To distract myself I finally partitioned my second disk and loaded Ubuntu on it.

Things went fairly well, with Precise Pangolin [AKA ubuntu 12.04 LTS], and the desktop looks familiar to a Windows user, but all is not sweetness and light. For some reason the Help system is displaying the manual as white text on a white background. I can see the graphics and the links, but the text itself is invisible. There must be a setting somewhere that will address that problem, but it seems to be unique to my installation.

Another annoyance is that I can’t simply do a reboot from Windows and bring up the boot manager, as there apparently isn’t enough time for the system to recognize that I’m pressing a key, so I have to shut down then access the manager during the longer power up sequence.

I’m certain I can fix that problem with a Linux boot utility, and just set the Linux drive as the primary boot.

I really need a book. I’m happier with a paper copy and good index. I realize that the electronic versions are more convenient, but I really like actual books.

Abbeville to Rouen

Distance: 214.5 kilometers.

André Greipel took this stage, after getting out maneuvered by Mark Cavendish at the finish of Stage 2. Even though he is a constant threat to win stages, he is over 4 minutes back at 73^rd. It is very easy to lose time in the race, but extremely difficult to make it back. You have to break free of the peloton, the main group of riders, to make up time on them. The entire group gets the same time as the first person in the group to cross the finish.

Maarten Tjallingii (Ned-RAB-158) is the latest rider to withdraw, but most other things are generally unchanged.

Fabian Cancellara (Sui-RNT-012) [Yellow]
Peter Sagan (Svk-LIQ-057) [Green] 147 points
Michael Morkov (Den-STB-175) [Polka Dot] 9 points
Tejay Van Garderen (USA-BMC-009) 4 [White]

Team: Sky Procycling ( 101-109 ) [Yellow numbers]
Stage winner: André Greipel (Ger-LTB-114)
Combative: Arashiro Yukiya (Jpn–EUC – 022 ) [Red numbers]

Top Ten:

1. Fabian Cancellara (Sui-RNT-012)
2. Bradley Wiggins (GBr-SKY-101) + 07
3. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra-OPQ-192) +07
4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA-BMC-009) +10
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor-SKY-102) +11
6. Denis Menchov (Rus-KAT-131) +13
7. Cadel Evans (Aus-BMC-001) +17
8. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita-LIQ-051) +18
9. Ryder Hesjedal (Can-GRS=061) +18
10. Andréas Klöden (Ger-RNT-015) +19

The Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security…

Independence wasn’t really achieved until September 3, 1783 when Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, and, to be factual, our current government only dates from March 4, 1789 when the first government under our Constitution was installed.

Liberty was not extended to all men until December 6, 1865 with ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery, nor were women given the one of the most important rights of men until August 26, 1920 with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment recognizing their votes.

In truth, until July 2, 1964 when Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law, there was no mechanism to force government to recognize the rights of all American citizens.