First, Scott Roeder, now the Holocaust Museum shooter. The wingnuts are growing bolder and more dangerous. Is there anything more quintessentially American than the lone gunman festering in his mother's basement?
I hear and see the growing hatred of these angry little men, on talk radio and the Internet especially. Rush Limaugh, Bill "Louffa" O'Reilly, Michael Savage: You all have blood on your hands!
"Happiness is a warm gun," wrote John Lennon, who himself was the tragic victim of a lone nutjob's weapon. Is there any surprise that the right-wing kooks are also rabid in their defense of so-called "Second Amendment Rights"?
I think we all need to be prepared for an upswing in violence on the part of that tiny minority who cannot accept that America is changing under their feet. First, they come after the abortionists, then the Jews... No one is safe from the hate-mongering.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Empathy, Schmempathy
"Oh, Cold-hearted Orb that Rules the Night" -- Thy Name is Rush Limbaugh!
I laugh when I hear the Republicans cry about "empathy." They want a judge lacking in what anthropology has proven to be the most human quality: a feeling of mutual identity with another person. But until the Japanese invent Robo-judge, we're going to be stuck with real human beings in the courts, taking both the law and their own backgrounds into account.
What the pro-lifers fear is that "empathy" is a synonym for pro-abortion. That is, an empathetic judge would necessarily sympathize with the plight of living unwed mothers over that of their unborn child. They want to bar all emotion, ruling solely as Strict Constructionists on the literal meaning of the Constitution.
But is this really true? Are pro-lifers not motivated by empathy for fetuses? The blood-spattered baby carriages suborned by the followers of Randall Terry would seem to argue otherwise.
If the US Constitution allowed for the burning of babies on the Altar of Baal, would these strict constructionists be so adamant in setting aside emotion in favor of legalistic minimalism?
"Well, yes Ma'am, we understand you don't belive in child sacrifice, but the Constitution permits it. The LAW is the LAW."
I suspect some of these conservatives, who also form the ranks of the torture supporters among us, would stand with Roland Freisler in support of the Nuremburg Race Laws. After all, if it's the law, it's legal by definition.
I laugh when I hear the Republicans cry about "empathy." They want a judge lacking in what anthropology has proven to be the most human quality: a feeling of mutual identity with another person. But until the Japanese invent Robo-judge, we're going to be stuck with real human beings in the courts, taking both the law and their own backgrounds into account.
What the pro-lifers fear is that "empathy" is a synonym for pro-abortion. That is, an empathetic judge would necessarily sympathize with the plight of living unwed mothers over that of their unborn child. They want to bar all emotion, ruling solely as Strict Constructionists on the literal meaning of the Constitution.
But is this really true? Are pro-lifers not motivated by empathy for fetuses? The blood-spattered baby carriages suborned by the followers of Randall Terry would seem to argue otherwise.
If the US Constitution allowed for the burning of babies on the Altar of Baal, would these strict constructionists be so adamant in setting aside emotion in favor of legalistic minimalism?
"Well, yes Ma'am, we understand you don't belive in child sacrifice, but the Constitution permits it. The LAW is the LAW."
I suspect some of these conservatives, who also form the ranks of the torture supporters among us, would stand with Roland Freisler in support of the Nuremburg Race Laws. After all, if it's the law, it's legal by definition.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Ad astra per mortem
I found this quotation today on Roger Ebert's journal. It's from Vincent van Gogh, on the journey from life to the stars:
Looking at the stars always makes me dream, as simply as I dream over the black dots representing towns and villages on a map. Why? I ask myself, shouldn't the shining dots of the sky be as accessible as the black dots on the map of France? Just as we take a train to get to Tarascon or Rouen, we take death to reach a star. We cannot get to a star while we are alive any more than we can take the train when we are dead. So to me it seems possible that cholera, tuberculosis and cancer are the celestial means of locomotion. Just as steamboats, buses and railways are the terrestrial means. To die quietly of old age, would be to go there on foot.
I go there on wheels, or like a spark when the light switch is flicked off. Where does it go? The stars were aborning 13 billion years ago and their light reaches us just now from across the painted ceiling of the universe. It took Michelangelo to paint God on the Cistine Chapel; what God paints us on the frescoes of the sky?
Looking at the stars always makes me dream, as simply as I dream over the black dots representing towns and villages on a map. Why? I ask myself, shouldn't the shining dots of the sky be as accessible as the black dots on the map of France? Just as we take a train to get to Tarascon or Rouen, we take death to reach a star. We cannot get to a star while we are alive any more than we can take the train when we are dead. So to me it seems possible that cholera, tuberculosis and cancer are the celestial means of locomotion. Just as steamboats, buses and railways are the terrestrial means. To die quietly of old age, would be to go there on foot.
I go there on wheels, or like a spark when the light switch is flicked off. Where does it go? The stars were aborning 13 billion years ago and their light reaches us just now from across the painted ceiling of the universe. It took Michelangelo to paint God on the Cistine Chapel; what God paints us on the frescoes of the sky?
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Genetics and Families
Today I signed up for genetic testing at FamilyTreeDNA.com: https://www.familytreedna.com/
I've always been interested in my background, and even though I'm aware of the limitations of this kind of testing, I feel it's worth a try. My biological father's side, the Clements family, supposedly are part Native American (Florida Seminole), and my mom's family claimed to be descendents of the original 1620 Pilgrims, including Roger Williams (founder of Rhode Island).
I'll keep you posted on the results, and whether they meet or exceed my expectations.
I've always been interested in my background, and even though I'm aware of the limitations of this kind of testing, I feel it's worth a try. My biological father's side, the Clements family, supposedly are part Native American (Florida Seminole), and my mom's family claimed to be descendents of the original 1620 Pilgrims, including Roger Williams (founder of Rhode Island).
I'll keep you posted on the results, and whether they meet or exceed my expectations.
Friday, April 03, 2009
American Psycho, Redux
I just saw the breaking news about the crazed lone gunman in Binghamton, New York. What is it about the American psyche that leads a laid-off IBM employee to grab his personal arsenal and slay 15 innocent bystanders? Remember last week's lone maniac at the nursing home in Alabama?
Certainly guns don't "cause" the problem of these mass slaughters. But, they contribute by making the killing easier and faster. Was this what the Founding Fathers meant by a "Well-regulated militia"? Our gun mania, combined with an insatiable appetite for self-gratification via illicit drugs, has led to the near-disintegration of Mexican society. The drug cartels buy their weapons in the US, then transport them across the border to wreak havoc. Unfortunately, our own government is so cowered by the gun lobby that they are afraid to take on the NRA and institute real gun regulation, even for semi-automatic weapons.
Violence begets violence. Jesus said it, but this so-called Judeo-Christian nation has run the trolley off the tracks. What really scares the bejeebus out of me is that some paranoid whackjob in an Idaho trailer or a lonely corner of his mom's basement will take seriously the blubbering mania of Glen Beck and take a shot at one of our leaders. I worry about it every day, as the Republicans become increasingly marginalized and the President grows ever more popular.
Certainly guns don't "cause" the problem of these mass slaughters. But, they contribute by making the killing easier and faster. Was this what the Founding Fathers meant by a "Well-regulated militia"? Our gun mania, combined with an insatiable appetite for self-gratification via illicit drugs, has led to the near-disintegration of Mexican society. The drug cartels buy their weapons in the US, then transport them across the border to wreak havoc. Unfortunately, our own government is so cowered by the gun lobby that they are afraid to take on the NRA and institute real gun regulation, even for semi-automatic weapons.
Violence begets violence. Jesus said it, but this so-called Judeo-Christian nation has run the trolley off the tracks. What really scares the bejeebus out of me is that some paranoid whackjob in an Idaho trailer or a lonely corner of his mom's basement will take seriously the blubbering mania of Glen Beck and take a shot at one of our leaders. I worry about it every day, as the Republicans become increasingly marginalized and the President grows ever more popular.
Friday, March 27, 2009
On Lance Armstrong's Nuts & Bolts
I noted with interest today the CNN stories on Lance Armstrong's "medical miracle": his bolted-together broken shoulder blade. It's great that doctors are able to put in the screws, bars, and nuts to reassemble the great cyclist's shoulder. But it brings me back to a point that's often on my mind: doctors seem to favor fixing the "healthy" rather than performing the hard work of improving the lives of people with disabilities.
When I suffered the compound fracture of my right leg in 2004, the surgeon chose to fundamentally let my leg heal "as-is." "Your bones are too fragile to put screws in," he announced, which shouldn't be a big deal because "you aren't going to run or ski anyway." So, now I have a short leg, Toulouse Lautrec-style, with a knotted up shin bone that looks like I'm carrying around a baseball inside my leg, when you look at the X-ray films.
My 53 years as a patient in the medical world, makes me believe that the profession, like any other, prefers the easy cases. A cab driver would rather collect a hefty fare for driving an old lady around the block, than picking up three black guys in the hood. A TV repairman would rather order a replacement from the factory than rip the case off an old-fashioned tube TV. Doctors would rather treat a single malfunction in an otherwise healthy patient, than trouble themselves with the difficult choices a disability presents. It's totally understandable, of course--we're all human and we all prefer to walk downhill than to climb a ladder.
So--go, Lance! Win one for the team! But hey, doc--don't forget about the hard cases, too!
When I suffered the compound fracture of my right leg in 2004, the surgeon chose to fundamentally let my leg heal "as-is." "Your bones are too fragile to put screws in," he announced, which shouldn't be a big deal because "you aren't going to run or ski anyway." So, now I have a short leg, Toulouse Lautrec-style, with a knotted up shin bone that looks like I'm carrying around a baseball inside my leg, when you look at the X-ray films.
My 53 years as a patient in the medical world, makes me believe that the profession, like any other, prefers the easy cases. A cab driver would rather collect a hefty fare for driving an old lady around the block, than picking up three black guys in the hood. A TV repairman would rather order a replacement from the factory than rip the case off an old-fashioned tube TV. Doctors would rather treat a single malfunction in an otherwise healthy patient, than trouble themselves with the difficult choices a disability presents. It's totally understandable, of course--we're all human and we all prefer to walk downhill than to climb a ladder.
So--go, Lance! Win one for the team! But hey, doc--don't forget about the hard cases, too!
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Do you ever feel like...
... Your insides have been reassembled by the Flying Spaghetti Monster? Well, that's been my life for the past 7 months. Will it ever end? Where's my Oxycodone?
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Rush Limbaugh is a Big, Fat Idiot
When Rush Limbaugh coined the term, “Porkulus,” I was certain he was talking about himself! He obviously has some self-loathing and body-image problems, LOL. That being said, he is first and foremost an entertainer, and he cries all the way to the bank. That’s cool; he, his cat, and his oxycontin are part of what makes America great, as long as he has an audience. However, since he is a comedian, I have a hard time taking anything he says seriously. For example, he used to rant that the Constitution contains no right to privacy, and all druggies should be tossed into the slammer, yet when he was busted, the first thing he did was get his lawyer to whine that his rights to privacy had been violated. Did he learn anything? Apparently not, as a few years later he was busted at the airport with a bottle of someone else’s Viagra. Oh, and why does a big, fat, divorced slob like him need Viagra anyway? If he’s so moral, he should remain celibate.
What I don’t like about him is his wishing Obama will fail. Like it or not, Obama will be our president for the next four years. I always liked Bush as a person, even though he was the worst president in the past 70 years. And I didn’t hope he would fail; rather, I feared he would, and he lived down to the fears. So yes, I “like” and admire Obama, and hope for the best. It’s either that or get the Canadian Visa ready! Hehehe....
There is definitely a lot of crap buried in the stimulus bill, and I think Republicans and Democrats in the Senate will make it much better. If they don’t, that’s why we have elections every 2, 4, and 6 years. ....
What I don’t like about him is his wishing Obama will fail. Like it or not, Obama will be our president for the next four years. I always liked Bush as a person, even though he was the worst president in the past 70 years. And I didn’t hope he would fail; rather, I feared he would, and he lived down to the fears. So yes, I “like” and admire Obama, and hope for the best. It’s either that or get the Canadian Visa ready! Hehehe....
There is definitely a lot of crap buried in the stimulus bill, and I think Republicans and Democrats in the Senate will make it much better. If they don’t, that’s why we have elections every 2, 4, and 6 years. ....
A Few Thoughts on Military Engagement
President Obama's recent decision regarding Iraq deployment of our troops, and the eventual withdrawal of combat forces, led me to thinking about some people's political responses to any criticism of the war. Any truly just war cannot be the sole domain of a single political party or philosophy. So, I wrote the reply below to a veteran on another site who seems, like so many of the older vets from the 60s, to still be fighting "hippies" who "diss" our troops.
There has never been a nation in the history of the world, which has not found it necessary to expend its blood and treasure in war. Every country has its Honored Dead whose graveyards lie strewn about distand landscapes. This applies even to nations we have defeated, such as Germany's Bittburg military cemetary (which Reagan took flak for visiting in the 1980s).
While we all should remain cognizant and grateful for the sacrifices of individual servicemen and women, we should not delude ourselves into the belief that there is some unique, solely American reason for engaging in war. "War is diplomacy by other means," it was once said -- and not said by an American.
The military should not be deployed overseas for ideological reasons; rather a "just war" should be fought when necessary for the defense of the nation, not to build an ephemeral democracy in countries whose civilizations arose when our European ancestors were still living in caves. Leave politics aside when discussing our military and its sacrifices, and don't demean their necessary work by belaboring some illusory hippies from the 1960s.
Christ once said, "Let the dead bury the dead." And so it shall always be....
There has never been a nation in the history of the world, which has not found it necessary to expend its blood and treasure in war. Every country has its Honored Dead whose graveyards lie strewn about distand landscapes. This applies even to nations we have defeated, such as Germany's Bittburg military cemetary (which Reagan took flak for visiting in the 1980s).
While we all should remain cognizant and grateful for the sacrifices of individual servicemen and women, we should not delude ourselves into the belief that there is some unique, solely American reason for engaging in war. "War is diplomacy by other means," it was once said -- and not said by an American.
The military should not be deployed overseas for ideological reasons; rather a "just war" should be fought when necessary for the defense of the nation, not to build an ephemeral democracy in countries whose civilizations arose when our European ancestors were still living in caves. Leave politics aside when discussing our military and its sacrifices, and don't demean their necessary work by belaboring some illusory hippies from the 1960s.
Christ once said, "Let the dead bury the dead." And so it shall always be....
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tweeting with Twitter
Well, all the stories about the Congress members "Tweeting" during the president's speach got me interested. So, you can now follow my exciting life at this URL: http://twitter.com/WriterDavid
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tooth & Nail
So, I went to the Dentist on Monday. "Dr. B" looked at the X-ray of the space between molars where the crown used to be, and said, "the tooth is cracked. You'll have to visit an oral surgeon to have it removed." Holy Toothless Joe, Batman! It seems like I spend half my life at the dentist anymore, at least the half I don't already spend at some other doctor's office. Sigh...
So, next Wednesday, it's off to the oral surgeon. At least his office is in Mira Mesa, so it's not a long drive.
So, next Wednesday, it's off to the oral surgeon. At least his office is in Mira Mesa, so it's not a long drive.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Coraline: La Belle Dame
So, I dragged myself and Harold out of the apartment Saturday night and saw "Coraline" in 3D at the Mira Mesa Edwards. The film was quite enjoyable. If nothing else, it's worth seeing for Henry Selick's artistic mastery of the stop-motion form.
Story-wise, I found the film entertaining, but a little flat compared to Tim Burton's efforts in the genre. If "Nightmare Before Christmas" were a 10, and "Corpse Bride" an 8, then "Coraline" would be a 7.5. I think what Neil Gaiman's plot attempted to achieve, yet missed, was the whimsy of the Burton films, even going back so far as "Beetle Juice."
The story has a decent pedegree, with the villainness strongly resembling Cruella DeVille from the Disney Dalmations film, with a little Ozian Wicked Witch and Wonderland Red Queen thrown in for good measure. Gaiman knows his modern mythology. The "smothering mother" is a nightmare we all can share; at least those of us with a mother! The cat, "wuss puss," was a little Puss n' Boots, and a lot Cheshire Cat. He was one of my favorite characters.
Tim Burton accomplishes something I like to call the "happy macabre," making his stories a visit to death and decay that you're actually glad to have embarked upon. For all Coraline's struggles, in the end, hers is just a slightly dark, scary spider story.
A very good work; only a near miss on greatness. Nevertheless, I intend to buy the Blu-Ray when it comes out for sale.
Story-wise, I found the film entertaining, but a little flat compared to Tim Burton's efforts in the genre. If "Nightmare Before Christmas" were a 10, and "Corpse Bride" an 8, then "Coraline" would be a 7.5. I think what Neil Gaiman's plot attempted to achieve, yet missed, was the whimsy of the Burton films, even going back so far as "Beetle Juice."
The story has a decent pedegree, with the villainness strongly resembling Cruella DeVille from the Disney Dalmations film, with a little Ozian Wicked Witch and Wonderland Red Queen thrown in for good measure. Gaiman knows his modern mythology. The "smothering mother" is a nightmare we all can share; at least those of us with a mother! The cat, "wuss puss," was a little Puss n' Boots, and a lot Cheshire Cat. He was one of my favorite characters.
Tim Burton accomplishes something I like to call the "happy macabre," making his stories a visit to death and decay that you're actually glad to have embarked upon. For all Coraline's struggles, in the end, hers is just a slightly dark, scary spider story.
A very good work; only a near miss on greatness. Nevertheless, I intend to buy the Blu-Ray when it comes out for sale.
Friday, January 30, 2009
An Uneventful Friday (which is a good thing)!
Today has been a fairly peaceful day. I've spent most of it reading, both online and off. At least the coffee is good!
I was watching Chris Matthews on MSNBC a while ago. What a grinning idiot. He's amused by Blago, and Rush Limbaugh, when he should be serious about the national disgrace. He claims, "the president made a mistake when he took on Rush Limbaugh." Oh, really? The President's not trying to change the mind of the dittoheads; that would be like reanimating zombies and teaching them not to eat brains.
Limbaugh coined the term "Porkulus" for the stimulus package. Really, he was hoisting himself on his own petard. Who better fits the moniker, Porkulus, than the big, fat, drug-addicted pig himself? Porkulus, bend over and grab your ankles, as you're fond of saying, because we're comin' for ya!
In the meantime, tomorrow is shaping up to be a busy day. Meeting with Bonni and Stef in the morning, and SD Symphony with my parents that night. I'm looking forward to the fun! I don't get out as often as I'd like anymore, though I'm not as bad as my roommate, who stays inside his chamber 23/7. But then again, those noxious clouds of pungeant smoke emanating from under his door probably explain his lassitude.
I was watching Chris Matthews on MSNBC a while ago. What a grinning idiot. He's amused by Blago, and Rush Limbaugh, when he should be serious about the national disgrace. He claims, "the president made a mistake when he took on Rush Limbaugh." Oh, really? The President's not trying to change the mind of the dittoheads; that would be like reanimating zombies and teaching them not to eat brains.
Limbaugh coined the term "Porkulus" for the stimulus package. Really, he was hoisting himself on his own petard. Who better fits the moniker, Porkulus, than the big, fat, drug-addicted pig himself? Porkulus, bend over and grab your ankles, as you're fond of saying, because we're comin' for ya!
In the meantime, tomorrow is shaping up to be a busy day. Meeting with Bonni and Stef in the morning, and SD Symphony with my parents that night. I'm looking forward to the fun! I don't get out as often as I'd like anymore, though I'm not as bad as my roommate, who stays inside his chamber 23/7. But then again, those noxious clouds of pungeant smoke emanating from under his door probably explain his lassitude.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Stimulate This!
So, California is destined to receive $32 billion from the Obama stimulus package. A lot of the aid will go towards healthcare, especially our ailing Medicaid system (known as Medi-Cal in California). But, is our illustrious "governator" happy? Not at all. He believes "California should solve its own problems by ouselves." WTF?
In other words, the Shwartzy wants to take a meat axe to the state public heathcare system; it's always been a Republican wet-dream, to kill the poor off. Who needs the poor, the sick, the elderly anyway? In mythic Conan times, they would have just exposed the sick, given hemlock to the old, and driven the poor to be serfs on a noble's estate. Paradoxically, the people who decry evolution as "Darwinism" comprise the largest number of social Darwinists.
This reminds me of Mayor Sanders (of San Diego), another Republican do-nothing. He announced a few weeks ago that he doesn't want to spend any incoming federal infrastructure money on our new downtown library (which was postponed to build a ballpark for one of baseball's most inept teams) because "the rest of the money should come from private donors." Again, WTF? In a time when even millionaires are tightening their belts, where does Mayor Head-in-the-Sanders expect to discover a plethora of private donors?
People who voted for these morons should have their License to Vote revoked.
In other words, the Shwartzy wants to take a meat axe to the state public heathcare system; it's always been a Republican wet-dream, to kill the poor off. Who needs the poor, the sick, the elderly anyway? In mythic Conan times, they would have just exposed the sick, given hemlock to the old, and driven the poor to be serfs on a noble's estate. Paradoxically, the people who decry evolution as "Darwinism" comprise the largest number of social Darwinists.
This reminds me of Mayor Sanders (of San Diego), another Republican do-nothing. He announced a few weeks ago that he doesn't want to spend any incoming federal infrastructure money on our new downtown library (which was postponed to build a ballpark for one of baseball's most inept teams) because "the rest of the money should come from private donors." Again, WTF? In a time when even millionaires are tightening their belts, where does Mayor Head-in-the-Sanders expect to discover a plethora of private donors?
People who voted for these morons should have their License to Vote revoked.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Wind Chill Fascism
Well, it's 40 degrees outside, here in lovely Mira Mesa. For San Diego city, that's downright frigid. Although I'm a fan of cool weather, this temperature makes me glad to be inside my cozy apartment, drinking coffee, and reading the news. I expect to miss these nights soon enough--by the end of the week we'll be back to 80-degree Santa Ana winds. "Here come those Santa Ana winds again," Becker and Fagin once wrote.
Other than that, it's been a fairly craptacular day. It started off with the ventilator flashing "HW Fault," and Minda the nurse frantically trying to figure out what was wrong. The problem resolved after a call or three to the respiratory care people, who explained to her how to remove and vacuum out the small, rectangular filter on the side of the vent. These newer style vents, like my LTV 800, run a turbine that pushes air in and out of the circuit (tubing). They are basically a computer with a turbine attached, inside a box about the size of a laptop computer. And like any computer, they are prone to overheating if the fan ducts get clogged. Sigh...
Speaking of computers, my laptop computer is completely hosed for now. Harold evidently caught the "MS Antivirus" malware during one of his late-night porn junkets. Basically, it's a mechanical-electronic STD. Brad, my roommate, spent an hour trying to get an anti-malware program installed on the machine, but evidently the script that runs the malware is smart enough to intercept it and stop the installation. We'll keep trying, but I suspect a reformat and reinstall of Windows is in the works.
This is the second machine that Harold has bollixed up, in three years. I don't know what to do with him. He's almost proud of being computer-ignorant, and I sometims suspect he's got some passive-aggressive need to sabotage the computers. I only wish he'd take out his anger issues on someone else's machines! He screwed himself too, though, because his son's science project is on it, and the whole thing will have to be wiped, I'm pretty sure.
I did buy a neat little WD backup external drive on Saturday. Tonight I'll be backing up my desktop, which is crucial. If H. had waited one more week to screw things up, both the laptop and desktop would have been safeguarded.
Ah, well, what are friends for? Apparently to reinforce the need to counter righteous anger with bouts of Christian forgiveness.
Other than that, it's been a fairly craptacular day. It started off with the ventilator flashing "HW Fault," and Minda the nurse frantically trying to figure out what was wrong. The problem resolved after a call or three to the respiratory care people, who explained to her how to remove and vacuum out the small, rectangular filter on the side of the vent. These newer style vents, like my LTV 800, run a turbine that pushes air in and out of the circuit (tubing). They are basically a computer with a turbine attached, inside a box about the size of a laptop computer. And like any computer, they are prone to overheating if the fan ducts get clogged. Sigh...
Speaking of computers, my laptop computer is completely hosed for now. Harold evidently caught the "MS Antivirus" malware during one of his late-night porn junkets. Basically, it's a mechanical-electronic STD. Brad, my roommate, spent an hour trying to get an anti-malware program installed on the machine, but evidently the script that runs the malware is smart enough to intercept it and stop the installation. We'll keep trying, but I suspect a reformat and reinstall of Windows is in the works.
This is the second machine that Harold has bollixed up, in three years. I don't know what to do with him. He's almost proud of being computer-ignorant, and I sometims suspect he's got some passive-aggressive need to sabotage the computers. I only wish he'd take out his anger issues on someone else's machines! He screwed himself too, though, because his son's science project is on it, and the whole thing will have to be wiped, I'm pretty sure.
I did buy a neat little WD backup external drive on Saturday. Tonight I'll be backing up my desktop, which is crucial. If H. had waited one more week to screw things up, both the laptop and desktop would have been safeguarded.
Ah, well, what are friends for? Apparently to reinforce the need to counter righteous anger with bouts of Christian forgiveness.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Prosecute Bush!
At first, I was against the notion of prosecuting Bush administration officials for high crimes. I believed, as does President Obama, that we should look forward, not back, at that legal proceedings would merely give the wingnuts ammunition for vicious partisan attacks, as well as a bully pulpit to slam Democrats as "traitors".
However, as time has passed, and I see the president's efforts to accomodate the Republicans thrown back in his face (look at McCain's denunciation of the Stimulus Plan today, for example), I have concluded it's high time to draw blood (metaphorically speaking) in the ongoing struggle to retake America from the fascists and Christianists. Remember your words, Mr. President: "I won." Now is the time to act like we WON.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Medical Mystery Tour
Three things have been aggravating me about the world of medicine this week. First of all, I was supposed to go into Sharp Hospital's "Outpatient Pavilion" on Wednesday to have drainage tubes put in my ears.* Yes, it's the same little operation kids have all the time. When I was young, I never had ear infections, so my hearing has always been excellent, and I never needed tubes. However, after my 5-week ordeal, lying on my back in the hospital last summer and fall, I started having hearing problems, like I had cotton in both ears. I can still hear, but get to annoy everyone by blasting my 5.1 surround sound system through the apartment complex whenever Keith Olbermann engages in another diatribe against Bush.
So anyway, my surgeon from last summer recommended an ENT guy to "fix" my ears. After three visits, he resigned himself to having to operate to insert the tubes. Subsequent to scheduling the surgery at the "Pavilion" last week, I got a call today from the hospital's nurse telling me they can't accept me for outpatient surgery. Why? Because they require that outpatients be ambulatory. What the bloody hell? "Fire regulations," the friendly nurse, Dorothy, told me. "You have to be able to transfer yourself and walk in case of an emergency."
Does the above make any sense to you? How can any patient who's just been subject to anesthesia be expected to walk out of the hospital? Wheelchair or not, I feel this is descriminatory treatment, and I may call Protection and Advocacy tomorrow to see what their opinion says. Now I have to wait for a call from the ENT doc's nurse tomorrow, telling me when I have to go to the main hospital. They haven't informed me yet if I'll have to be admitted overnight, or if I can just drop by for a few hours. Whatever the case, I intend to ask for plenty of Dilaudid!
Meanwhile, I was talking over my medications today with Minda, one of my home care nurses. There was some confusion over how much Bactrim I should take each night, because the pill bottle from the pharmacy contradicts what the doctor told me. Well, I tried calling my urologist's office to get the issue straightened out, only to find out his number has been disconnected, "... and there is no new number." Evidently he retired last October, and neglected to inform me. Isn't there some kind of ethical problem here? Or am I just too demanding? What if I'd come down with a UTI and urgently needed my Cipro refilled? Finally, I called 411, and got connected to the doctor's old voice mail. A female operator robotically assured me I can obtain my medical records by sending a check for $20 to the doctor's PO box.
Now, maybe if I had been a brand-new patient, I could understand better the urologist's forgetting to inform me of his retirement, but I have been seeing this guy for 20 years. I always thought professionalism demanded that a doctor retiring would take on a new partner, and refer his old patients to the new guy, or at least find another guy to take the practice. Professionalism, like Chivalry, seems to be taking a dirt nap.
Then, lastly, my nurse was having a hissy fit because the meds on my chart don't always match exactly what I've been taking. The agency and the nurses treat me like a child. I apparently surrendered my right to consult a doctor on my own when I undertook home nursing care. Again, what the bloody HELL?
Years ago, I got an autographed copy of a Dr. Seuss book about being in the hospital. The elderly lady friend who gave me the book was an acquaintance of Ted Geisel. She confessed to me that Geisel had wanted to make the book a lot stronger, but was afraid of "what they'd do to him."
Why does "patient" have to equal "object," or "victim"? Stop with the reification already! I would like to do away with the term "patient" and just have it replaced by "client." A "patient," after all, is (based on the French root word) merely "one who waits." Doctors and nurses should wait on US; we should not be subservient to their convenience.
* Yes, "Pavilion." Doesn't that Newspeak sound so much better than "hospital," or "clinic"? It reminds me of the old Far Side cartoon, where the dog leaned his head out the car window and bragged to the cat on the sidewalk, "Haha! I'm going to the vet's to be tutored!"
So anyway, my surgeon from last summer recommended an ENT guy to "fix" my ears. After three visits, he resigned himself to having to operate to insert the tubes. Subsequent to scheduling the surgery at the "Pavilion" last week, I got a call today from the hospital's nurse telling me they can't accept me for outpatient surgery. Why? Because they require that outpatients be ambulatory. What the bloody hell? "Fire regulations," the friendly nurse, Dorothy, told me. "You have to be able to transfer yourself and walk in case of an emergency."
Does the above make any sense to you? How can any patient who's just been subject to anesthesia be expected to walk out of the hospital? Wheelchair or not, I feel this is descriminatory treatment, and I may call Protection and Advocacy tomorrow to see what their opinion says. Now I have to wait for a call from the ENT doc's nurse tomorrow, telling me when I have to go to the main hospital. They haven't informed me yet if I'll have to be admitted overnight, or if I can just drop by for a few hours. Whatever the case, I intend to ask for plenty of Dilaudid!
Meanwhile, I was talking over my medications today with Minda, one of my home care nurses. There was some confusion over how much Bactrim I should take each night, because the pill bottle from the pharmacy contradicts what the doctor told me. Well, I tried calling my urologist's office to get the issue straightened out, only to find out his number has been disconnected, "... and there is no new number." Evidently he retired last October, and neglected to inform me. Isn't there some kind of ethical problem here? Or am I just too demanding? What if I'd come down with a UTI and urgently needed my Cipro refilled? Finally, I called 411, and got connected to the doctor's old voice mail. A female operator robotically assured me I can obtain my medical records by sending a check for $20 to the doctor's PO box.
Now, maybe if I had been a brand-new patient, I could understand better the urologist's forgetting to inform me of his retirement, but I have been seeing this guy for 20 years. I always thought professionalism demanded that a doctor retiring would take on a new partner, and refer his old patients to the new guy, or at least find another guy to take the practice. Professionalism, like Chivalry, seems to be taking a dirt nap.
Then, lastly, my nurse was having a hissy fit because the meds on my chart don't always match exactly what I've been taking. The agency and the nurses treat me like a child. I apparently surrendered my right to consult a doctor on my own when I undertook home nursing care. Again, what the bloody HELL?
Years ago, I got an autographed copy of a Dr. Seuss book about being in the hospital. The elderly lady friend who gave me the book was an acquaintance of Ted Geisel. She confessed to me that Geisel had wanted to make the book a lot stronger, but was afraid of "what they'd do to him."
Why does "patient" have to equal "object," or "victim"? Stop with the reification already! I would like to do away with the term "patient" and just have it replaced by "client." A "patient," after all, is (based on the French root word) merely "one who waits." Doctors and nurses should wait on US; we should not be subservient to their convenience.
* Yes, "Pavilion." Doesn't that Newspeak sound so much better than "hospital," or "clinic"? It reminds me of the old Far Side cartoon, where the dog leaned his head out the car window and bragged to the cat on the sidewalk, "Haha! I'm going to the vet's to be tutored!"
Friday, January 02, 2009
Another Holiday Passes Us By
Christmas 2008 seemed fairly identical to that of the previous few years. We had dinner at my parents' house, followed by presents, all on Christmas Eve as we traditionally enjoy it. Dorene, Rich, and the boys werre there, as were Alicia, Tien, and their brood of boys. Dorene had two foster boys with us. One was named "Omar," and I can't remember the name of the second one.
My parents are always very generous, and give presents even to the foster kids, who change from Christmas to Christmas. As for myself, presents with a high cool factor were hard to come by. I did get a new red flannel night shirt, a Simpsons Calendar, and a couple of B&N gift cards. Yay! All these things were on my list, so I guess it's a prime example of "be careful what you ask for." ;)
The day after Christmas, Harold and I trundled off to the local Worst Buy. Once inside the store, I made a beeline to the video game section and purchased an XBox 360 Elite. The device comes with two free games, which I haven't even opened yet. I have spent some time playing the latest version of CoD, but don't feel competent enough yet to plunge into online play. I'd rather not look like a total noob!
Meanwhile, I've also played some WOW as Karnakk, my 55 Orc Hunter. I've been trying to get him to 55 so I can start a Death Knight character. Stay tuned! Yes, it's a game-playing time of year. :) The weather outside is cool, and Harold won't relinquish "his" van anyway. I had wanted to go with Corky to the Autoshow, but couldn't do it without transportation. Sigh...
On the other hand, my parents did come over for New Years Eve. My mom brought the new "Mamma Mia" DVD I had bought her for Christmas. Yikes! Gayest film I've ever seen... It makes "Brokeback Mountain" look like "Rooster Cogburn." But more on that later.
Happy New Year to all!
David
My parents are always very generous, and give presents even to the foster kids, who change from Christmas to Christmas. As for myself, presents with a high cool factor were hard to come by. I did get a new red flannel night shirt, a Simpsons Calendar, and a couple of B&N gift cards. Yay! All these things were on my list, so I guess it's a prime example of "be careful what you ask for." ;)
The day after Christmas, Harold and I trundled off to the local Worst Buy. Once inside the store, I made a beeline to the video game section and purchased an XBox 360 Elite. The device comes with two free games, which I haven't even opened yet. I have spent some time playing the latest version of CoD, but don't feel competent enough yet to plunge into online play. I'd rather not look like a total noob!
Meanwhile, I've also played some WOW as Karnakk, my 55 Orc Hunter. I've been trying to get him to 55 so I can start a Death Knight character. Stay tuned! Yes, it's a game-playing time of year. :) The weather outside is cool, and Harold won't relinquish "his" van anyway. I had wanted to go with Corky to the Autoshow, but couldn't do it without transportation. Sigh...
On the other hand, my parents did come over for New Years Eve. My mom brought the new "Mamma Mia" DVD I had bought her for Christmas. Yikes! Gayest film I've ever seen... It makes "Brokeback Mountain" look like "Rooster Cogburn." But more on that later.
Happy New Year to all!
David
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Bush Gets the Shoe!
Iraq's Funniest Home Videos. The Great Misunderestimator takes one for the team!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Boycott Alabama, and the Republican Traitors
I came across this article (see below) on the Web today. I'm glad to see average US citizens calling for action. These Southern Republican hypocrites want to let Detrot die, all the while lining their pockets with cash from Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. These crafty morons rail against government bailouts, failing to report that their own states have given billions in tax rebates and concessions to foreign automakers. They use key words like "free market," but these phrases consist of Orwellian rhetoric.
What they want to do is bust unions, cut benefits, and line the pockets of executives. Destroying the American auto industry is a means to an end. That end is the subjugation of all workers to the corporate state. And you know what corporate statism is? Fascism: the first things Hitler and Mussolini did were to bust unions and patronize the corporations.
The rich prey off the poor and the middle class, all the while plunging the average worker and consumer into a race to the bottom. It's time to stop the Wal-Martization of America. It's time to take our Republic back.
Throw the oligarchs and their publicly paid cronies in prison, like Putin did in Russia, then let's make them squeal and cough up their stolen money.
Local Man Calls For Boycott of Alabama
Huntington Woods (WWJ) -- Joe Babiasz says he's sick of the 'circus of the Senate hearings'--and he wants 49 states and the District of Columbia to boycott the state of Alabama. Why? The Huntington Woods man says he's tired of the criticism of the Big 3 by Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby.
So, he's set up a website to further his cause: www.boycottalabamanow.com
Babiasz, who retired from General Motors after 34 years, told WWJ his boycott is for "any travel into the state, or the purchase of anything that's produced within the state of Alabama."
"It is to show Senator Shelby what it's like when hard-working, innocent people are not helped in the system by the government. Senator Shelby has been the most vocal critic of the Big 3," he said.
Babiasz said he's standing behind the industry that gave him a career. "We build excellent products. We are as good or better than any Japanese or European product on a price-point basis. I'm very proud of that."
What they want to do is bust unions, cut benefits, and line the pockets of executives. Destroying the American auto industry is a means to an end. That end is the subjugation of all workers to the corporate state. And you know what corporate statism is? Fascism: the first things Hitler and Mussolini did were to bust unions and patronize the corporations.
The rich prey off the poor and the middle class, all the while plunging the average worker and consumer into a race to the bottom. It's time to stop the Wal-Martization of America. It's time to take our Republic back.
Throw the oligarchs and their publicly paid cronies in prison, like Putin did in Russia, then let's make them squeal and cough up their stolen money.
Local Man Calls For Boycott of Alabama
Huntington Woods (WWJ) -- Joe Babiasz says he's sick of the 'circus of the Senate hearings'--and he wants 49 states and the District of Columbia to boycott the state of Alabama. Why? The Huntington Woods man says he's tired of the criticism of the Big 3 by Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby.
So, he's set up a website to further his cause: www.boycottalabamanow.com
Babiasz, who retired from General Motors after 34 years, told WWJ his boycott is for "any travel into the state, or the purchase of anything that's produced within the state of Alabama."
"It is to show Senator Shelby what it's like when hard-working, innocent people are not helped in the system by the government. Senator Shelby has been the most vocal critic of the Big 3," he said.
Babiasz said he's standing behind the industry that gave him a career. "We build excellent products. We are as good or better than any Japanese or European product on a price-point basis. I'm very proud of that."
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