Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with 2

Can you help me find this essay?

codacorolla — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:18:01 -0800

I'm looking for a World War 2 essay that may be titled "Missing the War", which is about the difference in perception between how the Second World War was portrayed in the media and how it was for the soldiers involved. I remember reading it in a best-of essay collection that might've been published in 2006 or 2007. Google searching for that title doesn't bring up anything similar. It's a really great essay, and probably some of the best war writing I've ever read.

3D effect with 2 animated photos

bru — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:05:02 -0800

Looking for a site aggregating a series of "2 slightly different pictures of the same subject animated in a loop". I have visited a few weeks ago a site showing examples of "2 slightly different pictures of the same subject animated in a loop", a very simple way of obtaining a 3D effect. I had probably found it in a Twitter link, and I thought it would be easy to find again. Wrong: Twitter search, Google, flickr: nothing.

What to do with the Apple II?

niles — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:27:18 -0800

What do I do with several Apple IIs (and a Commodore, and maybe a few other "vintage" comptuers) that I have? Nostalgia has finally given way to practicality, and I need to do something about the basement shelf overflowing with computers older than I am - but I have absolutely no clue how to do it. It seems wasteful to throw out a perfectly working Commodore 64 (in the original packaging!), or any of several models of Apple IIs with boxes of related 5.25" disk software. I read about a team at MIT creating cheap computers out of Apple IIs for developing countries, and while I can't find any further information for them online, donating to a cause like that would be awesome. Short of that, what else can I do to clean out the house? What's the best thing to do with these computers?

Books on Hitler - Nazi Germany

snap_dragon — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:05:05 -0800

I just finished reading Hunting Eichmann and am wondering if any MeFites could recommend any other popular nonfiction books on Nazi Germany, Hitler, war criminals, etc. I don't do huge tomes well (400 pages or less!). The only other books I have read are MAUS and Explaining Hitler. Thanks for your input. So much out there...don't know where to begin. Probably the more well known the better as they may be available at my library.

Real-world microprocessor performance based on specs.

brenton — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:14:20 -0800

Help me understand Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Wikipedia has a confusing chart that seems to indicate matching processor to the RAM is more important than the actual specs of the RAM or processor. I'm buying a laptop on the Dell Outlet. But trying to do research for which one to pick has led me to the wikipedia page on Core 2 Duo processors. Several things confuse me.

1. What is the meaning of this "GB/s" unit of measure under the "Matched memory and maximum bandwidth" column? Is this a reliable indicator of generic processing power?

2. For DDR2 RAM, is the chart saying that the processors with only 533 FSB are always faster than the 800mhz processors? It seems so since they have more "GB/s". But that makes no sense! The processors with faster FSB should always be better... right?

3. Is a "Core 2 Duo" most likely better than a "Core Duo" or even a "Pentium Dual Core"? It would be helpful if I could narrow it down to just one processor type.

What should I be looking at when choosing a processor? I had it in my head that Core 2 Duo was the best dual core processor out today. If I choose the Core 2 Duo with the fastest FSB I can find, (assuming a reasonable clock speeed,) is that the way to go?

Need to Poop, Stat 911 (for a kid)

snsranch — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:24:49 -0800

Help me help my constipated Kid! Here's the quick and dirty; kid (10) broke his arm and has had a LOT of pain medication before during and after surgery.

Now he needs to poo and can't.

Any over the counter or hopefully Home remedies would be greatly appreciated! Fruit? Veggies? Water laced with soy sauce?

Many thanks in advance!

Anyone know the title of this book?

pjlalala — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:01:34 -0800

Back when I was in Elementary school around 1969 our teacher read a book aloud to the class that I remember as being kind of fantasy and kind of spooky. The plot was something about a sister and brother who were latch-key kids. I think the sister wore the house key around her neck on a green ribbon. Anyway, somehow they were "kidnapped" by an old person and and ended up on an island where the people never got older. I believe a closet was involved too THe way the people stayed young had something to do with the kids not being abled to leave. If someone knows the name of this book it would be great. Thanks.

a shitty question

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:46:03 -0800

Poop question about normalcy and bowel movements [possibly disgusting] First, I realize this is sensitive issue, but any feedback would be appreciated (although that might be difficult since responses can't be anonymous).

First, some background. I lived the first 27 years of my life assuming that pooping would take 20-30 minutes and afterwards my butt would be dirty. We're talking really dirty. It would take maybe 1-3 minutes of wiping to clean things up. This might not sound terrible, but the point was that I could _always_ wipe more. There was no point at which the toilet paper would be completely clean. I hated this situation, but I assumed everyone lived like this and I was too embarrassed to mention it to anyone. However, I was more open with my second girlfriend .The subject was broached when I asked her eating habits after noticing (what I thought were) incredibly short bathroom trips. This led to me watching my diet more carefully and finally realizing that I was lactose intolerant. I also discovered the wonders of psyllium husk. Since then pooping has gone from something I dreaded to something I look forward to and actually enjoy. I feel "empty" when I'm done. And I usually wipe completely cleanly (I mean I wipe once to make sure, but most of the time it's completely clean). I'm also usually in the bathroom for less than five minutes, as opposed to a half hour. Occasionally things won't work this well, but that's an abberation.

Now there seem to be two possibilities. One is that this story is unique and most people are not walking around with mudbutt, assuming they don't shower immediately after a dirty poop. I hope this is the case. The other is that many people are living how I used to live. I realize there are obviously personal variations, but I wonder what you experience personally or what you believe is normal or common.

To clarify: When I say a poop is "complete", I mean I feel "empty" and done afterwards and I rarely have to wipe more than once or twice.
When I say a poop is "incomplete", I mean I could keep wiping forever and the toilet paper would still be dirty (from the anus, not the cheeks). Wiping at this point is mainly to get poop off your ass while acknowledging that nothing can really be done about the poop that keeps coming out. I suppose showering would be one solution to this.

I've noticed a few things that have led me to believe a large amount of people are walking around with mudbutt.

1) The prevalence of bathroom reading materials. In movies and on TV people are always reading in the bathroom. I can't imagine having the time to read anything these days, although before my poop habits changed I could probably have read a novel in a sitting. Assuming length of time sitting corresponds with dirty/"incomplete" poops (does it?), this seems to suggest that people who find reading in the bathroom normal are more likely to have dirty butts.

2) Sheryl Crow recently said that one or two squares of toilet paper should be sufficient. This led to a wave of ridicule (ie, Jay Leno: "Remind me not to shake her hand!"). But ridiculing her seems to suggest that people use way more than one or two squares, which should not be the case if their poops are "complete".

3) I've spoken to women (obviously I don't think all women are the same) who have talked about being mortified about farting in public bathrooms. Men's bathrooms seem to smell much more and women seem to not take as long when pooping. These are gross generalizations, but I wonder if length of time in the bathroom and smell correspond with "incomplete" shits and on average, men have mudbutt more often than women.

4) I recently mentioned an "invisible shit" I had to a friend since it was such a rare occurance. By "invisible shit" I meant that I had taken a poop, but it has disappeared into the bowl and when I looked down, I could see nothing in the toilet. He thought I was talking about not having to wipe, where an "invisible shit" meant that nothing was on the toilet paper after pooping. Since he found this to be an extremely rare occurance, that suggests that he often has "incomplete" poops.

I'd be interested if complete/incomplete was actually something other people experienced or just something I made up, and what other people's normal habits are.

2 player games on the Wii?

andrewzipp — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:08:17 -0800

2 player games on the Wii? I'm looking for good 2 player games for the Wii. I have 2 controllers and nunchucks, which I bought to play Rayman Raving Rabbids with my girlfriend, but we ended up just taking turns, since it turns out it isn't really 2 player (at least until you beat the whole thing, and I'm not sure how great that is).

Bowling was fun for a while. Tennis, didn't really understand it. Boxing, didn't like the beating each other up aspect. I'm not really that into sports in general, so the Winter Sports or the Mario vs. Sonic ones don't look that interesting.

We both liked the humor in Rayman, I'd like to find other fun games for two players, especially ones where you can both play at the same time. Wario Ware looks good, but it seems like it's more mini games and taking turns.

Recommend a birthday gift for 2-year-old twins, ships internationally and costs under $50... uh, please?

Chorus — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:13:55 -0800

Recommend a birthday gift for 2-year-old twins, ships internationally and costs under $50... uh, please? The twins are a boy and a girl, really REALLY into Elmo and cats. I'm in UK, they're in the States. I've not met them in person, but I talk with them and their mom like everyday phone-wise due to work and now mutual friendship. Never fear, I'm also getting a gift for their mother too, cause hey, these are 2-year-old twins we're talking about.

The problem is what to get the little ones? I haven't been around kids in years, so I feel really clueless. I can knit and crochet but it's too hot where they are [ML] to send like a crocheted afghan/knitted jumpers that are the mainstay of what I usually make for kids. A [free] plush animal knit/crochet pattern that doesnt wreck my head is hard to come by.

Handmade or bought, I don't care - I just have to be able to ship it internationally, so nothing too bulky either. Please help me find a decent gift! Or do social norms require a gift for each twin?

location bar issues, firefox 2

ashbury — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 20:42:29 -0800

In firefox 1.5 I could select a URL from the dropdown list in the location bar and it would act as a link and take me to that site. In firefox 2. I have to hit the GO button or hit enter after selecting the desired URL. I want the old way back! Is it possible? Oh yeah, windows xp is the system.

Japan/ese-ophiles: Help me find out more about this WWII-era phenomenon in propaganda in Japan.

Lockeownzj00 — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:14:28 -0800

Japan/ese-ophiles: Help me find out more about this WWII-era phenomenon in propaganda in Japan. I was told by a friend a while ago that during WWII, the Japanese government would often publish propaganda with combinations of kanji that didn't necessarily "mean" anything specifically, but intrinsically, logographically "felt" good.

Can anyone confirm this, and if so, can they expand upon the idea?

How to revive old Apple IIc floppy disks

zooropa — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 22:09:05 -0800

Is there a way to retrieve the old files I have saved on 5.25" Apple IIc floppy disks? When I was a kid, I used to write stories on the Apple IIc my parents brought home Thanksgiving weekend, 1986. My parents were cleaning out the old garage a few weeks ago and found a box of about 20 of my old floppy disks in relatively pristine condition.

Here's the question -- how do I retrieve those files? It would mean a great deal to me to be able to read all those old stories I wrote. They were all written in AppleWorks (the old version, not the new one derived from ClarisWorks), so I'm assuming they are in some sort of .txt-ish file format.

I'd even pay for a service if it wasn't outrageously expensive, or pay someone to do this for me. Any thoughts?

Did Steve Irwin expore WW2 sites?

Jesco — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 08:32:22 -0800

Did Steve Irwin do a series of shows exporing World War 2 battle sites? I may be crazy, but I thought I remembered this from a few years ago. I remember him climbing around old bunkers and digging around the ruins of old tanks and planes. I think he even may have found some human remains, too.

It was a very interesting show, but I find nothing on Google or IMDB.

Type 2 diabetic with a sex starved girlfriend

TwilightKid — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 09:09:05 -0800

I am 33 years old and I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about two years ago, with an initial blood sugar reading of 350. Currently, I have it under control with the help of Metformin, Glipizide, and Avandia.....I have also have now been in a monogamous new relationship with my girlfriend for about 2 months ......My dilemna... I have very little sex drive. We do have sex, maybe every other day we are together (once in a two day weekend, twice in this past 4 day holidy weekend). She seems to always initiate it though. I am defenitely physiucally attracted to her, and I defenitely see her as my wife in the future...But I just seem to have littel interest in starting the foreplay.

We get along perfectly otherwise. We are very intimate. Constantly hugging, kissing, cuddling, bonding, etc....When she initiates it, I go along, and I do enjoy it.....But the other night she called me out on it....She feels that I am rejecting her, or that I am not attracted to her, and when we do have sex, I have the look of just wanting to get it over with.....

I can't explain it. I spoke to my doctor about it, and he kind of played it off on the diabetes and medications, and all that.

I do have sexual thoughts....I dont have a problem doing the job by myself, when we are not together....

It's still early in the relationship, but she has begun to expess concerns....I still consider this the 'honeymoon' period of our relationship, so it should be constant sex, no?? She is worried of whats gonna happen in the future, if I have little to no sex drive now....

Anyone with diabetes wanna share their thoughts?

More info available if it will provide you with better answers for me.....Much thanks

Gasoline Shelf Life

Raybun — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 15:53:37 -0800

What is the shelf life of the gasoline/oil mix that is used in 2 stroke engines? I use my chain saw 2-3 times a year and mixing fresh gas/oil mix every time is both wasteful and creates a disposal problem. How often should the gasoline in my emergency generator be changed?

Battlefield 2 multiplayer, worth it for the casual gamer?

geoff. — Mon, 25 Jul 2005 12:58:53 -0800

I'm looking into buying Battlefield 2, for the multiplayer experience. Can anyone comment on the ability to accomodate the casual gamer? I've always been turned off by multiplayer games as it seems only a select few who play all day control the flow of the game. Is it easy to just pick up a quick game here and there? There appears to be a ranking system and I've read at various exploits at people who take advantage of it. Is there a good feeling of team for those who don't join a squad? Do people bond enough to work together even through one game? Or do a few rogues end up spoiling it for everyone?

I'm often dismayed at playing and being totally whiped out by those who seem to be able to exploit every nuance of every map. Playing the demo seemed just a free-for-all rush.

Maybe I'm just being lame about this, if the answer to these questions is "it happens in all multiplayer games", is there a general rule to avoid such miscreats and anti-social types?

I guess as a side-note (though this would properly be in MeTa), would there be interest in making a Metafilter squad?

Why am I having problems with a USB 2.0 card reader and my Win 2000 laptop?

alidarbac — Mon, 16 Aug 2004 23:03:36 -0800

A USB 2.0 card reader is causing my Windows 2000 laptop to completely hang up. [mi] I have a decrepit Dell Latitude laptop with a PCMCIA USB 2.0/Firewire adapter. I recently bought a Canon Digital Rebel and I wanted to transfer the RAW files over through a USB 2.0 card reader instead of waiting ~1 hour for the pictures to transfer through USB 1.1. So I went down to the local computer store and picked up a cheap USB 2.0 card reader. The reader wouldn't work at all on USB 2.0, but it would work on the USB 1.1 port. So I went back to the store and exchanged it for a slightly better card reader. This card reader also works perfectly fine at USB 1.1, but it only connects successfully on the USB 2.0 half of the time, and even more it completely hangs up after about a minute of copying files and I have to completely reboot.

So I'm figuring the problem is something with the way Windows is handling USB 2.0. I have Service Pack 4 installed. Moreover, I have both an iPod and an external hard drive which hook up through Firewire and USB 2.0 respectively and so far have been working perfectly fine with Windows.

What can I do (other than buy a new computer)?