Annoying Questions I'd Like Answered...

Whatever · Post by **Whatever** » Thu May 02, 2013 2:34 pm

Dude, their Juche propaganda is in english. It's not for internal consumption.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2 ... ce_problem has a good summary of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cleanest_Race (but do note the criticisms section).

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun May 12, 2013 10:11 pm

So, I'm trying to make a bit of extra cash to take with me to Fanime. Cataloguing my magic cards, I noticed I have a few cards worth a decent amount (Aether Vial, $13-22; Sensei's Divining Top, $14-25*) so I figured if I could unload them it'd be nice, since I don't use them.

Anyone have any tips on selling them? I've got them on ebay and craigslist and posted to a facebook group for local magic players about the craigslist. Anything else I can really do?

...You Lost Me · Post by **...You Lost Me** » Mon May 13, 2013 4:37 am

I'm looking to fix a car bumper and side light on. 2000 Lexus ES300. Car was parked by a pillar, and I accelerated while turning backwards, then hit the pillar. The side light is broken and fell out, and the bumper is dislodged on one side (the styrofoam inside is busted). I don't have time to get it fixed till next weekend, so I'm going to figure out fixing costs and learn a little about car repair since I'm totally out of my element here. I've got some questions for you all while I do some googling: Should I go to a body shop or the dealer, does this need a hotfix (I was thinking duct tape) for when I drive it this week, and how much do you think this would run me / how can I reduce costs?

Maj · Post by **Maj** » Mon May 13, 2013 6:27 am

Check with a local car wrecker to see if you can get parts for it. It's not bloody likely since you have a nice car, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Mon May 13, 2013 1:02 pm

Bailing wire + clear duct tape works if you just want a hotfix.

You can also just get a replacement part online and then get local mechanic to install it. Your dealer will not agree to that.

A quick look shows me that you can either ebay it or use a website like Lexus parts if you want to buy the replacement bumper.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Thu May 16, 2013 2:08 pm

I have a friend who wants to do the whole Walkabout thing in Australia. She's asthmatic and not in a remotely fit condition. She refuses to see any problem with anything in that last sentence. So I need to round up evidence on the death trap that Australia is. I seriously suck at finding topics on the Den through either of the search functions. I do fine on other forums but some weird bullshit of the Den (probably my bullshit rather than the Den's) means that my search-fu is not very fu at all.

Either phonelobster or randomcasualty wrote up a lengthy topic about how Australia kills people. So, show me how stupid I am by linking me to the topic. Or tell me I'm an idiot for not being able to search properly. Either one works. Or both.

Username17 · Post by **Username17** » Thu May 16, 2013 2:17 pm

The thread you're looking for is here.

But honestly, the reason you shouldn't go on Walkabout as an out of shape asthmatic is that long distance hiking is a god damn sport and you shouldn't do it if you don't know what you're in for. Before you go on walkabout on a foreign continent, you need to be able to work your way up through multi-day hikes in a familiar setting. If you can't do the Appalachian Trail, you can't do Walkabout.

-Username17

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Thu May 16, 2013 2:21 pm

No, I totally agree with the fitness argument. That's been my primary one and will continue to be one. But if I can also fill her with the fear of Australia then I'll take that when she seems so stubborn as not to see the logic behind "you have health issues and this is serious-bad for you for all these medical reasons.""

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Mon May 20, 2013 6:53 pm

I've been having seriously horrible service from Comcast for the last month or so. Both on the quality of actual service and the customer support side. If Comcast didn't have a monopoly in my town for cable internet then I'd gladly switch over. The only other options start a very slow dsl provided by Verizon and then other companies that provide even slower service via Satellite internet.

Does complaining to the BBB or any such agency actually have any efficacy. I mean, I'll register a complaint so it exists on file but does this actually help resolve this issue?

The problem with dsl is that I have at least six devices in the house that constantly use the internet. My xbox 360, cellphones, my laptop, my wife's work laptop and at times more depending on whether I have my file storage computer turned on. When my wife works from home she sucks up some bandwidth connecting to her company vpn and downloading/uploading huge files. A slow provider obviously doesn't help this any.

Do I have any options aside from (a) cancelling my service and using dsl (b) sucking it up and dealing with almost double the price that I signed up for and have evidence of signing up for at that price?

fectin · Post by **fectin** » Mon May 20, 2013 7:31 pm

I hear that, if you call them and demonstrate that you're not getting the speed you paid for, they'll refund you for that day. A couple friends did that every day for a couple months, and enjoyed free internet until Comcast got off their ass and fixed it.

But basically, as long as you're sending them money, why do they care that you're unhappy?

Maj · Post by **Maj** » Mon May 20, 2013 9:09 pm

What fectin said. When I had Comcast, they were good about giving me refunds on my service - when I called and griped about it (politely). I think their customer service people were all to happy to screw with the company they were working for. You might want to consider having someone come out and look at your connection.

As for DSL... We switched to it last year because I got sick of Comcast's bullshit. When we finally got the setup finished, I was afraid that my connection would suffer degradation in speed when maxed out. We tested it by simultaneously:

1) Turning on my son's computer and streaming youtube videos.
2) Turning on our Roku and streaming Netflix.
3) Streaming Netflix on Ess' Kindle Fire.
4) Maxing out my torrent connections with both downloads and uploads.
5) Playing online games on my iPod Touch.
6) Browsing the internet on Ess' computer.

Our connection didn't suffer noticeably at all. Unlike cable, DSL connections aren't supposed to suffer much degradation from having multiple users online. It does, however, suffer based on your distance to the phone line hub. Our hub is just down the road about a mile or so and there aren't many convolutions in between, so it's pretty much a straight shot.

If you are close to the phone hub, and your connection still sucks - especially when people are using it - then you should have someone come check it. The first day we had DSL, I was afraid I would end up switching back because speed and consistency were all over the place. As it turned out, there was a wiring problem that needed to be fixed, and once it was, I haven't ever considered going back (granted, I have Century Link and I love them).

Just remember - no matter how frustrating it is to talk to these people on the phone, their job is to provide you internet. The solution might not be obvious, but they do have a vested interest in making sure your service works.

shadzar · Post by **shadzar** » Tue May 21, 2013 12:19 am

Cynic wrote:Does complaining to the BBB or any such agency actually have any efficacy. I mean, I'll register a complaint so it exists on file but does this actually help resolve this issue?

With Obama picking the telecomm lobbyist Tom Wheeler to run the FCC, the short answer is: No, complaining won't help cause even the gov't doesn't care what telecomm providers do.

search for Comcast on stopthecap.com and see if there is any info to help you make your case, as well how badly they and the other of the BIG 4 are screwing everyone and getting away with it.

erik · Post by **erik** » Sat May 25, 2013 10:54 pm

Maj wrote: Just remember - no matter how frustrating it is to talk to these people on the phone, their job is to provide you internet. The solution might not be obvious, but they do have a vested interest in making sure your service works.

Unless you have AT&T. They could give a fuck. Every time their system fucks up they blame my modem. Doesn't matter that I got a new modem last year and every time they've ever fixed my connection it has not been the modem.

Lost home internet connection once a fucking-gain Tuesday before last, and they say I need another fucking modem and won't even send a tech out. They say they finally have U-verse in the area and can hook me up in a day or two. Fine.

2 days later, I call and say, hey, no internet people came. I want back in civilization. "Oh, you are scheduled for May 29th. Fuck you" Several days of them trying to figure out how to schedule me sooner, and nothing. Still gonna be May 29th because it is impossibru to fit me in sooner. I look forward to arguing with them after they said I was going to be prorated for the weeks of no service, since I just got a full bill during my non-service.

Only other provider here is X-Finity cable, which costs more, but ugh, in the last 2 years I probably can add up all my internet downtime to be 3 months solid. If getting U-Verse doesn't fix our recurrent problems then I have no choice. I was reluctant about cable since it was more expensive and at my wife's family's house they have cable and it is unreliable as well.

Maj · Post by **Maj** » Sun May 26, 2013 1:35 am

Not that I'm trying to argue with you about your modem, but we haven't had DSL for a year yet, and have already had to replace our modem because it actually was a problem despite being brand new. They didn't send a tech out, either.

erik · Post by **erik** » Wed May 29, 2013 12:22 am

Maj wrote:Not that I'm trying to argue with you about your modem, but we haven't had DSL for a year yet, and have already had to replace our modem because it actually was a problem despite being brand new. They didn't send a tech out, either.

It is possible it could be the modem, but I have had them blame the modem a half dozen times (including the modem before this one), and each time the connection was restored it was nothing to do with the modem. So I have a fair bit of skepticism about modem troubles now.

Today I got a voice mail message that apparently they aren't connecting us to U Verse on May 29th, instead there is a "Facility Issue" which won't be resolved until July 3rd... and they'll schedule our hook up after that.

Fuck.

I guess I'm gonna tell them off and get X-Finity.

Hicks · Post by **Hicks** » Wed May 29, 2013 12:35 am

How do I find the number of combinations that exist in a set with a limited number of repetitions allowed? Specifically: a character with my mage class will select 8 magical spheres over twenty levels. There are 8 different magical spheres to choose from, but each magical sphere can be selected a maximum of 3 times.

Whatever · Post by **Whatever** » Wed May 29, 2013 1:48 am

Edit: see next post for actual mathiness.

rampaging-poet · Post by **rampaging-poet** » Wed May 29, 2013 2:19 am

Hicks wrote:How do I find the number of combinations that exist in a set with a limited number of repetitions allowed? Specifically: a character with my mage class will select 8 magical spheres over twenty levels. There are 8 different magical spheres to choose from, but each magical sphere can be selected a maximum of 3 times.

The general formula for permutations with repetition (taking into account that the order spheres are selected in matters) is the standard n Pick k n!/(n-k)! divided by all the ways you would be able to arrange your repeated objects if they were different. If you have one group with N repeats, the total number of permutations for n objects chosen from the k total objects would be n!/N!(n-k)!

In this case, k is 8, n is 24 (8 spheres selected up to 3 times each), and you need to divide by 3! eight times to remove repeated entries.
Total permutations = 24!/8*3!(24-8)! = (24!/16!) / 48 = 617,795,640 distinct ordered sphere selections.

Similarly, the number of final sphere selections at 20th level disregarding the order is a mere 15,322. This can be found by starting with 24 Choose 8 instead of 24 Pick 8 and dividing out the repeated elements as above.

Hicks · Post by **Hicks** » Wed May 29, 2013 7:26 am

Super thank-you; I really appreciate you explaining that to me. Problems of this nature have been bugging me for years, and now they don't.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Wed May 29, 2013 6:11 pm

So, I've been scouring both the Internest and stupid reality so as to find copies of the supremely horrible House of the Dead movies.

The first place I looked for such bad movies was, naturally, Netflix. But, no go.

Then I tried the wretched hive of scum and villainy, YouTube. I did find it, but it was blocked due to fuck copyright reasons. I also find another movie called House of the Dead that was made sometime in the eighties and had absolutely nothing to due with the games. Apparently, it doesn't exist, because I couldn't find any mention of it anywhere on the Internet or elsewhere.

In short, I've looked everywhere, to no avail. Please, does anyone know where I can find these gems of horrible cinema? I'd be ever so appreciative.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Thu May 30, 2013 2:50 am

Amazon seems to have the first one. If you tried youtube, you could also probably go for more illicit sources such as that weird swedish party.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Thu May 30, 2013 3:04 am

Son of a mutherbitch, Amazon does have it, as well as the second one. Money, prepare to be burned.

Amazing what one can find when one asks the Internet for help.

fectin · Post by **fectin** » Thu May 30, 2013 10:53 pm

Hicks wrote:Super thank-you; I really appreciate you explaining that to me. Problems of this nature have been bugging me for years, and now they don't.

Here's a related cool thing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_triangle

It's helpful for n-choose-k problems at low numbers.

erik · Post by **erik** » Fri May 31, 2013 10:50 pm

erik wrote: Fuck.

I guess I'm gonna tell them off and get X-Finity.

UPDATE! I told AT&T off yesterday after spending hours on the phone, multiple days trying to get a person who could do shit. They sent a technician out today, lo and behold, the problem was in their wiring nowhere near my house.

I have internets again. God I dislike those fuckers. I need a gigantic font message letting them know if I say I need a tech out here, I actually need a tech out here.

ishy · Post by **ishy** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 10:00 am

http://xkcd.com/806/
Still so true.