Archive through December 28, 2002
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TV ClubHouse: Archives: The only Dumb question is the one not asked (ARCHIVE): Archive through December 28, 2002

Wargod

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 04:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I watched the preschoolers today play musical present. This was absolutely cute, and I don't think it'd work with adults unless they felt like being a little silly, but the kids had the best time. They had this box and had put four or five layers of wrapping paper on it. When the music stopped, the kid who had the box got to unwrap a little peice of the paper. When they got to the last layer, the kids jumped on the box and just shredded the paper and tore the box open. Inside they found an individually wrapped present for each of them. Now what you're looking for Spy, but if anyones got a housefull of kids it might be fun, LOL.

I HATE, HATE, HATE them darned candles that don't burn all the waydown. It's gotten to be one of those problems that drives me insane and I'm a little too nervous around things that can explode on you, lol.

Grooch

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 07:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Dumb question here.

I have 2 sets of french doors in my house. I lock them, but I have a lock where you turn it to lock it, and you remove the key.

I worry that in case of a fire or emergency, I won't have time to (or frame of mind to get the key in the keyhole)get the door unlocked.

But at the same time, if I leave the key in the keyhole, or have a type of lock that turns, etc, all the intruder has to do, is break a pane of "glass" and just turn a knob.

What is the best way to keep french doors locked?

Squaredsc

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 07:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
get a different type of lock?

Grooch

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 07:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Yes, Square, but what kind?

And I do know that people with sliding glass doors can wedge a piece of wood at the the bottom of the frame so thieves can't slide it open.

I need some help on how to keep the french doors secure.

I have been hearing a rash of stories, lately, of people breaking into houses and stealing dogs. This is unacceptable.

Twiggyish

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 08:55 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
hmmmm You don't want a knob or anything either. Do you have an alarm? You might want to consider that, too. It can detect breaking glass. We have an alarm on our house, because of our rural location. It doesn't solve your door problem, but might give you peace of mind. I think you're probably doing the right thing with the door.

Tess

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 10:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Gooch, our front door is half glass half wood and the dead bolt is the same kind of lock. We have a table right near the door but out of reach of any bad guys and that's where we always keep the key at night and when we're not home. During the day when I'm home alone or with Sarah, I keep the key in the lock because it's not that far from where I usually am in the house. I guess I figure in case of fire, if I'm fumbling with the key to much I'll just break the glass with the table.

Good luck with this. I don't really know of another solution for French doors.

Mygetaway

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 11:00 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Grooch.. I was thinking along the same lines as Tess. Maybe you could put a hook somewhere close to the door where the bad guys can't see, but it's in plain sight to you guys. Or have the key attached to a cord that hangs right along the side of the door so it can't get misplaced?

Anybody who would steal a dog deserves some major whoopin'. Other things in a house can (usually) be replaced, but not our "babies."

Mygetaway

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 11:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Is there any way to get information online about ongoing court cases? I know you can get copies of stuff that has settled, (I should say I've seen people get that stuff, like at smoking gun) but I don't know much more. Anyone have any info on this kind of thing?
I can't get out of the house to do any research.

Northstar

Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 12:17 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Grooch, we have the same set up, we did have a fire, and I did fumble to get the key in the lock. While unnerving, I was able to get the key in by holding my hand against my body to control the trembling. Even after all that, we still have this type of lock because I feel it is the safest. Like others said, the key is on a hook near the door.

Mygetaway, I have no idea. Sorry.

Twinkie

Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 01:35 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Just a quick tip about votive candles. Put just a few drops of water in the votive holder before putting the candle in. Only enough to barely cover the bottom when the candle is in. When the candle burns all the way down you can pop it out with your finger. No scraping wax.

Squaredsc

Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 07:13 am EditMoveDeleteIP
grooch, can you get a deadbolt lock that has the part on the inside that you turn, i can't think of the word. also the alarm idea is good. also when i was/am concerned about break-ins i got a rottweiler. who got along great with my bichon.

Webkitty

Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 07:50 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Grooch, there is a type of glass that is supposed to be resistant to even a bullet, it sounds expensive but it might be a solution.

We have french doors too, but they lead into the sunroom. There are vertical deadbolts that are sunk into the floor at the bottom, and one at the very top sunk into the framework. They are there to keep wind from a hurricane blowing through the sunroom into the rest of the house, but they are strong, and there is no way you could get through those doors, even if you broke the glass because of the placement. (well, maybe, but it would be hard and take some time to work through)

Although we don't have an alarm system, we have the stickers that say we do. I know if someone "really" wants to get in, they will, but still, I feel better knowing they are there just in case a casual burgler is casing the neighborhood.

I would keep the key on a chain near the door too, in case of a fire.

Good luck, I hope you find a solution that will make you feel more secure.

Oregonfire

Sunday, December 22, 2002 - 12:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Allergies, or a flu bug?

Hi, all my friends at TVCH. :) I've been struggling with allergies for the past week, and am wondering just what the heck is going on here. I'm not a chronic allergy sufferer, and did not go through this last winter. I have swollen sinuses and feel like there is a cloud in front of my face and a constant tickle in my nose. Annoying!! Sometimes it will go away for an hour or two, and then something aggravates my nose and it starts up again with the sneezing and runny nose. I live in a rainy, temperate climate and things are growing everywhere. There is a nasty new weed in my yard, with a red/black head and prickly things sticking out of it. (Nettles?) Could that be the source? Help!!

Whit4you

Sunday, December 22, 2002 - 12:56 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oregon,

I had the same thing about 3 weeks ago, I've never had allegies before - but most my friends have..and I had all the exact same symptoms. Really aweful. I finally broke down and bought some Allergy medicine (over the counter stuff) and it worked. Stuff that was recommended to me was Tylonel Allergy but I ended up getting a store brand and that worked. Lemme tell you though it dries you out so bad lol, drink as much water as you can stomach if you try this suggestion!

GL

Whit

Oregonfire

Sunday, December 22, 2002 - 01:17 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks Whit! :) I think the things in the yard are thistles, upon further inspection. Not sure if it's related. I'll try Tylenol Allergy and see how it works!

Ophiliasgrandma

Sunday, December 22, 2002 - 04:27 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oregonfire, I'm in Portland, so I think I know from what you are probably suffering...smuts, molds and mildews. Once the rain started and it didn't get cold also, those little buggers took off like crazy. Rain plus warmth equals spoors up the wazoo. Ergo, allergy symptoms!

Bigd

Tuesday, December 24, 2002 - 07:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Several dumb questions, actually......

Does whiskey go bad?? I use it in a beef tenderloin recipe and in tipsy potatoes and my bottle is a couple of years old and I haven't used it in a couple of years - Is it still good?

Does red wine vinegar get old? It's a couple of years old too.

Can anyone suggest a gift I can buy for my 21 year old college son who works full time in secuity at a mall. I need something else and I am at a loss. (He lives at home)

Squaredsc

Tuesday, December 24, 2002 - 07:17 am EditMoveDeleteIP
bigd i can't help you on the whiskey or red wine vinegar question. but with your son, does he like music? maybe some cd's or a gift card to a cd store. if he likes clothes maybe a gift card to a clothing store or if you know his taste you can get him a couple of outfits. does he like video games?

Kstme

Tuesday, December 24, 2002 - 08:03 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Bigd...I can help with the whiskey and wine questions!! (yeah, like "go figure" on this one!LOL)

Whiskey NEVER goes bad...it "ages" and becomes smoother. Same with Scotch and Bourbon. I have some Chevas that I've had over 30 years and it's still good!

Wine vinegar won't go bad either. The vinegar IS the wine gone bad. It might get more "sour" tasting but once it's vinegar, it's vinegar.

I like Square's ideas for your son!

Bigd

Tuesday, December 24, 2002 - 08:10 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh thanks yal! you're just in time Kstme, I was about to leave for the store and I was gonna buy more whiskey and wine vinegar, just to be on the safe side. I am making beef tenderloin for Christmas dinner and I didn't want to take a chance on ruining a good piece of meat with bad ingredients.

Yes, Squaredsc, you are right, he loves music and has tons of it, plus I already bought that and clothes too. BUT on the game idea, your's is good. I am going to Radio Shack right now and get one of those remote control cars, he needs something fun to do and we have a huge basement and he can go wild with it down there! Thanks, good idea. Merry Christmas yal! (BigD has to leave now and go join the crazed shoppers and make myself miserable, wish me luck!)

Draheid

Saturday, December 28, 2002 - 10:01 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I don't know why this bothers me and I don't have a solution, however, here goes.

When lottery winners go to collect their prize, one of the first things everyone talks about is the taxes that will be withheld on the winnings. However, isn't the lottery 'pot' comprised of already taxed money since it is from others buying tickets with money they've already paid taxes on? Wouldn't this constitute double-taxation by the government??

Like I said, I don't know of any other way to do this, and I've never won a lottery myself and don't expect to any time soon (you have to buy tickets, I understand! lol) but this just bugs me for some reason.

Squaredsc

Saturday, December 28, 2002 - 10:09 am EditMoveDeleteIP
dra, sounds logical to me. so next time i win i will tell the taxman that the taxes have already been paid.

Marysafan

Saturday, December 28, 2002 - 12:04 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I am with you guys...when we were in the military, I could never understand why we had to pay income taxes...because wasn't our income paid to us from taxes already collected?

Grooch

Saturday, December 28, 2002 - 04:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Draheid, not sure if I understand your question or not, but here goes.

I earn my money from my job, which is taxed on already. I then go and spend my money to buy something (say an art piece valued at $5,000.)

First off, I still have to pay the sales tax.

Plus, the person who made the art piece still has to pay income taxes on the money he/she received from the sale of his/her art piece.

Pretty much, as long as money exchanges hands, it will be taxed.

Also, this is something I have a problem with State run lotteries. I believe it is false advertising, which is against the law.

The State will advertise that the lottery is worth $300 million. But they are valuing it at the future value in 20 or 30 years, what the money will be worth, if the State invests it. (And who would trust the state to invest your money?)

In actuality, the present value (the day you win the money) it is only worth $150 million (plus you still have to withold tax.)

It is very unfair (in my opinion) to advertise the future value of a person's lottery winnings.

Grooch

Saturday, December 28, 2002 - 04:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
P.S. I forgot.

You are allowed to deduct your gambling losses against your gambling winnings. (which means, for every dollar you lose, you can deduct it against you winnings and pay no taxes on that net amount.)

So if you play the lottery, keep your losing lottery tickets and all your friends and family's, too. (As if any of us will ever win. lol!)