Search results

  1. M

    Advice on local / cloud file server?

    So at the small office I work at we've got a couple of Macs and a Windows 8.1 desktop that nobody really uses. So (of course) I decided to turn that into a central file server! Problem is that Windows seems to play nicely with the Macs most of the time (so far), but it requires that the PC not...
  2. M

    Winter emergency kit?

    So, my wife has to drive an hour back and forth through rural, mountainous New Mexico to get to work - it's all highway, but there are definitely sections where there's no cell signal and there aren't that many other cars at times - so I want to put together an emergency kit for her. I could use...
  3. M

    Can someone help me understand our health insurance benefits and maternity?

    I don't know why, this is just one of those things that I can never quite figure out. Feeling a little dumb. So this is our current plan: https://www.mybenefitsnm.com/Documents/SBC_266000_266000_0003_State%20of%20NM_PPO_01-01-16%20to%2012-31-16_2005-07-01_v2.pdf My wife and I are planning on...
  4. M

    Decent rowing machine under 500?

    I'll start by saying I know I should just pony up more money and get a concept2 - at least that's what everyone seems to say on any site I google. But I can't afford that and living out in the boonies means I can't find one used on craigslist either. So, for under 500, what can I get that...
  5. M

    Phone recommendation for my wife?

    She's been using iPhones for a while, but her current iPhone 5 (or maybe 5S) is driving her crazy - the battery life sucks, and I think she's just gotten tired of it. She mostly uses her phone for messaging, facebook, and pictures. Not a power user by any stretch. She's got pretty small...
  6. M

    Could someone please design a not horrible OS?

    <rant> After using Windows and a little Linux for years, I switched to OSX back in 2012 or so because I was sick of Microsoft's crap. Now, after 4 years of putting up with OSX's crap, and Apple's inability to actually produce a technologically up to date laptop, I got a Dell 9550 with Windows...
  7. M

    Connecting at JFK to an international flight on a separate ticket?

    Does anyone here have experience connecting to/from an international flight at JFK when you get to JFK on a separate ticket? I got our tickets to/from europe cheaply from JFK because they were waaaaaaay cheaper than flying from ABQ. Now I've got to figure out getting to and from JFK. I assume...
  8. M

    Best RPG / adventure games for curmudgeons?

    I'm sick of all of the "look at my overpowered jerkoff run around and kill everything and collect so many piles of shiny things that I have to have imaginary shiny houses to put my shiny things in" type of games (Fallout, TES, etc, etc). To me the best RPGs were text adventures. The best...
  9. M

    Phone recommendation? 5 inch or less phone for Verizon.

    So I dropped my Moto X (1st gen), and it's been quickly losing the ability to do things - first "Ok Google", then the front facing camera, now it's gotten critical as it isn't always getting calls. My requirements for a new phone: - Screen between 4.7" (moto x) and 5". Big phones suck. -...
  10. M

    New Mexico, New Car?

    So my wife and I just moved to northern New Mexico and are starting to think our Nissan Versa just isn't going to cut it. Driving to ABQ the other day, the car seemed to lack power for the ups and downs, and the A/C just wasn't powerful enough to make a difference in the dry heat. We visited a...
  11. M

    Washer and Dryer Recommendations?

    Need to pick up a washer & dryer (electric) in the next couple days. Can anyone recommend a good, reasonably priced (would like to be ~1000 or less) set that I can get at the usual places (Lowes, Home Depot, Best Buy)? Surprisingly few places to get unbiased reviews of this stuff online! TIA!
  12. M

    Simple woodworking question: previewing clear coat look on raw wood?

    A few years back, a woodworker I was using sent me a picture of what a piece of raw wood that was being used for a table would be look like after it was clearcoated. It was the same piece of wood, and he hadn't actually coated it yet. I'm wondering what he used to get the picture - some sort...
  13. M

    Fair use of people's names and titles of works?

    I'm currently writing a little story that I might put on amazon if I deem it to be good enough. I refer to a few clasic video games that the main character played, as well as suggesting at one point that the game he is playing in part of the story was designed by a famous game designer. Am I ok...
  14. M

    Moving advice (Ubox, Uhaul, full service, companies?)

    So we're moving soon from Chicago to New Mexico and even without packing a thing yet, moving has been miserable. Learning from last time, we were planning to pack our own stuff but have someone else load it and move it. I've been looking into moving containers too, but: PODS: Doesn't...
  15. M

    Gmail in Chrome: Can't type in text fields on reply

    Not sure if this is the best forum for this, but I don't see a better one... In Gmail on Chrome, when I hit reply to an email I can't type in the To, CC, BCC, or subject fields (I can type in the message body), unless I first hit reply all or forward (where the fields DO work) and then click...
  16. M

    Telescope / beginner astronomy recommendations?

    So I'm moving to rural New Mexico soon, and after being in and around big cities for the past 20 years or so, I'm looking forward to being able to see the night sky. While I'm out there I'd like to get a telescope and see what I can see. Anyone have any recommendations on equipment and/or...
  17. M

    Experience moving an LLC from one state to another?

    I've currently got an Illinois LLC (with S-Corp election) that pays me a salary, does some work in the state, etc. I'm the only employee, and it doesn't sell any products. Later this year, I'll be moving to New Mexico but (hopefully) keeping some clients in Illinois. I'm wondering if anyone...
  18. M

    Something between Little Snitch and Radio Silence?

    I'm trying to find a good firewall application that is a little more tweakable than Radio Silence (which you have to add each program you want to block to) but isn't as annoying as Little Snitch (which asks you every 10 seconds if you want to allow this or that connection). I wish the...
  19. M

    S-Corp tax question

    I have a quick question about retaining money in an S-Corp at the end of the year. I understand that any profit gets taxed regardless of whether or not it is actually distributed, but is money that won't be profit taxed? My design business gets paid a deposit from clients which gets paid out to...
  20. M

    Hip pain after workout?

    So I'm not a big exercise guy. I swim about once a week, but that's it. I just joined a new gym and they had a fitness assessment / training session (aka, opportunity to convince me to buy personal training). Anyway, on Wednesday, did the workout which was short but surprisingly tough for me...
  21. M

    PS3 or Xbox 360 in 2014...

    I'm debating getting a console, pretty much just to play sports games. There's no way I'm paying for a latest gen console (gaming is just not important enough to me to justify the cost), so I was wondering - looking at the purchase now, with hindsight, should I get a PS3 or an Xbox 360?
  22. M

    Is there a decent family tree / genealogy service, site or program?

    I'm played around with most of the majors - they all charge far too much and provide far too little in the free versions. I'm tried Gramps, which is at least open-source, but it's clunky, ugly, and doesn't have the databases behind it. Thoughts?
  23. M

    Weekly D&D 5E group?

    Any interest? Haven't played in a looong time (since 2E), but 5E looks promising - seems to get away from some of the crap of the previous versions. UPDATE: Looks like a lot of interest - possibly could get a few groups going. But we need DMs! Anyone willing to give it a shot?
  24. M

    How to tell if a toe is broken?

    Wondering f my wife broke her toe, or if it might be something else. She's seeing the doctor tomorrow (terrible health plan), but she's worried about it so I'm trying to figure out what I can. She dropped a jar on her middle toe. It hurt very badly at first, now apparently just hurts if she...
  25. M

    Why are there no DIY kitchen blenders?

    Except for maybe the bike powered one, my search came up empty. Since a blender is essentially a small control board, a motor, a blade, and a container, it seems crazy nobody has tried to make a DIY vitamix with a cheap blender and a stronger motor. Old thread revived by new member with no...
  26. M

    What is the point of the green storage mailboxes?

    In Chicago, these seem to be all over the place - do they use them anymore? It doesn't make much sense to me to store mail in the middle of a neighborhood rather than on your truck. Are they from before all the carriers had their own truck?
  27. M

    2007 Nissan Versa - Engine died on the interstate today.

    Blerg. Driving through Ohio and the car started to feel a bit wobbly - decided to pull off at the next rest stop but didn't quite make it. The gas pedal stopped responding and we had to pull off to the shoulder. The tow truck guy took a look while I tried to start it and said the timing chain...
  28. M

    Legal Question: 30 days to appeal state agency

    So IDES, the Illinois Department of Employment Security, sent me a notice back in February about potential overpayment, but it was sent to my old address. I didn't get any notice about it, and didn't know anything until they took my state tax refund at which point I called in and spoke to...
  29. M

    Fun with CAPTCHA

    Just got this one on the kerbal space program comment form - any ideas? :P http://imgur.com/x9FnxQA
  30. M

    Camera and lens(es) recommendations?

    Looking for a decent camera and lens combo to take pictures of my architectural and interior design work. I focus primarily on residential and hospitality, so I need something that will allow me to get a good mood shot of a dimly lit massage room or an intimate corner of a restaurant as well as...
  31. M

    Radiator air vent help

    Bought a cheapo adjustable radiator vent to replace one that's cracked in my apartment (I know I should get a better one, but I'm not spending more on this place than I have to - and our maintenance guy has managed to avoid coming to fix it for almost 2 months). Anyway, the adjustable one I...
  32. M

    Light fixtures and bulbs questions

    Howdy all - So I've been looking for a couple of gooseneck wall sconces to light up a big wall panel (5'x8'). The sconces will be placed at the upper corners (the panel is horizontal). I found a few, including this: http://www.modernlighting.com/index.php?module=prod_detail&prod_id=51381...
  33. M

    Thoughts on minimizing electrical usage in apartment (or generating additional?)

    I'm moving to a new place soon, and it is in almost every way better than my current apartment except one: The electrical system. I live in Chicago, and a lot of these are rather old buildings which haven't had their infrastructure upgraded in a loooong time. I spoke with the current tenants of...
  34. M

    Other games like Riddle of Master Lu, Laura Bow, Heart of China, etc.??

    Looking for a good old adventure game - love the mystery / history themes! Suggestions?
  35. M

    S-Corp vs LLC taxed as S-Corp (In Illinois)

    Howdy all, I'm working through the process of setting up my business and I'm a bit stuck on the question of how to set up - I've been told LLC is best by some, and that S-corp is best by others. The business is currently just me, though I might need to bring on a part timer or two down the...
  36. M

    Concrete floor finishing options

    Have a commercial basement, about 1000SF. Need to pour a 5" concrete slab down anyway, so thinking to do a concrete finish instead of tiling over it. My thoughts are toward stamped concrete or a marble faux finish. Questions: What might the different options run me in terms of cost per SF...
  37. M

    Aftermarket rear view camera install? (2007 Nissan Versa S Hatchback)

    So I'm thinking that a rear view camera would be a good idea for me - I live in Chicago and am possibly the worst parallel parker in the world - just a terrible judge of how far back the car behind me is. How difficult is it to install? I'd need to replace my radio (double din), which I want...
  38. M

    No prep healthy snack ideas?

    Short of actually getting some semblance of self control, I'm thinking I should do SOMETHING to try to eat a little healthier. What are some ideas for things I can keep around the house to mindlessly munch on in lieu of less healthy snacks? (I should note, it's not like I'm even overweight...
  39. M

    Uses for NFC tags? (Digital memo board?)

    Howdy all, My wife and I are about to get android phones that support NFC. I was thinking of putting a few NFC tags around to make things a bit easier. Please tell me if these are possible, and share other thoughts! - A tag near the front door to check the weather (probably just as easy to...
  40. M

    Student Loan Fairness Act (HR 1330)

    I was surprised to find out that there wasn't a whitehouse.gov petition for the recently introduced bill, so I made one! Please sign and share if you support the cause. Once it hits 150 signatures, it will be searchable on the white house site...