Ah, sorry...I'm in Missouri, and it's in Mechanical Engineering.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 8:09 AM on July 23, 2008

Oh, I wouldn't do them in one weekend - I wanted to know if it's ever ok to take the EIT, then the PE - say, in consecutive test periods - without the four years experience in between. (I guess I could call and ask the board, but I'm fearful of getting and "are you fucking kidding me?!?").

Also, how does one go about getting references? The guy I work for is an obvious one, and if the engineer I worked with at the railcar plant is still alive...but I don't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 8:16 AM on July 23, 2008

You'll be at teh tail end of the fall color up there, too...lucky you! Make absolutely damn sure to see sunrise over Mormon Row in the Tetons. It's a classic mountain/barn picture, but to see it in person is a treat.

Frankly, and I say this to everyone who goes out west, get up for every damn sunrise possible. Nap at noon, if necessary, to make this possible. The light, and the silence, and the fading stars out West are the closest this agnostic comes to a spiritual... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 8:16 PM on July 22, 2008

Yeah, GotG isn't taht great if you're gonna go to Arches.

You don't mention when, exactly, you're doing this. Fall color is somethign to consider.

In Monrose, there's a bakery on the SW corner, I believe, of one of the intersectiosn of the main drag. Very good.

If your plans changed and you were to head down toward Monument valley, stay in the Mexican Hat Inn.

In Moab, pick up a six of Polygamy... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 10:13 AM on July 21, 2008

If you wind up getting an enclosed shoe because of job requirements, a pair of Superfeet inserts turned my steel-toed boots from puppy killers into my favorite foot covering.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 2:10 AM on July 19, 2008

I need to refine my answer: a pair of off-the-shelf Superfeet cured my steel-toe boot problem. I "graduated" to hiking boots I wear every day, and for a long backpacking trip I treated myself to custom Superfeet. They build up the insert and vacuum-form it to your individual feet, and it's a whole 'nother level of comfort.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 5:50 AM on July 19, 2008

Yeah, they're vehicle sensors. When possible, they like to put them in the ground before the asphalt is laid, but they can retrofit lanes with sensors by saw-cutting and laying the wire in the kerf of the cut. In addition to speed sensing, they can force a traffic light to change if it has the logic to use the information.

The sawed off corners are so you don't have a sharp 90 degree bend in the wires.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 12:51 PM on July 17, 2008 marked best answer

In my experiences driving all over the country, only one area didn't have a single bleep on any segment of either band - eastern Utah, south from Hanksville. We literally *manually* tuned in to every spot on both am and fm and got absolutely nothing.

I've read that Natural Bridges NM is the least light-polluted spot in the country, so it would kinda figure that the least radio pollution would be nearby.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 6:30 AM on July 17, 2008

The sheets in the suite aren't good enough for her delicate little heinie? Man, that's over the top. You're not being selfish, she is.

For my upcoming wedding, I offered to cover the groomsmen's tuxes embellishments (they already have tuxes), and they we *almost* taken aback - as in, that's something they ought to cover. And we're all getting barbershop shaves the morning of the ceremony. But demanding this or that from your wedding party is just plain fucking crass.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 5:27 AM on July 15, 2008

The reason there's a vent outside on a/c units is that the heat that the unit is removing from the air has to go *somewhere*. Just so you know.

If you're dead-set on taking *your* car out to the desert (Burning man?), take a cooler of ice. And lots of water. Wear as little as possible, oversize clothing if you can so it can air out. Wet bandannas on your neck and your wrists (where there's a lot of blood vessels near the surface) will help. Fans will help. But you're... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 11:07 AM on July 14, 2008

Yeah, that's something to consider...diesel engines are most efficient at or near idle, but gas engines are not, so the cartalk theory of keeping the engine lugged...um, not so much.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 8:43 AM on July 11, 2008

Holy cow, infinateJane, that suit trick is awesome!

Seconding swimplan.com...(I may have been the weendure recommender, too) - it's great to just plug in some parameters on difficulty and have it crank out something interesting.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 6:27 AM on July 11, 2008

A neck pillow (the u-shaped ones). They jam into any space in a carryon, but can keep you from eons of pain.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 6:02 PM on July 10, 2008

Christ, what an asshole.

I'm not just being flip. Sounds like the guy was a first-class jerk. Trying to get you in the gym while you're still stitched up from lipo? Jeez.

You need to remember that he's an asshole, and you're ok. Keep that in mind. And get back in the gym at a lighter level - not for the weight loss, but for the endorphin rush.

You've seen some of the people in the gym, right? They should make you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 1:46 PM on July 10, 2008

Your username, even, gives you a hint. You were a summer fling. Move on.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 9:33 AM on July 10, 2008

I studied engineering, and a cursory requirement was made to take humanities classes - our advisors pretty much helped us find the biggest blow-of humanities so we could concentrate on the 18 credit/semester engineering workload.

I really wish I'd been told to branch out and try some other interests...I never took a photog class, never worked on languages, etc.

And now, as an engineer, I hardly use *any* of the schooling. Certainly little of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 8:14 AM on July 10, 2008

I've heard, instead of "reign over" or "rein over", "rein in", as in, to pull back on the reins (literally) - to curtail or restrict something. As in, "My aunt had to rein in my cousin's use of her bank account."
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 5:50 AM on July 10, 2008

Sounds like you're the only non-fuckup in the family, and you're the one who had to make it on his own. Your little brother is having his hand held, over and over, and one of them is considering MOVING BACK TO COLLEGE with him. Basically, they're *guaranteeing* that he'l continue to be a fuckup.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 5:46 AM on July 10, 2008

I gave up on armbands for my Ipod, and had this problem when handholding. Wound up getting an HRM, and fed the headphone wire under the HRM strap.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 9:58 AM on July 9, 2008 marked best answer

The first word of your post pretty much covers it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 6:08 AM on July 9, 2008

Remember that as spikeleemajor... says, it's a saddle, not a seat. Sometimes the squooshy, wide seats are worse for you, because they push on things that are not sit bones.

One thing to try for the 1/3-1/3-1/3 idea is, put it in a harder gear, a little earlier.

NOt only does the seat move up and down, but front-back. Check that, too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 11:34 AM on July 3, 2008

My mom always had decent taste, but I never wore the stuff anyway (too many clothes I'd bought myself). One year, she got me three shirts that were *identical* to ones I'd bought myself. I mentioned this, and got receipts to return them, and now she gets me other things besides clothes. I guess she feels that her taste is validated (since I bought the same stuff), she no longer needs to dress me.

The charity thing can backfire - I asked for charity donations one year... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 10:21 AM on July 3, 2008

BBQ. Period.

Boulevard Brewery has a pretty cool tour, with a tasting room afterwards. And there's an Arthur Bryant's (I think) not to far down the road.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 9:57 AM on July 3, 2008

Clip somethign to the front spokes that won't clear the fork, or put a pair of vise-grips on the chain. THen if some schmuck tries to ride off, they'l break their ass. Guaranteed they're not looking for such things.

If you've got disk brakes with relatively big clearance holes, a padlock through one of those holes will stop the bike flat, as well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 9:56 AM on July 3, 2008

If you're only doing 1700 calories, that's borderline starvation on top of the calorie burn from running. Personally, I'd add some more protein - can of tuna or something, plus a clif bar - to maintain muscle. And seconding what pastabagel said about water. On days you run, a whole gallon. If you're feeling washed out, make sure to take a multivitamin or put a couple Propel powder packs in one of your quarts of water.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 7:10 AM on July 3, 2008

San Luis el Rey (old mission) along with some of the other missions on the way up to LA are awesome, even for this avowed agnostic.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 8:57 PM on July 2, 2008

When I jog and swim on the same days, my shoulder *crick*s on every downhill. (the swimming loosens up all the tendons that keep the shoulder tight.) Anecdotal evidence that if your should needs to be immobilized, you oughtn't run.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 11:43 AM on July 2, 2008 marked best answer

Yeah, Toto made the original low-flow and the rest have scrambled to catch up.

I design plumbing for a living. El cheapo jobs get American Standard. Cadillacs get Totos. If I replace the toilet in my bathroom later this year (old wall-mounted tank+ shifting house = poor flapper seal) it will be a Toto, even if I have to save up for it.

In the mean time, for you, if you've got a wicked shit coming on, flush while you go, so it can't collect in the bowl.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 7:53 AM on July 2, 2008

(far as home depot goes...the big box stores can have some pretty shady characters working as independent contractors. THey can also have the same company that would do it without HD getting their cut. I used to work for a garage door company that due to the market had to partner with a big box store...the Big Box mandated prices such that it was physically impossible to even break even. Just so you know that when you use a contractor *through* a HD or the like, you're helping to depress his... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 5:38 AM on July 1, 2008

The day-trader is apparently an asshole. Since there's no contract, I'd be an asshole right back.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 12:51 PM on June 30, 2008

My fiance' will attest, that's one of my favorite words. It also refers to your sense of your own body, like when they have you close your eyes and touch your nose with your finger, or walking down a narrow hallway in the dark.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 4:31 AM on June 27, 2008

I cannot repeat it enough: exercise twice a day. Twenty five minutes in the morning, and your regular workout after work. IF you can shower at work, do something then, too-make it three.

I ate like shit and still lost ten pounds in the first 2/3 of this month by swimming before, running at lunch, and biking after work. (I'm also insane, but...)

Basically, you don't just burn calories working out. Your metabolism ramps up, then tapers off for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 10:00 AM on June 26, 2008

At the wine club and the book club, start hanging out with the people there that you like. There is absolutely no shame (with good people) in saying, hey, can I hang out with you folks more? Don't make dating your goal. That is a sure fire way to *not* getting any dates. Keep doing what you're doing, keep yourself busy but not so busy you can't think...often enough you just wind up hanging out with someone from some activity more and more and...

As for the three-week... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 6:43 AM on June 26, 2008

Yeah, def. start investing - even a small amount - as soon as possible. I did so, and wound up having to cash out when the internet bubble popped (so I didn't make much more than I'd put in) but at the very least it was nice to have that cushion.

And remember, no matter how nice your boss is, if his head's on the line, his first interest is his own neck, not yours. Don't let anyone who can get you fired know much about you that you wouldn't want HR to know about. Trust... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 6:13 AM on June 26, 2008

Without even having read your [more inside], GO!
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 1:18 PM on June 25, 2008

Why do you think that infatuations will stop when you hit 30? If you stop becoming infatuated, even while in committed relationships, you're dead. I don't mean obsessions with co-workers, necessarily, but if my fiance' *didn't* say "reow!" when Warrick showed up to a CSI scene, I'd be concerned.

As for your self-esteem and the work guy, you're not allowed to whine about missed opportunities if you don't try. So go do it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 1:07 PM on June 24, 2008

Outlet stores frequently sell seconds. To pass them off as non-seconded clothing would be fraud.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 6:05 AM on June 24, 2008

Same reason I stayed in the restroom for a couple hours after a strong liquid lunch when I worked at a Big Corporation - no-one's gonna question you when you're in there. You can have a good long conversation, and if the boss walks in, you can play it off like a short chat.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 8:17 AM on June 23, 2008

Brewpubs are your friend...they have lots of styles on draft. Fer shure, try Schlafly here in town. The Tap Room downtown has all of Schlafly's usual suspects, and a few weirdos on tap. There's also Square One in Lafayette Square, Trailhead in Old Town St. Charles, and, well, O'fallon Brewing doesn't have a pub or bottling retail shop, but many music venues carry their stuff on draft. The five-day IPA is bitter and very, VERY crisp on tap (not as much so in a bottle).... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 7:55 PM on June 22, 2008

Stay off concrete as much as humanly possible. Best bet, actually, is a paved *flat* path - regular roads have a camber that gave my less-experienced knees fits. THat, or run down the middle of the street on the crown of the road, moving over for cars.

If you're running that much per week, but still having to slow down to walking, then you're running too fast. Drop the pace back some, so you can keep at it constantly. Then start adding little bursts of speed.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 8:43 AM on June 22, 2008

I'm still having trouble seeing how coasting, i.e. toolin' along not trying to decrease speed, in neutral uses more gas than being in gear, engine braking. The work of compressing the intake gasses equals a deduct in speed, whereas coasting - in neutral- only has decreases due to drag and elevation.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 9:56 AM on June 20, 2008

RRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!! I hear people say this all the time, but IF YOU"RE COASTING NOT COMING TO A STOP, i.e. I'm on the big hill coming down Hampton ave, no one around, no stop lights I need to stop for, if I put it in neutral, I'm using a modicum of gas. I get to the bottom of the hill, still doing 40, and I can put it in gear and keep scootin'. If I leave it in gear, I'm not using any gas, sure, but the energy required to compress my intake air scrubs momentum from my vehicle, and I'm... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 10:23 AM on June 20, 2008

If you're so concerned about the dangers "out there" that you feel the need to pack heat, perhaps you shouldn't be anywhere but holed up in your home. I've spent a cumulative three or four months in the Mountain West, both near and far from civilization, and only come across one cougar. I puffed up, waved my arms (like you're supposed to), and it was gone.

More to the question tho, you should look into carry laws in each state. Those notwithstanding, most... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 7:53 AM on June 20, 2008

In the past year, the thing has been to mention Snopes, and say, "Snopes even says it's real" even when Snopes says it's fake.

My solution is to respond with a lot of cursewords, like i"m angry for being sent something so asinine. And respond to all. The embarrassment of having a son or grandson that cusses like a sailor with his balls in a bear trap, usually get 'em to stop sending me stuff.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 7:11 AM on June 19, 2008

Propel. It's Gatorade's sugar-free line. YOu can get it in packets to add to regular water (so you only have to carry water, then add to suit). I gained 20 lb drinking a gallon of Gatorade when I tried to be a web developer ten+years ago, so I stick with the sugarfree stuff - no useless sugar.

My personal experience with water vs. Diet Coke in the desert (on road trips, doing little hour hikes all day) is that water (and thus, propel) is much more satisfying and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 7:06 AM on June 19, 2008

Impact drivers aren't for nice little jobs. They're the equivalent of a power washer, where a regular drill is a garden hose. Is there a way to lock out the *impact* part of the drill, and make it a regular drill?
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 9:07 AM on June 18, 2008

You should, esp. for thin boards. But again, I think you're using the wrong tool. A drill (no impact) with a clutch is what you need. The impact *sounds* cool and all, but it's for un-sticking engine parts.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 10:01 AM on June 18, 2008

Yakrack! I mostly use it for bikes, but my Yakima rack has carried so much crap it's amazing. You can get streamline carriers that fit on them, that you can stow pretty easily out of the way at your place when not using it. see here for a list of what I've put on my rack.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 1:59 PM on June 16, 2008

Yeah, the heater core shouldn't be hard to source, but you don't want to fix it yourself (and i say that as someone who has fixed just about everything himself) - anything under the dash can be an absolute *bitch*. The heater core and fan in my CRX require that I use ratchet straps to pry my dash apart far enough.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 12:10 PM on June 14, 2008

Arm/Hand - "this'll make it hard to pick yer nose!"

Anything with boogers, snot, or farts is sure to go over well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by notsnot at 12:17 PM on June 13, 2008