steve

Yesterday I started getting this weird cramp under the left rib cage, about midway between top and bottom. It doesn't hurt unless I inhale deeply or greatly extend my left arm or left leg. Does anyone have any idea what this might be? Thanks.

By the way, I'm a relatively healthy mid-20s male.

I'm planning a prank for a coworker and want to replace his phone w/ a tin can phone. Can the string round a corner or two? Would pulleys work? Anyone know?

Hi, my municipality recently stopped collecting glass for recycling. I live in Alaska, and it is far too expensive for the state or private companies to ship recycled glass to the lower 48, and there are no longer any local companies that want the glass. Its so hard for me to drop a glass bottle in the garbage, so I haven't yet, and they are just piling up. I've written to local breweries asking them to set up bottle reclamation programs, but they maintain that its more damaging to the environment to collect and disinfect the bottles than it is to import new ones. Does anyone have any ideas of how to reuse something that is almost infinitely renewable? Anything, from a personal to a city/state-wide scale? Thank you all.

Hey, does anyone else ever see this? I've ALWAYS noticed a periodic flashing green dot in the upper right-hand corner of a movie screen (except for new, digital projections). Throughout a 2 hour movie, I see this maybe about 8 times but only for a split second. Is this just me? Is it an optical illusion? Thanks.

I have a four-month old puppy who is great, but in the past 2 to 3 weeks he started submissive and excited urination. So, yes I know he's only a puppy, but I can't let this happen.

Until last night, he wouldn't pee because of me, and he'd make his best effort to hold his bladder while running to the door for people (especially my roommate) who for some reason just set him off. Since last night, he'll pee whenever I ask him to do a trick (especially to "come.")

So what can I do to make this stop? Please don't tell me to ignore him and not make a big deal. He knows better, he knows the instant that he pees he did something wrong. And I want to continue asserting that it is NEVER ok for him to pee inside, so doing nothing but quietly cleaning up after him will not encourage this (and besides, my entire apartment is carpeted.) I don't want to stop asking for obedience either. And its very embarrasing when he pees on other people.

How should I handle this? Please help!

Does anyone know a good way to clean up melted rubber? I have a stovetop espresso maker that has (had) a rubber o-ring gasket, but I left it on the burner too long and it melted all over the threads b/t the aluminum surfaces that it sealed. I have a replacement gasket (only one dollar) and want to repair what I have instead of scrap everything and buy a new espresso maker for 40 bucks (not to mention the environmental implications of throwing away all of that material and embodied energy!).

I've tried scraping it off, soaking it in hot water, and scrubbing it with soap, but none of these work.

One other thing - since a beverage my friends and I drink passes through there, I don't want to use too nasty of a chemical to clean it.

Thanks!

I have a 11 week old border collie mix and feel very bad that we don't get outside to play, especially after he spends most of the day in his kennel while I'm at work. He won't get his last parvo shot until 2 weeks, so I feel nervous venturing too far, but we can't really play in the yard either. I live in Alaska and the temp. hasn't gotten above 10 for about 2 weeks (and is usually closer to 0 or -5). So does anyone have any tips on how to get a little more activity (for both of us)? He can't stand to be outside much longer than 15 minutes, and the house isn't that big for a good game of chase or fetch. Thanks.

The screen on my phone stopped working a few days (it can still make and receive calls) and I need a new phone. No AT&T stores in the state of Alaska are selling anything other than iphones until the middle of February, and I don't want an iphone of the bill that goes w/ it. The only way that AT&T wants to "help" me is by selling me a "free" phone w/ a 2-year plan, but given their lousy customer service since the phone stopped working, nonetheless their constanly changing names (Cingular, AT&T, the New AT&T, etc), I'd rather pay the cancellation fee than sign up for 2 more years.

So, here I am.

Is there a way that I can get a phone, not from AT&T, and have that connected to my account?

Is there a way that I could actually fight AT&T and finally get some help?

Is there anything else I can do?

Thanks.

Hi, wondering if anyone can give me some advice. Last week I was x-country skiing and hit a bump while going down hill and fell down. As I fell, I heard a pop in my right knee and was in (temporary) excruciating pain and had to walk back to my car. The pain feels like its on the surface of knee, just to the side of the patella, towards my left knee. I've been icing it every day for a week as well as taking ibuprofin and I'm finally able to walk w/o limping, but there is still some pain.

There isn't any pain unless I fully extend my leg, I turn my foot to the left, or simply palpate the area that hurts.

So my question is this: Should I continue to ice it and wait while the snow outside is teasing me for another week, or should I get it checked out?

Also, do you think its a bone or ligament issue?

I feel like I could get back on the trails w/o much incident, but I don't want to risk making my knee worse.

Thanks.

Can anyone reccomend a good digital SLR for night shooting?

Please fogive my ignorance, but I was taught about this weird idea called "checks and balances" in high school. So why, then, does the word "veto" seem to be a final decision in the eyes of the media? Doesn't the legislative branch have the chance to pass a bill with a by a certain margin after a veto? Or is King George's "no" always final?

I recently moved to Anchorage and I'm wondering where / how to meet cool people. I never really 'had' to make friends before since I grew up in a small town and basically knew everyone. Any advice on how a shy guy could find people? I heard about the Mountaineering Club and I keep missing the meetings b/c of work. I have a cool roommate, but I don't want to wear out my welcome by tagging along too much. Any advice? Thanks!

Hey everyone. Lately I've been trying my hand at timelapse photography. My stills are working great, but the software that I have can only generate quicktimes, .wmv, .mpeg etc up to 800 x 600dpi which is just horrible. Does anyone know any good (and cheap) software to piece together jpgs into a smooth, quality movie?

I just accepted a job in Anchorage, AK. I'm from PA and I'll moving in June. Whats the best way to relocate? Fly, ship everything and buy a car there, or drive 4000+ miles with all of my stuff? Whats the best way to ship? Whats the best way to drive? Thanks!