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Happy Holidays!

Team Vox
Yesterday
4 comments

6acardVOX

Happy Holidays to you, your family, friends and neighbors from all of us at Vox.
See you in 2010!

Our song for the first thing Christmas morning: a family tradition

Christmastime is drawing near

Santa Claus will soon be here

With his presents and his toys

For the little girls and boys

For dear old Santa we'll give a cheer

He'll soon be coming with his swift reindeer

He comes to quick with a click click click

On the early Christmas morning

Have you sent him by the post

Telling what you want the most

If you have you need not fear

For he loves you all most dear

For dear old Santa we'll give a cheer

He'll soon be coming with his swift reindeer

He comes to quick with a click click click

On the early Christmas morning

Merry Christmas to All!

Christmas eve dinner, 2009

DoctorD
Yesterday
6 comments

Xmas dinner

Christmas eve dinner, home-made, prepared by my wife following Italian family traditions. Several days work to make all the dishes! There was a gathering of 16 (eight adults and eight children).

Christmas came a day early for Americans this year, as the Senate voted down the Republican filibuster in order to permit full consideration of the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care" Act a bit after midnight. The last time the Senate voted on Christmas eve day was in 1895, when the issue was whether or not to provide federal benefits to U.S. military servicemen. I assume that the people we now call "Republicans," but back then probably were Southern democrats--anyhow, the same group that provides the core of ongoing political racism and opposition to federal government actions of any beneficial sort--were the "againsters" then as well. (Although I don't know that for sure; perhaps I will try to look it up).

Humor was provided by Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid, who had worked so hard to assemble and keep a supportive coalition, actually initially voted "nay" by mistake! Senator Harry Byrd, the ill 92 year-old that Republicans and their "Christian" allies had vocally prayed would die and thus be unable to vote yes managed to make it there, too. Of course, the biggest advocate of health insurance reform, Senator Ted Kennedy, did pass away a few months ago, perhaps showing the power of such pacts with the devil against progressive forces do sometimes work after all?

I don't know: I have never prayed for someone to be harmed, at least not that I can remember. Sometimes I've been a little glad for their misery, though, like the plumber in my neighborhood who cheated me, and now is unable to sell his house. Is that the Hand of God in action?

But anyhow, I am (mostly) a Buddhist--although we will attend a Christmas day mass tomorrow, and certainly celebrate this evening.

Always, when human progress is made, there are opponents. The Republicans know full well that their only hope for a political comeback after the catastrophic Bush years is that Obama somehow "fails." So they don't want unemployment to go down, they want it to go up; they want more people to lose their houses and their life savings; they hope that there will be terrorists attacks against the US that they can blame on Democratic laxness, as they have attempted to do with the Fort Hood tragedy and the prospect of trials in American courts; they want to prevent action against climate change--and perhaps top among their priorities, they don't want the health insurance system to be improved and they don't want Americans who lack coverage now to get any.

Some countries talk about "gross national happiness" as their major goal, but for Republicans, adding to the "gross national misery" in the US during 2009 and 2010 and 2011 and 2012 is their chief, and really their only, objective.

But, anyhow, it happened to that this day, and the Christmas holiday, started with something good, something beneficial. There is still a lot of work to be done, trying to blend very different House and Senate legislation. The liberals will be angry that the resulting product isn't "strong" enough, and conservatives will be angry if anything at all is passed. (Indeed, John McCain is now unalterably opposed to his own prior proposal to expand Medicare to younger people!)

Of course, every member of Congress has perfectly fine government-provided health insurance. None have offered to give up it, or Medicare, or Social Security. It is just that if you are the constituent of a Republican, and out of work, and in financial stress, as so many millions are, or if you are sick and might cost a private insurer to lose money, they don't want YOU to have it! Better that you simply die, like they hoped for Senator Byrd.

Talk about your "death panels!" Here are groups of Republicans gathered, in family groups or what they consider to be "Christian" (sic) churches, praying for the Grim Reaper to come and take away a fellow man. (Of course, there were a lot of people that wanted Jesus to die, too--and he did. But right now, we celebrate his birth).

It isn't that there is a rotten apple in the barrel. Sometimes the barrel is nearly half full of rotten apples! But for today, Christmas eve, Christmas in the US came a day early, and every American has an opportunity to feel at least a tiny bit more secure that progress is being made, even as a second big winter storm is coming upon us.

Be careful out there!

Christmas, so busy!!

DoctorD
3 days ago
2 comments

I haven't posted for a week or so, being so busy with Christmas preparations. Our first holiday-related company may arrive today, on their way west to Vancouver. Christmas eve will be spent in Chicago (that's our big meal and gathering). Probably on Christmas day itself we will work on slightly overdue Christmas greeting cards.

I do like getting letters from people, and hearing the news from various families and from various parts of the country. Some have had to relocate because of factory closings; many have taken wonderful trips to exotic locales. Several report injuries or serious illnesses, but I am impressed that quite a few age-mates have managed extensive walking or even biking tours. Sadly, I am well past that now.

My wife is cooking up a storm, in traditional Italian holiday style. (Probably I posted some photos a year ago). All the tension of planning and doing has led to a couple major outbursts and arguments. I am quite aware that the blessing of Christ's birth is hardly on the mind of anyone.

I do love our tree. Perhaps it is pagan, but I do like it a lot. And we do have some electric candles in the window, and a wreath on the door--unusual, in this predominantly Jewish neighborhood.

Days have started to get longer now. Good: but still there is a lot of snow and cold to come.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all friends and neighbors out there in Vox-land. Thanks for reading and responding to some of my posts. It benefits me to have that contact with the "outside world," rather like my father did with ham radio.

Dentist

DoctorD
Dec 15, 2009
4 comments

I have to go to the dentist today. But I hate the dentist!

It isn't him, actually. He is a big guy who drives a big black pickup truck and appears to own a yacht. Despite his size, he is fairly gentle.

It is the pain, or the possibility of pain; or the criticism, or the possibility of criticism.

Plus, there is no way to know for sure that they work they decide to do is really necessary. Apparently there is a fair amount of dental fraud out there in the world.

Plus, it is expensive.

Dread, dread. I hate going to the dentist. And--so does my doctor!

Today we expect to put up a Christmas tree

DoctorD
Dec 5, 2009
1 comment

My son is here in town, and Connie's son is able to come over.

The morning started with our traditional "Dutch Honey Bread." Here is an example recipe.

This is Saint Nicholas eve, and we always try to honor and recognize that.

"Idiot America"

DoctorD
Dec 4, 2009
5 comments

Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free

Charles P. Pierce

Emmi suggested this book, which I have not read yet. I do like the title, though. It is described on Amazon as "A veteran journalist's acidically funny, righteously angry lament about the glorification of ignorance in the United States."

It is so strange, from an historical perspective. Why, in a nation that has always valued education, has tried to provide public education to nearly everyone, have stupidity and ignorance become virtues? On the one hand, we do value "geeks" now. There are a lot of them, and they are respected, at least by many. Yet, at the same time, we seem to respect stupidity equally, or more. So at least some of us do.

Now we have perhaps the smartest man ever to be President in office. (I say that not only from my own impression, listening to him talk, and also from knowing smart people who know Obama personally). Or perhaps I should say, the smartest since Thomas Jefferson--although, yes, there have been a number of other intelligent presidents.

Did you hear his statements about the unemployment problem? I was impressed. Anyhow, we have gone from one of the dumbest men ever to be president--who presided over disaster after disaster in foreign, domestic, and economic policy--to having one of the brightest "for a change."

And he is hated, simply hated, by quite a lot of people. You can buy tee-shirts that proclaim your animosity. I do struggle to understand this. Is it because stupid people hate smart people? Is it because racist people hate black people--especially "uppity" ones who are dramatically better than they are? Is it because television, instead of educating people (as we thought Sesame Street would help do) has driven down the level of knowledge and civic discourse so greatly? Is it the internet? Is it sheer economic frustration (which is understandable).

Is it because for the past two decades so many of our brightest young people went into finance, worked on Wall Street, instead of doing some helpful and productive, making a contribution toward a better world? Why is it?

Guess I need to read the book. Thanks for the suggestion, Emmi.

Meltdown!

DoctorD
Dec 4, 2009
4 comments

My brand new portable hard drive "melted" and the top came off!

Iomega eGo 500 GB pocket drive

Looking on-line, I see that some others have had this same difficulty, too. Kind of shocking. Brand new! I guess it must run pretty warm in making a Time Machine backup, but shouldn't such things be tested for? That is "normal use."

Where was it made? China. Isn't everything now?

Actually, I was told at the Apple store that Iomega doesn't make its own drives, but that Western Digital does.

In other regards, it is very nice. Triple interface: firewire 400, 800, and USB 2. (No eSata, though).

At the moment I have sitting on my desk for various reasons six different hard drives, plus the one in the computer itself. The melted one is the prettiest!

First snow of winter

DoctorD
Dec 4, 2009
2 comments

We had our first snow of the year last night. Just a tiny bit, but it did stick to the ground (but not the driveway). I had an appointment with a nurse (kind of a vampire, really) yesterday and she said many appointments had been cancelled because of the prospect. Apparently lots of older folks are really fearful about going out in it (although, like I said, nothing happened).