[Vampyr]

barmar, on 2016-January-25, 09:41, said:

The solution is a push-button toggle, rather than up-down switches. That's what we had in one house: our basement had these switches at the stairway entrance and by the door to the garage at the other end.

Well, it is a solution looking for a problem.

[Winstonm]

Vampyr, on 2016-January-25, 14:57, said:

Well, it is a solution looking for a problem.

The only real solution is "The Clapper".

[barmar]

Vampyr, on 2016-January-25, 14:57, said:

Well, it is a solution looking for a problem.

Well, the house inspector seemed to think it was a problem.

[onoway]

Trying to navigate the forums on an IPad and was just told I've used up my quota of down votes. Since I didn't knowingly make any down votes I apologise to whomever got nailed when I inadvertently waved a finger too close to the screen or hit the down vote instead of the page change or changed how I was holding the thing or however it happened. Is there any way of finding out what you voted on and if so is it possible to change it? I've absolutely no idea what I might have voted against.

[gwnn]

There have been no downvotes since 2011. You're late to the party.

edit: I can't believe it's been almost 5 years!!

[Fluffy]

I also have an AND in my living room, it make sme mad, but when I asked how to fix it I need, I had to do several things but most dissapointing was to send another wire that connected both switches.

When going for "last year trip" at high school, we ended up in a terrible hotel in north of Italy, the air conditioner's hole was smashed in, there was a cloth closet ripped, no lock on the door, and there was a handgrip hanging from the ceiling on the toilet, when you pulled it, the electrical door bell on the front door would ring. Somehow sleeping there with a large group of friends was the best part of the trip by far.

[WellSpyder]

People moaning about their pet peeves in the "driving me crazy" thread....

[nullve]

(Bridge) arguments of the form

If you do A, B might happen.
You don't want B to happen.
Therefore, you shouldn't do A.

[kenberg]

For years I have been receiving calls from charities thanking me for last year's generous contribution, hoping that I can give again this year, the only problem with it being that I had not given them anything last year.

Now the political folks seem to have caught on to this. I just got another call thanking me for the help I have been giving them and asking for more help, the only problem being that I haven't given them any help.

I guess this must work or they wouldn't do it, but as I explained to a recent caller they are not really boosting the likelihood I will be supporting their candidate with such antics.

[barmar]

I get lots of calls from charities I've given to in the past. I've never gotten a call where they claim I gave to them but never have.

[PassedOut]

barmar, on 2016-March-21, 03:43, said:

I get lots of calls from charities I've given to in the past. I've never gotten a call where they claim I gave to them but never have.

I've had the same experience as Ken, starting a couple of years ago.

[blackshoe]

Mostly I just don't answer the phone, so I don't know what these idiot callers are saying.

[PassedOut]

I figure that charities and politicians that I did donate to in the past have sold my number to others, hence the calls. Doesn't exactly put me into a charitable mood toward any of them now...

My dad asked me to take over his finances during the last couple of years before he died, and he had gotten on all kinds of solicitation lists -- mostly by mail -- and many of them were obvious scams aimed at old people. Made my blood boil. Now I guess I've made it on to some "suckers lists" myself.

[kenberg]

The race for US Representative from Maryland's 8th Congressional District has become intense. I understand it to be on track to be the most expensive race ever for a congressional nomination. At any rate I get lots of mail, lots of phone calls, lots of everything. I am thinking that I might vote for Ana Sol Guiterez, a 74 year old from El Salavador who has not yet mailed me anything or called me. I met her at a forum for the candidates and I like her. And she hasn't called me to remind(?) me that I promised to do all sorts of things that I don't recall ever having said that I would do. Either I am entering dementia or some of these other candidates are playing with my head.
Oh, you need not feel compelled to give your opinion on which explanation s correct.

[helene_t]

Interviewer: Which party did you vote for at the GE?
Me: (some non-socialdemocrat party)
I: And who would you vote for tomorrow?
Me: (same answer)
I: And at the local election?
Me: stayed home.
I: And if there were LE tomorrow?
Me: (same answer).
I: And at the EP?
Me: (some non-socialdemocrat party)
I: Have you ever voted for the SD?
Me: No.
I: have you ever considered voting for the SD?
Me: I suppose so
I: Great! What would you prefer the SD policy to be on (this and that issue)?
Me: It is really their own business, why am I supposed to have an opinion about their policies?
I: Ehhhhh.
Me: Or are you just asking me what my opinion on (this and that issue) is?
I: I suppose so.
Me: OK. My opinion is that blah blah blah.
I (after several other questions went the same way): Thank you very much for your time. You have been very helpful.

As a statistician I can't help wonder what assumptions will be made by whoever is going to analyse the data points I just provided.

[kenberg]

helene_t, on 2016-March-22, 04:04, said:

I: have you ever considered voting for the SD?
Me: I suppose so

As a statistician I can't help wonder what assumptions will be made by whoever is going to analyse the data points I just provided.

I can answer your question. The report will read:
In this time of great political upheaval, 67% (or pick your own number, as they do) of voters in our survey are considering voting SD.

[mike777]

barmar, on 2016-January-25, 13:22, said:

My bathroom has two switches, one for the lights and one for the fan. When I first moved in here, they were opposite each other: the light switch went to the right to turn on, the fan switch went to the left (or vice versa, I don't really remember). I put up with it for about a decade, then I finally got fed up, opened it up, and reversed the polarity of one of them.

IN my bathroom, there are numerous light switches. I note across from my shower there are 3
1) one is for my shower light
2) one is for my closet
3) I really have no idea after 16 years what the heck the third switch does?

[blackshoe]

mike777, on 2016-March-22, 23:06, said:

IN my bathroom, there are numerous light switches. I note across from my shower there are 3
1) one is for my shower light
2) one is for my closet
3) I really have no idea after 16 years what the heck the third switch does?

It turns on the light in your neighbor's closet.

[Vampyr]

Products that refer to themselves as "me". The one I happened to notice today was on a package of kitchen foil: use me in sticky food situations. The usage of this nonsense is ubiquitous.

[kenberg]

Vampyr, on 2016-March-26, 14:28, said:

Products that refer to he selves as "me". The one I happened to notice today was on a package of kitchen foil: use me in sticky food situations. The usage of this nonsense is ubiquitous.

I was buying some paper towels the other day. Packages have several rolls, marked with such things as 5=8 and 12=20. I was busy reading this trying to figure out what it meant, 5 of what is equivalent to 8 of what, when I came to my senses. Who the hell cares what it means? They are paper towels.

I think we could start a fair sized list of marketing people to be dealt with firmly after the revolution.