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"Murphy was an optimist!"

Disturbing News of the Day May 29, 2008 11:29 am

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Mental, News, Of Interest
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Can you say "psychotherapy?" I knew you could!

A 12-year-old girl has testified in court that she saw her father kill her mother and he then forced her to help dismember the body with a circular saw. [Source, WBIR]

Now that’s some authoritative parenting! I can’t even get my children to sweep the floors! I wonder what that girls career will become. And the grossness continues…

Police said James Hawkins cleaned the saw and returned it to a store where he had obtained it. [Source, WBIR]

…which means someone else bought that circular saw and is cheerfully using it to build their bookshelves in their house. Of course, they’ll never understand why the books seem to rearrange themselves, occasionally jump off the shelf, and exhibit symmetrical book stacking just like the Philadelphia mass turbulence of 1947.

I don’t get how someone could do this to another human being much less include their child in the act!

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Oversleeping May 29, 2008 10:18 am

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health, Mental
, 1 comment so far

Oversleeping takes on whole definition when the person you are working with is 5 hours (or 14) ahead of you!

Stress seems to make it worse wearing the body down. I have written before that the stress reaction used to make sense. You are on the savanna, a lion pops out of the tall grass and begins chasing you, stress kicks in causing an adrenaline rush, and you bolt into the forest to escape becoming a picnic dinner. The stress is short lived. But ongoing stress (days, weeks, years) beats the dickens out of you! Then add to it that I have been staying up past midnight and waking up with or before the roosters and the body feels run over. I suppose those conditions beg for a collapse. Why couldn’t it have come in two days instead of this morning?!

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My lawn mower punched me in the face May 6, 2008 2:25 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health, Of Interest
, 7comments

Update:

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Wheeeee! May 1, 2008 9:06 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Health
, 2comments

Oh! Babies bounce! Watch the right side of your screen at second 0:07.

Muslims in western India have been observing a bizarre ritual – they’ve been throwing their young children off a tall building to improve their health. [Source, Reuters, Indian baby dropping ritual]

This makes the hand game look tame!

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C|Net doesn’t like my comments April 23, 2008 11:26 am

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Communications, Daily Life, Education, Health, Technology
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C|Net posted a story called N.Y. court upholds school cell phone ban and I replied with this comment:

I find it disheartening that for reasons which sound fearful and lacking of understanding “…contending the mobile gadgets can promote cheating and harassment…” that schools fail to teach a tool which will be integral to our children’s success in life once they leave school. Schools should be teaching our children how to use the tools on the cell phones including productivity management (calendar apps, todos, alerts), etiquette (better to learn it in school than on their first job!), emailing, sms, Internet searching from the phone, social networking (that’s how contracts and sales will be landed, jobs offered, and an edge above the rest secured), and so on.

Address issues of “cheating and harassment” on an individual basis and let’s not limit our children’s education based on speculation!

I have more here including a video where teaching cellphones in school proved to be successful: http://realityme.net/2008/02/23/teach-cell-phones-dont-ban-them/

Now, I had some difficulty submitting the comment so it may have appeared as though I tried to submit it three times. The comment is now gone. Instead blather like this is left:

It is so funny to hear people say that their little johnny is such a perfect child and that they have the right to reach him in the event of a comet hitting the earth. First of all, johnny is a little pervert cheater with no respect for his teacher or the classroom. Second of all, the parents are just as bad as their kid. Sick sick sick. They all need to be be put back on track and taught what is right and what is wrong. They can stomp their feet and throw a tantrum or they can pull their heads out of their butts and see the light. Boo hoo… Cry me a river. We never had cell phones when I was in school. Somehow I survived. Somehow may parents picked me up from football. Somehow they picked me up when I was sick at school. Somehow they were contacted when I threw spit balls. Kids and parents nowdays are screwed up big time.

I have read the C|NET terms of use and unless the relevant link to Reality Me can be construed as advertising then there was no justification for the comment deletion. If the link was a problem, remove the link! I have reposted the comment but if it disappears I simply won’t participate in C|Net discussions anymore.

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IJA Festival 2008 is in Lexington! April 16, 2008 11:13 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health, Juggling, Mental, Of Interest
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Oh serendipity! This is the closest I have ever been to the International Jugglers’ Association festival! I have video tapes from renegade shows from a couple of decades ago that just look like a blast. Years ago, young and bullheaded, I had attitude toward the IJA as being the evil juggling overloads (for profit) that popularized that horrid 4-4-10 nonsense. In truth, I just wasn’t innovative enough to get myself to one of the festivals. Groundhog Day Juggler’s convention in Atlanta and the one Neil Stammer (Andrew J. Allen) hosted in D.C. were the ones I was able to attend.

Doug juggling fireJuggling festivals are wonderful. You learn so much. And there’s nothing to really describe the sensation of walking into a gymnasium filled with a few hundred people throwing things at each other. And when you get some really talent passers together, the juggling is like clockwork, everything around you fades away, and you are in a single group mind defying gravity!

I went to the Knoxville Juggler’s Club night last night. It was thrilling but my skills have faded and long since been surpassed by superior jugglers. I never uttered that I was the best juggler in Knoxville; that would be wrong, lacking humility, egotistical, and arrogant. But years ago I heard it, and secretly I didn’t think it was too far off base not because I was talented but because Knoxville just didn’t have that many die-hard jugglers. Of course back then I’d blow off classes to go listen to Jimmy Buffett, The Grateful Dead, reggae, and the occasional acoustic guitar player while juggling barefoot in the grass at the World’s Fair Park. Met one of my best friends and has wife on one of their first dates while skipping class to juggle in that park. I want to keep going to the club and I want my juggling fire back. I doubt I will catch up to these guys. As the has-been juggler, I wonder how I would hold my own at the IJA Festival. I feel a bit like Fast Eddie Felson; there was then and there is now.

61st IJA Festival
July 14-20, 2008
Lexington, Kentucky [Source, juggle.org]

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My son needs your comments. Please help him! April 15, 2008 4:09 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Education, Environment, Family, Health, Tommy, Touchy Subjects
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My oldest son is doing a class project in ecology. He is writing two posts a week and soliciting comments which he will compile or aggregate into his report. He cannot complete his project without comments. Please take a moment and read his posts. If you are so compelled, please comment on as many as you can. Thank you!

His posts to date:

Please make the comments on Tommy’s blog.

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Juggling Club Meeting Tonight April 15, 2008 3:51 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Announcements, Health, Juggling, Of Interest
, 1 comment so far

As a reminder, the Knoxville Juggler’s Club meets the first Sunday and third Tuesday of every month. All skill levels welcome. Come and learn! Everyone can juggle. Juggling is good for the body, mind, and spirit. It also is a great social tool.

Naturally, my attendance is dependent upon my work progress. I do hope to get a short break as I could use the exercise!

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For my wife, I’ll sing of sushi March 30, 2008 6:07 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Health, Humor, Love, Mental, Philosophy
, 4comments

Next time I’m at West Town Mall, for my wife, I’ll break into song in the food court and sing of sushi!

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How to have sex while 5 children are in the house March 28, 2008 9:48 am

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Health, Security, Sex, Technology, Touchy Subjects, War
, 5comments

Someone has finally figured out how to have intimate moments without fear of scaring the minds of your youth by having them accidentally walk in on mom and dad being gross. See this worksafe link for the details. Via BoingBoing.

QSleeper

  • 1.25″ Polycarbonate Bulletproof Plating/Shielding
  • Bio-Chemical Filtered Ventilation
  • Rebreather
  • Control Panel Mode Selection (i.e., Basic System Ops., Intruder Setting, Energy Status, Lock Down, etc.)
  • Cover & Door Actuators w/ Emergency Release
  • One way see through head cover (reflective mirror on 2 sides and front)
  • Safety Features (Proximity Sensor, O2 Sensor, Smoke Det., Motion Det. Ect,)
  • Emergency Communication system (Cellular, Short-wave Radio, CB ect.)
  • Audio Amplifier (Amplify sound from out side unit)
  • Air/Water Tight Sealing
  • External Override Key Pad & Remote Control
  • Battery Backup Power
  • Toiletry system

Source, QSleeper

Please remember the vasectomy campaign!

5comments

Awareness Test March 26, 2008 10:49 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Health, Mental, Of Interest
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Try to count the number of passes the team in white makes.


http://view.break.com/470052 – Watch more free videos

Thanks to DwingDwang.

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Please help my son March 26, 2008 9:37 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Education, Family, Health, Tommy
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Tommy is doing a project in his Ecology class and needs to collect different opinions on a variety of topics. The first is regarding the water dispute between Tennessee and Georgia. Could you head over to Tommy’s blog and give him your thoughts in the comments of his post Water Dispute? Thank you!

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ACT NOW! They are voting TODAY! February 27, 2008 8:35 am

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Activism, Education, Health, Local Politics, Politics, Touchy Subjects
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They are voting today!

This vote regarding kids going to the school closest to [their] home, gets voted on TOMORROW! This is an initial vote by six house members. They must be contacted today.

The original email:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Rep Mike Turner and Senator Haynes have proposed a change to the Tennessee Code that shall allow "any pupil so desiring to attend the school closest to the geographical location of the place of residence of the pupil." This bill is in committee this week so we must ACT NOW! You can get more information on this bill by going to the TN government state website: http://www.state.tn.us/

The bill is being proposed in both the house (2524) and senate (2891). This addresses the concerns of many families throughout Knox County who felt that their children should attend a school closer to their home.

I encourage you to call or email your representative. Also, if you have a relationship with anyone on this list or in the State House or Senate, please contact them as well.

Below is a list emails for State Officials representing Knox County.

Thank you for your time.

Pamela Treacy

Senate

  1. Randy McNally (R) 307 WMB, 37243-0205 741-6806 741-7200
    94 Royal Troon Cir, OR 37830 483-5544
  2. Jamie Woodson(R) 317 WMB, 37243-0206 741-1648 253-0270
    8509 White _s Pond Way,37923 539-8683
  3. Tim Burchett (R) 310A WMB 37243-0207 741-1766 741-7200
    8220 Bennington Dr 37909 693-1902

House District

  1. Harry Tindell (D) 33 LP, 37243-0113 741-2031 741-1446
    P.O. Box 27325, 37927-7325 524-7200
  2. Park M Strader (R) 214 WMB, 37243-0114 741-2264 741-1005
    708 Farragut Commons Dr,37934 694-9165
  3. Joseph Armstrong (D) 25 LP, 37243-0115 741-0768 253-0316
    4708 Hilldale Dr, 37914 523-6374
  4. Bill Dunn (R) 205 WMB, 37243-0116 741-1721 532-8221
    5309 LaVesta Rd, 37918 687-4904
  5. Frank Niceley (R) 113 WMB, 37243-0117 741-2282 253-0217
    1023 Creek Rd, Str Plns37871 433-4419
  6. Stacey Campfield (R) 113 WMB, 37243-0118 741-2287 253-0217
    2011 Flagler Rd, 37912 455-2627
  7. Harry Brooks (R) 207 WMB, 37243-0119 741-6879 253-0212
    6600 Washington Pike, 37918 687-5987
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Quit teaching fractions! February 24, 2008 9:04 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Education, Mental, Of Interest
, 5comments

Dennis DeTurck believes that we should not teach fractions until they can be appreciated which may be after calculus. Watch it below.

USA Today had an article last month noting some people disagree vehemently.

5comments

Juggler on TV February 12, 2008 8:15 pm

Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Juggling, Of Interest
, 4comments

Well now…Thank you Ken Schwall!

4comments