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Blu-ray player on analog tv? Yes?

Danila — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:23:18 -0800

Should I get a blu-ray player even though the TV is analog? And would it even work?

My dvd player has died. At first i was going to get a cheap dvd player to replace it. The tv is about 15-20 years old although it still works great with no issues. The stereo setup is about 10-15 years old (both were top of the line when bought new and both still do everything well). But i have a bit of money and i could maybe afford to buy a blu-ray player.

Now why would i do this? Well because i want to stream Netflix movies. Also over the next year or so i will be upgrading the tv and maybe the stereo (though i love this stereo system). So when i update the tv i will be able to see the improved quality with blu-rays and in the meantime i can enjoy Netflix and dvds. Perhaps. That's if it even works. The tv does have digital cable attached although for the life of me i have yet to see how i can get a dvd player to attach when the tv is already attached. My old dvd player died when analog died and my old old dvd player that didn't need the signal is just about dead after not being used in so long. So..

1. Should i get the cheap dvd player and wait to get the blu-ray player when (if) the tv is upgraded?

2. Or would it be harmless to get it now? Would it work?

(Sorry for the lower case i's and lack of commas. My laptop keyboard also went sporadic in the last 3 days and i am tired of copy/paste capital i's and commas.)

CluelessAuntFilter: Help me bond with my 6 year old nephew in Vancouver today

ebellicosa — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:45:22 -0800

CluelessAuntFilter: Help me bond with my 6 year old nephew in Vancouver today!

Hi:

I am spending the day with my 6 year old nephew today.

He likes Lego, Star Wars, Lego Star Wars (of course), Wii Lego Star Wars (shocking), and jet fighters.

I'd like to go somewhere and spend a pleasant, memorable day with him. We are in Vancouver BC and have a car.

Bonus points for:
- something his 10 year old sister might also enjoy
- something where he learns something empowering

Also - where is the biggest, baddest Lego store in Vancouver?

Thanks! And a six year old boy thanks you too!

need advice on how to avoid smoking relapse

marimeko — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:36:53 -0800

Ex smokers: What did you do to get past certain stages of withdrawal?

Info: I quit smoking without any type of nicotine replacement about four weeks ago. I've quit many times, the longest being for four months.

A few weeks into quitting (as is currently the case) my mind always tends to resort to dirty tricks to get me to relapse (things like constant, unwanted smoking "nostalgia", or the idea that without smoking I "will never enjoy anything ever again"). It may take a couple of months, but it (my own mind!) is very convincing, as so far this has always resulted in me smoking.

PS: I've tried Wellbutrin twice and it had no effect on me other than making me anxious. Also, I want to avoid re-intoducing nicotine back into my system in the form of NRT.

Thanks!

Who owns the area between the sidewalk and street?

team lowkey — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:31:49 -0800

What rights do the public have to the planting strip (between the sidewalk and street) in a Berkeley residential area?

Does the city own the property and the adjacent homeowner is required to maintain it, or does the homeowner own it, and the city has an easement for their own use?

But more specifically, what rights do the public have to that area? Are people allowed to walk their dogs on it? Does it basically count as part of the sidewalk in the eyes of the law?

Looking for Grey Cup streaming feeds

smcniven — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:25:26 -0800

Would any Canadian Mefier's have a slingbox feed/stream that I could use for the Grey Cup tonight?

I'm hosting a Grey Cup party tonight in London and have purchased the live stream from TSN, but as I had some technical difficulties last weekend for the Semifinal games I'm looking for some backup feeds just in case.

Would anyone be able to help out a group of Expats in London watch the big game tonight?

(mods: not sure if this is bending the AskMe guidelines so feel free to delete if so)

Getting over a dread of sex?

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:06:24 -0800

I am late in the dating game, and sex still doesn't interest me. Want to get past this. Suggestions?

I am a early-30s healthy, sociable woman but sex doesn't interest me. It never has. I find the whole concept of mixing bodily fluids with another person completely off-putting. Am a virgin, obviously :) But I have dated and done the cuddle stuff. I dislike kissing but have put up with it.

I do not think all hope is lost. I tend to go for shy/nerd types, and my lack of experience relative to my age has not been an issue with them as many of them tend to be in the same boat. But it does get to the point sometimes where things should progress and the guy senses my reluctance, so this has perhaps cost me a few relationships.

I have many male friends who are 'buddies' so the problem is not an inability to deal with men. It's just that I don't like all the touchy stuff. I spend the whole date worrying he'll try to kiss me and that my breath/his breath will smell. And I have never even broached the subject of actual sex with anyone yet. I think they sense my reluctance on this front and have spared me the conversation.

I have heard several theories as to what the problem might be, ranging from:

- Daddy Issues stemming from parents divorce and lukewarm relationship with father
- Body issues from allergy-prone system which is prone to rashes and makes me sensitive to and about how my skin feels and looks
- Some sort of sex blockage due to post-traumatic stress from my transsexual sibling's sex change when I was a teenager
- Fear of commitment due to a deep-seated divorce phobia resulting from the breakdown of my parent's marriage

I have been to therapy and dealt with many of these issues. The last therapist I saw, who was excellent, suggested that I simply haven't met the right person yet and that if I did, my latent instincts would kick in. I hope this is true but worry it might not be.

Is there anything I can do to explore some of these feelings a little, perhaps break down the sex issue in my head a little so it isn't so daunting? Any suggestions for ways a person my age might broach the subject with a potential partner or to indicate to a potential person of interest tat they might need some patience with me without scaring them off? If you were a guy and you were, outside of this problem, interested in pursuing a relationship with me, what would be the best approach for me to take in having this conversation with you?

Managing the damage. But how?

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:05:38 -0800

Anti-anxiety medication: blessing or cop-out?

About a year ago, I had my first panic attack. It didn't happen in response to any specific situation or trigger; I believe it was more the aggregate response to a lifetime of small but persistent stressors which I could no longer deny or put aside. After a few more episodes, I started seeing a psychiatrist, who eventually put me on 10mg/day of Celexa on the grounds that I was over-thinking myself into a spiral about it and needed to see what it felt like to live without the obsessive, tail-eating thoughts that anxiety disorders produce.

Now, I also have a close friend who has suffered from anxiety his whole life. He has experienced many hundreds more attacks than I have (in addition to managing other factors such as OCD and social anxiety). He, however, has chosen to forego medication altogether, choosing instead to conduct his own personal form of CBT with no medical or psychiatric input.

While I believe he's made very good strides through his own method, and I can admire him for his dedication to staring this thing down through sheer force of will, I also see him succumbing to it again rather more than he wants to admit. I trust his years of experience in this matter, but it seems to me that he ultimately forces himself to suffer unnecessarily.

I feel the Celexa has allowed me to "get out of my own way" and lighten my psychological burden in a way I'm not sure I've ever actually experienced before. Also, panic episodes are so debilitating that I think I've occasionally become sick (flu-like) from the sheer physiological drainage they cause when I let them run roughshod over me. He, meanwhile, believes that drugs simply turn people into "robots" and that they only enable people to hide from themselves and their issues indefinitely. He sees medication as a cop-out and an act of emotional cowardice. He also thinks there is no way to actually confront or reconcile panic disorder while on medication, believing that direct exposure to panic episodes is the only thing that allows you to get comfortable with and work through them.

I recognize the necessity of CBT and working with a therapist to address the individual underlying issues and stressors that cause anxiety triggers to begin with. And I can admire the purity of my friend's method, even if I think he'd get a lot farther by doing it in a more guided capacity outside the vacuum of his own mind. But I can't see any downside (cultural judgments aside) to keeping the attacks at bay through medication until I can afford actual CBT.

So, what's the reality of the situation? Is the use of medication for anxiety disorder just a cheat? Is the best thing just to suck up and let the panic batter you around until you can retrain your own brain? Obviously I'm also dealing with the feeling of being judged by my friend, but I'd like to know what the latest word is from the medical community on the subject. Articles and citations are endless on the Web, but I'd sorta like a boildown from someone with a better handle on reliable information.

Farting Around in Florida

Brettus — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:56:31 -0800

Staying overnight in Miami, what to do?

My wife and I are going on our Honeymoon in two weeks. We are flying out of Kansas and staying in Miami overnight on the 12th of December. Our cruise leaves the 13th, but we still want to experience Miami for the single night we are staying there.

I have never seen the ocean. I have never been to Florida. I want something a little off the beaten path, I am not into tourist traps if they can be avoided. What can/should we do? Any good non-chain restaurants we can dine at? We are open to try anything, on the cheap if possible.

An unwanted gallon of 2% milk

k. — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:28:05 -0800

What can I do with an unwanted gallon of 2% milk?

I meant to get skim milk, but I bought 2% by accident. I can't stand 2% milk; it tastes like cream to me. I couldn't find anyone else who likes 2% either, so I don't think I can give it away. I put a little bit in my coffee, which was OK, but I'm not going to use it up that way. Should I just throw it away, or is there something else I can do with it?

I could try cooking something (if it doesn't taste too much like 2% milk), but I'm even open to non-food uses, if any exist.

How to scale up DVD playback on Mac?

kidbritish — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:04:58 -0800

In Apple's DVD Player app for Mac (or in VLC), how can I scale the footage beyond the screen resolution? (Or specifically, scale the footage to the full width of the screen.)

I'm playing a DVD on a widescreen Mac, and even when I'm in "full screen" mode, it displays black bars on all four sides of the video. (Presumably because the DVD is not anamorphically encoded).

No problem, I thought, I'll just scale it up even further. (I don't care if the black bars on top & bottom are cropped off). But I can't find a way to scale it up any further. How can I utilize the full width of my screen?

(20" iMac early 2009, OS X 10.6.2)

Apartment blight

generic230 — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:01:24 -0800

A neighbor is trying to get a permit to build condominiums in his back yard. My neighborhood is 70% residential, and I'm afraid of what this will mean.

There's a hearing on Wednesday, and I'd like to go armed with information about the negative impact building apartments or condos have on property values and single family home residential areas.

This is in Pasadena, CA. I live in a great neighborhood where many of the buildings in my block, including mine, are Tudor cottages built in the 1920's. We're adjacent to a historic district called Bungalow Heaven.

A few homes, in previous years (like before I moved here 10 years ago), have done that same awful tacky thing, where they build a massive apartment building behind their tiny cottage.

Does anyone know of any studies about the impact of rental buildings encroaching on residential homes? Any and everything will be helpful.

I like it raw.

blackcatcuriouser — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:46:54 -0800

Any suggestions for a 14-day raw food detox diet? What can I expect to feel like?

I've been in the process of losing weight (via eating better and exercising) and have lost about 20 pounds since early summer. I fell off the health wagon in early November due to work/school stress, started ordering takeout more often, missed the gym for weeks at a time. Throw in a few weekend birthday celebrations and Thanksgiving - all of which involved indulging heavily in fatty foods and quite a bit of alcohol - and I gained about 4 pounds back.

I'd like to get back on board and continue to lose the weight I started losing. (I'm about 10-15 lbs to my goal.) I've started going to the gym again, and lighter eating began the day after Thanksgiving. But I still feel sluggish and generally gross from a month of face-stuffing and boozing.

I've developed, based on various internet articles, a plan for a 2-week raw (or mostly raw) cleanse. It's a variation of the vegan raw food cleanse in that it's not as super strict as some of the ones I've read about online. I plan to eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts and drink water and herbal teas. (Which is pretty much what I normally drink anyway.) I'm allowing occasional oatmeal with raw honey and fruit, maybe 1 or 2 mornings a week. I'm also thinking of throwing a teaspoon of olive oil per day into the mix, for salad dressing. Maybe some light salt and pepper. No meat, dairy, eggs, pasta, bread, alcohol, candy or processed foods. I am going to allow myself avocado and canned beans, but no tofu.

Anything else I should avoid? Any cool raw recipes I should consider feasting on or advice in general? I've never done this before. What can I expect to feel like? (Some background, I'm a mid-20s female of a healthy weight, and I usually eat everything.)

Is the old BBC "My Music" radio series available on CD?

parttimesaint — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:34:47 -0800

Is the BBC radio series named "My Music" from the 60's & 70's available on CD anywhere?

This was a companion show to "My Word!" and I can't find it anywhere.

Kid's book, chicken brain, early 80's.

cosmicbandito — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:27:12 -0800

Book filter: Kid's sci-fi, boy has to read to chicken brain in jar to make it smarter. Of course, it becomes evil.

I read this book at some point during the early 80's. The only details I'm sure of are that this boy has to take care of the chicken brain in the jar. I remember him reading to it to make it smarter. Google is fruitless. Hope me!

Short term cell phone in Italy?

cccorlew — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:21:38 -0800

Cell phone for 3 months in Italy? Cheap is good.

Mt daughter is headed for study abroad in Florence next semester. I am cell-phone clueless. We have Sprint, but I've heard we don't to (or can't) use her phone there.
Is there a 3 month solution to cell phones in Italy that won't break my bank? Should I do it here, or let her do it there?
Pointers and hints gratefully accepted.

looking for sci fi book

sorindome — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:05:16 -0800

Looking for a science fiction book I read a few years ago. I believe it came out within the past five years. Basic plot was that a guy died and then his mind was uploaded into a robot. I think the main character might have been fairly poor at one time and then started dating an heiress which was why he was able to do the upload after death.

I'm actually looking for a specific passage from the book describing color blindness. The main character was colorblind before he died and then the robot was not colorblind. I just remember the 2-3 pages describing the transition as being the best description of colorblindness I've ever read. I've always wished I could remember it to explain to others my own colorblindness.

Help! My steak seasoning is a rock!

kgreerRN — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:53:51 -0800

How do I "de-solidify" my steak seasoning? How do I prevent it in the future?

I have a bottle of prime rib rub that has hardened into chunks instead of powder? Family will be here tonight for a steak dinner, how do I turn it back to powder and prevent it from happening again?

On The Road To Feeling Weird

mmmbacon — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:27:26 -0800

Why do I feel so weird when I return home from a long car trip and how can I prevent these feelings?

Every time I take a long car trip, I feel very out of sorts when I get home. I always feel tired, restless, emotionally drained and generally icky. This never happens when I arrive at my destination, no matter how long the trip there is. Also, I feel just the same whether or not I am doing the driving.

Borrowing birth control

greta simone — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:08:44 -0800

'Borrowing' my friend's birth control pills for a few months. Will it be ok?

So, I'm unemployed and uninsured. It's Sunday, I need to start a pack tonight, I can't get to a clinic or Planned Parenthood, and I also want to save some money and the hassle. So here's my solution:

My roommate/friend discontinued her pill this summer and has two left over packs that I'm thinking about switching to for the upcoming two months (with the hope that I'll be employed within those two months, and will then switch back to my old prescription). They are not expired.

Both kinds are monophasic.
What I'm taking now: Microgestin (Loestrin) 1/20 (20 µg ethinyl estradiol and 1000 µg norethindrone acetate)
Switching to, for two months: Ortho-cept (30 µg ethinyl estradiol and 150 µg desogestrel).

You are not my doctor, but with these specs that I picked up off wikipedia, could you tell me whether I will end up with bad side effects or, worse, ineffective birth control.

I have been taking BC pills for the past 11 years, I have taken many kinds, and have successfully switched without side effects or loss of effectiveness at least four or five times. I've just always switched under a professional's supervision.

So, bad idea? Or ok solution in the meantime?

Thanks for your help.

Is my computer going to die when I need it most?

waterandrock — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:07:05 -0800

Will my Macbook be alright after dropping it a few times?

I've dropped my white macbook for the third time from a height of a foot and a half. This is the result of being stressed with school work and having to get up from the couch numerous times due to an unusual increase in the number of phone calls I've been receiving (as the result of a personal event). There hasn't been any trouble with my white macbook yet - nothing at all - but should I be preparing for trouble? I've also dropped my boyfriend's macbook pro once a few weeks ago, which slid off from the coffee table - no trouble there either. They were both on, but not busy processing anything significant at the time, with only a web browser or word processor window open. They're both a couple of years old. (I have taken steps to avoid dropping laptops again.)

recovering photos from a gnawed-upon SD card

scruss — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:41:19 -0800

Are there any services (preferably in Canada) that will attempt to get data from a damaged SD card? A friend has baby pictures on an SD card, which said baby later found and used as an inappropriate teething aid.

The card doesn't show up on any computer/card reader, though most card readers do accept it.

I've tried RescuePro, PhotoRec and PhotoRescue, all on Mac. None of them even see the volume.

How Do We Get Into Grant Writing?

musofire — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:40:24 -0800

How can we get into grant writing for other people? I've had good luck getting money out of the Canadian government for my screenwriting, I've done successful book proposals, and my wife has done all sorts of other successful applications. I am told a grant writer can claim 30-35% of a successful grant. How do we get into this line of work?

Will putting cloth through a paper shredder kill the shredder?

patheral — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:31:52 -0800

I have old clothes, I have a paper shredder (confetti style), can the two come together and make stuffing for pillows?

I'm poorer than dirt, and I need things that I can't afford -- like pillows. I have access to a paper shredder, and I have old clothes that just don't fit or are unfit to wear. The paper shredder is not mine (it's a relative's) so I don't want to break it, which is why I'm asking before trying.

The clothes have been sitting in my trunk for about four months now, just waiting for me to take them to the Salvation Army. I read on their local website that they actually have more clothes right now than they know what to do with, hence the wait. Then it hit me that old clothes = cloth! and an idea was born.

So I wonder if it would be okay to run things like cotton t-shirts or denim through the paper shredder to make stuffing for pillows. I tried looking this up on Google and other search engines and only found similar (and unanswered) questions.

Does anyone see anything wrong with this idea? Will putting cloth through a paper shredder gum up the works? or can it be done if I keep an eye on the fuzz that's likely to result?

Crop Science Education

Benzle — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:27:56 -0800

I'm going to school to become a weed scientist...

I'm at University, finishing undergrad, getting ready for grad school in Crop Science. I'm not positive what direction to go in but one possible future for myself would be working on Vertical Farms, which would be great and very exciting for me. Or, less realistically, I would like to look into working in a laboratory setting with marijuana, I've heard only vaguely of several Universities that do research and breading (I know Harvard at least does studies, (2007 article in Wired Magazine) and Michigan I've heard). Google, marijuana scientist and it only turns up a few old/unreliable articles and occasionally a scientist's name.
Ok, thanks everyone for any direction, take care.

What's the best wireless audio bridge / networked digital audio receiver that works on the Mac?

nitsuj — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:27:10 -0800

What's the best wireless audio bridge / networked digital audio receiver that works on the Mac?

I'm looking for a simple hardware solution that will allow me to bridge my Macbook Pro's audio-out source to my home theater amplifier. Many products like the WMB54G and Sirocco either have no Mac support at all, or have very poor reviews and cost way too much.

The Airport Express seems decent if I only wanted to stream iTunes, but I'd also like to stream from other sources, like Spotify, which it won't support.

Is there a simple, under-$100 (or close to it) solution out there?

WinXP OEM on a Mac

jrchaplin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:25:10 -0800

I've a WinXP Professional OEM install disc that I'd like to (and tried to) install on VMWare Fusion on my 24-inch iMac (running OS X 10.5). But so far, it's a no-go. Is there some kind of restriction on installing OEM versions of Windows in a virtual environment and/or on a Mac?

So far my Google-fu has failed me on this question, but what happens is when I get to the activation key box during install, the key is rejected as invalid. What's weird about this is that attempting to install this same XP Pro disc on an old (circa 2004-05) home-built Windows box works flawlessly.

I bought the disc on Ebay, from a seller who exchanged the first disc I bought from him (It would not load/install on any machine) with a new copy. At first I thought that I got hosed by the seller of the disc; but the subsequent ability to install on a Windows box has me wondering if the problem lies elsewhere.

I had hoped to use the WinXP install on my iMac simply for web development testing; not crazy about spending $200 for Win 7, plus another $40 to upgrade my VMware Fusion install to handle Win 7. I know I could use the old box to do the same, but space is at a premium and I was gonna wipe the old box and donate it to a local non-profit.

How do I have a "purpose" to do stories as an independent journalist?

ejfox — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:19:31 -0800

I am very interested in making photojournalism and radio documentaries. I'd like to approach these interests the way I usually do- jumping right in. However, I get nervous asking people to share their time and stories with me as I am not accredited to an organization. How do I get past this?

Often times already, even when I'm not interacting with people directly, I will get people asking me what organization I'm with when I am taking pictures or walking around with headphones and the field audio recorder.

I'm having trouble answering this in a way that is honest, that won't scare people a mile away. Initially I'd tell people I was a "freelance journalist" and that the material would be "published online", more recently I've been able to jot down the URL of my photoblog on a business card if they ask.

However, I've been interested in doing journalism where I'd need to ask people for their time, and I am curious how I would go about that as someone who can't say "I'm doing a story for ____." I feel like this sometimes leads people to follow a certain conduct of cooperation that I would find to be very useful.

Another issue for me is that I am young (17) and I feel like it would be easy to be seen as another brat taking up time for no good reason.

For example, if I wanted to do a story on a local shop owner, I'd like to approach them and say "Hi, my name is EJ. I want to do a story on you, do you think I could have some of your time to talk." or similar. I feel like the natural question after this is "A story for what? Where is it going to be published?" and the answer to this for me is really unclear because I am still in the elementary stages of knowing what I'm doing. Who knows if I will ever publish the completed project? Or where?

Any advice for how to deal with this situation would be greatly appreciated.

High Concept / Low Result

HeroZero — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:14:14 -0800

What are some movies with clever premises and terrible execution?

I watched Flatliners for the first time last night. It's a high-concept screenplay with an interesting premise -- med students temporarily kill themselves in order to glimpse the afterlife -- that quickly devolves into nonsense and tedium.

Can you think of other movies/books/etc. that start with a great idea and then deflate?

How big a pipeline?

BigLankyBastard — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:52:51 -0800

Is there a straightforward set of recommendations or standards for how much internet bandwidth to set up per number of expected users?

I have been asked to consult on a project to provide internet access to a large apartment building. There are between 60 and 80 units in the building. I am fairly sure that their current plan regarding the shared internet connection will be inadequate, but I have had a very hard time finding any source to back up my instinct, let alone any simple way to calculate what the shared bandwidth SHOULD be for that many home users.

Bonus points for anyone who points me to a company that provides that sort of large-scale shared internet access.

Please help me with this break-up letter

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:50:55 -0800

Please help me with this break-up letter

I received a relationship-ending e-mail today and hope you might be able to help.

As background, we're both late twenties, teachers (different grades, schools, divisions). We communicated online, by way of a mutual friend, for a month or so and then dated for a month. We seemed to be very comfortable talking, spending time together, and just enjoying sharing time. We did sleep together, which was not an insignificant fact for either of us. I was extremely excited, because I thought that this person was pretty much the ideal of what I've been looking for. She's attractive, intelligent, kind, and on and on.

I'm not really sure what happened. I got sick (H1N1!) and was out for a week, and our communication never really seemed to repair. I tried calling and e-mailing, but we just couldn't get in contact. Tonight I received an explanatory message from her one Facebook. It does bother me that I've gone for nearly a week without hearing from her only to get this.

My only guess as to reasons for the lack of connection she's identified, besides intrinsic aspects of myself that I can't change, is that I was probably a bit over-enthusiastic. I may have tried too hard; she simply blew me away, and it was difficult to maintain that sort-of early-relationship distance that often seems necessary.

Obviously, I still care a lot for her. I do wish there was a way to re-do some of it all, so I'm looking for any advice that might slant that way. Or, of course, people telling me to get over myself/it. Actually, any advice would be appreciated. As for being friends: I want my friends to be happy. Knowing that we want the same thing (long, not short-term) makes it more difficult to (want to) be friends, if that's not just an empty nicety, and watch her find that elsewhere.

I've removed names and changed grammar enough that it should be most anonymous. I'm not super comfortable posting the contents here, but at the same time, none of my friends would really be interested in reading it or giving the kind of advice I'm hoping for.

Apologies for rambling on and thanks for reading.

Here we go:

Hi [X],

I’m really sorry it’s taken me so long to get in touch with you; I’m sure you’ve been wondering what’s going on. I’ve been thinking a lot about you and the time we’ve spent together. I had thought, and hoped, that there was something between us with the potential to be long-term and maybe serious. That’s definitely what I am interested in at this point in my life. But unfortunately I don’t think that potential is there. I decided to send this message instead of calling to talk about it because, frankly, I’m far more articulate in writing than I am over the phone, and I thought it might be easier for both of us.

I hope you’ll indulge me to say a few more things. I have really enjoyed getting to know you and spending time with you. I find you smart and attractive and interesting and – this is kind of a big deal for me – so easy and comfortable to be around. There is definitely a connection between us, I think, but just not quite the kind of connection I am looking for, in terms of a long-term relationship. I know that probably sounds vague. I like your sense of humour, I like the clever way you write a facebook message, I like that you took me bowling and to a blues bar and offered to cook me salmon for dinner and come help out at [the mission]. I think you’re excellent in so many ways and I’m glad you decided to contact me.

Perhaps this is a long shot, but I would really like to be friends. I’m sure you have more than enough friends already, and I know the post-dating friendship thing can be a dicey proposition. But if you find it’s something you’re interested in and willing to try, I hope you’ll let me know. I’d consider myself lucky to have you as a friend in any capacity.

I hope I hear from you. Take care,
[Y]

Smoking lush seeks hospital advice

Anonymous — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:50:06 -0800

I drink like a fish and smoke like a chimney. Help me survive a possible hospital stay.

By the end of this week I may well be in the hospital due to an ongoing (nonsurgical) medical issue. My doctors do know about my habits. To the extent it doesn't interfere with my treatment, how are such addictions dealt with on an in-patient basis?

How to take a blog from online to book format?

Mysticalchick — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:25:35 -0800

My goddaughter passed away three years ago at 19. She has an online blog (which I host) with about 4 years of entries. Is there a way to take all that text and drop it down into a program so we can print it out easily (almost in book form)? Or is the best way to cut and paste into a word doc and then put it all together?

It's a very old version of Word Press (circa 2005) so not sure it would work with a current program.

I did see this previous entry but it's almost two years old so I thought I'd see if anyone knew anything more current.

Looking for ideas - whatever you think might be do-able. Thanks!

Help me stay warm with a broken furnace.

Stewriffic — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:16:27 -0800

Yesterday I woke up to my furnace screeching like a banshee. Turned it off, and called for service, but they won't be able to get out for a while. I'm not sure when, because the service will be through my home warranty. I have a fireplace and wood, south facing windows that let in lots of sun, and a very small, not-so-awesome electric space heater. I have some questions about the combination of heating sources I should use until the furnace gets repaired.

I live in North Carolina, US, so it's relatively mild, but it is getting down near freezing at night.

Today will be fine; it's getting up to 67ºF/19ºC this afternoon. However, here's a question about today specifically. Which will give the better bang for the buck: opening up the house, or using passive solar to warm it up without opening windows?

Secondly, the forecast for the rest of the week is going to alternate between sunny and rainy, with typical temperatures of about 54º-56ºF/12º-14ºC for the high and lows kind of all over the place, from 32ºF/0ºC to 47ºF/8ºC. See here for the full forecast.

I'm planning on closing off unused rooms, but I have a pretty large space consisting of the kitchen and two living spaces (one of which has the fireplace) that are all open to each other.

What combination of fire, space heater and sunlight will maximize heat gain and minimize heat loss for me until the furnace is repaired?

Also, any other suggestions about keeping the house warm will be gratefully accepted!

Mapping GPS Recommendations

jeffmac — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:06:03 -0800

Which trail mapping GPS receiver works the best to outline trails on Google Maps/Earth?

Please consider: These data will be used for quasi research; I am not interested in recreational units; The unit will be used in heavily canopied forests. Similar post here. Not sure of a simple data logger, as mentioned in post avove, or more sophisticated hand held would, like a Garmin would be best?

NYC broadway birthday brunch on short notice

Oktober — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:05:33 -0800

Looking for a good place to have a birthday brunch for my mom in midtown manhattan before a matinee at 3. There's six of us and we're leaving in an hour or so.

Like a Herring to Water

mippy — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:58:21 -0800

I'd like to learn a Scandinavian language. Help me decide which one!

I've always wanted to see Scandinavia, and hope to do so next winter - Stockholm, Gothenburg, Helsinki are seeming pretty attractive. It would be nice to learn Svenska/Suomi in the meantime. I'm pretty good at learning vocabulary but not as skilled with grammar, and I've heard that Finnish is pretty complex grammatically speaking. (During my linguistics degree grammar was not my strong point, although I was fine with Spanish). Really it would be nice to have a project too, so it needs to br the fun sort of challenging rather than terrifying. Any experiences learning either, and recommended resources?

Am I doomed to be a Football n00b forever?

TooFewShoes — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:45:54 -0800

I am a red blooded American, but I just can't seem to grasp football. I understand very little, as in once the ball gets to the end zone the team gets points. I like watching the games, but I feel like a moron. Help me!

My dad is not a sports guy. My husband is not a sports guy. My brother-in-laws try to explain to me what's going on, but they are so involved in the games that it's hard for me to get it. I saw this question, but the asker was much better informed than I am and the answers confused me. This question was more what I'm looking for, minus the basketball suff. I am a very visual person, so anything with labeled diagrams or pictures would be appreciated.

Is there a book that I should read? I need something that breaks down everything from the positions to the rules and includes the plays. Is there anyway to catch up on the politics? Is there some "History of Football" out there for me? Are there blogs that I need to follow? I don't get the newspaper, but even if I picked up the sports page I would be totally lost. Is this something that I can be casually interested in during the season, or do I need to be fully obsessed? Can somebody clue me in on the system for college bowl games, because it seems random to me.

FWIW I prefer watching college football to the pros, and I like to root for Arizona State University and the University of Utah, but this is just because that's who my family roots for. I have no pro team loyalties. Utah has no pro team, so how do I go about choosing who to root for. College and Pro rules are different right? How are they different?

My son is starting to show some interest in the sport, and I'd love to get him in the local Pee Wee (is that what it's called?) league, but I need to understand what it's about before I can watch the games.

I am normally a pretty intelligent person, and it is really frustrating for me that I just can't get this.

How to maximize jobs with an obscure MA?

flibbertigibbet — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:40:01 -0800

Starting fall 2010, I'll be going to grad school (Master's) in a pretty esoteric field (studying texts from late antiquity, written in an obscure language). If I decide not to go on to the PhD, what can I do now and during my Master's to maximize my job opportunities when I get out? Are there any skills you would really strongly recommend that I pick up?

If it helps, I'll be in Ottawa, Canada. My program can withdraw your funding if it finds out you're working more than 10 hours/week, and most of those 10 hours are taking up with your TA work.

how to get rid of a car quick

paultopia — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:23:42 -0800

How do I get rid of a car in the SF bay area? Slightly above junk level...

Simple question. I'd like to quickly and easily sell my car, ideally in the next week or so. I have the title sitting around somewhere, and there are no liens on it. The car needs a few grand of work, and it's not worth much even before work, so it's not something I could take to the private party market. At the same time, I think I could do better than just sending it to a junkyard for parts.

This would be a perfect moment for Carmax. Except: I live in Palo Alto, CA, and the closest Carmax is 60-some miles away in Modesto. I'd really like to take it somewhere accessible by public transportation so I can just drive it over there, sell it, and take the train home.

Does anyone know anywhere Carmax-like but actually in the bay area? Or have any other bright ideas? Should I just craigslist it?

Habermas

moorooka — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:34:15 -0800

Can anybody explain Habermas in brief? Or point me to some good resources (other than wikipedia)?

Who to see?

mmf — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:20:07 -0800

What kind of specialist should my daughter consult? She has post-partum hpertension. Following a c-section at 37 weeks because of pre-eclampsia (welcome to our first beautiful grandchild!) her blood pressure has been quite volatile, from 140/89 to 179/98. Her normal is 120ish over 90ish. She has been rehospitalized twice in the nine days since her delivery. Put on a magnesium sulfate drip and is on Labetalol (now 300mg 2x a day). Additionally, she has had a few episodes of supraventricular tachycardia that took her to a cardiologist a few years ago.

Her OB seems ready to pass her along to an internist. I guess I wonder if there is a specialist that would be more experienced in this area. SHe lives in Fairfield County, CT. WHat kind of doc should she go to that would be most expert in this type of situation? If someone has a recommendation of a specific doc, that would be great, too. Also anyone who has experienced postpartum hypertension and has tips for managing this problem, we would welcome them.

Be alone for the next six month, or...?

paulg — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:11:38 -0800

Do I bear-up being alone for the next six months to a year, or...?

So, tonight I've just finished hosting a wine and cheese party for three couples. I am not part of a couple. I haven't had a significant long-term relationship since college (significant being longer lasting that two months). This is mostly due to the fact that I gained a lot of weight after college. I've lost about 40 lbs in the last year, but I need to lose another 40-50 lbs before I'm close to my ideal body weight.

I'm sick of being the single person in the group. What can I do? I'm now in my early 30's, and feel like I've reached the point where I'm ready for a long-term, mature relationship. However, realistically, I'm still fairly overweight.

The ideal situation would be if I could find a (female) partner who could see me through the next 6-12 months of weight loss (someone who might want to lose weight with me?). I'm not looking for an international supermodel. Is this realistic? Where could I find someone who can go through this with me, or do I just need to hang in until I reach a desirable BMI before I begin to look for a date?

I feel like there must be other lonely people struggling with the same issues. Where do I find them?

I'm a nice guy. I have a lot of interesting hobbies. I care about my friends, and I'm looking for a long-term commitment. Perhaps I'm just a little discouraged tonight. Hope me, Metafilter.

Long Term Relationship Advice

xopaigexo — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:51:53 -0800

Long Term Relationship Advice

My boyfriend and I have been going out nearly 10 months. We have our ups and downs, not too many downs. We get along really well as we were good friends before dating but i still find that i learn new things about him all the time. Not really good or bad things, just things that make me realize how normal he is. (Not perfect like he seemed at the beginning, and not a a** like he seemed for a little while after that). Still, I wonder if he ever takes a step back and thinks about the relationship as a whole, like I do. I'm a deep thinker, and im also insightful of why other people act and say what they do. I dont really talk about these things with him, so I dont know if he does think about things deeply or not.
I brought this up because I got kinda upset with him tonight, and it made me think of something even bigger. But anyways, I got a bit upset with him because I've been with family and friends for the past few days, and so has he. i've been pretty busy, but I still make an effort to talk to him at night or in the morning, just to say hi or whatever. I'll text him (yeah i know texting is lame, dont give me hell about it), and he'll kinda give me a quick response, like he has something he wants to get back to, and then the conversations pretty much over. That's how it's been the past couple of days. I'm just really not used to it being like that, because generally we see each other almost every day. I tried talking about it with him tonight, saying that i feel dumb whenever im the only one trying to talk. I told him Im not mad, and that i want him to go enjoy his break, but that i just felt dumb because he would hardly respond to me. I tried to say what i meant so that he would understand that im not mad, which is what brought me to thinking if he thought in that way.
Then, he said to me, like it was no big deal,"Well maybe i didnt wanna talk?" He made it sound like it was completely normal, and maybe it is, i dont know, but i hate how he assumes that i completely and totally understand him. I try to spell things out for him when im upset because i know he doesn't completely understand me when im like that, though he thinks he knows me inside out. Of course, when he said he didn't feel like talking, i said without thinking,"Well text me when you feel like talking then." It felt dumb, having this debate over text message.
He's the kind of person who just goes with things mostly. I havent been able to be like that because of deadlines, alot of stress, etc. He has deadlines too but he just seems to take things like that so much better than i do.
I guess im asking a number of things right now. Do guys who are in long term relationships ever really step back and think of their relationship as a whole, or do they mostly just go with things? Is it normal for a guy to simply not want to talk? Why does my boyfriend just "assume" that i understand things without even telling me? (iffy) And one last: What should I do about the fact that I told him,"Text me when you feel like talking then"? I know I overthink things, I am OCD and keep it nearly all to myself, but what if he...doesn't? Should i just text him, or wait until he texts me? Im not very good at being upset with people, i hate anticipation...help?

NYC Digital Printers willing to do small issue runs?

suedehead — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:48:23 -0800

Do you know a good printer in NYC who will be willing to do super-tiny runs (say, 5 issues) of digital printing and binding of books?

I'm looking for a printer in the NYC area (preferably Brooklyn or Manhattan) who'd be willing to (digitally) print and bind a ~40 page document, Letter with bleeds, color, perfect bound, around 5 issues. Price is not really an issue, but speed is -- ideally, the next day or next next day would be wonderful but I know that's asking for a lot.

I'm super comfortable with InDesign/pdf/press requirements so I'm not looking for anyone who has to retouch anything -- I can provide PDFs with bleeds/crop/registration marks with fonts embedded, etc. The most important thing is that the printer would be able to do perfect binding and that their turnaround time is quick.

I know I'm asking a lot, but do you have any recommendations for such a good, fast, reliable printer who'd be willing to work on such a minuscule run?

Thaaanks!

How to get Word links to work like on Wikipedia?

freddymungo — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:47:34 -0800

How could one change the colors of links in a Microsoft Word document?

I'm using Office 2007, if it makes a difference. As it is, any link I insert is blue and when it's been clicked on it turns purple. Can I edit these colors like I could with CSS on an HTML document?

Secondly, is it possible for links pointing to files that don't exist to have a special color like red, like Wikipedia does when there's a link but no matching entry yet? All these files would be Word documents.

Thanks in advance!

Russians got Siberia. How?

Meatbomb — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:11:51 -0800

How did the Russians get Siberia?

I don't understand why this area was not occupied and claimed by the Chinese, Koreans, and / or Japanese long before the Russians colonized it.

Was it because before the railroad and the rifle Siberia was securely held by the natives? Or did the Asians not appreciate the potential value of the territory? Or some other reason?

Oral sex and jaw pain.

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:46:11 -0800

How on earth can I give a blowjob to completion without my jaw recoiling in pain?

Over the years I've come in contact with a variety of penises of all shapes and sizes that I love to suck. I really really like giving head, and I've been told that I'm pretty good at it. But I cannot, for the life of me, go longer than five minutes or so, so I never get the chance to finish my men off that way, and I would like to be able to every once in a while.

Yes, I take breaks where I continue to use my hand(s) and I'll do some licking or other non-jaw-oriented moves. But if my jaw was hurting before I took a break, as soon as I continue with the mouth in-and-out the pain immediately returns, so breaks don't really help much.

I know the first thing you want to scream is "TMJ!", but I have never had any other symptoms and I really don't think that's the problem.

I also have given head from pretty much every imaginable angle, and none are better than any other.

Lastly, please don't say "oh he's just happy that he's got someone down there to begin with, don't worry about it" or "finish him off with your hand, he'll just be happy to orgasm", etc, etc. I just really want to do this for my own satisfaction.

So, I'm looking for possible exercises, stretches, or techniques that you have used to overcome this problem, or any other suggestions you may have.

Thanks!

Custom jewelry in Orlando, FL

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:45:53 -0800

I'm looking for advice on getting a custom engagement ring made in Orlando on a budget.

So I'm starting with next to no knowledge of jewelry shopping, but I want to work with a jeweler to make a custom engagement ring. I'd like to make a narrow band of white gold, with a particular engraved or molded design which I can roughly sketch, and set with a round-cut sapphire of about 1ct/6mm (I'm happy to go lab-created to save money). I want it to be similar in feel to a particular one she's pointed out online that she really likes, but obviously not the same as it.

Is one to two thousand dollars a reasonable price range for this project? Is 6 weeks a reasonable time span to get this done in? Assume I'll be able to visit the shop conveniently. I'd also appreciate general advice/experiences with custom jewelry shopping on a budget. And most importantly (since I'm feeling adrift), does anyone have a recommendation for an independent jeweler around the Orlando/Central Florida area or advice on finding one?

Send private responses to mefiengagement@gmail.com.

Oh, the possibilities...

soleiluna — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:34:12 -0800

San Francisco Bay Area: Looking for new running routes/paths in the Bay Area again...but this time, I have a car!

I got some great answers last time I asked about San Francisco running routes. Now I've found a new running partner and we have access to a car, which vastly expands our running possibilities to other parts of the Bay Area & places public transit does not reach.

Any suggestions for new ideas? We're looking for places within roughly a 45 minute drive of San Francisco. We're interested in everything from something like the Berkeley or Peninsula equivalent of Crissy Field to places like Sawyer Camp Trail (paved flat sort-of hiking path) to other paths in various suburbs. Routes in SF/Berkeley/elsewhere that are less obvious/not public-transit-accessible are also great.

Other criteria: we're looking mostly for routes between 5-14 miles. I'm much less hill-adverse I used to be, but moderate/easy/occasional hills are more our speed, rather than super-intense grade the entire time. Neither of us do trail running.

(Here's where I run already:
-Embarcadero/ATT Park/Fisherman's Wharf
-Powell/Embarcadero/Columbus/Montgomery loop
-the Wiggle/panhandle
-Golden Gate Park
-Ocean Beach/Great Highway
-Kezar track
-Crissy Field
-Lake Merced)

Thank you, hive mind!

Target song ID

Brocktoon — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:12:14 -0800

We need a song/artist ID!

My wife heard this song in Target today, and we need an ID! Here is the limited info we have:

1. Female vocalist with guitar/piano

2. Slow 4/4 time, Jazzy

3. Kinda like Norah Jones

4. The song started with her counting time, then the lyric "so sweetly, so completely"

5. Another lyric in the song is, "before my hair turns black"

TIA!

What is the best event listing Wordpress plugin?

melodykramer — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:50:40 -0800

What is the best event listing plugin for Wordpress? Or is there a simple way to create a custom template to make event listings?

I run a book blog in Philadelphia and would like to list monthly author events and readings. I have looked at some Wordpress plugins for event listings, but I'm not sure what the best one is for my purposes. (There are lots of them.) Basically, I'd like something that allows:

1. a book photo from my Wordpress media library

2. inputs for time, date, event, address, and map. I'd also like to be able to include a link to the bookstore or event.

3. I don't want the event to post directly to my Wordpress main blog. I'd like to create a page that lists events on a monthly basis -- and link to that page at the top of my blog. (The plug-ins I've tried immediately post an event to the main blog site.)

I don't know PHP but I am comfortable with HTML. I've been coding these listings by hand, though, and it seems to be taking a really long time. I'm sure there's a much easier way. If you use an events plugin or know of an easy way to do this, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you. Mel

What is this song?

Holygrail2 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:41:00 -0800

This has vexed me for more than half of my life. What song is this?

I recorded the final snippet of this song from a Comedy Central rerun of (I think) SNL in 1993. I've been randomly singing it every now and then for the last 16 years but I still have no idea what the song is and who the singer is.

Luckily, thanks to modern technology, I can put VHS tapes on my computer and put the video up on YouTube (yay!). Any music buffs know the answer? I think it's an early 80s SNL episode...

Hard drive connection to my HDTV?

zardoz — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:30:32 -0800

In the market for an HDTV, but what should I know beforehand to ensure that I can connect it to a separate hard drive and watch videos already stored on the drive?

I have quite a few videos backed up on my hard drive (Intel iMac), and I want to find out the most painless way to watch those videos on an HDTV. Most are standard quality, and a few are high-def videos I'd like to play at the native 720 or 1080 on the TV.

The TV and computer are in separate rooms, so my idea is to either use the external hard drive I have now (about 300 gig capacity), and unplug the thing, walk it over to the TV and connect it. Not very elegant, but I wouldn't be doing this much. Also, memory is getting cheaper and cheaper, so I'm fine with buying another separate hard drive for this; in fact, that's probably the best idea.

Past that, I don't know...anything. Are there multiple kinds of cables I could connect the hard drive to the TV? Is just a USB port an option? What kind of connection is necessary there? Is this what HDMI is for? Firewire?

And if/when I get the hard drive connected, what kind of interface would be available to "talk" to the TV? I'm guessing this depends on model and brand. It seems that lots of people use XBox 360s for this, or maybe Apple TV or an Apple Mini....would these be good purchases for this plan?

So what are the key things I need to know to get this to work?

Need hypoallergenic bedding advice

wenestvedt — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:29:49 -0800

Does anyone have good (or bad) experience with hypoallergenic bedding?

One of the kids is allergic to dust, and since he spends almost half each day in bed, it seems like a good place to start fixing his environment. So we'd like to find some hypoallergenic bedding: a pillow case and mattress wrap seem to be the way to go.

Does anyone have any good or bad experiences with specific brands or non-specific types (I read something about buckwheat?)? Have you tried it and found it useful, or a waste? Does it make a lot of noise?

He has hardwood floors in his room, we dust weekly, and we're open to other suggestions (e.g., air filters), too. Thanks for any advice: he sounds like Young Darth Vader. :7(

The fear of not finding a quote...

frwagon — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:22:21 -0800

Trying to remember a specific quote about fear of success, and my google-fu is failing.

The quote was longer than most quotes, and went something to the effect of "We are not afraid of failing, but we are afraid of succeeding and becoming everything we can be...." There were religious overtones to it, but I can't remember much more than that. Any ideas?

Where should I live in Vancouver?

Alex404 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:06:16 -0800

Where should I live in Vancouver?

So, I've recently moved from Toronto to Vancouver, to do an 8 month stint at a lab at UBC. I'm currently staying at a friend's, but am planning on moving out in January.

Where should I live!? I'm a total west end, downtown, night life loving, pub crawling, cafe haunting, everywhere walking Torontonian, and I'm finding the transition to Van a little difficult. I can totally see why people love Van, and I'm trying to remain open minded, but I'm really not an outdoorsy type (I like parks, but have no urge to take off in the mountains for intensive recreation), and I crave some scene.

I've heard that I want to locate myself either in the downtown, or maybe commercial drive area. I just want an existence where groceries, coffee shops, bars, etc are within walking distance, and I'll bike to UBC when I need to head over there (proximity to UBC isn't important).

Thanks for your help! Canada rocks.

Winter Vacation in the Pacific Northwest

sideshow — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:40:51 -0800

My wife and I are flying into Medford, Oregon on December 7th and flying home from Seattle, Washington on December 14th. We want to spend a day or two in Seattle. Also, we're stopping in Florence, Oregon to see my aunt. But, besides that, nothing else in planned. What she should we see/do in the Pacific Northwest this winter?

A couple places we found that look interesting are Mount Rainer in WA and Crater Lake in OR. Can we get to those places easy in the winter? Not that we plan on summiting Rainer :-), but if you know any good hikes in that area we'd like to hear about them.

We like to do outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, etc, but I'm not sure what we could do since it's winter. We don't mind some rain and mist, but we'd rather not have to hike through snowdrifts. We're flying, so we won't have all of our gear, but we'll have our boots, Camelbacks, jackets, etc. We're comfortable with 5-6 mile hikes.

Also, my wife wants to see some redwoods, so any decent places to go to see some huge trees? I know the best thing to do would be to drive back into California and take the 101 south of Crescent City, but that's the opposite direction of where we want to go.

We've never been to Portland and we plan on checking that place out. Mt Hood is close by, any winter hikes we could do there?

Obviously, the quickest route up north in the 5. I'm assuming the 101 would take a lot longer. Would the 101 make a more scenic drive?

We're from Los Angeles, so the more green, big trees, and rivers, the better.

I need help retrieving a vertical blind

tellurian — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:26:04 -0800

A vertical blind slat has blown out of the window and landed on a roof below. Any ideas on retrieving it?

The blind weighs 93g (3.3oz), is approx. 4.5 metres (15 ft) below the window [pic 1] and is lying in a sem-folded shape [pic 2].
I don't have access to a ladder nor do I own a fishing rod. I've tried clumping a whole bunch of tape to the heavy end of an extension cord and dropping it on the blind but it didn't stick.
Any ideas on manufacturing a retrieval device from household objects?

Where can we go before we go to Birmingham?

k8t — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:58:33 -0800

VacationFilter. I have a conference in late March in Birmingham, UK. My travel is covered and it is the day after my spring break from university ends. So I figure why not leave a week earlier and have a vacation? But where to go?

Issue 1: We (will) have a 16-month-old baby. Issue 2: We want to be somewhere warmish, especially so we don't have to bring a bunch of winter gear. Issue 3: I need to keep it pretty cheap. Issue 4: We've done Paris, Brussels, Rome and Majorca lately and I recently lived in London, so those are all out.

We like: culture and beaches and stuff that baby likes. Greece, Italy and Spain seem attractive.

Any suggestions for a place in Europe that we can fly to (cheaply) from LAX, stay for a week, and then hop into Birmingham (or Manchester?) cheaply?

Please help me find a wall-mounted iPhone dock.

The corpse in the library — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:50:04 -0800

Please help me find a wall-mounted iPhone dock.

I'm looking for an iPhone dock with all these features:

- wall-mounted
- has an FM radio that works when there's no phone docked
- recharges the iPhone
- iPhone shielded
- available in the US, preferably from Amazon (for wish list convenience)
- can hold an iPhone that's in a SwitchEasy case

This is going in the kitchen and needs to be loud enough to battle the washing machine, children playing, etc. Preferably it would cost less than $200, but the names of any docks with all those features would be appreciated.

Where can I find a freeware macro recorder?

ptsampras14 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:47:42 -0800

Where can I find a freeware macro recorder (with smart recording ability)?

I am looking for a freeware macro recorder, which I cannot seem to find. By recorder I mean no coding required. I already tried that and it was much too complex. With this recorder I also would like the feature to only record the mouse coordinates with key press which I think alot of programs refer to as "Smart Recording". Any help is appreciated.

Can I fix a warped plywood door?

Izzy — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:45:32 -0800

How to straigten a warped plywood door?

Our contractor fabricated a wooden bypassing sliding door to replace a rotting garage door. It's marine-grade plywood with cedar lap-joint siding glued and screwed to the street-facing side. Looks great, but one side of one of the doors is warping badly, I'd say about two inches. This affects the functionality of the door, making it difficult to slide the door open and shut.

Is it possible to remove the warp in the door permanently? When I see how other barn-type doors are constructed I always see a combination of wood and bolted-through metal braces -- yeah, that's how it should have been engineered to start with, but of course I didn't know that when we started.

If I added braces now, could I slowly remove the warp by gradually tightening the bolt (or would the wood split)? Or, would I be better off removing the door, applying damp cloths to both sides of the bend, lay it on a flat surface, and place sandbags on the bowed side?

A hard water rain's gonna fall in my dishwasher.

mecran01 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:27:46 -0800

We have hard water and I've had to pull apart our dishwasher to clean out water deposits and gunk. Is there any way to limit accumulations without buying a water softener?

I keep seeing references, in the UK, to special baskets that fit in the dishwasher and hold water softening salt. Is something like this available in the US and would it work to reduce deposits in my dishwasher?

Help the fashion clueless dress for a wedding!

bluloo — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:19:13 -0800

Dress Filter: I've never been to a wedding before. Help me figure out what to wear!

So, this is my first big wedding that I've been to. It is in December, in Michigan, so warmth is a factor (although it will obviously be inside, but I've been told there will be moving between buildings). The ceremony is at 4pm. I had picked out this dress to wear with some sparkly shoes and dark tights, but the website changed collections before I could order it. It seems like they have an archive section, but it hasn't been added there yet, so I thought I might call customer service and see if there was anything they could do on that front (I really loved that dress).

But, if that isn't a possibility, help me pick another dress. Some info about me: I'm 5'11, a size 14/16 (in the process of losing weight) which I carry disproportionately in my tummy (although Spanx help!), and I have dark brown hair, brown eyes, and light skin. I'm hoping not to spend more than $150 (poor college student), though for the right dress I will (especially if it's something I can wear again to special occasions). Bonus points for matching shoes (size 11) and/or wraps/accessories. So, help me Hive Mind! :-)

Simplistic front end for Windows?

jorlando — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:16:17 -0800

Is there an ultra-simple and bullet proof front end for MS Windows thats suitable for elderly folks?

My dad is 87 and uses his computer for very basic things like Skype, email, and limited web browsing. He's always messing up his desktop or losing icons because of uncoordinated and impatient mousing. Sometimes he opens applications by accident or gets confused by notifications and solicitations that pop up. He hasn't been scammed but probably is at risk no matter how much I warn him.

He lives alone so the computer is an important lifeline for him. I've been able to help somewhat by remoting with VNC but sometimes he kills his connection and cant get the computer online

I'd like to install some kind of Windows shell for him that enables only those features that he needs and isolates him from everything else. It will turn off drag and drop and the need to double-click anything. A one-button mouse would be good too.

It doesn't even need to be Windows based if it supports Skype and web browsing

Any ideas?

Thanks

Live sports on PC

paulyballs — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:50:10 -0800

What's the best way to watch live tv (sports mainly) on a PC? My gf's parents have a vacation cabin with only internet access and they want to be able to watch live sports while they are there. What's the best option. Her mother asked me about "Digital TV for PC" but I think it's a scam. They do have full cable at their main home so I was thinking of advising Slingbox. Anything else out there that won't require me installing hardware at their main home? Thanks!

I can't even make a clever manga reference since I've never read any.

grapefruitmoon — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:33:44 -0800

MangaFilter: Help me find some English language manga for a non-native speaking 11 year old girl.

My partner's niece is 11 and LOOOVVVEESSSSSS manga. I'd like to get her a book or two for Christmas - here's the rub: #1) I know nothing about manga. #2) She is Portuguese and while she speaks English quite well and is studying it in school, I need to find something that's not too linguistically challenging.

Hope me, hive mind! What manga would be appropriate both in terms of content and easy to understand language for an 11 year old girl?

(Yes, I'm totally sold on buying it in English for "foreign cachet" value since she can get Portuguese manga in the mall.)

Why does my nose run when I perform oral sex on a man?

Anonymous — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:31:05 -0800

Why does my nose run when I perform oral sex on a man? (NSFW details inside)

I'm a woman who really enjoys giving head to a man, but I've often found that I will get the sniffles if the session is prolonged, especially in the morning. I'm not usually a sniffly person and this doesn't seem to be associated with a cold or allergies. It's somewhat more likely if this a morning session, although it can happen any time during the day. It's a little annoying, but amusing, too, and we both giggle when I have to both wipe my face and blow my nose afterwards.

Am I a little congested and unaware of it until my breathing is constricted by a full mouth? If his cock is hitting various points in my mouth and throat, is it sometimes triggering an associated nerve that makes my nose run? Any other ideas?

What will happen in court?

lwclec072 — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:09:55 -0800

I got my first ticket ahh! What will happen?

Today I got a ticket, for expired tags, licenses and insurance. They all expired within the last month but I've been having a very rough time personally and financially (not very smart at all financially, i know). The cop only told me to make sure I had all of them renewed by the court date and then he let me go, thankfully. I do not have any police record, never have had a ticket before. What will happen in court? My friend said they would suspend my license, make me pay a fine and send me to classes. Is this true? If so around how much will the fine be?

If it helps at all I live in Louisville, KY.

Dual-Bay SATA Enclosures

sdis — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:05:09 -0800

Dual-bay SATA Enclosures! Which ones let me copy from one drive to the other on a Mac?

I have my eye out on this inexpensive one, and in the end, I want a box into which I can stuff two harddrives, copy stuff between them, and copy stuff between my internal laptop harddrive and them. Bonus points if I can hook it up via USB to my Airport Extreme and get two network drives.

Will this EagleTech one do what I need? If not, what will?

(Having trouble finding detailed info on this enclosure, although from various reviews, it appears that it supports RAID 0 as well as "normal", though I'm not clear what "normal" would be in this circumstance)

A tall ship, and a star to sail her by...

PROD_TPSL — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:34:28 -0800

So... I'm going to sail around the world in the most dangerous race...

The thunderbolt struck me today. I have always wanted to learn to sail. Come Hell or high water, I will be entering the the 2018 Around Alone / VELUX 5 Oceans Race. I've got nine years to acquire an Open 60 Yacht, Learn to sail, and become the greatest sailor to ever live. Oh, and I may just have to become a brilliant naval architect to design and build said yacht. Sailing MeFites, Your words of wisdom and your advise please. Any good books that you recommend? Any ideas on acquiring a racing yacht? Any one willing to take a young pup under arm?

GPS for Luddites

Leezie — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:15:40 -0800

You: owner of in-car GPS with points of interest. Me: trying to buy one but not knowing which one to get and what other things I might need.

I'm looking to get an incar GPS for my parents who are moving to the area and will likely take frequent road trips throughout Texas and the South. I really like the Magellan Maestro because it interfaces with AAA. So, here's what I need to know: is there a subscription requirement for this? My parents are AAA members. Should I also be looking at other GPS systems that offer the same point of interest information?

Ideally, I want to get them something that gives them more than just directions - but also points out lots of things that they might not have otherwise known were there such as museums, hotels, restaurants, etc. I don't want to get them something, though, that requires a subscription fee for upkeep.

Nobody uses "queer" to mean "odd" anymore

cross_impact — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:05:50 -0800

What is the name of the phenomenon where words lose their original meaning once they take on an off-color meaning? For instance isn't it queer that nobody describes themselves as "gay" anymore unless they are homosexual or are deliberately being provocative?

I know there's a term for that phenomenon because I had to learn it in my freshman linguistics class in college. But that was twenty-six years ago and my Google-Fu fails me. Help!

Bonus: Is there a complete list of those words somewhere? Or do you have a personal favorite?

Help me get my GIMP on

dchrssyr — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:02:17 -0800

Teach me how to download plugins for GIMP as if I were a person with no computer experience at all.

I'm actually not a complete idiot but for some reason, I can't figure out how to install plugins for GIMP. I'm a new GIMP user and I've figured out the basics of using curves and I'm slowly figuring out how to use layers, but I'd like to find some plugins for better black and white conversions, as well noise reduction and a lomo script. Could you walk me though it, step by step, as if you were teaching a child? I'm using GIMP 2.6 on a machine with windows 7. Or, alternatively, you could point me toward some websites and videos that do so. I have found some tutorials but they just seem like gibberish to me, so obviously, the simpler the better. Thanks!

Why do some people travel under noms de voyages?

westerly — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:48:51 -0800

Why do some people use false names when travelling? Is this legal? I'm interested in the history of people using noms de voyages, people who do it now, attitudes towards them, and what practical difficulties there are and were.

Are kettlebells really a viable fitness regimen?

piedmont — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:47:21 -0800

Will a kettlebell regimen take me from 'skinny fat' to relatively in shape?

I'm currently what's considered a healthy weight for my height, but there's hardly any muscle mass there. There was at one point, but two years of sitting on my duff at an office job have proved significantly less active than the construction and serving jobs I held prior to this. I've been running 12-15 miles a week, which has helped, though not much.
I'm not looking to get 'ripped' or anything, I just want to be able to do things like help friends move without embarrassing myself.

Looking at previous questions indicates that a kettlebell workout program might remedy this.
Would this be a somewhat quiet workout? I'm in an upstairs apartment, and work evenings, this is a must.
What weight should I start with? The websites I've found give conflicting info.
Where can I get setup on the cheap? Target wants $50 for a 20lb weight. This seems steep, though I could be wrong.

How long can I safely keep steamed chicken wings in the refrigerator before baking them?

0xFCAF — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:35:42 -0800

How long can I safely keep steamed chicken wings in the refrigerator before baking them?

I'm following this amazing recipe which has you steam them for 10 minutes, dry in the refrigerator for an hour, then bake at 425° for 40 minutes.

Can I turn the hour in the refrigerator in to 4 hours? 12? 24? Can I put them in the freezer for an extended period of time (and if so, how would I properly thaw them) ?

Note that I'm asking about how the wings keep after being steamed, not before.