Imagine this possible scenario: You tell the landlord that someone else broke it. Later, the landlord says, "Guess what? I'm pretty sure I know who broke your window, and now I'm going to... ask them to pay for it... evict them from their apartment... etc." What would you do then?

I see that you asked this question anonymously. I think that shows that deep down you know you should not lie about this?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 9:01 AM on July 23, 2008

You can't change other people, you can only change yourself. Since he's still struggling with issues from relationships that have been over for more than half a decade, and since he likes to occasionally not be touched, and likes to not sleep in the same bed with you... and since you are decided that you will not leave him... you must simply resign yourself to never hearing the words "I love you".

I would not live with that, but you would. So, how can this... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 7:59 AM on July 22, 2008

I've not had any problems reading PDF files on my Kindle. Here's what I do:
1. Save PDF on computer.
2. Connect Kindle to computer.
3. Open email. Address it to MyName@free.kindle.com . Do NOT put any text in the Subject line or in the body of the email (when I do, it doesn't work). Attach PDF file to email and send.
4. Receive an email (in about 30 seconds) from Amazon Kindle Support. The email says, "[your email address]... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 4:17 PM on July 21, 2008 marked best answer

(Please try my steps and then let me know if it works for you. If it does not, I'll check my steps again.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 4:26 PM on July 21, 2008

In my area, religion is absolutely not taught in public schools, but is available as optional courses when you go to university. Mythology is taught, as part of the social studies classes when you are young, the reading classes when you are of middle-school age, and literature classes when you are in high school. Although, I mostly remember Greek and Roman mythology, and do not remember ever studying Norse mythology until I attended university.

There have been attempts... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 1:01 PM on July 19, 2008

bjrn, are you from Norway (since you mention Norse mythology)? Didn't Norway recently change their rules about teaching Lutheranism in school, for much the same reasons that we do not teach religion in our schools?

I would say that religious thought is taught in conjunction with other classes. For example, when you are reading The Scarlet Letter, you are also taught about religious beliefs in the Northwest US at that time, and when you are learning in History class... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 1:14 PM on July 19, 2008

To give you a feel for how the debate over this is in the States, you could read this article from our local paper yesterday. Some school districts in Texas are now allowed to offer religion as an elective (not a core subject), and the debate is over how it will be graded, how to keep teachers teaching instead of preaching, and how to ensure that nobody's civil liberties are trampled. The article has already received 209 comments, some of which are rather embarrassing, but it does show a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 1:43 PM on July 19, 2008

I've stayed in several places in Amsterdam and other places in NL. I was very happy with my stay in a room from Frederic Rent-a-Bike, which I first read about in Rick Steve's guide to Amsterdam. Frederic was very nice: He gave us suggestions (which he marked on a map for us) of nearby attractions and restaurants; and I sprained my ankle while there, and he loaned me crutches which were surprisingly difficult to find.

On his website, the link to the rooms is not on the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 4:43 AM on July 18, 2008

Yes, you must go in debt to pay for the party your friend invited you to. That is, you must if you insist that you cannot drop out, you want to do all the things (and pay for all the things) she's asked you to do and pay for, and you will not tell her that you simply cannot afford this because she does not have good coping skills and will cry and be upset.

Seriously, if she is OK with asking you to buy sheets for her hotel room, why would she not be OK with you saying no?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:46 AM on July 15, 2008

Gwenlister is Canadian.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:52 AM on July 15, 2008

To prepare for your conversation with her, you could make a list of all the important things about a wedding: Being surrounded by friends and family, making a lifelong commitment to another person and having it witnessed by others, sharing the joys of love and a new family. Really, a successful marriage and a memorable wedding does not have anything to do with stagette parties, matching dresses, hotel decorations, and so on.

In fact, one could easily argue that going in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 9:06 AM on July 15, 2008

In RVing, you can boondock in lands owned by the US Bureau of Land Management. That's not RV parks, it's undeveloped, and it's free.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:35 PM on July 14, 2008

A novena is a prayer that a person says for nine days. When a person publishes a novena, he is asking others to pray with him, in the tradition of the Apostles and Mary praying for nine days before the Pentecost.

When the prayer is answered, you are supposed to publicly acknowledge it, which can be done with another ad.

Usually, the ads are placed by Catholics, as they are prayers to Catholic saints. St. Jude is a popular novena. In Catholicism,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:15 PM on July 14, 2008 marked best answer

National Geographic sells one.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 1:37 PM on July 14, 2008

I'm sure you've thought of these but: Have you tried locating the coop? If you wrote the manufacturer again, explaining that your dishes were gotten during your romantic once-in-a-lifetime trip to his country, would he maybe break the rules and sell them to you directly? Or, could he tell you of other wholesalers he sells that pattern to in the US?

If he sends them to Houston or the Dallas/Fort Worth area, I'd be glad to give someone here a call and see what can be done.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:10 PM on July 13, 2008

I disagree with SpecialK. I'm finding the job market to be very, very good right now, but I'm in the Energy industry. I don't know much about construction, but here are my thoughts.

Some of the engineering/oil field equipment companies have fabrication plants, where they make "mock-ups" before full manufacturing. Can he do something like this? MH-Pyramid (part of Aker) comes to mind: 28377 Fm 529 Rd -- for a very long time, and maybe even now, they had a sign... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 4:03 AM on July 13, 2008

Kldickson, in fairness konolia is answering the question. Is there a religious framework that offers an answer? Yes, and hers is one religious framework (Bertrand Russell argued against it, but konolia is not wrong in providing her answer as well).
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 12:45 PM on July 12, 2008

I liked Shogun and the other books in the Asian Saga by James Clavell.

Many people like James Michener's books, but for some reason I can't get into them.

Both authors have been so popular that their books are easily found in used book stores and libraries, so the cost of giving them a whirl is very little.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:44 AM on July 12, 2008

After a look on my bookcases, Irving Stone is also quite good. They are biographies, but the settings, people, and era are fully fleshed out. My favorite of his was The Agony and the Ecstasy, which was about Michelangelo and the Renaissance era -- a truly excellent book.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:50 AM on July 12, 2008

True southern cornbread: (as made in northern Mississippi/southern Tennessee) (adjust for self-rising)

1 cup white cornmeal
1 heaping tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil + 1 tablespoon for preheating skillet
buttermilk

Put 1 tablespoon oil in cast iron skillet, and preheat skillet in oven at 500 degrees F.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 11:59 AM on July 11, 2008 marked best answer

Inside the PRC, this information is censored. So, your question really is, "As a guest in another country, can I disobey their rules, going specifically counter to the wishes of their government?" More or less, this has consequences regardless of where you travel.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 9:53 AM on July 11, 2008

After more thought: If you feel very strongly about this, you could take the money and time that you would have spent at the Olympics, and donate it to an organization that works toward changing human rights and other violations in China.

Yes, it hurts to part with the money and time, but less so than breaking their laws, and your efforts are more likely to make the changes you (as an American) feel is important for them to make in their country.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 10:29 AM on July 11, 2008

My weight fluctuates dramatically -- I've been very thin, and I've been quite chubby. The funny thing is, I feel like you do regardless of my weight. The problem isn't the weight -- it's how you feel about yourself.

If you feel bad about your appearance and worry what other people think, then you are giving them the power and permission to ruin your vacation. Don't give them that power. Remember that everyone has flaws, even those who might gawp at you in a swimsuit. As... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:13 AM on July 11, 2008

I have a copy of RoboHelp. I'd be glad to convert it for you -- I'm not sure what happens to PDF bookmarks, but we can try. If you'd like, send me a MeFi mail.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 4:14 AM on July 7, 2008

She could work at one of the children's museums in the LA areas. Or, be a director at a daycare. Or, pick up a Montessori certificate and work for one of their schools, maybe. Or, be a manager of youth activities at a YMCA. Or perhaps, be a Child Advocate.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:00 PM on July 3, 2008

I once read one of those horrible relationship/self-improvement books (and I can't remember which one), but it did say something that really struck a chord with me: Love is a verb.

Before I'd read that, I'd always thought of love as a feeling (something that just happened, or not), not an act (something that I could physically do). It gave me a lot to think about, and really changed how I view love and relationships. Maybe it will give you something to think about,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 2:26 PM on July 1, 2008

My suggestion is that you look at the energy companies, because frankly that's where the money's at right now (and we are an oil-and-gas town). Are you still wanting to do IT support type of work?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:14 AM on June 28, 2008

Sometimes dental schools offer a full range of dental treatment (periodontal, etc.) for less money, sliding scale fees, with insurance accepted, and payment plans to help spread out the cost over a period of time. Colorado University in Denver has a dental school, and it looks like a nice place.

Hopefully a dentist can chime in, but from what I understand it is a serious undertaking to have all your teeth removed, because then you have to constantly be fitted for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 2:13 PM on June 24, 2008

Hydrocortisone cream (1%, available over the counter at the pharmacy) works wonders. I learned about this after a terrible sunburn at Key West, from the pharmacist. It literally saved my vacation.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:31 AM on June 24, 2008

As the others said, ganglion cyst. I had one for several years on on the top of my hand near my wrist. Unlike what others said, I had it removed surgically and it was no big deal. My wrist hurt for a few days, and that was it. It's never come back (and it's been over 5 years now). I asked my doctor about banging it with a heavy book, and he did not recommend that, as it is more likely to come back and also doing so could break bones in my hand.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 7:48 AM on June 22, 2008

Piggy-backing on Punctual's idea, there is a book that was popular years ago. It was called The Book of Questions, by Gregory Stock, and it was pretty fantastic for conversation-starters. I see that you can get one used for basically the shipping cost.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:13 AM on June 17, 2008

Isn't this sometimes handled via a trust? That is, the pension is paid to a trust in which you and your sister have equal ownership?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 10:28 AM on June 16, 2008

If you want to date her, your next move should be to ask her out on a date! Be very clear: "Would you like to go out on a date next [day] to [activity], say around [time]?"
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:46 AM on June 16, 2008

This is what has worked for me:
- SoniCare toothbrush -- expensive but worth every penny.

- Prescription toothpaste -- If you don't go to the dentist often, your doctor can write the prescription (or, mine did). It is available as a name brand (Colgate Prevident 5000) or a generic (EtheDent dental cream with 1.1% sodium fluoride)

- Chewing gum with Recaldent, such as Trident White.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 4:43 AM on June 16, 2008 marked best answer

Billy Idol (hard to believe, but it's true) put out a Christmas album, with songs such as Winter Wonderland.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 12:16 PM on June 13, 2008

My father worked for a moving company, so I asked him about tips before my last move. I tipped $50 per person, plus a big lunch (2 big burgers, fries, with cans of soda and bottled waters in an ice cooler) for each person. Mine was a small-ish move as I was going from an apartment to a house, but I had 3 movers and I did my own packing/boxing for everything except the wardrobe (I mean, hanging clothes in the wardrobe boxes).
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 7:16 AM on June 13, 2008

I agree that you should have the Microsoft Manual of Style. The latest version is Version 3. Microsoft had a difficult time getting it published in a timely manner, and so for a while offered it as a free download. It is still available for free download here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 3:44 AM on June 13, 2008

An explanation about why the "oom-pah" sound is in Tejano, Norteno (imagine a tilde over the N, please), and Conjunto music, with music samples.

Have you tried Emilio Navaira?

Texas has a huge number of radio stations that play these many genres of music. You might try some of them that offer streaming music over the Internet, to get a real taste for what's out there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:52 PM on June 11, 2008

Flapjax, I think this is the amazing thing about Metafilter. I guy from Alabama (according to your links?) living in Japan, can talk with a New Yorker and a Texan about the German and Czech influences of Mexican border music. Something about that is very special.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 7:12 PM on June 11, 2008

Yes, you would be required to lie if you are baptised without believing in what you are doing.

While scouring wikis, did you see the Orthodox wiki? It says, in part, "Persons coming to Orthodoxy from other denominations, and who had been baptized with water in the name of the Trinity, are generally not received by holy baptism, but instead through holy chrismation, after which their former baptism is deemed to be efficacious."

If your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 11:23 AM on May 31, 2008

You can find a few French language education book at Gutenberg.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 9:34 AM on May 23, 2008 marked best answer

If your ultimate goal is to complete a doctorate in Physical Therapy, I would suggest you stay in Houston, which has one of the best medical centers in the States. If your ultimate goal is to run a childcare center in your home, be a yoga instructor, get into interior design, work in a hotel, make jewelry, or design clothes, then it is probably less important to be in Houston.

I would suggest you think about the kind of lifestyle you would like to have when you are... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 9:00 AM on April 11, 2008

Hi. I'm in Houston too (far West side), and like you I work from a home office. I use Comcast. A few months ago, it was TimeWarner/RoadRunner, and service was bad (down during the day at least one day per month) and customer service was horrific -- probably the worst I've seen from any company. They were purchased by Comcast, and everyone was switched over. My service has improved substantially -- I have not been down since the switch. Customer service is exactly the same, though: You dial the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 1:24 PM on March 28, 2008

(Maybe we know each other - we do the same type of work.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 1:26 PM on March 28, 2008

From this page:
"Many large charities, like Goodwill, will sell unwearable clothing to textile recycling centers (which generally do not accept donations from individuals).

Athletic shoes that are no longer in wearable condition may be donated to Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe Program, a project that grinds up and recycles athletic shoe material to build playground mats, basketball courts, and running tracks."

From this... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:26 PM on March 27, 2008

What a terrible situation. My heart goes out to you -- I know this is terrible.

My mom died of breast cancer, after fighting it in and out of remission for more than 15 years, when I was only a few years younger than you. She had a great doctor, who was always extremely honest with her about what would likely happen next, given his experience with other patients. That's not to say that he was always right, but he had more knowledge than we did. If I were you, I would ask... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 7:20 PM on March 26, 2008

Remember when you were looking for Grass Roots magazine? And it was learned that this magazine did not have an online presence at all? If I'm doing the math correctly, your friend dropped out of school right during the middle of all-things-hippie. Maybe she could contact that magazine, and offer to put them on the WWW, later maintaining the site as needed for each publication.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:10 PM on March 25, 2008

Or, work to bring online the publisher for Grass Roots?
Night Owl Publishers, PO Box 242 Euroa Vic. 3666
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 6:30 PM on March 25, 2008 marked best answer

Can she not, at least, get her GED? If I'm reading this right, she's 48 now, but left school when she was about 13? A high school diploma could help quite a bit.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 3:58 AM on March 26, 2008

Has he already had a moving company representative do an estimate of his move? Or, how does your friend estimate the weight of his belongings? Many people do not estimate correctly. Also, it's unlikely that his belongings will be shrink-wrapped to a pallet. It will travel via air (1-2 weeks delivery) or by sea (4-6 weeks delivery) in containers for steamships or air freight boxes. The containers hold 1100 - 2400 cubic feet, depending on the size used. When it reaches the port, it may then be... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Houstonian at 5:21 PM on March 25, 2008