"Murphy was an optimist!"
From the mouths of babes September 23, 2008 2:36 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Evan, Family, From the mouths of babes, Of Being Dad, Sex, Touchy SubjectsI like to change the picture on my desktop from time to time. I have two monitors and the picture appears on each of them. The theme lately has been family so I have had a variety of pictures of the children and Cathy as my desktop. Today I thought I’d try on something artsy. I went looking for a picture and came across a very tasteful, black and white nude that the composition just seemed far more striking than any of the other photos on the site. 30 seconds later, Evan comes strolling up to my desk.
Dad, trying to get an application to cover up the picture, instead gets an hour glass: "Hi Evan."
Evan, 3 years old, very loudly: "Nice butt!"
Dad, watching hour glass: *blink*
Evan, making sure Dad heard, places emphasis on butt: "Nice BUTT!"
At least the boy has good taste! Now, time to find something more abstract…
add a commentMcCain Pathological Liar? September 23, 2008 11:41 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Politics, Touchy Subjects, United StatesThe Huffington Post says yes. Interesting aside: McCain owns 13 cars; Obama owns 1.
add a commentABC Panel Harsh on John McCain September 23, 2008 8:44 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Politics, Touchy Subjects, United StatesThe question is who, in this crisis, looked more presidential? Calm and unflustered. It wasn’t John McCain. [0:31-0:36]
Every day spent talking about Sarah Palin, or anything but the economy, is a win for McCain. [3:53-4:00]
John McCain showed his personality this week and made some of us fearful. [4:14-4:17]
The Huffington Post has more.
add a commentLeading Scouts September 23, 2008 8:21 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Of Interest, ScoutsLast night I took a break from programming to do something important to me. As a Boy Scout Leader, I mentor boys between the ages of 11 and 18 to help them develop life skills and build character. I have skipped the past 3 meetings or so to work as well as the past couple of outings. Scouting is a volunteer organization in which you practically pay to participate. The activities are often expensive and there is enough training and time sinks to turn Scout leadership into a full-time job. There are professional Scouters and I personally think that would be a blast! I derive as much from the Scout program as the boys. My leadership skills stay sharp and grow better. I am reminded of my lessons as a Scout in wilderness survival, first aid, and just being a good person. I also learn new skills, particularly cooking. I work with a great group of intelligent, achieved adults and the boys in the program are outstanding. These are our future leaders!
Cliff Stoll implored us to "teach a class" and he was meaning to take 4-5 days a week and teach children in a classroom setting. Scouts does not meet his 4-5 day request but is still teaching. I relate to Clifford Stoll’s meaning. I hope you too teach children in some way be it Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, a church, or just interacting with them in your neighborhood. Be a mentor!
3commentsOf Grasshoppers September 22, 2008 6:08 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Of Grasshoppers, PhilosophyStudent: I cannot win at this game.
Master: Can you have fun trying?
Inspired to do home improvement September 22, 2008 12:23 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Health, House, Juggling, Of Interest, Publishing, VideoCathy wants me to work on the house more. I want to juggle more.
add a commentThis will make you feel small September 22, 2008 10:23 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Space, TechnologyLast year I helped Noah use string to show the scale of distances between planets. I had never conceptualized it before and I was blown away. When people speak of "space" they really mean space. There is a lot of it out there. After watching this video, I feel tiny and wonder why we don’t have space ships of humans spreading throughout the universe on great explores.
How – Click here for more home videos
2commentsPain pain go away September 21, 2008 11:20 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily LifeI think I’ve been sitting in this chair far too long and my back is far too weak. Must sleep. (I suppose sit ups and push ups wouldn’t hurt either. Oh agony.
add a commentWeekend in Review September 21, 2008 9:53 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, HouseThis was a working weekend. My current project needed to see some drastic visual improvements that have to look good in Internet Explorer 6. (I’m a semantic programmer that advocates CSS over tables for design.) This weekend was dedicated to those visual improvements. My reward as I made progress was to do some wiring and drywalling in the downstairs bedroom. The light switch used to hang, in an uncovered gangbox, dangling from the 12-2 wiring in the hallway. I was always afraid one of the kids was going to get a terrible shock from turning on the lights. Evan loved to get a step stool and turn on the lights himself. Now the switch is installed in the wall just inside the bedroom as it should and is covered with a face plate. It is also reachable by Evan without a step stool. I’ve had fun watching the children try to figure out how to turn on the lights. Evan is having a blast dimming the lights and turning them on and off.
If I continue to use fixing that bedroom as my milestone reward, we’ll have paint on the walls by the week’s end!
1 comment so farSafety? Busted! September 21, 2008 8:54 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Of Interest, TV / MoviesI love the MythBusters. I’m downright jealous of Adam and Jamie. So how safe are their shoots? Have a look.
add a commentOut of gas again September 21, 2008 11:40 am
Posted by utterz in : Daily Life, Podcasting
Mobile post sent by djuggler using Utterli. Replies.
Of Grasshoppers September 21, 2008 11:17 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Of Grasshoppers, PhilosophyStudent: Today I feel weak.
Master: Then today you must be strong.
Of Grasshoppers September 20, 2008 1:53 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Of Grasshoppers, PhilosophyStudent: These things I cannot control!
Master: The weak try to control; the strong adapt.
Is 9V too much for a 6V device? September 19, 2008 8:51 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Gadgets, Science, TechnologyIf I have a device that requests 6V input and I have an a/c adapter that outputs 9V, will the device draw only the 6V it needs or will it try to take all 9V and burn itself out? In this case the circuit is simply a light. It has the switch and the bulb with an optio of being powered by 4 AA batteries or 6V input. No amp requirement specified.
Watt’s it matter?
2commentsGreenbacks or Gold? September 19, 2008 6:22 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Economy, Touchy SubjectsWorried that the dollar might tank and that the paper in your wallet might be worth more keeping the house warm than spending? Are you thinking, "I really should have a pile of gold in the house in case the economy really gets horrible."? Think again. In 1933 Ol’ Delano took measures to make sure you didn’t have that concern.
4commentsFrom: President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt
To: The United States Congress
Dated: 5 April, 1933
Presidential Executive Order 6102Forbidding the Hoarding of Gold Coin, Gold Bullion and Gold Certificates By virtue of the authority vested in me by Section 5(b) of the Act of October 6, 1917, as amended by Section 2 of the Act of March 9, 1933, entitled
An Act to provide relief in the existing national emergency in banking, and for other purposes
in which amendatory Act Congress declared that a serious emergency exists,
I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do declare that said national emergency still continues to exist and pursuant to said section to do hereby prohibit the hoarding gold coin, gold bullion, and gold certificates within the continental United States by individuals, partnerships, associations and corporations…
[Source, The Privateer Gold Pages, The Roosevelt Gold Confiscation Of April 5, 1933]
