The Vent and Rant Thread

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Hitch

It's WEIRD to me, when I see you post, often, because seriously: many of your experiences, etc., are extremely similar/identical to my own, which I would have thought a bizarrely minute chance of odds. (If you ever got stuck in Schwäbisch Gmünd at a MI listening post, as punishment--don't tell me). I didn't, however, from my inferences, serve as long as you did, and my service was in the 70's. (Small note, since this is a RANT thread: the woman sharing the room with me at Quarters had the first then-Cat Stevens album, on cassette. She played it over and over and over, to the point that I can probably still sing/copy every word from every Cat Stevens/whatever his name is now tune that was ever on the charts. When I hear "Morning has broken," I actually receive visceral memories--the smell of the quarters, the smell of the needles on the trees...if I ever see her again, I'm going to launch a platter at her head.)

And, yes: freaking rheostats, too, but the choppers type, in my own house, seem to be worse for me. At least, for the LR ceiling fan/lighting fixture that I was trying to use one for, the last place in the house that still has bulby-bulbs. ;-)

Hitch

ummmmmm ohhhhhhhhh sh*t 77-81 the first time, and totally in the Nuerenburg community, 5th signal command. total Cat Stevens junky, however that particular location as a posting... nooooo, did trip through doing phone stuff. *chills*

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

oh yeah! I ALWAYS hear what people are listening to on headphones which makes public transportation extremely difficult for me, and I would LOVE to have the volume of TVs much lower than most people like. I went to "Maleficent" this weekend and was thinking I might need to start bringing earplugs. for the most part I really am not fired up about going to movies and as I sat there cringing, I wondered if that was part of the problem. I certainly have enough sets of earplugs around, I can keep some in my purse

When I went to concerts regularly I had special earplugs made at the local guitarshop that were meant for musicians. So the turned down the volume but didn't distort sound. I'm seriously considering getting a new pair for the movies. I love going to the movies, especially after discovering a very relaxed one in a nearby town (no break half-way through, get served at your seat, nice wide seats, strict rules) but it's all so loud. The last time we went to an action movie my I had an earbuzz for two days!

[kindlekitten]

I can count on one hand the amount of concerts I've been to, and I actually love music! I've never been able to do the heavy bar/loud music scene either. soft folk offerings in the corner are my favs. also women who have that phenomenally high pitched shrill thing going on not only make me cringe, but if I am in a room for an extended period of time with them and can't make a polite excuse for leaving, I start to get nauseated.

aren't our senses incredible? knowing my weird discomforts make me really empathize with animals that are put into bad environments

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

When I went to concerts regularly I had special earplugs made at the local guitarshop that were meant for musicians. So the turned down the volume but didn't distort sound. I'm seriously considering getting a new pair for the movies. I love going to the movies, especially after discovering a very relaxed one in a nearby town (no break half-way through, get served at your seat, nice wide seats, strict rules) but it's all so loud. The last time we went to an action movie my I had an earbuzz for two days!

oh, and there's a theatre in the next town south of me that has started doing not only serving at your seat, but serving alcohol. American's issues with publicly available alcohol never cease to amaze me. having really come to "adulthood" in Germany has made some of my standards and expectations a little difficult. I have to say though, that having an intermission can be kind of nice. since you're not in a position where you can control the entertainment to go to the bathroom, get something to eat/drink, maybe stand up and shake it off or whatever, knowing that there is an option certainly helps. even professional meetings/trainings give breaks for such things (and the smokers still amongst us). this too may be another reason I'm not totally jazzed about going to movies

[covingtoncat73]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

oh, and there's a theatre in the next town south of me that has started doing not only serving at your seat, but serving alcohol. American's issues with publicly available alcohol never cease to amaze me. having really come to "adulthood" in Germany has made some of my standards and expectations a little difficult. I have to say though, that having an intermission can be kind of nice. since you're not in a position where you can control the entertainment to go to the bathroom, get something to eat/drink, maybe stand up and shake it off or whatever, knowing that there is an option certainly helps. even professional meetings/trainings give breaks for such things (and the smokers still amongst us). this too may be another reason I'm not totally jazzed about going to movies

LOL, Kindle. Things are a bit loose with that in New Orleans-proper. If you want an American city that is reasonable about the booze, come to New Orleans. When I have been elsewhere, I'm astonished at the strange phenomena of bars that close, grocery stores that don't sell alcohol on Sundays, gas stations that don't sell alcohol, etc. Not that I'm an alcoholic or barfly, mind you, but I am Irish and French Creole. Dinner without wine is uncivilized as is brunch without sparkling wine.

As to the hearing sensitivity, I am on the other end of the spectrum. I have a hearing aid and really should have two and the one I do have is six years old and probably going to die soon. It is so frustrating but having the Roku box that you can plug earbuds into so I don't blast the neighbors helps as does the availability of closed-captioning on Netflix and Hulu.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

In 2009 the EU tried a voluntary arrangement with maunfacturers to have a common charger standard using MicroUSB ports. Since that has essentially failed, they are now introducing legislation which will make provision of a standard MicroUSB charging port on mobiles and tablets compulsory on equipment sold in the EU, but won't come fully into effect until 2017.

Most stuff does currently use a MicroUSB port. Except Apple's iPhones and iPads which now use a Lightning connector. (Used to use Apple's 30-pin connector.)

Making microUSB the standard is stupid IMO. This connector is ridiculously fragile, and will almost certainly become obsolete within the next decade. I'm not against having a standardized charging cable, but it should be designed from the ground up!

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Making microUSB the standard is stupid IMO. This connector is ridiculously fragile, and will almost certainly become obsolete within the next decade. I'm not against having a standardized charging cable, but it should be designed from the ground up!

Together with all the devices that will be heavily obsolete as well. Do you seriously consider using a smartphone for 10 years? Even if you wanted to, it would probably be impossible.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Making microUSB the standard is stupid IMO. This connector is ridiculously fragile, and will almost certainly become obsolete within the next decade. I'm not against having a standardized charging cable, but it should be designed from the ground up!

I personally haven't experienced any issues with fragility of microUSB chargers, but wouldn't have any problem with a new, designed from the ground up, standard, so long as it is a standard that is used by all and enforced.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I personally haven't experienced any issues with fragility of microUSB chargers, but wouldn't have any problem with a new, designed from the ground up, standard, so long as it is a standard that is used by all and enforced.

I haven't had any issues either, but when I traveled for work all of the time, I'd have two phones, two Bluetooth headsets, a laptop, and at the time my only personal inclusion was a zune. Every single device had a different charging cord and it was nuts. That equipment alone filled up a small check on

[cromag]

My "issue" with Micro-USB is the difficulty I have discerning its orientation, even when I have my reading glasses on. I never have that problem with the (only slightly) larger Mini-USB -- I can usually get that one right on the first try even without glasses. With the Micro-USB I'm always guessing if I have it right side up, trying it, turning it over, trying again, wondering if I should just push it harder. I never have that problem with the Mini-USB.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go yell at some kids to get off of my lawn!

[PeterT]

@Cromag: What I've thought of doing to help with orientation of micro USB connectors is to place a dot of nail-polish on both the device, and the cable, and then I could easily tell which way a cable should go in.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by cromag

My "issue" with Micro-USB is the difficulty I have discerning its orientation, even when I have my reading glasses on. I never have that problem with the (only slightly) larger Mini-USB -- I can usually get that one right on the first try even without glasses. With the Micro-USB I'm always guessing if I have it right side up, trying it, turning it over, trying again, wondering if I should just push it harder. I never have that problem with the Mini-USB.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go yell at some kids to get off of my lawn!

I have the same problem ... fortunately Amazon puts a tiny symbol on the side of the plug that is 'up' - that is slightly reflective.

[cromag]

Originally Posted by PeterT

@Cromag: What I've thought of doing to help with orientation of micro USB connectors is to place a dot of nail-polish on both the device, and the cable, and then I could easily tell which way a cable should go in.

Hmmm ... good idea. But I may try an opaque metallic marker -- I've got a couple of them lying around.


But that's not going to keep me from griping, by jiminy!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I have the same problem ... fortunately Amazon puts a tiny symbol on the side of the plug that is 'up' - that is slightly reflective.

The nice thing about Apple's Lightning connector is there's no 'up' or 'down' to worry about. No matter which way you plug it in, it works just fine. The downside, of course, is that it only works with Apple devices.

[PeterT]

The next gen USB connector has been designed to be reversible.