A domestic sedan will usually be the best bargain, especially a mid-size or larger. Sure, you'll pay more for gas, but you'll more than make up for it in a lower-priced car. Plus, such vehicles are usually not hot-rodded, and tend to be well-maintained. If your teen complains that it's not cool enough, then s/he can try to look cool walking! :)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 7:53 AM on October 7, 2008

When church is not in the picture everything is more than perfect between us.

I find it hard to believe that you merely attending church causes such conflict. That would make her extremely - almost pathologically - intolerant. So I have to wonder if there is something beyond your church attendance that causes the problems. (I'm not saying you are not being truthful; I'm just giving my honest reaction to what you provided.)... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:28 PM on October 6, 2008

Screen capture. On Windows, hit the "print screen" button, then paste into Paint (or a better image program).

Mac: Command-Shift 3 for the whole screen or Command-Shift 4 to select a part of the screen. It will be saved as Picture1.png on your desktop.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:26 AM on October 6, 2008

Unencumbered by sharp enamel protrusions.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 6:11 PM on October 5, 2008

Here are too many:

Well, most of Talking Heads Stop Making Sense, but particularly
Life During Wartime
What a Day That Was
Once in a Lifetime
Burning Down the House
Girlfriend is Better
Take Me to the River

The Run Lola Run Soundtrack

Some U2 stuff:
Elevation
Even Better Than the Real... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 3:30 PM on October 5, 2008

Something like this?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 10:50 AM on October 5, 2008

I emailed you a webarchive file.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 11:13 AM on October 5, 2008

Every print shop I have worked at makes pads from leftover paper. Sometimes they give them away, and sometimes they sell them super cheap. They may even make a bunch for you cheaper than you can buy them.

If you want to make your own pads from paper you already have, it's not hard. Stack up the paper on the edge of a desk, with a heavy piece of card stock on the bottom. Place a weight, like a ream of paper or several books on top, and use a cheap paintbrush to apply a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 4:50 PM on October 4, 2008

Can you add some of that grippy rubber stuff to the shoulder strap? The extra friction at the shoulder might be the key to keep from it from sliding. Extra friction on the back might be overcome by the bounces, jiggles, and body movement inherent in cycling. (Which what I assume "riding" means; your not in the pony express, right?)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:47 AM on October 4, 2008

I'm not sure about burst mode, but if you use aperture priority, you can quickly take several shots and change the aperture between them. The camera will choose the corresponding shutter speed to keep the exposure consistent.

Many cameras auto-bracket, but I understand you dilemma, because you are not truly bracketing. Bracketing generally means a change in actual exposure, but it sounds like you want consistent exposure with varying combinations of aperture/shutter... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:33 AM on October 4, 2008

Also, I really miss the depth-of-field guides that used to be engraved on all lenses, and now seem to be vanishing. I guess the manufacturers think that auto-focus has negated their usefulness, but I disagree.

It used to be easy to glance at the lens and see what would be in focus for a given aperture. In the linked example, the lens is focused at 10 feet. You can see that at f8, the depth of field would be about 7 feet to 15 feet. The lens is set to f16, so DOF is about... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:42 AM on October 4, 2008

My own inclination would be to lock the shutter speed, let the exposure autobracket adjust the aperture up and down, and photoshop in another stop of exposure either way after the fact. It's not perfect, but especially for learning purposes it should be fine.

Good idea. Especially when shooting in RAW, the exposure will have tons of leeway.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:44 AM on October 4, 2008

For a going away card:

Your absence will be like this mustache. Felt.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 6:05 PM on October 3, 2008 marked best answer

On a related note: Andy Daly's Mustache TV game.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:03 AM on October 4, 2008

From your limited description, it sounds like he is just sexually demanding, without putting much effort into into figuring out that this is a partnership, or realizing that his demanding nature is probably accomplishing the opposite of what he wants; it probably pushes you away. His style of sharing his needs making his demands is not the issue. If you want this relationship to work, I'd recommend some couples counseling to try and figure this out, or it will snowball into misery.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 10:43 PM on October 3, 2008

I've used a Yashica TLR and a Seagull (surprisingly good Chinese made camera, still being made, I believe.)

Get a hand-held light meter. An old one will be very inexpensive and work just fine. I have one that was made in the 50s and works great. Until you get a meter, you can use the "sunny f16 rule."

Keep in mind that there may be some parallax at close range, since you are looking through the top lens but shooting with the bottom one.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 11:36 AM on October 3, 2008

TLRs can allow you to capture more candid photos because your subjects don't quite realize you're taking pictures of them.

Excellent point. And to be more stealthy, you can turn the camera 90 degrees to the way you are facing as you look down into the finder.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 12:25 PM on October 3, 2008

Adding on to aeighty's comment: I still have the first generation Roomba, and continue to be thrilled with it. And I have a long-haired cat. (I don't find the cleanup process too much of a problem at all. I dump the bin, and I keep a pair of needlenose pliers handy to clean the brushes of kitty hair. It takes about 3 to 5 minutes).

Roomba technology has increased pretty dramatically since generation one, and the same has happened with robotic mowers. If I had to mow a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 11:48 AM on October 3, 2008

It will very likely increase the home's value. Modern homes have more open floor plans. Aside from the value issue, I predict you will love the open space, and being able to talk to people in the dining room while in the kitchen.

I'm not a contractor, but I've owned a few old homes that I restored, including knocking out walls and updating kitchens. So here are some random thoughts:

Seal off the doorways to the rest of the house during... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:32 AM on October 3, 2008

If you don't have bolt-cutters, and the screw is thin enough, you can use the built-in wire-cutting edge on Vice-grips. They produce more leverage than wire-cutters.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 8:12 AM on October 3, 2008

I'm not sure if there is a complete series for sale, but Amazon has individual seasons for way less than $35 - $45. Most are about $21.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 6:01 AM on October 3, 2008

I like most David Baldacci stuff. Good page-turners with suspense, action, and twists. (Didn't care for The Camel Club.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 10:45 PM on October 1, 2008

One of my clients (Dynasty Soccer Gear) sells University of North Carolina women's soccer apparel. Several of the shirts just say "Carolina" on them. FWIW.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 4:59 PM on October 1, 2008

The 3G is worth looking at.

Another possibility: if you have aftermarket RAM, remove that chip and see if it still crashes. Some brands of RAM are less reliable. A friend just had that happen with an iMac. Constant kernal panic. She took out the 2nd RAM chip, and it went away completely. She bought a new chip in its place.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 12:55 PM on October 1, 2008

I'll offer up my steak recipe:

Eye of round. It's tender anyway, but I tenderize all of my steaks with a cheaper version of this. Rub in some seasoning salt. I use Johnny's. Don't cook it cold. Let it come closer to room temp. Pan or griddle-fry with butter.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 10:35 AM on October 1, 2008

Nikon D40 owner here. Haven't used the Sony, but I haven't heard anything that would put it on my do-not-buy list. I can't really recommend one way or another, so I'll throw a few random thoughts into the mix.

Yes, Nikon has a deep stable of lenses, and yes, some require manual focusing. I do have one that I have to manually focus, but I don't find it an issue at all, having been an avid photographer since before auto-focus was common. The "issue" of some Nikon... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 4:25 PM on September 30, 2008

Andrae Crouch has a huge catalog of music that fits your bill.

Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers are spine-tingly awesome.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 12:28 PM on September 30, 2008

Interesting they wait till end of day. I guess they ( the mgmt) just want another day's work for which they won't end up paying likely anyway.

I have no idea why you would assume this. It's illegal.

To the point at hand, I agree that you shouldn't say anything. No sense sacrificing your own job, or even get a mark against you that might hurt your future career.

However, if you feel bad about not... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 7:32 AM on September 30, 2008

You have to do it through the registrar you used to register the name in the first place. You should be able to change at least some of the info yourself through the control panel. You may have to have the registrar change some of it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 4:59 PM on September 29, 2008

They haven't clicked for ages. But foley artists must like job security, because they sure add a lot of sounds to many things that are silent. My computer has never made a dot-matrix printer sound when displaying text, either.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 7:21 AM on September 29, 2008

I actually did a lot of negotiating to take a house and move it across town. It can be done, but to make it economically feasible can be tough. I ended up not able to go through with my deal, as the estimated expenses mounted. And keep in mind: the house itself was going to be absolutely free. Not only that, the "seller" was going to cover cost of residing to bring it to FHA standards. (Long story as to why they offered that.) In any case, here are some random... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 1:53 PM on September 28, 2008

Thanks for the thorough answer, Fuzzy Skinner... am therefore talking about actually taking it apart, thus moving it as a pile of lumber rather than as a house. So the issues you raise regarding foundation etc. are relevant, but I don't need to worry about raising power lines, damage to the house, etc. It won't get damaged in the move because I'm going to totally destroy it to begin with, then rebuild it...

Thanks for clarifying.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 2:42 PM on September 28, 2008

Oh, one more thought. (Sorry if it's already been said.) There may be restrictions, even in a rural area, about what kind of lumber you can use in a "new construction." Used lumber may not even be allowed.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 8:58 PM on September 28, 2008

Yeah, this is a tough one. I live in a pretty well-insulated apartment, and have had 3 different upstairs neighbors. The current one is a petite lady who is the LOUDEST WALKING PERSON ON THE PLANET! For whatever reason, she walks fast and hard everywhere she goes. How can you always be in such a rush in your own apartment?

Anyway, I kind of agree with crapmatic. It's the trade-off to living in an apartment. You will never be able to drown it out, all... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 1:32 PM on September 28, 2008

I'm not sure if this fits your bill, but Irving Penn was a Vogue fashion photographer who also did some great work using a portable "north-light" studio. Some of the more well-known images are of the native people of New Guinea. From a cultural standpoint, there's something fascinating about photographing people in this studio instead of in their natural surroundings.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 3:46 PM on September 27, 2008

You are not being unfair. Please don't let her manipulate you into feeling guilty for something that you have no cause to feel guilty over.

Do not stay in communication. You don't have to do it with bitterness or anger, or anything like that. But very often you simply can not be friends with an ex. There is too much potential for further hurt to you, and to her as well. It's not fair to either of you. Just wish her the best and tell her to find a girlfriend to confide... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 12:16 PM on September 26, 2008

I'll let others give you the Pro vs. MacBook arguments. Overall, yes, the Pro will be faster. I'll just give you my experience.

I have a 13 inch MacBook 2.16 Ghz. I have 1.5 Gigs of memory, and plan on upping that to 2. For running multiple programs, more memory has a noticeable effect on speed. So whatever you get, max out the ram. I recommend buying your own and installing it yourself. It's very easy to do, and you will save a lot of money over buying from Apple. DO... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 11:09 AM on September 25, 2008

I think you can be consistently Christian regardless of political leaning.

Here's how one sliver of a thought: Yes, Jesus said to give and help the poor, for example. The Left often points to this in support of welfare and other social programs. The Right will also agree with it and note that the giving is done by people, not mandated by government and turned into "redistribution of wealth."

Both sides have a legitimate point. We all... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 12:31 AM on September 25, 2008

As alluded to above: specialize in one industry. Your reputation will spread faster, and the focus will make you the "expert" in that field. You should promote yourself as "I do graphic design for [non-profits / home-based businesses / small retailers]" or whatever.

The beautiful part of this is that it doesn't mean you refuse other work. In fact, you may find that your image as an expert in one area spills over into other areas.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 8:12 AM on September 23, 2008

Word of mouth has been my main tool. I have a website, but it hasn't been responsible for much in the way of paying work.

Exactly the same here. It's good to have a website, though. You can send potential clients to it to view your portfolio. But as far as actually getting work because someone found the site... very rare in my case.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 10:49 AM on September 23, 2008

Whoa, it sounds like you are only one step away from living in a yurt! And the yurt might be a step up!

You really need to find another solution. Whatever you "save" on living with no heat will be spent on your first of many plumber visits. Homess people squat in buildings like yours, and they cover up with newspapers and cardboard, and sleep in winter coats and hats. Sure you might be able to stay warm enough to sleep... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 6:11 AM on September 23, 2008

Another thought: call your utility company and get on "balanced billing" or whatever it's called there. They will spread out the estimated annual bill over 12 months, which will make it more managable. During winter, you'll be paying less than your actual bill, but it will catch up over the warmer months.

Also, most states have a program where you can apply for assistance with your heating bill, right through the utility company. Don't automatically think you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 7:03 AM on September 23, 2008

Try calling Apple. 1-800-my-apple. (Not sure if that number works from Romania.) In any case, they should be able to confirm some information from you and help you out. Good luck!
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 5:12 AM on September 23, 2008

Bill is betting the other way.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 9:22 PM on September 22, 2008

You might do well to invest a little money in an Xbox. Not the 360, just the original. You can get one for $50, and find games for $5 or $10. There are tons of games around for cheap, so it's not that big of a risk to try a few things.

I like the Myst games on Xbox, and if you haven't played Halo and Halo 2 yet, you're in for a treat. Yes, it's a shoot em up game, but with a pretty clever plot. It's like being in a sci-fi movie.

I also like the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 5:20 PM on September 22, 2008

We kept the price down by buying the big canister of powder. We didn't have a choice in brand. We had to use Nutramigen for health reasons.

We used the bottle system with disposable liners. I felt this was most sanitary. When we were out and about for the day, we would sterilize a few nipples and seal them in Ziploc bags. We would also put some powder and measuring scoop in a Ziploc so we didn't have to carry the whole canister with us. I found it pretty easy to mix the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 4:57 PM on September 20, 2008

Use Google Maps, including street view to find a better route. I know all the "bikes have a right to the road" stuff, but I simply don't trust my safety to anyone else. I'm fortunate in that I can ride 4 miles to work with minimal time on a busy street. I take residential streets that are parallel to the main arteries, and have a wonderful, relaxing, ride.

So, step one: think like a cyclist, not a driver. Better to go out of your way a little and enjoy it, than... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 1:18 PM on September 19, 2008

Yep, it sounds like you had Adobe Acrobat Pro, but during the upgrade you ended up wit Adobe Reader.

As you already know, it is indeed a pet peeve of many of us to hear it referred to as "Adobe." But don't be too hard on us. It's not just to be petty. It's because many of us have spent untold amounts of time trying to help friends and coworkers who tell us they are using Adobe, or created something in Adobe, or want to download Adobe. And all of our efforts to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 3:14 PM on September 18, 2008 marked best answer

A little different than a street vendor, but...

A friend of mine made a good living traveling to different cities and setting up a big tent in parking lots to sell tropical plants.

He would get a peddler's license for that city, then rent parking lot space from the local K-Mart or whatever. He ordered a couple semis worth of tropical plants from greenhouses in Florida.

It took a lot of capitalization for the tent, his... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 5:17 AM on September 17, 2008

I rarely need to send faxes, but when I do, I use Fax Zero. You can send a 3 page .doc or PDF for free. They put an ad on the cover sheet. Up to 6 pages with no ad is $1.99. No contract, just pay via PayPal.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Fuzzy Skinner at 3:46 PM on September 16, 2008 marked best answer