Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with reduction

Is reduction of rent warranted in this situation? If yes, how to proceed

naplesyellow — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 10:23:56 -0800

I'm asking this for a senior citizen friend. Does he have a right to ask for a reduction in rent for a situation wherein he warned management of criminal activity......but was ignored? My friend Dave is 78 and he lives alone with his cat in an apartment in Oregon. The apartment is in a large multi-unit complex.

For several months Dave and some younger people have been in a battle over a handicapped space that my friend usually uses. My friend talked to management several times about the situation and they were no help. I researched it and found that there was little he could do as the complex is private property and apparently they don't have to enforce laws pertaining to handicapped spaces. Still, of course, my friend complained here and there to management, because the people using the space seemed hale and hearty and not handicapped.

The younger people also didn't seem the type to live in this particular complex, because they were seedy types. Dave reported suspicious things to management several times over the course of several months. Each time he told the apartment manager something he was blown off and told that because of confidentiality issues, she could not discuss the other "tenants" with Dave.
Dave never put his concerns in writing and he didn't call the police himself, because he only had suspicions. He reported to management, for example, that he saw a guy go into the apartment with a "ton" of tubing.

Yesterday the police raided the apartment in question and found a meth lab. When the meth lab was discovered Dave had to leave his apartment for the day. He was told to take his cat with him, but the cat went into hiding with all the commotion..he had to ultimately leave the cat behind. He worried, of course, all day about his cat.

When Dave was in the Apartment manager's office and other neighbors were talking about the situation Dave was told NOT to talk about what he knew with others. He has always been given this admonition, because management has "rules" about "confidentiality". This "confidentiality" thing is what he was always told each time he complained about people who did not seem like they were legitimately on any kind of lease. He specifically told management months ago that he thought the people downstairs were making drugs (and he was blown off).

Well, today Dave is back in his apartment and except for some residual vinegar smell, all is well. The cat is fine. Life can continue as usual and my friend is happy the bad guys are gone. He likes living there. Here is his question. Can he ask for money off of his rent for all the inconvenience of this? The fact that Management allowed the situation to continue after repeated complaints seems like a factor...is it?

If Dave wants to approach the apartment complex about this matter, should he put his request in writing? What would be adequate compensation be for a situation like this? Is he entitled to something? Does he have any legal grounds to ask for this? Should he take this to people above the manager who ignored him? Thank you for any advice.

Extracting/Disposing of Methyl Mercury (methylmercury) from Canned Tuna

JamesBlakeAV — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 02:14:22 -0800

How can I extract/rid of methylmercury out of canned Tuna? I bought a ton, and just realized I should have went with canned salmon. There HAS to be an easy way to at least cut down on the Hg content... right? There's got to a be a natural way to reduce (if not abolish) the methylmercury (ions of mercury with some other thing?) found in tuna...

Things I found online:

It boils off just under 200 degrees F. That would destroy the nutrient
This is methylmercury... not mercury... is the mercury carried away at 200 degrees? Or is only part of it evaporated? It's not water soluble... Could I just turn the pan up near 300deg and slap the tuna on for 9 seconds and swish her round?

Also.... would the following information suggest that the sulfur-thiols that onions release: http://tinyurl.com/btky2pb

Would react quite well with methylmercury: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylmercury#Structure

I don't know where to go with this knowledge. I'm sure there are lots other variables I have not taken into account.
ANY criticism and any advice is greatly appreciatted. I truly do feel there is a simple way to deal with the mercury. I'd much rather extract it out somehow, though, rather than treat it while it's in my system with cholerra or selenium. Maybe I'll combine both methods.

Regardless, any help out there? I'm sure if a simple solution is put together, it will help millions!

I just don't wanna waste that tuna, and I don't mind learning anything!

So far, I'm thinking I could just mix it with lots of various thiol-containing veggies, cut it up, and sautee the whole thing and eat whatever comes out.

Any other ideas?!?!

Breast reduction cost without insurance?

ohsnapdragon — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 17:43:36 -0800

Does anyone have experience getting a breast reduction without insurance? My partner wants to get a breast reduction. It is mainly for aesthetic/self-esteem purposes, as she identifies sort of butch/androgynous and her huge breasts don't fit her self-image. She also loves exercising and finds they get in the way/hurt during a lot of activities. She has some back pain also. She is in excellent shape and not overweight, but we are still unsure if a breast reduction would be covered in her case (even if she had insurance, which she doesn't, as she is currently freelancing.)

We are considering proceeding anyway. We'd probably take the money we'd be applying towards private health insurance and stick it aside for a year or so until we have the funds. However, I'm not really sure how much private insurance would cost us, nor how much the breast reduction would cost. And I'm not sure where to start.

If we go to a consultation with a surgeon before getting her health insurance (if we went that route), would this affect her chances of having the reduction covered?

Anyone else have experience with this? We are not looking for advice on whether or not she should have the surgery, only whether or not she should do it without insurance.

Thanks.

Help us reduce our new home's train noise problem.

theNonsuch — Sun, 29 May 2011 20:26:57 -0800

Help me (please) soundproof our new home against the trains that run right behind our house. Materials, strategies, tips: all are appreciated. We just moved into our first home (hooray!) and it's wonderful except for the fact that there's a Via Rail train line that runs right behind the house. Oops.

Oh, and for context, we live in Toronto, just south of the eastern rail line that goes up to Stoufville.

Trains tend to go past around once every 30-45 minutes in each direction, and (thank god) it's just the train — we don't get engine horns. I'm looking to soundproof two things:

Easier: the house. Inside the house, the train sounds aren't too bad at all, but at night it can interrupt sleep. I'm guessing installing soundproof doors might help, but any suggestions on brands? Or other approaches that might be more effective for less cost?

Harder: the backyard. My assumption is we're mostly SOL here unless we can convince the city to build a sound barrier. But I'm all ears (AHEM) for any suggestions on how we can reduce the sound levels in our backyard.

Smallest VR / IS prime lens for Nikon?

mwhybark — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 11:41:55 -0800

What is the smallest Nikon (or compatible) image-stabilization lens? My search results seem to indicate it is this: Nikon 18mm - 55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX (VR) Vibration Reduction Wide Angle Autofocus Zoom Lens, which is a VR version of the kit lens on a D40. I have a D40, and I like it OK, but have used full-size Nikons in the past. There is a likelihood that I will eventually trade up. The d40 lacks on-board image stabilization. I hate shooting anything but available light, so the kit lens has been quite frustrating for me.

My ideal lens for the camera would be one that I can open up just huge and which applies image stabilization if I want it. I am totally uninterested in zoom for this lens; I have a VR 55mm-200mm zoom that meets my needs, and of course the kit lens.

Since I have found the kit lens to be lacking (it won't open up as much as I'd like), I'd prefer to find a different - and physically smaller - lens.

Finally, I don't care about autofocus for this lens either. I rarely use it on the other two lenses; I feel like I am fighting with the camera whenever I leave it on. My survey of the available stuff seems to indicate that in general manufacturers and the public view AF as the most important manual override feature with IS coming in second. I further suspect that the physical size requirements of the mechanisms govern the smallest lens which offers them, apparently that 18mm-55mm lens linked above.

Am I SOL? Is there a small lens, no AF, big aperture, that incorporates VR for Nikon?

I should note there is a relatively recent, somewhat related question:

DSLR lens advice wanted

However, while the poster asked specifically for image-stabilization on the primes, the ones suggested generally do not appear to offer it, unless I misread what I examined.

I'm willing to wait for a bargain...

segatakai — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:07:21 -0800

Is there an iphone app (or a piece of software, or a widget, or a website, or something) that will notify me when/if there is a change in price on any of the items in my iTunes wishlist? I've been able to find apps that will tell me what apps are on sale, or are free. I've been able to find apps that review apps or rate them. But I can't find anything that lets me track my wishlist. Any ideas?
(I'm actually using an iPod Touch, though I doubt that matters)
Thank you kindly.

Help me sleep anywhere I want!

silverstatue — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:46:59 -0800

I need a recommendation for a white noise machine... preferably one that can travel! I found a couple questions about this, but they were from several years ago. Basically I have slept with a fan on for years, but the fan is big and bulky in my tiny Brooklyn apartment, so a nice sleek white noise machine would be better, i think. Can anyone suggest a good one? I dont need rain fall or chirping birds or anything like that - just a simple fan-like noise is good.

HOWEVER, what i do need is for it to be portable. I'd love to be able to bring my noise machine when i travel. So that means it has to be small and light.

My budget is anything under $100, i guess.

Help me get my GIMP on

dchrssyr — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:02:17 -0800

Teach me how to download plugins for GIMP as if I were a person with no computer experience at all. I'm actually not a complete idiot but for some reason, I can't figure out how to install plugins for GIMP. I'm a new GIMP user and I've figured out the basics of using curves and I'm slowly figuring out how to use layers, but I'd like to find some plugins for better black and white conversions, as well noise reduction and a lomo script. Could you walk me though it, step by step, as if you were teaching a child? I'm using GIMP 2.6 on a machine with windows 7. Or, alternatively, you could point me toward some websites and videos that do so. I have found some tutorials but they just seem like gibberish to me, so obviously, the simpler the better. Thanks!

finding a surgeon for gynecomasti

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:35:42 -0800

I'm a male in my late 20s - I am about 5'7" and weigh 170 lbs. I have gynecomastia, or enlarged male breasts. I want to have them shrunk. Even when I was thinner, I still have always had enlarged breasts (fat tends to concentrate on my stomach and chest). They are far larger than they should be for my slightly overweight body.

My father had gynecomastia as well, and had surgery to shrink them.

I live in the DC area, and I'd really like to figure out how to best find a specialist/surgeon in the area that will be able to (affordably) and safely remove the stubborn, excess fat with a minimum of time off of work.

I've never had comestic surgery before and I know that my insurer (Blue Cross) won't cover it, so this is new territory for me. Any suggestions from Mefites who have had gynecomastia, or simply have had plastic surgery?

Experience with Natural Breast Reduction?

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:23:02 -0800

I am sick of the discomfort, soreness, heaviness, and occasional back pain that comes with my breasts. I really, truly hate them. I'm 20 and not about to get surgery, and I've been trying to research a product like Alexia. Anyone have experiences with this? I can't find anything online that doesn't sound like an advertising plant. (alexiabreast.com careful, there are semi nsfw pictures.)

The ingredients listed are chromium (as picolinate), "proprietary alexia blend," guggulsterones, theobromine cacao, green tea extract, caffeine, and sclareolides.
An "herbal" remedy, it claims to work in the first couple weeks, with zero side effects. I have read only in one place on the internet a girl disliking it, and her complaint was minor aching and soreness, which I already have. Everyone else seemed to really like it, but everyone else also sounded like they could have been advertisements stuck in by the company.

Concerns:
They want me to take the pill 3 times a day. That is a lot of stuff to put inside me, and I'm worried about side effects.
A bottle is filled with a one month supply, and is 70$. Yowzah! I would like for something I'm digging deep to pay for to work.
"Proprietary Alexia Blend" sounds suspicious. Like "Natural Flavors," or something.

Currently:
I am in shape. I am not going to lose any weight doing this, as I am pretty small everywhere but my chest. I work out, I eat well. I am working on my pectorals but it isn't really helping me.

And:
I know the first answer to this will probably go something like "Don't alter your body, don't do anything, your boobs are fine, get used to it. And shame on you." But this isn't about vanity or body image. I have already discussed this with my boyfriend, and aside from being concerned with my safety, he's fine with it. He understands that its about pain, discomfort, and feeling out of place in my own skin. Please understand that before you scold me for trying to change myself.

Yes, I will call my doctor and ask them about it on Monday. They probably wont be able to provide me with firsthand accounts, though. Has anyone tried Alexia (or something similar)? Has it worked, has it gone awfully? Would you recommend it?

How to lower the environmental impact of the work place?

InstantSanitizer — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:00:49 -0800

Strategies for greening the work place? At very short notice I have been put in charge of a pilot study that will be implemented at my office (within a gov agency). I'd appreciate information on/ links to measures, large and small, that can be taken to make an office, within an existing older building, more environmentally friendly. TIA

Help me find accent reduction classes in New York

falameufilho — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:51:12 -0800

Looking for accent reduction classes/coaches in New York City. Can you recommend anyone? Though I think I have a pretty good english for a foreigner, since I arrived in the US I noticed that there's room for improvement - I have been misunderstood many times on silly situations and I think that improving my accent would correct that and also act as a confidence boost.

However, doing a little search on the internet, I got the impression that this is one of those segments that, like speed reading and memory improvement, is filled with crooks trying to sell you their brand of snake oil.

Have you, or anyone you know, done any kind of accent reduction in English? If so, can you recommend anyone in the New York area?

How to sound more like a native speaker of Spanish

bijou — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:50:51 -0800

How can I eliminate my American accent when speaking Spanish? My Spanish-speaking friends have commented that I don't have a "gringa accent" when I speak, but I'm well aware that I could further improve my accent.

How can I clean up my Spanish pronunciation? I've found this website, and I plan to use it to repeat and imitate sounds, but are there books/websites/programs specifically targeted at accent reduction for non-native speakers of Spanish?

Along those lines: is there (perceived to exist) a neutral accent in the Spanish language? Or a country that has a more generally understood way of speaking?

Any tips on accent reduction in general would be welcomed.

How do I simplify my graph?

lpctstr; — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:55:27 -0800

Math/CS majors: What algorithms are out there to do "approximate reductions for weighted graphs"? This is a term I made up, but basically I have a 200,000 node graph with weighted edges and I want to reduce it so I can see clusters and/or patterns. I know of SUBDUE, but it only works for unweighted graphs.

How to reduce redness after a skin abrasion heals?

obliquicity — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 11:34:09 -0800

I fell down while running and abraded my chin. Two weeks later, I have a red circle of healed skin on my chin. It looks silly, and I'd like it to go away faster (similar abrasions on my arms took over a year to disappear, and although I treated my chin better, I'm still worried). I tried to google solutions, but everything I came across was either about disguising it (makeup, etc, which I don't wear and am uncomfortable with because I'm fairly convinced it will look worse rather than better), or about getting rid of scar tissue (I'm not sure I'd consider the perfectly-ordinary-but-pink skin "scar tissue" -- an interpretation that is borne out by the descriptions of products and their effects that I've been reading). Is there a way to reduce the redness? Why is it still red, when it feels healed?

Exploding wine reduction

aimless — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 13:37:25 -0800

Why did my merlot reduction explode in my face and how do I keep it from happening again? It started with olive oil in a non-stick pan, a little garlic and some root veggies, sauteed for five minutes at medium high. I put those in the crock pot, then put a little more oil in the pan and browned the pot roast--about three minutes a side. Put that in the crock pot, and then was instructed to add 1/2 cup burgundy (I used merlot) to the oil in the pan and reduce to a few tablespoons. I was happily scraping up the little brown bits while the wine bubbled, as I've done many times before, and then this large bubble formed in the middle of the pan and exploded in my face! And all over the ceiling, walls, and floor. While I was rescuing my eyes and face from the burn, I heard it happen a few more times. I finally took the pan off the heat after I determined that my face and eyes would be fine.

So, what happened and how to I prevent it next time? I usually deglaze in a cast-iron skillet, but this time it was non-stick. There was probably a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, some bits of garlic and onion, and some fat and water from the meat. I had also salted and peppered the meat before removing it from the pan, so there might have been some of those in the mix.

Is it any of those things? Was it too hot--the whole time at medium-high? I've done this before, but never had any trouble. I will continue to cook with wine, but it'd be nice to know what caused this.

A little too much eavesdropping...

ebeeb — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 21:59:48 -0800

I have new neighbors...they are exceedingly loud. And, no doubt, can also hear my every word. How can I reduce the amount of sound I hear? Our apartments have wood floors, and they live below me. I was thinking of just getting a few rugs. Would this reduce the amount of noise that travels between our apartments? I don't think complaining to the landlord is useful in this situation -- we should both be allowed to have conversations or watch television without hearing each other.

What PC software to use to remove noise from a radio recording?

phearlez — Thu, 31 Mar 2005 13:33:30 -0800

I record several NPR radio programs with my RadioSHARK and am happy with the process except for the vague background noise. What can I use to filter out the noise without the sizable investment in MY time? I've used Audigy with great success as far as a result, however the load time for a 60 minute audio file is subtantial, then I have to find a section of silence to sample the hiss, then apply noise reduction to the entire thing, then save it.

Even though the human intervention time on this isn't big it takes a lot of my time to do this to the 4 programs I record currently and possibly more down the road.

I'd like something I can feed the files to which will scan the entire thing, make a 'best guess' about the noise waveform and then remove it and save the result. It can take almost any amount of time so long as I can fire it off for multiple files and walk away.

It needs to run on an Intel/Windows machine since that's where the RadioSHARK and my iTunes to load them on the iPod currently live and if it costs money it needs to be <$20 cheap.

I am not at all afraid of perl scripts and the like so if there's some bundle of CPAN modules to do it and they will run on ActiveState's windows perl implementation that's plenty fine.

How should I pack my lunch?

krisjohn — Sun, 13 Feb 2005 23:49:28 -0800

I work a standard full-time job. How do I keep the amount of rubbish generated from lunch down to something I'm not ashamed of? [Would you like to know more?] If I put my lunch together in the staff lunchroom rather than going out for lunch, I typically have one of two things: Noodles or salad. I am not attached to the noodles, they're just very convenient. Noodles involve a Styrofoam cup, wrapped in plastic -- with two separate plastic flavour packs inside. I usually add tuna either from a foil pouch or a small tin. Lately I've been adding a single-wrapped processed meat stick. Salad involves a pre-prepared salad mix in a plastic bag with as many as three plastic bags inside (eg; dressing, croutons and bacon for caesar salad) plus a range of other items including tuna again, fetta (six serves to a jar), a separate single-serve dressing if it doesn't come with the salad and a range of items such as mushrooms or sun dried tomato strips all in jars that are also thrown out.

Lunch room facilities are minimal. There's no cutting board for example. I have limited time and I don't want to have to bring in something every morning. I have a small fridge in my office and I have at least got my drinks down from a 24-pack of Pepsi to filtered water (I have my own filter) that re-uses the same bottle.

I use a snap-lock (zip-lock) bag to keep the salad going after it's been opened. I can get about 1.5 serves from something labelled "serves two". If I put lettuce directly into the snap-lock bag it gets icky quickly. Normally I keep the pre-prepared salad in its original bag and put that in the snap-lock. This way the snap-lock bag lasts for weeks before it shows any sign of ick.