Linux Update ... Putting on a new face!

My Linux experience just got a face lift ... literally! In my learning curve with Linux Ubuntu, I did encounter some problems -- failed installations, a corrupted "mysql 5.0" file, and tons of stuff littering my hard drive. And I didn't have the first clue of what was safe to remove and what wasn't. So I "bit the bullet" and wiped my Ubuntu installation off ... by installing Kubuntu. I kept hearing and reading that Kubuntu was much more "Windows-like." So I had to give it a try.

Yes, it's still Ubuntu ... but Ubuntu with the KDE desktop manager, instead of the Gnome desktop manager. This is even better than my previous experience with the Gnome version. The Gnome desktop environment is more closely related to the X-Windows Linux environment, while the KDE desktop environment is MUCH more like MS Windows. For me, a long time MS Windows user, the KDE desktop environment makes even more sense. I don't have to "un-learn" all my MS Windows habits/skills. Instead, they are handy and useful in the KDE desktop environment.

Kubuntu has a place, similar to MS Windows Control Panel, where you go to make all your system changes and to control how your devices behave. The "Adept Package Manager" is much easier to understand and use (this is the place you go to Add/Remove Programs in Kubuntu). So far, I have yet to experience a failed installation of a software package. This wasn't the case on the Gnome desktop environment of Ubuntu, where I had quite a few failed software installation failures that left a TON of orphaned files littering my hard drive.

As I expected, from my experience installing Ubuntu, the Kubuntu installation went equally smooth. All my hardware ... yes, even my "Made for Windows" legacy TV Tuner card ... was properly recognized and set up. As before, it took a little work to get DVD playback working on Kubuntu. But I have found out why DVD playback isn't installed by default in any version of Ubuntu -- it has something to do with intellectual property rights and the risk of being held liable as a party to possible copyright infringements. Whatever! There should be an option during the installation process to make it easier to enable DVD playback for those of us who want it.

Overall, I think you will thoroughly enjoy the Kubuntu experience. You will hardly notice that you are NOT running MS Windows. You will probably want to install Firefox after you get Kubuntu up and running (no, it's not installed by default). But "out-of-the-box," Kubuntu comes installed with software to play CDs and MP3s, graphic software (GIMP ... the "PhotoShop" of Linux), OpenOffice 2.3 (the freeware, cross-platform office suite that competes in every respect with MS Office), photo management software, chat software, and a whole host of other equivalent programs you commonly use in MS Windows.

And, just like the Ubuntu 7.10 installation, Kubuntu also runs from a "Live CD," where you can try it out from the CD without having to fully commit to it by installing it on your hard drive. So give it a try! All you have to lose is the time spent downloading the Live CD image file!

Paul.

Ubuntu Linux Update: Two Weeks Later ... (Or what Linux still needs)

OK ... I've been running the Ubuntu "distro" of Linux for about two weeks now. How happy am I? Well, probably the best indication comes in the fact that I now usually prefer to do most of my computer work from the computer running Ubuntu. Many, many things "just make sense" with the way that Ubuntu handles your "work path" and work environment. But then I've found some things that just don't make sense, given the nature of the OS ... that is, being open source and all the folks out there writing applications for the various Linux distributions.

• Wireless Networking: Admittedly, part of the problem for this lies with the manufacturers of the wireless network adapters - particularly the USB variety (which are the ones I have). One thing that MS Windows has gotten people used to is the friendly "Plug-N-Play" environment that it offers with USB peripherals. And most USB peripherals work just fine under Linux - except wireless network adapters. In fact, my new Lacie 500 GB external hard drive was immediately recognized and usable from the moment I plugged it in. But it seems that the issue surrounding the USB wireless network adapters is that the manufacturers of these devices get them working via proprietary methods, and do so without a real standard in place -- and they refuse to release the information on those proprietary methods to the Linux community. Nonetheless, with the vast numbers of people working on open source solutions, there are surprisingly few choices for getting USB wireless network adapters working with Ubuntu Linux. And perhaps part of this problem lies in the widely different configurations that are the result of 1) all the different hardware configurations that are possible given the LARGE numbers of different pieces of PC hardware (sound cards, video cards, network adapters, mother boards, CD/DVD drives, etc.), and 2) that users are FREE to configure their systems however they want, installing/uninstalling "services" they either don't want or need. Couple this with the number of different Linux distributions available, each slightly (or significantly) different from the other, and you end up with USB network adapters that work on some Linux distributions and not others. Simply put, there needs to be better support for "Plug-N-Play" wireless network adapters before more of the mainstream computer users will be willing to make the jump from Windows to Ubuntu Linux. For me, I gave up on getting the wireless network adapters up and running, and opted for a hardwired LAN connection -- and gained all the benefits that a hardwired LAN network gives you (primarily, a more dependable, faster LAN connection).
  
  
• Multimedia: Granted, there is quite a bit of multimedia support built into Ubuntu Linux. I can play audio CDs, MP3 files, and even watch TV through my old, "built for Windows" tv tuner card. DVD playback wasn't available to me at first, but I was able to get that running after only an hour of tinkering. But what is sorely lacking are any viable, simple PVR applications. It doesn't seem that it would be all that difficult to write an application to capture the video stream that is being sent to the screen through my TV viewing application, TV Time. And since the source code for TV Time is open source, and since the format specifications are well established for MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and the AVI file container, how difficult would/could it be to use TV Time as the basis for a simple PVR? But the PVR applications that exist for Linux first of all rely on proper setup of an SQL database. WTF? I just want to record video ... not set up a freaking SQL database!!! Sure, there is MythTV, Mythbuntu (a distro of Ubuntu Linux built around MythTV), and Freevo. But I am unable to use either of these, because somehow and some way, my SQL database has become corrupt. The hell if I know what happened to it! I'm completely in the dark when it comes to SQL-type stuff. I've never worked with it before, and in fact, have gone to lengths to avoid it due to it's perceived complexity.
  
  Also lacking is a good, easy to use video editing package. This, of course, would go hand-in-hand with a good PVR package that really worked. Users of the PVR package will/would/should/could expect to be able to use a frame-based editing package (like VideoReDo in Windows) to edit out commercials and other unwanted data before burning them to Video CD or DVD. The Linux community must address this serious oversight and pale application support area before more users migrate to any version or distro of Linux -- including Ubuntu.
  
  
• Application Removal: In MS Windows, it is fairly easy to remove unwanted or unneeded programs/applications with the "Software Removal Tools." Not so in Linux. I can't begin to count how many times I've installed or attempted to install programs that either didn't install completely or that didn't work on my copy of Ubuntu. There is the program called "KleanSweep," but you use it at your own risk -- and with the warning that if you delete the wrong libraries, your entire installation of Ubuntu could be rendered maimed, crippled, or even DEAD. Great news, I thought to myself, as quickly exited that program to never return. I would love to reclaim the wasted disk space from all the failed installations and all the installations that would never "run as advertised," but NOT at the expense of rendering my entire Ubuntu installation useless. I spent considerable time getting things running like I wanted, and don't want to have to re-invest that time again. In MS Windows, it's relatively easy to "uninstall" programs and reclaim the lost HD space for better, more relevant uses. MS Windows users looking to migrate to Ubuntu are going to expect this behavior, just as I do, as a long-time Windows user. Until then, Linux will not attract mainstream Windows users.

Of course, there are some features of Ubuntu Linux that I use that I definitely wonder how I ever did without. First on that list are the multiple desktop work spaces. Currently, I'm running TV Time in one desktop workspace, and Mozilla Firefox in another, with a third one empty and available for other use. And what is so wonderful about the desktop work spaces is that you can configure how many work spaces you want. Initially, Ubuntu gives you two. But you can specify how many you want Ubuntu to manage. Three works out well for me, but I also have the option, on the fly, to set up additional work spaces as I need.

There are other features of Ubuntu Linux that I also love ... but I'll talk about the later, in another post. Do I still think that Ubuntu Linux is a viable alternative to MS Windows? ABSOLUTELY! And I believe that it will only get better, as it continues to evolve and more and more mainstream computer users make the jump from MS Windows to Ubuntu Linux. The more users that make the jump, the larger the Linux user-base will become, and they will bring with them their particular skills (and demands), which will keep Ubuntu Linux a fresh and exciting platform.

- Paul Arnote

Goodbye, Microsoft Monopoly???

I've been a "die-hard" Microsoft Windows user for many, many years, starting with Windows 3.1. I "graduated" to Windows 3.11 for Workgroups, Windows 95 (beta tester), Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, then Windows XP (Home & Professional, original, SP1, and SP2). In fact, I "got into" teaching by teaching a Windows 3.1 class for a local school district's Adult Continuing Education program. For me, nothing else was much of an option since nothing else had achieved the market penetration of Microsoft Windows in it's various incarnations.

Now, that is starting to change (are you listening in Redmond?). Faced with the eternal and never-ending updates, "planned obsolescence," security issues, viruses (and increasing costs of defending against them), and shelling out $300 every four - five - six years for a new operating system -- and perhaps even a new computer to handle the new operating system with it's ever-increasing hardware requirements -- I decided it was time to look around and see if something else might exist that I was possibly missing on the landscape. I'm not about to pour another wad of money into Bill Gates pockets. I've done enough of that over the years.

As I started looking around, one possibility kept being mentioned ... Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon, a Debian-based Linux operating system. I had tried Linux (specifically, Red Hat Linux, purchased from the evil-empire of Best Buy for $59) several years ago on an old 486-DX100 with an 800 MB HD, 256 MB of memory, and a CD-ROM drive. It just wouldn't run "as advertised," and I decided then that Linux just wasn't "ready for prime time," even though the Red Hat box stated that I had more than met the hardware requirements. So now, almost 8 years later, I thought perhaps it was time to give it a second look.

Guess what? I've been way more than satisfied with Linux this time around. I've been literally blown away! Here's a run down of what I've discovered in the little-more-than-a-week use of Ubuntu.

• Live CD: you can download a "Live CD" version of Ubuntu. Simply download the 695 MB disc image and burn it to a CD. Pop it in and start it up from right inside Windows. Within a very short time, you can run Ubuntu straight from the CD to see how you like it. I actually like this idea. If you don't like it, there is no commitment, and no having to uninstall one OS to try another, then having to undo it all if you don't like it.
  
  
• Stability: This thing is STABLE. Granted, over the years, Microsoft has greatly improved the stability of the Windows OS's, but is constantly plagued by security holes and issues, and is the target of an endless stream of viruses and other malicious software ... so much so, that they have come out with a "Malicious Software Removal Tool" that gets installed with the IE7 update. And I have to admit that my computers running Microsoft Windows XP are the most stable Windows releases that I've ever seen. But my copy of Ubuntu never flinches, never falters, never blinks. Security is one of the cornerstones that Linux is built around. The worry about viruses and other malicious software attacks on your computer virtually disappear. WOW! What a nice peace-of-mind! And no more shelling out annual "renewal" fees to the likes of Norton or McAfee for virus protection. Ahhh ... I see the price of personal computing falling already.
  
  
• It runs ... well! After all, the OS of a computer should run reliably and run well. Without it, you aren't able to do anything else ... period. Without it, your computer is just a heavy paper weight of metal, silicon, and wires. The OS allows your computer to run all your favorite programs, allowing you to be as productive (or unproductive) as you wish. Ubuntu satisfies the requirements on all fronts. And it runs well on OLDER computers with modest hardware that you just very well may have laying around. I've seen "posts" of people describing their experience running Ubuntu with hardware as modest as a Pentium II processor and 256 MB of memory. I'm currently running it on a refurbished computer I purchased from an online auction site for under $150. It's a Pentium 4, 2.8 GHz processor with 512 MB of memory, and a 40 GB HD. I took out the CD-ROM drive that came with it and replaced it with a DVD +/- R/RW Dual Layer drive from an old computer that was having power supply, hard drive, and motherboard problems. Although I have an assortment of unused computer monitors scattered throughout the house, I also found a 19" flat panel monitor on another auction site for $150. I added an old Tandy MMS-10 computer speaker system I had laying around in the basement to supply sound. I also put in my older ATI TV Wonder Pro tuner card, in the hopes that I could get Ubuntu to recognize and use it (since ATI ONLY makes Windows drivers for that particular tuner card).
  
  
• Price: The price for Ubuntu is EXTREMELY attractive. IT'S FREE! Yes, you heard me right. All you have to do is track on over to their website and download it. Of course, you can buy copies on CD or DVD for a modest price (most under $60 ... far less than the $300+ it will cost you to buy Windows Vista). And here's something else to consider. Every two to four years, Microsoft comes out with a new, "improved" version of Windows. And every release of Windows ups the ante on the minimum hardware requirements to run it. With Ubuntu, you get updates every day (if you desire) as they become available, very similar to Microsoft's Update Manager. So if you are connected to the internet with an "always on" connection, this occurs very unobtrusively. But here's the real kicker ... you can also upgrade to the latest release of Ubuntu when it becomes available ... also FOR FREE! The Ubuntu folks plan a new upgrade every 6 months, to keep the latest version of the OS in their users hands (if they so choose). Of course, you are not obligated to update if you don't want to.
  
  
• Ease of use: If you can run Microsoft Windows (any version), you can run Ubuntu. All the familiar items are there ... windows, title bars, wallpaper, sounds, etc. You name it, it's there.
  
  
• Software GALORE: There are more software choices than you can shake a stick at. And the nice thing is ... they are free, too! Well, most of them. Yes, there are commercially available programs for Linux that you can buy, but most of the software offerings for Linux are free (probably over 95% of the software titles are free). That's right ... free for the download. Out of the box, Ubuntu comes with Mozilla Firefox web browser, Open Office 2.3 (a MS-Office clone that is free -- and it will even read and write MS Word, Excel, Access, and Power Point files), an email client called Evolution Mail (very similar in functionality to MS Outlook), music players, CD players, video players, and a good assortment of games (Mahjongg, Solitaire-type card games, and a Tetris clone to name a few). If you want more, simply select "Add/Remove" from the "Applications" menu (similar to the "Start" button in Windows), and select the programs you want to install. It's THAT easy!
  
  
• Easy installation: Installing Ubuntu is very easy. The last time I installed my copy of Windows XP, it took over an hour. And that was just the installation from the CD and didn't account for the other hour and a half to download all the Windows "critical" updates ... after getting the internet connectivity set up. Ubuntu installs in 30 minutes or less (usually less). And Ubuntu recognized ALL my hardware without any difficulty ... including my previously mentioned tuner card that ATI only makes Windows drivers for. Just like with Windows, Ubuntu has an installation wizard that walks you through the steps.
  
  
• (Fairly) simple network setup: Ubuntu is fairly easy to set up on a home network or to connect to the internet. I say fairly simple, because there's not a lot of support for Linux systems by the manufacturers of wireless network adapters (the route I chose to try initially). While there is a Linux solution that utilizes the Windows driver information (.INF) files, it's a crap shoot on whether or not the wireless network adapter will work properly. But once I abandoned the "battle" to set up a wireless network adapter and opt for a "hard wired" solution, Ubuntu recognized the connection immediately and made most of the necessary settings on its own. I simply bought a 50 foot length of CAT-5 cable, and ran it from one of the four ethernet ports on the back of my router to the ethernet port on the computer. Little else was required. It took me more time to drill two small holes in the floor, and run the cable through the basement than anything else. After all, Ubuntu, like every other "flavor" of Linux, is built from the ground up with networking in mind.
  
  
• Run Windows programs: Yes, that's right. You can also run the vast majority of your favorite Windows programs. There are quite a few "Windows Emulators" out there that allow you to run your favorite Windows programs with minimum hassle. Probably the more popular one is called "Wine." Via Wine, you can run your MS Office programs or most any other Windows program you have become accustomed to using. However, I doubt that you'll find much need. I know I've been able to find more than adequate and suitable replacement programs from the Linux software offerings for all my "favorite" Windows applications. Nonetheless, this is an option for anyone who wants or needs to run Windows programs.
  

Overall, I can see Microsoft's monopolistic grip on the computer operating system market beginning to slip away. Increasingly, the various flavors of Linux are gaining converts ... and at an increasing rate. Many people I talk to (and I talk to a lot of people) have grown tired of the hassle of running a Windows based computer and would welcome a good, stable, inexpensive alternative. Compared to the "closed" nature of the programming source code of Microsoft products, Ubuntu and the other Linux distributions (they are called "distro" in the Linux community) are open source. If you are not familiar with the term open source, it means that the programming code is open for any and all who wish to modify it or add to it to increase its functionality. Anyone can contribute, from programming code to writing program documentation.

If you have, as I have, tired of adding to the Gates family fortune by purchasing a new operating system every few years, you should give Ubuntu a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

BTW ... I've written this blog while running on Ubuntu. Proof positive that Ubuntu just works!

Reining in health care costs

Lots of talk is going on about health care today: access for all, controlling costs, improving care, addressing preventative care, not exempting people for pre-existing conditions, and lots more. Working in the health care industry, involved with DIRECT patient care, I see the waste and inequities of the current system every day I step into the hospital to care for my patients. So why aren't the people who are involved with the day-to-day care of patients being asked for their input on how to help health care become more of what all of us want it to be and how to make it more affordable?

Since no one has asked me, I'm going to throw out some of my suggestions. First, stop the pharmaceutical companies from advertising the latest, greatest new drug to treat problems you didn't know you had or didn't know that existed! Last year, the pharmaceutical companies spent $30 billion on research and development --- but spent over $60 billion on advertising those drugs you never knew you needed! And is it any wonder that they spent so much on advertising? The ads are flashy and glitzy, and hardly a commercial break happens without at least one or two of those plush ads graces our television screens. You, as the medical consumer, DO NOT need to be exposed to the "sucker-you-in" ads that prompt you to ask you doctor about this latest and newest drug to treat a problem you didn't know you had. Half as much money as is currently spent can be better spent on educating and informing physicians about those drugs ... and letting THEM decide which of their patients will most benefit from the new drug. This is the way it has happened for years prior to the previous 10 years or so that pharmaceutical companies started flooding our airwaves with "Viva Viagra" or "sleep like a butterfly with Ambien" type ads. And it worked VERY well. It can and will work just as well again.

Second, start paying for preventative care! It costs a LOT less to prevent a disease or condition (especially chronic health conditions) than it costs for long-term treatment of these diseases and conditions. For example, many (if not all) health care plans will NOT pay for smoking cessation products (Chantix, nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nicotine inhalers, nicotine lozenges, etc.). Instead, the insurance companies then are faced with the lengthy and expensive proposition of paying to treat patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthmatic bronchitis (among other lung conditions) from years of patients smoking. Even paying for multiple rounds of smoking cessation products would be infinitely cheaper than paying for 20 to 40 years of treatment of a chronic condition that finds some patients making two to 12 or more hospital visits annually, many of which require a week or more of hospitalization. The current state of affairs makes absolutely no sense, especially since these insurance companies are so focused on the bottom line profit.

Third, restrict the wages of the CEO's of for-profit hospital administrators (heh ... any health care administrator, for that matter), pharmaceutical companies, and anyone else charged with providing the care/tools/equipment that provide for the general health and welfare of the medical consumers. What person needs $20 - $40 - $60 - $100 million salary (including incentives) to live on? This is just pure, unadulterated gluttony and greed. And that gluttony and greed is being paid for by the blood and well-being of the average medical consumer. It is blatantly obvious (to me, at least) that health care costs are grossly inflated and could easily be brought under control (or assisted) by eliminating these obscenely high salaries.

Fourth, make coverage for ALL a reality. We are the ONLY industrialized country in the world without universal access to health care for our citizens. While we, as a country, lead much of the world in the quality of our health care, it it out of reach for roughly 1/4 of our citizens. And that coverage for those who are either under-insured or non-insured is passed on to those who are covered by higher costs for those who do have coverage. WE END UP PAYING FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD IT through higher health care costs. The costs of the care for those who cannot afford it get passed on to the rest of us who can afford it and who do pay for it. Personally, I don't care what method or model they choose to follow -- Great Britain, Canada, Cuba, France, Germany, Japan -- take your pick of any of those listed or pick your own -- just get it done! How can we be competitive, as a country, in a world market when we cannot or will not even take care of one of our most precious resources: the backs of the working people that make us competitive!

Finally, does it REALLY cost $4 or more for a Tylenol? If it's provided by the hospital pharmacy, the answer is YES. But what would be wrong with allowing a patient to provide his own bottle of Tylenol, ibuprofen, aspirin, or any other over-the-counter medication? Undoubtedly, the cost can be cut and the patient can actively contribute to the lowering of his/her own health care costs. The patient or their family members can bring their own OTC medications in, and the nurse or med-tech can administer it to the patient per the physician's orders (to insure compliance with the doctor's orders).

These are only the tip of the iceberg for ideas I have for helping bring health care costs under control and to make health care accessible to everyone. There are lots more ideas for how to accomplish this. But in this, an election year, health care is on the minds of most voters and candidates. And those of us involved most intimately with providing that patient care need to speak up and offer suggestions for how to improve things. After all, who better knows what needs to be fixed and how to fix it?

Gordita? Hey TACO BELL! What Are You Peddling?

The next time you go through the drive-thru at Taco Bell, be sure to order one of those Gorditas! You can have them Santa Fe style. You can have them crunchy and cheesy. But do you know what you are REALLY ordering? GORDITA means little fat girl in Spanish! Betcha didn't know!

)))))))))))))) |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ((((((((((((((((((

I've gotta add to my previous blog about stupid drivers. Now that we are deep in the throws of Winter, one of the more idiotic drivers has come out from their sleepy hibernation. They are the drivers of the "bullet-proof," "invincible" SUVs. They drive along snowy and icy streets, thinking they can drive like Mario Andretti -- just because they have a SUV with 4WD. What morons! I drive a 4WD vehicle, but realize something these imbeciles don't ... getting going is often not the problem, but stopping is. Regardless of how many "wheels" you have to get you going, we ALL have the same number of wheels to stop on -- 4! And it is stopping that gives them that reality check. I just hope in getting their dose of reality, no one else gets hurt.

... Not Tested On Animals

OK ... this one has me really confused. Over and over, on personal care products, I see the phrase "We do not test on animals."

I understand there is a very militant and violent faction of animal rights activists who would rather pillage, plunder, vandalize, and destroy animal testing labs. Hell, some of them don't really care if they hurt other people in the process. But the phrase "we do not test on animals" gives me NO comfort as a consumer.

Then how are these products tested to insure their safety? Obviously, the answer is on YOU AND ME! This phrase appears quite prominently on products from Perio-Distributing, Inc. out of Ohio. They are the makers of Barbasol shaving cream. This phrase also appears on products from Alberta-Culver, the makers of TreSemme haircare products and other personal care products, although it appears in the near-microscopic fine print on the bottle.

First, the last I checked, humans were also members of the animal kingdom. Top of the heap, the last I knew.

Secondly, if it comes down to a few lab mice, a rabbit, a dog ... whatever, versus me and my health and welfare ... I choose the former to have products tested on! Lab mice are bred for that specific purpose, so in my mind, there is no harm being done to the overall population of mice. Better a lab mouse than me! And, there are millions of other animals who meet their end daily in animal shelters, unwanted. At least something positive can come out of their demise, as they head over the Rainbow Bridge.

Don't get me wrong. I am definitely an animal lover. But I also like people, and don't think people should be turned into surrogate lab rats to pacify a militant faction of animal rights activists.

And ... face reality, folks ... there are much LARGER issues facing us in society than rather a few lab mice (bred for that purpose) meet their end helping to insure that the products we all use are safe for the marketplace and public consumption. Perhaps if the energy, drive and compassion possessed by the militant animal rights activists were directed towards these other social problems, this would be a much better world to live in.

Just my $0.02 worth ...

Paul

They DRIVE me MAD!

Stupid drivers ... that's what drives me mad!

I just gotta sound off about these morons who populate our roads.

Ever notice that, no matter how fast you are going, there is some moron who thinks he/she has to go even faster? You may be doing five or 10 mph over the speed limit yourself ... but there's that idiot who just HAS to be going five or 10 mph faster than you? And to top it off, he's weaving in and out of the lanes of traffic, with NO signal, causing a flurry of brake lights in his wake.

Of course, his counterpart is the idiot who drives five mph under the speed limit ... in the left lane! Nothing you do can get you around this "Einstein." You are trapped like a rat behind this idiot.

And you ever notice how some will drive without their lights on in heavy overcast conditions -- or after sunset? Or even worse yet, they drive with their parking lights on. HELLO?!?! There is a reason they call them "parking lights." If your car is in motion, you are not "parked." And if it's dark enough for them to turn on the "parking lights" just to see the instrument panel ... well, Mr. Spock, do you think it's dark enough that the rest of us might have a little trouble seeing you in the same darkness?? Your headlights aren't just for you to see with, but also so the rest of us can see you! Sounds logical, doesn't it???

And when did distortion become music? You pull up to the stoplight, and the tone-deaf (lmao, probably just DEAF) goober has the music cranked and the bass cranked to such a point that all you hear is the rattle of the car's body panels vibrating. While your tastes in music may include the latest, greatest pop artist to ever make music, not all of us share your opinion or your taste in music ... or the lack thereof. While it's nice that your mother taught you to share, it's highly unlikely that she meant sharing your music in such a manner.

Don't you just fall in love with the moron who pulls out in front of you ... and there isn't a soul in sight for three miles behind you? And to top it off, they proceed to poke along in front of you, leaving you with that familiar "trapped-like-a-rat" feeling now that you can't get around them.

Of course, one of my favorites is the lame-brain that thinks the brake pedal is a foot rest for his left foot. Trapped behind this idiot is a lesson in depth perception, as his brake lights are always on ... when he's accelerating, when he's decelerating, as he turns the corner, when he's stopped ... always! It's a brake pedal, not a foot rest! Brake with your right foot, Mr. Mush-for-brains! I bet a set of brake pads don't last you six months.

Can't you feel nothing but love for the moron who races up to a construction zone with the lane closed and expects you to let him slip into the line ahead of everyone else? Never mind that for the previous two miles, there have been 20 signs warning that the left lane was closed ahead. As far as I am concerned, this moron can just sit there until the road repairs have been completed! At least in some areas of the country, drivers are ticketed for this selfish and reckless act.

I know ... I'm rambling, but then I just had to say something!

All LEGAL Immigrants Welcome!

OMG! I can't believe the protests by ILLEGAL immigrants who want legal rights ... and even legal status!!! Ok, I can believe they want legal status, but what's wrong with obtaining that the LEGAL way, instead of "shortcutting" the rules and system.

Don't get me wrong - I'm definitely not a bigot; rather I'm probably one of the least bigotted persons you will ever know. I tend to make decisions on the people I meet on an individual basis, independent of race, creed, religion, sex, etc. And there is nothing wrong with anyone wanting to seek a better future and life for themselves and their families. But that quest should take place within the framework of the established rules.

As a third generation descendant of legal immigrants, I fully understand the desire to seek out better opportunities and a brighter future. My ancestors had the same dream, but they sought to conquer that dream legally. For the record, my paternal great-grandparents emigrated here from Germany, while my maternal great-grandparents emigrated to these shores from Ireland and England. Granted, they had little choice but to emigrate to the United States legally, since they didn't have the option to run across a shallow river at a poorly patrolled border.

First of all, there are very real and valid reasons people want to live in this country. They may want to escape religous persecution. Or they may want to seek the freedom to express themselves without fear of political persecution. Or they may seek the freedom to live their lives in freedom, relatively unencumbered by fear of retribution from an oppressive government or regime. In fact, in a large way, all the previous reasons cited are what led to the formation of this country.

Secondly, those seeking "amnesty" are asking the government to waive the rules that the illegal immigrant sought to circumvent. Isn't that very ironic? The government makes the rules by which an orderly society needs to live by and that prevent chaos. Now those who sought to detour around those rules want those rules waived. Imagine the chaos that will occur. It will effectively open the borders to any and all who want to come here, sending the message to subsequent illegal immigrants that the rules mean nothing and that they will also be welcomed without having to assimilate into the American culture and without having to embrace American laws.

Already, it is virtually impossible to go anywhere in this country without seeing a business or governement agency touting, "Se hable espanol." My ancestors emigrated to this country and took the time and effort to learn the English language. That is the language on which this country was founded. And, it is the language in which both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution is written. Part of assimilation into a culture means adopting the language of the land in which you have chosen to live. And there was something about American culture that became the catalyst for others to seek their opportunity to live here. Thus, that American culture should be embraced completely, not "piece-meal" as you choose. That means leave your OLD culture at the border and prepare to embrace the American way of life AND assimilate into that American culture.

Third, as much as illegal immigrants are willing to work at "menial" jobs that no one else wants at a wage higher than they may receive in their native land, they cost this country many times more than they contribute. The cost of medical care, education for their children, welfare programs, bilingual services, access to social programs (welfare, housing and food assistance, etc.), law enforcement - to name a few - far outpace in costs any financial contributions illegal immigrants make to the American economy. As a people, Americans are a charitable lot and will go to great lengths to extend aid to anyone who is in need.

Fourth, as they exist, countries have borders. Either we have them or we don't. Last time I checked, we in fact did have borders. And as a country, our government has every right, even an responsibility, to protect and secure those borders to keep those out who do not embrace (even despise) American laws, life and culture. Since 9/11/2001, the protection of those borders is even more important to keep out potential terrorists, who's only intention is to spread terrorism and destroy the American way of life. As it exists today, our southern border is essentially an open door, through which anyone can waltz through virtually unchecked.

Fifth, granting "amnesty" to all the illegal immigrants now in the US serves as an insult to all those immigrants and descendants of immigrants (me included) who bothered to arrive here by working within the rules and the system set up.

Sixth, isn't it ironic that many of those protesting here in the US would end up in prison for doing the same thing in their native land? And many do so waving the flag of their native land?!?! If you want to protest and change things, then they should be doing so in their native land. Create an environment of prosperity and hope THERE, instead of expecting those who are native to THIS land to change to suit them.

I have nothing against immigration, as long as it is legal. Already, America has given the illegal aliens much more than they contribute. They have been catered to with access to entitlement programs, bilingual government and business services, access to medical care, education, housing assistance, food assistance, legal assistance ... and many more "perks" than even I, as a native-born American, have access to. If you want to come to work or live in this country, then respect the laws of this country and seek your opportunities within the laws, rules and system already established.

Welcome!

Welcome to my personal blog! I've been wanting to do this for quite some time, and just now have gotten around to getting it set up.

So many times, thoughts and ideas just "come to you" ... thoughts you would like to write down and share with others. And sometimes, those the writing down of those thoughts allow you to vent and let off steam.

We all need an outlet for the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, the sad, the happy, the wonderful times of life. Blogging should help provide that ... I hope!

A little about me. I am a registered respiratory therapist. I currently teach respiratory therapy at a college in Kansas City. I also work at a local hospital, where I have seen humanity at its best and worse. I have been working as a respiratory therapist for 18+ years.

Prior to my career as a respiratory therapist, I was a professional newspaper photographer. I did that for 10 years before suffering from severe burn-out. For me, it was a natural choice for an occupation, since I had an interest in photography since I was a child. I taught myself photography when I was 12 years old, and continued that learning curve all the way through my college education at the University of Kansas.

I currently live in Independence, Missouri ... hometown of one of our greatest former Presidents: Harry S Truman (no, there is NOT a period after the "S" ... even Harry said there wasn't!) Besides Independence, I have lived in Kansas City, Kansas (my birthplace); Parkville, Missouri; Leavenworth, Kansas; Lansing, Kansas; Glendale, Arizona; Fayette, Missouri; Griffith, Indiana; and Crown Point, Indiana.

This blog will serve as that outlet for my thoughts and ideas ... some being rants, some being raves. Hence, the title ... Raving Rantings. I'm not planning on any topic in particular ... just whatever comes to mind.

Hope you enjoy!

Paul Arnote