Things that make you scratch your head.

[Buster's Uncle]

How many square feet of interlocking aluminum segments inches away from the nail would we be talking about, he asked hypothetically.  It's a wonder, if radio induction was happening, that it didn't manage to vibrate the glass and make sound.

[Unorthodox]

Wood door. 

Our Windows were deceptively secure.  They wouldn't vibrate. 

[Buster's Uncle]

Vibration in the picture glass if it was glass - the wire might shake it enough.  But not likely w/o enough metal nearby to antenna and focus the radio waves.  I had thought a metal garage door covered within, instead of replaced with, wall might really be the smoking gun...

[Rusty Edge]

I have no rational explanation as to how or why a wire can release from a hook on it's own...
Straighten or pull out a hook if it's too heavy, yes. But not come off.

As for the four feet from the wall part- Seems pretty unlikely.

Usually pictures drop and flop when they fall. They could tumble sometimes and have a forward roll factor. Sometimes thin rectangular objects like  roof slates and plywood can flutter, or even have a sort of hang glide effect, rather than drop straight down. That kind of thing happens mostly outdoors with air currents.

Of course, big buildings can have air currents of their own. I've seen updrafts in barns overcome gravity. Things like loose hay and bedding flying over my head when it was pushed down a hole in the floor.

I'm sure you thought of those possibilities, like a change in air pressure with the opening or closing of a door.

Would have been cool if you had filmed and experimented.

[Unorthodox]

Vibration in the picture glass if it was glass - the wire might shake it enough.  But not likely w/o enough metal nearby to antenna and focus the radio waves.  I had thought a metal garage door covered within, instead of replaced with, wall might really be the smoking gun...

OLD (1930s) wooden garage door covered within.  I theorize it was the 4ft thick concrete slab of a floor that was causing the vibration.  Industrial complex had enough sources that had potential to cause vibration including trains, trucks, and heavy machinery in the cabinet factory across the parking lot.  However, it was a flimsy loose wire, not a taught one, so vibrating it up and out of the hook is still a stretch.  And a similar picture on the same wall 2 ft to it's side never had trouble, nor did my bug collection hanging on the same wall. 

Pretty sure it was these picture frames, but they had 2 of the little circle hanger deals shown in these pics on the sides, and a crappy wire (like someone had stripped an old aluminum electrical wire) between them:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/235931659/set-of-3-vintage-picture-frames-by?ref=unav_listing-same

As for the four feet from the wall part- Seems pretty unlikely.

Usually pictures drop and flop when they fall.

I was able to pretty closely model this by having the picture slide down, flat against the wall.  There was a small rubber raceway for our com cables at the base of the wall that would give it a bit of a bounce out.  I was able to get 3ft on occasion, but it had to tip JUST right to make a bit of an air cushion to slide, and never quite got far enough, it was close enough for me to call it. 

Problem of keeping the pic against the wall after getting off the hook notwithstanding. 

[Dio]

And more would have fled from a megaphone in a box that spoke by itself. You deserve a salute for remaining rational enough to solve the mystery.

A smiley.

[Valka]

Red Skelton had a show on back in the 50's and 60s, and would often feature his Hobo Clown character, even.

Freddie the Freeloader.

I used to watch that show when I was a kid. It's not the sort of thing that would appeal now.

[Rusty Edge]

My MiL, who is in assisted living due to mixed dementia comes over to visit a few times/week. Usually after doctor's or hair appointments.

She often brings her laptop and mouse, and asks for help getting into her e-mail. Sometimes I can help. Sometimes I'm totally lost. She gets screens I've never seen before all of the time. Like when the cat massages it's feet on the keyboard with wacky results that may require a system restore to undo. We have a term for that- "Pusskeyfooting" It has something to do with the global catspiracy.

Sometimes it's merely that the zoom is maxed or minimized to the extreme, and I can't recognize what I'm looking at.  Other times it's code or something equally confusing. Sometimes I give up and say I have no idea how change these settings, or what the computer is attempting. The real trouble is that when I do manage to fix it, it happens again immediately after I give it back to her. "Where'd my e-mail go?!! "

WEIRD!

I finally figured it out! She has made an innovative discovery. The keyboard/keypad/palm rests of her laptop actually double as a makeshift  mousepad! Moving the mouse about the surface replicates pusskeyfooting. So every time she selects a new e-mail to read, amazing things happen on her computer.

What do you think of that, E_T ?

[E_T]

My ex and I used to have one cat that would lie down on the keyboard and we would find that he has somehow brought up the internet and was surfing...  (we would joke about him looking for kitty porn... ), we implemented a simple 3 keystroke password for the screensaver (kat, as cat keys were fairly close and his most immense tonnage could very possibly lie on the right combo)... he was now required to have human supervision while web surfing...

[Rusty Edge]

The Mrs. says to tell you about her shopping cat, Cheyenne. She ounce  found a neon Christmas tree on the internet to replace the one that broke. She managed to open a window, which was set to Google as home page, and I think she typed "nion" and hit enter on the prompt... I think. Anyway, when my wife saw it she said "Good job Cheyenne!" and purchased.

[E_T]

Aas for the laptop, has it ever been repaired or dropped??  Sounds like there is a short or something that is caused by pressure in that area. Maybe fluid spilled on it? That or an open that is intermittent and causing the system to think that it is getting different key stroke inputs.

Might even be a dead bug...  seriously, the term "bug" when relating to computer programs (and computers in general) was originated with the old Univac machines.  Bugs, particularly roaches, would be drawn to the warmth from the old vacuum tubes and then get fried on the power circuits and then short out to the signal circuits and cause all kinds of havok...  A bug check required crawling around in them and cleaning them out...

But something is causing the system to think that it is getting inputs, extremely rapidly due to the way things are happening, it seems, but it thinks that they are legitimate keystrokes/mouse clicks.  Might even be something like a bad ground and thus getting static effects...

Could be a lot of things.  First need to duplicate with several methods to best pin down exactly what is happening and where. press down in various places.  Where is the device when it happens, what flexure is the case going through?

All things to do to help isolate the exact nature of what happens.

[Rusty Edge]

No. She literally slides the mouse across they keyboard instead of on a lap desk or table the way she used to do. Rapid random keystrokes and mouseclicks simultaneously.

PRESTO! The pusskeyfooting effect.

I thought it might give you insight into some of your clients with Alzheimer's /vascular dementia.

Well, a couple months ago the issues were caused by her squeezing the mouse keys to grip it as she moved it.

[E_T]

get a wireless trackball mouse (I use almost the same but wired) and see how she does with it.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/logitech-m570-wireless-trackball-mouse-gray-blue/1260761.p?id=1218243758233&skuId=1260761

I used to take mine with me when I was on bus and had my laptop, could put anywhere and not have to worry about moving the damn thing (i can not stand a regular mouse and not too thrilled with touch pads when needing to copy/paste).  You can also place it on surfaces that you could not even think about using a std mouse on, like next to you in the bed, under the covers, on an armrest or even on part of the surface of laptop, where you don't have any keys...

As matter of fact, I am currently in my bed, with pillows, etc set to provide a fair sitting backrest and side arm lean while typing one handed w/std keyboard and the mouse next to it (flatscreen monitor on nightstand, as well as the tower and router and still have room for cups and things... ).  If the AC is blowing too cold, I can get under the blanket and pull the mouse under with me, just poking my arm out to type something or to put the keyboard where I can type much faster, the right way...

thing is, I love it and find it to be superior to the standard mouse by far and am stymied as to why hosp and other places that now have computers in rooms for documenting things by the staff, still have those tiny mouse pads and the standard mouse when even the simpler wired thumb track ball is not that much more, requires only a simple mount point and is just about as cheap (esp in bulk) as the std ones...  :boogle: 0_o

[Rusty Edge]

Worth a try!
I have always been a track ball guy. If she can't adapt to it, I can always use a spare.

[Unorthodox]

Couldn't find the religiousity thread, and this was back 10 pages, that was enough searching.  BU can splicey dicey or leave this bump. 

Easter question to Catholic informed people.

So, Kyle is in a music in religion course at the university and has to attend a few religious events of various denominations.  He chose Easter Mass as his Christian event.  To make it easier on him I've volunteered to tag along. 

At present, my only dress shirt is black.  Considering it was bought for my grandma's funeral, that's not a surprise. 

Would this be offensive to wear?  My last Catholic experience was in a heavily hispanic community during Christmas Eve 10+ years ago, and it wouldn't have drawn a second glance, but I get the feeling that Easter morning might be a little more formal and the place he chose...won't be doing services in spanish.  I generally try to respect any religion who's event I attend.