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Is there a thread for ASL? I looked in SAL and didn't see anything; I'm trying to learn, and would like a chance to ask about resources with people fluent in sign.
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Apr 6, 2013 04:59
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I recently sat on my Kindle and broke the screen and I just wanted to get to the end of the book I had been reading so I thought I'd use the text-to-speech function, but it said it wasn't available for that book. So I had a look around to try to figure out why and apparently it's at the request of the publisher, but I can't figure out what they get out of that. Text-to-speech really can't compete with audiobooks, and you have to buy the eBook to get it anyway, so what do they gain by blocking it?
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Apr 6, 2013 05:14
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Tiggum posted:I recently sat on my Kindle and broke the screen and I just wanted to get to the end of the book I had been reading so I thought I'd use the text-to-speech function, but it said it wasn't available for that book. So I had a look around to try to figure out why and apparently it's at the request of the publisher, but I can't figure out what they get out of that. Text-to-speech really can't compete with audiobooks, and you have to buy the eBook to get it anyway, so what do they gain by blocking it? Publishers consider text-to-speech to be competing with audiobooks. Whether they consider it a plausible threat or if they're just defending a technical encroachment on their rights, I'm not really sure. It caused a stink when Amazon originally offered text-to-speech without giving the publishers the option, though.
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Apr 6, 2013 05:20
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I want to get a massage. Not like for a medical reason or anything, but just because I think it'd feel good to have a trained professional go at my neck and shoulders for, uh, however long a massage lasts. Is this something where I just look up "massage" in yelp, walk in, place [however much money] on the counter and say, "I'd like one massage, please!" Do I need to make an appointment? Do I need to do any like research to make sure that I'm not getting some cheap knockoff massage? Should I just wander around a mall until I find one of those kiosks with the funny backwards chairs with face-holes in the headrest?
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Apr 6, 2013 06:07
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Tiggum posted:I recently sat on my Kindle and broke the screen and I just wanted to get to the end of the book I had been reading so I thought I'd use the text-to-speech function, but it said it wasn't available for that book. So I had a look around to try to figure out why and apparently it's at the request of the publisher, but I can't figure out what they get out of that. Text-to-speech really can't compete with audiobooks, and you have to buy the eBook to get it anyway, so what do they gain by blocking it? My girlfriend broke her kindle screen and they sent her a replacement for free. Try their customer support, they're pretty awesome.
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Apr 6, 2013 06:08
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razz posted:Maybe I'm dumb as hell, but I've had my 2009 Ford Focus for about 2.5 years and I cannot for the life of me figure out where (or if?) there is a button or lever inside the car to pop the trunk. I've looked everywhere and read the manual. Literally the only way to open the trunk is with the key fob. Some of the 2009s have an interior trunk release. It is on my wife's Focus below the headlight switch. It is a button with the picture of an open trunk on it. If your build date is before January 2009, you aren't going to have it. You can also use the actual key to open the trunk...
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Apr 6, 2013 06:25
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Gravity Pike posted:I want to get a massage. Not like for a medical reason or anything, but just because I think it'd feel good to have a trained professional go at my neck and shoulders for, uh, however long a massage lasts. Is this something where I just look up "massage" in yelp, walk in, place [however much money] on the counter and say, "I'd like one massage, please!" Do I need to make an appointment? Do I need to do any like research to make sure that I'm not getting some cheap knockoff massage? Should I just wander around a mall until I find one of those kiosks with the funny backwards chairs with face-holes in the headrest? If you just want a shoulder rub, then the mall places are just fine. If you want a real massage, then you should find a local recommended establishment. It'll cost you 50 bucks on the low end, but they will massage your entire back, shoulders, arms, and maybe calves. Also, if you tell them about a trouble spot, they will work it out more. Even if you don't tell them, they will find it quickly and ask you if you want them to focus on that spot. It costs more to get a deeper massage because the masseuse has to work harder, but it is totally worth it. You must call to schedule an appointment and it takes about an hour. You should also tip them because their fingers were all up in your business. It is a good idea to get someone to drive you there and back because afterwards you just want to relax and paying attention to the road is the last thing you want to do. Also, drink a butt load of water afterwards.
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Apr 6, 2013 06:38
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marshmallard posted:Cybercandy has it in stock. They're always your best bet for obscure sweets and sodas. Awesome, thanks. I got some. Next up is a bit of a weird one. Someone had been hurt in the street and was bleeding. My girlfriend went to help them and I gave her my leather gloves to wear so she didn't get blood on her skin. If she got blood on the gloves and we are concerned about blood-borne disease, is there a time after which it will be safe to clean them? Or a way I can handle it such that I don't have to throw out the gloves if there's only a tiny bit of blood on them?
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Apr 6, 2013 15:30
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supersteve posted:My girlfriend broke her kindle screen and they sent her a replacement for free. Try their customer support, they're pretty awesome. Actually, I did and it's caused me nothing but hassles. My Kindle is long out of warranty, but I called 'cause I figured they might be able to replace the screen for cheaper than just getting a new one and they told me that wasn't possible but they'd give me 20% off a new Kindle Touch if I wanted it. I really liked the Kindle Keyboard I had so I wasn't sure, but they said I'd get an email and would only be sent the Touch if I responded in the affirmative, but then they went ahead and just shipped me one anyway. Meanwhile I bought a second-hand Keyboard off eBay, so then I had to go back to Amazon and arrange a refund for the Touch I didn't want, and now I have to ship it back to them. They only use UPS, which has only one location per state in Australia, so I had to go back to support and arrange to send it to them by Australia Post because I can't get to the UPS location, which means I'll have to pay for shipping and then apply to Amazon for a rebate for that. I've heard a lot of good things about Amazon's customer service, and certainly when I accidentally bought an eBook from them by clicking the one-click button they were very good about refunding me and removing it from my account, but this has just been a massive pain in the arse for me.
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Apr 6, 2013 15:33
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Susan B. Antimony posted:Is there a thread for ASL? I looked in SAL and didn't see anything; I'm trying to learn, and would like a chance to ask about resources with people fluent in sign. This one's archived I think and only 2 pages long... Also archived, only one page long Not archived, but last post Jan. 28, and actually about Honduran deaf people who do not know sign language. Still might find some stuff. Not archived, Jan. 7, general deafness discussion Feel free to either threadcromance any of those or make a new ASL thread. Bonus points if you post the resources you're aware of already in the OP.
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Apr 6, 2013 15:39
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Is there a thread about DVR recommendations?
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Apr 6, 2013 15:46
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Eggplant Wizard posted:This one's archived I think and only 2 pages long... Thanks, Eggplant Wizard!
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Apr 6, 2013 16:32
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Do US driving licences have two tiers for the different styles of transmission? Like here if you pass in an AT you can only drive AT cars but pass with an MT you can drive both types. Edit: Or is it all different due to different state laws? FairyNuff fucked around with this message at 16:46 on Apr 6, 2013 |
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Apr 6, 2013 16:42
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Geokinesis posted:Do US driving licences have two tiers for the different styles of transmission? There are different requirements for things like motorcycles and huge trucks over a certain weight limit, but I've never heard of a US state that has a special licensing requirement just to drive a stick. That said, manuals are pretty rare over here and most Americans wouldn't know what to do with a stickshift if they ever accidentally sat down in one. It's sad, really -- we clutch-lovers are a dying breed.
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Apr 6, 2013 17:02
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Geokinesis posted:Do US driving licences have two tiers for the different styles of transmission? Nope but that's awesome. I want a special license for being able to drive a manual. Being smug about it would be even more satisfying! Where are you?
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Apr 6, 2013 17:14
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Geokinesis posted:Do US driving licences have two tiers for the different styles of transmission? No, we have different tiers for those who drive commercially and sometimes for motorcycles. Over 90% of new cars sold each year recently have automatic transmissions, and overall something like 80% of cars owned in America today are automatic.
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Apr 6, 2013 17:56
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Eggplant Wizard posted:Nope but that's awesome. I want a special license for being able to drive a manual. Being smug about it would be even more satisfying! Where are you? I don't know where Geokenisis is but there are different classifications for automatic and manual licences in the UK. Category B is the licence most people hold, B (automatic) means you can only drive automatics.
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Apr 6, 2013 18:03
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Powered Descent posted:There are different requirements for things like motorcycles and huge trucks over a certain weight limit, but I've never heard of a US state that has a special licensing requirement just to drive a stick. Thanks! I know that AT is pretty common in the US just, but I wouldn't worry about MT drivers being a dying breed it is the norm over here in Europe and as far as I remember East Asia. Eggplant Wizard posted:Nope but that's awesome. I want a special license for being able to drive a manual. Being smug about it would be even more satisfying! Where are you? UK. On the back of the licence it has the categories of vehicles you can drive, B is for cars but if you passed in a AT it says B(automatic). E:fb.
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Apr 6, 2013 18:06
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Geokinesis posted:Thanks! Well the thing is that a lot of new vehicles simply won't have manual transmissions anymore. For example, almost all hybrid and full electric vehicles lack actual manual transmissions.
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Apr 6, 2013 18:17
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Install Gentoo posted:... and sometimes for motorcycles. You mean you can pass a test for a car and just hop on a motorbike in some places, or pass on a bike and drive a car?
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Apr 6, 2013 18:26
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Crankit posted:You mean you can pass a test for a car and just hop on a motorbike in some places, or pass on a bike and drive a car? There's one or two states where you can drive a motorcycle with just a plain ordinary driver's license, and then the rest are split between "you need a regular license first, and then you can get an endorsement for motorcyles added" and "you can get just a motorcyle license, or just a driver's license, or get both if you want". None where you can get a license to drive cars while only testing on a motorcycle though.
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Apr 6, 2013 18:41
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Eggplant Wizard posted:Nope but that's awesome. I want a special license for being able to drive a manual. Being smug about it would be even more satisfying! Where are you? I always have a certain smugness about being allowed to drive the following vehicles on my UK license: code:
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Apr 6, 2013 19:13
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Install Gentoo posted:Well the thing is that a lot of new vehicles simply won't have manual transmissions anymore. For example, almost all hybrid and full electric vehicles lack actual manual transmissions. Car manufacturers   Why is that?
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Apr 6, 2013 19:19
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Geokinesis posted:Car manufacturers Because there is no way for a human to shift those things properly to maximize the battery usage in the gas-primary hybrids, and in the electric-primary and full electric vehicles there is no real transmission at all in most designs. Realistically in most late-model gasoline cars, manual transmissions don't save gas either, the cars are advanced enough that having an automatic will allow more efficient driving.
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Apr 6, 2013 19:22
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Install Gentoo posted:Realistically in most late-model gasoline cars, manual transmissions don't save gas either, the cars are advanced enough that having an automatic will allow more efficient driving. I've had two manuals ('84 Jetta & '94 Escort) that had "upshift indicators". A little lighted arrow on the dash that told you the optimum time to shift. I don't know if that option even exists anymore.
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Apr 6, 2013 20:27
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Mister Kingdom posted:I've had two manuals ('84 Jetta & '94 Escort) that had "upshift indicators". A little lighted arrow on the dash that told you the optimum time to shift. I don't know if that option even exists anymore. Those are insulting. If you can't feel the power band then you wouldn't have seen a benefit back when they made manual transmissions anyway. I can't believe they make manual cars at all anymore unless they count those hybrid push to shift sporting cars for ye olde mid-life crises.
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Apr 6, 2013 20:38
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syscall girl posted:Those are insulting. If you can't feel the power band then you wouldn't have seen a benefit back when they made manual transmissions anyway. I can't believe they make manual cars at all anymore unless they count those hybrid push to shift sporting cars for ye olde mid-life crises. Some people still enjoy driving stick. I don't know how myself, but I'm planning on learning and probably buying a manual in the near future.
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Apr 6, 2013 20:55
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Mister Kingdom posted:I've had two manuals ('84 Jetta & '94 Escort) that had "upshift indicators". A little lighted arrow on the dash that told you the optimum time to shift. I don't know if that option even exists anymore. Those basically went away when automatic transmissions improved enough that having the extra weight of the auto was outweighed by the auto responding quicker to when shifts were needed. Before that, telling the driver to shift the car according to the indicator was more efficient so long as they paid enough attention. Even though a skilled stick user wouldn't need it.
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Apr 6, 2013 20:58
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syscall girl posted:Those are insulting. If you can't feel the power band then you wouldn't have seen a benefit back when they made manual transmissions anyway. I can't believe they make manual cars at all anymore unless they count those hybrid push to shift sporting cars for ye olde mid-life crises. Driving in the mountains is so much easier and calmer with a manual.
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Apr 6, 2013 23:48
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syscall girl posted:I can't believe they make manual cars at all anymore unless they count those hybrid push to shift sporting cars for ye olde mid-life crises. Because cars nowadays are produced for a global market, and most other countries are predominantly manual drive. I've never seen an automatic here in the UK and it's the same throughout Europe.
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Apr 7, 2013 00:17
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whiteshark12 posted:Because cars nowadays are produced for a global market, and most other countries are predominantly manual drive. I've never seen an automatic here in the UK and it's the same throughout Europe. That's cool as hell. I didn't mean to say I was glad to see them go. I miss my old manual, because as greazeball mentioned they are great for hill climbing and are usually 5 speeds instead of the sad little 4 speed I have in my current car.
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Apr 7, 2013 00:23
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whiteshark12 posted:Because cars nowadays are produced for a global market, and most other countries are predominantly manual drive. I've never seen an automatic here in the UK and it's the same throughout Europe. While it is true that manual is more common, I find it surprising that you have never seen an automatic in the UK. I definitely have, just like I've seen (and driven) plenty of them in Finland where I'm from. A quick Google revealed this link saying that about 80 % of passenger cars are sold with manual. Having driven mostly manual for well over a decade, I would say that automatic is far nicer for most driving purposes, especially urban and rush hour traffic.
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Apr 7, 2013 01:07
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Fire Safety Doug posted:While it is true that manual is more common, I find it surprising that you have never seen an automatic in the UK. I definitely have, just like I've seen (and driven) plenty of them in Finland where I'm from. A quick Google revealed this link saying that about 80 % of passenger cars are sold with manual. See I'm in the opposite camp. In traffic I have to continually ride the brake in an automatic, whereas in a manual I can determine the average speed then drive very slowly in first. I can also coast in neutral or with the clutch in if needed.
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Apr 7, 2013 01:20
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Bovril Delight posted:See I'm in the opposite camp. In traffic I have to continually ride the brake in an automatic, whereas in a manual I can determine the average speed then drive very slowly in first. I can also coast in neutral or with the clutch in if needed. An automatic transmission already handles all that in modern cars, and there is no savings in micromanaging a manual transmission in the same car.
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Apr 7, 2013 01:39
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No what I'm saying is that the automatic is going to go along faster with your foot off the brake than I can manage in a manual.
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Apr 7, 2013 01:48
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Bovril Delight posted:No what I'm saying is that the automatic is going to go along faster with your foot off the brake than I can manage in a manual. Putting your foot on the brake isn't the same thing as actually engaging the brakes, you know that right? In large part the accelerator and brake function as a way to communicate to the computer running the car that you want to change speeds, rather than directly increasing the gas flow or slowing the wheels. Of course if you stomp 'em it'll go direct.
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Apr 7, 2013 01:59
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I don't understand what you aren't getting here. I'm saying a manual, in first gear, is easier for me to manipulate in traffic rather than having to constantly ride the brakes in an automatic.
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Apr 7, 2013 02:05
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Bovril Delight posted:I don't understand what you aren't getting here. I'm saying a manual, in first gear, is easier for me to manipulate in traffic rather than having to constantly ride the brakes in an automatic. Most manual drivers I know freely admit that manuals are at their worst in stop and go traffic. I don't see how letting your foot on and off the brake is harder than dealing with clutch and brake and gas at the same time. Automatics coast at just the right speed for really slow traffic, so you're really just dealing with one pedal. Of course I am only just beginning to learn stick myself so I only have the word of other manual drivers to go by.
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Apr 7, 2013 02:13
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Bovril Delight posted:I don't understand what you aren't getting here. I'm saying a manual, in first gear, is easier for me to manipulate in traffic rather than having to constantly ride the brakes in an automatic. You don't need to manipulate the automatic in traffic is the point. You just put the brake pedal down lightly to get the desired speed, and let the car handle everything. For a car from like 15 plus years ago, doing what you're doing in the manual version of the same car would be more efficient than doing that in the automatic version. But for nearly all recent cars, it's now the opposite.
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Apr 7, 2013 02:13
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Lyz posted:Most manual drivers I know freely admit that manuals are at their worst in stop and go traffic. I don't see how letting your foot on and off the brake is harder than dealing with clutch and brake and gas at the same time. Automatics coast at just the right speed for really slow traffic, so you're really just dealing with one pedal. Again, thats why you get the average speed of traffic with the speed up/slow down accordion effect and continue at that speed rather than accelerating, then braking and clutching in constantly. Once you do this you are barely giving the vehicle any throttle input and are moving along without braking. Install Gentoo posted:You don't need to manipulate the automatic in traffic is the point. You just put the brake pedal down lightly to get the desired speed, and let the car handle everything. Whoever said anything about being more or less efficient? Again - I'm saying that for me to put along in first gear with minimum throttle input is easier than foot constantly on the brake in an automatic. This is purely a personal preference and I understand it may not be the same for others.
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Apr 7, 2013 02:20
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