Okay, this is gonna be about Terri Schiavo. So if that bugs you, click on.

In brief: The poor woman collapsed in 1990, oxygen was cut off to her brain for five minutes. This caused permanent brain damage. Her husband was appointed legal guardian. Over the years, her parents and her husband start to disagree with each other as to her care, and whether or not her feeding tube should be removed. Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband, wants to remove the feeding tube. Terri's parents do not. They take the issue to court, and every single judge who hears the case reaffirms her husband as legal guardian. Along the way the case is presented to the US Supreme Court, and they say they're not going to hear the case, which means they think the judges in Florida were right.

As recently as 2001, according to CNN, she was awake and responsive, but severely brain damaged. In 2002 she was judged by medical experts to be in a permanent vegetative state, which basically means she's never going to wake up again. This well-written blog entry (http://tinyurl.com/4l8br) says that the majority of Terri Schiavo's brain has been replaced by spinal fluid, which means it is impossible for her to ever wake up again. She is essentially a shell, a body that can breath and pump blood, but can do nothing else.

So, then comes Congress. I'm gonna try not to go into the Constitutional issues here, suffice to say that they exist, and that this has never been done before, and opens the door to a Pandora's box of letting the federal government stick their nose into the family business of every family in America. No, I'm gonna talk a little about why the Conservatives in Congress have done themselves and their party a disservice. As a liberal/moderate (for the record, I'm mostly libertarian) I want to say thank you to the conservatives for dividing their party. See, before all this happened, the religious members of the Republican party were happy being Pro-Life. But now they must face the reality that being Pro-Life is more than being Anti-Abortion. If you're Pro-Life, and you say that the shell of Terri Schiavo should be kept alive by artificial means because God values that shell, even though he didn't give her any way to sustain herself on her own, you have to say that in a similar situation, YOU would have to stay alive, too. See, the concept of a Living Will doesn't apply to someone who is truly Pro-Life. By voluntarily giving up on life, you're defying God's will.

Thank you, conservatives in Congress for making this clear to all of us. Because that's what you did. You introduced doubt. There are a large number of people out there who claim to be Pro-Life, but they balk at the idea of being kept alive themselves in a situation like Terri Schiavo's. The contradiction in their own belief system is made clear: I'll interfere with the lives of others in order to maintain my religious principles, but I won't apply them to myself.

Oh, just so it's clear: If you're Pro-Life, it's a sin to have a Living Will that says if your brain turns to liquid you should be allowed to die. If you're Pro-Life, and agree with Congress in this, you believe that the federal government can come into YOUR hospital room and keep you alive against your will, or the will of your spouse.

Hmmm... this blog turned into something different than I'd intended it to be. I thought I'd write about how disgusting it was to see politicians defaming Michael Schiavo for "taking a common-law wife and having children out of wedlock". (Duh, that's because he refuses to divorce his invalid wife and walk away from the problem.) First, that politicians would be judging anyone based on perceived infidelity is the height of hypocrisy. But they actually called him selfish because, even though they said he had every avenue to walk away scott free from his wife, he refused to do so. Honestly, I can think of no reason for him to continue to fight this fight except that he really believes that he's trying to carry out the wishes of his wife. And he's dragged through the mud for it, and for heaven's sake, by Tom DeLay of all people.

There are interesting articles all over the place as to the consequences of Congress taking this step. Google "Terri Schiavo" and you'll see how the Republicans have opened up a messy, wriggling can of worms that they won't easily shut, and that they'll likely regret next time the Democrats get into power. But at this moment the interesting thing to me is how, when they were obviously trying to make political hay without really getting into the abortion issue (Terri Schiavo's parents were escorted around Washington DC this week by famous Pro-Lifer Randall Terry.) they actually managed to raise doubts among their own constituencies as to their moral conviction.

Oh, and if you're a true religious conservative, you should be angry. You've been used. What the Schiavo case means is that the Republicans in power can now claim to have fought for "life", but they don't have to actually do anything more about the far more divisive, and opposition inspiring, issue of abortion itself. And it's possible that by making sure that the legal spouse has guardianship, and that guardianship is now supported by case law at the federal appeals level, when the same sort of issue comes around and both partners are the same gender, they've actually advanced the cause of gay rights.

Conservatives in Congress and George W. Bush, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, for you absolute lack of forethought. I'm really mad about the can of worms, mind you, but my being mad at you is nothing new. Being grateful, that's one to note for the ages.

I'd love to hear the thoughts of others on this.

Current Mood: artistic
Current Music: the rain on the tin roof

I've been sick for about a week now. Am still sick, in fact, though I'm better. Today was up and down, I can breath better and my lungs are clearing, but right now I've got an icky headache.

So earlier today, when I was feeling better, Rob and I were out and about. In a parking lot we saw a van with one of those license plates that read, "Know Jesus, Know Peace" on the top and "No Jesus, No Peace" on the bottom.

I'd never thought of that as a threat before.

But it is, these days, isn't it? Not just within our own country, where the religious fundies want to tell everyone else how to live, but in the rest of the world, too. We don't talk much about it, though it's hardly veiled, it seems we're fighting what many see as a holy war. And I think people on both sides view it that way. Oh, one side may say its the Americans against the terrorists, but really, don't they mean Christian Americans against the Muslims?

Ugh.

I see it more as our religious fanatics against theirs, with no winner in sight and a world full of loss.

I've spent the last week watching an inordinate amount of TV. I've discovered channels where old educational programming goes to avoid death. Who knew there was a Military History Channel? (We used to joke about the War Channel, now it's here.) You'd think the National Geographic Channel would be full of really cool stuff, or at least nostalgic Marlon Perkins, but we get all the 'c' level stuff like "Hitler and the Occult." (Which had me drawing parallels between Germany 1933 and our current time here in America. Hitler had people swear allegience to him, not just Germany. That's what GW does, you know.)

Ugh. My head hurts, and I feel icky. I think I'm rambling.

Nytol.
-H

Current Mood: nauseated
Current Music: computer fans

Okay, so my sis got started on this thing, and I'm seeing if it works for me. My gleee:

1. Rob and I went to the gym tonight. I did cardio (500 calories burned) and some small bit of muscle building. Feel energized. (Of course, it's 11:57pm, and I'm *energized*)

2. Gave both dogs very good scratches.

3. Got some work done. Will be able to use said work in comparison of new version of software vs. old when new software arrives (hopefully) early next week.

4. Bought birthday presents from Amazon for CA niece and nephew. Shop, no drive. Free shipping. I dig that.

5. Am updating lj. Friends tell me this is good.

Hmmm... after doing that I think I feel like a lazy person who sits around the house all day and plays with her dogs. (Really, that's not terribly inaccurate.) I work at the same computer that I play at, and can stay at home for several days in a row if there's enough human and dog food in the house.

Must be more productive.

This gleee thing doesn't seem to work for me.

Y'know what makes me happy? My dogs. The one whose picture you see next to this entry, his name's Foley, and he is the happiest creature on earth, and he likes to share. If you walk in his general direction, he wags his tail and looks at you. If you talk to him, touch him, say his name, say any of the words 'would' 'you' 'like' 'to' 'go' or 'walk' in any conversation he hears, look in his direction, or have food, he wags his tail. If he particularly wants to be petted, he'll stand near you and wag his tail. If you don't respond quickly, he might get terribly insistent and very, very gently touch his nose to your leg or arm or hand. If he wants something he always finds a way to ask gently, a quiet scratch at the bedroom door, an almost inaudible whimper. Foley is a dog owner's dream. And he smiles, big, huge, panting smiles, with his nose up and looking at you with a look of complete fulfillment. I'll be working and he'll be near, and sometimes he'll just sigh, and even his sighs sound happy.

So maybe gleee isn't my thing. I'm incredibly lucky. I have Foley.

Current Mood: Wheee!!!
Current Music: I've got a motive in my head, and it's only 3 notes long...

I'm posting again. Sorry for the long absence.

Has anyone else noticed the emergence of a new term online? "Reality based voter." Says a lot, huh?

Y'know, I was angry, disappointed, hurt. Our team lost. I felt abandoned by all reason, things didn't make sense. This was not how it was supposed to be. It will now be a long wait until the next contest, dark days from now till then. We'll struggle with change, both expected and unexpected. We'll try and negotiate our way through...

Up until that last line I bet you thought I was talking about the election. But we all know that the Shrub doesn't negotiate, especially with those who pay attention to reality.

No, I was talking about the Cubs season, and their disappointing last week or so. After gaining the lead in Wild Card race they ended the season going 2-7, helping the Astros get to the postseason. My dad and I even spent time in Chicago watching them lose. Paid for plane tickets and a hotel room, too, hoping to see some glorious wins that might carry them to a National League Pennant.

I cried, I tried to understand how we could be so let down. I did everything to put things in a good light. It didn't work. I was miserable, wallowing in defeat and depression.

Then came the election.

Now I prefer to think about the Cubs. It gives me more hope than thinking about the country. I figure the Cubs'll win a World Series before we get out of the bigger national and international mess these crusaders have gotten us into.

For those who want to laugh, here's a very mean spirited way to do so.
http://www.felbers.net/mt/archives/000945.html
(Much thanks to Aquila for that one.)

I'm bitter enough to have entertained thoughts of memorizing the monologue and using it at the next Xena con.

Phooey on the fundies.

The good news for all us reality based voters: in the long run social progressives always win. Slavery, suffrage, civil rights... eventually we'll have equality for gays in our nation, even if the fundies have to be dragged along kicking and screaming against adhering to their own principles. Eventually the truth will come out, and even the most deluded will have to admit that when most of the people we kill in Iraq are women and children, we're not exactly making progress against terrorism.

The bad news is that we're at war with a nation who was no threat to us, and we're likely to attack either Syria or Iran in the next two years, thus creating not only hundreds of thousands more innocent victims in the middle east, but requiring a draft. Rob and I have no children, but we've got 9 nieces and nephews who we'd like to see reach the ripe old age of at least 30 or 40, preferably much more.

If you're a Bushie, well, I have no idea why you're still reading this. But if you are, understand now that it's your mess to clean up, and we'll hold you to it. You made the mess, you can't blame Clinton any more, and by the way, here's your handbasket. Oh, and as for bipartisanship, sure, we're willing to work towards common goals. As for other things, you're gonna have to make the first move for the simple reason that since you're in power in both houses of congress and the White House, we can't figure out what, exactly, to offer you that you don't already have.

And if you're a reality based voter, and still need a small ray of hope, it's not over yet, at least not officially. Kerry's concession is not relevant to who wins the election, and Ohio's not finished counting. (It's currently late Thursday in LA.) It'll officially be over in 10 days, whereupon I'll be counting the days until pitchers and catchers report, and trying to ignore politics as much as possible. 'Cause even this optimist doesn't think our guy won.

Congrats to the Red Sox, btw, and their fans. Since the Cubs weren't in it you guys were my team of choice. (Cubs fans are used to having to pick a postseason favorite.) Oh, and thank you, Red Sox, for kicking the bejeebus out of the Redbirds. I have that solace to carry me through the long winter of my discontent.

Go Cubs!

Current Mood: discontent
Current Music: as usual, in my head

Well, I know I've been off for a while, but if you'll forgive me, I'm back. And I've got a concern or two. (Some of this is what I posted on the Packlist, but expanded.)

Concern #1: US soldiers are now officially among the victims of the prison abuse scandal:

today's response:
http://tinyurl.com/ypj2c
to this story:
http://tinyurl.com/36lfe

Concern #2: The Department of Defense actively worked to get away with torture.

In a disturbingly unremarked report it's revealed that in March of 2003 the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel issued a memo detailing how to get away with torture. The first paragraph of the Newsweek story:

> June 8 - A memo classified by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in 2003 explores ways of conducting interrogations in the war on terror that would allow guards to evade future prosecutions for torture. In a series of minutely argued points that appear designed to evade restrictions on abusive interrogation techniques, the memo concludes that “excessive force” is illegal only when it is “malicious and sadistic.” It also argues that treatment of prisoners should be defined as torture only when "the infliction of pain" is an interrogator's "precise objective."

As reported by Newsweek: http://tinyurl.com/2tgnl
As reported by NPR: http://tinyurl.com/38quo
(It's also in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal)

Ever wanted to read a classified document? Here's your chance. The text of the memo is available for download (in PDF format) from NPR and The Wall Street Journal.

The entire purpose for this memo is to justify acts that are illegal. If they didn't intend to act in ways that could be determined to violate the Geneva Conventions, then why did they seek to deny ANYONE the protections therein? Why is this memo even necessary if they didn't intend to torture prisoners?

And worse, the memo effectively assumes the President of the United States is unbeholden to any law, as long as he decides he doesn't. That's opposite of how the Constitution defines his role. The Constitution clearly states it's his job to uphold the law while being bound by it. So the memo not only advocates defying the Constitution, it attempts to give the President (any president, not just the current one) powers equal to that of a king, and a 17th Century one at that.

Bush can't remember if he read it or not. Given the scope of the powers the memo assumes for him, that doesn't seem to be a credible statement, at least not if he's the one actually making the decisions and assuming the powers of his office.

Y'know, I don't think GW Bush is evil. I really don't even believe he's as stupid as he's made out to be, or has made himself look upon occasion. (Hey, put a microphone in front of people, and a good many of 'em will make fools of themselves.) I even think that the people who designed this whole mess are acting in what they think is a moral manner.

Problem is, they're wrong. Worse, they don't know that.

Please folks, don't let this go by unnoticed. Everyone's watching Ronald Reagan's flag draped coffin, and not noticing that the current heir to Reagan's legacy is doing things that would appall Reagan himself. Contact your congressional representatives, and ask them to hold the Department of Defense responsible, all the way up to the top.

Concern #3: Good, decent people are trying to justify the administration's actions.

Too many people are confusing loyalty to a political party with loyalty to our nation and its principles, or are willing to operate under the "means to and end" philosophy. I believe that if you translated the aforementioned memo into plain english, changed the era in which it was written and described it to ordinary Americans of either party, most of 'em would say it's wrong.

Concern #4: The Cubs can't seem to win when Mark Prior's pitching.

Okay, it's not as critical as the other ones, but it weighs on me. If they can't win when superstud is pitching, wins are gonna be too few and too far between. Anyone who's got 'em to spare, please send get well vibes towards my Cubbies. (And a few books on baserunning.) They really need 'em.

Oh, Concern #5: Our nation is too politically polarized.

These days we've got a 'You're with us or against us' vibe that permeates our political landscape. If I object to something the Bush administration does I'm a selfrighteousliberalAmericahatingfeminazi. It's not possible that I'm a reasonable citizen with concerns about the abandonment of the ideals found in the documents that form the foundation of our nation. It's not even possible that I'm a well intended misguided soul. I'm an idiot, and I'm anti-American, and nothing that I have to say could possibly be reasonable.

Didn't we used to be able to overcome our differences in times of trouble? I'd like to find a way to get back to that point, or better, move forward to it.

Current Mood: uncomfortable
Current Music: in my head, stuff I'm writing, and it's not good yet

Photos of the new living room are up, and I fixed the links.

Our living room, painted now

We like it a lot, it's much brighter and has no old wood paneling.

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: lots in my head still

Well, it's been almost a month, so I thought I'd post something. Baseball season has started, my Cubbies are finally starting to find their stride, I've got paying work, the house remodel is coming together and all seems sorta right in my world.

I could comment endlessly about baseball, and I may at some point, but for now I'll just say that watching these Cubs all season (and hopefully for about a month thereafter) is gonna be a blast. And they're not even all healthy and playing yet. Their division is the tightest in baseball right now, so it's gonna be squeaky all year long.

Cool.

Now I mustent let baseball take up all of my life. It's a struggle, but hey, I actually like my work, and I can listen to baseball games while I write music. (Really. I actually think that baseball, as math heavy a sport as there is, stimulates that part of the brain that deals with music theory, which is what I like to think of as intuitive math. Kinda.) So I've been working lately. Some of it is paid work arranging and recording some stuff a friend is writing for a couple of plays. But some of it is stuff I've written for a play that will be at the Stella Adler theater in, uh, May, I believe. On Thursday morning I'll record then post the final bits, and maybe fix a bit of what went before, but most of what I've written is up on my website at a special 'only if you know about it' webpage, which you're invited to visit:

http://www.doubledogmusic.com/RightLies.html

Keep in mind it's a serious play (with lighter moments) focusing on American politics and of course, has a love triangle in it. Hope you like it. I use innovative titles like "Act II Opening" and "Overture". I always find it easy to write the music, but titles confound me. Kinda like I can write prose but not song lyrics. :::shrug::: Things are in accordance with my 'druthers in that if I could switch abilities, I wouldn't.

That said, lytarules can write words quite well, as evidenced by her fanfic, and a wonderful little story she wrote a few lifetimes ago called "Alvin and the Dragon". Hey Lyta, why don't you post that one for your internet fans? I figure if you've gotten me into this whole livejournal mess, I can bring up ghosts from our shared past, right?

Taxes came and went. I didn't know you could be made to pay taxes on money you never recieved, but you can, and we were. Obscene amounts of taxes. My government scares me, though, and I'm very glad to have Rob's company's accountant to fill out the reams of forms and submit them for us. I just nod and fill out the checks. And watch the bank account dwindle.

I thank everyone who stops by, and who's commented on posts and such. It's nice to see some old friends here, and make new ones.

Be well everyone,
-H

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: lots in my head

Well, this trip gets an A++ from me. We've seen five baseball games, and the Cubs have won four of 'em. The only one they lost was to the Angels, which is pretty okay by me, since we go to a lot of Angels games during the year. And the Cubs lost it behind a pitcher who isn't gonna be on the team anyway, so that's okay. If it weren't for that one pitcher, the Cubs woulda won, even though they committed a horrendous number of errors. (4 in one game.)

So, trip summary: Mesa, AZ: A
Spring Training Games: A++
Spring Training baseball fans: A+ (nice, not hecklers generally, and knowledgeable)
Weather: B (no monsoons, but it's been over 100 deg. F twice in five days)
Time with old friends of the family: A++, though not enough of it
Schlotzsky's with internet access: A++
Cubs: A (woulda gotten pluses if they hadn't had 4 errors yesterday)
Cubs Gift Shop: A (ran out of the durn scrunchies I wanted, and the cd, but still more Cubs merchandise in one spot than I've ever seen)
(Angels) Tempe Diablo Stadium: B (nice field, good prices on stuff, seats too close together, no shade)
(Oakland A's) Phoenix Municipal Stadium: B (not enough shade, comfy seats)
(Cubs) HoHoKam Park: A++ ('Cause anyone whose head honcho is called a "Big Ho" deserves credit for it. :-) And because they had the widest variety of souvenirs, the best program, and shade where we were sitting)

I got a call from a client yesterday. She was starting to panic about a deadline, so we're heading back about half a day early. This is probably gonna cost us a night's stay in a hotel, bummer, and we were gonna go see one last game tonight, now that's off. But we'll pick up the dogs early, and have an extra day to start cleaning up after the guys who did the floor.

I miss my dogs. I usually do. They're gonna be freaked by the new floors.

I'm delighted that my nephews, as reported by their mother, are exploring the world of musical expression.

The sun's pretty much set now, so we're gonna head off into the west shortly. (Not the Annie Lennox/Howard Shore kinda west.)

I'll hopefully have internet access set up at home sometime tomorrow.

Be well everyone,

-H

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Jazz at Schlotzsky's again

Posting from Mesa, Arizona today. There's a Schlotzsky's Deli across the street from our hotel and they very thoughtfully put out three iMacs for customers to use. So I'm buying lots of Diet Coke.

We're here at Spring Training, this vacation was Rob's Christmas present to me, and I've just been delighted with it so far. We saw our first game yesterday, Cubs vs. Padres. Cubs won, and it was neat to see young players of the future. But it was 106 degrees, Fahrenheit, yesterday when we left the game. (According to Rob's car's thermometer.) It's much cooler today, about 90 or so right now, which is about the same time as yesterday as we got into the car.

I got a new Cubbies Cap, and I'm excited about it, I'm wearing it now. Will post pictures later, from a faster connection. I've been disappointed with the souvenirs available, but hey, I'm still really having fun watching the team play. Yesterday, when we sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" it was the first time I've ever been in a stadium where the word "Cubbies" was louder than the opposing team's name. Very cool moment for me, personally. (Someday I'll make that pilgrimage to Wrigley.) (For my off-the-continent friends, the song mentioned is the audience participation part of baseball, added 'cause the game's long, and so in the middle of the 7th inning they stop the game long enough for everyone to sing. It's called the Seventh Inning Stretch. People literally stretch, too. Wrigley Field is the Cub's home ballpark, the second oldest in the major leagues, and considered the crown jewel of all the parks.)

Enough with the baseball.

The little stray dog heretofore mentioned, Doosey, for lack of a better name, is at the home of a very, very nice lady and gentleman who live not far from Rob and me. Officially they're dogsitting for us for a week while we're here in Mesa, but it's really a trial run, and I believe he'll wrap their hearts around his stubby little dog toes and stay there for a long, very happy life. They're very good people, friends of my in-laws, and when we met they were far more interested in the dog than me. That's as it should be, imo, so I was very happy to see they had good dog priorities. He really is a sterling find, so I think they'll be very happy together. He and Foley *do not* get along, so it's best he finds another home.

Currently our two dogs, Hannah and Foley, are in dog jail. They don't let them into the ballparks, and Foley throws up on long car trips anyway, so we dropped 'em off at the vets, who also have a very nice kennel. (So nice in fact, that the dogs seldom seem excited to see us when we pick them up. If we're gone from home for 12 hours they act like they thought we'd been captured by the guy with the net and the truck that caught them. But we pick 'em up from the kennel and they're like, "Hey, look. It's you. Have you tried the kibble here? And the grass out back rocks."

In the three days preceding our leaving I had to pack up two of the rooms in our home. We're getting the floors redone. We've known we've had hardwood floors under the carpet there for several years, and we've wanted to take the carpet out and just go with the hardwood. So we finally did it, but it requires that we not walk on the floor for a total of about six days. Considering all access to the outside world goes across those floors, we'd have had to kennel the dogs and stay in a hotel to get this done. So a week ago last Friday, when the guy came out to give us an estimate, we decided to have it done while we're on this trip. Hence my absence from the web for so long - I was packing four bookshelves of books, and 1500 cd's. Plus the rest of our stuff from the living room and Rob's office. I refused to pack my studio - that's why it'll remain carpeted. It's better acoustically, anyway.

I'll post boring pictures once we get back and get everything up and running again. (Our server is usually housed in Rob's office, so we're offline until we get that hooked back up.) I'll likely be offline till next Monday or so.

Love to all,
-H

Current Mood: excited
Current Music: Some Jazz (pretty good) over the loudspeakers

Ok, the little guy, I'm calling him Doosey, is adjusting. Foley is NOT happy to have another male dog around. I'm having to be cold hearted from time to time, cause if I'm warm and motherly towards the little thing then Foley will attack him. So this means I must constantly reinforce pack structure, and that means clarifying to Doosey he's in last place.

We went to the vet's today, Doosey and I. He's in good shape, but seems to have possibly deformed front legs. They never straighten out, and when he stands normally the knees are in front of the paws. All I can tell this does is make his run adorable. He seems to get around just fine, and tries to jump up on people. He doesn't have much in the way of front leg strength, but then again he doesn't have much in the way of front legs.

Can you tell I'm used to large dogs?

The vet, and her assistants, all cooed over Doosey. He is that cute. And he's very amenable, especially for an untrained dog.

We think he should be easy to adopt. Now that we've taken care of some of his medical bills, that ought to be even easier. The vet said he's about a year old, so, since he's small, young, and healthy, he should be very, very adoptable. This is good.

Tomorrow comes the test, I'll leave the three of them alone in the back yard, locked out of the house (my two will hate that) for the duration of a meeting I've got in Laguna Hills. I'll put out extra water, and separate the bowls.

-H

Current Mood: tired
Current Music: the computer fan