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mmmmna

Member since: Jul 12th, 2007

mmmmna's Latest Comments

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10+ free, fast-booting Linux distros that aren't Chrome OS (Download Squad)

Dec 31st 2009 8:39PM PCLinuxOS.... Full blown Linux, easy to administer, NEVER has the trendy stuff because PCLinuxOS waits for an amount of maturity before apps get included. Decent package list in the repositories.

Gyrobike's Gyrowheel stabilizes a kid's first bike without the training wheels (Engadget)

Oct 5th 2009 12:50PM At least the gyro action is not able to keep them PERFECTLY upright at slow speeds!

Anyhow, what is the big deal about training a kid to ride a bicycle?

I do this on a grass lawn, just to ease the possible crash injuries:
A] Dad (or Mom, Uncle, school bully) puts the kid onto the bicycle seat, tells the kid to hold the handlebars and to keep their feet on the pedals (at first, allow no pedaling, no rolling of the bicycle, just keep the feet on the pedals);
B] Dad tips the kid a little to one side, and says: "Don't put your feet down, I have you; just turn the handlebars the same way you are tipping".
C] When the kid turns correctly, balance is manually recovered by Dad who then keeps them upright, holds them there for a second and tells them they did good,
C] "but get ready, here comes another tip, turn whichever way you are tipping".... do 5-10 minutes of this while NOT moving;
D] when they get the idea correct about 20 times in a row, then repeat the same instructions while pushing them around but STILL don't have them pedal at this time;
E] as they grasp the idea of tipping AND rolling, try it all again with pedaling actions (be sure you do not tip them so much that the pedal hits the ground, you mean old thing);
F] When Dad sees that they get it very well WHILE PEDALING, then dad just pushes the kid off from a stop, says "turn the way you are tipping" and then...
G] Dad stands still and watches the kid ride around. Usually less than an hour, some kids get it in 5 minutes.

Yeah, the pedal crashing into the ground while rolling might get them unnerved.... but Dad has to say they need to pay attention so they don't tip that far.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat.

A neighbor told me that was "how it all worked": "just turn the handlebars to the side your are falling to". How hard is THAT?

When I was learning to ride my bicycle, my training wheels came loose (dad couldn't be bothered with us kids and my 7 year old bicycle assembler skills simply did not grasp 'tighten the axle nuts securely'). The training wheels were an inch off the ground, so I always had tipping action when I was moving. Because of what I was told, I started turning to the side I was tipping, and I was riding around without the training wheels within a few hours (because first one, then the other one fell off)!!

To be sure I had this idea right, a few years later I taught my sister to turn the way she was tipping and now, MANY years later, I taught my nephew with the instructions I entered in paragraph one. Who needs a dad? Who needs training wheels?

Raser Technologies develops 100MPG Hummer H3 just to spite Al Gore (Engadget)

Apr 28th 2009 8:38PM UP to 100 mpg? Let the rest of us drive it and we'll tell you what WE got for mpg.

Black Eee PC 901 looks good, just not $650 good (Engadget)

May 29th 2008 8:21PM @ mattyukie: your 'consumer product industry' can burn for all I care. I cannot afford 650 for this toy. Can you hear us? These are the voices of the consumers; go manage your trackball.

Black Eee PC 901 looks good, just not $650 good (Engadget)

May 29th 2008 8:14PM I sure hope they realize that they alone dreamed up the need to push this out ahead of schedule and with reduced features for a higher price.

Imation wants you to lose its Atom flash drives too (Engadget)

Apr 9th 2008 7:07PM Bleh: "Windows Ready Boost". No M$ trash for me, thanks.

Vista prices officially go down, but will consumer interest go up? (Engadget)

Mar 3rd 2008 5:24AM Of course Microsoft has ties with hardware makers, you know it and I know it. Now imagine that you simply could not afford:
- to replace all your programs
and
- a Dual proc system...

Just hand the money to Microsoft, they'll treat you right, is that the best way? Bah. To think I have a brain cell and I know how to use it.

I own and use XP64, and have used Vistabomonation, I suffer with the incompatibilities of Vistabomination, so, Marc, you are the rare bird.

Vista prices officially go down, but will consumer interest go up? (Engadget)

Mar 3rd 2008 5:11AM Lee-nucks works for me. Why submit my wallet to such abuse? Microsoft releases a new OS which forces getting a new PC, just because some company trumped up some release schedule? Just hurry up and die, Microsoft, so we can gain market share without your FUD, ok?
Oh wait... this is a fanboy forum...

Angry drivers torching traffic cameras in England (Engadget)

Dec 27th 2007 2:39PM These Brits are saying their police are fining them for 'driving proper'? We yanks don't have anywhere near as many of these cameras, yet we also get fined for 'driving proper'. Just goes to show how backwards we are on this side of the pond.

JVC's build-it-yourself speaker set, but why would you? (Engadget)

Nov 18th 2007 7:21PM 85 millimeters = 3.34645669 inches.... The main driver is 3 1/3 inches? bah.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-642 is currently less than half price and has a 6 1/2" driver AND a 1 1/8" tweeter. The Parts Express kit costs "$139.00 PR" on sale right now, but even when not on sale, $239 for the pair, the Parts Express speakers are better in the bass region. For less money.

Why does JVC bother?