April, 2003 Week 4

Monday  April 21 , 2003

On April 21, 1910, author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, died in Redding, Conn.

We took Autumn to see the Orthopedic Dr. at Kaiser, we sat down in the waiting room at exactly 10:45 and were called in to see the Dr. at 1047... awesome. However (you knew there would be a 'however') he asked for some X-Rays... that took till 12:23, we have never seen a more inefficient operation than the X-Ray department in Orthopedics.

Doctor Kessler gave us a prescription for a DAFO for her right foot, another prescription to give to CCS so that she can get more therapy, and finally a letter to take to the school saying; "TWIMC; Autumn Daggett should be walking independently (Not with supports) at school."... Finally.

Tuesday  April 22, 2003

The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.

I took the kids to school and met Autumn's new aide Cindy, she seems nice, Autumn appears to know her. I talked to the principal and

This week's column from Margolis was pretty good. Like always folks agree or disagree depending on their preconceptions. Why I choose to lend credence to him over my own president is hard for me to explain. The discredited election that put him in office, his Texas Side-step style of dealing with the world, his inability to talk extemporaneously without parroting the same phrase over and over again. The Economy, BS economics that dictate using discredited Reaganomics policies of lowering taxes and spending money and increasing the debt cutting government support for schools, healthcare and support for the poor and disabled. I used to trust Powell but his credibility is now nonexistent, I am getting the distinct impression he is a front man for . I think we are like the dogs that finally caught the car, Afghanistan and Iraq are both tribal societies and there is no way a democracy is going to cause anything but anarchy, the only way I see to let the tribes govern themselves and give them their own territory to do it in. Hell... I have no idea. too many conflicts. Religious vs. Secular, Religious vs. Religious, Educated vs. uneducated, wealthy vs. poor... there is no unity there is only greed and quest for power and influence.

Wednesday  April 23, 2003

It's an unusual family that hath neither a lady of the evening or a thief.

From Maurine Dowd; NYTimes

Newt Gingrich, felt emboldened to slither back on stage with a proposal to eviscerate the State Department. After vowing to reshape the American character when he became speaker in '94, Mr. Gingrich ultimately faced ethics questions and criticism for having an extramarital affair with a young Congressional aide after pushing for Bill Clinton's impeachment over his extramarital affair with a young White House aide.

The man who once depicted himself as an "Arouser of Those who Form Civilization" stepped back yesterday into a clash of civilizations between the Pentagon and the State Department. In remarks at the Temple of Triumphalism here (the American Enterprise Institute), Mr. Gingrich denounced Colin Powell's domain as a "broken bureaucracy of red tape and excuses" and demanded it be "transformed," like Rummy's.

He attacked Mr. Powell for announcing that he would visit (rather than bomb) Damascus and for the prewar failure of diplomacy with Turkey — conveniently ignoring the fact that it was the Pentagon hawk Paul Wolfowitz who had tried and failed to talk turkey with Turkey.

***

Karl Rove has broken creative new ground in appalling political opportunism by pushing back the Republican National Convention in New York City to September 2004, the latest date for a convention in the party's history and only days away from you-know-when.

Mr. Rove envisions merging the Madison Square Garden party with the 9/11 anniversary commemorations into one big national security lollapalooza. Perhaps President Bush should just skip the pretense of the Garden and give his acceptance speech at ground zero.

***

Rick Santorum, the ... Pennsylvania senator who is No. 3 in the G.O.P., equated homosexuality with incest, bigamy and polygamy. "In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality," he told The A.P. "That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be."

Autumn goes to PT/OT tomorrow, that will be interesting. At least now we know what to ask for, Flexibility, strength and balance. Their job is to teach us exercises... I don't know what will happen but this time at least we have a plan. The last time they were asking us what we wanted them to do and, not being Physical Therapists, we had no clue.

Thursday  April 24, 2003

Well, art is art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water!

And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does.

Now, uh... Now you tell me what you know.

Groucho Marx

Autumn therapy assessment went OK, it was good to see Jamie again, the new OT therapist seems a little authoritarian but that's OK. The consensus seems to be that Autumn is a little too willful. She is hard to control and if she decides she doesn't want to participate woe be unto you if you can't accept that. I can't reprimand her, she's too precious to me. I will not interfere when someone decides to be more stubborn than she is even when they get upset with her. I can, as the DAD, dictate how she is to be treated but I consciously stay out of it. Autumn needs to know how to deal with all personality types. She needs to understand that she is only "special" if people want to be around her.  (Date on my camera is wrong)

Bush is punishing the countries that failed to support him in his "War"...  Chile, Mexico and Canada being the main ones, not to mention France, Germany, and the rest of the non-aligned supporters of reason and caution. Pissing off your neighbors isn't a good idea for an individual or for a country. Petulance and Spitefulness are not traits I admire in a President.

Of course with this president I think I have to agree with Jerry, I have almost closed my mind to him, I distrust him, I look for ulterior motives in every move he makes and every word he says. Nothing he has done or said has done anything to improve America or the world situation.

If the world formed a coalition against us and decided not to trade with us any more... what would happen. How long would we last? Oil, Steel, shoes, clothing, cars, toys, electronics... the list is virtually endless. We don't make stuff here any more, we can't afford the products we do make because the cost of producing them is too high. What would we have to pay a "real" American to pick strawberries and oranges, buss tables, where would we find a "real" American to glue our tennis shoes together for $.62 cents a day... what would gasoline cost if we had to rely on our own resources?

Business can't stay in business if they piss off their suppliers. Businesses can't stay in business if they renege on their commitments, either can countries, even if they are Superpowers.

I don't believe America is the apple of God's eye, I don't think we are special, I don't think we, as a people, are deserving of privileges we deny to others.

We are all aliens, we all came here from somewhere else.

There is no such thing as an insignificant human being, all of those "acceptable military casualties' and all of the 'collateral damage' from Bush's Wars had names and mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters, Aunts and Uncles and Cousins...

Sorry, I shouldn't preach I guess, seems like I should spell out for posterity what I believe though... not that anyone gives a damn.

Friday  April 25, 2003

Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one’s thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. That, of all rights, is the dread of tyrants. It is the right which they first of all strike down. They know its power. Thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, founded in injustice and wrong, are sure to tremble, if men are allowed to reason… There can be no right of speech where any man…[is] compelled to suppress his honest sentiments. Equally clear is the right to hear. To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.

Frederick DOUGLASS In famous plea for free speech in Boston 1860 American abolitionist, author, orator (1817-1895)

I got to thinking about Photography and how much I like to take pictures. I know that to some folks  photography as an art form and the other end of the spectrum being a lazy mans method of keeping records. Pictures are memories to me, I love to take 'arty' pictures too and for the most part I am pretty proud of my pictures, I would hate to have someone pass judgment on them though. Pictures, like most things I value, I wish I had more, and I wish I had gotten fanatical about taking pictures years ago. Wish I had kept in touch with my cousins and I wish I had talked to my grandparents more...and I wish I had realized what a wonderful hobby Genealogy was.

I got into Genealogy about 25 years ago and for the life of me I can't understand why folks have to turn it into a religion. I love it, it is a passion and the best hobby in the world for me. I was reading the  'Letters to the editor' on RootsWeb and got a little disconcerted by folks who were complaining about one thing after another and I just don't 'get' it. Official Sources - Capitalized SURNAMES - improperly documented data - Stolen 'work' - uncredited sources, and on and on. I understand that there are folks who make a living at genealogy, professional, hard-core dyed in the wool Genealogists. What they seem to have a hard time with is that they are outnumbered about 10,000 to 1 by us wannabe's. Most of us are just folks with a passion to connect up with their ancestors. I would like to have the time, expertise, and where-with-all to polish the apple on every one of the people in my database... but I don't. If you don't like my methods or look down you noses at how unprofessional I am please keep your comments to yourself. No matter how much some folks want to lecture, make rules and standards and point fingers, To 98% of us it's just a hobby, it's not regulated by law, no one's gonna die if you get a date wrong, and you can't go to jail if you make a mistake. Sorry, genealogy is fun, it isn't work. Not to me I have tried to write to this list about being more supportive and inclusive but no matter what I say or how I say it, it seems I generate as much hate mail as kudos. I love the support, but hate mail spoils my day. Making rules and passing judgment on someone else's life's work and passion is just cruel and petty.

.... And as to the other discussion, personally, I think capitalizing SURNAMES is aesthetically unappealing. So shoot me...

I was writing to a friend this morning about writing an autobiography and decided that I wanted to share it here:

...and… lest I come of as some sort of truth-purist, ‘qualms’ edit every word I write. I am stupidly frank about my life but I am very protective about those around me. My Journal and my bio are both riddled with lapses in candor and instances of selective amnesia. My Navy career, for example, is a blur because I was drunk most of the time and my first marriage ended badly and, as much as I would like to pretend otherwise, it wasn’t all her fault. All of us have aspects of our lives that we are ashamed of, things we have said and done that we wish we could do over. There is a part of me that would like to be able to purge myself of all of that crap but my self-image and what’s left of my ego are too fragile to ever let that happen. I know that there are secrets I will keep to the grave.  Though, the older I get the less inhibited I become… if I live long enough there may be no secrets left.

My Journal is beginning to make me a little uncomfortable… folks have tried to use to my Web to my detriment twice now. Luckily, though I may not tell the whole truth, everything I do write is accurate and honest. A few of my conservative friends have attacked my political views and I have been prayed for and lectured because of my lack of religious commitment… but I actually find those aspects of it to be a perk.

Christy is really upset after a visit with an elderly friend. She wanted to help her with her grand daughter... but a judge in Lancaster has placed the kid back with a heroin addicted, child-molesting father and a drug addict mother who has had 5 children and had every one taken away from her. Judges... some Judges are so wrapped up in their own biases and preconceptions that they should be relieved of their jobs. Sitting behind that bench must do a number on egos. This Judge was adopted and had a bad experience so he therefore deems all proposed placements other than "Family Reunification" to be abhorrent. I hate hearing about this stuff. Part of the process of becoming a Foster Parent was signing an oath that you are now a "Mandatory Reporter". If it can be proved or even if we are accused of having prior knowledge of a child in danger then we can lose our license or even go to jail. I told Christy to contact Children's Services and file an official report...

MUSIC SOLUTION:

Ole bought Lena a piano for her birthday.

A few weeks later, Lars inquired, "How's she doing vit it."

"Oh," said Ole, "I persvaded her to svitch to a clarinet."

"How come" asked Lars?

"Vell," Ole answered, "because vit a clarinet, she can't sing along."

Mike went to Marks, Christian went to Shon's I went to see a movie with "B" called "Identity" fun (but scary) movie, lots of twists and turns, nothing in the movie made sense until the end, then you spend a few seconds "Well I'll be damned. It all makes perfect sense now."

Saturday  April 26, 2003

I do not wish to treat friendships daintily, but with the roughest courage. When they are real, they are not glass threads or frost-work, but the solidest thing we know

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I went out and bought a Weed-Whacker, Mike broke the old one, It has a 4-Stroke engine, pretty powerful and works pretty good too, about a pound heavier though, that pounds is significant after an hour or so. I was going to do a lot of stuff today but I got to whacking weeds and the day went to hell.

Got to listening to Rumsfeld today and I came up with the line. "If you can't respect my opinion at least pretend to respect my right to have an opinion."

I saw this on one of my Joke lists:

So I decided to rewrite the same joke from another perspective:

Understanding the tax cut

If you don't understand the Republicans' version of tax cuts (and you are not alone), this will help explain it for you:  

50,000 people go to a baseball game, but the game was rained out.  A refund was then due.  

The team was about to mail refunds when the Congressional Republicans stopped them and suggested that they send out refund amounts based on the Republican National Committee's interpretation of fairness.  After all, if the refunds were made based on the price each person paid for the tickets, all of the money would go to the ticket holders.  That would violate the fundamental precepts of the party.  

The GOP plan says:  

People in the $10 seats will get back $0, because they are inconsequential because they have no power base. They should take it in the shorts because they are inferior, besides they can’t fight back. 

People in the $25 seats will get back $12.50, because that's only fair. It’s more than the ‘Inferior’ people got and as long as they get more than them they will grumble a little but ultimately they will be content. 

People in the $50 seats will get back $50, because they keep us in power, if we don’t keep them mollified they may start going to Soccer games.   

People in the luxury suites will split the rest of the gate, because, after all, they own the place and that gives them the right to do what ever they want to do. 

Of course the people driving by the stadium who couldn't care less about baseball will all have to chip in $5. to pay for a roof for the stadium so this sort of thing doesn’t happen again.

Now do you understand?  If not, contact President George Walker Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney or any Republican Senator for assistance.

That was fun....

Sunday  April 27, 2003

I took the kids to see "Holes", it's a wonderful movie, a well acted creatively directed, very articulate, cliché free, fun movie to watch. Kids and I worked on the hill in front of the house, we have to make it presentable to the fire department,

Police setting up "Free Speech Areas" for protestors, out of view of the the people (President, Colin Powell, Rumsfeld etc) being protested makes me upset. They say that it's because they are concerned for the safety of the celebrities,  but as long as you're not carrying a sign you can go up and shake hands, they are not protecting the president from harm, the reality is that what they are doing manipulating the media, denying visible proof that there is legitimate dissent in this country. Dissenters are being denied the right to protest. And, doesn't the concept behind "Free Speech Areas" strike anyone as being repressive and un-American not to mention Un-Constitutional, I was under the impression that the area between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean was a Free Speech Area. George Orwell might have written that law for "1984", the idea of suppressing freedom of speech by forcing dissenters into confines where they can't be seen would have appealed to him.

It also occurs to me that "1984" springs to mind quite frequently when I think about the Bush Regime. We have anti-war anti Bush protestors in jail but no one from ENRON or Atlantic Crossing or Anderson Accounting has even been to trial. We are holding thousands of Taliban Soldiers in stalags outside the country against the Geneva Conventions. Bush as promised support and withdrawn it over and over again, his administration is full of backpedaling and broken promises... the bottom line is do you want to live in an America that will lead by fear, aggression and force of arms or by diplomacy, moderation and example. Those are real camps in this country... All the labels are really irrelevant aren't they, Liberal, Conservative, Republican, Democrat, War Monger, Peacenik... it all boils down to, do you buy into George's Crusade or do you think that civilization needs to abandon War as a political tool.