jfields

Mujie, Good job, and glad everything worked out well! Bill, Any specific things to keep in mind when trying this intentionally? It is something I haven't messed with, but I can see the benefit, so I'm planning to give it a go the next time I open high. Any likeliness of severe spin up on a non-eliptical at 1.2:1? Chances of having difficulty getting the second toggle undone later? Thanks!

[Fireproof nomex suit on ] Why is that? What's wrong with Dell? Is it that they don't come loaded up with Linux standard? Or that it is so conformist to buy a PC from the company with the largest market share, instead of building it from scratch? Maybe grandma doesn't care about how much "OSS rulez". Maybe she just wants to USE her computer, without bothering to customize it. Crazier things have happened. [/Nomex] If you want to bust on somebody, I think Dell is a poor choice. Now, America Online, they are evil.

Yup. I see it like it is, but I don't necessarily like it. One of many reasons I seldom watch TV.

While you specifically may not have patronized either company, the statistics show that marketing and raising "brand awareness" definitely works. Even with annoying ads.

But you know what? It worked. You remember it. Same with the Dell guy. Madison Ave.: 1 Consumers: 0

So you are basically saying that our economic power is sufficient reason for us to do whatever we want? We have more money, so we build a better military, so we can make other countries do whatever we want, as long as they are poorer than we are? That seems pretty shortsighted. Based on that logic, you would have had no problem with the British utterly destroying the fledgling American colonies, because they were stronger. And it was cool for so much of eastern Europe to get annexed by Germany, because might made right? Why should we be a problem child at all? Why can't we use our brains and be a real leader? Define "real country". Do we become a "real country" when we "play nice with the other kids"? We aren't yet. What wonderful aspirations.

Ltdiver, As discussed in other threads, this whole lack of accountability situation sucks. I'm getting less and less tolerant of the air travel industry. Between poor customer service and the TSA, it is growing so bad that commercial air travel is becoming my last resort. I bought a hard plastic case to store and transport my gear. It has room for locks, which I intend to use when forced to fly. Unfortunately, I can't plan on taking my rig carry-on. If the airlines are being strict that day, it doesn't technically fit the carry-on dimensions. Maybe I need to downsize about 70 sq. ft. so it would fit. Kidding, Lisa, KIDDING!

Well, Sunshine, I have to concur. The other Justin got it right. You ARE the spongiest.

Kevin, The customer is not always right. However, the customer does always deserve to be treated politely and with respect.

"Might makes right"? If that is our foriegn policy and our moral justification, then we need to grow the hell up. Using that logic, the terrorist who used their "might" to hijack the planes and crash them into the towes, the pentagon and the failed attempt all had the "right" to do it. They used force to do what they wanted. I like to aim higher than being the preschool playground bully. How does "Might makes right" fit in to the core beliefs and foundation upon which the United States was founded?

Is that sufficient justification? If so, then there are plenty of countries justified in attacking us, because we've done the same thing. We have to be ready to receive what we dish out, because there are plenty of skeletons in our closet too.

Yup. Kevin just named one. I'm not saying it would definitely work, just that it hasn't been tried. A common-sense, moral approach could be summed up as "mind your own business", which can apply to countries as well as individuals. We suck at that. It really doesn't matter how many times in your post you repeat "Iraq is wrong." You are correct, but nobody is arguing that. However, when you start discussing the issue without regard to "oil, money, lies and government ineptness", you've pretty much removed all our reasons for being there. If all we cared about was what was "right", we would step up our security at home, protect our borders, and sit tight until someone asked for our help. Kuwait did last time, and we answered. This time, we are going at it like a big preemptive bully. Take not that none of what I said is in any way defending the government of Iraq. The debate isn't whether they are honest, forthright folks. They aren't. There are lots of other governments that aren't, and we don't lift a finger to interfere. Why? If we are the world's police force, defender of justice, liberator of the opressed and such, why are we so damned selective about it? If it isn't about the oil and stuff, what is it all about?

But is there a pre-flight chili limit?

You volunteering, or looking for candidates?

Looks like those airbags are definitely aftermarket.

And I work for a law firm. Doh! Just kidding. Actually my boss said that if it was ever too bad outside to come in, not to worry about it and stay home. I just get disgruntled at the school systems, that cancel when it may possibly drop a flake or two of snow. Where do you work, and where do you live. [stalking...] Bethesda & Rockville here.

Don't tell me you work for the county government or something, and get snow days. Those people are almost as bad as the ones that go running to Florida when the mercury dips past 60.

Good one!

Turncoat. Traitor. Deserter. Coward. Can you tell I'm bitter and jealous?

Yes. We got about 8" overnight. I went to work as usual. Stacy, Thanks for reminding me of the temperature difference. When I see you, I think you'll need a "Friendly Reminder of Life Up North". Namely, getting locked in a walk-in freezer.

Grant, I didn't go to the WFFC, didn't order a video or DVD, so I'm kind of one the sidelines for this one. I'll give my mostly unbiased $.02, and you can do with it as you will. The main frustration I see is honestly not with the timeframe, although most bitching is in reference to that. The core of the problem seems to be the communication. You can't please all the people all of the time, no matter what you do. Many people have no idea of the effort that goes into making a professional video or DVD. Those people think it is like taking video off a home video recorder and making a bunch of copies. These people will bitch no matter what you do. For these folks, it is all about immediate gratification. Politely disregard them and keep moving. There are some people who have the patience of saints, and will not complain no matter what. Obviously, these people aren't your problem either, so don't worry about them. The vast majority are in the middle, with varying degrees of patience and knowledge about the project. I'm in this category too for most things. If I had to boil down the expectations of this core group, I'd say they are: 1) Do what you say you will do. (Overwhelming importance.) 2) Do not do what you said you wouldn't. 3) Keep people informed of your progress. 4) Work diligently to accomplish item numbers 1 and 3. That's it. I didn't say to sell things cheaper, or give some deadline for mailing. It is all about accurately setting expectations and then fullfilling them. As I'm not you, or your customer, I have no opinion on how you are doing in reference to what you said you would accomplish. But as a third party, I admit that I would be turned off by the public communications I've seen here. Customer relations is tricky business, but in the long run, taking the high road usually works. Bad things happen to people and companies, and things go wrong. Look at the Tylenol scare. Do people have faith in the product today? Yes, because the company was straightforward and took control of the situation, doing the right thing. When things out of your hands starting going awry, you could have started posting regular (weekly?) status online. It wouldn't have to be anything super detailed. Just a quick message. If adequately informed, people might get impatient, but usually not to the level of venemous anger I've seen on this thread. You say you made updates on status. Others say they never knew, or that they updates were bogus. I don't know who is right, only that there was a substantial breakdown in the communication process. Whether you said it or not, the fact that they didn't "get it" merits a reevaluation of the process. Anyway, I hope you take this constructively, as that is how it is intended. Good luck on the project.

Nope. That won't work. If the 4 balls on each side do not balance, then you don't know which side the defective ball is in, since it could be either lighter or heavier. How do you propose to find the ball in 2 more measurements in that scenario?

If you are talking about downtown DC, historically, it has been 13th street. I don't think it works so well as a carry-out service. If get it "to go", the rates are probably a whole lot higher. I'll pass, thanks, but you go and have fun if that's what you want.

Why? Do they specialize in lizard scatology or something? Thinking of transferring?

Not even close. More like a deep orange-red. Probably pretty close to the "burnt orange" Deuce was talking about, which is why it came to mind. Grossed out yet?