Outdoor / sports gear, clothes, electronics.

Sales tax differs from state-to-state (and locality-to-locality). You SHOULD do it like this: save your receipts and ask for a sales tax refund at the airport before you leave the US. Then, declare the goods and pay VAT on them at the airport when you arrive in Germany.

If you're a little daring, and your new purchases aren't too ostentatious / obvious, you can skip getting the tax refund in the US,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 8:29 AM on July 24, 2008

Careful on the Levi's. Last time I was in the US, I didn't have much luck with Levi's sold at normal department stores. The styles and cuts were different than what I find in European jeans shops, so try them on first to make sure you like them before you buy them. (Although, it looks like Levi's is planning to switch to a single cut for all markets soon, in a bid to save money).

Thanks for the correction, oaf. I'm really surprised to learn that you can't get a refund on... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 10:01 AM on July 25, 2008

I used to do this a lot, but I hardly do it any more. I'm not a neurologist, but I'll share my theory and how I "overcame" this annoying habit.

First, the theory. I think this reaction is like a short circuit that allows you to quickly change the subject of your inner dialog when your inner dialog becomes unpleasant, uncomfortable or mildly painful. I think this reaction is a similar but much milder version of something that a person suffering from PTSD does... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 12:09 AM on July 23, 2008

Take a look at Geox Respira (warning: crappy site with flash and popup). Geox is an Italian brand of shoes with a patented breathing mechanism. They are mostly mesh on the top / front, and they have small holes in the soles that allow the shoe to "breathe", but don't let water in. They're pretty popular here in Austria.

I bought a pair earlier this summer, and they're very airy. My feet are much cooler (I do a lot of walking) and hardly sweat at all when I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 11:42 PM on July 22, 2008

Not exactly relevant, but it's also legal to turn left on red if you're in the far left lane of a one way street, and are turning left onto another one way street (at least it was in Texas when I took driver's ed 20 years ago).
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 12:24 PM on July 13, 2008

Thanks lungtaworld - I searched askmefi, but didn't see that thread. I read through the thread, but, unfortunately, the asker there has Vista, and his problem was different than mine.

That's one reason I asked. I haven't been able to find anything about my exact problem online.

I'll probably simply disable hibernation when the PC is plugged in. I'm guessing it's not worth the time to check every known potential cause of the problem.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 7:30 AM on July 10, 2008

advicepig said: That left me with a concrete amount of money left. I divided that by four to get a weekly amount that I would withdraw from an atm on Fridays.

This is key. In the past two years, I have become debt-free and am now saving a healthy amount every month.

My plan is close to advicepig's, with a couple of differences.

I make a withdrawal every Sunday (not Friday). That means I'm less likely... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 5:34 AM on July 9, 2008

It's a good idea to do some pull-ups and other back exercises along with your push-ups. I went from 25 push-ups a day to 300 a day between 2005 and 2007. Now I'm dealing with some minor back problems that my doctor says are partly due to having an overdeveloped chest and shoulders, countered by a less-developed back.

I go to weekly meetings with a physiotherapist now, and I'll be visiting a good gymn next week for an appointment with their in-house doctor. I hope that he... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 12:47 PM on July 8, 2008

Tell your friend to check out couchsurfing.com. Cheapest way to find a place to stay and meet locals who will show him around... Great for budget travel in Europe.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 10:31 AM on June 2, 2008

I'll second GardenGal's advice. If you can afford it, pack light and plan to buy a few articles when you get there.

There are TONS of shops in Rome, for instance. Prices are generally reasonable (unless you're in an upscale designer store, or smack in the middle of the old city), and if you look a little (down side streets, for instance), you can find stores with excellent prices and helpful personnel.

I was in Rome a couple of weeks ago and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 9:50 AM on May 28, 2008

Texas data point: We almost always kept our shoes on in the house.

Austria data point: We almost always take off our shoes upon entering the house.

It took awhile, but I've gotten used to the "shoes off" mode. We have a couple of pairs of house slippers. I had some foot odor problems when I first got here, and felt very uncomfortable about taking my shoes off in the presence of other people. Over time, however, the odor problem cleared... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 8:19 AM on May 27, 2008

First time sex is not universally bad.

You need to relax. It sounds to me like you're overthinking it. Simply roll with the flow. Don't schedule it, plan it, run through it in your head over and over. Just hang out with her, and after spending a nice enjoyable evening together, allow the natural transition to sex to occur. Don't think of it as a make-or-break performance. It's sex - loosen up and have fun.

If you focus on it for days or weeks in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 1:37 AM on May 26, 2008

I usually prepare and eat a tuna fish and lentil curry every day.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup lentils
1 Can tuna fish
1/2 Cup vegetable juice
1/2 Cup water
3 Tbsp low fat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp Patak's mixed pickles
1 Tbsp Patak's curry paste
1 Tsp Dijon mustard

Optional healthy additions:
flaxseed, oats, curry powder, olive oil, your favorite hot... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 12:51 AM on May 26, 2008

There are some good stretches you can do for this. My back started hurting after a couple of years of regular workouts. I'm taking a break from the weights and seeing a physiotherapist right now. If you're insured, you should talk to your doctor about your back pain and see if you can get an appointment with a pt.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 4:02 AM on May 21, 2008

I stayed at the Beijing Yongdingmen hotel back in 2003. It fits your price range.

At the time, the manager was named Rennie. I guess he still runs it. He's a really nice guy who speaks English and will pick you up at the airport in his car.

It's not a luxury place - plain and somewhat worn down. Breakfast came with our stay and there was a true-blue Chinese internet cafe in the hotel (stinky, dirty, and full of guys playing all kinds of online... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 10:37 AM on May 16, 2008

Checking the site, it looks like Renny's still in charge... You can contact him via email and even make a reservation that way (at least that's how we did it in '03).

If Renny's in charge, and he has rooms free when you want to travel, I'd recommend staying there - super guy who will help you get sorted out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 10:43 AM on May 16, 2008

It would be relatively easy to get a train or bus from Berlin to Vienna or Bratislava. If you can make it to Vienna or Bratislava, SkyEurope usually has cheap flights to Croatian destinations, including direct flights to Split and Dubrovnik.

From Vienna, you may have to take the SkyEurope shuttle bus to Bratislava. It's a nice bus, the ride usually takes less than an hour, and it is included in the price of your flight.

From Bratislava, my first... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 5:17 AM on May 16, 2008

I'm pretty sure you can stay for 3 months, leave the EU (quick trip to Russia, Croatia, etc.), then return to stay for another 3 months. At least in Austria there were 2 rules for Americans staying on a tourist visa when I first came here:
1. can't stay more than 90 days in a row
2. can't stay more than 180 days in a 365 day period

As for looking for a job, it may be much easier than you think, if you're actually in the Netherlands while you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 9:58 AM on April 14, 2008

For austria, check out http://www.jobwohnen.at/ .
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 9:09 AM on April 14, 2008

For shops, Wein & Co. will help you out. You should be able to taste the wines at their bar before buying the bottles. They have numerous shops around Vienna, most if not all of which have wine bars attached.

If you want to have a little more fun and can get outside of Vienna, you could visit the Wachau region, the village of Gumpoldskirchen or the Marchfeld region (all in Niederösterriech, not too far outside Wien). Wachau is particularly picturesque - I believe you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 3:39 AM on April 10, 2008 marked best answer

For an excellent bag (carry on, backpack, nice wheels, padded handles, detachable daypack), check out the Victorinox Trek Pack Plus line. I picked one up pretty cheap at REI in December and have been very pleased with is, so far.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 9:03 AM on April 4, 2008

Fruit juice + carbonated water = delicious & healthy. Works with still water, as well, if you don't have to have the carbonation.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 4:28 AM on April 2, 2008

I've gotten my girlfriend (who comes from a small town in southern Austria) to try and often like a ton of new things in our two-and-a-half years together. The list is long: sushi, eggplant, fish, shrimp, broccoli, mexican food, thai food, sri lankan food, japanese food, middle eastern food, calimari, tofu. Also non-food things like independent movies, speedminton, long hikes/walks, spontaneous travel, crossword puzzles - the list goes on and on.

I started out small and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 4:43 AM on April 1, 2008

I have been using Buxfer (mentioned above) for a couple of months and am pretty happy with it, so far. It allows you to categorize a transaction as "pending", then recategorize it as "paid" when it goes through.

It also synchs up with quite a few US banks. I don't use the synch feature, so I can't really comment on it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 7:05 AM on March 20, 2008

Hi jjb: thanks for the tools recommendation. I'm using Visio to handle drawing the flowcharts.

My problems are more in the realm of figuring out how to break the processes down, how many steps need to go on one page, how much detail to include.

It seems as I work on a procedure flowchart, I keep realizing new variables, and what I hoped to fit on one page, now seems like it could easily take up 20, and nobody's going to follow a 20 page flowchart.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 11:20 AM on March 19, 2008

Are you talking about lot 010, highlighted in red (pink) and running between lots 040 and 010B?

I ask because 010B is also a strangely-shaped lot, and it's not obvious at first glance that 010 is a lot.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 3:30 AM on March 18, 2008

I'm not sure if this helps out, because I don't synchronize my Buxfer account with my bank accounts, but I always categorize payments MADE with the credit card as Personal Expenses. I categorize payments from my checking account to my credit card as account transfers.

Can you simply edit the transactions involving paying off your credit card, changing them from personal expenses to account transfers?
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 4:24 AM on March 14, 2008

Maybe we're talking past each other. I have a similar set - some things are paid straight out of my credit card, some out of my checking account.

Then, there's the monthly payment that goes from my bank account to my credit card.

Every time I spend money from my credit card, I create a personal transaction with my credit card as the account.

Every time I spend money from my bank account, I create a personal transaction... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 9:41 AM on March 14, 2008

Or maybe the problem is really with synchronization. Since I don't use synchronization, I may not be seeing the effects you're seeing. The above method does work for me, and all of the math is correct.

One other tip, I've found the people at Buxfer to be very responsive. I usually have an answer to my emailed questions or suggestions within a day or two of sending them in.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 9:44 AM on March 14, 2008

Hi stewie's gf...

Here's what I mean by account transfer. Open Buxfer, open the New Transaction tab. Under Transaction Type, the last option is Account Transfer.

You can also open an existing transaction and change it from Personal Expense to Account Transfer. You'll see that you have a From Acount and a To Account when you choose Account Transfer. When you have a payment from your checking account to your credit card, open it for editing and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 11:00 AM on March 15, 2008

Interesting thread.

I'll pitch in my related anecdote. When I was a kid, my family had the same dentist for close to twenty years. My parents and siblings all went to him. We even visited his family's home for dinner, and played with his same-aged kids a few times.

For years, he told my mom, my brother and me that our teeth were perfect. I've never had a cavity (I'm now 35). My mom has had very few cavities. Same with my brother. My dad's not so... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 10:09 AM on February 12, 2008

The World Famous, That's certainly true, but the dentist had told us repeatedly and explicitly that neither I, my mother nor my brother would need braces because our teeth were straight (which I mentioned in my comment).

Had nothing to do with brushing or flossing.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 10:32 AM on March 7, 2008

1. Given my prior experiences and qualifications, how hard would it be for me to find tech job in Austria (or surrounding EU countries) upon graduation? I'm inclined to think that having graduated from a 'local' university, it would be much easier for me to be employed within the country as well, but I might be wrong. Do employers have specific preferences in regards to the nationality of people that they are looking for?

It depends on your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 9:46 AM on March 7, 2008

Ljubljana: Austrian labor laws stipulate that any company that hires a foreigner has to prove that they could not find an equally qualified Austrian for the job. In other words, the deck will be stacked against you.

This is true (when you add different's caveat regarding EU citizens), but it's not too terribly hard to get around if you're working in a technical field like software engineering. I had no trouble qualifying for a work visa here (in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 9:50 AM on March 7, 2008

Do you have a credit card? My VISA card (issued in Austria) includes travel insurance. It covers medical costs due to sudden sickness or accident abroad with no limit.

If you have a credit card of some type, you may have similar coverage. Generally, you would have to pay for the care at the time it was given, then file a claim with the insurance company.

There are other kinds of memberships which offer free travel insurance - Hervis Sports, again... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 4:14 AM on March 7, 2008

Follow-up question: I'm looking for a good tool to manage cash expenses. My bank is outside the US, so these sites that synch with US banks don't do much for me. I pay my bills with online banking and almost all other expenses via cash. I only use a credit card when I need to pay for something online, or when I'm traveling.

I need a tool that's smart enough to manage finances for a two income household, where our incomes are kept separate, but we split certain kinds of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 2:57 AM on February 28, 2008

1. Take it off of your neck.
2. Wrap the shoulder strap tightly around your hand to anchor the camera to your hand.

This may take a little practice to get right, but I prefer it much more than wearing the strap around my neck. The camera will be "glued" to your hand, ready to take pictures, and it won't be wrapped around your neck like an expensive piece of deadweight that says "I have more money than sense".
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 7:57 AM on February 25, 2008 marked best answer

As a follow up, if you don't want to wrap your shoulder strap around your hand, you could get something like this. I don't know anything about the quality of optech products, but the info at that link may give you a better idea of what I'm talking about. With a little practice, I was able to wrap my Canon neck strap around my right hand to get the same effect as the product in the above link offers...
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 8:10 AM on February 25, 2008

uvaleg: or the German "es gibt".

You're exactly right, though. In many languages, this problem(?) is completely avoided by treating the "there" (either stated or understood) as the subject, and it's always singular.

This question actually came to my mind when my girlfriend (native German speaker) asked me whether to use "are" or "is" in one of the sentence configurations mentioned above.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 7:03 AM on February 25, 2008

On non-preview, Mr. Hat has the definitive answer.

Thanks!
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 7:05 AM on February 25, 2008

One thing that helps me immensely: Using two computers.

My desktop PC is hooked to the 'net so I can check email from time-to-time, but when I don't need to be online for a specific work-related reason, I take my laptop (not connected to the 'net) to another room and do my work there. I still check my email from time-to-time on the desktop, but since it's in another room, it takes more work for me to surf.

This has made me SUPER productive, and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 12:38 AM on February 7, 2008

I have a related question. The original poster is asking about watching movies on his TV. How about using a TV as a monitor for things other than video-viewing?

Say, for instance, working with a word processor, working with photoshop to optimize digital photos / working with photoshop to produce wireframes, browsing the web, etc.?

I want a setup that allows me to sit on my couch with a cordless mouse and keyboard and do my work from there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 3:45 AM on February 6, 2008

Thanks utsutsu. I'm looking for a solution that will allow me to shift between a desk and my couch. I'm also planning to get a desk that shifts from sitting height to standing height.

Sitting in an office chair all day long is murder on my back. I figure switching between a combination of positions - sitting at the desk, standing at the desk, sitting on the couch - will be better for me than just sitting in the same chair 8-10 hours a day. I can type pretty comfortably... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 8:41 AM on February 6, 2008

I had an easy time getting into Austria 7 years ago. I now have the Austrian equivalent of a green card, which allows me to work for any company in Austria and basically allows me to stay here the rest of my life. I could apply for citizenship if I wanted to (and I'd get it), but I have most of the benefits of having an Austrian citizenship without having to jeopardize my US citizenship, so there's not much motivation for me to do it.

I've answered this sort of question... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 8:02 AM on February 5, 2008

Disaster! I hate sheetrock.

davey_darling: Actually, there are no holes in the sides, and the curtains were just too narrow to have used holes on the sides, had there been any.

Fins: I was thinking about using a furring strip (although I didn't know that was the technical term). Since I've had horrible luck hanging stuff from sheet rock, I thought a piece of wood (that could be more solidly anchored) would probably be a good idea.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 6:25 AM on February 4, 2008

Do you want to code this yourself? I've been working on a script to do something similar (see http://ask.metafilter.com/81944/Help-me-get-my-images-back-online ).

I'm using javascript in an .hta application. ActivexObject(Scripting.FileSystemObject) will help you with the navigation of the existing directories, the creation of new ones and moving the files.

If you'd like to take a look at my (not 100% working) script, I'd be happy to share it with you.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 10:58 AM on January 31, 2008

grouse said: The French immigration authorities, when they see how often you're coming into the country.

I've never had any trouble with French immigration. Totally laissez-faire every time I come through Paris, which is at least twice a year for the last 7 years. My US passport should be a real eye-opener for them, but they've never asked a single question.

I have a visa for Austria which is the size of a credit card, and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 8:14 AM on January 29, 2008

...And we must not forget that we should not remove anything from any of our maxims, which are subject to discipline and reason.
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 5:09 AM on January 29, 2008

The Toad's translation is much better than mine, now that I've reread the original.

I'll give it one more go with the complete quote you provided above. First, somewhat word-for-word:

'Wir stehen unter einer Disziplin der Vernunft und muessen in allen unseren Maximen der Unterwuerfigkeit unter derselben nicht vergessen, ihr nichts zu entziehen, oder dem Ansehen des Gesetzes (ob es gleich unsere eigene Vernunft gibt) durch eigenliebigen Wahn....... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 6:06 AM on January 29, 2008

Have you considered couch surfing?
posted to Ask Metafilter by syzygy at 1:50 AM on January 29, 2008