Annoying Questions I'd Like Answered...

Count Arioch the 28th · Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:41 am

I have found it a poor decision to see anyone with the job title "The Rapist". /rimshot

Seriously, therapists just tell you everything is fine the way they are when you're practically screaming that you need help. Fuck'em.

That being said, I've received fentanyl once in my life, and for that couple of hours that was the only time I didn't feel miserable and angry about everything and everyone. I don't have the means to get it nor do I think my life can be improved by illegal habits, but it's always been at the back of my mind that I won't ever feel happy or peaceful again until I get more.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:55 am

Alcohol is cheaper and not illegal, guys.

Korgan0 · Post by **Korgan0** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:31 am

Honestly, this does sound like a psychological issue, and it's possible that therapists could help. I've never dealt with anything of this kind, nor do I know anyone who has, but depending on how much it costs a consultation couldn't hurt.

Parthenon · Post by **Parthenon** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 12:06 pm

So theres a machine at work that uses a laser to burn out a shape in rubber-like plastic for rubber stamps. Except that the laser isn't turning on quickly enough or turning off quickly enough, so instead of being well-defined letters the edges are slightly bevelled and letters often have a slight vertical valley in the middle (especially 'e's and 'a's).

Anyone have any idea what the problem is likely to be and how to do a DIY fix?

Chamomile · Post by **Chamomile** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:48 pm

My experience is not universal, but I find there are three kinds of therapists.

1) People who charge you for sycophantry.
2) People who charge you for sympathy.
3) People who charge you to sit in their office while they offer vague encouragement to introspect aloud.

Aharon · Post by **Aharon** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:45 pm

Wow, have you people made bad experiences.
While one therapist was category 3, I also had one that charged me for offering helpful similes aiding me to see I wasn't as fucked up as I thought, and another one that offered genuine, good advice on how to tackle the problems I came to her to solve.

name_here · Post by **name_here** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 5:07 pm

I've actually had a pretty good experience with therapists, although I don't know how well they'd be able to help you. If you do go to one, make sure to be completely open and honest. If you lie to them, they won't be able to help you much. Also make sure to pick one who refers people to psychiatrists, in case your problem turns out to be one that can only be solved with pills.

In this case, I expect it'll go away on its own eventually.

So theres a machine at work that uses a laser to burn out a shape in rubber-like plastic for rubber stamps. Except that the laser isn't turning on quickly enough or turning off quickly enough, so instead of being well-defined letters the edges are slightly bevelled and letters often have a slight vertical valley in the middle (especially 'e's and 'a's).

Anyone have any idea what the problem is likely to be and how to do a DIY fix?

If it's automated, it's probably a software issue. If possible, insert a small delay between turning on the laser and starting to move. You may or may not have to signal it to turn off early as well. If you input CAD drawings, make the starting point deeper and the end shallower.

The only electrical/mechanical issue I can think of would be a faulty capacitor, but I think it would turn off on schedule. Try replacing the capacitors.

I expect that at least some of the delay is inherent to the design, and making it respond faster would require higher voltages and risk damaging the components.

Count Arioch the 28th · Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:11 pm

Prak_Anima wrote:Alcohol is cheaper and not illegal, guys.

It's not the same. Alcohol makes me loud and hyper, fentanyl made me relaxed, happy, and I had some of the most relaxing dreams. I dreamed that an extremely busty woman with long, black hair flew in through the ceiling, settled down gently next to me right snug beside me, and as I held her in my arms I felt something I have never felt with anyone before or since.

I used to think it was some sort of prophetic dream and sought out bust women with long, black hair. It did not end well, most of those women were psychotic.

I'm going to quote Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force here:

"I don't know if I believe in God, but... I think he must hate me"

Parthenon · Post by **Parthenon** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:14 pm

It's automated- you create a 2D black and white design with a program like coreldraw and it automatically goes back and forth cutting out all the black bits of the design. Theres probably some sort of setting to mess about with it, but I don't think those settings have changed in a long while. Maybe theres some calibration task like printers we can do.

I was thinking it might be the capacitors, but then I'm not sure enough of my electronics and didn't want to appear like I was talking rubbish while pretending to know what I'm talking about. Now I need to find out what sort of capacitors the machine uses, how to get more of them, and how to replace them safely. Although 'safety' isn't really a factor considering some of what I've seen so far.

Koumei · Post by **Koumei** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 1:51 am

I have a reasonable therapist I see on occasion, and due to SOCIALISED COMMUNIST HEALTH CARE the cost is basically nothing. I was just wondering who it is best to speak to. Therapist it is.

Orion · Post by **Orion** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:23 am

There are also the therapists who charge you to tell you your ideas are bad and you should feel bad. But generally only female patients run into them. I've had 2 very good therapists, about 4 mediocre ones. It's totally worth it though, I love my current one to death. It helps if you ind someone smart enough to call you out when you bullshit them. And if you can remember not to bullshit them.

rampaging-poet · Post by **rampaging-poet** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 3:16 am

To anyone else with a physics background: what's behind the hype of boson sampling computers? All I really got from this article is that there exists at least one experiment that is faster to perform than to check the results of on a supercomputer. I'm really not sure how that's useful. The second article I found stirs up hype without really explaining anything.

Is there some way to map useful programs to a specific input configuration? Are these probability distributions useful for performing other experiments? Does the ability to do this at all make or break some fundamental theory of computation?

Juton · Post by **Juton** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 5:51 am

rampaging-poet wrote:To anyone else with a physics background: what's behind the hype of boson sampling computers? All I really got from this article is that there exists at least one experiment that is faster to perform than to check the results of on a supercomputer. I'm really not sure how that's useful. The second article I found stirs up hype without really explaining anything.

Is there some way to map useful programs to a specific input configuration? Are these probability distributions useful for performing other experiments? Does the ability to do this at all make or break some fundamental theory of computation?

I haven't delved too deep into this, but you always have to be very skeptical of the results of these early experiments. Scientific journalism has never been very good, it is very sensationalist because that is what sells.

So far they can manipulate 3 photons as bosons, which is neat. The article says they will need 30 to outperform a conventional computer. I'd start to get excited about the technology if they can get 15 at once and no manual effort is required between calculations to recalibrate or reconfigure.

shadzar · Post by **shadzar** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 6:55 am

Koumei wrote:Who do you talk to about psychological dependency? I know I'm not chemically addicted to the painkillers they used in hospital

But when I try to sleep, I remember the pain.

PTSD - post traumatic stress disorder is what this sounds more like than a dependency issue.

with having insomnia in general, i jsut try to wear myself out so my mind doesnt wander before going to sleep, or if needed i keep sometghing on hand that will knock me out. thanks to nyquil no longer having to force the cough medicine part with the new Zzzquil.. i can take some thing to help me sleep on occasion without losing the effects of the cough medicine when i need something to help me sleep.

you jsut have to place your mind to some other task that tires you out without letting you remember the pain that was with you for the extended period of time, and in time it will be but a memory and have little to no effect on your sleeping since the drugs arent the issue.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Sat Jan 12, 2013 10:54 am

If you aren't really comfortable with one-on-one therapy or aren't confident in it, there are viable group therapy options that are run by behavioral therapists or larger centers that work well with this. I'm not completely sure that this falls under PTSD or not, it fits a very broad definition of the disorder but there are other things that this could be qualified as. But the best help I've received for my problems have been in group therapy. I still miss my trauma group that I was dropped from because the insurance wouldn't continue to pay for it (despite the fact that they state that they pay for unlimiited visits).

Look, therapists are just like people. There are shitty ones and not shitty ones. You can't always get a good gauge on someone based on anecdotes from others or reviews on the web. Sometimes I've strucken out and other times, I've had success.

Cynic · Post by **Cynic** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:30 am

Are any of these custom postage stamp sites legit? Can I actually use them as proper postage on a letter?

The one I've seen is Zazzle. I'm sure there are others.

Red Archon · Post by **Red Archon** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:44 am

The question is not exactly annoying, but for you Americans: do you make your own food? I mean actual cooking from scratch, not heating up some revolting junk from the frozen foods aisle. From what I'm gathering from media ranging from tv shows to news articles, actual food appears to be in decline in the US. You being a relatively normal sample group, how do you respond?

Ted the Flayer · Post by **Ted the Flayer** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:56 am

I work two jobs so I'm not home during mealtimes as often as I'd like, but I manage to cook something for dinner nearly every night (I'm not sure making a bowl of cereal or oatmeal for breakfast counts as cooking something, and I'm almost never home in the middle of the day to cook something then).

erik · Post by **erik** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:57 am

Red Archon wrote:The question is not exactly annoying, but for you Americans: do you make your own food? I mean actual cooking from scratch, not heating up some revolting junk from the frozen foods aisle. From what I'm gathering from media ranging from tv shows to news articles, actual food appears to be in decline in the US. You being a relatively normal sample group, how do you respond?

I don't make my own noodles or bread, so no, I barely make any of my own food from scratch.

When I was less poor I would cook dishes like salmon, mushrooms and potatoes tho.

These days it is usually boxed macaroni and cheese, canned soup, ramen noodles, sandwiches, frozen breaded fish sticks, frozen breaded shrimp, frozen lasagna, and so forth.

Chamomile · Post by **Chamomile** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 12:10 pm

How often Americans eat real food seems to be pretty closely tied with how much spare time they have available. People with better jobs can both afford the time and money to cook themselves a proper dinner and will usually do so. People who can't heat up Stouffer's.

RobbyPants · Post by **RobbyPants** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 2:03 pm

Red Archon wrote:The question is not exactly annoying, but for you Americans: do you make your own food? I mean actual cooking from scratch, not heating up some revolting junk from the frozen foods aisle. From what I'm gathering from media ranging from tv shows to news articles, actual food appears to be in decline in the US. You being a relatively normal sample group, how do you respond?

I cook from scratch some of the time, but we frequently just heat stuff up. Like Chamomile said, it's a free time thing for us. A few days a week, I'm watching both of my daughters and making dinner, and I'll frequently just heat up some leftovers or grab something pre-prepared from the freezer. I tend to do most of my original cooking when my wife is available to watch the girls... or if I think I can keep my one-year-old occupied in her high chair with oyster crackers for twenty minutes.

PoliteNewb · Post by **PoliteNewb** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:49 pm

About half the time, I'd say...we mix days where we eat a homemade pasta dish, or fresh burritos, or shepherd's pie, with the days where we throw a frozen lasagna or some corn dogs in the oven. We also eat out more than is good for us (healthwise or moneywise).

This is from a family with 4 kids, and a wife who doesn't work outside the home.

Maj · Post by **Maj** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:40 pm

We make most of our food from scratch. I can't afford a lot of pre-made stuff.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:45 pm

It depends on how much I actually feel like cooking. Not a lot of frozen food shit, but usually I eat out (anything from fast food to mid-level, like Red Robin or Chilis), or I find something I can throw together at home. The latter tends towards being ramen, sausage I can just broil, occasionally a can of chili, and sometimes it's just a quesadilla/taco or some eggs. Though I also often eat leftovers from the previous night's dinner, which my parents do, usually, cook from scratch (excepting baking bread, making pasta, other stuff we could do if we cared enough/they had the time).

Emerald · Post by **Emerald** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 1:54 am

I'm a software developer doing the work of three people on our company's major product (when I started there were 17 people on the team, but since Septemberish there have been only 6 thanks to a bunch of them retiring or relocating at once, so we're kind of busy until the hiring freeze is lifted), so during the week meals for me are generally catered lunches at work and fast food and/or pizza for dinner when we work late (and we always do), and on weekends I usually sleep through lunch. On the rare occasion where I make dinner myself on weekends instead of going out with friends and coworkers, I cook things "from scratch" in the sense that they're not just frozen dinners, but that doesn't happen often.