Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with pad

Foam top mattress way too hot

Majorita — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:09:45 -0800

How can I make my foam-topped mattress less hot? It was fine in the winter, but now I find myself sweltering in bed. I hate it. Just now at 6 pm: Sitting on my sofa? Not sweating. Lying immobile in bed? Sweating.

I already sleep with my feet sticking out from under the sheets but it's still too hot. I use high thread count, cotton sheets. Would a wool mattress pad help? Maybe a featherbed between me and the mattress? I searched the archives and found this thread which mentions a wool mattress pad. This Google search result suggested using a poly mattress pad, but I'm currently using one and it's not much help.

I'd like something that I can launder regularly because I don't have access to a clothesline or any other way of airing it out/exposing it to direct sunlight.

DEATHMATCH: Tenori-on Vs Monome

Juliet Banana — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:08:56 -0800

Which is a better musical instrument: the Tenori-on or the Monome? So, to a lay person (me!) they look like the same thing; buttons and LEDs. Most people either are in love with one or the other, or think they're absolutely different, apples and oranges.

The Tenori-on is made by Yamaha, sells for $999, and is probably best known as that weird lite-brite thing Little Boots uses. It can generate it's own sounds and the software it pairs with is not configurable by the user.

The Monome devices are made by Monome and vary between $500-$1,400, providing you can snatch one when they become available or find one on ebay, or put it together yourself. It does not produce sound on it's own; it's simply a controller for software. Many user-produced software exists for it, and you can write your own.

I'm asking this for my boyfriend, who does a fair amount of DJing live and bedroom-recording of music that sounds like if glitchy robots could beatbox. He mostly uses Ableton Live, and is learning Max/MSP. If I got any information wrong in this question, it's because I'm not a DJ, just a club kid; feel free to correct me harshly.

Does the Monome make sense if you're not a programmer and Max/MSP looks like some scary moonman software you'd have to be Venetian Snares to understand?

Which is better for playing live?

Which is a better deal for the money?

What's on your personal wishlist? If you bought one, do you regret not buying the other?

I don't mind lumps in my mashed potatoes, but none in my bed please.

Advocate, I — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:27:07 -0800

How can I get the lumps out of my goose down mattress pad? I've had a goose down mattress pad on my bed for a while, and it has provided me with tons of comfy night's sleep. Today, while changing sheets, I decided to shake out the pad to get rid of some dust, in doing so I shifted the down in the pad and now the pad is lumpy. Does anyone know how to get rid of the lumps and redistribute the down in the pad to make it even and comfy again? Did I just ruin my pad!? Help!

My apartment needs a tune-up.

backseatpilot — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:23:27 -0800

What makes a living space go from good to great? As the days get shorter and darker, I tend to take a little bit of time about this point in the year to try to improve my indoor life. Last year I took up a hobby, this year I think I need to concentrate on the living space.

I like my apartment. It's a good apartment, but I want it to scream "This apartment is awesome!" I'm not really sure how to do that. The furniture generally follows a theme, there are pictures on the walls, and it's kept in a reasonably clean state. I think there's enough lighting, but even if there wasn't I don't have anywhere else to plug in more lamps.

So, I guess the question is - what are some small, subtle things that one can do to/add to/subtract from a living space to give it just that extra, undefinable zing that makes living there extraordinarily satisfying and has guests wondering who your decorator is?

Is there a Vista equivalent for Office 2004 Mac's "Notebook Layout View"?

zooropa — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:45:38 -0800

A friend of mine is a schoolteacher with the Chicago Public Schools. On his Mac, he uses Office 2004. He was showing me a feature in the Office 2004 version of Word that I really like. It allows you to open up a document in something called "Notebook Layout View" (I think) that simulates a page of ruled notebook paper as if you were writing in a spiral notebook. It even allows you to format a title and heading and other features. Anyone know if there is a Vista equivalent for Office 2007? I tried looking through the templates (both what's included with 2007 and at Microsoft Online) and I can't seem to find anything similar. (and please, no flames or exhortations to "get a Mac!" I'm stuck with I have and there's no changing for the time being) Thanks!

Demonstrations in Bangkok

mrunderhill — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 23:59:41 -0800

I'm flying to Bangkok tomorrow morning. What should I know about the current situation? I booked this months ago and am most definitely going, but I'd like to know what to expect. From what I gather these demonstrations are generally peaceful. But there are anecdotal reports of violent clashes with riot police..

Are there tanks roaming the streets of Bangkok?

Do you think BKK will remain open?

Thanks!

[Mousepad Filter] Help me find a new mousepad! Hopefully free!

Javed_Ahamed — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:43:32 -0800

Hey Guys! I need some advice on a mouse pad for my computer table. The setup im using now -This Setup- sometimes makes my Logitech laser mouse jump around even though I have used the same wax paper over wooden and glass surfaces. I think the little holes in the keyboard table are messing it up. Can you guys suggest any mouse pads (hopefully free lying around the house) that would give good tracking and also are nice to the touch? I don't mind the Waxpaper just not over this holey surface. Thanks!

Keynote for the Web

Jimbob — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 05:04:29 -0800

In the last 24 hours I've discovered Keynote (no, not that Keynote) and it's pretty much revolutionized the way I organise my information and do my work. Is there a web-based equivalent? The basic form of Keynote is:

(a) A tabbed interface - each tab is a "note".
(b) Within each tab you can set up a "tree".
(c) Each node on the tree is an RTF text document.
(d) It's all movable, searchable, exportable.

Somehow this format is incredibly intuitive - it makes much more sense to me than all the other "mind mapping" or Wiki style of information management software. I can put a different project in each tab, and under each tab set up nodes and sub-nodes for a things to do list, copies of correspondence, things to remember, research data, analysis, lists, you name it.

But it would be killer if I could keep all my information online in a form that is accessible from anywhere. Now days the web seems full of "Online AJAX to-do lists" - any ideas about something more like Keynote?

1-800-key-padd

I, Credulous — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 09:07:57 -0800

Can anyone tell me why telephone keypads are "upside down" relative to calculator/numeric keypads? e.g: telephone keypad arranged like so

1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
* 0 #

(i've observed that most ATM/banking machines also orient their keypads in this way -- perhaps to maintain the familiarity of a telephone)

calculator/adding machine/numeric keypads are arranged like so:

7 8 9
5 6 7
1 2 3
0 .

what's the reasoning (if any)?

I ask because when looking at a computer screen for a telephone number, i often "touch type" the number I'm trying to dial on the phone, and of course, it's upside down from the computer keyboard I work with all the time.

"these blow up in funny shapes at all?"

valkane — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 20:59:03 -0800

my round, global map, mouse pad freebie (oracle, circa 1994) is gross. can i wash it? or do you have a cool (new) round mousepad link? nothing for gaming, please, (icemat, func, aluminum, mouse rugs, please no.) and it must match a black logitech v200 wireless and a immaculate G3 iBook. i like dark colors cuz they don't show dirt.... i like round, well, cuz i do.

yeah, i'm picky, and i don't really want to design one a' la cafe press.

"Not unless round is funny."

All I want is sheets!

metaculpa — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 19:07:31 -0800

For the love of God, do truly blank pads of paper exist? I'd love the following: 8.5*11in pads of white, unruled paper, with the little cardboard tops.
I would give someone else's first child for these - or, alternately, money.
(Maybe I should just get some paper bound?)

Non-bunching mattress pad

Joleta — Sat, 02 Apr 2005 21:15:38 -0800

Looking for a mattress pad that doesn't move around and bunch up. I've spent a lot of money on them, and they all seem to want to migrate as soon as we crawl into bed. They look like they fit when I put them on and pull them tight, but as soon as we get in and roll over even once, there's all sorts of ridges and bumps. I'm talking about the kind of mattress pad that goes on like a fitted sheet. Would the flat kind of pad with straps be better? We like the softness of knit sheets, and I'm wondering whether there's a "Velcro effect" between the sheets and the pad. Would regular cotton sheets slide over the pad and not make it bunch up?

My Keeper has lost its shape. Should I replace it or get a DivaCup?

dame — Wed, 19 Jan 2005 19:43:39 -0800

AskMeFemmes: Keeper and diva cup question. Details, unlike blood, inside. I have been using a keeper for about three years without any trouble. Over this time, it has gone slightly oval. I assumed that this is because my cunt is slightly oval. Now, however, it is leaking--quite a lot this last go-round. Is this due to ovality? Is there anything to do about it but buy a new one? Would getting the softer, silicone diva cup prevent this from happenening again?

Where can I find a paper memo pad which will fit in my wallet?

callmejay — Tue, 18 May 2004 08:11:31 -0800

Where can I find a paper memo pad which will fit in my wallet? I'm looking for an approximately credit card sized memo pad which I can keep in my wallet for various to do lists and the like. Lines are a plus, dividers would be golden. Moleskines are too large. I'd consider one slightly bigger than credit card size as long as it isn't a burden to carry along with my phone, wallet, and keys.

I realize I could probably make one myself. Sometimes I like prefab.

Google is polluted by software and PDAs abusing the name "memo pad."