IANAD, but I'm going to suggest that if you see one, you ask about having your lower leg reflexes (and possibly your neurological voluntary impulse propagation for your legs) checked. You might need a neurological consult for this. Much of your ability to balance and to recover smoothly from minor mis-step situations comes from reflex action. If you have structural issues, like pronation or supination, bad ankles, or problems with tendons as discussed above, you can have poor reflex response,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 3:08 PM on July 4, 2008

I think your white sauce is way too "thin," for one thing, meaning I'd add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of flour, for that much milk. You're not trying for a bechamel sauce, per se, but something thicker. Muenster can release water when it melts, etc. I'd also suggest you put your cheese(s) on the noodles directly, rather than melting them in the sauce, and maybe use harder cheeses than muenster. Asagio, pecarino, provolone, romano, etc. If you use soft cheese like ricotta, cut back... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 1:31 PM on June 29, 2008 marked best answer

The latest generations of synthetic turf aren't cheap, but they are about as maintenance-free as any outdoor horizontal surface can be, and they look and feel remarkably like grass (except for getting hotter in the sun than living grass ever will). Not like bad football stadium carpet. You should contact a local installer in your area, and go see a few of their latest installations, if you haven't thought about this already.

Plug in a couple of square feet of accent... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 12:37 PM on June 29, 2008

If you're looking for a similar job with possible competitors/customers/vendors of your former employer, being unemployed can even be a boon, as you won't be in the position of passing confidential information from an interview either way (assuming you'll stick to reasonable limits in your interviews). Some companies have "understandings" that they don't hire current employees of competitors/customers/vendors, so you might even get interviews in those situations that you wouldn't have,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 9:49 AM on June 29, 2008

On preview, good advice up thread.

Start by taking a training course from a dive association certified instructor. In North America, there are 2 main dive associations that certify divers: PADI and NAUI. Both provide effective training materials and offer certification of dive instructors and dive center facilities worldwide. You can probably find a PADI or NAUI dive instructor offering training near you, even in your landlocked abode. Many such instructors use YMCA... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 10:06 AM on June 25, 2008

If you do choose to learn to dive in a resort course setting, be aware that you need to plan to finish your diving activities at least 24 hours before you fly home again, commercially. Many resort dive centers will do everything they can to build in this delay for new divers on "learn to dive" package trips they organize, but if you are organizing your training in a remote destination, sometimes, details can be overlooked. Don't over schedule resort trips - weather and your own... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 10:34 AM on June 25, 2008

Spend the extra bucks for good whiskey. I'm not kidding. Whiskey warms the cold heart, distracts the overactive memory, and is a renowned social lubricant. Courage and hope for better tomorrows in a bottle, put up for you 12, 15, 18 or 25 years ago, by forward thinking people who knew you might need it, now.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 3:52 PM on June 23, 2008

"Why are pirates allowed to eat oysters all year round?"

Because pirates know about the delicious convenience of canned smoked oysters. No, they are nothing like the slippery, clean cool goodness of fresh oysters, but the smoked version are their own kind of good, and have a lot of tasty uses in all year 'round.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 3:48 AM on June 20, 2008

Another way for a neophyte to approach choosing which particular recordings to buy, is to buy into the catalog of a single major orchestra and/or conductor. You could, for example, choose to collect Leonard Bernstein's recordings with the New York Philharmonic, and get, right or wrong, a particular, artistically consistent approach to the major orchestral works. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra runs programs and sells recordings specifically targeted towards new classical listeners, as do other... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 3:51 AM on June 17, 2008

Rent a small tiller. It will do a more uniform job of breaking and aerating compacted soil, than any manual tools, with a lot less work. Till in plenty of appropriate soil amendment. Test your amended soil, and correct pH problems. Add fertilizers appropriate to the kind of plants you want to grow.

Good gardeners quickly learn to think in seasons and years. You can't make great soil instantly.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 3:11 AM on June 17, 2008

I have a couple of thoughts for you. First, not all sales jobs are created equal. Many B2B and industrial sales positions call for consultative selling, which can actually be both creatively satisfying, and remunerative. Unlike the types of retail products sales jobs you think you don't want, B2B and industrial sales positions demand ethical behavior and professionalism from successful sales people, simply because the business relationships the sales professional manages are long term, and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 2:59 AM on June 17, 2008

One simple thing to learn, particularly for roads that you drive regularly, is to never apply your brakes in a curve or corner. You accelerate through a curve or corner, having done all your braking, as necessary, before you enter the curve/corner, while still traveling a straight line. This maximizes your braking effect, and works with the laws of physics, instead of against them. You need to apply power to a car in a curve, to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 12:57 PM on June 13, 2008

"... A car below its grip threshold is perfectly capable of braking and changing steering inputs without any ill effects at all. ..."
posted by Brockles at 6:05 PM on June 13

Unless, of course, the sudden application of those additional braking and steering forces are just enough to break the adhesion of tire to road surface, turning the once-under-control rolling vehicle into an out of control, skidding... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 6:32 PM on June 13, 2008

"... How about you explain precisely how the anti-dive geometry helps or harms the situation you describe? Or perhaps you can explain precisely how this 'rapid unloading occurs' as the total bluff in your answers is really quite incredible. And what, precisely is a "loss of traction event'?

Such utter bluster is not helpful when people need a question answering. From the perspective of someone that works with vehicle dynamics and driver coaching on a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 7:03 AM on June 15, 2008

"... Loading up the suspension in a correct manner, and providing inputs to the car to utilise pitch and roll angles to transfer weight and loading to the right areas of the car is one of the skills a successful racing driver [emphasis added] needs. ..."
posted by Brockles at 1:41 PM on June 15

You do love to rattle on, don't you, Brockles, even when you're not making sense?

The original poster is a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 2:18 AM on June 17, 2008

Depending on the jurisdiction in which you live, "assignment of benefits" (AOB) is a payment method of which you should be aware, that may even still be beneficial to your position in this case. Given that you state your fiancee patronized an "in network" PT, if she also assigned her health plan payment benefits at the time she began treatment, she may have created a binding obligation on the provider to accept the "customary and reasonable" payments offered by the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 4:54 AM on June 16, 2008

It's computer based, not book based, and partly instructor led (for skills evaluation), but if those attributes aren't totally outside of your consideration, look into taking the Blended Learning First Aid/CPR/AED Program by the Red Cross. Knowing how to keep your friends alive in an emergency is pretty empowering.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 1:25 PM on June 15, 2008

This is too vague a set of question to offer very specific answers here in AskMe. Much depends on the exact damage, and the construction of the house, but if the structure has damage as extensive as you briefly outline, I would be very surprised if there weren't also damage to basic structural elements like sills and walls, that will have to be corrected. If you identify significant damage to load bearing parts of the structure, like walls, it's another level of complexity, entirely, in doing a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 3:42 AM on June 15, 2008

By smoking outside, your roommate is eliminating your direct exposure to one source of second hand smoke, which is the by-product smoke coming directly from the burning cigarette, and he's vastly reducing your exposure to his exhaled smoke stream, for the time he's out smoking on the balcony. But most cigarette smokers will continue to exhale trace amounts of smoke particles for the next 2 to 4 breaths after their last inhaled "drag." So, if he's ducking right back inside from the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 1:53 AM on June 13, 2008

"... I'd like to see a shred of evidence that paulsc's statements aren't made-up nonsense. ..."
posted by nanojath at 2:07 PM on June 13

Well, for sheer visual clarity, there's always the Palmolive bottle demonstration. But any ex-smoker (who isn't blind), such as me, knows from first hand experience that he continues to exhale visible smoke for several breaths after his last drag.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 11:56 AM on June 13, 2008

"... Only the absolute amount of smoke particles the roommate exhales inside matters..."
posted by nanojath at 4:46 PM on June 13

Literature cite, please?

"... discussions of lung capacity are irrelevant to that unknown quantity ..."

Oh, I don't know about that. Taken against an estimate of room volume, they seem a reasonable first order... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 2:53 PM on June 13, 2008

IANAD. But one thing to understand about NSAIDS like ibuprofen is that they are prescribed not just for pain relief, but also, and perhaps more importantly, for anti-inflammation effects. As a diabetic, you may be more prone to arthritis and other joint inflammation diseases than people who are not diabetic, and you need to consider that the long term benefits of controlling inflammation may far outweigh any short term pain relief you think NSAIDS are being prescribed to provide.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 1:54 PM on June 13, 2008

You might look into a free copy of The Laundry Cost Calculator. You might also get some good ideas from the Hospital Textile Cost Calculator, although it is targeted at hospital administrators considering outsourcing linen services. That said, it would really be worth your time and money to meet with a CPA about your start up, to review your cost assumptions, and general business planning, prior to laying out real money in a start up venture. For a relatively minor amount of money, you'd likely... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 1:15 PM on June 13, 2008

A '92 Prelude A/C system was originally an R12 refrigerant based system. It's quite possible, in a vehicle that old, that the system has since been changed over to R134a type refrigerant. If so, you may find a sticker on the compressor or evaporator that indicates that has been done.

What often happens in older A/C systems, particularly those that have been opened or changed over to newer refrigerant, is that the A/C filter, or the accumulator/drier has become plugged.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 12:17 PM on June 13, 2008 marked best answer

The only problem with studying for obsolete tests is that, if that is your primary effort, you may not be well prepared to handle problems when actually faced with a bad situation. I say that, because, in most cases, a suddenly FUBAR server or network is usually the result of a failed hardware component, or a major malware infestation, and your way back to sanity is more a function of the reliability and depth of your backup strategy, than it is a matter of how well you understand Active... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 10:50 AM on June 13, 2008

Try setting up some breakfast swap meetings. Essentially, you need to find 3 or 4 people with allied, but not exactly the same interests as you have, who agree to pass along information and contacts they uncover in their travels, in exchange for information you can supply. So, you want to find a political job in Washington, D.C. In your early networking endeavors, you might meet a copier salesman who wants to get his products into lobbyist offices, a translator looking for clients wanting... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 12:39 AM on June 13, 2008

"Busy Day" 1960s Jello commercial. Nobody will get it, but you; hey, you're not just a singing worker bee, you're a cultural revivalist, if not a cultural relativist!
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 12:02 AM on June 13, 2008

I tip carryout (typically 10%) if I've placed a special order, simply for the trouble it takes to accommodate me; but I'm not bashful about complaining if the order isn't right. At Panera, I don't tip if I'm standing in line to order at the counter, and going back up to pick up my own order and bussing my own table on my way out, which is pretty much all SOP at my local Panera.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 7:11 PM on June 12, 2008

Brick (2005). Closer (2004).
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 5:55 AM on June 10, 2008

With the right USB type A cable, you could charge your phone from a computer's USB port. Many mobile phone and electronics stores stock such things, as they are cheap ($7 in the U.S.) and not country specific.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 9:42 PM on June 8, 2008

YMCA Day Camp might work for the 10 year old, if there are still any openings. The 13 year old could probably find less organized programs at the Y, too, or look for volunteer opportunities at the local library, parks and recreation department [link to Summer 2008 Teen Programs Schedule in .pdf format], etc.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 9:08 PM on June 8, 2008

If you're not involved with COMMON, now is as good a time as any. Your local mid-range user groups are fertile fields of contacts, too, as are application user groups that have large populations of iSeries users, like J.D. Edwards/Peoplesoft. If you don't have an iSeries of your own, maybe be willing to provide at least a copy of Baby400 yourself. Get out and talk to banks, farmers and other iSeries users in your area, too. You may find that there are more of these systems right around you, at... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 4:03 PM on June 8, 2008

Ellen Ullman has a couple of excellent books out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 10:29 AM on June 7, 2008

A teenaged neighbor kid who has been going through a year of one legged recovery since being injured in a major car accident has a become a whiz bang harmonica player, because of all his cast enforced practice time. Seriously, the kid has worked up his own, heartfelt plaintive arrangement of Dixie that can raise hairs on the back of your neck, and does a Bluesette that would make Toots Thielemans smile.

This is no time for her to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 10:08 AM on June 7, 2008

For years, before cell phones and the Internet made constant connection the norm for business travelers, I traveled extensively on business. The result was that I spent 5 or 6 days a week, 40+ weeks a year, moving through the world, essentially on my own, for several years. I would be in conversations with clients, colleagues or competitors 2 or 3 hours per day, on average, but otherwise, unless I chose to seek out friends or other contacts, my time was my own, to spend as I would, provided I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 8:41 AM on June 7, 2008

Try just taking a step back when the dog starts up. And don't bend down. Just say no, and take a step back. That breaks the dog's expected contact with you as it tries to jump up, and leaves it back on the ground. 90% of dogs jumping up for attention are cued to do it, when you lean down towards them, trying to head it off, so don't lean down or extend your hands, either. Take a step back, and put your hands at your sides, or behind you.

Never lean down, and take another... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 10:19 PM on June 6, 2008

The VHF radio bands used in most RC control hardware have notoriously poor penetration of water. They rarely propagate even 3 or 4 feet into water, which is probably the main problem you'll have in locating an RC controlled submersible. So, the term ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) is probably a more fruitful search term. Here's an online and IRL group specializing in ROV submersibles.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 10:06 PM on June 6, 2008

If your system has lost its refrigerant charge, your compressor will not cycle, thanks to a low pressure switch; this is to protect your compressor. Usually, the compressor clutch is prevented from engaging by a control circuit which turns the clutch on and off as needed, normally. When the low pressure switch says there isn't enough refrigerant, the control circuit is simply not ever allowed to energize the compressor clutch; the drive belt will look like it is turning the compressor pulley,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 9:56 PM on June 6, 2008 marked best answer

Nahant SWIM, Inc. is trying to organize a swim along Long Beach. Nahant Bay is the better area for ocean swimming, around Lynn.

The Lynn Harbor side, from Short Beach, Crescent Beach or Revere Beach to the Nahant peninsula, has long had water quality issues, due to years of industrial waste, sewage, ship bilge pumping, etc. It's still permissible for pleasure craft and ships to pump ballast and sanitary tanks there. In late summer, even as cold as North Atlantic water... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 11:51 PM on June 5, 2008 marked best answer

One thing that trips up a lot of people new to jazz is that, fortunately or unfortunately, all of great early jazz is pre-high fidelity, pre-stereo. The old recordings by early artists, such as Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Fats Waller, Art Tatum, Pine Top Smith, Meade "Lux" Lewis, Django Rhinehart, Coleman Hawkins, Bix Beiderbecke, Paul Whiteman, and Jelly Roll Morton take a little understanding and dedication to get into, these days, for many, and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 11:08 PM on June 2, 2008 marked best answer

Another important focus, for learning about jazz, which I forgot to include in my comment above, is to pay attention to publishers, labels and producers. In a lot of ways, even more than the musicians who wrote it and played it, these behind the scenes guys and their projects/organizations/businesses are the reason jazz exists today, or that you've ever heard of people like Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, or even Miles Davis. Norman Granz, for example, not only produced hundreds of memorable... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 12:33 AM on June 3, 2008

Pimpin' a soon to be 10 year old ride is a poor financial move, so whatever you spend on this, you should chalk up to entertainment expense. Rims and body kits you can find easily - the problem with 10 year old cars is paint. If you don't want your new body work to look like Zircon ear studs, you're probably going to have to do something about your paint, way beyond buffing. 10 years of sun on Detroit paint won't match any current body parts. So, figure $1,000 for a basic Razzi kit if you bolt... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 11:46 PM on June 2, 2008

Blue Vinyl is a 2002 documentary that won an award at the Sundance Festival, looking at the cradle to grave environmental effects of PVC siding. Although at times it feels like AgendaFilter, it does a good job of discussing the environmental issues of PVC, and if an answer to your question is worth the $21.56 + shipping a copy costs, or if you can rent or borrow a copy somewhere, by all means see to it that your aunt sees it.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 9:37 PM on June 2, 2008

The efficiency of small, unlubricated plastic gears is comparatively low (as low as 88% for simple tooth profiles of nylon 6 gears running at moderate loads and speeds); this paper tries to quantify efficiency for some simple types of unlubricated light duty plastic gears. To calculate the compound efficiency for a train of gears, you'd have to take the efficiency of successive stages as a product.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 9:20 PM on June 2, 2008

The coffee snobs here will laugh, but Eight O'Clock 100% Columbian whole bean is a smooth, well balanced cup of coffee, that's affordable, and very consistent. It's also broadly distributed in retail grocery stores throughout the U.S., can be ordered online, and comes in 12 and 36 oz vacuum bags.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 6:42 PM on June 1, 2008 marked best answer

Begin with getting your passports if you don't already have them, and making sure your immunizations are up to date, and that you'll have sufficient quantities of any needed prescription medications for your trip. Sounds crazy, but many people forget such basics until it is too late.

Don't overthink this trip. It's only a week, and you have a relatively short time to plan it. I'd advise picking an area, perhaps Tuscany or Provence, and enjoying yourselves, rather than... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 10:07 AM on June 1, 2008

If 12 ppm speed and 600 dpi are sufficient, find a used HP LaserJet 4M Plus, or HP 4250, either model with a duplex attachment and a JetDirect network card. Should cost less than $200, complete. Those things are tanks, capable of 500,000 page counts, with only minor maintenance (roller and friction kits) and toner cartridges. I have several.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 9:45 AM on June 1, 2008

Lemon juice. It keeps fruits and vegetables from browning quickly. It brightens most vegetable and sauce flavors, and reduces the need for additional salt. It's a mild tenderizer for meat and fish. It cuts grease nicely. It adds a bit of vitamin C to the diet. The trick is not to go crazy with it; a 1/2 tsp is generally preferable to a tablespoon.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 6:02 PM on May 31, 2008

Speedbag.
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 5:30 PM on May 31, 2008

Sweating can be effective in removing water from the body, and movement that raises your heart rate can also help move extra cellular fluid around in the lymphatic system, which can help reduce sensations of bloat and promote elimination; go for some brisk walks. Celery is a mild diuretic - juice a couple stalks with a half a small apple, for good taste. Also, watermelon is pretty high in sugar - may not be the best thing for a diabetic to be consuming in quantity.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by paulsc at 4:15 PM on May 31, 2008