Ask MetaFilter posts by Meatbomb

screwy bullet lists

Meatbomb — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:11:49 -0800

Why do word processors screw up the size of bullets in bulleted lists? I initially thought it was a MSWord issue, but I see the same behaviour now that I am using Open Office as well. Is it a problem with the .doc format itself? In bulleted lists, I often end up with the first bullet being a different (larger) size than the rest of the list - and often no amount of screwing about fixes it.

So I guess my question has a few parts:

Why does this happen?
Is there an easy, bulletproof way to fix it when it does happen?
Is there anything left to live for? After half an hour trying to get my promo flyer looking right I am ready for a bullet to be inserted into my brain.
Is there a specific individual who can take the blame for this incredibly frustrating bug? What is his name and contact info?

What movie was this?

Meatbomb — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:26:32 -0800

Please ID this recent comedy: main character has a fantasy / nightmare in which his boss is schtupping his wife. That's all I can remember. The boss is also drinking coffee while humping, and giving the guy instructions about what he should do at work.

It was a fairly popular and fairly recent comedy, I think...

Please help, this is eating me alive.

How to get / view WWW stylesheets?

Meatbomb — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 02:33:03 -0800

How to quickly and easily view the CSS Stylesheet for a site on the Internet for home analysis and tinkering? I am trying to learn more about CSS, and would like to be able to examine the stylesheet for websites I like. I am hoping there is some easy plugin for Firefox, or some option I am not aware of.

Please help me?

Google always in English?

Meatbomb — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:51:32 -0800

How to avoid localized Google, forever and ever? I've tried so hard. But every time I move to a new location, my Google comes up in the local language. This is even with me signed in and recognized by Google. I am not talking about search results, I want to search all languages, I just want the menus and links on the front Google page to be non-localized.

How to set Google up such that it always knows 1) this laptop always wants to be fed English Google, and 2) This user, on any computer, always wants to be fed English Google?

NGO fundraising

Meatbomb — Sun, 18 May 2008 07:00:34 -0800

Chasing funding and attracting sponsors / donors for an NGO: European Union / Bulgarian / educational context. Please, teach me? My professional experience is as a teacher, teacher trainer, and trainer of trainers. Suddenly an opportunity has come up to lead a Bulgarian educational NGO. The partner I am going to be working with is a trusted friend and colleague, and his background is pretty much the same as mine.

We are very confident that we can successfully design and implement educational programmes, courses, projects, etc., which will be the core of this NGO's activities. The trick is quickly learning how to get the positive attention of donors, and make them fund our stuff. Neither of us has skills / experience in fundraising, submitting project proposals, winning project grants, and in general chasing / securing funding for the work we want to do.

I know there are a lot of Mefites out there with this kind of background. Any advice, links, ideas, places to search to help us hit the ground running and make our NGO a success would be much appreciated.

How does a laborer from the Third World get legitimate work abroad?

Meatbomb — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:53:55 -0800

How does a laborer from the Third World get legitimate work abroad? I have often seen groups of Chinese and other laborers at airports, in big batches, off to work as a team in foreign lands. One Uzbek guy I met once in a similar deal explained it was all organized by the employer, who specialized in this kind of bulk foreign labor.

I have a guy here in Afghanistan who would really like to get out. I am trying to convince him not to rely on shady cash-up-front offers and other ripoffs. It would be great if I could point him to something legitimate that could help him out.

Any ideas, anyone?

Who is the woman in Moby's "Disco Lies" video?

Meatbomb — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:38:55 -0800

Who is the woman in Moby's "Disco Lies" video? Is she the real vocalist?
What's her name?
What else has she done?

Canada customs siezed my laptop.

Meatbomb — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:58:29 -0800

Please: recommend a lawyer in Vancouver, BC? I am in sudden need of trusted legal advice, connected to seizure of laptop by Canadian customs for "verification of contents".

Although I am not a terrorist or pedophile, having them go through all my stuff with a fine tooth comb freaks me out - who knows what they'll find, and what they would feel is enough justification to permanently confiscate the machine and / or press charges? This totally sucks, I need a lawyer right now.

Looking for a lawyer, but with no clue who to trust as I have no previous dealings in this area, and can't even define exactly what area of law / specialty I need here... I hope that some MeFite local to BC can suggest a trusted lawyer person who can help me, or at least point me in the right direction as to where to look.

Email in profile if you wish to speak privately.

Advise me regarding my expensive laptop purchase.

Meatbomb — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:09:23 -0800

I'm going to buy a really expensive laptop, and I'm scared. I would love it if some experienced MeFi computer experts held my hand a little bit. So, I have set my mind on this: Sager NP9262. All the reviews I read tell me it is the super excellentest most powerful laptop I can get, and that makes me happy.

I need to be able to edit and produce movies, use photoshop, play the newest games, etc. As I am fairly mobile, this is to be my one main machine.

Here are the things I would really like someone more experienced with computers to advise me on:

1. Heat issues. The laptop I have now was also a "newest, bestest" type machine when I bought it (Acer Aspire 1800) and it ended up being a real disappointment. It constantly overheats and shuts down - I guess the higher end graphics / processor just weren't meant for the chassis it was crammed into. The reviews for the Sager say this isn't an issue, but I intend to buy the newest bestest processor (quad 6700 2.66gHz) which is desktop hardware, and the dual SLi nVidia 8800Gtx, which is also the biggest / newest, and not even available yet. This is freaking me out, because if I get another expensive disappointing white elephant that has constant heat issues I'll be so super choked. Please reassure me this will all be OK?

2. Vista. If I want to get 4GB ram, I need 64bit Vista. I am sure I don't have to do it like this, but I want an out of the box solution, I am not proficient enough to hunt down XP 64 bit drivers, etc, etc. But I swore I wouldn't get a machine with Vista, and it still seems like the wrong thing to do... But if I do make the plunge, won't it get ongoing service packs, and just get better and better while XP gradually becomes less serviced? DX10 is only for Vista, am I just getting sucked into Microsoft hype thinking to have this OS on my super excellent new machine?

3. The dual SLi graphics cards. They are supposedly "user upgradeable", so I can get the machine now and later put the second one in myself. The current delay is due to issues creating the new SLi drivers for the nVidia 8800gtx. Am I retarded to just trust that this will all work out, and that this SLi setup will indeed become available, and that I'll be able to upgrade myself?

Sorry for the length. I hope any of you out there can offer me some useful guidance.

And if you see issues / red flags I haven't considered, I am all ears. thanks in advance.

Why so many Indians at Niagara Falls?

Meatbomb — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:31:43 -0800

Is there some special historical / cultural reason that (South Asian) Indians are really big on Niagara Falls? When I was there this summer I was really surprised by the number of Indian tourists there. I swear, it must have been at least 10-15% Indians (my woman says it was 90%), and not just local resident-looking Indians, I mean people in saris that look like they had just stepped off the plane from Delhi / Mumbai / Calcutta. Big multi-generational family groups, kids, teens, adults...

So, I figure that there are a few possibilities:
1) I happened to be there coincidentally on the same day that some massive tour group from India was also passing through;
2) There is a huge Indian community somewhere near Buffalo that I am unaware of;
3) (this is the one I really hope is true!) There is some special cultural reason that Indians love / want to see Niagara falls. Maybe similar to the Japanese with Anne of Green Gables, they all read about it in school? Or there is some spiritual Hindu thing about seeing a huge waterfall? Or some other special reason?

Anyone who can shed some light on this, I thank you in advance!