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Can someone help me with this?

Discussion in 'Permanent Threads' started by sublime, Oct 20, 2009.

  1. Durbanite

    Durbanite
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    BackItUp didn't work for what I wanted.

    DVDShrink did what I wanted. Eureka!

    Thanks to MooseKnuckle and Esian for assisting me.
     
  2. theking23

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    Is there a comparable program for Mac?
     
  3. Ahojlaska

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    Should still be lurking

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  4. Racer-X

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    Does anyone have any specific recommendations for a netbook or small laptop? It seems like, from the reviews I've read, that most netbooks are pretty similar. The primary use will be watching movies while traveling and some light web surfing. Thanks.
     
  5. Tey

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    I'm by no means an expert, but I did a decent amount of research on this a little while back (needed one for school) and settled on Asus's Eee model. I think Toshiba has the current longest battery life for its netbooks but the Eee models had the best overall reviews with respect to internet connectivity, keyboard/mouse ease of use, and a close second in battery life (lasted for something like7 hours of intensive task computation).

    NewEgg has a bunch of different models by them, check it out.
     
  6. slippingaway

    slippingaway
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    Go check out avsforum.com

    It's a forum run by Audio/visual geeks, and a lot of members are people that install and calibrate high end systems. One of their favorite plasmas seems to be the Panasonic Viera. Just make sure you get the high end model, they usually produce multiple models that use the same outer case, the differences are in the guts. I got a Viera 50" plasma (TC-P50G10) a little while ago because at the time it was one of their favorites. Do some price shopping online, and have Best Buy match the price. Best Buy wanted $2,000 for my TV at the time, but I got them to price match Newegg.com at like $1470. The Best Buy manager even drove to another store to get the TV for me (local store was out) on his lunch break so I'd have it the next day.

    Whatever you do, DON'T BUY CORDS AT BEST BUY. They're ridiculously overpriced (about 1,000% markup) compared to what you can get online. A $100 HDMI cable will NOT give you a better picture than a $10 one. It's digital, it either works, or it doesn't.
     
  7. slippingaway

    slippingaway
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    I've bought two different Eee models, one with Windows, one with their proprietary OS (linux). They're great. I gave the Linux one to my parents who are complete computer retards, and they figured it out really quickly, and haven't been able to fuck it up yet (which is amazing, their desktop is always fucked up). The only tiny complaint I have is the placement of the right Shift key. I always hit the up arrow instead. One tiny complaint, everything else about the Eee's is outstanding.
     
  8. jrussellmikkelsen

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    Okay internet geniuses, I found a wallet today. I've got the guy's license, bank cards, credit cards and vehicle registration. You'd think I'd be able-- with all that information-- to find a super quick way to get ahold of the kid, but no. I checked the white pages, googled him, searched facebook and myspace, and didn't find him. Now I've run out of ideas. I guess I'm worse at using the internets than I thought.

    Obviously, I am going to send him a physical letter today but I thought, for his sake, it'd be nice to get a note to him immediately. I'm sure he's busy trying to cancel all his cards and such and the faster I get in touch with him the more trouble he is saved. He lives in a different city so it's going to take a few days for a letter to arrive.

    Anything else I can do to find an email or phone number or... I don't know. Thanks for the help.
     
  9. theking23

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    White Pages with his name and address to find his phone number?
     
  10. c_norris

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    HandBrake.
     
  11. jrussellmikkelsen

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    Dude. Look up.

    UPDATE: I found his classmates.com profile and what may be his amazon.com profile. Does anybody with an account with one of these sites want to send him a quick message saying I've found his wallet and he can email me? I understand if no one is willing. Just trying my luck here.
     
  12. cargasm66

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    Wow.

    Obviously, he doesn't have a landline (who does these days?), and if Facebook got you no leads, finding any sort of number is going to be difficult. My only other suggestion would be to take one of the bankcards to the issuing bank and turn it in there, they might have more updated contact information. Or, just send it back in the mail.

    You're gonna have some good karma coming your way, my friend.
     
  13. theking23

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    My bad, I was watching TV at the same time and missed that. I have an amazon.com profile, PM me.
     
  14. jrussellmikkelsen

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    Thanks. I was PMed a suggestion to call the bank and have them call him. I did call the bank and they tried to conference call us but he didn't pick up. They left a voice mail for him and I'm mailing the wallet today. Thanks for the help everyone.

    NOW I HAVE A NEW legal QUESTION (and it's 2-part):

    My housemates sent me an email on Nov 1 letting me know that they're kicking me out of the house. The email said, "Consider this your 30-day notice". So, I moved out Nov 2, that's Monday this week. I handed in my checks for rent and utilities a week before being informed. Now my housemates are refusing to return my November rent or my portion of the waste management bill (which pays for future services) and are holding onto my deposit until the end of November.

    QUESTION ONE: What laws pertain to this? What legal right do I have to get my rent returned and my deposit returned? This in California.

    Further, possibly unnecessary, details:

    The house is leased from a land lord. Only my housemate Lisa has her name on the lease. It is her lease. I have never even met the land lord. When I moved in, I interacted solely with Lisa. When I paid my deposit, I paid it directly to the person moving out of the room I moved into. That way, the money in the deposit account was never touched. I simply paid off the previous tenant's deposit. The rent checks I turn in to Lisa but I make them out to the land lord. She mails them to the land lord.

    I have spoken with the land lord twice since receiving the "kicked-out" email. I explained the situation and he said that he won't be cashing my November rent check in our first conversation. In the second, yesterday, he said he'd spoken with Lisa and that he might be changing his mind. After some civil discussion, he said, "Even if I don't deposit your rent check, Lisa can still just keep your deposit." She would do this because if the land lord doesn't cash my portion of November rent, he will be demanding it from Lisa and my other housemate. The rent is on the house, not each person/room individually.

    QUESTION TWO: If the land lord sides with me and chooses not to deposit my November rent, what legal right does Lisa have to my deposit? Isn't it the land lord only who can decide what happens with the deposit money? Doesn't the land lord legally have to return to me my deposit? Or is the deposit technically all Lisa's because (on Lisa's guidance) I paid the previous tenant instead of going through the land lord?
     
  15. Dutch Ram

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    To summarize your problem: You pre-paid to live in a house through the end of November, were told on November 1st that you would not be living there post-November 30th, and you then (inexplicably) immediately moved out. The problem here is not whether or not you get your deposit back, the problem is that you moved out of your living space before getting the question about your deposit answered. Unless they physically locked you out, it would appear as if you just walked away prematurely.

    Ask yourself this, why should Lisa and/or your landlord eat your part of the rent for the entire month of November when you were supposed to be living there? You appear to have received your 30 day notice, didn't like the fact that you were getting kicked out, and rashly left the house the next day. Sorry, but don't see how that is anybody's problem but yours.
     
  16. slippingaway

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    It also sounds like this has nothing to do with the landlord. In effect, Lisa is subletting the place, and acting as YOUR landlord. Everything goes through her, so she's the one you'd have to take legal action against.

    That being said, she gave you 30 days notice, you were supposed to still be there for November, so you're still responsible for rent for November. It's also perfectly reasonable for her to hold your deposit until the end of November. You didn't elaborate on why you're being kicked out, but if I were you, I'd consider myself lucky that they're even giving you back your deposit then. Usually if there's something bad enough to kick someone out, it's bad enough to legally justify keeping at least a portion of the deposit.

    Let this be a lesson to you, to always get renting/leasing agreements in writing, even if it's going through a roommate. You should have had a separate rental agreement between you and the leaseholder of the place.
     
  17. LM225

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    Wondering if anyone has a Google Wave invite they could send my way...would be much appreciated, and will buy you a beer if you're in town.
     
  18. jrussellmikkelsen

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    Thanks for the responses Dutch and Village.

    My thinking is this: I do not have a contract. I have not signed any papers. Lisa gave me 30-day's notice, so I responded by giving 1 day's notice. I don't have a contract, verbal or written saying that I had to give any more than a moment's notice, so I didn't. I don't have to pay for rent on any day beyond the day I moved out. I do not know if a court would take my side based on that. If anyone has a relatively knowledgeable answer based on California law on the matter, I'd appreciate your input.

    Also, the land lord, who I make my rent checks out to, made a verbal agreement with me that he will not be cashing my November rent because he didn't think I should have to. But he said he'd leave the deposit to Lisa and me to work out. Can Lisa legally keep my deposit despite the land lord's support by not cashing my check?

    Without getting into too it, because I'll ramble on forever, the reasons stated in the email for kicking me out are based on fabricated situations. Every reason given was false or a lie. The most bizarre of their claims was that I am "prone to angry outbursts" when in fact I had to endure a number of verbal assaults to which I consistently responded with meekness. I never once even raised my voice to either of my housemates.

    The reason I'm asking for help is because Lisa has told me that she will be taking me to small claims court... I don't really understand for what because she's holding onto my deposit (which is greater than one month's rent, and I left the room spotless and hole-less). She has my money already... I don't know what else she expects to get. Her perspective simply isn't based in reality.

    Nonetheless, it looks like I'll lose my deposit according to you guys?

    PS. I'm looking into getting actual legal advice. I started here because the old version of this thread was always full of smart people. It's good to get perspective from people who have zero emotional investment in the situation.
     
  19. slippingaway

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    The fact that you have absolutely no paperwork is going to work against you. It will be your word against hers, and if she's willing to make up reasons to kick you out, she'll have no reason making up stuff for court. If the landlord doesn't cash your check, that's good. Since Lisa has your deposit, and you have no written agreement about it, it's gonna be tough getting it back from her. You can try and get it back, but court and lawyer fees will probably make things more expensive than they're worth.

    If it were me, I'd cut all ties, and consider it a lesson to always get stuff in writing.

    I apologize if I'm coming off as a dick, I really do feel bad for you. I've been in a similar situation before, and ended up screwed.
     
  20. Porkins

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    Lisa or your landlord cannot evict you without going to court first. After giving you notice, they are required by law to sue for eviction. This means they have to go to court, get a summons, serve you, and give you 5 days, including weekends, to reply. Until that happens they cannot force you to leave, although it sounds like you've already left, so this may be moot. Just thought you should be aware.

    Just because there is not a lease in writing does not mean a lease does not exist. Leases can be oral in nature. However, the terms of an oral lease are, obviously, much more subjective than those of a written agreement. This is a layman's opinion, but it sounds like you're going to have to go to court to get your deposit back.

    My advice would be this:
    1. Take pictures. Show that you left the room clean, that there was no damage, etc. If you go to court over your deposit, being able to prove there was no valid reason for it to be kept will be important.

    2. Start communicating in writing. Email is okay, registered mail is better. Send Lisa a letter via registered mail asking for the return of your deposit. This will confirm that she did receive the letter, so if you end up going to court you can prove to a judge she received your request.

    Also, why can't you just cancel the check you wrote for November rent?

    Here's the problem I see with going to court: you either owe November rent and have a right to your security deposit back, or there's no contract at all and your out the amount of your deposit. Either way, under the law, it seems like you're only entitled to one of these sums, not both.

    If I were you I would attempt to resolve things without involving a judge. Unless you shit on this chick's bed or something, I'm willing to bet she's amenable to doing likewise.