Forget the flea markets, that's no test of skill. If you want to really put in the work, haggle at retail stores. Get the manager, point out flaws on floor models, get them to match prices on models that are similiar but not the same. I do it all the time. You get tons of resistance early on in the process, but you'd be amazed at how often it works if you stay at it and can create a solid arguement.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 6:57 PM on February 20, 2009

look on ebay for someone that sells digitizng services, and send them the picture. More than likely they can reproduce this into a file that you can use in your machine ( or whoever will do the actual embroidering)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 5:20 AM on November 10, 2008

Capital One does a good job. you can prepay with no problem, and anytime you make a payment of $2000 or more they will reammortize ( i know i spelled that wrong) the loan
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 2:22 PM on November 8, 2008

Rum-of-a-Mitch
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 2:18 PM on November 8, 2008

Hoffa
Rosalitta
Sandy
Asbury
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:14 AM on November 8, 2008

i am confused also.

since this is a lease, your payment SHOULD be going toward the overall price of the car, shouldn't matter if it's $40 a month, or $ 400 a month

The higher monthly payment must be getting you to a lower balloon payment at the end of the term.

If this is the case, and you can't get out of it, your best option might be to plan on buying the car at the end of the least, since you presumably would have... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:07 AM on November 8, 2008

Short Skirt and a long jacket.....another CAKE song
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:40 PM on November 7, 2008

do you have friends or relatives there?

if so, have them take picts and list it on ebay. let the winning bidder pick it up there, send your friend/relative a couple bucks for helping once it sells
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:33 PM on November 6, 2008

there is a steel tube between the heater core and the radiator that should be replaced, along with your thermostat and water pump

as kuujjuarapik guessed, it does cause galvanic corrosion when it reacts with the aluminum heater core and fouls up your water pump.

this is yet another issue that Ford is well aware off, but choose to play dumb and stick it to their customers instead. No wonder they are dying....
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 4:48 PM on November 6, 2008

Agreed. You should interview and if you end up taking the New-New-Job, you can simply lose the Old-New-Job from your resume.

just make sure you let your refrences know what's going on, provided that know you took the other job already
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:41 AM on July 1, 2008

Great advice from Punctual.

I went through something similiar. You need to just let it play out and not give the impression that you are choosing a side here.

This isn't your cross to bear. So don't make it your problem. It isn't that much different from some of your break-ups, in that it still can be painful for everyone involved, but most people get through it and are able to move on.

Your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 9:22 AM on June 30, 2008

$300 on a $6K sale sounds cool to me
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:18 PM on June 29, 2008

Not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for, but there is a great song Johny Cash did, not that long ago, that I find almost haunting. It's called "Drive On" and is a really great song on a great CD
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:13 PM on June 29, 2008 marked best answer

AT & T looks like the one you need if you don't want T-mobile, but want to be able to swap SIMS.

Make sure when picking out phones you test how easy the back opens. I have a Samsung BlackJack and curse myself everytime I try to take the back off, you practically need the Jaws of Life to get at the damn SIM
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 6:45 PM on June 29, 2008

Don't know what your idea of inexpensive is, but I'd think the cheapest would be pick it up

You could rent one of those enterprise cargo vans for 1 day and go pick it up.
Van will run you about $ 65 for the day ( more if you take out insurance)

you are looking at about 400 mile roundtrip. if you get only 12 mpg you are looking at 33 gallons of gas. if gas cost you $ 4.50 a gallon thats about $ 150 worth of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:10 AM on June 29, 2008

How about THIS ONE
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 6:30 AM on June 29, 2008

It's not your responsibility, but there is no reason you can't intervene if you think it will be helpful
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 5:59 AM on June 29, 2008

if you have a pick or large crowbar, you can try using leverage to list the grate. they usually just sit and are not sealed or fastened, just heavy!

you could always call the NON EMERGENCY line of the local police deptartment and ask them who you can contact. they are ususally helpful in a situation like this
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 5:29 AM on June 28, 2008 marked best answer

Storm drains have pipes that go somewhere, usually do a dry pond that the rain water drains into. the little guy probably entered the pipe and followed it to the end, which is the catch basin at the street.

therefore he's probably not so much " trapped", but more "lost" and may find his way out if left to his own devices. An upcoming storm may even help him find his way back out, as the rain may "wash" him out

it... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 6:53 AM on June 28, 2008

Cecil County, MD allows sunday sales, and there is a 7-11 on route 40 in Perryville I know of that sells Beer and wine, as do a couple gas station convience stores
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 8:17 PM on June 27, 2008

Also one thing Maryland does that I have not seen in other states is they require a "keg license".

Basically when you buy a keg in Maryland they copy all the info from your drivers License, and slap it on a label that gets put on the keg.

It is my understanding it is illegal to posses a keg in the state of Maryland that does not have this sticker. I guess the idea is if the cops roll up on party in the woods and find a bunch of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 8:23 PM on June 27, 2008

If it weighs less than 13 ozs, sent it FIRST CLASS instead of Priority. Priority Mail is the EXACT SAME as FIRST CLASS as far as handeling is concerned.

I ship priority and first class all the time, and for the most part it's very fast and reliable. I've had packages go coast to coast in TWO days!!

Here's the other thing to keep in mind regarding express Mail, Fed-ex, UPS and the rest.
they DO NOT really guarantee that your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:53 PM on June 27, 2008

if you jarred the outlet, as others mentioned, most likey you will be able to sniff around the outlet, and smell a burnt plastic , or smokey smell

Your dishwasher is most likey connected to a GFCI, and the outlet in question is probably on that same branch, but you may need to pull the diswasher out to get to reset it

can you see the outlet that your diswasher is connected to?

did you check the circuit breaker that... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:34 PM on June 27, 2008

I'm one of these people who simply chooses not to be insulted. Maybe it's because I usually don't mean ill will when I break people's chops, so I assume they feel the same way when they give it to me.

I realize it's easier said than done, but you have the choice to either take this as playful banter among co-workers, or as a stone-cold assult, so why not choose the one that makes you happier?

try it, you'd be suprised how easy it is!
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 7:21 PM on June 27, 2008

We wanted to designate a play area in our finshed basement and used brightly colored iterlocking foam mats we got at Sams Club

it looks very playful, the kids love it, and it cost next-to-nothing ( 250 sq ft will run you about $150)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 8:58 AM on June 26, 2008

Oh, yea. I should also add tat it installs like a jig saw puzzle, can be cut easily with scissors if you need to shape it, and provides a nice cushion for falls and tumbles. cleans easily with soap and water

My little ones love it
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 9:02 AM on June 26, 2008

FYI on the foam mats - we got some from my sister-in-law when she discovered deep teeth marks in them from her son. She was worried that he would bite off a chunk and aspirate it. My in-laws tend to be far more asphyxiation-phobic than my family, but even that gave me pause.

I'm sure you could bite a chunk off if you tried hard enough, but it would probably be easier to simply take a sock off your foot and stick that in your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 11:01 AM on June 26, 2008

if you are an at will employee, I don't think a lawyer will be able to do much for you.

if they listed the reasonong as imcompetence, you may have trouble getting unemployment, but that depends a lot on the state you are in.

If it were me, I'd just move on. If your industry is as small as you say, the last thing you want is a judge AGREEING with your ex-employer that you were, in fact, incompotent!!
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 6:09 PM on June 25, 2008

it will definetly change the relationship, and there will be no going back, but that doesn't mean it won't work out great.

You can ask everyone in the world, but only you know what's right for you, and there is no guarentee it won't be a disaster, but it could also be great, especially if you go into it knowing what you want, and not trying to fool yourself.

good luck
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 6:02 PM on June 25, 2008

yup, they're scams. You'll end up spending a lot more than you make.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 5:54 PM on June 25, 2008

In this market EVERYTHING but the very best deals are sitting.

Keep in mind that it's an election year. Most businesses report drop-offs during election years, as people tend to be a little more conservative before an election for some reason.

then there is the overall economy slowdown (recession, depression, whatever...) Talk to your local hairstylist, baker, waitress, home depot employee, etc. Pretty much everybody will tell you people... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 5:35 PM on June 25, 2008

if you were applying for a sales job, I would say go for it. Shows great initative, willingness to find the decision makers, willingness to cold call, etc....

In the academic world, my guess is this would be frowned upon. they like their processes and procedures, and i think this would come accross not really as desperate, but certainly as inapproriate at the very least

good luck
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 5:25 PM on June 25, 2008

there are no "hard fast rules" for well water quality. I have been in areas where private wells provide the best water you ever tasted with no treatment needed, and other places where you need to spend a fortune on water treatment only to get your water to taste and smell decent. The same is true of public water in different areas.

for that matter, i've seen both public water, and private wells with "fire hydrant" type pressure, and others that are... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 5:11 AM on June 25, 2008

putting them on roof will create MAXIMUM drag. Go with a rear mount rack for sure
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 4:50 AM on June 25, 2008

looks like the Wilson logo to me
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 11:44 AM on June 16, 2008

What would happen if people knew you were the rat?

More than likely people will be fired if this is looked into at all, somebody could even go to jail (but I doubt my company would risk any negative press). there are a lot of otherwise good people that know about this but choose to ignore it since "it's not their problem". This would also be obvious if investigated, and I imagine they would at least be reprimanded for doing nothing.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 10:48 AM on June 9, 2008

Regarding the fear of being fired/convicted - If you blow the whistle to proper authorities, the Sarbanes-Oxley act is supposed to protect against such retaliation.

True, but I still have to able to prove that they threw the brick through my windsheild
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 11:06 AM on June 9, 2008

if you are moving for work, see if you can use their UPS account #, and then reimburse them. if they have a commercial account they probably get at least 30% lower rates. also have the stuff shipped to a commercial adress rather than your new pad, you will save another 10+ percent.

I have a buddy who says he has shipped stuff via Greyhound bus. I have never tried this, but he says it is CHEAP, you may want to look into that option as well

The... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 8:29 PM on May 27, 2008

Getting your Wiki on!
Wikiwandering
Wiknosis
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 8:19 PM on May 27, 2008

One last tip. Use the YELLOW Teflon tape, not the white. The white stuff is for water, the YELLOW is specially designed for natural gas and propane. Other than that I think the other two posters have it covered
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 12:02 PM on May 27, 2008

if you just need to buy a ticket, check out their weekly specials, sometimes as low as $39 roundtrip for say, newark to buffalo

this week there is Newark to Bermuda for $120 round trip, but it is not unusual to see much cheaper deals
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 11:56 AM on May 27, 2008

If you are going to add a big keyboard and mouse anyway, i would think you could go to walmart and buy one of their $400-500 models, and just make the icons and such larger in Windows display setting
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 9:46 AM on May 21, 2008

i know it varies from state to state, but for the most part you can only get Severance if you have an employment contract from your employer stating that severance will be provided if you are terminated ( there are also usually other condidtions that have to be met)

you might be able to get umemployment, but probably not if you are turning down a position that is equal to what you had, at equal pay.

i don't think this is the "golden... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 12:08 PM on May 20, 2008

i also did the unlock my phone, buy a sim card route. worked great.

i got my SIM card on ebay, for like $10, then when i got to Ireland, popped the sim card into my phone, walked into a gas station and bought a prepaid card for that brand, and loaded the minutes.

This gives you a local number, so if you want people at home to be able to reach you, just email or text them the phone number associated with the sim card.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 9:20 AM on May 19, 2008

THANKS!!

I use the USB port on the front, so I never noticed that the model number is on the front as well. The front of my computer says PCV-RX850, the tag on the back ( which I was looking at) says, says PCV-7762

I'm wondering if they used different model numbers of the same computer for different retailers, so they could say " if you find the same model at a lower price we will refund the difference...."

thanks
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 11:35 AM on May 18, 2008

They are subject to code grabbing as others have mentioned above.

For the price of one of those keypad locks you can buy 3 or 4 decent keyed units and simply swap them out when ever you turn over tenants

If you really want to make your life easy, buy 4 good quality locks, have them all Master Keyed, NOT keyed-alike. that way your master key will work on any of the locks, but your tenants keys will be specific to the individual lock, so your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 10:54 AM on May 18, 2008

If you don't have a ton of stuff, you could rent your own Uhaul truck for a local move, cost you about $59 a day plus mileage. Hire movers to simply load the truck for you. then you drive it to the new house park it out front go to your closings and then have same or different movers come back that evening or next morning to unload from truck to new house
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 6:49 AM on May 16, 2008 marked best answer

In the US it's the postage class that matters, not the box/envelope . although many of the USPS tellers still don't understand this.

Also, be aware that items over 16 oz must be taken to a post office in person.

i think it's international items over 16 oz BEARING stamps that must be taken to the post office in person.

i ship internationally all the time through USPS, mostly 4lbs or less, and print my... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 6:41 AM on May 16, 2008

I don't know if it would interfere with the overall "look", but I think the most secure, no damaging, method would be also be the easiet.

Mirror clips. The little clear plastic, or metal clips that hold your surface mount bathroom mirror on the wall.

Depending on the overall weight of this piece, you could probably get away with using just 4 clips: 2 on the top, 2 on the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 3:00 AM on May 16, 2008

I don't know if you are in a position to do this or not, but here is an almost can't miss way to get some placement in smaller indepentant "mom and pop" type stores

Buy some racks, the standup spinning kind, or at least the counter top kind.

figure out how many card will fill it. ( let's say it's 20 pockets, each holds 10 cards = 200 total cards)

figure out how much you want to charge for the cards (let's say... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Mr_Chips at 11:25 AM on May 15, 2008