Random Topics

[Mission]

After months of wrestling with battery problems with my iPod, I have decided to get a Zune. I cannot tell you how many problems I've had with that stupid iPod - between problems with the God-awful iTunes and it losing, ruining and otherwise confusing my library and the iPod itself crashing and ultimately having to be completely replaced under warranty by current (now dead) one. I have basically been (on and off) about 3 months without it because of battery-related problems.

With the download of two shareware programs - one to upload everything from the iPod before it gave its last gasp (on its third battery) and another to convert the playlists into Zune format, I have managed to transfer everything into the Zune software. It was 10x simpler than working with retrieving the music files when iTunes lost them for me the first time and then wanted to overwrite things on the iPod through the automatic upload feature (which I then disabled - losing all my playlists from iTunes).

Apple is not quite as user friendly as they think they are. So here's hoping that the Zune will prove to be what the iPod was most definitely not.

[Red Cat Jenny]

I remember when my folks bought a waher and dryer from Sears. Well when things wore out you could only use Sears parts...which required a Seasrs service man. I Tunes reminds me of that. In these days of plug and play Ipod is a fail.

[michaelsbagley]

I know line cutting has been brought up already, but I thought I would toss this little story out there.. More to get it out of my system than anything...

The office I work in has an ATM down in the lobby, and I went down to grab some cash to pay for my lunch.

Someone was at the ATM using it when I got there, they were taking their time, probably a bit too much time. While waiting I was standing obviously in line to get to the ATM, but at a respectful distance behind the user at the ATM using it. I know I don't care for people hovering over my shoulder when I use the ATM, so I try and be as consientious and respectful in that regards to other people and give them some space.

So while I am waiting, and waiting, and waiting, another lady comes around the corner and jump in the line right in front of me instantly hovering over the shoulder of the lady who was still poking away and taking her sweet time using the ATM.

At that moment I considered pointing out the "mistake" of the line cutter.. Then thought better of it and walked away determining to pay for my lunch via card instead...

Oooops,this was intended for the petty annoyances thread, sorry I misplaced it...

[Rumba Rue]

So my roomate Bob and I decide to head out to the desert to get some more rocks for decor at our place.

What are the odds of getting stuck again in the desert with my roomate Bob? 100% now.

The first time in the mud up to the wheel wells, and now this time a rock.

I told him to not play his testosterone big macho guy on me, but he does anyway regardless of the fact I had back surgery a month ago.

So he's gotta do doughnuts in the sand, up and down hills, until he finally hit a rock which sent a shock through my back and I told him to stop and he just continued on until he hit another on and a second harder shock to my back and I was soooooo pissed!

So then he tries to follow this little trail the off-road buggies use and turned the corner and instead of staying to the left, he went right and smack dab into two boulders. One wedged under my passenger side door of his Jeep and the other right in front of the car. We were stuck, no amount of trying to get out would work. In fact he broke his low-lock drive, so now he only has regular drive (yippeee!), which means he can't do desert driving anymore since he doesn't have the money to get the car fixed.

Several people on their toys tried to pull us out, but no good. Finally a tow-truck driver had to be called out and managed to pull the car away from the boulders so we could go on our way.

It cost me $50.00 bucks to the tow truck driver.....arrrggghhhhh!

I made it clear to him that I would NEVER go back out to the desert again with him.

When Boat's got home from work he just laughed at the whole thing.

[Ransom]

Have you ever typed something into the Ebay search, just to see what would come up? I did two today, and OMG, what a bunch of weird stuff. LOL

Vintage brass

Vintage medical

Who knew.....

Actually, some of it was pretty kewl. But a lot of it, especially the medical stuff, was just....weird/scary.

[Sjöröveren]

Have you ever typed something into the Ebay search, just to see what would come up? I did two today, and OMG, what a bunch of weird stuff. LOL

Vintage brass

Vintage medical

Who knew.....

Actually, some of it was pretty kewl. But a lot of it, especially the medical stuff, was just....weird/scary.

Collecting antique medical stuff has been a hobby (and a money pit) of mine for some time now. Same probably goes for Mission, right?

There is a lot of weird stuff, but a lot of it you see over and over. The truly exceptional stuff doesn't come around very often, and it's usually out of my price range. I get lucky once in awhile if the seller doesn't know what they have.

What shocks me is the odd things that always get lots of bids and sell for big bucks. Ear trumpets. Go figure! And anything made to shove up yer -- well, you get the idea. I guess there's a segment of the population who just enjoys that kind of thing. Fortunately, I'm not bidding on those things.

[Guest]

Doesn't everyone have to have one of those syringes...... "and this is what they used to treat.......... "

[Ransom]

I like all the stuff called Quack Medical...usually involving an electrical shock. One "box" was advertised as "Shock therapy/torture?"

I stay away from the syringes. Needles give me the creeps.

[Raphael Misson]

From the AP, via USA Today:

Tanning beds now listed among top cancer risks

"International cancer experts have moved tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category, deeming them as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas.

For years, scientists have described tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation as "probable carcinogens."

A new analysis of about 20 studies concludes the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75% when people start using tanning beds before age 30. Experts also found that all types of ultraviolet radiation caused worrying mutations in mice, proof the radiation is carcinogenic. Previously, only one type of ultraviolet radiation was thought to be lethal.

The new classification means tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation are definite causes of cancer, alongside tobacco, the hepatitis B virus and chimney sweeping, among others."

Arsenic and old tanning beds...

[Raphael Misson]

Collecting antique medical stuff has been a hobby (and a money pit) of mine for some time now. Same probably goes for Mission, right?

There is a lot of weird stuff, but a lot of it you see over and over. The truly exceptional stuff doesn't come around very often, and it's usually out of my price range. I get lucky once in awhile if the seller doesn't know what they have.

What shocks me is the odd things that always get lots of bids and sell for big bucks. Ear trumpets. Go figure! And anything made to shove up yer -- well, you get the idea. I guess there's a segment of the population who just enjoys that kind of thing. Fortunately, I'm not bidding on those things.

I must have missed this one. Indeed, collecting antique medical equipment is one way I divert consistent sums of money from my savings. You're right about the really good stuff being abnormal (probably because the stuff we label as "not really good" is so easy to get) and you're right about the actual period stuff being too expensive. (Even if I managed to buy it, I'd be afraid to bring it to events for fear of its getting stolen.)

What I've noticed about eBay is that occasionally some seller will get hold of a collection of interesting items (a doctor's antique instrument collection, a scale collection or some such) and then there is a surfeit of fascinating stuff to buy. If the seller puts it all on at once, you can usually get some stuff for reasonable prices because there's so much of it that the small group of antique medical instrument buyers focus on fighting over the sexy stuff. That's how I got my period scale with weights and box. (Well, really close to period.)

Other than that...how many leech jars, speculums and alleged cocaine vials can the world at large really need?

What I currently want is a dental pelican:

They're used for removing teeth and they're proving to be really hard to find. So far, I haven't seen one for less than $500. That's far too much. (Anyone seen a repro pelican? I'm not proud...)

Edited July 29, 2009 by Raphael Misson

[Capn Bob]

Tried some flintknapping a couple weeks ago, after not having done any for...quite a while. Discovered I was way out of condition for it. You wouldn't think, would you, that sitting around in a garage bashing two rocks together would give you a workout, but...

Of course, there's way more involved than bashing two rocks together. I was using me copper boppers one a couple of large spalls, and I guess I just don't get the platforms right, because I had my usual trouble with step flaking. I do better with pressure flaking, but after a bit of that, I was wore out.

Knappers do saw that too much pressure flaking will make your forearms look like Popeye's.

Wot's all this to do wi' pyracy? Well, this be "Random Topics" for one, and for two, why, if more pirates knew knapping (and not just for gun flints, which is a very specialized form of knappery), getting marooned on a desert island wouldn't hold the terror it normally does. Provided it has the right type of rock, of course.

[Mission]

I was watching a squirrel run along an overhead wire this morning. S/he got on from a small tree branch, crossed a side street, went by two telephone poles and a large tree branch hanging near the wire and kept going. What I wondered was...did s/he have an intended goal? Was s/he heading for a particular tree? Or was s/he just on the overhead wire going merrily along because s/he had started out going merrily along?

Do squirrels behave with focus and intent or is it all somewhat random? (Oh, I realize they store food for the winter, so there is some focus and intent, but how much?)

[blackjohn]

How many keystrokes would you have saved if you used it instead of s/he?

[Mission]

Hey, hey... ya' gotta' respect the squirrels.

(Two per usage.)

[Rumba Rue]

As some here know, Boats and I took in a friend we'd known for 12 years last March. Unfortunately due to his drinking/drugs we had to ask him to move out back in Sept.

It's like a bad TV movie where the main character goes through a decline in life and finally dies.

Well that's what has happened. Our former roommate/friend committed suicide yesterday evening (1/18/2010)after not being able to get himself off of living on the streets. We like others tried to help him, but he didn't want it. Apparently he took a gun to his head at some storage shed where some of his belongings were.

He was a Vietnam Vet so hopefully his funeral expenses will be covered. We were the only 'family' he had as he left home in Ohio at the age of 18 and never looked back- cut all ties with whatever real family he had.

It's a sad time for us right now and with heavy hearts we will slowly close this chapter of our lives.

May he now rest in peace.

Rumba

[Mission]

And now for something completely the same...

And, for those of you who weren't paying proper attention:

And, for those of you who enjoy pop culture:

And, for Duchess, who is almost surely not paying any attention:

[Mission]

For Halloween this year I made a scarecrow prop, which you can see via this link.

What was odd was that I had no actual reason to make a prop this year (since I was not involved with the local Haunted Houses), but I guess 20 years of doing something becomes a habit. I have been thinking about doing this prop for over 10 years, but I could never come up with a compelling Haunted House room to go with it. I mainly wanted to do it so I could buy the wicked cool scarecrow mask and make a scarecrow with "wood" bones and leaf "organs." I was worried that the thing was a little too grisly for the kids, but the trick-o-treaters actually loved it. So there you go. (And wherever you go, there you are.)

[Bos'n Cross]

great scarecrow mission, heck thats worth a neighborhood contest at the least! one day....when i have a home....i hope to have something at least as disturbing in the front yard........

[Guest]

Because there is no.... "What did you wear for Halloween" so I'll post this here......

Well...... this year, I dressed as......

what else.....

but a Pyrate.....

Well it wasn't a very authentic Pyrate outfit .....

But it is kinda scary......

[Cascabel]

Because there is no.... "What did you wear for Halloween" so I'll post this here......

Well...... this year, I dressed as......

what else.....

but a Pyrate.....

Well it wasn't a very authentic Pyrate outfit .....

But it is kinda scary......

That's sho 'nuff scary !!!!!!!!!! :lol:

>>>>> Cascabel

[Silkie McDonough]

Patrick! I am surprised at you! Dressing like that! You know better than that!

Women were seldom pirates. They were the exception rather than the rule and I can assure you that they would never have dressed like that! Completely historically inaccurate!

[Bos'n Cross]

....what i have seen......cannot be unseen............and it burns my cornea.......

[callenish gunner]

Ok lad what was the bet?????? Did you win or lose??? :lol:

[Ransom]

My eyes, my eyes!!!! :lol:

(But, er, nice legs though. LOL)

[Red_Dawn]