There is really a greater chance of it becoming dangerous than there is with other breeds

not true.

Yes, it is. This isn't a matter of opinion or experience -- statistically, pit bulls are the breed involved in over half of attacks that do bodily harm. You and those around you are simply at higher risk if you have one.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 2:14 PM on June 25, 2008

We'd probably have issues from non-C14 radioactive isotopes, ozone damage, and pure thermal energy well before any effects were seen from the C14 itself. FAQ on the effects of nuclear explosions.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 10:50 AM on June 12, 2008 marked best answer

Are you aware of a simple, effective publish on demand solution that works with Amazon?

BookSurge is the Amazon-owned on-demand book publisher.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 2:12 PM on June 11, 2008

hostip.info has a very functional API that you could use to automate this for many IP addresses. You can also get their IP geolocation database which you could use locally.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 3:57 PM on May 20, 2008

That's a calculated risk they're taking, and it's nobody else's business.

Only if the responding EMTs don't have to triage them above another injured person on the scene because they chose that calculated risk. My cousin is an EMT and has had people die because he was treating someone else who chose not to wear a helmet or safety belt, and who likely would have been nearly unharmed had they been properly utilizing said devices.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 12:00 PM on April 29, 2008

leotrotsky: Nope, I work about three floors above it (and I'm on the ground floor). The first photo on this page is from said lab -- there's a sort of fort built from lead bricks within which C¹⁴ dating was calibrated. The lead is from the keel of a 16th or 17th-century sunken ship.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 10:09 AM on April 24, 2008

grouse: It is significantly more likely that an arbitrary point of damage to DNA will be corrected properly than not. There are a large number of mechanisms to ensure this. Seriously, google "DNA repair". In addition to error-detecting and error-correcting, there are systems which delay cell division if errors are detected, do best-guess repair for significant stand-severing damage, and even kill themselves gently if they are unable to create a functional genome. Saying that... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 4:10 PM on April 24, 2008

He is appropriating the public good for private gain, denying residents with no choice but to use the public good access to it on nights when it is restricted to use only by residents.

Night game parking is the easiest parking of the year for permit holders, so [his] neighbors without a spot are not inconvenienced. [He] got home at 7 o'clock last night, just before first pitch. There were more than 5 spots open with a block of [his] place because of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 3:50 PM on April 17, 2008

My favourite is Neal's Yard Montgomery. I find it at Whole Foods here in Seattle.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 2:58 PM on April 3, 2008

I'd Pull NOAA satellite imagery. Here's a Make article on pulling TV signals, and here's some info on using it for wi-fi.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 6:01 PM on March 24, 2008

Weird, I just noticed this at a QFC in Seattle and was wondering the same thing (hooray for seasonal allergy season!). And yes, it was the real stuff. I was thinking mistake too until I saw this thread (of course, it could still just be a mistake).
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 9:21 AM on March 4, 2008 marked best answer

Nthing Carcassonne -- I prefer it with the Inns and Cathedrals and Traders and Builders expansions. Also worth a try are Ticket To Ride (I prefer Europe), Power Grid, and Notre Dame. My group plays Settlers, Puerto Rico, and Robo Rally regularly, so our tastes should be at least semi-aligned.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 6:56 PM on February 19, 2008

Another question: how do I now get out the disc that won't mount so I could try another? The keyboard has no eject button nor does the computer as far as I can see.

Hold the mouse button down as you boot the computer.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 4:22 PM on February 13, 2008

Some other stuff you might enjoy: Derek Pegritz's blog/story in parts (here's the previous incarnation), Gaiman's A Study in Emerald, if you've never read it, and Paul Malmont's recent novel The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 12:47 PM on February 6, 2008

It's possible to do this by opening up System Properties ("Win-Break", or right-click My Computer and select Properties), going to the Hardware tab, selecting Device Manager, right-clicking on each USB host controller, selecting "Properties", clicking the Advanced tab and checking the "Don't tell me about USB errors" box. You will also not receive some other alerts, but it will disable that particular one.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 11:33 AM on January 29, 2008

Yup, the device nitsuj linked to will do the trick. You're looking to convert a composite video signal to VGA (DVI would be much more expensive and have no additional benefit). You can find similar devices used sometimes at videogame shops like Gamespot and the like.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 7:00 PM on January 21, 2008

If you can find a Siemens M65, they're extremely hardy. Looks like they're going for around a hundred bucks on eBay.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 4:00 PM on December 27, 2007

A friend of mine continues to run and enjoy an Apple Extended Keyboard coupled with a Griffin iMate. It's a very slick setup.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 2:31 PM on December 13, 2007 marked best answer

Dark City would probably be one of my favorite films if it weren't for the action-movie ending.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 6:14 PM on November 8, 2007

Two players on one computer demands Liero, the real-time version of Worms (there are a few modernized versions as well, including LieroX and NiL)
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 11:48 AM on August 29, 2007

Head on over to the Third Place Pub and check out tonight's Science on Tap lecture! Beer and Science: it's a winning combination.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 9:46 AM on August 27, 2007

Eat waffles from the waffle stand at Lombard and Boston and go to the Rogue Public House and try their beers that are harder to get here and their liquors. And of course, go to Powell's.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 7:05 PM on July 24, 2007

We like history, theater, walking tours, parks, and GOOD food.

The Seattle Underground Tour is a tourist thing, but is also pretty fun and interesting. It might be worth your time to head up to Volunteer Park and check out the sculpture. Dahlia and Salumi are great recommendations -- if you are interested in sushi, I recommend Maneki or Mashiko for omakase. What kind of food are you most interested in?... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 10:41 AM on June 18, 2007

Thank you all for the suggestions -- I'm not too optimistic about being able to find one before Father's Day. In case anyone was wondering, here's the reply from Lucca's Deli:

I remember the tins with the key very well! Unfortunately I have not seen them in a long time. All of our tins come with a pull tab. I suspect they have changed to pull tabs throughout the industry.

I'll update here if I do end up spotting any.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 6:25 PM on May 27, 2007

Details of the process from my old-timey drinking book:

Go to the nearest good hotel or club and get a pair of bottle tongs. Heat them quite hot and fasten about the bottle neck just below the lower cork end. Count 10, take tongs away, and touch the spot with a pad of cloth soaked in cold water. The neck cracks all around in a clean break -- no fuss, no splinters.

posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 1:40 AM on May 12, 2007

The internal connection on a revision B iMac is indeed a VGA connection (it's the newer flatscreen iMacs which can't easily be converted to use an external source). A converter in the style to which doublesix linked will do the trick.

Only difficulty I could see would be whether or not the CRT power supply turns on without a load from the computer (the same power supply powers both the screen and computer, obviously). I don't have any insight into that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 5:34 PM on April 11, 2007

Cafe Flora is the best fancy veg restaurant in Seattle.

Also April 16 is the two-year anniversary of the Kung-Fu Grindhouse at The Sunset Tavern, if you're into that sort of thing.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 9:43 AM on April 10, 2007

I've been looking for one of these with some actual documentation that it will work in the U.S. as well. None of the non-eBay resellers I've queried has the 900/1800 one available, so hopefully a reputable seller on eBay can be found.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 5:36 PM on March 29, 2007

None of the non-eBay resellers I've queried has the 900/1800 one available

Of course, I meant the opposite of this (they only have the 900/1800).

dobbs, as far as I know there aren't (m)any reviews of this, since it didn't have any kind of launch fanfare other than a few press releases and isn't yet available in the US/Japan/Europe. However, it seems like with its featureset, assuming it works, there's not too much to review.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 6:02 PM on March 29, 2007

Modern Library's web poll for "Best 20th century novel" resulted in four Ayn Rand novels and three L. Ron Hubbard novels (plus sundries).
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 2:58 PM on March 19, 2007

Just out of curiosity, have you considered (or has anyone else used) a PCMCIA serial port adapter? I've heard anecdotally that they're a lot more reliable and more like a "real" RS232 port than the USB adapters, but I've never used one.

This is good advice -- a PCMCIA serial port is essentially a "real" serial port, in that it connects to the system bus and uses a UART and typically requires no drivers. I've got a Socket brand one... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 2:13 PM on March 15, 2007

Not sure for Unison. All the rest (except where noted) are free:
Toast -- burnatonce for free, Nero for pay
Adium -- Trillian
Transmit -- Filezilla
iPhoto -- Picasa
Stuffit -- 7-zip
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 4:53 PM on March 14, 2007

Your issue here will be power. You almost certainly won't be able to use a 3.5" desktop hard drive (requires too much power or 12V of power). Your camera provides either 3.3V or 5V to the CF card (all CF cards can operate on either) -- all 2.5" laptop hard drives operate on 5V, and I'd guess that your camera doesn't provide sufficient current to spin the drive up initially, even if it does provide 5V rather than 3.3V.

You could potentially do this at a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 9:46 AM on March 14, 2007

It's the CF gender changer I was stuck at. Any idea where I could find one?

I'd guess you'd have to have it manufactured or repurpose some other connector for it. I've desoldered IDE connectors from old motherboards before to use as IDE gender changers, but I don't know of any source offhand.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 3:25 PM on March 14, 2007

A few of my favorite spots:
The Stumbling Monk for Belgian ales
Bauhaus for coffee
Maximilien for an expensive French restaurant (but check out that Happy Hour)
The 25 for 25 is going on right now (25 restaurants with a $25 prix fixe -- go to Campagne while it's cheap)
I'm a bit of a film buff, and that time is spent mostly at The Northwest Film Forum, the Grand Illusion, and the Central Cinema ($5 movies! Cheap pizza and beer on... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 9:36 PM on March 5, 2007

I have backups of all the floppies from OS/2W3 on a FAT drive someplace (but the backups are in OS/2 XDF format, so you'd need to be able to write that -- I think WinImage). I'll look for them this evening if you haven't found copies yet.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 11:53 AM on February 5, 2007

If I dir them, they only show 1-1K file on each, so I assume they are packed in some non-standard way.

They're in XDF format (the first track of XDF floppies is "standard", so often a readme or some driver is stashed there). You can read and copy them with the xdfcopy tool, which I've stashed here (89k EXE file), along with the images I had (3.8M ZIP file), which makes this advice little redundant, but maybe not if my images don't work.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 10:25 PM on February 5, 2007

Everyone's going to have their own style on this, as I'm sure this thread has shown you, so rather than argue with anyone (for example, the people who think a martini can be made with vodka or without vermouth, and anyone who recommends Tanqueray 10 as your only gin) I will offer my suggestions.

You should have whiskey, gin, and vodka, in that order. Whiskey is the basis of simple drinking, and should you choose to have only one on hand it should be a bourbon, like... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 4:04 PM on December 11, 2006

I use a USB "thumb drive" at work with Ghost, if the PC's Ghost partition isn't available.

I think I used HP's USB booting tool to create it, based off a Win98 boot disk.

This is what I do as well, but I had to have a floppy drive in order to create the disks initially (i.e., create the floppies in Ghost, get the files off of them). The HP bootable USB stick tool can be found by googling for "SP27213".
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 10:56 AM on November 17, 2006

It's certainly possible that it's real, as the UW does track MACs upon connection to their network, so they could be assembling a list such that when a stolen laptop shows up the network, Computing & Communications can alert them. I would look up the number independently and call them as has been advised.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 8:24 PM on November 8, 2006

I know of almost no-one who read them chronologically, but there exists a fairly major plot thread starting in The Cigars of the Pharaoh that runs through a good portion of the series. I would consider starting with that one, then The Blue Lotus, then Tintin in Tibet (which contains plot elements from The Blue Lotus but otherwise depends on nothing significant beyond the Captain's presence).
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 11:42 AM on October 19, 2006

It's an RCA-type jack, but you can see that it goes into a shielded silver box, which is the demodulator. That means it's ever-so-standard television (cable/antenna/whatever), so find an F-type -to- RCA adapter (I'm staring at one right now, cost me <$5 at a Radio Shack awhile back). The adapter that GuyZero lists will do it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 4:26 PM on October 17, 2006

Price-fixing laws only apply to competitors -- in this case, Apple only sells through people who agree to sell for the given price (this is actually true, heard through a friend who works at an Apple store). You can sometimes find cheaper prices through online retailers, but never by more the $5-10 -- I assume they get away with this by classifying the discount as a coupon or something.

This has been the source of some historical trouble between Apple and Best Buy,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 11:29 AM on October 13, 2006

Two things that I adore gas for (other than instant-off for boiling water) are fine temperature control for candy-making (it can be seriously difficult to keep everything at the right temperature when you have to move it from burner to burner) and heat volume output for stir- and deep-frying -- pots and pans won't cool down like they do on electric when you drop food in (to a point). This is particularly great for deep-frying because not only do you have finer temperature control, you can fry... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 1:37 PM on October 6, 2006

It sounds like your CCFL tube (backlight) died, that's basically what happened to me. I bought my replacement from these guys and it took about 45 minutes to install (I'm reasonably proficient and it was a fairly difficult, if straightforward, job). They don't have your laptop listed on their page but if you open up the back and get the model number off the LCD it should be easy to index.

Be aware that it's also possible that the inverter, not the CCFL, died, but those... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 1:50 PM on September 22, 2006

As a followup question, is there a name for those -ine words?

nevers is right -- I've always heard them termed "brutal appelatives".
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 12:07 AM on September 17, 2006

I can tell you the places I know of -- there's a pc/laptop repair shop at 50th and University Way (under the Grand Illusion theatre) that was unable to fix a friend's Alienware laptop, and there's Seattle Laptop on Aurora (around 80th, just north of Beth's).

As a personal recommendation, the laptop sounds kind of dead and mayube not worth fixing (laptop repairs can often be *very* expensive). However, I'm sure those places will gives you estimates and you can figure out... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 1:10 PM on September 8, 2006 marked best answer

Find your new drive, right click it, and click the option along the lines of "Add new partition".

Depending on how the drive arrived from the manufacturer, you may need to use the "Initialize..." option before any formatting can take place. Otherwise, this is right on. If your drive doesn't show up in Disk Management you should check the jumprers -- many external cages require the drive to be set to "Master."
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 1:08 PM on September 8, 2006

Okay, I have some names to the projection now. Google maps uses the Mercator projection.

Not to be too pedantic, but Google Earth uses a Simple Cylindrical Projection (also known as Plate Carree). Being a cylindrical projection (simplified version: imagine the earth as a sphere held within a cylinder -- drawing lines from the center of the earth out through the surface to the cylinder gives you your projection) this will not show the poles, much like Mercator.
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 1:23 PM on August 25, 2006 marked best answer

Serial gets better and better as clock speeds get higher, both because it gets closer to the speed of a parallel line and because at those higher clock speeds, clock skew for parallel signals becomes a limiting factor in line speeds (in addition, crosstalk is a problem with parallel lines at high signalling rates).

I've never heard of a single tech advance that led to widespread serial use, though there have been a number of small advances (signalling techniques,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by j.edwards at 11:35 AM on August 23, 2006 marked best answer