardless of the individual's name preference. Today that same format pervades all

Reiterated by comedian Robin Williams

Addendum to rant #4

Rant #4 An alternate to USPS received a package 04 March, posted it would be delivered 05 March, then postponed delivery to 06 March; now it's been pushed back to 09 March. Why? Floods? Blizzards? Wild fires? No! it sat a whole day in two of their facilities! And this company wants to replace USPS?

Rant #3 This is 2026, not 500 BCE. Banks, health care groups, pharmacies should have contact hours 7 days a week. Financial issues & Illnesses do not consult a calendar before striking. Added benefit: more people have jobs, can afford housing, food, etc.

Rant # 2 The battery in my older mobile phone died. No one can/will replace it. New mobile phones cost $1000 or more for the newest models. The USA needs to emulate other countries' laws against planned obsolesence. Phone makers need to make a model as good as possible before pumping out new models

Rants: People descry the ubiquity of mobile phones, yet far too many websites require 2-step verification that can be accomplished only with a mobile phone. There need to be alternatives: e-mail, land line phone call, ….

[part 4]It's ridiculous for companies to rely on a single way to verify an account since so many things can interrupt a text message, a low or dead battery. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I know a new phone would help, but no everyone can afford a $1200 phone.

[part 3] AT&T still relies only on a text message, even after I called them. So I have filed a complaint with the FCC to get them (and other companies) to add alternate ways to verify an account (landline phone call or email message).

[part 2] Many of them still have only one way to complete the second step, viz. with a text message to a mobile phone. It took a complaint to the ICC to get a bank to add a land line phone call to restore access to my account. Other banks already have this option.

Recently my mobile phone's battery died, and its being an older model, there are few, if any, places that can replace the battery. This situation has had unanticipated sequelae: many websites use two-step verification to access one's account (Think banks, utilities like AT&T, etc). [part 1]

who have usurped the Republican party, the ones who pick and choose what verses of the Bible they support, the ones who support racism, misogyny, fascism. (2)

It appears that the orange-face enfant terrible will not be satisfied until he gets a war going. He continues to provoke one nation after another, allegedly to protect "Christians". Let us be honest, he doesn't care a damn about true Christians; his concern is the evangelical "christians" (1)

Stepped into that pile of guano with both feet

Agree. There must be accountability

About the size of it. Of course, he'll have removed anything of value that he might sell

SO now I'm stuck with the money in my major account inaccessible because this bank won't add viable alternatives to a text-message code. Can't afford new phone at $1000 - $1200 or more. Need suggestions. #5

When I called today, she had apparently failed me based on the fact that I couldn't choose a vehicle by the year model I had (they were both about 2000, according to her). AT 80 years of age, I do recall brands of vehicles I've owned in the past but not their years. #4

They claim it may take up to 14 days to POSSIBLY approve my land line. For their verification process they asked questions about my past, e.g. what cars I owned, etc. The speaker did not speak distinctly; I had to have her repeat questions several times. #3

(Other banks have option to call via land line or to send the code via e-mail. Not this bank so far.) They're indifferent to my plight that bills are coming due and late or non-payments will damage my credit rating, which I have built up over past 15 years. #2

My older iPhone died yesterday (battery? won't charge). Apple repair places are all at least 2 hours away. I have no car. Cant access my primary bank account because it requires sending text message code to mobile phone. #1

Apparently my previous account was hacked because I can no longer login to it. Šānāxōs. If we were following each other, please follow this account. If you're a Trump follower, do NOT reply.