July 13
Simple jobs for summer student
How to be more effective with a summer student? [more inside]
I need information about buying property in BC for US citizens
Can you direct me to information about buying residential or commercial property in British Columbia for US citizens that is up to date? I know that the laws about that have changed recently because of a real estate bubble caused by foreign investment, and most information I've found online is dated.
Like TomboyX, but for bigger hips
TomboyX makes masc-style underwear for people with AFAB-type bodies — but their stuff doesn't fit my partner, who finds it either too tight in the hips or too loose in the waist. Is there similarly masc-coded underwear for people with bigger hip–waist ratios?
"This seems like a sideways move for you..."
How do I explain a career move that doesn't seem in line with what most people's expectations of what a career move should look like? [more inside]
Deaths, otherwise
How many people will die because of conditions that are aggravated because they don't, won't or can't make appointments for office visits to their primary care physician and don't get short term in patient procedures or out patient procedures? [more inside]
Is it bad for newborns to get startled?
I have a newborn at home, just a few weeks old, and I fear I've already messed up by hanging out on the couch too much, breastfeeding and holding him to sleep. This is because he will sometimes get startled by the microwave, fridge door, other noises etc that my mom and husband make. [more inside]
White larvae hanging on threads from my kitchen ceiling.
There are 20mm long ridged worms/larvae, off-white bodies with a black spot at one end, hanging from longish invisible threads from my kitchen ceiling. [more inside]
Should I refinance to a lower rate if my payments don't change?
I am on year 16 of a 20-year mortgage. My interest rate is 3.0%.
I have an offer for a 15-year mortgage at 2.25%. If I refinanced my remaining mortgage balance, my monthly payment would remain the same. But because the rate is lower, each payment would be more principal than currently. [more inside]
Please help. I am lost relationship-wise, my personal life is a mess
I (29) am trying to heal from partner's affair and he still does not take responsibility for big or small wrongdoings. He goes to therapy and tries to make it work, he has made a progress from the a.hole he has previously been. Meanwhile I ask myself whether relationships in general are worth it. [more inside]
Turning the lawn into a meadow or something
Cutting the lawn is annoying, time consuming and doesn't really do anything except sit there and look pretty. I'd like to turn the front lawn into into something like a meadow, with non-edible plants and flowers that stay year round. I'm clueless how to do this, other than presumably ripping up the grass and just planting...stuff. Is there a term for this, something to google for tips? Pointers? The end goal is something that I don't ever have to mow, though obviously there will be pruning and trimming.
My partner is upset that he has no hobbies and doesn't like being alone.
Last night, me and my partner ventured to a bar (all social distanced and sat outside!) and while we were walking home, I made a comment about how we drink quite a bit when we're together and maybe we should try having fun without alcohol, in the prospect of getting healthy / in shape. He responded by saying he felt like he had no hobbies, and when I'm not staying at his flat, he gets really lonely. What should I do? [more inside]
How do I get medical care?
I have had new, unexplained lightheadedness and dizziness for the past week, to the point where I fell and sprained part of my hand. My primary care doctor hasn't been refilling my prescriptions or answering the phone since the pandemic started. It looks like they're now doing telehealth, but when I try to call them, I get a busy signal. I've tried calling other doctors' offices, but none are taking new patients due to coronavirus. How can I get care? Are there magic words I need to be using?
Bike-related beanplating
Partner and I would like to do more cycling near where we live, but not so near that we can safely or comfortably cycle from our house to these destinations. Our current bikes don't fit in the car. For roughly the same money, I could either make changes to the car or buy a pair of lower-end folding bikes, but I'm having trouble figuring out which is the better option. [more inside]
What heater should I buy for my deck?
I am lucky to have a little private deck, and I want to be sure that I’ll be able to use it as long as possible this winter. What’s my best option for an outdoor heater? [more inside]
Help me reuse audio equipment
I have speakers etc lying around from previous audio purchases and instead of buying a new set, I am thinking of reusing them.
I am not an audiophile, what I want is nice sounding speakers with some base. I am thinking of buying a cheap bluetooth compatible speaker and linking existing speakers and subwoofer to it and it will help me if I can buy something that works. [more inside]
Tumblr no longer thinks I exist
Slightly worrying development with my tumblr account today - apparently it has been 'terminated' with no warning or indication why. All of my tumblrs have vanished (including one which I have been putting together for over ten years) and I can no longer log in to my account. Aside from emailing their automated contact form, what are my options to try and get it back?
iPad is hot even when idle. Is the battery dying?
I have a six year old iPad. Recently it is hot to the touch even when it is essentially idle (shut down, allowed to cool, restarted but no apps opened). Does this mean that the battery is starting to fail, or could there be some other cause?
July 12
Looking for a non-video doorbell that will connect to Google Home
I'm having a hard time finding what I'm looking for and hoping someone can recommend a solution. Our doorbell recently stopped working and we'd like to get a new one. I am looking for a doorbell that does not have video, but will connect to our Google Home devices and ring a chime through it. I'm in Canada, so I'm looking for something that's available to purchase here (preferably through Amazon or some other online retailer). Thanks!
Living with a toxic family member
I am living with someone who is becoming increasingly, needlessly nitpicky and critical of me. I do not have the choice to leave until September. How do I get through the next few months without it wrecking my mental health? [more inside]
Lap Blanket for Home Office
I'm looking for a lap blanket for my home office to keep me warm on cold mornings. [more inside]
Whaaaat is happening to my angel food cakes?
First two angel food cakes turned out wonderfully. Last three attempts have turned into pretty gross sugared egg goop - egg whites didn't whip all the way up and turned back into liquid. Why? [more inside]
"illegal" evidence in the Roger Stone investigation?
An acquaintance is arguing that the Roger Stone investigation was illegitimate because it made use of the Steele dossier, which is "illegal" evidence (i.e. paid for by Democrats). Even though the investigation began long before that, he says that the dossier "taints" the investigation. He's a cop and claims to know the law, but I'm not so sure. [more inside]
Negotiationg group dynamics
In one of those interpersonal dynamics that makes me question my sanity, would love feedback. This is about work as a member of a political group. [more inside]
Adorable stray kitten: heatwave edition
Help me figure out what to do with or for the adorable stray kitten who I found suffering in the heat in my garden yesterday. Difficulty level: existing 10 yr old indoor cat w/o all her shots, smallish house, kitten likely separated at ~4 weeks from a colony of alley cats and doesn't seem to be weaned. [more inside]
Identify this classical music melody fragment
Got your (cat's) nose
Kitten has reddish brown spots on nose, Google has been fruitless, what are they? [more inside]
Difference in mortality/other conditions in various parts of the slave states
Was there a fundamental difference in mortality or illness or other such thing between the slave border states and the "Deep South"? [more inside]
looking for a way to make a smartphone completely voice operated
My elderly uncle is and will be in hospital for the foreseeable future, and does not currently have a phone because of severe Parkinson-like tremors--he can't hold a handset/smartphone or press buttons/operate a touch screen. Because of COVID rules, my aunt can't visit him, so between that and no way to make phone calls, he is very isolated. I would like to help my aunt set up a smartphone for him that he can operate solely by voice control. [more inside]
Volunteer opportunities for retired folk in Chicago
My retired friend in the Chicago area is bored at home and looking for a productive, meaningful part-time work or volunteer opportunities. Any ideas? [more inside]
Help installing a new ceiling fan. Will this fan fit?
My wife (the handy person in our family) was going to try to install a new ceiling fan yesterday but we quickly ran into trouble with the mounting bracket seemingly not fitting into the old space. Is the new fan incompatible or are we doing something wrong? Pics included. [more inside]
You are not my HVAC tech...but I don't trust my HVAC tech
We had central AC added last summer. It sucks. I am trying to understand if our expectations are reasonable, and what next steps (if any) might be to improve the cooling of our home. [more inside]
calculating US tax owed
TurboTax and the official US Tax Tables and instructions from the 1040 are giving me two different numbers from the same adjusted gross income number. What gives? [more inside]
New to e-ink reader / Android tablet. Suggestions?
I just picked up an Onyx Boox Nova 2, mostly because I wanted something lightweight to travel with that I could also hook my bluetooth keyboard up to for writing. Main uses for the tablet are reading and writing. How should I maximize those activities and what other suggestions do you have to get the most out of it? Graphic novels? Manga? [more inside]
How can I stop iOS forcing the Cracking the Cryptic web app to refresh
I've been doing some of the Cracking the Cryptic puzzles in the web app on my iPhone Xs (example). When doing them over an extended period of time in Safari or Chrome occasionally the page will be forced to refresh and I lose all my progress. How can I prevent this? [more inside]
Would lions eat clams?
If you gave a lion a clam, would the lion attempt to eat it? Would they be able to eat it? Would they like it? Assume that the clam is still in the shell. [more inside]
Best in the worst or worst in the best?
How much should we care about the school system when buying a home while pregnant? [more inside]
envelope full of covid
I have an envelope full of covid in the flower bed. Maybe? [more inside]
tutor for teens non-academic, life skills, knowledge gems, during covid
I have a 15 yr old daughter who is bright, curious and bored during the social isolation.
Am searching for an online tutor/guide for a small group of 14/15/16 year olds to show them amazing not so academic things. [more inside]
A Singapore fridge is about to die. What can be cooked that will keep?
My friend lives in Singapore and her refrigerator is about to go. The tech to fix it says he can't get there for a week. Which means she'll have to throw out all these meats, fish and other perishables. OR WILL SHE? What kinds of foods - jarred, jerky, kimchee - can she make with her foodstuffs that will keep in the locally high heat and high humidity.
Lockdown II is on the way. I'm trans. My parents hate it. Where do I go?
My part of England is next in line for a Leicester-style Covid-19 second lockdown due to a spike in infections over the past couple of weeks. Lockdown was psychologically extremely hard on me and I don't want to repeat the experience if I can help it. The only other place I could plausibly stay for the period is my parents' house. The difficulty there is that I am a trans woman and they are not accepting. I'd like some advice on what to do. (I was tested for Covid-19 last week with a negative result and have not been in a situation where I could plausibly have caught it since then - no supermarkets or socialising. Please don't yell at me about taking Covid-19 out of the area. I don't have it.) [more inside]
Getting rid of dead rat smell
Unfortunately a rat seems to have died in our roof cavity or wall. How can we manage the smell? Is this any kind of health risk to me, my partner and our newborn? [more inside]
What kind of doctor/therapy do I need?
I have intermittent tingling, fiery pain, numbness, and bothersome muscle aches in my left front thigh, right above my knee to mid-thigh, and sometimes in my left foot. (it goes to sleep while I'm biking). It could be so many things - help me figure out who to see/consult with next? [more inside]
July 11
Trans fertility dilemma
My partner is trans, need help thinking about fertility options. [more inside]
Should I wash rosemary before drying it for later use?
Today I pruned a couple of the large rosemary bushes in our yard, and now I have about 2/3s of a brown grocery bag full of 2-3 inch long rosemary sprigs. I'm planning on hanging a bunch of it to dry, in brown bags in our basement.
My question is, should I wash the springs before hanging them? [more inside]
Cottonwood Blues
I want to be able to use our deck without sweeping inches of cotton off of it every day and having it clog up the screens on the porch. Have you used any common (or uncommon) remedies to eliminate the production of cotton from a Cottonwood tree? [more inside]
Looking for name of band from Underground USA#3
Was watching "Underground USA #3" on exptv.org (focusing on late 70's/early 80's underground music/clips from such folks as Da, Minutemen, and Crime), and about 13 minutes in there was a video featuring a catchy post-punkish tune featuring a succession of folks posing in front of a single stationary camera. Unfortunately exptv doesn't include the names of the bands/songs in the clips, so I'm wondering if anyone else who saw the show knew the name of the band and the song being played.
Guidelines for social media posts for activist group?
I lead an activist group. (The name is in my profile.) A twenty-something guy is interested in handling our social media, which has been nearly nil for about a year. For now, this would be Facebook, but possibly more later. He asked for guidelines, and I'm not sure what to tell him. Do you have any advice? He is already active on Facebook.
Age related kidney issues in dog (Difficulty level: Indonesia)
The older of my two rescues (the blind one on the right) is in the early stages of kidney decline. I'm trying to sort through the best food choices I can make for him. [more inside]
You don’t buy it- you just rent it.
Best vegan nacho cheese recipe? [more inside]
Visualize the 1990s
I had a program over 20 years ago which let you choose different colors of noise, oscillation speeds?, and a bunch of "wave pattern" visualizations. Help me find it or something very like it? Mac compatible preferred, but I'll figure it out if that's impossible. [more inside]
Car front wheels shake while jacked up and engine idling. Why?
Car front wheels shake while jacked up and engine idling. Why? [more inside]
What do you call the written material supporting your case?
I was just informed I'd be transferred (certainly better than being canned) because of some evaluations on me that my supervisor (a kind, neutral, and supportive person) had received. [more inside]
Journal/Self-Help Book Recs for Men
Looking for a journaling/self-help guide for my partner, something that maybe gives journaling prompts or ideas for men to "get to know themselves better." [more inside]
Anyone remember the story of discovering the Lost Forum for An Old Game?
A company ships a product. Hidden deep in supporting material for the product is a link to a functioning forum. Company ships game, time passes, everyone kind of forgets about game but the forum keeps ticking along. Years later, someone involved with the initial game discovers that the forum has hosted a robust (rp'ing?) community for many years. [more inside]
Seeking Polynesian navigation/exploration book recommendations
The comments in this post made me realise that I know very little about the extent of the oceanic explorations made by Polynesians across the pacific. I'm looking for book recommendations (preferably non-fiction, but fiction is also ok). Academic accounts are also fine but must be readable to a non specialist. The only one I've read is The Last Navigator by Steve Thomas
What surgical bra(s)/tops should I buy before my breast augmentation?
I'm getting a breast augmentation next week. My surgeon suggested that the surgical bra provided by the hospital isn't the most comfortable, and that there are better options out there. What are they? As a bonus, would love recommendations for cute, comfy, tops that zip/button/tie in the front while I recover at home!
Unique Online Shops for Stationery/Home Goods
During the pandemic, my sister and I have been mailing little packages to each other. Her birthday is at the end of August and I'm trying to make it especially nice. Since shipping can be quite delayed, I'm looking around now.
What are your favorite online shops for special well-crafted items? Or if you have specific item recommendations, I'd take those too! [more inside]
Trying to create a Facebook parody for a 75th.
Hi y'all- My father in law is turning 75 and we're trying to create a website where well wishers can post some reminisce, add a photo and see it displayed in a, well, wall. Yes, we're trying to recreate Facebook. Details inside. [more inside]
Idaho tourism during COVID
My parents want to drive to Idaho for vacation next week, but they don't know where to stay and what to do once they get there. Tips? [more inside]
Don’t say date night...
How are you, a parent, keeping the spark going in your relationship during the pandemic? [more inside]