What device/setup baffles people in your home?

[Robb]

I was watching a friend try to get a knife out of my block last night (you have to turn one of the knives to get it past the rim), and started thinking about things around here only I can get to work.

Anything in your home that other folks just can't get to work right?

[bif]

1. Nothing

I have kids and they can figure out anything. I'm not totally up to speed with the DVD player yet. I'll have to take lessongs from them--they had it down in about 10 minutes.

[xJlM]

2. Oh boy

1). The DVD player

2). The computer (anything more than pushing the button to turn it on)

3). Any autos, as far as anything more than driving it or putting gas in it.

[GOPisEvil]

3. The keyboard tray to my computer desk.

Due to the desk being a cheap piece of crap, the keyboard tray had to be reinforced. This means that it no longer is able to be retracted under the desktop. So, I have basically jammed the tray into the runners so that it can be used. But, you can't really rest your hands on the keyboard or put any serious pressure on the tray or it will fall.

Poor Will Pitt was doing SO well - he didn't make it all crash until his last night at my place. :D

[emad]

4. My neighbour once bricked up the inside of his front door to

stop the bailiffs coming in to remove his furniture for non payment of a fine.....and used to let himself in/out by going down to the cellar and up a trap door into the garage that had an exit onto a different street.

Didn't get many visitors and it certainly deterred the bailiffs!

[TrogL]

5. The toothpaste tube

you see there's the cap that you have to put on top of it so it doesn't dry out and turn ugly. The cap has to be put on the top of the tube then rotated clockwise until snug. I don't know if they're trying to do it widdershins or don't get the "top" bit but I seem to be the only person in the world capable of doing the task.

and don't get me started about ice cube trays

[bif]

6. Ice cube trays indeed!

I'm the only person in the house who has mastered the difficult task of filling the ice cube trays.

[trof]

7. VCR & DVD

It's the most complicated hookup I've ever seen in my life.

All have to be connected through the digital cable box with cables running back and forth to here and there and then back here again and then around to this but not to THAT and on and on and on.

Four different remotes, one for the tv, one for the cable box, one for the vcr, and one for the dvd.
The one for the cable is the worst. You have to turn off the cable box first and then turn off the tv. Turn on the tv first and then turn on the cable. If you get it out of sequence you're all screwed up and the channel selector won't work so you have to shut everything down and start over. There is no sleep function on the cable remote. You have to use the tv remote for that. Then the next day you have to remember to turn off the cable before you turn on the tv....ah shit!
Tried a universal remote and nothing works on the cable except the one that came with it.

Running a movie on vcr or dvd is always a crapshoot. Let's see...this has to be on, but that has to be off, but not until you turn this on and...wait a minute, the dvd is on (blue screen) but I'm trying to run a tape. Does the cable box have to be off to run a tape? I'll try that. OK, the movie is running but the vcr remote won't adjust volume or stop or fast forward or anything.

We don't rent many movies any more.
:-(

[denverbill]

11. Ditto at our house.

I never use to have problems, but now it's a nightmare. It's very easy playing a DVD or VCR. What's hard is restoring the TV to watch regular TV. I swear it takes us 10 minutes every time to figure it out.

[pink_poodle]

12. I'm in the same boat. We have Satellite, DVD, TV, VCR and the Sony.......

home system plus my Playstation 2 all hooked together = 4 remotes plus the game system pad. ARRGGHH!!!! It's a nightmare to go from one component to the other - all of the remotes have to have at least one button pressed to change the chain of command. I can't stand it!!!

[XNASA]

8. The vacuum cleaner.

Apparently no one but I has mastered it's use.

[trof]

9. OK, now...the laundry.

Why do you have to PUSH the dryer knob, but PULL the washer knob?
Or is it the other way around?
(that's why I'm standing here with a knob in my hand)
Is this stuff "delicate" or not.
If it's "wash and wear" does that mean absolutely NO ironing?
Do I use "regular" cycle or "heavy duty"?
I'll tell ya what, if they'd just make washers and dryers with ON-OFF switches I'd happily do the laundry every day.

He:"Honey, what setting do I use for this jersey?"
She:"What does it say on the shirt?"
He:"Minnesota Vikings."
:eyes:

[MissMillie]

10. Thumb track-ball mouse...

For some reason, people just can't figure out that instead of moving your whole arm, you only have to move your thumb.

[Forkboy]

16. you got me there

those are freaky to use :)

[sangh0]

13. My toilet and my front door

make even my intelligent friends tremble

[Throckmorton]

14. The light switch on the wall in my bathroom only turns the vent fan on.

To turn on the lights, you have to go down cellar and plug in the lamp in a number one socket, making sure that the total number of the values of plugged in stuff doesn't exceed 11.

No, silly, that was Green Acres.

But the light in my bathroom is turned on y the shitch next to the vanity, not the door.

[HEyHEY]

15. The elevator

We have an elevator for folks in wheelchairs on the side of the house. A leftover from when the grandfolks were still around...people get drunk, and can['t stop fuckng around in it