The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[Kimblee]

afbluebelle wrote:

"What do firefighters do? I mean, obviously they fight fires. But stuff isn't always on fire! And you can't train 24/7, can you?"

Most "firefighters" are really emergency response people, and they handle stuff that requires heavy equipment in most towns.  So, they not only respond to fires, they respond to other stuff like car or boating accidents, natural disasters like mudslides or flooding, non-fire emergencies like someone trapped in a drain/stuck on a roof/caught in a structure collapse and lots of other stuff of that nature.  That said, training does take up a reasonably large amount of their time because they're not just training to put out fires.  Learning how to cut a car open with the Jaws of Life takes time, for example.  Maintaining their equipment also takes up a lot of time.  They don't "wash the fire truck" every week just because they like it shiny, it's also to test all of the pumps and safety systems and make sure the truck runs and the hoses work and the gear is sorted and the oxygen tanks are filled and prepped and so on.  When they're not doing the job or training (or dealing with the upkeep of the job like paperwork or keeping the station), they do whatever they care to do while being ready to drop it all and respond to a call.
Virg

One of the members of our local department emboiders. He and his wife made a really beautiful quilt (He embroidered the squares, she pieced and quilted) for a charity auction this christmas. He's a huge gruff looking man, but you sometimes see him sitting in front of the fire house with his hoop and a military surplus shoulder bag he uses to carry his projects.

[Polly]

Unless the fabric is sequinned silk velvet

Pause the thread! I'm trying to picture sequinned silk velvet slacks on most men.

Thank  you. I'm Ok now. Continue if you will.

THANK YOU so much for making me laugh. I am having a HORRIBLE week and unable to sleep. Am working through this thread a year behind posts...but THANK YOU. When I go to work in the morning I will be picturing EVERYONE IN  sequinned silk velvet slacks.

[Elfmama]

Unless the fabric is sequinned silk velvet

Pause the thread! I'm trying to picture sequinned silk velvet slacks on most men.

Thank  you. I'm Ok now. Continue if you will.

THANK YOU so much for making me laugh. I am having a HORRIBLE week and unable to sleep. Am working through this thread a year behind posts...but THANK YOU. When I go to work in the morning I will be picturing EVERYONE IN  sequinned silk velvet slacks.

You're welcome!

[2littlemonkeys]

So here's a dumb question...

My cell phone is dying a slow death and I'd like to get one with wi-fi capabilities so I can browse the internet (mostly to stream music) while I'm at home or at work.  Dh suggested getting a phone that has wi-fi and I've seen some deals on unlocked phones at various retailers but if I get one of those and use my SIM card, will AT&T recognize it as being a smart phone and decide I need the data package?  I really don't want a package, I can't justify the monthly expense. 

I thought I should just break down and get an mp3 player with wi-fi but it would be nice to have it all on once device.  And they are pricey!

[Twik]

Unless the fabric is sequinned silk velvet

Pause the thread! I'm trying to picture sequinned silk velvet slacks on most men.

Thank  you. I'm Ok now. Continue if you will.

It's particularly intriguing if you think of them as work pants. Your average construction crew would be fabulous!

[blue2000]

So here's a dumb question...

My cell phone is dying a slow death and I'd like to get one with wi-fi capabilities so I can browse the internet (mostly to stream music) while I'm at home or at work.  Dh suggested getting a phone that has wi-fi and I've seen some deals on unlocked phones at various retailers but if I get one of those and use my SIM card, will AT&T recognize it as being a smart phone and decide I need the data package?  I really don't want a package, I can't justify the monthly expense. 

I thought I should just break down and get an mp3 player with wi-fi but it would be nice to have it all on once device.  And they are pricey!

Doesn't matter what AT&T thinks it is, it is still your decision where you spend your money. If you don't want a data package, you don't have to have one.

[Virg]

2littlemonkeys wrote:

"My cell phone is dying a slow death and I'd like to get one with wi-fi capabilities so I can browse the internet (mostly to stream music) while I'm at home or at work.  Dh suggested getting a phone that has wi-fi and I've seen some deals on unlocked phones at various retailers but if I get one of those and use my SIM card, will AT&T recognize it as being a smart phone and decide I need the data package?  I really don't want a package, I can't justify the monthly expense."

This isn't a dumb question at all, but unfortunately it's also one without a single answer.  How your provider handles smart phones depends on who they are and where you live, so your best bet is to get in contact with AT&T service and discuss it with them.

blue2000 wrote:

"Doesn't matter what AT&T thinks it is, it is still your decision where you spend your money. If you don't want a data package, you don't have to have one."

That may not be accurate.  AT&T may not support the phone without a data plan (for an example, Verizon won't service a smart phone at all in my area unless it's got a data plan) so she may not have any choice with that provider.  That's why it's best to ask directly.

Virg

[2littlemonkeys]

Yeah, AT&T disagrees and any smartphone you buy through them with a contract requires a data plan.  I was trying to go off contract, which is why I hadn't contacted anyone over there yet (because they're going to try to get me to get a contract)

Maybe getting an mp3 player would be the simplest route, since it's mostly for music anyway.

[Betelnut]

I have laminate flooring in a lot of my house and am thinking of getting rid of the carpet in my living room also.  I would like to match the laminate that is in the hallways, etc.  How do I do that?  Do I need to have a flooring person come out to the house to see it?  (That would be okay but I'm just not sure how it all works...)

[AfleetAlex]

One more thing on firefighters - in the small city I used to live in, police officers were cross-trained as firefighters and renamed public safety officers. It was something of a money-saving effort in tough times and kept everyone busy. It's been pretty successful as they've now been doing it for years.

[blue2000]

Yeah, AT&T disagrees and any smartphone you buy through them with a contract requires a data plan.  I was trying to go off contract, which is why I hadn't contacted anyone over there yet (because they're going to try to get me to get a contract)

Maybe getting an mp3 player would be the simplest route, since it's mostly for music anyway.

Wow. OK, chalk that up to differences between countries. I have a smartphone (Canada) and I am not required to have a contract or a data plan. None of the companies I looked at seemed to care what phone I have, other than making sure it has a SIM card.

And here I was envious of US plans because they looked cheaper!

[stitchygreyanonymouse]

Yeah, AT&T disagrees and any smartphone you buy through them with a contract requires a data plan.  I was trying to go off contract, which is why I hadn't contacted anyone over there yet (because they're going to try to get me to get a contract)

Maybe getting an mp3 player would be the simplest route, since it's mostly for music anyway.

As far as I know, the only unlocked phone AT&T scans the network for and forces you to have data on is the iPhone. Android (and presumably Windows/BlackBerry) phones do not require that. It helps that unlike Verizon, you don’t necessarily have to register your phone with them, you just have to pop your SIM in the new one (therefore you can use whatever phone you’d like), but they can figure out what phone you’re using once you do so.

I ran into this issue when my old phone bit the dust and was using my SO’s original iPhone… AT&T didn’t care that we didn’t need to be in contract, nor that we didn’t buy the phone from them. If their network finds the signal of an iPhone, it adds the data plan automatically and they won’t remove it.

[wheeitsme]

So here's a dumb question...

My cell phone is dying a slow death and I'd like to get one with wi-fi capabilities so I can browse the internet (mostly to stream music) while I'm at home or at work.  Dh suggested getting a phone that has wi-fi and I've seen some deals on unlocked phones at various retailers but if I get one of those and use my SIM card, will AT&T recognize it as being a smart phone and decide I need the data package?  I really don't want a package, I can't justify the monthly expense. 

I thought I should just break down and get an mp3 player with wi-fi but it would be nice to have it all on once device.  And they are pricey!

Doesn't matter what AT&T thinks it is, it is still your decision where you spend your money. If you don't want a data package, you don't have to have one.

There was an article about that this last week:

http://consumerist.com/2013/01/16/heres-how-people-have-successfully-used-an-iphone-on-att-with-no-data-plan/

[Elisabunny]

I have laminate flooring in a lot of my house and am thinking of getting rid of the carpet in my living room also.  I would like to match the laminate that is in the hallways, etc.  How do I do that?  Do I need to have a flooring person come out to the house to see it?  (That would be okay but I'm just not sure how it all works...)

I think most places have samples you can bring home to make sure it matches/goes with your existing stuff.

[Sign Of The Times]

Being somewhat new, I have a few questions that may or may not be foolish.

Does the forum have a master list of members? Or of moderators? If so, where can it be located?

Also, at the gym, on occasion someone will complain about my smell. What is a polite way to respond that "sweat happens"?