Many good responses here and lots to think about - thanks to all of you who responded. I'm going to go with thinkingwoman's suggestion - there really isn't any reason to "speak muslim" here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 12:17 AM on July 19, 2008

My first reaction was "a restraining order will drive the point home" but that does seem a bit extreme now that I think of it a bit. Now that I've read others in the thread, thinkingwoman nails the hell out of it, and there's nothing more I can add.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 6:22 PM on July 7, 2008

Get the request in writing, print out a paper copy, bring that paper copy home, and then do it. If anyone gives you static about it in the future, break out your hardcopy instructions - they're tough to refute.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 7:40 AM on June 17, 2008 marked best answer

Yeah, I've seen them there a couple of times, and wondered the same thing. From what I could gather, I think they're members of a commune somewhere out I-20 East that comes into town for staples every few weeks or so.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 11:55 AM on June 16, 2008

It almost sounds like a Technical Product Manager position.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 9:43 AM on June 15, 2008

My wife and I homeschooled our daughter for five years. Unfortunately, we didn't really find the "perfect" piece of software for this purpose, so we ended up using an old-fashioned paper binder system. Mrs. Deadmessenger did recommend this page as a pretty good starting point for finding this type of software - you might have different needs than we did - some of the applications linked there might suit your needs better than they did ours.

Best of luck... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 2:31 PM on June 14, 2008

Try a different USB cable. I've had this exact problem happen before with my Powershot G3 - I wasn't able to download using my XP desktop, but when I used my Ubuntu laptop, it worked fine. I futzed around for a half a day with drivers & USB settings until I realized that I was using two different USB cables on the two machines.

I swapped the two cables, and the XP box was able to download, and the Ubuntu machine was not.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 10:45 AM on June 8, 2008

No question about it - quit. Right now. No notice, just walk out. There is no reason to work for an employer that treats you with that level of disrespect, and the fact that that employer is your father is completely irrelevant.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 12:41 PM on June 5, 2008

I've used Carey Limousine to get a group of 8 (and luggage) from LaGuardia to White Plains - they sent a 14 passenger van, and if I remember correctly it cost somewhere around $200 for the trip.

Your price would almost certainly vary, of course, depending on what part of the Bronx you're in (getting to the West Side of Manhattan is pretty easy from Riverdale - from Co-Op City or Throgs Neck, not so much)
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 9:09 AM on May 21, 2008

http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/faq_pass.shtml#9

Drivers of yellow medallion taxicabs and for-hire vehicles and their passengers, are exempt from laws regarding car seats and seatbelts

You don't need a carseat, legally speaking. From a safety perspective, I don't know if I'd do it, though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 11:45 AM on May 21, 2008

Get thee to a buyer's agent ASAP. A buyer's agent can only help you with these questions.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 2:33 PM on May 17, 2008

Deep, even breaths, taken through your nose, starting about a minute before. That's the advice I got from my orthodontist's assistant when getting dental impressions made about 20 years ago.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 8:44 AM on May 14, 2008

Yeah, this happened to me this morning - I got rickrolled when trying to view last night's SNL monologue. I didn't look too much into it, but it appears to be more than just your link and your browser.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 1:32 PM on May 11, 2008

Call the moving company - they've likely run into this before. Alternatively, can you call 311? Maybe someone there can help?
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 12:31 PM on May 6, 2008

Yeah, I've had that problem with mine. If you roll it in the "broken" direction while putting a little bit of pressure downward (like you're clicking the trackbutton) I've found that after a while it starts to dislodge whatever's causing it not to work.

Oh, and here's a thread with lots of suggested fixes for this issue.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 8:17 PM on May 4, 2008 marked best answer

In the short run, no, but in the long run, yes. Here's my wholly speculative version of what I think would happen:

Subsidies go away
Family farmers are driven into bankruptcy
Production falls
food prices rise.
Farmers with resources enough to weather the short-term storm (almost certainly a megacorp) come in and acquire the assets of the bankrupt smaller farmers at rock bottom prices.
Production ramps up... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 7:49 PM on May 4, 2008

Earplugs?
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 12:55 PM on May 4, 2008

Sending premade frozen food is possible, but really expensive. You would have to ship the food (with its large water content) and a brick of dry ice in an insulated cooler. That can get pricey quick. Also, there's the freeze-thaw cycle which affects the quality of the food somewhat.

As far as the cookbook - Making Thai curry pastes isn't hard IF you can find the ingredients, but if she can't find any decent Thai restaurants she's also unlikely to be able to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 10:36 AM on May 2, 2008

I have that problem as well - instead of changing my recipes, I just set up a stand fan to keep the air moving in the area of the smoke detector. The detector will still go off if there was a real fire, but the moving air tends to desensitize enough that I can cook.

But, if you want low-temp cooking, a slab 'o pork ribs, wrapped in foil and roasted in the oven for about 2 or 3 hours or so at 250F, works pretty well for me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 5:33 PM on May 1, 2008

If you're thinking of buying rental real estate and going into the landlord business - you need to spend a whole day watching the circus that is housing court. Watch all the eviction proceedings for a day, and listen carefully. You'll learn a lot about the issues that landlords have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. If you're not scared off after a day of that, you're probably cut out to be a landlord.

I got this advice from someone who had owned rental property... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 4:53 PM on May 1, 2008

To the "portable apps" crowd: You're assuming that the organization in question isn't using application-control software as part of their standard image. App control software provides administrators with a way to "whitelist" a standard set of applications, and allow only those apps to run. Application not on the approved list? Access denied, and administrator notified. A lot of enterprise anti-virus apps have this function available to administrators.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 4:44 PM on May 1, 2008

Hal_C_On: You've been lucky. I tried the technique you describe with Comcast and got the telephonic equivalent of the middle finger for my trouble. They "don't do refunds or credits", apparently.

Speaking of Comcast, Avoid them unless you have absolutely no other alternative. I just spent a month trying to convince them that no, my cable modem or premise wiring wasn't the root cause of my intermittent 50% packet loss - because a traceroute showed that... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 12:21 PM on March 28, 2008

Eyes Wide Shut
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 8:08 AM on March 28, 2008

Steinhaus polygon notation, for the representation of unimaginably large numbers. This absolutely blew my mind back in school.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 8:19 PM on March 27, 2008

The area around Roanoke, VA might fit, although I don't know if that meets your "not interested in East Coast" criteria - it's about 300 miles inland, but still in an "Eastern" state. You also may want to consider Asheville, NC, with the same caveat about the east coast.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 1:51 PM on March 27, 2008

Depends on how you have it worded: If you say:

School 3
1990-1994
BA in Underwater Basketweaving

...when in fact you didn't attend that school all four of those years, you've got yourself a problem. On the other hand, if your resume read:

School 3
BA in Underwater Basketweaving

you're good - nothing dishonest there. If there's a formal "job... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 1:47 PM on March 27, 2008

I would do the rest areas over the cities (purely from a safety perspective), but if you're a male traveling alone, you might attract attention from highway police patrolling rest areas looking for the kind of men who "cruise" rest areas looking for anonymous sexual encounters - speaking from personal experience here. As long as you have your story straight they shouldn't hassle you too badly, though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 1:42 PM on March 27, 2008

Miss Lynnster, my deepest sympathies. My mother passed in early January, so I've some recent experience with this.

The first thing I will tell you is a bit of advice that a good friend gave to me after my mom passed: What you're feeling now, and what you will be feeling over the next few days and weeks? It gets better, even though it might not seem like that at the moment. I took comfort in knowing that it would get better, because it really sucked for a while.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 11:27 AM on March 26, 2008

I've done it with key scratches. The trick is to wash the area first, fill in with the barest minimum amount of paint, cover with clearcoat (they usually sell clearcoat pens in the same display), and then buff by hand (very lightly) with a little polishing compound. It worked pretty well on Mrs. Deadmessenger's 2000 Accord.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 9:25 AM on March 26, 2008

Hard to imagine that someone wouldn't like that salmon

There is a fairly significant minority of people (like myself) who find the "fishy" taste inherent in most seafood (especially salmon) revolting.

To answer the question, I would suggest a pork tenderloin (as others have suggested) or a leg of lamb.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 7:38 PM on March 20, 2008

630 should be fine - I've borrowed with less down back when I had a 600, although that was a loan, not a lease. You also may want to consider buying as opposed to leasing - the lending standards are somewhat lower from what I understand, and it's a much better situation for you anyway - leases are usually structured to favor the car company in the extreme - much more so than a straight purchase.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 5:24 AM on March 17, 2008

I believe that it is possible, yes. If I remember correctly, the possibility presented itself here in Georgia after the death of Senator Paul Coverdell - there was an article in the Atlanta newspaper that said that then-Gov. Roy Barnes was seriously considering appointing himself to that role.

Of course, that possibility would be REALLY unlikely, since there is no provision in NY to backfill the Lt. Governor's spot should he have to step up. What that would mean is... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 10:07 AM on March 11, 2008

I don't have the last one I wrote to share (it's considered business confidential), but I can share some of the good advice I received when I was writing it.

Backup intervals - how often do you back up what data? For the backup policy I wrote, this took the form of a chart with a list of data categories and nights (for most, it was 5-nights-per-week, although there were a few things that were backed up 7 days a week, and others that were done weekly or monthly)... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 3:56 PM on March 6, 2008

You need an Ultimate Boot CD.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 1:51 PM on February 29, 2008

BIG ditto to Nelsormensch. I came in here to give that very bit of advice. I've been taken out to lunch on a number of occasions by people looking to make a career move into my field, and I've always been happy to give some advice.

Oh, and as far as life coaches are concerned: I've known a couple, and every last one of them was barely capable of managing their own life, let alone able to give advice to others. I can think of one in particular who was peddling her... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 3:47 PM on February 25, 2008

Dice a small onion, and saute in a little olive oil. While that's working, chop up the beef roast, and add to the onion. Add a small amount of liquid (I would use beef broth), add cumin, oregano, and paprika, and you've got a pretty good taco filling.

Oh, Stavros: whole-milk yogurt can be substituted for sour cream in a pinch. I don't think I would try it with the lowfat versions, though. Also, egg noodles (or some variant thereof, like perhaps Spaetzle) are not... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 9:09 PM on February 24, 2008

Mothballs and wet basement.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 8:59 PM on February 24, 2008

Not specific to Chicago, but do you know any veterans that might belong to an American Legion or VFW chapter? Some of them have fantastic reception rooms available for members. We've used the room at my dad's American Legion post on a number of occasions, and have never had to deal with the "mandatory caterer" nonsense.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 11:26 AM on February 24, 2008

I've seen a German brand of 25% vinegar sold at Whole Foods - can't recall the name at the moment, though. There's a big warning on the bottle to dilute before using.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 4:43 PM on February 23, 2008

I go to Brussels a couple of times per year on business, and it's one of my favorite destinations. I wouldn't sweat the lack of language skills too much: Brussels is a VERY international city, and most people will speak at least some English. It helps to know at least pleasantries and numbers up to 100 in French, but that's not a dealbreaker if you don't.

Eat at La Vilette - awesome Belgian cuisine.

Take a walk around the Grand Place -... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 1:32 PM on February 22, 2008 marked best answer

One more thing: Everyone here is saying "go to Bruges". I've been there, and it's quite pretty, but it's also thick with tourists most weekend days. I would recommend taking the train to Leuven instead.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 1:34 PM on February 22, 2008

the real question, are you paying yourself on a W2 or 1099 basis?

The reason I ask is that it doesn't seem like it would be a good idea to make up paystubs for yourself if you're 1099 - it could be interpreted as misrepresenting your true employment status. For an apartment, that might not be a huge deal, but misrepresenting income on a car loan could be considered loan fraud.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 3:51 PM on February 18, 2008

If the NYC public school system is anything like what it was when I worked there 15 years ago, you really don't need to worry about any of that stuff. They're so desperate for qualified teachers that if you have a degree, no felony convictions, and are willing to pay your dues working in a war zone for a few years, they WILL hire you. Bonus points if you're bilingual, too - you might get your pick of schools to teach in.

You could talk about the fact that because... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 11:03 AM on February 18, 2008

This says you can make something pretty similar with Trader Joe's Garden Patch veggie juice (very similar to V8, if I remember correctly) and habanero hot sauce.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 10:54 AM on February 18, 2008

I'm not sure what you mean when you say that VW campers cost $insane. One of my neighbors' kids just bought one for $1500 in running condition. It needed some work (lots of rust repair for one thing), but it wasn't a total disaster. And gas is expensive, yes, but the old VW microbus was fairly thrifty in that regard.

I think the modern equivalent of a VW bus is going to be... a VW bus.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 7:44 AM on February 17, 2008

Botulism is the most likely problem from contaminated pesto, but it's unlikely to have cropped up at this point.

And, ditto the "Freeze it" chorus. I actually have quite a bit frozen right now - Mrs Deadmessenger grew an absolute pantload of basil in our garden last summer, and I made a good 3-4 liters of pesto from it, which I froze in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, take the pesto-cubes out, dust them with cornstarch to keep them from sticking together,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 2:31 PM on February 14, 2008

Typically, each airline will have their own frequent flyer program, although you don't necessarily have to fly that airline all the time to earn points (or miles) in that particular program - for example, I am a Delta Gold Medallion frequent flyer, but I can earn miles when flying on one of Delta's "partner" airlines, such as Northwest, Continental, or Air France.

Some credit cards also provide airline mile benefits - typically, once you sign up for your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 7:46 AM on February 14, 2008

And make sure you look and see when or if the miles expire. Delta expires after two years, so if you can't accumulate enough for a free flight, you're out of luck.

Sort of. They expire after 2 consecutive calendar years of account inactivity. In fact, I still have miles in my account that I earned in 1995 - I've never actually used any of the miles in my account. Since I've flown already in 2008 (six times, in fact) my account now reflects an... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 11:14 AM on February 14, 2008

Adding my name to the Thinkpad chorus. My T60 runs Ubuntu better than Windows. I also have a Dell D610 that does quite well running Ubuntu, but is not really a small laptop.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 11:46 AM on February 13, 2008

TCV - RIME required a real (or at least real-looking) name. Also, I don't think RIME was ever linked with Usenet. That having been said, the link you posted brings back some serious memories for me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by deadmessenger at 3:51 PM on February 12, 2008