Froggy

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I'm happy to report that the laptop was returned to me this evening in full working order! YAY!

He said that he put about an hour labor into it and would be happy with $50. I paid him a little more. It was a convenience for me that he worked on it...so it was worth a tip, IMHO!

Glad it worked out! From the pic, it looked to me like the socket casing melted from a short circuit, so I was rather sceptical about just replacing it, assuming more actual damage...

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He's saying I shouldn't pay him. But as I stated before, I don't believe in abusing friendships. I'M the one who's offering to pay him....and he's sort of shrugging me off.

As for this... See, different people have different take on friendship. May depend on the cultural background, or whatnot. If I was in the same situation, offering a help to a friend with some repair like that (the other way around is highly unlikely, as I am very comfortable with a soldering iron ), I would be really offended by the payment offer. I sure would try to explain it to my friend, but if (s)he insisted, I'd see a clear possibility for that friendship to come to an end... JMO, of course...

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You know, I don't mind Starbucks haters. Coffee, like anything else is certainly a personal preference.

But the whole argument about a "real" coffee or "real" latte---I'm a little lost---can someone please explain to me how your "real" coffee/latte/cappuccino is made differently?

It's hilarious to me the grossly anti-what's-popular people. I mean if you don't like something, fine. I'm not a big fan of the new leggings trend, myself. But generally it's the same people that will just hate anything b/c it happens to be popular. And well, that just silly.

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Umm... I don't think "hate" is the word (well, at least not for me)... I simply don't like it, I don't understand people who drink this stuff, and I don't get this whole Starbucks et al. phenomena... You are absolutely right -- it's a personal preference. But... Geez, I wish I knew WHAT the f*ck they do to coffee at Starbucks to make it THAT bad. Sorry, I cannot answer your question -- I don't know the differences in the process, but the difference in the end result is obvious...
To see these differences for yourself, please do one of two things:

1. Go to some European country (like France, Italy, Spain, or one of the Baltic states (ex-USSR republics), and try a cup of Espresso at pretty much ANY cafe. You won't be disappointed by the quality AND the price. Besides, there's a lot to experience besides a great coffee!
2. Try to find some really good coffee places in your neighbourhood (hard to believe, but they are out there!) . If you are ever in Vancouver, try Cafe Calabria on Commercial Drive, for example.
As for hating something just because it's popular -- c'mon! I can understand things that are popular for a reason: design, quality, value, convenience, practicality, etc., or combination of these factors. IMHO, Starbucks popularity is based on... well... nothing. And this is something I don't get, no matter how hard I try. And again, I certainly wouldn't use the word "hate" -- I am generally much more moderate in my opinions... If someone loves this stuff -- so be it...

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We were not born to fly. And all we can do is to try not to fall...

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Have you ever been to Seattle where they have a Starbucks right across the street from a Starbucks?

NO! That isn't a typo! There is a Starbucks right across the street from a Starbucks!!

Hey, I can easily believe that -- we have the same thing in Vancouver. The intersection of Robson and Thurlow has two Starbucks shops across the street, and is dubbed "the Starbucks corner"...

It's funny... All people I know (including myself

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I think He's right

Abso-f@#$ing-lutely!

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http://www.snopes.com/...hazards/gasvapor.asp

Exactly what I was thinking! I thought about looking this one up while reading the thread...

IMHO, the danger of using a cell phone at a gas station is total BS, same as using them while on an airplane (interference with navigational systems? Gimme a break...) Well, I guess people can be called stupid for disobeying stupid rules, eh?

Couple of stupid things I've done myself: jumping out of an airplane with misrouted chest strap (really gave me shivers when I noticed it upon landing), and with loose legstraps (had to tighten them up in freefall). Well, as long as I learn from it...

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god i loved crawling around a parking lot with my company pulling 1/8" pieces of grass out of cracks because a 1 star was showing up.

Geez, sounds just like my memories in the Soviet Army -- all the same after all, huh?

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Keep in mind it is a vintage, circa 1930's.

To be exact, the very first AN-2 came off the assembly line in 1947 in Novosibirsk, Russia.

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It's a DNS resolution problem.

It might be a DNS issue. If it is, try, in order:

• Open a command prompt, type "ipconfig /renew" (without the quotes) and press enter. Restart your browser, and try again.


• Turn off your ADSL modem. Turn it on again. Wait 2min. Restart your browser, and try again.


• Go into your ADSL modem webpage, run the diagnostic test and tell us if and where it's failing.

I agree, it sounds like most probably a DNS issue. Not to go way too deep into technical details, but you can try this:
1. Take a note of the domain name which you can't access (for example, yahoo.com)
2. Go to command prompt, and type (without quotes): "ping www.yahoo.com", then Enter.

Generally, you can get two types of a response:
"Ping request could not find host www.yahoo.com. Please check the name and try again", or
"Pinging yahoo.com [66.94.234.13] with 32 bytes of data:" (even if it times out afterwards)

The first type of response would confirm that it is definitely a DNS resolution issue. I rebooting your PC and/or ADSL modem doesn't fix it, call your ISP.

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Didn't think AN2 was approved for skydiving operations.

Tell that to any skydiver from Russia and watch for the reaction!

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Sorry I have to call bullshit. That is the biggest bunch of stereotypical crap. Women have issues with it because they over the generations have been told over and over that men were superior and women just cant do things as well.

Of course, there are women out there that can park (and drive, for that matter) much better than most men. I know a few of them myself, and I have all respect for them. Nowever, IMHO, those are exceptions to the rule -- women in general are less capable at anything to do with cars. Now, I would NEVER say that any woman is a crappy driver simply because she is a woman -- it would be a very stupid thing to say. However, I am always on a high alert whenever I see a woman behind the wheel in close proximity. In most situations when you see stupid/erratic/weird/etc., behaviour on the road, the driver turns out to be a woman (my experience, at least). Just as a side note: I also understand very well that women are generally much better at many things than men. It's not about who's better and who's worse -- we are simply different.

As for the reasons for backing into parking spots -- generally, it's easier to get in and out, and it's not only true for large cars. Front steering is a very good explanation, as it was mentioned here before. It's not surprising why people back in when they parallel park, is it? If you have to slam on your brakes if someone is parking in front of you, then keep a distance -- plain and simple.

-- edited for spelling

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... don't forget Intercourse, Pa.

Gee, that's what I wanted to suggest... We were driving along the highway in PA, and noticed this sign, then my buddy said: "Hmm, did we pass Blowjob already?"

My suggestions (all real names):
Nahui, Peru. Just ask any Russian what that means...
Fucking, Austria
Dildo, Newfoundland

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waaa waaaa waaaaa.....what a bunch of fucking pussies. Kiss passes are fun. <...> Big fucking deal. If you can't handle something so minor....you have bigger problems than a kiss pass anyway.

I was reading this thread actually waiting to find a post like this! It's soooooo true! Couldn't agree more, and have nothing to add...

I would say it's more about YOUR perception, not someone else's. I personally felt that I was a skydiver after I was cleared for solo -- after AFF and coach jumps. That was jump #13 for me. Most people on DZ would be "cautious", I'd say, about you until they jump with you and see what you can do. But that doesn't mean that even until then they don't think of you as a skydiver. Some people, however, will always have this kind of attitude that you described. Well, screw them...

I am OK with them, in general... I don't like those really stupid ones who look like idiots in their makeup, and act like idiots, but there are (or were, maybe?) some great ones out there -- I am sure is any Russian reads this thread, they will remember Oleg Popov, "The Sunny Clown" from 1950's-70's. I have yet to see a single person who would hate him...

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As a guy that's had a full beard for my entire post pubescent life, I can tell you with full confidence that women almost never prefer it.

I second that! But I have a beard for 6 years mainly for one reason -- no more daily shaving, dammit!

Tri-175, Blue - Blue - White - Blue - White - Blue - Blue.

Oh boy, reading your posts is scary... I sure hope you'd rethink you position -- if not now, may be at some point later in your life. I don't want to repeat all arguments that many people expressed in this thread already, so I won't comment more...

To me, personally, MJ is a freaking shithead -- never liked him, never will; however, the justice is about proving one guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, NOT the other way around, as you seem to think. Just think for a minute and decide for yourself if you really want a justice system which would presume someone guilty just because me, you, whoever else didn't like the guy, and make them prove their innocence. If your answer is "yes", you probably are in the "wrong era", or in the wrong country... And yes, I totally agree with everyone who said that letting someone guilty walk free is much better than sending an innocent person behind bars...

First thought was: "what the heck does it have to do with skydiving?" Took me half a sec to recognize...

I've got pretty good response when I was on a lookout for a rig -- at least 3 people by e-mail and 2 by phone.

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Shoes: around $50.00
Haircut: $12.00 + tip
Clothing: one suit $200.00 everthing else are $10.00 tee-shirts and $30.00 jeans
Bed Sheets: the more the thread count the better
Art: never

I'll use the same format...
Shoes: avg. $25, but never above $60. Comfort counts, but don't give a s**t about the brand.
Haircut: My wife does it for free, only when I absolutely have to have it...
Clothing: What is a suit? Khakis $30, jeans avg. $25, some shirts $15 with $5 ties (need them for work), t-shirts $5-$15.
Bed sheets: don't have a clue about thread count. Couldn't care less -- can sleep on a bare floor.
Art: Sometimes, but absolutely no "modern arts".

peacefuljeffrey

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Give me a break. This is snobbery at its worst

Frankly, if just a little more people would think this way, it would be soooo much better world...

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Is this the TSA advisory

Yes, that's what I have (whatever you call it). AndyMan has also posted a link to another letter on the subject.

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Go to Target and buy a cheap 21" rolling pilot case. The rig will fit perfectly, be mobile, and will attract absolutely zero attention. Put it on the belt, keep your mouth shut, and you'll be fine.

Actually, 21" didn't do it for me (the rig would probably fit, but you'd literally have to kick it to get inside -- I definitely didn't want to do that). 22", however, serves me very nicely. It fits an overhead bin wheels first on most planes. As a precaution, just in case anyone at the checkpoint is more curious than they shoud be, I always keep a printed and laminated TSA advisory (available form their website) inside, along with an X-Ray image of a rig (from Airtek), and clearly visible home-printed poster with a big STOP sign and a text: "This lifesaving equipment is NOT to be handled without the owner present!" This is just another wording of what their advisory says, anyway. So far, so good -- no questions asked...

As for checking my rig -- I would do it only if I have absolutely no other option.

Puma Liga -- by far the most comfortable I've ever had. Last time couldn't find them, so got Adidas Spezial instead -- very good, too.

Having been living in Canada for the last 9 years, I can't really say I am forgetting my Russian, but I do notice very often it's easier for me to express myself in English -- that's for sure. As for replacing words -- happens all the time, no matter how hard I try to avoid it... I try to speak my native language as much as I can (at home, with friends, etc.), so I don't really lose it.

Have been doing that since my elem school days, no problem... But here's the question: has anybody tried 12V accu on their tohgue (not auto, but just one of those small ones)? I did that once (think I was 12 or something). Lesson learned -- never again!