Awkward Wealth

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst And I'm sad because I will probably be too old before they get all the self-driving car technology and infrastructure working properly. And positively p'd off because there has been no progress whatsoever toward affordable, efficient robot housemaids (Roombas do not count, I want a robot that cleans toilets without being asked and keeps on top of the dusting too!). I do like nice cars, though. Amethyst

I am solidly in your camp. I generally like driving cars, except when the traffic is the pits (meaning when there is someone in front driving slower than I want to, which is rare). When that happens I'd be more than happy to hand the task off to a robot and read a book or watch a movie.

Happiness is warm weather, a motorcycle, an open road, and no traffic.

[Sarpy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst And I'm sad because I will probably be too old before they get all the self-driving car technology and infrastructure working properly. And positively p'd off because there has been no progress whatsoever toward affordable, efficient robot housemaids (Roombas do not count, I want a robot that cleans toilets without being asked and keeps on top of the dusting too!). I do like nice cars, though. Amethyst

Here! Here!

[nuke_diver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 I am solidly in your camp. I generally like driving cars, except when the traffic is the pits (meaning when there is someone in front driving slower than I want to, which is rare). When that happens I'd be more than happy to hand the task off to a robot and read a book or watch a movie. Happiness is warm weather, a motorcycle, an open road, and no traffic.

Which is why the apparent impending demise of the manual transmission is disconcerning to me...though I plan to keep my manual for at least another 10years baring disaster


And for me Happiness is warmish weather, a bicycle, an open road and no traffic

[ArkTinkerer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst And I'm sad because I will probably be too old before they get all the self-driving car technology and infrastructure working properly. And positively p'd off because there has been no progress whatsoever toward affordable, efficient robot housemaids (Roombas do not count, I want a robot that cleans toilets without being asked and keeps on top of the dusting too!). I do like nice cars, though. Amethyst

Google Self Cleaning Commode and take your pick. Dusting is another matter. From a technology standpoint there will probably be a number of different solutions to each robotic task. A single general purpose robot is a long long long looooooong way off.

ArkTinkerer

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst And I'm sad because I will probably be too old before they get all the self-driving car technology and infrastructure working properly. And positively p'd off because there has been no progress whatsoever toward affordable, efficient robot housemaids (Roombas do not count, I want a robot that cleans toilets without being asked and keeps on top of the dusting too!). I do like nice cars, though. Amethyst

I have fantasies of Rosie the robot from the Jetsons.

Self cleaning commodes don't address the issue in my house. I have boys.. their aim is sometimes "less than optimal". The self cleaning commode focuses strictly on the inside of the toilet... not the area around it.

(And yes - I make them clean the bathroom near their bedrooms... Make them deal with it.)

[Amethyst]

I would even settle for a smart, self-cleaning house (versus a machine that goes around and cleans like a human does). That would probably cost way more than any of us can afford, though.

Amethyst

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi I have fantasies of Rosie the robot from the Jetsons.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi Self cleaning commodes don't address the issue in my house. I have boys.. their aim is sometimes "less than optimal". The self cleaning commode focuses strictly on the inside of the toilet... not the area around it.

I'm sure they aim to please. Maybe they just need a little help with their guidance systems.

[38Chevy454]

Speaking of cars....

Have you all seent hat commercial for the Infiniti Q50 (I think that is the car) where the guy almost gets into 3 accidents, but the car nanny protective functions keep him from being in an actual accident? Then at the end of the commercial the announcer says something to the effect "Infiniti cares about you so you can be driving"

The guy in the ad is NOT DRIVING, he almost causes 3 accidents!! The ad itself is a complete contradiction of what they are trying to show. The car is not for driving, it is for inattentive driver that is not paying attention to the act of driving! Makes me crazy when I see that commercial.

[Andre1969]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 38Chevy454 The guy in the ad is NOT DRIVING, he almost causes 3 accidents!! The ad itself is a complete contradiction of what they are trying to show. The car is not for driving, it is for inattentive driver that is not paying attention to the act of driving! Makes me crazy when I see that commercial.

I hate that ad, for that very reason. It makes it look like you can get behind the wheel of a car, be totally ignorant, and the car will save your butt.

I'm convinced that as the cars get smarter, we get dumber. I've noticed with myself that as I've gotten used to cars that turn on the lights automatically and lock the doors automatically, that if I get into an older car, I'll forget to lock the doors, and occasionally forget to turn the lights on as it gets darker.

Years ago, I had a friend who traded cars, going from a 1982 Cutlass Supreme sedan to a used 1995 Grand Marquis. One day during a snow storm he called me from a pay phone and said his car was making some weird noises and acting funny, and he wanted to get my opinion. So, he came by, picked me up, and drove me around a bit. Those noises and vibrations it was making was the ABS working itself into a frenzy to keep his butt from wiping out! I can't remember if it had traction control or not. But, he was driving at speeds much faster than he would have in his Cutlass Supreme, given the road conditions. The difference is that the Olds would have started losing traction and giving him warning long before he got up to those higher speeds. But because the ABS was keeping him from spinning out, he just kept going faster.

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst I would even settle for a smart, self-cleaning house (versus a machine that goes around and cleans like a human does). That would probably cost way more than any of us can afford, though. Amethyst

You rang, Madam?

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...08_233x423.jpg

[ArkTinkerer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andre1969 I hate that ad, for that very reason. It makes it look like you can get behind the wheel of a car, be totally ignorant, and the car will save your butt. I'm convinced that as the cars get smarter, we get dumber. ...

Interesting perspective was offered by a researcher. I hope it was at least partially tongue in cheek. What he noted was that driver fatalities had pretty much leveled off. Each new safety feature made drivers feel safer so then they drove faster/more recklessly. Total fatalities went up--pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists were not so well protected. His conclusion was we could save more lives by removing the air bag from the steering wheel and replacing it with a 6" steel spike pointed at the driver's chest...

[H2ODude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArkTinkerer His conclusion was we could save more lives by removing the air bag from the steering wheel and replacing it with a 6" steel spike pointed at the driver's chest...

Said spike to extend whenever cell phone/text activity detected.

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst And positively p'd off because there has been no progress whatsoever toward affordable, efficient robot housemaids (Roombas do not count, I want a robot that cleans toilets without being asked and keeps on top of the dusting too!).

Skip the robot.

House cleaners / maids are pretty cheap. At least where I live. I almost asked the mother of one of my kid's friends if she would clean our house (she advertises these services on her minivan), but then my Awkward Wealth (tm) filter kicked in and I decided I'd keep swabbing the toilets occasionally myself.

[photoguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FUEGO House cleaners / maids are pretty cheap. At least where I live.

Never had a maid/house cleaner although we thought about getting one when we were both working.

My brother and his wife has one that comes in once a week. However, I think they feel awkward about it since they feel like they have to clean up somewhat before the maid comes. I'd guess that most wealthy don't do that.

[Cassie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoguy Never had a maid/house cleaner although we thought about getting one when we were both working. My brother and his wife has one that comes in once a week. However, I think they feel awkward about it since they feel like they have to clean up somewhat before the maid comes. I'd guess that most wealthy don't do that.

I have a housecleaner come 1x a month for over 15 years..... $50 (price never went up). LOL, I declutter before she comes, hang up clothes, thin out my piles of various papers, put stuff back in pantry or cabinets. I use to feel awkward, however no more :-)

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by splitwdw You can get a crusty loaf by adding steam in the first 5-10 minutes of baking. I have a gas oven. Don't know if you can use an electric oven. Place a cast iron pan on the floor of the oven. Preheat oven, spray the dough with water before placing in oven, use a long handled soup ladle or long spout kettle to dump water into the cast iron pan and quickly close the door. Caution because dumping water in hot cast iron pan can shoot out and burn you. You can also try spraying water inside the oven during the first 5-10 minutes. I've never had much luck with this method. Caution, do not have the light turned on inside the oven. If you hit the bulb with water you can shatter the bulb. I also have a bread oven made from clay that you dampen with water before placing bread inside and placing in oven. You can make a bread oven from clay flower pot and clay saucer. I'd have to look up the directions for how to make it. Pretty sure you have to season the inside, similar to cast iron pot before you bake bread in it.

I did shatter the bulb once!

[dallas27]

I hear they are making big technical advances with sexbots everyday.


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[BigNick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi Self cleaning commodes don't address the issue in my house. I have boys.. their aim is sometimes "less than optimal". The self cleaning commode focuses strictly on the inside of the toilet... not the area around it. (And yes - I make them clean the bathroom near their bedrooms... Make them deal with it.)

The problem is only partly bad aiming. The trajectory of any stream of liquid emerging under pressure from an orifice is basically governed by statistics. Some amount of small droplets will always be separating off, partly due to friction at the liquid/air boundary and partly due to imperfections in the manufacturing (!) process of the orifice. Sitting down to pee helps, but even then, not entirely (check the underside of the toilet seat in an all-female household after a few days' use).

[GravitySucks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2ODude Said spike to extend whenever cell phone/text activity detected.

+1. As a bicyclist, I often have an awkward feeling when interrupting a drivers cell phone conversation with my screams.

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[jon-nyc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigNick The problem is only partly bad aiming. The trajectory of any stream of liquid emerging under pressure from an orifice is basically governed by statistics. Some amount of small droplets will always be separating off, partly due to friction at the liquid/air boundary and partly due to imperfections in the manufacturing (!) process of the orifice. Sitting down to pee helps, but even then, not entirely (check the underside of the toilet seat in an all-female household after a few days' use).

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