The Vent and Rant Thread

[Laz116]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I'm referring to several instances thank you very much, especially when a mod says; "there has been a complaint"...

I'm not making it a martyrdom, I'm pointing out that many people are willing to stand up for your right to diss me and those like me. and those same people are just as engaged in nation building as they are other activities... providing clean water, rebuilding schools, bringing in health care fixing roads and many many other actions that help and heal, not just sit around and moan and complain

Aha, so if they weren't "nation building" in Afganistan and Iraq my world as I know it wouldn't exist? They don't stand up for MY right. Don't ever presume that. If you really think the free world are depending on american invasions on foreign soil you're off by a long shot.

And just because you're not in a uniform, doesn't mean that you don't participate. Fx I have a feeling that the person buying fair trade goods contributes a whole lot more than the person in uniform who kills with one hand and builds with the other.

[Verencat]

I would sincerely appreciate that we keep politics out of this thread.


Thank you.

Catherine [moderator]

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by Verencat

And Dylrob, I really want to know what's going on!

Well after having it on the market for more than two years, and having to file bankruptcy just to stop the bank from selling it, my mother finally got a [reasonable] offer on her house. It's still less than ideal, but being just as desperate to get out of here she's decided it's enough. She is going to lease a house in Vegas. What's more, I will be essentially renting a room while I attend college down there.

Living under the same roof with her again isn't always going to be pleasant... yet it's the easiest and cheapest solution right now.

[Verencat]

YAY! I'm glad for your mother, and for you. This change is be a welcomed one, and I hope the new life will be even better than what you envision!

[Darqref]

How Freakin hard can it be to write a stupid USB driver?

My mother is legally blind, and diabetic. She uses a blood glucose monitor that has audible instructions and results. (she still has to manage to hit the test strip on the drop of blood, though).

Her doctor would like to see a list of previous tests, so she can chart progress over a month or more. The device has a usb port. I have a usb cable. The device manufacturer has a *similar* model that has software, but doesn't work for this model. For OVER A FREAKIN YEAR, the web site has had a notice that the driver for this model is "temporarily unavailable". It continues to be advertised and sold. The times I've tried to read data using the old model's driver, I end up deleting old records without copying anything.

Isn't this kinda stuff supposed to be done BEFORE you sell a medical device?

Even a text file with data in it would be useful.

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Man, you seem exhausted! Just keep depression at bay. I could keep you company since I've got 6 more weeks with my cast...

just think ! it'll be alright on the night when you win the Oscars .....

Who did you get for the lead role ? The female lead ?! The Director must be yourself ....

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Darqref

..

Isn't this kinda stuff supposed to be done BEFORE you sell a medical device?

..

Sorry. This is so typical of corporation just not doing what they should be doing!

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Varsol works but toluene is the best at wax removal. What is the underlying finish or polish?

It is a wax finish. I rubbed a beeswax-turpentine polish in every day for 3 weeks.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Yes, if it isn't possible then you can't get it. In much of the US, at least the bigger metro areas you can get broadband service from both the cable TV company and the Phone company. Also, many wireless companies have those datacard/modem things.

for you, perhaps you could get a back up, pre-paid datacard stick from a mobile phone company. I know Harry has one that he rants about.

BOb

well, for the moment i'll stick to the wifi from my neighbor, since (as she said) other than buying the key, it's free. but i'll keep that in mind in case i have trouble in the future (i hope not).

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

I kept the DSL line as a high speed backup for a while, and finally dropped it when cable service proved quite reliable.

My speed has been increased several times at no change in my costs, and I'm currently on a 10mbps connection.

To make life complete, I've been able to ditch my telco, TW was pushing VOIP, and their latest offering was actually slightly cheaper than the telco's base pricing, so I switched. (I make next to no long distance calls, so savings on LD charges that were the main incentives to go VOIP didn't apply.)

Competition. Gotta love it.
______
Dennis

i had a cable connexion for a while when they were first starting out many years ago (only the internet connexion, i don't have television), but my experience with it was the opposite of yours ; it was slow, unreliable, and frequently down. someone told me that they didn't have sufficient infrastructure to provide good service to all their customers so they would priviledge the upper class neighborhoods ; i don't know whether that was true or not but there was definitely some sort of problem. since i switched to the adsl service i'm using now (via telephone line) i've had a similar experience to yours though ; generally reliable and extremely fast speeds, regular increases of bandwidth at no extra cost, free telephone service (with more and more countries added regularly)... i could have cut off my land line telephone, but i've kept it because it's reassuring to know that in case of a problem with my internet or an electric outtage i would still be able to make calls, and although it's extremely rare, my current situation has made me glad i did. the problem according to the technician is that the telecom infrastructure (which is where my current problem is) is quite old and not well-enough maintained, and although an analog telephone signal can go through even a "completely rotten" line, an adsl signal is more demanding.

Originally Posted by Patricia

We had a power cut this morning, so I decided to go to work instead of working from home. When i got back this evening, the electricity was still off. It's only just come back, after eleven hours.

And my broadband doesn't work when the power is down. I slightly regret not keeping a pay-as-you-go dial-up for such occasions. We don't have very good 3g coverage otherwise I too would have bought a mobile internet dongle.

wow, it's like some kind of black series around here. i'm glad your power is back now. any idea what happened ? i'm also thinking that some sort of backup connection is a good idea but given my impatience with the relatively-fast-but-still-slower-than-my-usual-speed wifi i'm using, i think dial-up would make me go completely crazy.

And I've got to get congealed candle-wax off a table that I spent months restoring.

Originally Posted by Patricia

It is a wax finish. I rubbed a beeswax-turpentine polish in every day for 3 weeks.

aarrg !! that must be really infuriating. i hope you manage to clean it without too much trouble, and it doesn't leave a stain...

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Well after having it on the market for more than two years, and having to file bankruptcy just to stop the bank from selling it, my mother finally got a [reasonable] offer on her house. It's still less than ideal, but being just as desperate to get out of here she's decided it's enough. She is going to lease a house in Vegas. What's more, I will be essentially renting a room while I attend college down there.

Living under the same roof with her again isn't always going to be pleasant... yet it's the easiest and cheapest solution right now.

oh dylrob, that is great news ! congratulations. i'm so glad that you're finally moving forward. and i think you'll find that 6 weeks will go past a lot faster than you expect...

[vivaldirules]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Make that six weeks. Which is both a good thing and a bad one. (Can I be anymore vague?)

I'm expecting a Vera story from you out of this, Mr. Dylrob. Perhaps Vera finds true love (or a ferret) in Hell Hole, Nevada? If life throws you turnips, make orange juice. (or something like that)

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

I'm expecting a Vera story from you out of this, Mr. Dylrob. Perhaps Vera finds true love (or a ferret) in Hell Hole, Nevada? If life throws you turnips, make orange juice. (or something like that)

Probably something like

"The Ferret Egg and I"

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Patricia

It is a wax finish. I rubbed a beeswax-turpentine polish in every day for 3 weeks.

Oh! Then don't use any solvent! Everything will come off.

I would recommend another polish that is easier to maintain and looks just as nice and is as easy to apply.
One third linseed oil.
One third turpentine.
One third of a floor polishing polyurethane.
Mix a small batch and apply with a rag. Let the finish sink in the wood for 15 mins and wipe off all excess. It is critical that you do wipe everything off. The next day check that it is not tacky anymore. If it is, wait another day. When it's done scrub off little imperfections with a brillo pad or some other synthetic pad. Not the metal type. Then apply another coat.
This polish will last at least ten years and if it needs redoing mis an other batch and apply one coat.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Oh! Then don't use any solvent! Everything will come off.

I would recommend another polish that is easier to maintain and looks just as nice and is as easy to apply.
One third linseed oil.
One third turpentine.
One third of a floor polishing polyurethane.
Mix a small batch and apply with a rag. Let the finish sink in the wood for 15 mins and wipe off all excess. It is critical that you do wipe everything off. The next day check that it is not tacky anymore. If it is, wait another day. When it's done scrub off little imperfections with a brillo pad or some other synthetic pad. Not the metal type. Then apply another coat.
This polish will last at least ten years and if it needs redoing mis an other batch and apply one coat.

Thanks, Yvan. I shall definitely try this. I think that I have all the ingredients. Should I use boiled linseed oil, or raw?

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Patricia

Thanks, Yvan. I shall definitely try this. I think that I have all the ingredients. Should I use boiled linseed oil, or raw?

Boiled linseed oil. I don't know why they call it so but this oil is mixed with chemical agents that allow a quicker oxydization than a raw oil, and it's dramatic in difference.
I'd suggest a test on some other less worthy piece of wood for trials.
Good luck!

[Patricia]

Thanks Yvan.
I'm currently on holiday in France but will try this out as soon as I get back.