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hypertext (100 unread)

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Decompiling a data file

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 1:25pm PDT by rolypolyman

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I am trying to reverse-engineer a data file comprised of various integers, strings, floats, and so on. Is there a good Windows tool that will help me group the records and start picking the fields apart? I'd rather not try this in a plain vanilla hex editor.
Good discussion board software?

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 1:20pm PDT by frykitty

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Looking for good web-based discussion board software. I'm currently using Vanilla, but it's difficult to manage, and a little too beta for my needs. Which are:
- Easy applicant approval and management.
- Easy pruning.
- Good compatability with a variety of browsers.
The board will have a lot of volume when the time comes, and the users will have a wide range of computer skill-levels.

I've used YaBB, which is decent but I'd love to hear it if there's something better. PhpBB is kludgy to manage.

Free is good, but at this point I'm willing to shell out a little if necessary.
iPod and iTunes: balancing the books

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 1:12pm PDT by vkxmai

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I have 90GB of mp3s on a hard drive and 27GB of mp3s on my 5th generation iPod. How do I determine which songs on my iPod are already present in my 90GB library, and which ones aren't, using a smart playlist? I read this thread: http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/34763 but really didn't find what I was looking for. Many of the songs on my iPod were there before I got my mbp and before I put all of my music into one library using iTunes.

I would like to find out which songs are only on my iPod so I can back them up to a hard drive and then use smart playlists and sync to safely manage the contents of the iPod.
Pimp my Huffy bicycle

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 1:11pm PDT by bjork24

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My wife and I have really started to get into bike riding lately - nothing extreme or long distance, just urban riding (10 miles or less). I have an old Huffy multi-speed that I'd like to dismantle, clean up, and repaint, but I don't know the first thing about bicycle maintenance and dis/assembly. Help! I could take it to the local bike shop down the road, but I'm a very DIY type of guy, so I'd much rather learn to do it myself. Could anyone point me towards some good online resources for newbie bikers (tips on maintenance, customizing, painting, etc.)? Gracias amigos!

kottke.org remaindered links

Kevin Smith's report from the Cannes Film Festival, where Clerks II got an 8-minute standing ovation

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 12:45pm PDT by jkottke

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Kevin Smith's report from the Cannes Film Festival, where Clerks II got an 8-minute standing ovation. Harvey Weinstein: "In my thirty years of coming here, I've never seen a standing ovation last that long at a midnight show in Cannes. Ever."

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How Much Is A Picture Worth?

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 12:05pm PDT by cjw333

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How much is a picture worth? I recently received an e-mail from a well known publisher of travel books. The e-mail was inquiring about a picture that I took that they would like to use for an upcoming publication. The publication will run for 2 years with an estimated print run of 50,000 copies. One of the questions asked is how much I would charge for them to use my picture. I am not a professional photographer so I have no idea how much I should charge. Some ideas or a point in the right direction would be appreciated.
Folk/Bluegrass/Country songs that tell stories?

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 12:01pm PDT by jdroth

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What a surprise: I'm working on another music mix and would like suggestions. This mix features folk/bluegrass/country songs that tell stories. The less production, the less instrumentation, the more acoustic the better. Songs like Kenn Roger's "The Gambler"? Too produced. I'm looking for vocals and a little bit of instrumentation.

The inspiration for this mix was "Coyotes" by Don Edwards [iTMS] (which can be heard in Grizzly Man).

Other songs that fit the bill include "Cold Missouri Waters" by Cry Cry Cry [iTMS]; Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush" performed by Dolly, Emmylou, and Linda [iTMS]; the acoustic version of "Dead Man's Hill" by Indigo Girls [iTMS of original version]; "Mama's Opry" by Iris DeMent [iTMS]; and so on. Not all the songs have to tell stories. I have Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" [iTMS] and Dolly Parton's re-make of "Seven Bridges Road" [iTMS] in the mix at the moment. And Dixie Chicks' "Travelin' Soldier" [iTMS].

So far this mix tends toward the somber, but that's certainly not a requirement. What do you say, Mefites? Can you help a fellow find similar songs?

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WEP key as living room artwork

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 11:51am PDT

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[via]

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Any (lab) test? We're so discreet, we even use parentheses.

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 10:58am PDT by tegoo

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Billboards around town offer the service of "Any (lab) test." The companies offering the service vary, but they all include the word "lab" in parentheses. Why the consistent parenthetical? The service wouldn't really make sense without the parentheses, would it?
Connecting to VPN and Internet at the same time

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 10:52am PDT by Sharcho

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VPN on Windows 2000: I need to connect to both the VPN and the Internet at the same time. I need some IP addresses to go through the VPN, and others to go through my router's gateway. I need to access the following IP addresses through the VPN:
192.168.10.*, 192.168.20.*, 222.111.55.111
And I want to access everything else through my router's gateway (192.168.1.254).

I tried unchecking the "Use default gateway on remote network" option on the advanced TCP/IP setting of the VPN connection, but after I do that I can't access anything on the VPN.
Daily MT blog post for del.icio.us links with one specific tag

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 10:44am PDT by bevedog

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How do I get a daily post to my Movable Type 3.2 blog of my del.icio.us links with one particular tag? I know how to set up a daily post of all my del.icio.us links using the "daily blog post" in the del.icio.us settings (instructions are at Common Craft if you are interested), but can't figure out how to limit that to links with one specific tag.

Right now, for my blog, See Also..., I tag some of my del.icio.us links with "see_also," then use the del.icio.us linkrolls to display just those items tagged "see_also" in a sidebar on my blog. Then I use FeedBurner's Link Splicer to insert those same items to my RSS feed as a daily feed item.

This works OK, but I'd prefer to have them show up as a bona fide blog entry, integrating those links with my blog archives, allowing comments on those posts, allowing me to axe the sidebar, etc. I'm not prepared to switch from either MT or del.icio.us.
Getting new job but have kid issues

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 10:13am PDT by workinprogress

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I have recently been offered a position with a new company. I have kid issues... read on... My issue is that my partner has a child that has to be dropped off every 15 days, three hours away for visitation with the child's father. From time to time I alone do the dropping off if my partner is working late. It was not a problem with my previous job as I would come in early on that Friday, not take a lunch and leave an hour early. No one was checking up on me as the supervisor was very lax. I plan to do the same thing at this new job but would like to let the HR person know. I don't want this new company to see the child as a hindrance. I am very much involved in every aspect of the child's life with my partner. How do I tell the HR guy about this situation? I do not want to disclose that I am gay (I don't think it's anyone's business) and I'm afraid if I say he is not really my child then they will think I should not be able to get out an hour early on Fridays every 15 days to drop him off. What is the best way to handle this?
Suggestions for a Berkshires vacation.

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 9:46am PDT by alexmikayla

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Vacationing in the Berkshires this summer... My husband and I will be vacationing in the Berkshires this summer and need suggestions on what to do, where to eat, etc.

We love coffee, microwbrews, architecture and nature.

We actually were thinking of heading into New Hampshire and Vermont too because we will be in the Berkshires for 8 days. So, anything within a 2 to 3 hour radius is fine.

Any suggestions would be helpful.
Anyone remember this toy from the 80s?

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 9:37am PDT by Wild_Eep

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Help a geek find a long-lost favorite childhood storybook/gadget. Fisher-Price made a series of storybooks and upon every page were small (yellow?) discs. There was a battery-operated device you'd place over the discs, and the device (through a kinematic inversion, the head would spin around and around over the stationary disc/page) would play the discs like a record. The pages were laminated (I think) and bound with a 'comb binding'. IIRC, it was called the 'Read-To-Me player'. I must've had 3 or 4 of these books (and the player) and I'd love to find some pictures, or better yet, one for sale. This would've been in the early 80's, or at least, that's when I played with it. I think one of the books was a Disney story of some kind.

L'il help?
A question of zeppelins

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 9:16am PDT by DieHipsterDie

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Why is Hydrogen inflammable? And not Helium? What's in the chemical makeup of Hydrogen that makes in imflammable. How is it different than a gas like Helium or Nitrogen?

And why does gasoline go boom and not water?
What to do for 2 hours in Chicago

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 8:05am PDT by I_Love_Bananas

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Michigan Ave in two hours? I will be accompanying my son on a school trip to Chicago in a few weeks and have an allotted 2 hours on a Friday evening for free time/shopping on Michigan Avenue. (The rest of the trip is planned to the Nth degree.)

What are must-sees for my son and I during that span of time? He's ten and has never been to a big city before.
i love bagels.

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 7:10am PDT by klwatts

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I work odd hours. I wake up at 4am, work in a warehouse doing physical work for 5 hours, go home rest for a few hours, then suit up for a 7 hour shift (15:00 - 22:00) as a security guard doing primarily stationary work. Because of the long hours my meal schedule is quite irregular and I usually over eat or binge eat. Any ideas on how I can start regulating my meals? A few years ago I lost 150lbs and since I started working two jobs I have gained back about 10-15lbs. I am horribly scared that I will gain all of the weight back and return to my old self. Any help would be appreciated.
oops....

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 6:00am PDT by pompomtom

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So I've just deleted a bunch of files which were held on an Ubuntu server, from my XP laptop, via a Samba share. Is there any way to retrieve them?

A Whole Lotta Nothing

links for 2006-05-27

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 4:06am PDT

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- HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource - TUTORIAL: tether your motorola/nokia/se phone to your mac with via BT! handy step-by-step to getting your nokia and sony bluetooth phones talking to your mac and being used as a wireless modem (tags: utilities bluetooth osx)

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How much is my iPod worth?

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 2:43am PDT by Four-Eyed Girl

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I plan on upgrading to a larger memory iPod, and I want to sell my 4th generation 20G iPod, but I don't know how much it's worth. My iPod is a simple click wheel with a black & white screen. It's doesn't play videos or accept photos. I've still got the original headphones (never used), the charger, and the thing that hooks it up to the computer. I've also got the Apple Care protection plan that I purchased earlier this year. I've had the iPod for a year & a half.

I know someone who wants to buy it, but I don't know how much to charge. I've checked eBay & numerous other places to find out how much I should charge, but the range of prices is very wide. I'd really appreciate any advice y'all can give on this matter.

Waxy.org Links

Doug Bowman hired by Google

Posted: May 27th, 2006, 2:13am PDT

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big congrats to both
Cory Doctorow on O'Reilly's "Web 2.0" trademark

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:40am PDT

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by encouraging ubiquity of the "Web 2.0" meme, O'Reilly diluted the proprietary meaning of the mark
Video: Gnarls Barkley on Conan O'Brien

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:18am PDT

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electric performance; could they have been honoring Towel Day a day early?

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shittorrents

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:09am PDT by wfrgms

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Some of my bittorrents are stuck at 99.X% I have three bittorrents which are stuck. One is at 91.75% - and I think the seeder is dead... so I'm not so concerned about that one. The other two are stuck at 99.74% and 99.98%. I've read that a few different factors can cause torrents to behave this way including changed files, ratios, etc.

I've asked the seeders to reseed with no luck. Is there anything I can do with these torrents other than delete them? (Together they make up over six gigabytes and have been downloading for weeks... months even...)

My client is Shareaza.
Where can I find the John Basedow theme song online?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 12:46am PDT by spiderskull

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I'm shocked, horrified, and absolutely appalled that several people I know and love have not seen the John Basedow commercial featuring his new theme song. Where can I find this video or audio clip? The lyrics are, and I quote:

He's John Basedow.
He's gonna show you how
To reach your potential
And turn your whole life around

Fitness made simple!

The emphasis is on the song. Everytime I sing it, I'm met with confusion -- I'd like to rectify this situation, but my Google-fu is falling short.
My computer beeps continuously. What's happening?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 12:09am PDT by mordecai

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I noticed my computer starting to beep often about 2 years ago (I think) even when I'm just browsing the Inkernet. I have a feeling that's not normal. I'm on Pentium 4, 2.4Ghz system with 512MB of RAM. My motherboard is Asus P4PE. You can listen to the beeps here. I was scrolling up and down a page on AskMeFi when I recorded that.

When I'm doing something a little more CPU intensive (working on Photoshop, for eg) the beeping is more frequent. When I'm trying to edit a video, it progresses into a symphony.

I didn't pay much attention to the beeping all these years but now I'm quite concerned. Please help!

kottke.org remaindered links

"Web 2.OH, YEAAHH!!" tshirts...drink the Kool-Aid!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:57pm PDT by jkottke

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"Web 2.OH, YEAAHH!!" tshirts...drink the Kool-Aid!

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What do we need to See & Do in Newfoundland, the Gaspe Peninsula, & New Brunswick?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:53pm PDT by thebarron

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What are the "must see" places and "must do" activities when the wife and I visit Newfoundland, the Gaspe Peninsula, New Brunswick & possibly Nova Scotia in mid-July? If you have ideas for quaint, clean and reasonable places to stay that will provide lasting, fond memories, please suggest those too. If you have photos to post or link to, you receive bonus points! The trip will begin & end in Boston.
Severe weather = severe headaches?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:53pm PDT by aletheia

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Just before heavy rain/thunderstorms (especially so if lightning is involved) I get incredibly lethargic, fall in and out of sleep, get severe headaches, become panicky and restless and then after the whole spectacle is over, the horrible state I'm in vanishes. Why does this happen, and is there is a good way to treat/prevent it?
What are the odds that I'm such a loser?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:47pm PDT by TonyRobots

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Probability filter: How do you determine the odds of being extremely unlucky? I know I've seen this explained, but my google-fu fails me, as does my brute-force mathematical figuring. Here's my problem -- if there's a game in which you're supposed to win 12% of the time, what are the odds that after 150 plays you only win 3 times (i.e. 2% of the time)?
Good, basic HTML tutorial?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:25pm PDT by stefnet

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What is the best (preferably online) tutorial for teaching the basics of HTML (and CSS, although that's not as necessary)? I need to turn over a site that I redesigned to someone who has no knowledge of HTML or anything remotely website-related.* I'm having a heck of a time finding a decent tutorial site online. Many seem out-of-date (as in broken links), but I also feel that I can't adequately tell if it will go over the person's head or not. Do any of you have any recommendations for tutorials that have worked well for you in similar situations? I will only have phone/email contact with this person over the summer, otherwise I would just sit them down myself. Since I can't do that, I'd like to get the person up and running with the basics before explaining the parts of the site that need to be updated regularly.

Also, reworking the site with some sort of CMS is not an option (although it would solve some problems) as that would still require some sort of maintenance and, more importantly, the school's server isn't friendly to such things.

* It's a graduate student organization website and those with such knowledge are few and far between in my field, or so it seems.
How do you keep teeth out of the way when giving a blow job?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:01pm PDT by mintchip

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Should you or shouldn't you cover your teeth with your lips when giving a blow job? Basically, I always used to put my lips around my teeth for protection, but then I had a boyfriend who said it was much better and softer to just let your lips hang loose and to use your tongue as protection from your lower lips. (This is also how the porn stars seem to do it.) I've tried doing it like that, but I'm just so worried I'll make one wrong move and hurt him. So the question is -- to cover the teeth with my lips or not?? Which feels better? If you don't cover your teeth, how can you know that they won't get in the way--painfully!
Toronto Access Training Recommendations?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 9:35pm PDT by strangelove

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Nature abhors a vacuum; thus I need Access training in the Toronto/GTA area, any recommendations? Can anyone recommend any creditable Access training courses/programmes near Downtown Toronto or Woodbine Centre (or anywhere in between) area that offers study from basic to advance levels for a single person who wants to get knee deep in Access quickly? Resons for the recommendation would be great as well.
Thank you
Memorization/self-quiz software

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 8:30pm PDT by sherlockt

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Does anyone know of good computer software for general memorization? When I approach a topic or realm of information, I find that I am a "top-down" learner - I need to master the big picture first before I can remember all the little details. I'm looking for a software program that can aid this process. . .specifically, something where I can enter an outline and be quizzed on the major points or subpoints. For example, if I were to learn about physiology, I would want something where I can put the names of the major systems, then subsystems, and so on. Then the software would quiz me at a high level ("what are the major body systems") and at a lower detail level (name the major areas of the brain) and so on down through levels of detail. Has anyone ever seen anything like this?
Beetles are too cute to have dings!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 8:00pm PDT by ferociouskitty

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At-home autobody: Does anyone have experience with the ding king dent repair kit or anything similar? I got two small (less than quarter-sized) dings in my less-than-one-month-old (to me) car that are making me quite sad. Do they work? Is it relatively easy? Should I just pay the (insert large amount of cash here) and forget about trying to do it myself?
Beginning Film Hopeful

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 6:08pm PDT by theholotrope

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Where should I start for film directing? A friend of mine is interested in learning film and asked me if I knew where he could get some resources for that. I thought I'd ask you guys. From what I understand, he is not doing this as a career. He likes it and would like it to be a rich experience as a hobby and maybe as a semi-pro. Here is his question:

"Im interested in learning film directing. Never studied this, never
practiced it, but, I have always had this on mind. I would like to know :

-where to read about introduction to film directing.
-what skills are needed to start this journey.
-necessary equipment for beginners (cameras, computer)

These are the main things I'm searching on.

The most I've done in this matter is taped some 2 or 3 trips to asia, and
south america, edited them in Imovie, and started to use Final Cut Express.
I like editing and filming."
Appalachain Trail (Nantahala) guidance?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:46pm PDT by jruckman

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A group of my friends and I are looking to hike the first leg of the Nantahala area AT this weekend, and can't figure out where to park and enter. We would like to use the Cold Spring Shelter. I've read over this information, but can't understand what specific location on the river it is using for "miles from the Nantahala River", so as to determine where the shelter is located and where to enter. Does anyone have any idea? Any help is welcome.

If not, I'm absolutely open to other hiking and camping recommendations in the Jackson/Macon/Swain county area. We're going from Sunday to Tuesday morning, and a shelter is not necessarily required -- we have tents.

Waxy.org Links

Websites as Graphs

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:46pm PDT

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or try the visualization yourself with any site

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hungry!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:41pm PDT by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel

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What should I eat? I am always either at work or in class or running around and not being at home. I've recently realized that this leads to poor eating habits like going 12+ hours without a meal then eating too much and feeling like I can't move.

I am almost never near a microwave or refrigerator, I don't like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or other overly sweet foods, I eat mainly vegetarian.

What kind of food can I just throw in my purse and eat during the day without any heating or cooling or preparing and have it still be at least vaguely healthy? I like Larabars but after a week of a mainly Larabar diet I get Larabar-ed out.
Wireless-less

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:57pm PDT by Packy_1962

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Can I connect to my wireless internet? I live in an apartment with wireless DSL already set up and used by a mac, but I started trying to use my Windows machine with it, and it's not working. It's a wanadoo thingy with the service provided through France telecom. The signal is perfect, but everytime I try to connect I get the limited/no connectivity message. A physical address, IP address, subnet mask value are all assigned, but it gets held up at the default gateway. I don't know what a default gateway is. Our mac laptop is at the shop so I can't tell if the wireless network is working period. I don't know anything about networking, and all the manuals are in a foreign language. Please help!

MetaFilter

The Dark Side in the War on Drugs.

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:53pm PDT by Elim

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Caught on Tape: US cops torture US citizen
I know! News Filter, and Old news, but I guess it is relevant to all the torture and abuse being allowed to folks under the veil of authority.

"When Tennessee law enforcement officials showed up at the home of Lester Siler, who they suspected of drug use, they asked Lester's wife and son to leave. They didn't know that Lester's wife had turned on a tape recorder in the kitchen. "

Direct link to the Streaming MP3 (40 Mins till the tape ran out, the actual "visit" lasted two hours. And then we find out what unrestrained authority can and will do if allowed. Google "Lester Siler" for further local and blog coverage of this story.
Calvin and Hobbes

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:49pm PDT by afu

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Calvin and Hobbes

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How to develop for Mac and PC

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:39pm PDT by Turtles all the way down

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How do I get a cross platform (Mac/PC) application developed? I've previously written an application using the scripting language of a cross platform database program. For various reasons it's getting difficult to continue down that path so now I'm thinking of raising some money to hire some 'real' programmers to do it right. What I can see right away as a problem is the market for this application is about 60%/40% Windows/Mac and I don't want to ignore either platform. So what do I do--develop it for one OS and port it to the other? Should I use something like Java? Any advice on this specific issue as well as on the other pitfalls that doubtless await me will be most appreciated.
Light-weight image browser?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:34pm PDT by Korou

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A year or so ago, I happened across a single php file I could drop in a website directory which then enabled the browsing of image files in said directory. I have since forgotten its name. What is this application or any simple, light-weight image directory browser?
Movie characters who chase lost loves?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:33pm PDT by soiled cowboy

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Trying to think of movies in which the main story concerns a character trying to win back a lost love. For example: Gene Hackman attempts to re-woo his estranged wife in "The Royal Tenenbaums". Julia Roberts goes for her ex in "My Best Friend's Wedding". Any more?
How concerned should I be about email/net privacy?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:03pm PDT by TetrisKid

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How concerned should I be about email/net privacy? I caught a History Channel special on codes last night and the latter portion dealt with modern encryption and PGP. It got me thinkin', with all the recent NSA news (not to mention other devious interweb dwellers) how should I protect myself?

Or should I worry about it at all? Any tips or personal methods would be appreciated.
What's this odd computer noise.

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:49pm PDT by irregardless

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Help me identify this odd computer noise. I have a Shuttle XPC SN41G (AMD Athlon XP 2000+, 1.66 GHz, 1G RAM) which has been making vroom-VROOM noises for the past few weeks (imagine someone revving an engine, only inside the computer). This is a similar noise to when the computer first boots up. It will vroom-VROOM once or twice in a row, then quiet down for a minute or two, then do it again. This noise occurs regardless of what I am doing on the computer (even when the system is idling). It's a fairly loud noise coming from my generally quiet-as-a-mouse computer.

1.) What is this noise?
2.) Should I be worried about it?

Note: We thought it may have been the CPU fan caught right at the temperature level at which it turns on (causing it to turn on and off for short periods of time) but using CMOS to adjust the temperature at which the fan kicks in seems to have no effect on the noise.
Big AND Tall

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:36pm PDT by Megafly

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Can you Help a Big Fat guy find his Ideal weight? I am 6'9" (205 cm) and none of the charts go that high. Additionally, if anybody has any suggestions as to where I can buy a scale that goes over 400 lbs (181 kilos) so I can track my weight I would me much appreciative.
Wallpaper stripping help!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:28pm PDT by fabesfaves

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Can anyone give me wallpaper stripping/removal tips? My fiance and I just purchased a home (built in 1988) that is pretty much covered in wallpaper. And we hate it. I've heard the process is torturous. Help!

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Thomas Henry Huxley and Matthew Arnold on Classics

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:25pm PDT by dios

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In 1875, Josiah Mason gave a gift to establish a college which was called the Mason Science College (now a part of the University of Birmingham). Within the terms of the gift to the institutuion, one of the stipulations was that classics not be taught. Of course at such an institution, the Founder Day's address was logically given by Thomas Henry Huxley on the place of Science in Education. Huxley preached the virtues of science and derisively dismissed all value in studying classics, and he wondered whether any rational person would choose to study classics over science. His conclusion was that the only people who would choose a study of classics are those like "that Levite of culture" Matthew Arnold. Arnold took the opportunity to respond to his friend. In his reply, Arnold acknowledged that nobody would expect him to engage Huxley in a debate about science, and though he wouldn't presume to take on Huxley in such a debate, he did want to mention something that struck him as he thumbed through a book of Huxley's friend. Arnold noted that he was struck by the idea that "our ancestor was a hairy quadruped furnished with a tail and pointed ears, probably arboreal in his habits." Arnold acknowledged that he isn't a scientist and therefore doesn't dispute such a claim, but he did want to point out that even if that were true, with regards to this good fellow, there must have been a necessity in him that inclined him to Greek. And would always incline him to Greek. After all, we got there, didn't we?
take THAT Montgomery Ward!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:18pm PDT by tweak

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The Zobo! Spanish-American Chess Men! Where can you find these amazing products, including Sanitary Belt Pads the Toilet Mask, or a handy goat harness, at amazing, rockbottom prices? The Sears, Roebuck Catalog, of course. Everything you could need for the modern American family! They did houses (1, 2) even. Starting in 1888 and mostly selling watches, this venerable institution of consumerism spent its first 10 years rapidly growing and adding products, lasting for over 100 years before finally folding in 1993. The catalog still stands as a detailed historical document of what the average American would buy to get through life. They make a fun collector's item, too (1902 available on CD-ROM as well). [ This post inspired by the 1902 Sears, Roebuck Catalog blog. ]

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a little base goes a long way

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:08pm PDT by crewshell

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What is the best sub woofer system for my car for circa 250 bucks (willing to go up to 300 probably). All in ones are welcome, but I hear bad things about the bass tubes.. All wiring is already installed and I get free hook up of the sub. Flash Back: Last Oct I bought an RX8 (from imput here, thanks ask.) and I decided to get new speakers and a bass link sub in the truck. I bought from Circuit City and had them install (hey, dumb I know, it was on impulse) and I opted for the 27 dollar insurance for the bass link self enclosed and amped sub... well it shorted on on me.. They can't fix it, they no longer sell it and I get store credit. I get free installation - have all the wiring for an amp and have the speaker lines running off of the two rear speakers... Can I get a 10 inch sub, small amp, and encloser for circa 250 that wont completed SUCK. I dont need alot of bass, just enough to fill out the sound. The basslink was perfect but its gone and only a few stores have any bass link 2's left and they are 100 more..

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Ayahuasca

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:05pm PDT by homunculus

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Hell and Back: "Deep in the Amazon jungle, writer Kira Salak tests ayahuasca, a shamanistic medicinal ritual, and finds a terrifying—but enlightening—world within." Interesting tale found via this interview with Charles Grob on the potential therapeutic uses of psychedelics. The legal status of ayahuasca in the US was recently discussed here.

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Help me help a group read feeds

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:03pm PDT by mikel

Tags: [edit]

I have a gig helping someone get up to speed developing marketing capacity for a startup, and one of the first things that we're going to do is make sure good info is coming IN to the company. Please help me figure out the best tools to use! One of the tactics we're pursuing is to help ensure that the execs have good information coming in regularly from the WWW using RSS/Atom feeds. I want to deliver a quick-and-loose implementation as quickly as possible.

So, what I have come up with is very simple - get everyone to install FeedDemon, import a pre-populated OPML file that includes a) some Technorati tag feeds, b) a Del.icio.us feed that each of the group can bookmark to (this will then become a distribution loop)., and c) a bunch of other RSS feeds that are relevant.

The downside is that with this system, updates or wholesale changes to each person's feed list will be difficult. Down the road I want to install a Scuttle-type system and maybe something like PlanetPlanet behind the firewall to accomplish the same thing in a much more interactive way.

What else can/should I include to do this effectively? Any way I can easily accommodate changes to the shared list coming from any individual participant?
This Old Mac: Recovering Butler SQL admin password

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:35pm PDT by spock

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Antique Mac/Butler SQL question. (System 7.6) Recovering or resetting the Butler SQL admin password. I'm an admin for a small university and I inherited an old, old Mac (running OS 7.6) that has one database and query still in use. It is using a Tango query (via a WebSTAR plug-in) to a Butler SQL database. I want to export the db so I can get a similar application running on a modern machine (probably using php/mysql) but I need the data in the existing database. To get into Butler SQL (v 2.0.2) it wants an Admin password, which I did not receive and can't be found anywhere in the documentation that I have. Can anyone tell me how to recover or reset the Admin password for Butler SQL? If you know someone that used to work for Everyware, please pass this question on!
Do I give the wife an old GF's jewelry?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:29pm PDT by JimBobNoPants

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About 15 years ago, I gave the GF a pair of diamond earrings. Nothing grand ? we were both young and poor ? about 5/8 carat. When I found out she was cheating, I demanded them back (among other things). Flash forward 15 years ? I am now married (to someone else obviously), and just came across the long forgotten earrings in an old box. Do I give them to the wife - with or without their history? Do I tell her the story and let her make up her mind? I have thought about using the stones and have different jewelry made for her, but have heard that can be several times the cost of the original jewelry.

Really no insecurities about the old GF by either of us. They are just a pair of earrings to me, but don't know if its tacky to give them to the wife. Any thoughts?
looking for a movie illustration...

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:27pm PDT by rubberfish

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help me find movie or TV scenes that vividly depict the cult of individuality OR the scary nature of fake / plastic ["i drank the cool-aid"] community... looking for scenes [not whole movies, necessarily] that depict the forced individual nature of popular culture [it's all about ME], OR the intense, plastic, fake community that makes us all fall into line without questions, but still believe it's for our own good. the scenes can be funny [the cheer-ocracy from "bring it on"] or serious ["the king does what he needs" from mystic river].
bonus points if you can give reference of specifically where it shows up in the movie, or what episode of the show it is in...
Quicken and Bank of America

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:24pm PDT by curiousleo

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Quicken and Bank of America Business users? This may be too specific... but here goes.

I have Quicken Home and Business Premiere 2006 and Bank of America business checking/saving/credit card account.

It is hard enough to manually download transactions for each accounts... but.. it is also confusing.

For some reason say my business credit card account 0001 is connected to Corporation account 0002.

It seems that this is standard practice for bank of america's business customers.

All my credit card 0001 payments seems to go to Corporation account 0002 and in turn it transfers the payment to credit card account 0001.

When I download both account's activities to quicken...
they are not connected like the BofA web site...

Corp 0002 account transactions only show payments...

Card 0001 account transactions only the spendings.

How should I set this up in Quicken.. so I get correct calculations and reports...???

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Indiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:17pm PDT

Tags: [edit]

fan-made Scumm game in the style of the old Lucasarts games; start the countdown to C&D [via]

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Active Directory (LDAP) + Linux = passwords?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:11pm PDT by Mozai

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Where do I find doccos that tell me how to authenticate my PAM-capable unix boxen against Microsoft's Active Directory? Microsoft says "well, just upgrade your 2003 Server Enterprise to 2003 Server Enterprise R2 !" which sounds like paying >$10,000 just so I can get a couple-hundred byte snap-in for AD.

I've seen very little documentation on this, although I'd think it would be very popular in a hetrogenous office network. You've already got a Domain Controller, running Active Directory, that everyone's workstation authorizes against. You've got a farm of Linux machines that can do the pam_ldap thing, and Active Directory speaks LDAP. However, just pointing pam_ldap at AD doesn't work because AD is missing stuff.
IDing a picture

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:01pm PDT by drezdn

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Does anyone know where this image comes from?
Jump!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:41pm PDT by aeighty

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Help me jump over a bar (superman-like), land on the ground and roll. Without hurting myself. So, for my martial arts class, I gotta jump over a bar that's going to be about 1 meter (3') off the ground. I have to jump forward, land, roll and get up. Unfortunately, I hate leaving the ground. Last time I tried something like that I destroyed my shoulder. I'm restarting my attempts. I figure I'm going to start at about 6" off the ground and progressively bring the bar higher. I've also briefly thought about joining a gymnastics gym of some sort.

Anyway, I'd like to hear some suggestions on whether my method is viable or possible alternatives. Thanks in advance.

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"Kindly direct me to hell."

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:36pm PDT by kirkaracha

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"That goddamn bitch Dorothy Parker...You won't believe what she's done." Lillian Hellman and Dorothy Parker were best friends forever until Ms. Parker pissed Ms. Hellman off by leaving her estate to Martin Luther King, Jr., instead of to Ms. Hellman. Which might explain why Ms. Parker's remains went missing. [more inside; via]

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Help me make my dream bag.

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:34pm PDT by Alison

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What are the best, most useful, most ingenious backpack/messenger bag features you've ever seen? I'm planning on making my own backpack/messenger bag with convertible straps. I'll use it sometimes for commuting, but mainly as an under seat carry-on for long distance travel. It will carry a laptop (which will have its own sleeve) and a few other small items.

Since it will be a custom job, I plan on adding all the useful features I can. I thought I would ask my fellow AskMefites if they have any bag features that they can't live without. Do you have a bag with super comfy straps? Does it have some kind of pocket that you can't live without? Are there special flaps to keep out the rain? Do those little metal feet at the bottom of some bags really matter? What kinds of materials are resilient enough to put up with lots of abuse? Any ideas about compartments for carrying snacks that won't get squished? I need descriptions, links and (especially) pictures.

I have lots of leather, canvas and vinyl and I have the parts to add a lighting system. I'm also experimenting with ways to stiffen the back so I can use it like a desk and adding a pillow to the front flap for naps. Other than that, I'm stumped. Any input or ideas would be welcome.

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the broken laptop i sold on ebay

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:30pm PDT

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disgruntled buyer gets elaborate revenge by posting photos from seller's laptop hard drive [via]

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The fight continues against higher bills, bigger monopolies...

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:16pm PDT by Mr. Six

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Newsfilter: The US House Committee on the Judiciary today approved the Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act (HR 5417) in a vote of 20-12, helping to improve the provision of equal network service regardless of who receives it, without added surcharges, along with other antitrust measures. Carriers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon suggest no problem exists that requires this legislative solution, despite pushing their lobbyists hard to get Congress to enact opposing laws, and suggesting that prioritizing network traffic is required to develop newer products, such as high-definition video. Meanwhile, the FCC continues to encourage mergers while prices for telecommunications products continue to rise at rates manyfold higher than inflation, despite price gouging provisions enacted in the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

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Montreal Stag

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:10pm PDT by PWA_BadBoy

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I'm taking care of my buddy's stag in Montreal and we are looking to get him into the last trouble he will ever see for the rest of his life. Which strip clubs / bars / clubs would you recommend in Montreal to have a good time? I've searched the AskMe archives for Montreal but everything was about foot / siteseeing. Montreal is renowned as THE party city of Canada.

We don't have a ton of money to spend, but we aren't in the poor-house either. I'd say each of us is probably willing to spend around $100 (give or take) for a night out on the town.
Suggestions?
What law protects state secrets?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:05pm PDT by jackypaper

Tags: [edit]

What law, specifically, is violated if a government official discloses secret information? For example, if a CIA operative told his cousin about an operation that was supposed to be classified, which law is his guilty of breaking? I understand this is a matter related to treason, but our fictional operative isn't selling secrets to the enemy; he's just blabbering to a relative or friend. I assume this person could be jailed for their actions, but what, exactly, would the charge be? What code, law, or regulation prohibits this kind of loose talk?
bipolar ex

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:03pm PDT by magic74

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my ex gf who has bipolar recently packed up her things and left the state of Florida WITHOUT TELLING ME. She was apparently manic depressed etc and cut her hair. After two weeks I found out she eventually made it home with her parents. I supported emotionally and financially and boy was it crazy. And then my mom passed away and my ex wont even acknowledge the passing only to tell me that everything is my fault i ruined everything etc. She hates me for whatever reason and will not have contact. Are her actions ever forgivable if she ever calls me. Having no contact has been good because i need to figure out if i want to be a caretaker for the rest of my life....Any advice?
Return a digital camera because of a few stuck pixels?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:03pm PDT by drew3d

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Hot/stuck pixels in a new consumer-grade digital camera? Fact of life, or defect? I just got a Casio Exilim EX-Z750 from Costco. 7.2 megapixels. I like the camera, but right away I noticed 4 hot pixels/stuck pixels. These are pixels that are lit, even at fast shutter speeds (e.g. 1/60). They are always in the same spot on the photos. Note that these stuck pixels are in the photos themselves, NOT on the camera LCD display screen.

I am aware of all the ways to clean up hot pixels, and I am proficient with graphics software so that would be no problem. Scaling down the images with Photoshop blends them away. This is a consumer grade camera so it doesn't have any black frame subtraction features built in.

Should I return/exchange it? Are hot pixels a fact of life with consumer-grade high-megapixel cameras? What are the chances that I'll get one with more stuck pixels if I exchange it?

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30 Boxes adds event and feed mapper

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:02pm PDT

Tags: [edit]

nice implementation built on top of Upcoming and Dodgeball

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Bayou's booze: Help me choose

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 12:59pm PDT by staggernation

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What's a creative liquor or other alcoholic beverage to bring to a "Cajun/Creole" dinner party? It's tonight, so mail-order won't help.

The best I can come up with is Absolut Peppar...
Indentify this indie record

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 12:57pm PDT by cillit bang

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Need help identifying a recent-ish Kaiser Chiefs/Arctive Monkeys/Futureheads/etc nu-indie NME type record... The chorus goes
bingbongbingbongbingbongbingbong bingbong bingbong... my my.
bingbongbingbongbingbongbingbong bingbong bingbong... bye bye
Or something like that. Should be obvious if you know the song.
Inns Montreal this summer?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 12:57pm PDT by desuetude

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I'm looking into planning a trip to Montreal in late July and seek accommodation recommendations in the US$ 70-90 range. Not too difficult, right? But the room must have a private bathroom. Am open to suggestions for neighborhoods, but should be convenient (i.e. not outside of town.) Vastly prefer inns to big hotels. (I can't talk thre SO into shared bath, which is how I scored great B&Bs for cheap last time I was there.) Yep, I already bookmarked the suggestions from this thread., but give me more!

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Nine-minute Waxy widget

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 12:41pm PDT

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Mat uses Dashcode to built a complete Dashboard widget pulling my remote feed in nine minutes

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broken laptop

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 11:55am PDT by bluefin

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If you are going to sell a broken laptop on ebay, make sure you wipe the harddisk first (some photos NSFW)

kottke.org remaindered links

Feature request: per-domain JavaScript disabling

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 11:43am PDT by jkottke

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Feature request: per-domain JavaScript disabling. God yes, any more than one NY Times story up in Safari throws beach balls like crazy.

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Validating Van Riper

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:47am PDT by scalefree

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“You are not to use electronic communication or even land lines when communicating.” Remember the Millennium Challenge '02 wargames (previously discussed here)? To refresh your memory, Lt. Gen. Paul Van Riper (ret.), playing the part of the enemy, sank half the American fleet using a host of unconventional tactics including using motorcycle messengers to avoid radio interception. The embarrassed Pentagon game masters restarted the game & forced Van Riper to use more conventional tactics that guaranteed a win by the Good Guys. Well it looks like the Iraqi insurgents have picked up a play from Van Riper's book. Flyers are being distributed throughout Iraq urging fighters to stop using cellphones, landline phones & the Internet for communications because the US Army is intercepting them & tracking down the rebel cells. Score one for open source warfare. [via]

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Nehmen Sie meine Frau, bitte!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 7:13am PDT by madamjujujive

Tags: [edit]

Lost in translation. British Comedian Stewart Lee explores comedy in Germany and finds it stymied by the peculiarities of language and sentence construction. Mark Liberman at Language Log disagrees. And an extended essay by Josh Schonwald explores in greater depth how the German comedy scene is transitioning (PDF) from the more traditional kabernett to a burgeoning stand-up comedy scene, which is characterized by one observer as being in "the Bob Hope phase of comedy."

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Darling -the're playing our playlist!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 6:23am PDT by rongorongo

Tags: [edit]

Do you think you could choose a future partner purely on the basis of his or her music (or book) collection? Have any of you, in fact, ever done this? If so what were the deciding factors and did it work out? When I was a teenager I used to imagine that if I could find a girlfriend who shared the same obscure reading and listening tastes as me (at least I thought they were obscure - we lived in the sticks and this was pre-metafilter) we might live happily ever after. Like most people I suspect my real world relationships have been with partners who shared some of my choices and hated others.

But now that technology has bought us LastFm, Amazon Wishlists and myriad other tools for discovering a stranger via their artistic taste I was wondering if people were starting to use these to find a match.
How can a very pale person get a good tan?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 6:03am PDT by lazywhinerkid

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I want a quick, real tan but I'm pale...really pale. People need sun glasses when I take my shirt off to avoid the glare... (more paleness inside) I'm going to be in a Persian Gulf country for 24 hours (long story) with not much to do except chill at the beach in the sun. I really want to come home with as much of a tan as possible. Being so pale though, I don't tan, I usually just burn. Generally the sunburn turns into a tan after a week or so but I'm hoping to maximise my 20 hours in the sun and get as tanned but not burned as possible. (And no, I don't plan to spend all 20 hours in the sun!) Are there any products, etc. that might be of assistance? Any other advice? Cheers!
RSS reader needed to fight procrastination!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 6:00am PDT by Lotto

Tags: [edit]

What is the right RSS notifier for me? I don't know a lot about RSS, but have decided to have a dabble with it in the hope that it will stop me spending unneccesary time on the internet.

My ideal reader (correct terminology?) would work like this:

Desktop-based, not browser. I add a bunch of blogs etc to it, and when someone posts a new entry it pops up a notification (like the gmail notifier) telling me, and preferably can be configured to make a sound as well. I can then double click on the notification and have it open the blog in a browser window. If I'm away from my computer for a while and miss notifications, there would be something visible alerting me to them (like gmail notifier) and I could click that and see the list of new posts.

What I do not want is a reader which displays the text of the post in an email-like view - I want to read it in context on the initial page.

I've tried using this one but it doesn't seem to work very well - it continually notifies me of posts posted ages ago that I have already seen, making it impossible to know when a new entry has been posted. Also, it doesn't seem to have the option of a sound alert.

I'm running Windows XP, and although a free program would be preferable I would be willing to pay a bit if necessary. User-friendliness is a big bonus as I don't totally understand all of the techincal speak.

Thankyou!

(And before anyone says anything, yes I have read every single ask.mefi post tagged with RSS, and none of the readers mentioned in response seem to be what I want. If you disagree however, feel free to post it here.)
Name this song. I also have the song for you to listen to if you'd like to.

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:27am PDT by Orbitalmovment

Tags: [edit]

Name this song. I also have the song for you to listen to if you'd like to. It's part of a larger mix by Dj Papa called the Art of Whistling. Found at:
http://post.thing.net/node/788

It's a 72mg download. The song in question starts at, 34:27. It's mostly some guy with a french accent and a guitar. It sounds older like it's from the 1960's or so but I could be wrong.

If you don't feel like downloading it, here are the lyrics as best as I could hear them which might not be that well. I tried searching for the lyrics but had no luck.

---Starts off whistling---

Bridge is next to bed in the dictionary
Another state of (something) for the legenendary
(something) still remains
Twisted legacy of fame
Shunning words that loved too much
Avoiding eyes that wanted to touch
Inside her fortress (something)
Keeping jackel pressed at bay

---Whistling---

All alone and in the dark
(something) to take the world to task
She tries so hard to please
Knowing lifes insanties
Cleaning up her act she says
Lets pick the litter from the bay

---Whistling---

Bridge is next to bed in the dictionary
another state of (something) for the legendary

---Song fades into the orchestra and continues on with the rest of the mix---

Anyone who feels like listening to the song can you recommend any other people that I might enjoy if I like this?

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Whack-a-mole with the "Telecon" mashup

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:19am PDT by slightlybewildered

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[Telecom] has used confusion as its chief marketing tool This quote from New Zealand's Telecom's CEO is used to set up this mashupof one of their advertisements. The original had kids praising the company; in this version they're saying they've been shafted. Telecom, naturally, has been trying ever since to get it off the internet - crying "Copyright!" (mirrors in the comments here)

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Watercooler Games on the good, bad, and awful media coverage of the Super Columbine Massacre RPG

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:17am PDT

Tags: [edit]

don't miss Kotaku's coverage, including interviews with a Columbine survivor and the game's creator

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Help me Panic! less at the disco!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:09am PDT by antifuse

Tags: [edit]

Indiebandfilter: Help me find some unknown bands that I'd like, considering that I like the bands listed in my more inside: I've been listening to the Panic! At the Disco album (A Fever You Can't Sweat Out) over and over and over and over. I absolutely love it. However, I'm getting a bit sick of listening to the same album over and over all day long. I love the Killers (which this Panic! album kinda reminds me of... turns out they're both Vegas based, so I guess it's not that big a suprise), but I'm *really* tired of listening to their album. Is this a Vegas "sound", or is it just coincidence that these two bands ended up with similar sounds?

Some other bands whose style I really love include Adema, 30 Seconds to Mars, Billy Talent, Earshot, and Echo 7. I'd love to find some more bands with similar styles to any of these bands. Preferably on the indie/unknown side, as chances are I've heard of other mainstream bands that you have in mind, but hell, bring em all on.

(Note: I tried very hard to make this non-chatfilter. I really am only looking for bands similar to the ones I've listed, so just telling me your favourite indie band probably won't help me too much. :))

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A new (fan-made) Indiana Jones adventure game

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:32am PDT by slater

Tags: [edit]

Indiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth A fan-made adventure game featuring a SCUMM-based system. A demo is available for download here.
Apocalypse Mad

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 4:24am PDT by Rumple

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The Apocalypse According to Mad Magazine? Basil Wolverton, best known for his work on early issues of Mad Magazine, was also a Minister in the Radio Church of God. This church, founded by Herbert Armstrong, father of Garner Ted, believed the Apocalypse would happen sometime in 1972, and Wolverton's illustrations were in pamphlets designed to alert the public to this fact. 1972 has passed, the church has splintered, and Herbert is long dead - but nonetheless he has a blog. As a bonus, you can view Basil's apocalypse in 3-d. Wolverton links via

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Workplace music research

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:25am PDT by rhyax

Tags: [edit]

My employer recently banned listening to music at work. Anyone know of any research related to the effects music has at the workplace? We are isolated from non-employees and only use headphones so it's not an actual problem. We are an academic institution so I was thinking I could convince them with some research. I have looked around a bit, but does anyone else know of any research in this area? Help!
How much does a bubble mailer + 2 dvds + a case weigh?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:22am PDT by anonymoose

Tags: [edit]

PostOfficeAvoidanceFilter: Has anyone made a weight calculator (or just recorded weights of commonly mailed objects) such that I can figure out how much a double DVD case, 2 dvds, and a bubble mailer would typically weigh? I imagine the variance between different 6x9 bubble mailers is relatively small, and the variance between different brands of DVD cases also small. Surely there's a way for me to spend a great deal of time successfully avoiding a trip to the post office.

(No, I unfortunately do not yet own a kitchen scale)

Alternatively, if anyone frequently sells DVDs on ebay and knows how heavy this thing is, that would do in a pinch.

Waxy.org Links

Video: Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:22am PDT

Tags: [edit]

found audio goodness via Robot Wisdom, who I've really enjoyed lately [via]

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What new game can I play?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:12am PDT by azuma

Tags: [edit]

I absolutely loved playing Pikmin 1 & 2 on Gamecube. What other games would I like? Other games I played when I was younger: Commander Keen, Mission Impossible, Space Quest, Kings Quest, Lemmings on PS1. My partner has a PS2 and an X Box 360, but no PC. Help me find a new game - Olimar is sueing me for overtime!
Italian Language Learning Videos?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 3:03am PDT by sirion

Tags: [edit]

Are there Italian language learning videos like Fokus Deutsch or French in Action? If not, are there any really easy to understand videos in Italian anyone could recommend? Bonus points if I can get them from the Library
I will fiddle as the world burns! or drowns, or disintegrates. Thoughts on an apocalypse party are here!

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:58am PDT by tweak

Tags: [edit]

That fateful day is almost upon us! 6-06-06! Will fire rain down upon us from the heavens, or will the avian flu start spreading like a bad case of the Da Vinci Code? To celebrate these exciting times, I would like to throw an Apocalypse-themed party where we party like it's 1666! But I need some suggestions. People can dress as their favorite method of world-ending (zombies, robots, plague, meteor, global warming, Jesus, Allah, terrorists, Communists, aliens, bird flu, fire, Latin, Oprah, etc). My questions -

1) what would be good alcoholic beverages to go along with it? dark. bloody. flaming. hopefully even related name-wise.

2) what music would you recommend? Anything cool with some sort of world-ending theme. Danceable is preferable but not an absolute must.

3) ideas for what to actually name the party. So far I only have "Apocalypse Later, Party Now!" (yikes).

Thanks for all your help, I ran out of juice after my initial brainstorm.

btw I'm already investigating the Stubbs the Zombie soundtrack for songs and trying to track down a skull or satan themed bong... for tobacco.

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ExtremeTech's roundup of 8 free music recommendation services

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:57am PDT

Tags: [edit]

Last.fm destroys the competition, with Pandora next in line [via]

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Opening pages in IE from the command line

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:52am PDT by inkyz

Tags: [edit]

I'm writing a (perl) script that opens up files in IE. I'm having problems getting them to open in the current IE window and not a new window. The closest solution I've found is the "start" command. With urls, if you do "start http://www.cnn.com" and then "start http://www.amazon.com", it opens up the amazon url in the same browser window that it opened the cnn url in. This is the behavior I want.

But with local files, if you do "start foo.html" and then "start bar.html", it opens bar.html in its own IE window. I want to get the same-window behavior for files too -- I tried doing "start file:////bar.html" but it continued to open in a new window.

Any ideas? I've also been playing around with the Win32 perl modules, but haven't had any luck getting them to use the same window ever.
Is getting a BA from this school even worth my time?

Posted: May 26th, 2006, 2:49am PDT by bigmusic

Tags: [edit]

If get a Bachelors of Arts from Excelsior University (formerly Regents College), am I going to have a problem getting into a grad school? I was specifically thinking about a psychology major. They are accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, but this being an obvious non-traditional degree - I am curious about problems I would have getting into a conventional grad school.

I want it to be worth my time and my money.

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 1:25pm PDT by rolypolyman

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 1:20pm PDT by frykitty

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 1:12pm PDT by vkxmai

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 1:11pm PDT by bjork24

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 12:45pm PDT by jkottke

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 12:05pm PDT by cjw333

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 12:01pm PDT by jdroth

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 11:51am PDT

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 10:58am PDT by tegoo

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 10:52am PDT by Sharcho

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 10:44am PDT by bevedog

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 10:13am PDT by workinprogress

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 9:46am PDT by alexmikayla

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 9:37am PDT by Wild_Eep

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 9:16am PDT by DieHipsterDie

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 8:05am PDT by I_Love_Bananas

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 7:10am PDT by klwatts

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 6:00am PDT by pompomtom

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 4:06am PDT

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 2:43am PDT by Four-Eyed Girl

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Posted: May 27th, 2006, 2:13am PDT

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:40am PDT

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:18am PDT

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 1:09am PDT by wfrgms

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 12:46am PDT by spiderskull

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 12:09am PDT by mordecai

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:57pm PDT by jkottke

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:53pm PDT by thebarron

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:53pm PDT by aletheia

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:47pm PDT by TonyRobots

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:25pm PDT by stefnet

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 10:01pm PDT by mintchip

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 9:35pm PDT by strangelove

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 8:30pm PDT by sherlockt

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 8:00pm PDT by ferociouskitty

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 6:08pm PDT by theholotrope

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:46pm PDT by jruckman

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:46pm PDT

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Posted: May 26th, 2006, 5:41pm PDT by mustcatchmooseandsquirrel