Everichon, I'd be interested in helping if you haven't found someone locally to do it. I've been meaning to improve my portfolio of interior renderings in order to get some local jobs, and would be able to make a pretty reasonable offer, I think.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 12:44 PM on February 7, 2008

I live in Marin, and that's definitely where you want to ride! If you want exhausting but technically easy, ride up Mt. Tam from Mill Valley. Rent a REAL mountain bike (with SPDs, even) from Mt. Tam Bikes in Mill Valley. Buy the Mt. Tamapais trail map, and have Bryce (the shop owner) hilight the trails to take.

China camp is fun riding, with great views of the bay area, but nothing beats getting to the top of the mountain, and being able to see 100km in every direction.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 11:28 AM on January 28, 2008

You might, alternatively, find a trustworthy local MeFite who will live there and function as property manager in exchange for low rent. Because of rent control, however, I would set their rent high, and pay them back each month. I'm sure you'd find takers here or it might even be applicable to jobs.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 11:17 AM on January 23, 2008

It depends on your area, of course, but around here we have Tap Plastic, "the fantastic plastic place!" They do sheet, rod, tube, all manner of other plastic oddities, and cut things to size all the time, for a small charge. Take a look in the phone book, it's one of the few things they're still good for.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 11:34 AM on January 21, 2008

Those are corroded- but those are structural rather than electrical solder joints. They're to hold on the thin sheet-steel covers that are over the outputs. (As far as I can tell. They may also function to ground those covers.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 1:04 PM on January 18, 2008 marked best answer

Some friends of mine tell me that the Gold Club is the place they make the most money when dancing, and it seems to be the most expensive strip joint in the city. There are some great restaurants nearby as well- you're between downtown and the Mission.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 12:04 PM on January 18, 2008

I also wouldn't worry about the wear-leveling once you've turned off virtual memory (aka swap), it's apparently become much less of an issue with newer devices, and the cards seem to be able to do it internally as well, so they don't depend on an OS that's aware of the media type.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 12:29 PM on January 16, 2008

Funny, but I've gotten the feeling recently that Marin is cheaper than the city. I lot quieter too, but public transportation to anywhere but the City sucks. I pay $1k, and live alone, in about 400 square feet in a shabby victorian in San Rafael.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 9:41 AM on January 11, 2008

Take a look at some bead stores, they sell thin stainless cable.
If there's a West Marine or similar boating store near you, they may have all sorts of light rigging supplies- some boats are small and fragile, and don't require Golden-Gate-bridge-like componentry.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 2:21 PM on December 27, 2007

Funny, I was just thinking of posting an invitation/meetup thread about the Gaskell Ball and related events: the Friday Night Waltz New Year's Eve Ball, in Palo Alto, and the 12th Night Ball, by PEERS. All of these feature HOURS of instruction, and are an "event" as well as a great dance class. I have never taken classes outside of these events, and they got me started- and hooked!- on Victorian-style ballroom dance.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 1:41 PM on December 17, 2007

The Exploratorium had lots last time I was there. Also the Discovery Channel store sells them.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 3:34 PM on December 14, 2007

I use zenphoto, which does tagging, albums, comments, archiving, is open-source, in-built search, etc, etc. I love it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 9:55 AM on November 29, 2007

He also did the cover for (MeFite) Charlie Stross' The Atrocity Archives. Perhaps he can get in touch with the artist more easily than we can.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 9:38 AM on November 28, 2007

I self-host, and I used a package called Zomplog. It was dead easy to set up, and the default teplates were easy to adjust to my needs. Requires one mysql database, but you can usually set them up through a web interface and not have to type any SQL commands.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 9:14 AM on November 28, 2007

I have little to lend, except that there are some good slow versions of the concept here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 12:50 PM on November 26, 2007

I hacked off the end of my right thumb in the meat slicer at a deli- cutting hot-peppered turkey, no less. I took off a good centimeter of my digit, and all I have left to show for it is a little puckered swirl in my fingerprint. I was hoping for something more dramatic, given how badly it hurt.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 1:29 PM on November 21, 2007

My dear mum sent me two recipies, one for a unique cranberry-pear-ginger chutney, and the other from the November Gourmet- a Pumpkin stew with seitan.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 12:49 PM on November 21, 2007

Dry it on low heat if you must. I just ruined a bunch of shirts at the laundromat, but they haven't gotten any worse since I lowered the heat.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 8:27 AM on November 20, 2007

Send her something to drink with a parrot on the label. Tell her it's named "poly."
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 8:24 AM on November 20, 2007

Good call. The "turbo" models are notorious for wearing out their engines early. If you find a regular 940, they're great.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 7:59 AM on November 20, 2007

In the long run, you are better off with "separates," the individual components. Most all-in-ones don't include a turntable any more, and even the ones that do don't usually play 78s. Is that an essential feature? Many >$500 turntables don't play 78s either.

smackfu's question is the most relevant bit of information you can give- it'll affect your component budget dramatically.
I like Sony's home components. They're decent, though not amazing,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 7:34 AM on November 20, 2007

He is capable of sleeping with her. But that doesn't mean he will. I think it's prudent to give warning, but once you've done so, you'll need to trust him. Couch it in the terms of your own past hurts, not suspicion toward him.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 7:14 AM on November 20, 2007

I'm a driving game geek.
DiRT is the latest in the Colin McCrae rally series.
GTR2 is amazingly realisting in the driving dynamics. If you don't want to spend hours tweaking your cars, though, you can just race.
rFactor is another serious simulator.
The Trackmania games are terrible in terms of actual driving, but can be fun.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 9:00 AM on November 19, 2007

Get an Aeropress, indeed. I make coffee for the whole office now, and our pot goes unused.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 5:36 PM on November 16, 2007

Please correct your tags (put spaces between them.) This'll help when you're writing HTML too. This question's a great reference... if it's easy to find.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 1:53 PM on November 15, 2007

Every generation of BMW's M3 and M5 is either a classic or on its way to becoming one.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 1:08 PM on November 12, 2007

I also recently bought a pair of Clarks. (Two weeks ago, at Sports Basement in San Francisco.) They are extraordinarily squishy at the heel, like there's a section of a work mat in them. They were great for seven hours of shopping yesterday- I stood around holding shopping bags while my lovely lady tried on eleventeen thousand pairs of shoes and seventy dozen dresses.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 12:33 PM on November 12, 2007

Racks, fenders, and water bottles are all 5mm ( by .8mm pitch, but you can ignore that). You can go extreeeeeme! on all-titanium bolts, but I would just walk into a shop and ask them. They will charge you a few bucks for some bolts, and they will do all the work of making sure they're the right size.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 11:42 AM on November 5, 2007

You can save half of the cost of this $500 gaming upgrade (from FiringSquad, via) if you don't need the graphics card.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 9:12 AM on November 5, 2007

I use it too. Works fine on every version of Firefox I've ever had- I'm up to 2.0.0.9 now.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 8:55 AM on November 2, 2007

Maybe we could talk about this over a nice dinner in a candlelit restaurant...
(I kid.) The short answer: yes. The long answer: some guys will claim "they're having an existential crisis" when they don't mean it, because these internal excuses are inarguable, and you're more likely to let go. Some just don't want to hurt you, even if there is something about you they don't like. But some guys genuinely are- and I think that the ones most likely to have issues are the ones... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 11:02 AM on November 1, 2007

I think you're wrong about it being a good material for a mallet. It's a glass-reinforced nylon, nothing more. In 11/16 or 3/4 diameter, it'll be extremely flexible- whippy, even. Nylon is also permanently deformable- once it's severely bent, it'll stay that way. I would suggest a hollow carbon-fiber rod from here or here in the appropriate diameter. If you're sure you want nylon, I buy most of my exotic plastics from Professional Plastics. They carry glass-filled nylon here.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 1:08 PM on October 24, 2007

I have had an SO own an A4 avant- and I myself own a BMW. The driving feel of the Bimmer will be better, but the ergonomics of the Audi are beyond reproach. Also remember that you can perhaps purchase a 328 XiT- bimmer geek-speek for the all-wheel-drive wagon.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 11:29 PM on October 1, 2007

I'm a Peet's fan- you can order online or walk into any of their stores and get whole or ground beans.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 12:38 PM on August 29, 2007

Wow, 1981? That's amazingly modern sounding! I love it, thanks for asking this.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 10:53 AM on June 24, 2007

I have that issue with gtalk on XP. I'm delighted I'm not suffering alone.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 10:58 PM on June 23, 2007

Sometimes it's not a program coming from the computer itself, just your computer's speakers. Some cell phones, especially if placed near the speaker, can make a similar intermittent noise. Try turning your phone off for a while, and also listen to the speakers closely when turning the phone back on.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 8:59 AM on June 18, 2007

Mexican hot chocolate has some cinnamon in it and is very tasty!
There's another middle eastern beverage that I've found at the local deli that's almost a lassi. It's a thin yogurt with mint and a hell of a lot of salt in it. (Bleaargh! I'm never trying that again!) Maybe there are some odd soft drinks that'd be interesting too, like birch beer, sarsparilla, and of course there's that other class of beverages that's all about spices: tea.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 10:45 PM on June 17, 2007

Let me put in a positive experience: I've developed a great relationship with my landlord, and she recently reduced my rent because she heard I was in a financial tight spot. They really do appreciate good tenants when they come along! It may also help if you can offer to do a little maintenance yourself; nothing a contractor would normally do, but maybe some weeding, painting a bit, or gutter cleaning.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 2:48 PM on June 16, 2007

I'd get a live music permit in a local park, and put up signs about the event around the neighborhood. I'd borrow a few grills, make steaks for my friends and dogs & veggie burgers for everyone else, and dj the night away. In fact, I'll do that next week! I'm about to turn thirty.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 2:25 PM on June 14, 2007

...And the worst thing I ever did was not to go back to school after that year.

Traveling is less disruptive to your lifestyle than working; once you commit to an apartment and a full-time job, your expenses can easily expand to fill all the available income. So plan ahead, or live with the parents if possible for the rest of that year to avoid the "working life" taking over.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 6:30 PM on June 4, 2007

But that subway station is likely lit with fluorescent lights, which flicker and can cause that illusion.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 10:01 AM on June 4, 2007

You might enjoy the Truth About Cars, although sometimes they are further toward the opinion side of things. Their editorials on the US auto industry are excellent.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 11:31 AM on May 24, 2007

I use CAD/CAM of various flavors every day, and I hate Autocad with a passion.
I think Sketchup is excellent, and it's very easy for a novice to pick up. It's only disadvantage is the difficulty of exporting to other formats. As JJ86 said, you don't want or need CAD, you want 3D modeling and visualization.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 10:09 AM on May 23, 2007

Sorry forgot a few things: Aramaic's suggestion, while helpful, is NOT what you're asking for. If you would just care to share your drawings or concepts, maybe you could email me? I've been designing some easy-to-assemble furniture recently and would love to see some other peoples' ideas.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 10:11 AM on May 23, 2007

We use Rohm & Haas ion exchange media and membranes- I'm sure they will contact you if you persist; I've had terrible luck with many companies' websites contact forms.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 2:24 PM on May 21, 2007

I recently slept on a boat's bunk under a very low ceiling- and there was a fluorescent fixture just above the bed. The static discharges from my fuzzy synthetic blanket made the tube light up quite noticeably in flashes, even in a not-quite-dark room. The blanket needed to be within about 4 inches of the tube to have any visible effect- I spent quite some time rubbing the blanket on things that night.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 10:55 AM on May 18, 2007

That's rather eponysterical, ATBH.
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 2:31 PM on April 17, 2007

You can get "close to the metal" by building your own car, even today. Take a look at something like a Seven, Locost, or Caterham- all available in kit form.
Or there are the stripped-down base models of other high-performance cars intended for track usage: the Subaru STI, or Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution RS (no stereo, crank windows, manual locking- I can't wait for mine!). In higher price ranges you've got the Ariel Atom, Lotus Elise, Porsche GT3 RS, Ferrari F430 Challenge,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 10:58 AM on April 5, 2007

I apologize, because so much of this has been said before, but this is my voice. Your post could have also been written- in every emotion, although not in the specifics- by my ex. I am not heavily into gaming, although I do enjoy the occasional round of GTR or Gran Turismo 4. Instead, I read, and read, and read. I read about a thousand pages a week. I spend one to three hours a day sitting on the sofa with a book. Sometimes- usually- it's science fiction, sometimes it's... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by wzcx at 12:53 PM on March 28, 2007