Maybe tomorrow or Tuesday. Short version: camera problems, computer problems, rocket problems. No biggie 'cause I had a badly-needed mondo-relaxing weekend. Big fun.

Posted by: Ted at 07:53 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Dentist: "I'm determined to get this done today!"

Me: "From your seat, it's easy to be determined."

Posted by: Ted at 06:58 PM | category: Square Pegs
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When you have toddlers, and they reach that perfect age - it doesn't last long - and you walk through the door and they come running to give Daddy a hug. And basically you get a full-speed head butt right in the balls.

At that age, they're young enough to think you fell to the floor to play.

Posted by: Ted at 05:25 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Red Sox win the world series. Let the whining begin anew until sometime after 2100.

Posted by: Ted at 11:38 AM | category: Square Pegs
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My mind is going about a gazillion miles an hour this morning. Lots to do at work, my basement looks like a cold-war era missile maintenance shop, and I get to go see my dentist again this afternoon.

As I was pulling onto our street the other day, a old and beat up red ford mini-station wagon was coming out. It had those new spinning hubs. A bit of Mookie-wisdom: "Before spending hundreds of dollars tricking out your car, have a car worth more than hundreds of dollars."

This picture made me laugh.

My wife thinks it's unusual that I say things like "I ran out of epoxy". According to her, most people wouldn't use it up before it went bad. I'm waiting for a good moment to tell her that the next time I'm buying epoxy, I'm getting a gallon of resin, a quart of hardener, plus a bunch of extras like microballons and milled fiberglass. And for completeness' sake, I highly recommend this guy for all your adhesive needs.

Superglue. Most folks buy those little tiny containers, the hobby-grade stuff I use comes in 8 ounce bottles. Thick and thin viscosity too.

Since I seem to be stuck on the subject (*owww*), I was digging through my adhesives box, and noticed that I had:

Oldest daughter Robyn went to the hospital in an ambulance the other day. She collapsed at school and the doctors say it was dehrydration. My diagnosis is stupidity so I yelled at her on the phone to take better care of herself and we both felt better. So anyway, she's done at the hospital and gets a ride back to campus, walks into her room, and has this conversation with her roomie:

Roomie: "Were you really taken to the hospital?"

Robyn: "Yeah."

Roomie: "I guess you don't wanna go out partying tonight."

Robyn: "Here's your sign."

Posted by: Ted at 06:00 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 Do you actually USE all those adhesives..or is this like a man thing where more is better? Perhaps that question should go to your wife?

Posted by: Catt at October 28, 2004 09:31 AM (UUS/P)

2 LOL Each has a specific purpose and there's a reason I use certain ones at different times. I might do a post on glues. If you think political flame wars are bad, you should see the epoxy vs. wood glue schism (about as bad as DOS vs Unix).

Posted by: Ted at October 28, 2004 09:43 AM (blNMI)

3 Ted, please don't go around spray-painting spiders. Or if you do, please don't tell us.

Posted by: Victor at October 28, 2004 10:31 AM (L3qPK)

4 And for more unsolicited advice: Perhaps you should get daughter Robyn a Camelbak for Christmas. Heh.

Posted by: Victor at October 28, 2004 09:01 PM (etHvD)

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I post something for my wife, just because.

Lady Love

Lady love, your love is peaceful
Like the summer's breeze
My lady love, with love that's tender
As a baby's touch
You give me all of the things
That I need so much
You're my world, lady love

Lady love, your love is cooling
Like the winter snow
My lady love, with love that's cozy
As a fire's glow
And I keep on needing you, girl
A little more and more
And I thank you, my lady love

You know, it's not easy to keep love flowing smooth
People are people and they all have their moods
But it's so nice just to have someone like you
Who wants a smooth and easy thing
And all the good times that it brings

My lady love, you've been with me
Through all of my ups and downs
My lady love, I once was lost
But now with you I'm found
You got the love I need
And I want to stay around
Heaven sent you down, my lady love

Let me tell you that it's not easy to keep love flowing smooth
You know, people are people, they all have their moods
But it's so nice just to have someone like you
Who wants a smooth and easy thing
And all the good times and the joy that it brings

My lady love, you've been with me
Through all of my ups and downs
And my crazy turn-arounds
My lady love, you got the love I need
So stay around
Heaven sent my lady love

Lady love, sweet lady love
You are so good to me
Lady love, like a warm summer breeze
(So glad I found my lady love, lady love)
(so glad I found my lady love, lady love)

Written by V. Gray and S. Marshall
Performed by Lou Rawls

Posted by: Ted at 05:28 AM | category: Square Pegs
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I've been tinkering with CSS lately at work, and using Rocket Jones and the Skunkworks as guinea pigs. This has been going on for quite a while, and the "Under Construction" signs will remain up for the forseeable future. So if you notice anything odd (like those damned gray boxes around various bits), well, it's me tweaking.

For some reason, I can twiddle and play at work but don't always see the changes until I get home.

Anyways, never mind the mad genius behind curtain #1, it's just me. Now maybe if I pull this level while twisting the that knob...

Posted by: Ted at 08:55 PM | category: Square Pegs
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According to Mookie. As she explained it to me:

For the record, she was up disgustingly early too. Yesterday she spent almost nine hours doing Statistics homework, and today she's got Physics and an English essay. We got her interim report card last week, and her hard work is certainly paying off.

She's going to dress like an elf for the drama department's Christmas play too.

Posted by: Ted at 01:51 PM | category: Square Pegs
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More than a year ago, we had a murder in the last house at the end of our row of townhouses. Two nitwits walked up to the living room window and opened fire on the guy inside. They shot the wrong man, the one they wanted wasn't home at the time.

Ok, I found the original posts on the old Blogspot site, and rather than deal with their linkhell, I'll repost 'em here:

July 6, 2003:
In January of this year, an execution-style murder happened on my block. We live in a row of 10 townhouses, and the shooting took place at the far end house. I heard the shots that night, and to me it sounded like a short string of firecrackers going off. That's what I told my wife (she heard it too), and that's what I told the police. The victim was sitting in the living room in front of the TV when someone walked up to the window and started blasting away, hitting him in the head.

In today's paper is an article announcing the capture of the shooter. The case against him looks pretty solid, and this guy should go to prison for a long long time.

Good deal, eh?

Well, yeah... kinda. It turns out that the reason for the shooting was an earlier argument between two groups of people. According to the story, one man who lived in the house down the street (we'll call him 'Daddy') punched the shooter and split his lip, hence the return that evening for revenge.

The man who was killed was NOT the one who threw the punch! It was his roomie. In fact, he was sitting in the living room playing a video game with the young daughter of the guy who punched out the shooter. So daughter got to see up close and personal what Daddy had caused by losing his temper. Daddy had run to the store and wasn't home.

The other night, there was another fight at their house. This time, two women were trading punches in the front yard and street when the cops showed up. Daddy was outside with them, egging them on. Everyone involved was noticably high. The fun didn't end with the arrival of the police. They called for a female officer to do searches and wound up practically hogtying one of the women to keep her still. The subsequent search was interesting, as this woman is apparently a dealer, and they found a whole drugstore in her purse and in her car. Meanwhile, Daddy just kept being an asshole and instigating for all he was worth.

Here's the chilling part. The drug dealer, in front of the cops and everyone else, yells at Daddy that "next time they won't miss".

So now the whole neighborhood is uptight, and with damn good reason. Parents are afraid to let their kids outside, because if there's a real 'drive-by' next time, the bad guys won't be worrying about a kid on a bike, or someone walking the dog if they get in the way. It's a real shame too, because except for that one house (and resident idiots), and one other (best buds with the idiots), the neighborhood is pretty darned nice. I like my neighborhood. I like my neighbors.

I'm waiting for the cops to come out again. Apparently the owner has put the house up for sale (Daddy doesn't own it, but he's a relative of the owner - long story), and Daddy keeps taking the sign down. The realtor comes by and puts it back up. On and on, around and around.

Please God, let the house sell quickly. Please get those nitwits out of here before someone else loses their life. Not that I give a rat's ass about Daddy, but it always seems to be the innocent bystander that gets it too.

For those of you who look for silver linings, when the roomie died in January his mother recieved his kidneys and ended a decade of dialysis for her. Now that is a helluva silver lining.

July 10, 2003:
Today's paper had another article with more details, including the arrest of the driver of the getaway car. He was going to school at Virginia Tech, and police picked him up in campus housing. They're still looking for suspect #3, and although they don't give his name, I get the impression that they know exactly who it is.

That asswipe, "Daddy", did move, but we occasionally see him around the neighborhood. I talked to his ex-wife a while back, and she said things haven't gotten any better for him, nor for his daughter who's now a guest of the state juvenile authorities.

Posted by: Ted at 01:43 PM | category: Square Pegs
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A munuvian recently discovered that the word "Cialis" was blacklisted and not allowed in our comments. Good deal. Except that, you can't spell "socialism" without "cialis". That gave me a couple ideas for new advertising slogans:

... or how about:

I'm kidding guys, put down the ice pick.

Posted by: Ted at 05:16 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Here's the original. Add to the atmosphere.

Posted by: Ted at 06:11 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Slept right through it. Laid down for a nap with instructions to wake me up in an hour. I must have been tired enough to say the heck with getting up and just kept on sleeping. Did I miss anything?

Posted by: Ted at 06:03 AM | category: Square Pegs
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MicroSoft and Martha Stewart share the same initials! Coincidence? I think not.

Posted by: Ted at 04:41 PM | category: Square Pegs
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Women drivers.

Click for picture 1.

Click for picture 2.

Click for picture 3.

Thanks to Gordon Tatro for these.

Posted by: Ted at 06:34 PM | category: Square Pegs
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I've been informed that wearing panties with SpongeBob Squarepants on them does not mean that you no longer need to wear feminine pads.

Excuse me for thinking like a guy.

Posted by: Ted at 06:05 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 You wear panties with Sponge Bob on them?

Sorry, couldn't resist! Great picture on the header, BTW. I do miss the dog, though. He was too cute.

Posted by: Catt at October 07, 2004 03:44 PM (UUS/P)

2 SpongeBob SquarePads.

The picture at the top changes every once in a while. The rocket puppy will return.

Posted by: Ted at October 07, 2004 05:57 PM (ZjSa7)

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Wasn't able to join the VP Debate chat last night. Wasn't even able to watch the debate (coverage seems rather neutral about it this morning - oops, is "rather neutral" an oxymoron?).

Blogging may be light for the next few weeks as real life has asserted itself. Then again, maybe you won't even notice.

Posted by: Ted at 06:03 AM | category: Square Pegs
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Nowadays, a lot of elevators 'ding' at every floor so the visually impaired can tell where they are.

Wouldn't it be fun to replace that 'ding' with a relieved sounding "whew!"?

Imagine the look on the faces of those who hate riding in elevators.

Posted by: Ted at 05:39 AM | category: Square Pegs
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I don't pretend to be any great philosopher or deep thinker, but I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about pacifism (thanks Nic!), and I'm beginning to sort some things out in my mind. Bear with me a moment while I try to lay this out in some way that makes a little sense.

Some time ago, I remember hearing a comedian talk about Indians doing a Rain Dance. He was wondering if they had a practice first and if they did, and it didn't rain, then how did you know if you did it right?

Pacifism strikes me as offering that same dilemma. You resolve to be peaceful above all - the ideal - and yet when the other guy does violence against you, your only option is more peacefulness. In fact, maybe you weren't peaceful enough and if you'd only try harder then they would get the idea. Except the violence happens again and again, and each time you vow to do better.

The trap lies in believing that everyone is basically good inside. Love thy neighbor. So when he refuses to react accordingly to your peaceful nature (why doesn't he understand?), then you start to look for reasons. And since the problem couldn't be him (you must believe in him), then the problem is you or something else. Nobody likes to admit that they're wrong (but you resolve to try harder just in case), so the problem must be an outside influence. And since the violence is still directed at your side, then it's a simple leap to believing that the blame lies completely on your side.

In nature, a weakness is always exploited. The weakest members of a herd are culled out by predators. A flaw in defence is used by another as an opening to attack. It's instinctive, but refining the tactic is a learned behavior.

Being a pacifist makes you an easy target, but eventaully it is realized by "the bad guys" that you're useful in another way. You advocate for them, because you believe in them. They can't be evil, it must be us! PR is a learned behavior too.

Ghandi was able to use peace as a tool to achieve his goals. Martin Luther King Jr did the same. But in both cases, they were making their points against a culture and society that was already somewhat civilized. The British and American cultures already tended towards peaceful behavior. We've seen no such tendencies from the terrorists in today's world. You can't explain away shooting children in the back. How can you understand the ability to blow up innocent people during their prayers? There's not enough love in the world to change the mind of someone who believes that killing you is what his God wants him to do.

I really want to see peace in the world, and I hope that someday it'll happen (but I don't think it will for a long, long time, if ever). I hope that those who believe in pacifism keep their wits about them and don't fall into the traps inherent in their worldview. I hope for the best but prepare for the worst, because I've learned to be a realist in life. Sometimes, no matter how well you dance, it doesn't rain because it's just not ready to rain.

Posted by: Ted at 06:16 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 Great essay, Ted.

Posted by: Susie at October 04, 2004 01:20 PM (Vzv6M)

2 Thanks for the link, Ted.

A few thoughts of mine (not necessarily representing any offical "pacifist" view)...

I don't believe that everyone is basically good inside, I believe that everyone has the capacity for good AND evil (not good OR evil, good AND evil.) That's why every time I have a non-peaceful, non-understanding impulse, from "That SOB in accounting screws up my timesheet every week, I wish they'd fire him" to the kneekjerk reaction to a terrorist act, I want to examine my reaction. Am I really going to improve things, or am I just looking for revenge?

Also, I think there's a big difference between being a pacifist and being weak, or worse, becoming a tool of the bad guys. One of the things I'm reading now is a Christian theologian, Walter Wink, who writes about how "turn the other cheek" has been completely misinterpreted. (The gist of it is here: http://www.witherspoonsociety.org/walter_wink.htm). Rather than explaining away violence, the challenge is to find ways to actively counter violence and oppression without resorting to the same methods. (And no, I don't have an answer for what those nonviolent ways might be in our current situation. I wish I did.)

Just like you hope pacifists avoid the trap of becoming tools of the "bad guys," I hope that people who feel that our only recourse right now is a violent one avoid the traps of vengence & bloodlust in the name of defense.

Posted by: nic at October 04, 2004 02:43 PM (JijW0)

3 Pacifism has always confused me.

What? You won't FIGHT, you won't DIE or you won't KILL for something in which you believe?

I can kinda understand the third, but the first two are just foreign concepts to me.


Reminds me of the one scene in "Field of Dreams,"

Terence Mann : I'm going to beat your head in with a crowbar until you leave.
Ray Kinsella : You can't do that.
Terence Mann : There are rules here? No, there are no rules here.
[advances with crowbar]
Ray Kinsella : You're a pacifist!
Terence Mann : [stops] Shit.

Posted by: Rob @ L&R at October 04, 2004 02:56 PM (w+KN+)

4 First off: Great post, Ted. An instant classic, imho.

But nic's comment has me going now!

Terrence Mann - in that scene - was unconvinced and so he gave into Ray's assertion that he was a pacifist.
But Mann gave in in the end. All he had to say (to himself) was "I wish I had your pasion, Ray", and there it was.

Mann: Moonlight Graham.
Kinsella: You saw it!
Mann: What did I see, Ray?
...blahbiddy blah...
Kinsella: Did you hear a voice?! It's okay to admit it; it's what told me to find you.../i>
Mann: [looking at nothing while shaking his head he comes back] "Go the distance?"

Obviously, Terrance Mann wasn't remembering anything, he was hearing it right then even though we weren't. That was the moment he climbed aboard. From then on it was, once again, activism - not pacifism - that drove him.

I just love Field of Dreams.

Posted by: Tuning Spork at October 05, 2004 12:59 AM (JcZiD)

5 It was a great movie...

My favorite:

Ray Kinsella : So what do you want?
Terence Mann : I want them to stop looking to me for answers, begging me to speak again, write again, be a leader. I want them to start thinking for themselves. I want my privacy.
Ray Kinsella : No, I mean, what do you WANT?
[Gestures to the concession stand they're in front of]
Terence Mann : Oh. Dog and a beer.

Posted by: Rob @ L&R at October 05, 2004 09:19 AM (w+KN+)

6 Nic, I knew that about you from our previous discussions. I think "pacifism" has been hijacked by self-hating apologists just as surely as Islam has been hijacked by radical terrorist factions.

Ghandi and Martin Luther King Jr were true visionaries, and neither ever claimed that what was happening to their people was their own fault. Recognizing an injustice and still finding a way to non-violently counter it is walking a tightrope. Convincing others to follow your lead takes epic leadership.

Posted by: Ted at October 06, 2004 12:41 PM (blNMI)

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Welcome to Uncle Sam's Fiscal Year 2005. Let's hope it's more sane than the one just ended.

Posted by: Ted at 06:05 AM | category: Square Pegs
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And most of them are wearing Cubs uniforms.

Muwhahahahahahahahaha

Posted by: Ted at 06:01 AM | category: Square Pegs
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1 Hey!

Posted by: Jennifer at October 01, 2004 11:20 AM (m08O2)

2 I was just about to say "Don't ya dare let Jennifer hear ya say that!".

I guess I wont bother...

Posted by: Tuning Spork at October 02, 2004 11:09 PM (TE2N9)

3 Ted; Back in Oct 2004 you made a post -- " Found Wood" where you mentioned " And they recently found a complete Jimi Hendrix video from Sweden ". I've not heard anything more about this .... Who found this video ? Will it be released ? As a fan, I 'd sure like to find out more about this. Thanks for any assistance. Regards, Gregory Gunther

Posted by: GGunther at May 28, 2005 09:26 PM (SXm1G)

4 Gregory, I tried to follow the original news article link and it's now expired, so I don't have any more information about it, and a quickie check on Google didn't help. Here's the original blip I posted: http://rocketjones.mu.nu/archives/046477.php Sorry I don't have more hard information. IIRC, the film was shot by a television station during a Hendrix concert in Stockholm. At some later time, some station employees were told to go ahead and destroy the tape during an effort to "clean house" . Instead, the unknown employees stashed the tapes in the back of the station's archive room, where they lay forgotten until last year. That's really all I have, and it's from memory. Maybe a more careful Google search will turn up more.

Posted by: Ted at May 29, 2005 12:49 AM (+OVgL)

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