I don't post as much as I used to, but often bypass a thread if it doesn't interest me, or if I'm pretty sure the OP is not going to like what I think of their project. I do, however, sometimes feel obligated to post if I see a poster getting a lot of responses that are giving them "bad advice", taking into account that the quality of a design is subjective up to a point. When neither the poster nor the responder have a clue, it makes me cringe. Think of all of the lurkers who may be reading threads where posters are congratulating each other on really ugly landscaping. I feel that if someone doesn't step up and try to steer the OP in the right direction, the quality of the forum will be affected. If this was a technical forum, like computers or cars or something, no one would be offended if one of the pros or more experienced members corrected someone and kept them from losing their hard drive or blowing up their engine. No one would be offended if asked to supply the make/model and year of their car, or which OS their computer uses. The problem is that bringing someone up to speed on landscape design is not nearly as easy as explaining how to change your oil or water pump or clean up a hard drive. This is why it is so important for the poster to do some homework and at least learn which questions they need to ask. And why I often direct them to the newbie forum or suggest they get some books from the library and start over.

Neal I take it you are a little intimidated with the inner workings of your computer? Nothing wrong with that. I was terrified the first few times I took the side cover off. However you must decide if you are going to get past that and fix it. You have asked for help and it has been given but you do not appear to have tried many of the suggestions so far, or have not told us what happened when you did try things. So far we know you cannot use Internet Explorer so you cannot download and install necessary updates from Microsoft. Nor can you go to online scans because most if not all of those are set up for IE. We know your AVG is at least 6 months out of date and the wrong version making it vitually useless. We know you do not have a firewall so anybody and everybody with the savvy can (and probably have) attack your computer and the dozens of phone home spies installed on your machine are taking possession. We know you cannot get to anti virus sites, for me that says virus's and trojans are in control of your computer. At this state it is pointless to worry about if your teenager's actions have caused the problems. Those actions may not have helped but the responsibility here is yours because you failed to take precautions needed for safe computing. From the computer you are using to post here download the free AVG 7.5 from here then from here download the free AVG anti spyware and from here download the free AdAwareSE and from here download the free Zonealarm firewall and finally from here download Crap Cleaner. Save all these to a thumb drive or burn to CD. Now on your computer and remove the cable to the internet for now. Then click Start, click Control panel, click Add/Remove programs. Remove AVG, AdAware and anything else that pertains to safety but is out of date. Install and run Crap Cleaner at the default settings, this will remove all the excess files and fragments of programs left by untidy uninstallers from all over your computer. Install AVG anti virus, AVG anti spyware, AdAware and Zonealarm. Allow each to do a full scan while still disconnected from the internet and allow Zonalarm to start. Then re-connect your internet connection and open each of these programs and get the latest updates. Then run the full scan with each again. Then visit Microsoft for all the Windows updates you are missing, I asume you have WindowsXP? Now Neal, if you are fearful of any of this say so and hopefully another poster will come along and tell you that what I have suggested will work - or disagree and tell you different things to try. There is nothing in this message to harm your computer.

@Lalitha - sorry for the delay in replying, I had given up on monitoring this thread for lack of new info.... No luck so far. The SF plumbing inspector categorically rejected the Johnson Tee, though part of the reason was because I am in the city and the vent would be on a wall in a lightwell next to another building...you might be successful in a freestanding house situation. I would suggest going directly to your local inspector and discussing the situation. After rejecting the johnson tee idea, the chief plumbing inspector then worked with me and came up with an idea that MAY work to avoid a countertop fixture in our case...if it eventually does work out and pass inspection, I will post more details. Right now, (a) I am still not fully understanding what he has proposed (hope to get more clarification today, actually), and (b) I don't want to jinx things before it is all settled!

Oh my God...with the exception of a few sane people out there, I am absolutely shocked at this Woman's feelings toward this little girl, as well as the selfish people who agree with her. I got on here looking for advice for my 6 year old SS who has some issues with back-talking and innappropriate behavior (a legitimate concern considering that the behavior has been brought up in parent/teacher conferences). I have to say I got all the help I need. My eight year old son and 6 year old SS hit each other sometimes, my wife and I do not condone it and punish accordingly, but we in no way think either one of them is bad, they are KIDS! They do stuff like that. I think the issue is deeply emotional and complex. First off, like all of us, we are predisposed to look after our own offspring, which tends to create conflict in our step-families, but, that is what seperates humans from the animal kingdom, we have the ability to observe the situation, understand why we feel like we do and handle the situation based off of morals and values and what is best for the children that we have agreed to HELP raise. In my opinion that is what the issue is here, mom doesn't want this little girl taking resources from her, her child and their new baby. Secondly, maybe the girl does need to be set straight, get her butt whipped, shown she is loved and the situation explained. Maybe, Dad needs to live closer, and maybe, just maybe this child should be treated as part of your new family instead of the little monster who is trying to mess the whole thing up. I got news for ya honey, your little boy is no angel, and neither is SD, she may have some behavioral issues that need corrected but your little boy is in no way better than she is...how would you feel if Dad acted with that kind of resentment towards yours...you'd probably be divorced by now. After reading all this I know what I'm going to do...I'm going to be a little more understanding of everyone's feelings in my family. Although we do have to work out my SS issues with behavior...I think I'm going to go home and give him a big hug, just to let him know I love him. Geez...some people.