I finally finished rebuilding my son's computer. We agreed to bid farewell to W98SE and upgrade the operating system to W2K. The computer I had been using W2K on finally bit the dust. The only software he wanted installed on W2K was the Age of Conquerors software. I re-wrote the data on the partitions using KillDisk from www.killdisk.com. Then I deleted the partitions when I installed W2K. While I was working on the computer I switched out the video card and added some more memory. It took me a long time to update the software since I had to download W2KSP4, IE6.1, and Windows Media 9b. After I finished installing the software I installed the Fedora distribution of Linux. The X-server crashed the first time I tried it. The second time it worked but it had a funny mixed screen for about five seconds during the boot and did not like the VNC program on the third install disk. It looks like there are still some bugs in the installation process. Otherwise the desktop and openoffice look really nice. I will play with it some on Tuesday. My schedule for Monday is full.
Day: January 4, 2004
In praise of cowboys
One of the accusations aimed at President Bush by his detractors is to call him a “cowboy,” as if this is some mark of shame, implying something sinister or simple-minded. I keep wondering why. Have you ever watched a rodeo?
How many times have you seen an arena full of rodeo fans take to the streets following a competition and set fire to cars or hold an impromptu riot because they felt dissatisfied with the final outcome, as Michigan State students recently did? There is no booing of officials when scores are announced.
I've never heard of a contested call by any competitor, even when it meant the difference between winning and losing…. Cowboys don't whine. Cowboys regularly loan each other equipment and even horses, frequently $50,000 to $100,000 animals, when a fellow competitor's ride didn't arrive in time for tonight's roping or bulldogging or whatever.
When 'The Star Spangled Banner' is played, to a man and woman they rise to their feet and put their hats over their hearts in respect.
They don't wear T-shirts bearing offensive sexual messages.
When a cowboy (or cowgirl) is injured, the rest hold fund-raisers and donate time and money to help him or her and their families through a rough financial time.
Headlines never seem to carry news of a world-champion bull rider or calf roper beating up his wife or being arrested for molesting under-age girls.
And they, too, have their groupies and some even have failed marriages, sad victims of the vagabond lifestyle necessary to follow the rodeo circuit. They seem to know who their fathers are and most often seem to be married to the mothers of their children. They thank their families for their successes. So, I have to ask: What's wrong with being described as a “cowboy?”
It seems to me to be high praise in a world full of folks with questionable moral standards, technicolor hair, bodies adorned with rings and tattoos in startling locations and no respect for anything of value or worth.
It seems our “cowboy” president is in some pretty good company.
Sure beats being a Frenchman.