Recent content by imported_Elias

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    Question for the exercise gurus...particularly weight lifters

    This is incorrect. Creatine is not an amino acid, although it is derived from arginine. Creatine is found in muscle tissue (including the heart) and the brain, but has nothing to do with protein. It functions as a sink for high-energy phosphate groups which are used to regenerate ATP from...
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    Best way to Buy a used car?

    CarMax isn't a bad choice, as they certify their used cars and their inventory can be searched online. I bought a used truck from a new car dealership, and they pulled the Carfax report for me during negotiations. In my experience there's more leeway for negotiating price with new car...
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    Are there any decent freeware newsreader that download binaries?

    NewsReactor gets my vote. Its one of those free to try deals and lets you use it 30 times, but I discovered how to get around that and use it forever for free. Never exit from the file menu. Once you open the program leave it running until turning off the computer, which will close the...
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    Engagement Rings...

    Do a bit of research on diamond quality so that you have a good idea of what you're looking (and paying) for. A good website for this is bluenile.com. There are some factors in quality that matter less than others - color is very important, as is clarity. But a few inclusions are no big deal...
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    If you could work for any company in the world, what company would you work for?

    I work in the fed govt science and research branch. As in most federal organizations, jobs (meaning running an IT division or running a national lab etc.) are awarded through open public bidding by private companies. The IT dept in my branch is outsourced and I know it is in lots of other...
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    Cheapest "luxury" watch

    QFT. I love my Hamilton 'khaki' watch.
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    Under no circumstance leech bandwidth from the Triad.

    ugh... just opened that one at work too
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    lactating dog

    Unspayed female dogs have a dramatically increased risk in mammary cancer - which can be particularly nasty. Mammary tumors will likely be very hard to the touch, but I don't believe a tumor is the only possible hard lump that could be found in that location. I would seriously consider...
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    Is it bad to run every day?

    I prefer to run for distance, which ends up being a long time because fast running isn't one of my strong points... Its also probably not a good idea to run every day. This is entirely dependent upon how much you sleep, how long you run each day and whether its outside vs. on a treadmill...
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    Time to make some new Muse converts

    Absolution is a badass album. I'd also recommend Origin of Symmetry if you don't already have it.
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    Guitarists... can you play and sing at the same time?

    What worked for me was to focus on learning to sing/play songs with straightforward chords during the verses. Dylan tunes are especially good for learning, because the vocal range isn't too wide and the songs not too tough to play on the guitar. Unfortunately practicing is the only sure way...
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    For those who lift weights...

    Thanks for clarifying the PhD comment. I'm *hopefully* near finishing one in molecular toxicology and was surprised to see someone knock it... but its true that the degree is thrown around to make flakes seem like they know what they're talking about. This guy isn't just a flake - he's...
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    how do i join a credit union?

    You may not be able to. I use a federal and state credit union, but TBH the only good thing about them is the interest checking (~1%). I also think the money market interest at the credit union is about .5-1% higher as well when compared to Wachovia, for example. They market low-interest...
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    So I'm at traffic court this morning...

    Off topic, but I was recently in court for a speeding ticket and the guy next to me was doing the same thing. Except he was wearing a NASCAR jacket... I never did find out if he got off or not.
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    Advice for BIKING 60 miles

    I rode a 100-mile trip spread out over 2 days a little while ago. The best advice I can give you is to make sure you seat is adjusted to the correct height (should have a very slight bend in the knee at the lowest point of pedaling) and make sure its comfortable. You don't need a old fogey one...