FlyingJ

It's amazing how beat up one can get simply falling off a curb.

Edit: SHIT! I browsed and found the photo originally but then posted the thread without uploading it.

Amazing how much more interesting flash mobs get when the women are in bikinis and the dudes...wait, were there dudes?

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=59671

I personally boycott any and all that has to do with CompUSA after a nightmare of an experience dealing with their service on a computer.

I can't say anything for or against the computer in your link, but I can tell you that their service is dismal. After replacing a failing keyboard, cdrom and hard drive their tech formatted my drive incorrectly. Came back out to my home (all part of the service package that came with the computer in in 1998) to reformat the drive again only to leave my computer not working. All that was necessary was a proper format, however, due to the complete incompetence of their customer service personnel I went 6 months without a computer. The end result however, following letters to the president of the company along with the BBB and the state attorney general I received a 100% refund (including shipping) for a 3 year old computer.

Was always happy with their product prior to that time, but have never provided them with any business since and told the president of the company when I spoke with him that as long as the company was alive I would do everything in my power to persuade others to boycott them as well.

Curious whether anyone has used any of the sprays out there (or concocted your own).

I just moved into a house with a few other people. The owner has a couple outside cats that roam the property, but are fed and aren't going anywhere. Sadly my section of the house has no windows that open, only a set of french doors. I would love to open up the doors and let some air in but if I take my eyes off the door for a minute I find a freakin cat inside. This wouldn't be the end of the world except that I'm absurdly allergic. Cat spends a minute lying on my couch and I have to get out the vacuum and furniture cleaner or I'll be puffing on my inhaler within the hour.

I would love to spray something at the entry way that would hopefully deter the cats from entering. I'm don't want to harm them, just make entering the house be a very unattractive option. I've seen commercial sprays and I've heard of people using an ammonia mixture.

What have you used? What worked? What didn't?

Unfortunately the path past my door is a main walkway used by everyone, so none of the motion activated stuff is suitable.

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>I think it's mainly just an excuse to get together and skydive.

...and party in an atmosphere where folks that might sometimes feel ostracized for being themselves know that can really let loose and be who they are along with many others doing the same. What better feeling is there than openly being who you are amongst a group of people who outwardly appreciate who you are at the same time.

These were my thoughts I posted on Facebook on September 11th last year:

"Remembering the feeling of seeing the whole City come together as one, regardless of race, religion, etc. as we all flooded the streets in complete disbelief of what we were witnessing. As we started a very long walk to the comfort of our homes the crowds rose to a deafening cheer for every bus and flatbed truck passing filled with emergency workers, many of whom would never make the trip back uptown to the comfort of their homes. The ultimate sacrifice was made without a second thought. Let's make today a day to remember and appreciate that sacrifice rather than focusing on the hate of an ignorant few."

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One of my language pet peeves is the use of the word "penultimate" where the user means "ultimate". Another is the use of "due to" rather than "because of".

really? how often do you run into people who use the word penultimate?

I use it on a somewhat regular basis, and correctly too. I found while going through school as a musician it was a fairly common term being that it was regularly used in music and therefore part of an individuals normal vocabulary for most people I was around.

It does get frustrating hearing people use it incorrectly though. I had a chance shortly after college to step in and correct its use in a speech by the president of the company I was working for just prior to him giving the speech. Got some major props for that one.

Did you know it takes a stamp on a post card for it to get sent? Go figure. Just found the one I attempted back in my PO Box this morning. Sounds like you got Texas covered though.

My friend from West Virginia said he would get someone in his family to send a card. He's about the most unreliable friend I have so please don't get hopes up too high, but we'll see, he might just come through.

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Of course, 1 in 10 or so just think I'm a moron

Dang -- how can I get that good an average???

Wendy P.

Don't give me too much credit. I failed to mention that 6 of the remaining 9 are unconscious.

Definitely adding that quote to my list of favorites.

I agree that there is a time and place for everything. I start every EMS call with the line "So, aside from the fact that you just called 911, how's it going?" People often get so worked up and freaked out about being sick/hurt that more often than not it lightens people up just enough to relax a little and maybe take some of the psycholigical mind game out of the picture.

Of course, 1 in 10 or so just think I'm a moron, but I'll take that that percentage any day.

I second the advice that if you are going to use "match light" or even just add lighter fluid on your own to make sure it thoroughly burns off before cooking. Nothing more disappointing than a delicious hunk of meet being pulled off the grill only to taste like lighter fluid.

We just got an awesome charcoal/propane/infrared combo that is amazing. We have the charcoal when time allows and the propane for quick cooking. It's a whole new world!

I think about this often and again just now after seeing a couple of the comments in the colonoscopy thread.

In general I think folks could stand to lighten up a little and realize that everyone deals with difficult topics in different ways. If laughing about it isn't your way of dealing with it then so be it, that's up to you, but that's no reason to to suggest that someone else is wrong for dealing with it in their way. I find being around someone unable to find some kind of humor during the toughest times unbearable to be around. Just because I am able to work through such a time in a more lighthearted manner doesn't mean I care any less and it doesn't mean I think you are wrong for dealing with it in your way.

From a personal standpoint...I have been involved in disaster relief from the most minute of personal "disasters" as seen on a daily basis working in EMS to standing next to someone watching their house burn in a wildfire after being told we had done everything we could to protect it and had to pull out. I've been on the front lines of response to hurricanes doing everything from search and rescue to sheltering to financial distribution to tree removal/roof tarping. I have seen every response an individual can have in this situation but never have I seen affected people recover faster than when they allow a bit of humor into their life.

The next time you feel the need to tell someone that you think their way of dealing with a situation is wrong, think just for a second about the fact that we are all individuals and we all have different ways of dealing with "the bad stuff" in life.


Edit:

And PS...if you think some jokes about a colonoscopy are bad, invite yourself to join a group of medics or ER nurses for a meal and see what passes for dinner table conversation.

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Fort Davis now.

I have a whole folder of pics just like it. Rarely have I seen a sight so beautiful while at the same time so horrifying to those directly hurt. All of my work out tree was fire based, though mostly controlled burning with a handful of wildfires thrown in. I got out of fire to work in EMS full time. It's been killing me that I haven't been able to head out now that the fires came to Texas instead of me going out west. Best to everyone out there.

I always look forward to your slide shows. I've camped all over for Texas, both work and fun, but the Big Bend area is still on my to do list. The furthest I've made it down that direction is Alpine/Davis Mountains area.

Thanks and I look forward to the next one!

Jason
Rockport, TX

Well, in the interest of saving money I've just moved and have decided to ditch the cable at my new place. Really the only thing I'll miss that I can't watch via Hulu or Netflix is college football (and maybe some baseball but that's not a big deal).

So, who likes what for watching college football (specifically Georgia/SEC but interested in all) online? I just moved and don't have my system hooked up yet but my cable company is not listed on ESPN3's site of available providers so I'm not holding my breath there.

I would prefer to find something I can connect to via my Sony Bravia TV or Samsung Bluray player but using my laptop connected to the TV is an option.

Let's here it! I know there have to be some of you out there in the same position. My family has told me to quit trying, because me not being able to watch creates the best possible circumstance for Georgia having a great year.

LOVE this movie. Tell everyone I know that has Netflix to add it to their instand que.

Best is tough. Falls into a couple categories:

Most amazing group all in one place: I worked in event planning for Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC. We had a fundraiser concert/dinner that had Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, BB King, Eric Clapton all performing with the Wynton Marsalis Septet. Original plan was for each to perform individually, but they got together on stage and played a few songs together. Honestly the rehearsals where they all had their guard down and were just goofing off were better than the final concert to me.

Best vibe: VooDoo Fest in New Orleans, 2005. The original massive festival wasn't going to happen due to the hurricane but Nine Inch Nails, Cowboy Mouth and a handful of other groups still came together to perform a free day long festival. It wasn't the best music I've ever heard, but it was by far the most amazing overall feeling I've had at a music performance. This was October/November or so and large groups of people were finally making it back into town and looking for a way to have a good time amid all the destruction.

Worst: This could be any of a number. My roommate in college worked for the Cincinnati Symphony and got free tickets to everything produced the Riverbed Music Center. Saw some fun shows, Bela Fleck, Dave Matthews, Jimmy Buffet, but also saw shows like Spice Girls, Hanson, Riverdance, etc. We were broke, so we never turned down a free ticket to anything!

Thanks all of for the suggestions. I've been vetoed on purchase of any of the $300ish kits. Apparently the one my mom saw and loved was built by her friend's husband and is nothing more than a very basic (4 pieces of wood held together with L brackets, no trim, etc.) cabinet with a bed platform hinged to the bottom of the cabinet and laying flat on the floor when open. She wants it off the floor, but as it will be used in a room that is really nothing more than a large closet 95% of the time she is not concerned about the overall aesthetic of it as a furniture piece. I believe we'll add some type of mechanics to assist with the lift/lower but her response to that was "can't we just attach a rope with a pully?" So, we'll see. Looks like it is going to be on the cheap and we'll see what we can come up with.

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Anyone here built a murphy/fold down bed?

Not yet although it's on my honey-do list. I plan on building it with raised panels, probably 4 across and 2 vertically split 2/3 and 1/3.

I got my queen bed hardware package from rockler.com after they sent me one of their 10 or 15% off coupons

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17212

That "Create A Bed" hardware package is exactly the one I was talking about. You've been happy with it?

Anyone here built a murphy/fold down bed?

Was just informed this morning that my mom expects to have a new one built while I visit them in a few weeks.

Not too worried about building a cabinet or platform, just not so sure about connecting the two with a mechanism to provide an easy lift/pull.

I have found the kits that cost upwards of $300. Pretty sure my mom would go with a dead lift option rather than spend that much. I'd rather she not be dead lifting the weight of the bed.

I've also read about someone using an automatic door closer but there was no description regarding how it was used.

Any thoughts are helpful.

I think I would need a couple outriggers on that thing. A little too much weight on one end of the bed and it will be an early wake up call.

TuneUp is the one I've been thinking about. I would love to find something that I could just point at a folder, leaving itunes out of the picture, but I'll be hard pressed to find that.

I'm curious what people have used and been happy with for cleaning up extensive and messy music libraries. I found J's post from 2007 with a few suggestions, but that's a lifetime in regard to software becoming outdated.

So, what do you use?

I'm dealing with about 250 gigs of music. 50% of it is very well organized and tagged. Unfortunately the 50% that is messy is disasterously messy. I have no doubt that 10-15% of the total volume is likely duplicates too.

So, let's here it!

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I couldn't imagine being ABLE to piss/shit myself during a tazing...

Ofcourse, I've only been tazed once.

I'm pretty sure it's not during the tazing as much as shortly afterward!

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I found the 5 watt charger did not keep up with my electric gate opener, even with a small 12v lawn tractor battery. But if you are not drawing from the battery at all, the 5w should keep it topped up.

For the 12v lawn tractor battery, I installed 2 10watt panels that were about 12x12" each and that keeps it charged all the time for me.

The 15W panel Nothern Tool sells for about $99 along with the small charge controller is a great deal for that size. It is a fairly large panel, so awkward to carry around. I made a fold-up case for two of them, also large and heavy, but it has bailed my ass out in hurricane times here in FL. The 30 Watts charges a car battery in no time and supplies enough juice for small 12V stuff, lights, etc.

This is exactly what I'm expecting based on what I've seen so far. The one I purchased can be added to others, so I may end up keeping what I have and adding it to a 15w or something similar. I have a week long beach trip towards the end of May when I'll be able to see how it works without having to try and simulate battery use.