Terra Sears - Addicted to Research

I have been busy with work and life and haven’t had any time for my blog. Yet due to a couple of “are you alive” type emails… Well I thought I better come on and say yes I am alive. Doing well, just haven’t had time for the blog. I hope to fix that here soon… Well hope

So everyone remember when I got that virus a few months back? Well I have a secret I switched to Linux, specifically I chose Ubuntu. It was frustrating to me at first, because as a windows user (from way back) some stuff just didn’t make sense to me. I mainly stuck to it because I didn’t want to call the 800 number to fix my windows. I have an XP Pro disk, and all my computers have their own little code, but never the less I have to call it in since my disk is basically only useful for startup. (Because it is installed on an old system we don’t use anymore.) Well in addition I was having to hunt down all my drivers, because they aren’t all immediately up there. (Specifically the Ethernet card and the sound card.) So here is what I thought I would do I thought I would go over the simple things I learned that seemed so hard when I was switching over. (Which unless something drastic happens I am NEVER going back.) Before I start there are MANY different versions, and you just have to check them out to see which one you would like. If you are going on a really old system go for Puppy (or if you are more worried about speed and less worried about pretty.) OK here we go the stuff that had me lost, but now I realize is actually EASIER.

1. When you download the program file for whatever system you chose it isn’t immediately boot-able. The fix for this is SO simple. A little program called Unetbootin fixes it all. You simply download the file (it will end in ISO), click that it is what you want to be able to boot from, and chose the source where you want it to be. (I put it on a little pen drive, simple as that.) OH and most of these programs can be tried out without the install! (Ubuntu and Puppy are included in that) you put them in like you are going to install and just use them. So you get to try it out without making a choice to switch to begin with.
2. Booting from the pen drive can be done on most systems by pushing F12 at the startup (I normally push it quite a few times to be sure I get it at the right time.) Simply have the pen drive already there, start up the pc, Push F12, and walla pick it to start.

There are a couple of ways to run programs when you download them (although I haven’t found many that weren’t a couple of clicks off the choices given in both puppy and ubuntu). The first one is to right click and change it to an executable file (a check mark) which allows you to then click on the program and run it just like you do in windows. The other is to use the terminal, which I don’t feel qualified to explain just yet. I was worried that there would be things I couldn’t do on this system (school stuff), but I haven’t had any problems at all. Wine allows all the windows based programs that I have needed to run without problem. Openoffice while not as pretty as Microsoft word, saves in word format (which I need.) I did have a bit of problem with codex (for movie players) at first, but then realized that if I typed in the file type I needed (in the software download) I could once again with the click of a button download the codex I needed. (There again it can be done in the terminal too.) DID I MENTION THAT ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE FREE? So I am not an expert on this system, but I wasn’t an expert on windows either. I can however do everything I need to do for school, and I think I am hooked.

Well first, I took a test today and I feel silly. I am not a good test taker. In the face of dangerous situations I do well, my kids get hurt and I take it in stride. (Totally do my freaking after the fact.) Yet go to take a test and my palms sweat, my pulse goes crazy and I am sure (although I haven’t tested) my blood pressure is high. So anyway there were three questions I just couldn’t think of the answers to (essay questions.) Well the one I could remember a partial answer, the other two I was totally drawing a blank. I entered some different information, knowing it wasn’t right but a not right answer is still better than a no answer. So I hit send and what do you know, I then remember the answer to the one question. UGH

Anyway, due to professional career starting (hopefully) by the end of the year I will soon be taking my blog off the Internet and taking off my other “out there” stuff. As much fun as it is, it isn’t really professional. Well not the way I do it So soon no more…

Last I was listening to the radio on my way home, did you know that similar to many people here in the US people in Germany are (some) throwing a fit because they are incorporating to much “English” in their system? I have heard that a lot (you know living in mostly conservative areas) about how horrible it is that teachers are expected to know Spanish, and that we shouldn’t have to take another language to graduate and so on. (Which I would totally agree with but for a different reason. See I have this mental block against other languages and I still have to take Spanish 2 before I can get my BA – hopefully next semester they haven’t offered it the last few. So basically I am just against it because I am not good with it! Going to most likely buy a program and try to study really well before the class.)

I suppose that is all for the update, I need to go back to my school work! Hope everyone is doing well, I should have everything good this weekend and so drop in and see how everyone is doing then.

I couldn’t contain myself in the world of politics of course, as the repeated arguments (that on both sides were mostly silly rhetoric with no meaning) drove me crazy, I have for the most part moved on with my life. Going to school and being a mom at the same time takes up pretty much all of my time (unless I slack utterly on one or both, which I occasionally let myself do.) However, I got my weekly message about how the Obama presidency was coming along, and decided I wanted to take a look because of the specific time of year it is. I was impressed with it (as the link in my twitter feed suggests), and so I decided since I am all caught up on everything at the moment I would devote a little time to reading if others thought it was as good as I did. Of course that yielded somewhat mixed results (as I expected), but over all it seems like I am agreed with. (It was good.)

Anyway, I saw a lot of talk about Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. I admit I don’t know anything about the military, and next to nothing about that particular thing (DADT). However, like most people my lack of education in a particular subject doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion. Normally I like to research before I state it on here (my opinion) but on this one I just don’t have more time to do so. (I should be asleep, and if not working on my school work.) So here is my opinion…

I am all for equal rights for everyone. When it comes to allowing people that are gay to marry, it shouldn’t even be a real question (of course they should be allowed to marry!). I understand the hesitation (I think) when it comes to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell though, and I don’t think it has much to do with the idea that the people in charge are biased against gay people (although some might be.) Rather I wonder if it might be a security issue, as changing a law doesn’t change peoples opinions.

I think of the rights won by the black people, all the people that were hurt AFTER they were technically protected by the law. Could it be that the military can’t promise to protect someone from bigots if they are openly gay? Maybe I am being naive on the subject, but it seems from the questions that are being asked about how it could be done this is in the forefront of the discussion…

Maybe I am giving undue credit here (to reason), but it is a thought and I thought I would share it…

I realise that I am quite a few years late on this post, but please keep in mind I just read it. I am angry and need to get it off my chest (as I get when the rights of the people in the United States are cut short.) In Heath v. Alabama the Supreme Court errored in the most horrible fashion!

I will leave out details that are not relevant to my judgement about the Supreme Court (and the court in Alabama.) Man pleads guilty in exchange for a life sentence to paying someone to kill his wife, in Georgia. Alabama then tries him for the same crime three  months later, using a jury that largely knows that the defendant has already plead guilty in Georgia. They say he is guilty at trial (note: after they already knew he plead guilty in a different state!), and sentence him to death…

Supreme Court says: this doesn’t go against the double jeopardy rule? Same offence? Not even counting the jury this is SO horrible. Rights trampled on… Totally trampled on

So I am in the process of making coffee cake, and don’t know how well it will turn out (I will detail the ingredients at the end if it turns out well with pictures.)

Back story: I have been craving coffee cake, but I have never made one. (I am not a baker, a good cook though.) So I looked one up on the Internet not knowing what I was looking for and ended up creating a crumb cake yesterday, it was quite possibly the worst tasting “cake” I have ever put in my mouth. So I was going to call my mother (after all I know I liked, but didn’t love her coffee cake). It dawned on me, it is MY MOTHER so it was either the Jiffy or Bisquick coffee cake. Which isn’t what I want, I want “real” made at home (completely made by me – well as much as possible.)

So I asked D’s grandma, she is a good cook. She gave me this sour cream recipe. That is the SAME recipe she gave me by the way. I was going to make it, but I just couldn’t make myself. I hate sour cream (all those foods most people love with it “hidden” in there, I can tell its there and HATE it.) So I decided to create my own, based in part on all the different ones that I have looked at. After all I am not a good cook because I follow directions, but because I use my own ideas and my own stuff incorporated with what I have been taught. (The problem is when I cook I can add new things as it is going if it doesn’t taste quite the way I want.)

Decided to take pictures (after it looked pretty in the pan), and document if I was a success or failure… It is a success on taste (more important to me) but a failure on looks Also not quite the right texture for coffee cake, but I think I like it better this way!

See looked so pretty, to begin with, I just had to take pictures!

Well I don’t want to over load the post with the pictures so I will add a link HERE once I make a page in case anyone has any interest in them.

(Note: I am sure some of these steps aren’t needed, because I kind of  changed my mind in the middle…)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c flour
1 t Baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 c milk
3/4 c butter milk
1/4 c butter

mix and set aside – next time I will try to skip regular milk to see if topping stays on top a bit better with a thicker batter.

1/2 c brown sugar
2 T butter
2 t cinnamon
2 T flour

mix and set aside – butter and flour 9 inch round baking pan. Add first mix, then in a circular fashion add second mix to top (I used my hand, should look similar to the picture.)

Cook 30 minutes for less of a sweet tooth, and a pretty look.

(I was in a sweet tooth mood) so cook 15 minutes and

1/2 c brown sugar
3 T rolled oats
2 t butter

mix and add to the top – cook 15 more minutes…

Prepare some coffee while it cools (about 5 minutes) and enjoy. (The bitter of the coffee mixed with the sweet of this cake is PERFECTION!)

I have been debating on writing this at all, because it is going to be hypocritical of me to do. However, I decided I have to say it anyway. I am like most people (OK honestly I haven’t met a single person that isn’t at some point) somewhat hypocritical. I am going to express my disappointment at someone that is being quite hypocritical. (See the problem there? I am going to behave in the exact way that is angering me about someone else?)

Anyway, I am still reading the book Objection. It is taking me a lot longer to read then any book that have had read that I can remember (even though the length would suggest I would be done in a day). Mostly this is because it angers me and I put it down. Now I should say not all of it, and there are some ideas in the book that have merit. You see it is a book that is about victims of crime from the view of a prosecutor. I told before of what I think the woman who wrote the books personality; black and white. Also very judgmental, and someone that assumes the worst in most people by judging her by what is written by her or with her. It appears that she either chose not to write about anyone she would judge to be “innocent” or she thinks all defendants are in their position because they are in fact guilty.

Now I could write about the interesting ideas she has, but for that you need to read the book. Instead I am just getting out a small bit of hypocritical thinking that has been bothering me for the last couple of days. (I can’t read the book anymore until I get this off my chest.) She goes into great detail about all the horrible ways that people profit from the suffering of others. From buying something from or about a serial killer to someone involved in the crime (or witnessing it) selling the story and thus making money from the victim, all ending up being taking advantage of something horrible happening to someone, and in principle I could understand. Then she details several ideas on how to stop it, from enacting laws to donating any profits to the victims and/or their families.

Doesn’t that all sound nice and neat? No one should have a problem with that right? Well the author in this book went into great detail explaining this. Giving details of crimes, the names of the victims and criminals to get her point across, to a level that I would say she was writing for the ignorant. (After all how many stories does one need to show that this is something that happens?) Anyway, in the process of doing this she is exploiting the victims as a witness just as she details others are doing. She is making a profit from the suffering of others, not that it is new, and not that it is even something that I couldn’t forgive. Rather it is horrible because she should condemn herself.

Proof in the pudding (APA since we are talking in social terms)…

“Jurors aren’t the only ones who cash in by writing exposes. After Louise Woodward’s “nanny trial,” I was reading through… I was stunned to see all the books spawned from the Simpson trial offered as proof that everyone and their house cat is making money off the misery of others. The authors include old girlfriends… and detectives.” (Grace and Clehane 78)

Talking about those that sell things that are “wrong” in the authors mind, specifically talking about internet sellers of “murderabilia” the following is said, “In my mind, these online brokers are aiding and abetting in furtherance of the original crime by profiting from a victim’s pain.” (Grace and Clehane 108) Then explains it should be against the law, with a fine and jail time…

Therefore, I a reader judge Nancy Grace to a fine and jail time for exploiting victims in her book by writing about their pain, and making money off of their pain. After all her book sells online and it talks about (and by her own definition exploits) victims of crime… I am not really judging her, as in theory I agree with some of what she says. However, I think it is important to point this out as it is a perfect example of an important truth.

If you are judged you will be judged by your own judgment (while I am sure she will never see these words, I am judging her by her own words.) Although like almost all do I am sure excuses would be made, and “her” reasoning is different and therefore it is OK… This is the main one; she sees in black and white for every case she writes about. Yet in her very own pretend case here (by the rules she says she wants), in black and white she is guilty…

**I do note that some of the money made on this book that makes money from the misery of others was donated to missing and exploited children. It isn’t that it is all wrong, or all bad… Just so hypocritical…**

Works Cited
Grace, Nancy and Diane Clehane. Objection. New York: Hyperion, 2005.

Here are my newest adds to my favorites list…

1. www.goalforit.com – chore charts for the kids with customizable rewards (and cool stickers), to do lists, goal trackers, and you can make a chore chart for you too. All on the pc, no messy printouts!

2. http://www.healthvault.com/websites/MayoClinic-MayoClinicHealthManager.html – keeps track of all of your health records, easily prints information for you to take to the doctor, and even reminds you if you need shots. No more trying to remember what medication you were on five years ago.

Ok this was a question that I asked a whole lot last year, and I have had several friends ask me what they are since. The short answer is I (nor anyone else) can really answer that for you… So here is what I can do I will list a few things that are generally on one side of the other. Now I am going to do this in the form of liberal and conservative. (Generally but not always; conservatives are Republican & liberals are democrats.) Also note this is my opinion based upon the actions of the different people that are categorized on each side, and lots of research.

So in general I am liberal. Not 100%, and I can see merit in both sides in a lot of things but still more liberal than conservative. What throws me more to one side or the other is simply the ignorance I see in one side. However, one thing that isn’t written up there is that conservatives in general pay more attention to what things cost, and that is a good thing.

There are so many more topics that can be put on one side or the other. (Google the terms if you wonder about more, I put the ones I see as most important.)

Backstory;

In a game I am playing I lose a city to someone else (it is a war game), no big deal. (Believe it or not I actually do not take my games very seriously. Few games hold my attention for a long time, I get bored with them.) Anyway, I am watching chat and this is what I see:

Someone bragging about getting kicked out of an alliance (like a guild for the game), because he told someone that said they were losing or lost a kid – have another one. Now in his defense he might be right, the particular person that he was talking to most likely wasn’t in the process of losing a kid, (after all who would care about a game in such a situation & shame on the person for making such a thing up at such a time.)

Here is the thing though; shame on both of them. (Assuming that the person was not telling the truth)…

So this is what I ask of all people on the internet; even if we don’t know who you are, even if you think someone is not telling the truth, have some compassion in what you say… Some things shouldn’t ever be said, no matter who you are talking to. The idea that a baby is something that can be traded in for a different baby is heartless to every person that has ever lost a child…