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Are there any examples of East German wifes informing on their husbands for Stasi?

Kattullus — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:50:11 -0800

In a critique of Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) Slavoj Žižek asserts that "in all known cases of a married couple where a spouse betrayed a partner, it was always a man who became an informant." Famously, Ulrich Mühe, star of Das Leben der Anderen, asserted that his ex-wife spied on him for Stasi, though both the ex-wife and her supposed Stasi superior denied this. Other than that case, are there any examples of East German wifes informing on their husbands for Stasi?

RAM Speed vs. Ram Quantity

Partial Law — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:36:24 -0800

Is there a general formula for determining the relative value of RAM speed versus RAM quantity? More specifically, am I better off with 2GB at DDR400 in dual-channel mode, or 2.5GB at DDR333 in single-channel mode? I have an ASUS A8N5X with an Athlon 64 3200+ and have been running on a single 512 MB DIMM for way too long. I just bought 2GB (in the form of 2x1GB) and I've tested it both on its own and with the original 512 stick as well. By itself in the proper slots, the new ram runs at DDR 400 in dual-channel mode. With the old stick added in, the motherboard drops down into single-channel at 333.

The internet tells me this is correct behavior (specifically that the motherboard will drop to 333 MHz when running in single-channel mode), so the question is whether I'm better off with the extra 512 MB or with the faster speed.

Additional information that might be relevant: I still play games now and again (TF2 mostly, which ran largely fine on the old RAM), but the primary RAM-intensive use which finally prompted the upgrade is working with 10-megapixel RAW files while keeping a browser window and a half-dozen or so tabs open.

Right now I'm using the 2GB at the faster speed. Performance both ways seems to be fine (and a heck of a lot better than before), but I'm wondering if there's a good formula here. Also if it matters, I'm happy to play with CAS latency and timings and all that, but something tells me those effects will be comparatively small.

What are some good books that take place in East Germany?

comfortinsound — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:36:57 -0800

Can anyone recommend good books (fiction or non-fiction) that take place in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall?

Films about East Germany?

matkline — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:12:14 -0800

We've already had a thread that covers films made in East Germany, but I'm looking for films about East Germany, in the same vein as The Lives of Others and Goodbye Lenin. Recommendations?

KC show us your Kitch (and where is the DDR?)

hworth — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:25:21 -0800

Kansas City - what's kitchy, what's fun, what's happening next week, and where are the arcades with DDR, ITG, or Pump? The boyfriend and I are going to Kansas City for 4 or 5 days next week. I have been to KC a few times and have seen a number of the usual suspects: Art Museum, Crown Plaza, Union Station, etc. He has not been to KC before, so we will probably include all of those in this trip. This post is specifically looking for the campy/kitchy things as well as arcade locations that are not as easy to find online.

Things we both like include: art museums/galleries, kitchy or campy fun places, tasty BBQ (which is part of the reason KC was chosen), arcades (pinball for me; DDR and its derivatives for him), fountains, and tour guides who take themselves too seriously.

OMG! Stupid computers!

HauteMama — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:15:50 -0800

Memory replacement on my laptop is driving me crazy. I've got a Toshiba A215-7422. According to Toshiba it's got this memory installed "1024MB PC5300 DDR2 SDRAM." So, I ordered these memory modules, 2GB PC2-5300.

And that's where the trouble begins. I inserted the two new dimms, and the computer refused to boot. No problem, I thought, it must be bad memory sticks. So, I exchanged them for new ones. Still nothing. ( I did try testing both sticks individually and in different slots, with each set.)

Now, I can see four reasons for this.
1) I've got the wrong memory
2) The software doesn't like the amount of memory.
3) I somehow got a hold of four bad memory sticks.
4) I don't know how to install RAM.

I've tried to look up whether PC2-5300 is not the same as PC5300, but the limited info that I can find indicates that it's the same exact memory with just slightly different names. Also Crucial had this to say "Each memory slot can hold DDR2 PC2-6400,DDR2 PC2-5300 with a maximum of 2GB per slot."

I can see no reason for the bios or OS to be unhappy with the new RAM. It's only 4GB total. (I'm running Vista Home Premium).

The odds against getting four bad sticks must be astronomical.

Finally, I keep removing and re-installing the original sticks with no problems (I'm on the laptop now). So, if it's me, I'm somehow managing to install the new memory badly while installing the old memory correctly.

So, what the hell? Can anyone suggest what the problem might be? I'm not computer illiterate, but I'm no expert by any stretch. (Frankly it could be something super obvious.)

Help!

Recommended PS2 dance pads for DDR?

espertus — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:16:18 -0800

I'd like to buy a good soft PS2 dance pad for my sister-in-law who likes to play DDR, but reviews indicate that most models break after a few months. Are there any reliable dance pads or reputable stores that sell good models with extended warranties? I would also consider metal pads under $100.

What DDR song is this?

Jenesta — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 07:07:58 -0800

I am trying to figure out which Playstation 2 version of Dance Dance Revolution has this song with this backdrop. There are these white bunnies that jump out at you on-beat at one point. In other parts of the song, there are rams with candy cane horns. This is about the best I can describe since most of my concentration is directed towards the scrolling arrows. :)

Can anyone remind me where this song is?

How do I play DDR without upsetting the neighbors?

®@ — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:47:13 -0800

I'm in a second floor apartment with touchy neighbors. How do I play DDR more quietly? I've already checked the threads with DDR tags, but can't find much advice on actually quieting down my play. Are there any tricks to step lighter or muffle footfalls? Would it help to tape down a square of carpet under the pad? I'm using a standard XBOX pad.

DDR without Japanese Pop music?

anotherpanacea — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:55:24 -0800

What game system has the best Dance, Dance, Revolution array of games if avoiding Japanese synth-pop is a priority? I am researching a belated Christmas gift for a DDR-fanatic: I'm open to PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii, so there's a degree of backwards compatibility to add to the accounting. Does anyone with experience in these matters know which set of games have the most interesting music? Alternatively, if one of the systems has good online addons (where you can purchase songs online, I think?) with a Euro-american dance music bent, that would help too.

If she wants to dance and drink all night...

Glitter Ninja — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:11:49 -0800

How can I turn DDR: The Hottest Party (for Wii) into the main activity in a get-your-fat-butt-off-the-couch and move around routine? I'm recieving a Wii for xmas, and went over to play DDR on it at a friend's last night- I'm hooked like crazy. However, I know the calorie burn count is kind of low, and I'm looking for ways to make the workout a bit harder while I dance. I know DDR won't be the sole activity in any excercise routine (at least not an effective one) but it's as good a place to start as any. Please, hive mind- tips or tricks for making a DDR workout a little more effective!

Wii Want to Dance!

superbird — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:24:53 -0800

How Can I use my Xbox Dance Pads on my Wii? My wife and I have 2 foam Xbox dance pads that we really like, but we want to play Dance Dance Revolution on the Wii. I can find PS2 to Wii adapters online but no XBox to Wii. Does anyone know if any such thing exists, or have any other solutions?

Does such RAM exist in a single 2GB DIMM: 200-Pin DDR SO-DIMM DDR 333 (PC 2700) Notebook Memory?

drinkspiller — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:14:40 -0800

Does such RAM exist in a single 2GB DIMM: 200-Pin DDR SO-DIMM DDR 333 (PC 2700) Notebook Memory? I'm looking for a 2GB DIMM for my Gateway 7422GX, which supports 1GB Max RAM . I was hoping I could try 2GB and it might work even though it's not officially supported.

I only can find 2GB in DDR2, which I suspect would almost certainly not work.

Thanks, MeFi!

Wording on DDR foreign aid?

Meatbomb — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:43:42 -0800

I am requesting a short German translation, preferably from a native speaker from the DDR, or a native speaker with lots of exposure to German language communist propaganda. I need something like "Donated by the people of the DDR", but matching as closely as possible how this would have been worded by the DDR government on items they sent as foreign aid.

For example, the US gov't brands their famine aid "A Gift from the American People" with a picture of shaking hands, and the stars and stripes in the background. What exactly would the label on DDR foreign donated goods say? Would there be any graphic associated with it?

DDR2 in DDR1 slot, same pin count

pravit — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:47:02 -0800

Can I use 200-pin SO-DIMM DDR2 RAM in a 200-pin SO-DIMM DDR1 RAM slot? I've done some googling about this, but the only answers I've found are that DDR2 has 240 pins and DDR1 has 184 pins, so it wouldn't physically fit. However, my laptop takes 200-pin SO-DIMM DDR ram, and I couldn't help but notice on Newegg that 1GB of 200-pin SO-DIMM DDR2 ram goes for less than half the price of the same amount of DDR1 ram. Can I buy two sticks of DDR2 ram and save myself a hundred bucks, or do I have to stick with the DDR1?

How accurate is the calorie counter in DDR games?

aznhalf — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:24:32 -0800

How accurate is the calorie counter in DDR games? So after months of saying I'm going to get healthy I've finally got around to it. I'm down to 1400 calories a day and have lost almost 20 pounds.

I decided to compliment my diet with some activity. At first I started to give running a try but I just couldn't motivate myself to go out everyday. So I decided to go with something I know that I would be willing to do everyday, DDR(Dance Dance Revolution).

DDR comes with a calorie counter which estimates how many calories you burn. You enter your weight for it to get a more accurate estimation. The more you weigh the higher the calories burned.

After about an hour and a half it says I've burned 1000 calories. Now I'm pretty much an idiot when it comes to excercise but that number seems too high. I've been told that you burn about 150 calories running a mile. I feel that after running a mile I feel a lot more exhausted than I do when playing DDR. Granted it takes only ten minutes to run a mile, 1000 calories still seems like a lot. I don't think I could even come close to running the 6-7 miles it would take to burn 1000 calories. I feel like 500 calories seems like a more reasonable number.

Is there a better way to gauge calories burned while excercising? Does 1000 calories even seem remotely close?

If it helps I weigh 240lb and play mostly 7-8 foot songs in DDR.

Dance games for the Macintosh?

jdroth — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 14:40:19 -0800

Inspired by this question and a whim, I'm considering dance games as a possible path to improved fitness. I have a modern Macintosh, but no PC and no game consoles. Though I can't find any commercial dance games for the Mac, I have found StepMania. Based on this info, what is my best option? Should I buy a console, a dance game, and dance pad? Can somebody recommend a good Mac-compatible dance pad? Are there other inexpensive solutions? This really sounds like a fun way to exercise, but I don't know where to start.

Can I fix my own Metal Dance Pad?

Sallysings — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 10:28:03 -0800

Can I fix my own Metal Dance Pad? I bought this dance pad off Innex Inc. The photos are of the connector between the dance pad and the control box. As far as I know, it looks to be 15 pin, high density (3 lines), male. It LOOKS exactly like a VGA connector, but it's connecting to a control box.

The OUTSIDE wires have came off because the plastic cover for the plug was never properly welded to the cord, but simply clipped ONTO the cord. In other words, the plug would turn as soon as you pull it out of the bag and as the cord inside stay in the same orientation, it would twist off the soldering.

I've emailed the company a week ago to ask for a connection diagram and they haven't sent me anything yet, and I'm going to attempt to fix it myself. If I need to open a pad up and rewire it, I would. I'm not squeamish. But the thing is:

-I don't know which wire goes where on the pins, in the soldering process.
-I wouldn't know which cable to buy, if I'm going to rewire the pad myself.

So if anyone has had experience doing this themselves (to a generic pad) then, please help...

Dig Dat Ram

Popular Ethics — Tue, 30 Aug 2005 19:06:30 -0800

Ugh, memory technologies change faster than Italian governments... I'm considering upgrading my laptop, for which I just purchased 512mb of pc2100 (ddr266 ram). The new model comes with pc2700 (ddr333) ram. According to Crucial DDR memory is backwards compatible, but it doesn't mention forward-compatibility, i.e. whether I can use the older ram I bought in the newer sockets. Any help?

Dance Dance Revolutions... Quietly

PinkStainlessTail — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 12:32:45 -0800

I'm considering trying Dance Dance Revolution as a way of tricking myself into exercising more. I have two specific questions that I am having difficulty finding answers to:

1) Can you play it in a second floor apartment without being a bad upstairs neighbor? If yes, any specific techniques or tips?

2) Assuming yes to 1, anything I should know about using a pad on top of carpet? I've seen recommendations to duct tape it down, etc., but this sounds a little extreme (not to mention ugly).