Ultranormal

  • Ubuntu Is Snazzy

    Since I don’t have the mental capacity at the moment to concentrate on anything for more than fifteen minutes, I decided to try out Ubuntu, a “linux for the rest of us” distro that actually lives up to the hype. Install was insanely easy, even though it did take too much of the hard drive for itself (which was easily fixed with Partition Magic). The install was quick as OS installs go, the bootloader found everything it was supposed to and the usually problematic things weren’t. You know, the usual:

    • wireless
    • video adapter/monitor/refresh settings
    • mouse
    • sound\
      Nope, none of those were a problem at all. It’s been awhile since I’ve used a linux distro for more than command line stuff (X on my Fedora box doesn’t even work anymore – stupid NVIDIA card) and running webservers. I’ve missed a lot of new stuff!\
      For example, I’m posting this using Drivel, a journal client for GNOME. It’s simple, but it works (so far).\
      I tried using Blam!, but it exploded with the 330 feeds in my blogroll. maybe I should have started smaller.\
      Overall, Ubuntu feels like the perfect linux distro for folks who’ve always wanted to try linux but were too afraid to try. So far everything just works, and the install couldn’t be easier. So, don’t chicken out, get up with Ubuntu right now. Really.

  • Note To Self

    Falling down hurts. Falling down hurts even worse when you’re on crutches and have a bum foot.\
    I wish I could sleep.\
    I wish this pain pill would kick in.\
    That is all.

  • Hee.

    Nobody commented on my inadvertent description of Kevin’s green pussy in the ‘life update’ post? Tough room.

  • Max and Brian stats

    As of today:\
    Maxwell, age 6 yrs, is 48 1/2 inches tall and 53 lbs.\
    Brian, age 18 mos, is 35 inches tall and 30 1/2 lbs.\
    All of these stats are at or above the 90th %. No wonder my back hurts.

  • Write Your Senator, Congressman and The President

    Sent to John Warner:\
    Dear Senator Warner,\
    Even though I’m in the “other” party, I’ve always respected you as a moderate and as a man of reason. It is with that sense of respect that I e-mail you today, requesting your help.\
    It has come out in recent weeks that not only have our armed services used white phosphorus on the battlefield: a horrific munition, but we’ve set up “black site” secret prisons where we torture terrorism suspects.\
    Torture is against US law (see: Report of the United States to the UN Committee against Torture, October 15, 1999, UN Doc. CAT/C/28/Add.5, February 9, 2000, para. 6.). It seems that on more than one occasion, that law has been broken, commands given at the highest levels of the Executive branch. There is no exemption, no provision for exigent circumstances (see the above reference).\
    I’m the son of a twenty-three year Air Force veteran, and I grew up under the threat of terrorist attack while we were stationed in Germany in the early eighties. I grew up afraid of the Russians. I am proud to be an American, but today, I am ashamed.\
    I’m ashamed that our government has fallen so low as to endorse, and try to redefine torture and rationalize it away in the name of national security. I wonder where the outrage is, and why no one in a position of authority has been held accountable.\
    Our own Vice President has lobbied the Senate to exempt the CIA from torture, and although our own President said this week that “we don’t do torture”, no one believes him.\
    If we can impeach Bill Clinton for lying about an affair with an intern, where are the articles of impeachment for Dick Cheney, who obviously condones torture?\
    Your own leadership wants to investigate who leaked the existence of the “black sites”, but not the black sites themselves. I hope you can help. This is an abomination and a black mark on our country. We’re the land of the free and the home of the brave. Torture should be beyond the pale.\
    Thank you for your time,\
    Kevin Lawver

  • No Excuses, No Rationalization

    Torture is prohibited by law throughout the United States. It is categorically denounced as a matter of policy and as a tool of state authority. Every act constituting torture under the Convention constitutes a criminal offense under the law of the United States. No official of the government, federal, state or local, civilian or military, is authorized to commit or to instruct anyone else to commit torture. Nor may any official condone or tolerate torture in any form. No exceptional circumstances may be invoked as a justification of torture. US law contains no provision permitting otherwise prohibited acts of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to be employed on grounds of exigent circumstances (for example, during a state of public emergency) or on orders from a superior officer or public authority, and the protective mechanisms of an independent judiciary are not subject to suspension. (Report of the United States to the UN Committee against Torture, October 15, 1999, UN Doc. CAT/C/28/Add.5, February 9, 2000, para. 6.)\
    With today’s revelations about white phosphorus, and the continued revelations about “black sites” and Cheney’s continued lobbying for torture exemptions, it’s high time someone goes to jail.\
    I’ve never been more disappointed in my country. I was embarrassed by the Lewinsky thing, because I saw it as a case of sexual harassment. I thought impeachment was the right thing to do, because there was obvious wrong-doing and a crime was committed (even if it wasn’t the one they charged him with). But this? THIS?!\
    There is no excuse. There is no rationalization. There is no way to cover this up or make it go away. Our government has committed atrocities in the name of “freedom” and put a huge bloody mark on our flag that may never go away. It’s time for people to stand up and say “no more”. Write your congressman, write your senator, write the President. This has to stop, and those responsible have to be held accountable.\
    bq. US law contains no provision permitting otherwise prohibited acts of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to be employed on grounds of exigent circumstances (for example, during a state of public emergency) or on orders from a superior officer or public authority, and the protective mechanisms of an independent judiciary are not subject to suspension.\
    It’s already the law, and we’ve already broken it. In the past, we’ve gotten exemptions for US soldiers and military leaders from international courts, but you know what, this is a case where it may be justified to turn Bush, Cheney and anyone else who endorsed and passed down the pro-torture rules, over to the Hague. It’s not the soldiers’ fault, it’s their commanders.\
    This makes me think of Abu Ghraib. Since we now know that torture was a part of the policy, what does that mean for Lyndie England and the other enlisted soldiers who were found guilty? Why hasn’t anyone in a position of authority been held responsible?\
    We’re supposed to be better than this. We’re supposed to be land of the free, home of the brave, not the land of the war criminal, home of the torturer. We can’t spread freedom if we’re also spreading torture, death and oppression. They’re mutually exclusive. You can’t build a democracy from the scorched bones of women and children. You can’t wipe away the stain of secret torture prisons without someone paying the price for it.

  • Life update

    My longest post ever-\
    Kevin’s doctor was about to receive the doctor of year award from us, when two bad things almost happened. Before surgery, the nurse came in to review K’s case. Then the anesthesiologist came in to review K’s case. K reminded them that he is allergic to penicillan and sulpha. Then the dr came in. His normal MO is to give antiobiotics during the surgery and a prescription to take home for the recovery period, just to be safe. The dr handed me the scripts, and by this point K ws getting loopy because of his first narcotic, so I double checked with the dr that neither of the scripts would react badly with what the anesthesiologist already gave K or with his allergy. The dr looked at K’s chart and it said, “No allergies.” Huh? Well, good thing I was there. The dr decided to skip the second antibiotics since it was precautionary and most antibiotics involve either penicillan or sulpha. By the 2nd follow up, K had developed a “bacterial contamination” and he was sent home with a script. The incision was bloody and green pussy. Gross. Too bad K didn’t have has camera with him this time. So, I went to fill the script and double checked with the pharmacist about K’s allergies. She said that the antiobiotic had two ingredients, one of which was penicillan. We talked about it a bit, what his reaction may be like, etc. She asked if I still wanted it. And I said yes. (Now I know that I misunderstood what she was telling me. But oh well.) I came home and told K. He said that at the dr appointement, the dr made sure that he was allergic to sulpha but never mentioned penicillan and I wasn’t there to double check, drat. So, the next day K called the dr and we got the correct scrpit this time. But I am out my \$20 co pay for the penicillan.\
    Max, had his PALS assessment at kindergarten where the teacher attempts to predict how well/easily he will learn to read. Which is totally a moot point, because he is already reading. He brings home library books from the 4th grade level, but can probably read at an 8th grade level. (BTW, he is self-taught. I claim no success in this, because I didn’t “teach” him to read.) Anyway, during the fall of kindergarten, the teacher hopes that students get a 28. My son scored a 94. She also gave him an improptu math test. He did really well and only missed 2×3=? He knew it was a multiplication problem, but didn’t know how to do it. I think it is because the way it was presented. If you ask him verbally,”What are three twos?” he’ll say “six.” He is the brightest in the class and his teacher makes a seperate lesson plan for him and two others. She said it is really unusual to have three kids so bright in one class. But this is a good thing, cuz they have a peer group and can work together. She also asked the gifted teacher to spend extra time with Max. So, yay!\
    Brian was assessed today by the county to see if he qualified for walking therapy. (He was barely walking at 16 months- like only 1 or 2 steps at a time, which is unusual.) He recently had a burst of ability and is not eligible, meaning he is not delayed by 25% or more. So that is good. He is delayed some, but he is on his way. He is also delayed in the speech area. If he isn’t speaking a few words by New Year, I should have him reevaluated. But today, he signed “more” to the therapist, so I feel really validated in my signing efforts. The therapist also said that he is very bright and charming and can communicate, he just doesn’t use spoken words. Max literally could only say “wow” and “uh oh” by his second birthday. He was reading before speaking. How weird is that? (And I know he was reading this early because he would sit at the computer and type words.) We put him in speech therapy and within 4 months, he was where he was supposed to be. So, I am not worried about Brian being a slow speaker. And honestly, Brian’s silence is kind of nice after seeing how chatty cousin Samantha is.\
    As for me, I am getting ready for the Hawaii trip. I need to buy stuff for the 15 hour trip and accessories for when we get there (like video tapes). I need to pack clothes and other stuff. I need to wash some of the stuff I want to pack. I would like to clean up the house so it is clean when I get home. I need to prep the house so Kevin can survive. I feel like I have a million small things to do, yet I only get a few things done each day. Ack, time is running out. And on a totally selfish note: I am tired of Kevin being limpy and the kids are driving me crazy.\
    Hey, good news. The new Dulles area middle school was approved in yesterday’s election. That is the school that Max will go to, if it is built in time. I meant to bug the in-laws about voting for it, but it passed even without me bugging them. So yay!\
    And my new favorite phrase: Don’t you blame me. Don’t you dare blame me! (For those not in the know, it’s from a tv show.)

  • Virginia is For Winners!

    Huge congratulations are in order for Tim Kaine, who won the Virginia governor’s office convincingly. But, more important to Loudoun county, ~~both Bruce Roemmelt and~~ Dave Poisson won!!! I don’t know what this means for trends, or projections for 2006, but a big thank you to the Loudoun County Democrats. I’m sorry I couldn’t help more this time. I should be all healed and ready to go in ’06!!!\
    I feel bad that Creigh Deeds lost. I really liked his platform and his ads were positive and heartfelt. I hope he runs again for something in ’06.\
    UPDATE – In my drug-induced haze, it looks like I spoke too soon and Bruce actually lost. Sorry, Bruce!!!\
    UPDATE #2 – The Attorney General’s race is really really close and there will probably be a recount. Right now, the Republican is up by .08%, but I’m not sure absentee’s have been counted, and I’m pretty sure there will be a recount. We’ll see what happens…

  • Probing The Wrong End

    GOP leaders urge leak probe into secret prisons report\
    I would think that whoever leaked the information would be covered under the whistle blower law. The tactic is illegal, and they’ve uncovered illegal activity. Classified or not, the leaker should be given a medal, not investigated.\
    Again, the GOP has it backwards:

    • The crime is the torture, not pointing out the torture.
    • Outsourcing torture is worse than doing it ourselves. It’s a cowardly act.
    • The traitor is the one who drags our country’s reputation through the mud, not the one who points it out.
    • The traitor is the one who ignores treaties and established international law when it suits their narrow purpose.
    • The liar is the one who said no one in the White House was involved in the leak when they knew they were, not the one who revealed the lie.
    • The patriot wants us to live up to our ideals, not throw them away at the drop of a hat.
    • The patriot points out failure in the hope of fixing them, doesn’t cover them up hoping to save face.
    • The hero does the right thing even though it’s hard, not the expedient thing because it’s the easy choice.\
      The moderates in the GOP that I truly respect: McCain, Hagel, Snowe, Warner and others, are not in control. The crazy cold and culture warriors are driving the ship of state into the rocks, and it’s time for the sane members of the party to do something about it. McCain’s push for the anti-torture legislation, which shouldn’t even be needed because torture is already illegal has revealed the cracks in the Administration’s armor. “We don’t torture, but we want exemptions in case we do… you know, torture.” is not going to fly, because the memos written by the Administrations lawyers redefining torture and dismissing those same laws and treaties are already out there.\
      The problem, Mr. President, is that we don’t trust you any more. We were willing to give you the benefit of the doubt after 9/11, but no longer. You’ve lied and failed too many times for us to believe anything you say. You saying “We don’t do torture” has no value after “I’ll fire anyone involved in the leaking of classified information”, and “We know right where the weapons of mass destruction are”. You’re going to have to give us more proof than a smirk and a wink. Stop the obstruction and give us some real proof..

  • Contamination

    I have bacterial contamination!! No, it’s not an infection, it’s “contamination”. Well, that’s what Dr. Wilson says, and boy is it pretty. Lucky for you, I forgot to bring the camera. Stupid, stupid, stupid! The green discharge around the bloody staples, bruises and redness was impressive. I get to take a really good antibiotic for a while to make sure it doesn’t turn into staph, and keep my foot elevated for another week (although the bandage is getting progressively smaller).\
    In other news, my sleep schedule is completely out of whack, thanks to the pain pills. I usually sleep from 5:30pm-6:30pm, sometimes until 8. Then, from 3:30pm-7pm when everyone else gets up. Sometimes, it’s much later, like today, I slept from 4am until almost noon.\
    It’s really weird to be awake in the middle of the night. The feeds all go to sleep and nothing gets updated except Flickr.\
    Sorry I forgot my camera… it was really impressive. It’s naptime!