Mazda Protege Owners: Protege Posse

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  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    The Eagles are Super Bowl Bound because?
    1.First round bye.
    2.Home field advantage, all the way to San Diego.
    3.Donvan "Mac Nasty" is back and healthy.
    4.Best all around team in NFC.
    5.NFC Championship game will be the last football game to be played at the Vet.
    6.Philly fans are nasty, loud, mean and cruel.
    7.Vet Stadium is the worst field to play on, in all of football and other teams hate to play there.
    8.Team play-off experience.
    9.Offensive and Defensive coordinators are of head coach caliber.
    10.Best kicker in football.

    #1 reason the "iggles" are Super Bowl bound? They are not a bunch of chokers unlike the Pittsburgh Steelers Franchise!
  • the_big_hthe_big_h Member Posts: 1,583
    fight fight fight!!!
  • meinradmeinrad Member Posts: 820
    No Hank, no fight.

    Steeler fans are real fans, unlike the hoodlum Eagle followers. They had to have a jail right at the stadium to keep them under control.

    I can't wait to see the riot that erupts after the Giants beat them next week!
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Hi guys,
    I'm looking at getting a digicam. The Canon G2 looks to be at the top of my list.

    Anybody have any thoughts on this cam or close contenders?

    Thanks!
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    www.dpreview.com
    www.steves-digicams.com
    www.dcresource.com

    I especially like the first two. The G2 is a very nice camera. The G3 successor I'm not sure of, but I glanced at dpreview's home page and it looks like they have a review of this.

    I ended up with a Canon A40 because I didn't need higher than 2MP resolution and wanted one that ran on AA-size batteries. It was a good size (compact, but not too small for my big fingers to operate) for me too. The optics on the Canon and Nikon cameras seem to be the best at avoiding the purple fringing effect at the edge between high contrast light/dark areas.
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Thanks...I've been reading reviews all morning!

    Have you actually gotten prints from your 2 MP cam? How do they look? My GF was concerned that the pics wouldn't look as good as a traditional camera. I'm certain they may even look better, but would appreciate some anecdotal "evidence."

    Thanks again!
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    FWIW - I have a Kodak DX3900 (current equivalent model is DX4330, IIRC)

    3MegaPixel, runs AA batteries, 1850mAH rechargeable NiMH batteries give me 40-50 photos, with flash. Comes with neato cables to hook to USB PCs as well as Composite Video input on a TV/VCR. Prints print out great - I've printed 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10.

    With 2MegaPixels, 8x10 would be stretching it (I love bad puns). And with my 3MP, 14x20 would be stretching it, though its advertised.

    Whichever you buy, read the reviews, look at some of the photo comparisons (one of the above awesome review sites has them for a multitude of cameras and photo detail/lighting/setting situations!) and watch for special deals from bestBuy and CircuitCity - despite higher-than-internet prices, the low APR financing and package deals (free kit - I got charger, batteries, case worth $30) make it worthwhile. Not to mention easy returns ;)

    And prints can be had at most photo shops as well as stores like Target, Walmart, Sams, Costco etc. Film cameras are officially dead for non-professionals :)
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Film cameras are officially dead for non-professionals

    Ever look in the hands of pros? they may look like a standard 35mm but most media types have gone digital.
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Well, I got lucky and got the last G2 in the store. It's a fun little cam.

    My only question is this: My GF likes prints, so I was wondering at what resolution I should be shooting at to get good quality 4x6 (standard) prints (ie. 1600x1200, etc)?

    Thanks Photo-Gurus!
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    Use photo printer paper. It makes a big difference (in appearance as well as in your wallet).

    Also, if you don't have one, get a good quality inkjet printer. The ones that use 6 or 7 colors (usually with light magenta and light cyan in addition to the others, 7-color printers have both a regular black and a photo black which isn't as opaque) give better results in general than 4-color printers, but some 4-color printers are really good. It's hard for me to tell the difference without bringing the print to a few inches from my face.

    I think the Canon photoprinters are the best, but I have an Epson C80 myself. If I upgrade, I'd probably get a Canon photoprinter just for printing photos, keeping my C80 for regular printing (it's fast at plain black text...much faster than my HP 870Cse, which prints poor-quality photos IMO). Ink cartridges are comparable in cost to Epson cartridges.

    Or skip printing your own and take your selected files (on CD or on your flash memory card) to a photoprinter. They'll use your files to make prints on real photo paper.

    For 4x6, I use 1600x1200 (max on my 2MP camera). They look fine at 5x7 too. 8x10 is a stretch. I'd only blow it up this much if it's something meant to be viewed from several inches away or more, like a landscape shot I take with a tripod.

    For 3x5, I can step down the the next level, 1024x768 without my noticing degradation in quality. For web images and other small images (2x3), I use 640x480.

    I like being able to manually set the white balance as the automatic mode sometimes yields funky colors. Wish I had a manual focus mode though. Oh well, a trade-off for compact size and cost. :)
  • meinradmeinrad Member Posts: 820
    nowadays, pick up a nice big memory card. I'll routinely snap off over 100 shots at a party. It's fun to not have to worry about running out of room for pictures.
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    With some of the Canon cameras is that they can utilize the 1 GB IBM Microdrives! Gotta start saving up for one of those!
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    Don't bother. Get a pair of 512MB Flash (or SmartMedia - whatever your camera uses) Cards. Costs about the same IIRC, less moving parts and a bit faster, if I remember the reviews correctly.

    Not to mention the fact that IBM is getting out of the desktop hard drive market because of abysmal quality and massive returns. I'd be nervous about that kind of thing trickling down to their more 'innovative' microdrives ;)
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Right...I was just reading on some forums (surprise) about the Microdrives. Sounds like a lot of people have had troubles with them.

    Another newb question....what's a good price to have digi-photos printed at a place? The store where I bought my cam from charges like $0.50/shot. Is that good?

    Mind you...$.50 CDN is like $0.01 USD! Hahah!
  • ashutoshsmashutoshsm Member Posts: 1,007
    Sams Club and Costco in the US print for 25 cents per print. Also, you may want to print online - when you print more than a certain number of 4x6 at (Sony's) imagestation.com (my printing web-site de Jour), it costs 25 cents each, and they often have free shipping deals.

    Also try MotoPhoto or Ritz Camera if you have those kinds of stores in your neck of the woods.

    Walmart and Target type places may not be as cheap, but I haven't really enquired.

    EDIT: $0.50 Canadian actually sounds like a pretty reasonable deal, if the shop is convenient and you sometimes rush in to print just a couple of shots - that would be acceptable (to me, it would)
  • meinradmeinrad Member Posts: 820
    Falcons 34 Eagles 17

    Poor Larry and those Philly fans. I hear the in stadium jail was full too.
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    FINAL(OT)-
    Steelers 31
    Titans 34

    FINAL-
    Falcons 6
    Eagles 20

    Enuff said, me thinks. ;-)

    -lovetrain
  • the_big_hthe_big_h Member Posts: 1,583
    congrats larry!
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    How was Florida?
  • meinradmeinrad Member Posts: 820
    Most entertaining game of the weekend it was so I'll take my lumps.


    And not bad for Philly, only 27 arrests at the game this weekend.....


    http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/football/nfl/philadelphia_eagles/4932916.htm

  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    Ray, your a great Steeler fan and a good person! One observation, you need a new coach. Why do the Steeler organization insist on holding onto their coachs so long? Chuck Knoll coached waaaaay too long and they are making the same error with "BooHoo Bill" Cowher!

    In my opinion Bill Cowher needs to go, ...now. In the current NFL environment 4 or 5 years is plenty of time to build a Super Bowl team. The Steeler are favored every year to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl and then they choke. I blame Cowher. They were lucky to beat the upstart Brown's the prior week and he still complains about outside issues. Cowher makes too many excuses and I quote this example from his post game interview; "The officiating was ludicrous".

    How about excepting the blame, Bill? ! I quote again from Saturdays post game interview; "We had some chances to win but, we had some taken away from us, too." Boo Hoo Bill fails again in the play-offs and as they say; "The fish always stinks from the neck up !"

    Ray, there is still a top box Pa. team in the hunt. Jump aboard the Eagle's Love Train! You are welcome to get on. They got a very very tough team this week. I think it will be an epic struggle for the Eagles to beat a terrific Tampa Bay team. If they prevail in that game, then they will face the unbeatable Oakland Raiders. We need your support, my dear Raymond. Hop on-board for the ride.

    -Love Train
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    :P

    --Dale
  • mazdafunmazdafun Member Posts: 2,329
    Especially the 'burbs to the north.

    Thinking of interviewing with a company down that way, and I'm not familiar with the area at all, so I'd appreciate your opinions and any resources I can use to check up on it some. :)
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    One of the fastest growing areas in the country. I found t to be a nice area when I visited, but apparently, so have have many others. I think traffic is your main concern.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    all live in those "'burbs to the north!"

    Meade
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    *To avoid hassles, I've moved this post from the Sedans board to here.

    I don't see how your definition invalidates VTCS as an acronym.

    By the definition of "abbreviation," all acronyms are abbreviations (from www.m-w.com):

    Main Entry: ab·bre·vi·a·tion
    Pronunciation: &-"brE-vE-'A-sh&n
    Function: noun
    Date: 15th century
    1 : the act or result of abbreviating : ABRIDGMENT
    2 : a shortened form of a written word or phrase used in place of the whole
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Consulting the same dictionary you're using, I re-read the definition of "acronym." The word "radar" did not exist before the acronym for "radio detection and ranging" existed, nor did other acronyms that are pronounceable "words" exist as words on their own. All of these were declared "words" at some point after the acronym came into existence. Hence, they started life as acronyms. I furthered my research by looking up the definition for the word "word." Nowhere does it state that a word has to be "pronounceable" to be a word. So yes, VTCS is an abbreviation AND an acronym.

    If Webster's means something else, they need to be more precise in their definition of "acronym."

    If you're going to issue a rebuttal, let me point out that this same dictionary defines "AWOL" or "awol" as a WORD meaning "away without leave." So "AWOL" is not an acronym but a word, and "VTCS" isn't even an acronym? Sounds kinda "FUBAR" to me!
  • dsm6dsm6 Member Posts: 813
    An acronym can be an abbreviation without all abbreviations being acronyms.

    And yeah, sure the word radar didn't exist before the acronym, and the word NATO that she uses as an example didn't exist before the acronym either - but that's irrelevant.

    NATO, snafu, etc. are abbreviations where the letters are pronounced as a word. VTCS, when spoken, is spelled out V-T-C-S. I suppose some weirdos might pronounce it vitcus, but hey we can't go defining terms by what weirdos do. (insert your own joke here)

    Oh, and PETA is a group of animal rights activists, not a group of environmental activists.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    animal rights WHACKOs, not a group of animal rights activists.

    Meade
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    "Hence, they started life as acronyms."

    Wrong. They started life as abbreviations.

    You'll note that Merriam-Webster gave the date of origin as 1943. I would have to do some research on this, but I would imagine that the Second World War engendered a lot of these Special Abbreviations That Could Be Pronounced (and occasionally written) Like Words (again--snafu, radar, etc.). And so the Wordmen of the time decided to give them their own classification: acronym.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    In the definition of "word," the dictionary says nothing about it having to be "pronounceable." The definition is, "1. Something that is said, esp. a brief remark. 2. A speech sound or series of speech sounds that communicates a meaning."

    All of the letters of the alphabet are "speech sounds" and therefore the acronym VTCS is a "series of speech sounds," making it qualify, by this dictionary's definition, as both a WORD and an ACRONYM.

    Meade
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    Regarding your vowel question:

    Technically, in the English language, a word HAS to contain a vowel.

    Not sure what to say about NHTSA, which folks pronounce as one word as IF it had a vowel, for the sake of convenience.

    Purists would probably say that it's NOT a true acronym.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    So how come "radar" is used as an example of an acronym, yet it's defined as a word under its own definition?

    P.S. "Snafu" isn't even in my dictionary.

    P.P.S. So by leaving out that part about a word having to contain a vowel, Webster's is not "technically" correct? Now who's calling Webster's a moron?

    P.P.P.S. Webster's considers "Mr.," "Mrs." and "Ms." words. Nouns in fact. Not abbreviations, but words. They even give pronunciations for them. And none of them have vowels. So if they can state that "Ms." is pronounced "miz," "Mr." is pronounced "Mister" and "Ms." is pronounced "Misses," then why can't you say "VTCS" is pronounced "Vitcus" and make it a word too?
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    I agree with you that that dictionary's definition of "word" may be a little too general (perhaps to accommodate languages other than English) to use as evidence about what constitutes a word.

    But don't mess with my acronyms.
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    "P.P.S. So by leaving out that part about a word having to contain a vowel, Webster's is not "technically" correct? Now who's calling Webster's a moron?"

    In ENGLISH a word has to contain a vowel. There are other languages in the world.
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    I don't know what to say about Mr. and Mrs. I would call them, spelled in that manner, abbreviations.

    Write the dictionary a letter or something.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    1. "There are other languages in the world."

    Yep, and they have their own dictionaries. I'm going by a dictionary OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

    2. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT -- YOU JUST TROUNCED ALL OVER ONE OF MY PET PEEVES!!!

    ... "accomadate"???

    BRRRRP!!! Try again!!!

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Dictionary.com (aka the American Heritage Dictionary) defines acronym as ...

    "A word formed from the initial letters of a name, such as WAC for Women's Army Corps, or by combining initial letters or parts of a series of words, such as radar for radio detecting and ranging."

    So combination of letters "formed from the initial letters of a name" should be an acronym by this definition ...

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    hmmm.....whatever.

    I'm not very accommodating anyway.

    :)
  • krotinekrotine Member Posts: 93
    not another new look for Town Hall!
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    ...this is the way it is...until it changes again. ;-)

    You can post comments in this discusion in News & Views:

    Town Hall New Look!
  • krotinekrotine Member Posts: 93
    I was only kidding....

    :(
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    That Edmunds would work on real issues that affect the availability of their site rather than messing with font sizes. Why do I have to increase the font here but nowhere else?
  • chicagoprochicagopro Member Posts: 1,009
    That peach crisp is really great!

    Question: Is there fennel in the chicken pot pie??
  • protegextwoprotegextwo Member Posts: 1,265
    I don't care for the Peach Crisp. We make a much better Peach Cobbler. However, the Crisp is our feature dessert this month. I will get you the Chix Pie Recipe tomorrow. It is bangin! Really good re-heated the next day. We don't serve them at the Barrel after 6 hours of hold time. But, I've had 1 or 2 re-heated for my staff meal and the sauce gets a little dryer and really intensifies the flavors.

    -larry
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Maybe we need a new topic:

    "Cookin' with Larry and Dale!"

    Hee hee!!!

    You guys need to cool it with the food descriptions; I'm on a diet and you're making me want to eat my lunch at 10 a.m.!!!

    Meade and Potatoes
  • protege_fanprotege_fan Member Posts: 2,405
    Thanks for putting that post up in the Cavalier topic. I thought the post you were responding to was extremely offensive and am glad somebody said something.

    Although, I am VERY surprised that particular post is still up, whereas I received another "slap on the wrist" email for posting that gas pumps here in Alberta have changed so you can't sit in your car and continue to have gas pumped in. Oh well. I suppose I would have been more disconcerted if Edmunds had gained some consistency with the new "face-lift."
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    I really enjoyed that kiss you gave me yesterday.

    Meade
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