Style is what I'm looking for, not the logo itself. I also have Inkscape, so I'll give that a try.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 7:09 AM on July 24, 2008

Interestingly, although Inkscape claims to be able to put text on a path, it doesn't seem possible to do so. The "Text-->Put on Path" command does nothing, and the "Effects-->Generate from Path-->Pattern along Path" command raises a Python error (this is on Windows XP). I concede defeat.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 10:15 AM on July 24, 2008

My wife used to work for DEC and is a member of the DCU even though it has no branches here in Rochester, NY. She does all her normal activities via the web or by phone. There are a couple of local credit unions that allow no-fee use of their ATMs so gettting cash is never an issue. We're even taking out a home equity line of credit (signing the paperwork tonight) from them, done mostly via phone and fax. DEC had offices all over the country so they were used to members not being near a physical... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 12:43 PM on July 16, 2008

I don't wear an undershirt with a polo, but then I don't wear undershirts at all. I might layer a colored tee under an unbottoned buttondown, but that's about it.

No chest hair, so I don't have an opinion one way or the other.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 12:48 PM on June 27, 2008

Two guys I like:

Charlie Hunter
Tuck Andress

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention my teacher Steve Greene.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:37 AM on June 27, 2008

Lots of appliances are still partly "on", even when switched off. The kind of voltage transitions seen when the power goes off and then on can do what delmoi said, and sometimes even cause damage. The best thing to do is unplug everything when a storm comes up, but no one does that (myself included). If it's not the antenna/cable mode and your TV has a channel search feature you can always tell it to look for the stations again but I'd just by a new DTV box and get it over with. I love... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 8:38 AM on June 26, 2008

You might not want to hear this but welcome to the club. I've managed to get a little ahead by working my butt off and getting a bonus in each of the last three years. But bonuses aren't the same as pay increases and I'm working on a promotion that'll put me ahead on a more permanent basis. In that vein, have you ever discussed reward or promotional opportunities with your manager? I work in a large company and the rules are fairly rigid, smaller companies might be more flexible. In either case,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 1:58 PM on May 29, 2008

They're fast enough now for what they're allowed to do.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 7:20 AM on May 29, 2008

I would definitely put a Master's degree on the low-priority list. I haven't gotten much mileage from mine, but larger companies may value it more than small ones.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 12:29 PM on May 20, 2008

Unplug it and remove the fuse. It's usually in the general area of the power cord or power switch. Look at it closely. Does is look like it's blown? Sometimes fuses fail subtly (or have mechanical defects that cause them to open), and don't exhibit obvious signs of melting. If you have access to a multimeter check the resistance, it shouldn't be more than a couple of ohms.

If the fuse is open or you can't test it, replace it with one of the same... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 7:42 AM on May 19, 2008

I second the $1 - $2 increase for microbrewery beer, with pints starting to reach the $6 level in some places (Rochester, NY). It's tougher to measure for the major breweries since they almost always have some special going.

Hops for homebrewing seem to have simultaneously gotten more expensive and less plentiful. I've purchased some rhizomes for growing my own, if the literature is correct I should be swimming in hop cones by Summer's end.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 11:32 AM on May 7, 2008

Sure, go ahead and kiss her. Just be prepared for her not reacting quite the way you'd like. After 8 dates she may have decided you're not romantic material and this could just seem strange.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 10:08 AM on May 7, 2008

Don't do this. If you want to give them a gift, see if your local music store will do a gift certificate or something similar. Besides being a personal thing, guitars vary even within the same make and model. You really have to play them yourself to know for sure.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 11:50 AM on May 1, 2008

I have been doing this since I was a boy (I'm 50 now). I wake up in the middle of the night and I go. Simple as that. But if this is something new for you it's worth having checked out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 8:41 AM on April 30, 2008

Why do you want to do this? It's not like liquor is essential, right? Your body is telling you something, why not listen to it?

If all you want to do is get intoxicated, there are things like beer, wine and flavored malt beverages that will do the trick and taste nothing like whatever your body is reacting to. No one (worth listening to) is going to think less of you if you're not pounding down the shots of bourbon.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 6:22 AM on April 23, 2008

John Fogerty was The Blue Ridge Rangers but that was just a one-off solo album.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:08 AM on April 21, 2008

If you go to a doctor or other treatment professional, take the shoes you were wearing around the time this began (unless, of course, they're your regular shoes).
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 8:34 AM on March 28, 2008

Asleep At The Wheel: "The Letter Than Johnny Walker Read".
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 7:51 PM on March 7, 2008

I talk to myself all the time. I'm an only child and it just comes naturally. But, I only do it when I'm alone or at least believe myself to be. Talking to yourself when others are around is just plain rude, whether you're talking about/to them or not. It's frustrating when someone is speaking but you can't quite make out the words, so even if you're not intending them to hear you at all they just might and it's probably not making them happy.

Save... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 11:41 AM on February 21, 2008

Your default for sound input is set to the Mic, if you don't override that setting in your recording app or change the default, it'll dutifully record from the Mic. Check the application settings for sound input device and select your USB turntable. If it doesn't appear, and you also can't see it in the System Preferences, your Mac is not recognizing the USB device.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 6:29 AM on February 20, 2008

Ask yourself how much money it will take to overcome the fact that you'll probably hate every day at work. Factor in the potential for this boss to sabotage your future career. Don't forget your new co-workers are going to be miserable, too. Does this job pay that amount?
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 7:21 AM on February 15, 2008

This NYTimes article tells you all you need to know about Lake Ontario fish.

I would eat them, but I don't eat fish often so the likelihood of long-term effects goes down.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 10:24 AM on February 14, 2008

Yes it's old, but do you think things are improving? Despite the rapid exit of industry from the state, the problems left behind continue to haunt the environment.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 10:49 AM on February 14, 2008

From the RocWiki:

The Fox Sisters,
The Rochester Mirage,
and The Lady In White, which was the basis of the '88 film of the same name.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 11:52 AM on February 11, 2008

The surgeon who gave me my vasectomy was Dr. Stopp. He was famous in Rochester, NY.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 12:34 PM on January 31, 2008

This is a terrible, terrible idea. To call it tasteless and disrespectful would be a gross understatement. The Chief is obviously very emotional about the cutbacks but using photos showing dead firefighters is not the way to make a point.

As others have mentioned, the major manufacturers of turnout gear are likely to have photos showing failed and/or damaged gear they'd be more than willing to give in exchange for a blurb. You might want to specifically ask for photos... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 10:44 AM on January 28, 2008

My wife did this for a while but it was awkward as my last name contains 11 letter and hers 9. She now just uses her last name for most things. It fits into things like forms much more readily.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 5:33 PM on January 4, 2008

This sounds a lot like the "Communism is Jewish" crap that I saw in a newsletter from a nut job named Josef Mlot-Mroz. I have no idea why my college library had it in its periodicals section, but it did. It was full of poorly doctored pictures that tried to make Mlot-Mroz look like the "Polish Freedom Fighter" he considered himself to be. He was one of the vocal minority of Poles who are vehemently Fascist and anti-Semitic although he tried to portray himself as... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 1:16 PM on January 3, 2008

It's simple: fewer jobs, more taxes and fewer people to pay them. Upstate's a great place to live, but it's not for everyone.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 7:10 PM on December 30, 2007

Rochester, NY has been most (in)famously called Smugtown.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 8:37 AM on December 17, 2007

There's always going to be some inertia in the market that will keep older software around for a while. This is usually the result of economics (new software is expensive) and training. You'll probably continue to see jobs for Shake but they will gradually diminish and the requirements for that particular skill will become secondary and then disappear in place of Phenomenon and other packages.

But that doesn't mean there won't be jobs and you could conceivably do quite... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:45 AM on December 12, 2007

For me, Palm syncing drove me to Mail.app from Entourage. Of course, Palm on the Mac in general is a disgrace, but that's neither here nor there. I prefer the integration of Entourage (and Outlook at work) to the separate app approach of Mail/iCal/AddressBook and I'm still not thrilled with them but my Treo at least works them.

Derail: Does anyone know how well the iPhone works with Windows and Outlook? I hope it integrates fairly well with Macs but I'm stuck with Windows at work.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 1:55 PM on December 6, 2007

With over 25 years of experience I can safely say I've never seen a car fire caused by the fuel pump in the tank. Electrical and exhaust issues, on the other hand, I've seen plenty of.

That said, I wouldn't put a used fuel pump into my tank unless I absolutely had no other choice. When they fail, you're not going anywhere. Unlike a fuel filter, there's no way you're going to replace one on the road.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 11:42 AM on December 5, 2007

To add to uncleozzy, it's probably going to be off in the same direction regardless of the speed. That is, it won't read slower at some speeds and faster at others. In my personal experience with both bikes and cars, they've all been optimistic. My '68 Plymouth read at least 10mph high at 55, more recent vehicles have been around 5mph or less depending on the speed.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 8:55 AM on November 29, 2007

Yes to Photoflo (it may depend on your water hardness), yes to (clean) fingers, no to squeegees.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 12:47 PM on November 28, 2007

My childhood (60s) dentist didn't have an assistant nor did my orthodontist. It seems to have been the norm. In the late 70s a girlfriend entered a training program for dental assistants. She seemed to imply this change was not coming from the dentists, so seeing one without an assistant isn't shocking but still seems unusual.

My current dentist has multiple assistants and hygienists which allows him to have more patients in the office at the same time. If your friend's... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:42 AM on November 18, 2007

It was a no-brainer for me, Aperture won't run on my G4 Mac. Lightroom does, although it's not particularly fast. I wouldn't be shooting in RAW mode if it wasn't for Lightroom.

You can manage files any which way you want, Lightroom handles it. It does have its own library, but leaves your photos on disk right where you put them.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:59 AM on November 12, 2007

I know they were banned by the 1960s. Our neighbor, a city cop, was confiscating them then. Of course, he just brought them home and set them off in his backyard, but still...
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 5:35 AM on November 7, 2007

I've done day trips to Toronto before, it's a bit of a trudge, but it's do-able. I was pretty tired on the drive back, of course.

The late, unlamented ferry took about the same time as driving and cost a lot more. It would at least let you rest, but that would be about it.

TO is a great city to visit, but it's probably more than a day trip can handle unless you have very specific ideas of where you want to go. I'd also recommend Niagara Falls as... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 2:02 PM on November 5, 2007

Around here, Burlington Coat Factory seems to be where clothes end up. It's usually the only place to get clothes in-season when the other stores have already moved on - need a swimsuit in July, BCF will probably have one.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:19 AM on November 5, 2007

Rabbits who live inside with the freedom to roam and interact with their family (rabbit and human) are definitely smarter than ones that live their entire lives in a cage. They certainly have distinct personalities and come across as individuals, as opposed to most caged rabbits, which all seem the same to me.

My wife's grandfather had a dairy farm that was cut in half by the building of an interstate highway. The state compensated him and also built a tunnel underneath... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 10:13 AM on November 2, 2007

In over 20 years as an emergency responder, I never saw anyone revived by CPR alone, regardless of the situation. In the few cases where the person's heart began beating again it was because they were shocked out of ventricular fibrillation by advanced EMTs. None of them regained consciousness. When I used to teach CPR back in the 80s, this was one of the things we discussed. We wanted to dispel any misconceptions but not discourage them too much.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 10:37 AM on October 23, 2007

This is a sidebar issue, but the US Dept. of Commerce considers electronic transfers to be regulated in the same way as physical ("tangible") transfers. Essentially, the shipment of a CD is no different from the ftp transfer of the CD's contents.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:15 AM on October 18, 2007

This could very well be a result of the vinyl in the interior deteriorating as a result of UV exposure. A number of companies sell products that are claimed to slow this process down. I have no experience with any of them so I can't recommend one. If you can park indoors or under a cover of some sort, it should also help.

I had the same issue with my '78 Monza and I recall using Bug & Tar Remover (basically alcohol) to clean it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:25 AM on October 17, 2007

i have seen this a couple of times on XP, with FF 2 and earlier versions. I believe it happens when RAM gets tight and Windows has to do a lot of swapping. Firefox is a noted RAM hog and there are extensions that are known to leak memory, so I see memory issues fairly often. How much RAM do you have?
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 7:44 AM on October 12, 2007

Right now, Firefox is consuming over 120 Meg. I have only one window open, no tabs. My machine also has 1 GB RAM and I run a similar application set as you do. Check Task Manager and see how much Firefox is using along with your overall memory usage profile.

Unfortunately, whether it's Firefox itself or one of its extensions leaking memory, the only real solution is quitting and restarting Firefox. I do that a couple of times a day. It's crude but it works.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:47 AM on October 12, 2007

I was in high school in '73. I recall everyone wanting to be "hippies", which in the context of my all-boys Catholic high school meant blue chambray work shirts, long hair and work boots (this was our idea of hippies). Southern Rock was big, the Dead, too. The draft was ending (I never even registered) but Vietnam was still a topic. Lots of guys in school talked about skipping college and going to work on the Alaska pipeline, though I don't think anyone ever did.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 9:46 AM on October 4, 2007

Another vote for Lightroom, particularly on older hardware.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 6:29 AM on October 1, 2007

More votes for Young's Double Chocolate and Sam Smith's Oatmeal.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 1:33 PM on September 27, 2007

A lot of smaller breweries, particularly in the beginning of the craft beer era, bought used equipment. Those bottling lines were usually pop-tops, cast-offs from the migration to screw-tops.

Besides, it's fun telling kids about "church keys" and cans that you had to pierce on the top to get the contents out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tommasz at 6:04 AM on September 27, 2007