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If the United States of America becomes a despotism, what sort of despotism might it be, and by what steps might we arrive there? [more inside]
posted by orthogonality at 11:15 PM PST - 23 comments

Since there have been a couple of bumber sticker questions...
It's been awhile since I've seen one so I'm going from memory. I think the logo has a black capital 'A' on a horizontal blue bar as a background with black bars above and below the blue bar. Anybody seen this before?
posted by tayknight at 10:19 PM PST - 4 comments

Web design plagiarism - How do you deal with someone who has taken original content from a commercial web site you designed and built from scratch, and then put that material on their commercial web site and used it as their own? What if this person is in the same business as you and works in the same market and location as you? [more inside]
posted by evoo at 10:12 PM PST - 15 comments

Looking for an vacuum that does the trick but doesn't cost a fortune...any suggestions? I see that they sell vacuums at target, meijer, etc. Are these going to fall apart in 3 days and stop working?
posted by fabesfaves at 9:55 PM PST - 17 comments

PoetryFilter: I read Vachel Lindsay's "The Congo" for the first time a few days ago and I love its very, very strong rhythm. What are other poems that share such a strong rhythm and energy?
posted by devilsbrigade at 9:30 PM PST - 9 comments

There was a book I read in Jr. High about a shy, awkward teenage boy named Fex. Not Tex, "Fex." I am fuzzy on the details but I seem to recall he wore unfashionable cowboy shirts and/or cowboy boots -- I could be wrong on that -- and that he gets embarrassed at a party; that I'm sure of. Anyone else remember this?
posted by britain at 8:22 PM PST - 2 comments

Relationship-oriented books for a separated (married) couple in which one member is a loner and the other is not? [more inside]
posted by scody at 7:47 PM PST - 4 comments

Help me put a name to some Ethiopian music I heard last night. [more inside]
posted by nomis at 7:21 PM PST - 3 comments

I was given a link to a online survey, and gave a business a "somewhat dissatisfied" review. The owner of the company proceeded to call me and swear at me about the review. [more inside]
posted by o0o0o at 6:54 PM PST - 24 comments

Hi, My kids have a number of old cheap games from discount houses and Walmart. A bunch of them are circa 1998 or so. The problem is that they scratch the heck out the cds. [more inside]
posted by mecran01 at 6:29 PM PST - 5 comments

What is the best way to keep in touch a large group of computer using people like a former school classmates?
posted by srboisvert at 6:22 PM PST - 13 comments

I am working on an academic project in which a significant question has come up -- why do people distribute software as freeware (not open source) or shareware in situations where it is just as easy to distribute it commercially, using systems like Palmgear or Handango? Is it because developers don't think these projects are as valuable, or are there other reasons? Does anyone have either written evidence or personal experiences to share?
posted by blahblahblah at 5:42 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm having problems mounting my iRiver on the (G4 iBook, OS 10.3.9) desktop. [more inside]
posted by Len at 5:02 PM PST - 4 comments

Does anyone know of a program (preferably free and/or open source) for automating DOS applications? I have a DOS app that I can run under Windows and I just need to send it a sequence of keypresses.
posted by turbodog at 4:40 PM PST - 11 comments

I'm looking for a simple LCD video monitor in the 10 to 15" range that takes S-Video or RCA input. It needs to have at least 640x480 resolution. I don't need an actual LCD TV with a tuner and sound. Just a video monitor. Any recommendations?
posted by wezelboy at 3:26 PM PST - 2 comments

CookingFilter: I want to make tiramisu for the first time ever. I've got a recipe, but it calls for mascarpone... [more inside]
posted by angeline at 2:54 PM PST - 13 comments

Mac Os X, Tiger. Somehow, my disk image files ask for a program to open them. The mime type or something like that is all messed up. What program do i associate them with to get them to open up correctly? I tried disk utility, and it doesn't work quite the way it should. Thanks!
posted by Freen at 2:45 PM PST - 1 comment

I have a huge number of auction catalogs in my garage. Where can I donate/sell them? [more inside]
posted by LimePi at 2:39 PM PST - 4 comments

Yes, I'm going to Haiti for the first time. Anyone ever go? Tips? [more inside]
posted by hellbient at 2:17 PM PST - 22 comments

My boyfriend and I are leaving from Ottawa to Honolulu in 10 days for 10 days. Should we book the hotels, car rentals and inter-island flights in advance or can we get away with doing it when we get there? [more inside]
posted by KathyK at 1:13 PM PST - 11 comments

In the lazy slob vein, I would like to buy an automatic pool vacuum to replace the hours of manual labor needed to keep the pool nice and tidy. I'm looking at this suction model and this robotic "learning" model. Does anyone have any recommendations or experience in this area? That little robotic model sure looks cool but it costs a fortune.
posted by toomuch at 12:44 PM PST - 7 comments

A friend of mine in Finland just saw this MTV show about Sweet Sixteen parties (I haven't seen the show) and is now curious about how this aspect of American culture. Does anyone know when, why, or how this tradition started? For me, sweet sixteen was not an important event at all. What were your experiences with sweet sixteen parties/events/issues? [more inside]
posted by Crushinator at 12:42 PM PST - 17 comments

Help, I just ate 5,000 calories! Normally I keep to a strict diet, but every once and a while I go a little crazy. I've always heard that the occasional binge won't cause any weight gain. Can anyone explain the science behind this idea? I've always believed "calories in, calories out".
posted by Evangeline at 12:37 PM PST - 17 comments

Holiday lodging in Slovenia (and to a lesser degree, Venice). [more inside]
posted by Marquis at 10:42 AM PST - 8 comments

I have to run tests that involve measuring the transmission time and average transmission speed for downloading a certain file or files over HTTP at a range of connection speeds. Is there software that will make this easy? [more inside]
posted by McGuillicuddy at 10:40 AM PST - 5 comments

A co-worker is moving from the US to Britain and we'd like to give her some gag gifts to prepare her for the move. We'll serve curry at her goodbye lunch. [more inside]
posted by Atom12 at 8:39 AM PST - 43 comments

A friend who lives in the country is trying to keep flies out of her cafe. She heard a rumor about an Amish technique where you can keep a clear bag of water over the entrance, and somehow the light refraction keeps them away. Sounds like an urban myth, but short of swatting or unsightly strips, does anyone have any ideas about how to conquer flies?
posted by jgballard at 8:26 AM PST - 16 comments

I have elusive food allergies, and I'm looking for strategies. (Yes, I've seen an allergist, who was less help than I'd like.) [more inside]
posted by Caviar at 8:18 AM PST - 18 comments

A colleague of mine has the surname Twarog, which is apparently of Polish origin and apparently means something amusing. Can anyone more linguistically able than me tell me what it means? You'll be playing a vital part in my co-worker mockery programme...
posted by prentiz at 7:50 AM PST - 7 comments

A professional website that doesn’t me look like a pompous jerk? [more inside]
posted by LarryC at 7:49 AM PST - 14 comments

Any suggestions for animation dvds with good extras? Specifically, I'm interested in finding animated movies on dvd that include pencil tests and/or footage of the voice actors. The more extensive the better. [more inside]
posted by NewGear at 7:33 AM PST - 11 comments

Can anyone recommend a good black paper for calligraphy? I used to use Coloraid (silk-screened colors), but they've gone out of business and afaik, Pantone/Letraset stopped making such paper long ago. If there's no alternative, I'll consider having paper custom silkscreened. What sort of silkscreening is good to write on? The general characteristics for a calligraphy paper are smooth but not glossy, and I'd prefer something more flexible than snapshot paper. (I mostly use my calligraphy for buttons/badges, and I'd rather have something that folds around the edge of the button.) Part of the challenge is ink/paper compatibility--these days I'm using Luma Bleedproof White and McCaffery's Ivory. If you've got a favorite opague, tractable white ink, please let me know.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 7:28 AM PST - 3 comments

BEER! Looking for tips, resources (.ect) useful to a beginner in the art of homebrewing. [more inside]
posted by spock at 7:17 AM PST - 39 comments

What's the best way to get money out of your bank while traveling overseas? I'll be traveling around the world from Australia next month. I don't like traveler's checks much. How about ATM withdrawals? Any good tricks to get cheap transaction fees and good exchange rates? [more inside]
posted by Dag Maggot at 11:23 PM PST - 26 comments

My mother is upgrading from an ancient (pre-USB, pre-FireWire, OS 9) G3 to a much more recent G4, but I'm not sure how to transfer her files. The G3 doesn't have a CD burner, and the G4 doesn't have a zip drive. Is there a quick and easy way to connect the two computers via Ethernet or file sharing so that I can copy her files to the new computer?
posted by jed at 8:51 PM PST - 15 comments

BAR-Filter: So I just graduated from Fancy East Coast Law School and have started taking Barbri in preparation for the NY Bar at the end of July. The course started on the 26th, but so far I (like everyone else I know) haven't really studied yet. Should I be worried? Any helpful study tips? Bonus question: a friend of mine is applying to law school and wanted advice on an LSAT course. I think she probably doesn't need it (high SAT scores, etc.) but her mom's willing to pay. Course recommendations?
posted by kensanway at 7:35 PM PST - 17 comments

I like to make stews with rice, lentils, potatoes, and lots of nutritious vegetables (e.g. cabbage, parsley, kale, broccoli, tomatoes, various greens, and so on); it occured to me recently that I might be inadvertently diminishing the benefits of these foods by cooking them for 3-5 hours. Could this be so?
posted by clockzero at 7:14 PM PST - 17 comments

We are looking for foods and ingredients that are unaffected (or positively affected) by being frozen. [more inside]
posted by librarina at 6:38 PM PST - 24 comments

Any tips for busking in Italy and Ocean City, NJ? [more inside]
posted by The White Hat at 6:28 PM PST - 1 comment

I am working with a 17 year-old boy who has Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. He loves doing animation on the computer, and he has been using Windows Movie Maker. In recent months, he has been in a chronic flare and is unable to use his hands. He is also very depressed, and I believe that being able to do something he loves may help his current mental state. Does anyone know of any animation software that has adaptations for use with voice commands? (I know about Dragon Dictate for Word Processing, but can it be used with other types of software?) Bonus points if you can tell me about any benevolent companies or agencies that offer this kind of software/hardware at a discounted or pro bono rates. This boy is not from a wealthy family and he has only the most basic health coverage.
posted by abbyladybug at 6:10 PM PST - 12 comments

Has anyone posted an account of boating the full length of a U.S. river? Or barring that, in any other developed nation? [more inside]
posted by shannymara at 5:54 PM PST - 22 comments

If you don't trust your housemates, where do you keep your washcloth? [more inside]
posted by bingo at 5:25 PM PST - 30 comments

Horror of horrors, I dropped my iPod Mini face down onto a hardwood floor, and the screen is now dead. Everything else seems to be fine (audio feedback when using the scroll wheel is present, the unit plays, mounts, etc.), and the screen itself isn't cracked. Apple has told me that they would be happy to sell me another, but beyond that they don't have much else to say. What are my options? Has anyone used and been happy with a third party repair service?
posted by boombot at 4:51 PM PST - 5 comments

A friend applied for a "work from home" internet-based job, and the reply he recieved sounds sketchy ... Is this a scam? Are they money laundering? Is he going to get screwed somehow by participating in this? [more inside]
posted by raedyn at 3:52 PM PST - 26 comments

Is there some way to link an Excel spreadsheet and Word document such that a portion of the Word document will update automatically from changes in the Excel file? [more inside]
posted by nelleish at 2:41 PM PST - 6 comments

Every so often, when reading online discussions between Catholics and/or Anglicans, I see people mentioning something called "tat". What the heck is tat? [more inside]
posted by LeeJay at 1:35 PM PST - 16 comments

I live in Los Angeles and wanted to find locations of any clothing outlet stores. I did some basic searches on google with not much luck. Any help on this would be great. [more inside]
posted by matthelm at 1:09 PM PST - 8 comments

What do you listen to when you work out? I have been jogging a lot, and I am pretty tired of my music. [more inside]
posted by Quartermass at 12:32 PM PST - 27 comments

My parents saw a bumper sticker that says Porta O Theos on it, and don't know what it means. [more inside]
posted by apathy0o0 at 11:21 AM PST - 9 comments

Please help me decide whether I should quit or try and get fired from my job!!! Need advice ASAP. More inside. [more inside]
posted by cascando at 10:58 AM PST - 36 comments

Okay, videophiles...two questions. 1) Where can I host 50-75Mb of QuickTime files online (preferably for free), and b) What are the most efficient web compression settings? [more inside]
posted by ArsncHeart at 10:40 AM PST - 5 comments

With no warning, my relationship is over. (1) Help me pick the soundtrack to my breakup. Songs that got you past the numb, the pain, and the empty without just blaming or dissing the significant other too much. (2) Help me brainstorm my next step. Should I get an ESL teaching certificate (and join expat pals in France?) Should I move back to Missouri to help my pregnant sister run her bed & breakfast? Or should I stay in LA?
posted by schyler523 at 9:43 AM PST - 64 comments

If I am currently uninsured and have all the symptoms of strep throat, what is my best option for free or cheap treatment? If it isn't strep it is an infection of some kind. It seems like overkill to walk into an emergency room for this but I need antibiotics. What should I do/where should I go?
posted by Grod at 8:50 AM PST - 28 comments

I'm going to Atlantic City in October, and the prices to stay on the boardwalk are prohibitive, so I want to stay just outside the city. Anyone know the area well enough to make suggestions? For example, right now I'm looking at hotels in West Atlantic City -- is that a nice area, or would slightly-fearful me not be comfortable there?
posted by JanetLand at 7:02 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm having trouble tracking down a site about lame comic books I'm sure was posted on MeFi a while ago. [more inside]
posted by backOfYourMind at 6:38 AM PST - 5 comments

MTVFilter: Help out a she-geezer? A couple years ago my husband saw a music video where a man threw himself at models... literally [more inside]
posted by maryh at 12:52 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm purchasing spinning rims off ebay and I'm looking for people who have used ebay frequently to inform me... [more inside]
posted by AMWKE at 11:46 PM PST - 27 comments

Where are the best ways/places to learn to swing dance in Los Angeles? How about Tango? Salsa? How does one get through the initial stage of being awkward and confused towards actually having fun with a given dance? [more inside]
posted by sirion at 10:57 PM PST - 3 comments

These Direct Buy guys, I see their ads now and again, and am wondering if it's worth it to look into it? [more inside]
posted by eurasian at 9:54 PM PST - 5 comments

I'd like to assemble a small time capsule, and I'd like to drop it into the Atlantic Ocean. How can I do this? [more inside]
posted by cribcage at 7:56 PM PST - 23 comments

Any experience with home soy milk makers? Packaged soy milk is so expensive, yet soybeans are pretty cheap, so I'm considering getting a home soy milk making machine. I did try making soy milk myself, manually, many years ago and was underwhelmed by the result, which tasted more like bean soup than milk, and it took a lot of time and effort and, apparently, skill. But these machines make it seem so easy even a child could do it and so cheap that I couldn't afford not to get one.
posted by TimeFactor at 6:52 PM PST - 7 comments

My daughter (11) has been visiting paper doll websites. They seem harmless, I guess, but they are also squicking me out a little bit. [more inside]
posted by SashaPT at 6:20 PM PST - 12 comments

Do long distance relationships ever work out? [more inside]
posted by dagnyduquette at 4:31 PM PST - 25 comments

I have a 2001 Honda Accord and I am in the process of purchasing new tires. The inside tag inside my driver's door tells me that tires shoud be inflated to 32 PSI or so. Does this rating only apply the OEM tire or any brand of tire? Also, I've noticed that my dealership has been overinflating my tires to 37 PSI. Is there a reason for that? [more inside]
posted by huy_le at 3:45 PM PST - 15 comments

Is there some way to get rope or cording which won't fall apart after a summer in the hot southern Arizona sun? Last year I installed some roll down window shades made of bamboo to take the brunt of the sun that was otherwise streaming in the windows. These aren't the most well constructed shades ever invented, but they did admirably at providing a cheap solution to shading my windows from the intensely hot summer. [more inside]
posted by mulkey at 3:24 PM PST - 14 comments

I'd like to permanently eradicate Windows Media Player from my system. Is this even possible? [more inside]
posted by baphomet at 3:21 PM PST - 4 comments

Who makes the best mint julep in Toronto? Hell, I'll settle for where can you get mint julep in Toronto?
posted by helvetica at 2:24 PM PST - 5 comments

There's a funny smell in our hallway. It smells like fish. Mainly fish, almost coppery, but definitely fish-like. Our hallway is not much wider than the door, and 4 or 5 feet long. There is an entrance to the attic, a radiator, a rug, and our phone in there. It's not the rug. It's not the radiator. It's not the attic. It's not the phone. [more inside]
posted by ralphyk at 2:16 PM PST - 15 comments

I have a POS, 1990 Mitsubishi Galant. The air conditioner doesn't work. [more inside]
posted by LilBucner at 1:57 PM PST - 9 comments

I'm looking to upgrade my tent to something a little more spacious. I'm on a budget of not more than $150 and want something durable, easy to set up, and big enough to stand up in (I'm 6'3"). We're thinking a 6 person tent would be a comfortable size...for the two of us. Our current tent is a 4-man size. [more inside]
posted by clgregor at 1:41 PM PST - 11 comments

LAN-based multiplayer games for Mac OS X? [more inside]
posted by Mwongozi at 1:27 PM PST - 4 comments

CPI over at theta states has some great downtempo and hiphop sets. Does anyone know where I can find some similar, more uptempo mixes? I'm putting some CDs together for a highschool dance and am looking for the easy way out.
posted by rtimmel at 1:27 PM PST - 3 comments

I am looking to take guitar lessons this summer, and am wondering if anyone here knows any good places to for them in Houston?
posted by Sangermaine at 1:07 PM PST - 1 comment

I usually find great prices for flights. But I'm coming up empty on this route: Amsterdam to Zurich. [more inside]
posted by fionab at 1:05 PM PST - 9 comments

Where can I find (and buy) parts for a 1935 Reo Speedwagon Fire Truck? [more inside]
posted by C17H19NO3 at 12:16 PM PST - 3 comments

Imagine a game show involving two beautiful female hosts. One is the "nice girl" and the other the "bad girl". This is a goofy show like Distraction or Bonzai. Random contests, which are meant to be titillating to the viewer. Can you think up some contest ideas for such a show? [more inside]
posted by delmoi at 11:30 AM PST - 13 comments

Suggestions for a gift for a graduating med student friend who will be a pediatrician? [more inside]
posted by grouse at 9:03 AM PST - 10 comments

Is there someone who was a direct influence on Buddy Holly's vocal style, a combination of people/styles, or was all of it just something truly original? [more inside]
posted by sleepy pete at 8:56 AM PST - 16 comments

I just purchased my 4th iPod remote in two years. I find the remote the easiest way to control the iPod, especially when I listen to it in bed. But they keep breaking and they're expensive (around $50). [more inside]
posted by grumblebee at 8:47 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm allergic to cats. Will I be unhappy if I move into a place in which a cat used to live? It is mostly hardwood floors, but two rooms have carpets. No furniture or draperies will remain.
posted by callmejay at 7:32 AM PST - 8 comments

She's from Ukraine. I'm from the States. We'll be living in London, UK for the foreseeable future. Are there any satellite television options that will allow us to view programs broadcast from our respective home countries? [more inside]
posted by Optamystic at 6:28 AM PST - 7 comments

I'd really like to see what tricks of the trade you guys have to make sure your car is getting the most mileage it possibly can. [more inside]
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 12:55 AM PST - 38 comments

I've been asked to don the chef's cap at a barbeque this afternoon. This is something I've never done before. Does anyone know any good resources or tips for barbequing meat so that (a) it tastes nice and (b) I don't kill everyone. [more inside]
posted by seanyboy at 12:51 AM PST - 25 comments

After years of Rockports, I would like to buy some shoes that will last. [more inside]
posted by kdern at 9:48 PM PST - 22 comments

The pool: One of these. The problem: Slow leak in the top ring. The question: How to find the leak? [more inside]
posted by I EAT TAPES at 8:59 PM PST - 7 comments

So Firefox is painfully slow and always has been (OS X). Lotta freezes/crashes. So much so that I can't believe anyone likes the browser. So, I figure there's something wrong with my install. I've reinstalled three times... same thing. How do I do a complete erase of FF but still keep my bookmarks so that I can try it once more before eliminating it permanently?
posted by dobbs at 8:59 PM PST - 25 comments

So I'm going to Europe, and I'll be in Budapest, Vienna and Munich for about 2-3 days each in mid-July. Good fun, but I have nowhere to stay, and I've never been to the latter two before. [more inside]
posted by loquax at 8:24 PM PST - 7 comments

Two inexperienced painters are working on the interiors of their new home. They paint the walls lovely shades, and when they remove the tape, voila! Half the damned paint comes off. [more inside]
posted by frykitty at 8:20 PM PST - 26 comments

Just ordered a new digital camera. All those months of research and comparing are finally over! But now I'm thinking about the perils of theft or damage. If some thug takes my new toy while I'm on vacation, will my homeowner's insurance cover me? [more inside]
posted by grabbingsand at 7:35 PM PST - 9 comments

Chalupa the chihuahua has an ear infection. Trip to the vet is happening tommorow, what can be done before then to help her feel better?
posted by furiousxgeorge at 6:01 PM PST - 9 comments

My wife and I have agreed to rent an apartment, in Philadelphia, beginning June 15th, and put down a security deposit and an application form last week. Then, we saw the contract and found it almost rude (it basicly says: the tenant has no rights and the landlord has absolutely no responsabilities), especially for a pretty high-priced rental. And we found out that there will be construction work in the immediate neighborhood of the building. And we found a better deal. And more... [more inside]
posted by Ervin at 5:48 PM PST - 15 comments

Glitch in Photoshop CS? When i import camera RAW using the native CS importer, I get a "program error" message on any photo that is vertical (portrait mode). [more inside]
posted by notsnot at 4:44 PM PST - 5 comments

I began taking Crestor via samples several months ago, but due to side effects have stopped. While using the samples, I also had a prescription for it filled. I am now stuck with a sealed, prescription bottle, along with several samples of Crestor. The pharmacy is unable to take the sealed bottle back. The prescription was rather expensive to simply wind up in the trash. What should I do with it and the samples?
posted by the biscuit man at 2:45 PM PST - 16 comments

Does anyone know if W.H.Audens "Orators an English Study" has been published as part of the larger collections of his work? The only editions I can find are out of my price range. [more inside]
posted by thatwhichfalls at 2:13 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm ready to make the plunge into electronics repair/circuit building but I'm wondering what I should look for in a multimeter and electronics tool kit? [more inside]
posted by drezdn at 11:40 AM PST - 18 comments

So, are PC DVD drives progressive scan? [more inside]
posted by Hackworth at 11:36 AM PST - 10 comments

JazzFilter : help me name that song, which I can only reproduce the first few notes. [more inside]
posted by XiBe at 10:52 AM PST - 7 comments

It is a widely quoted statistic that, with "perfect use", condoms have a 3% failure rate. My question - these 3% of uses that result in pregnancy, is it because the condom breaks, or because of some invisible factory defect? Put another way - if you follow all of the "best practices," and, when you're done, the condom hasn't broken, is it safe to assume that it worked?
posted by afroblanca at 9:04 AM PST - 13 comments

There are a few evergreen bushes in front of my parent's home and they are overgrown. How do I trim them back? [more inside]
posted by crazy finger at 8:36 AM PST - 6 comments

Moving from Philly to NYC tomorrow. I use PNC Bank. Philly has Wawas with no-ATM fees for withdraws. Any similar ATM machines in NYC with no ATM fees? [more inside]
posted by moooshy at 7:23 AM PST - 9 comments

I'm looking for waterproof shoe covers to use while biking in the rain. [more inside]
posted by cahlers at 6:52 AM PST - 10 comments

For as long as I can remember, I haven't been able to run for more than a minute or two without pain in my shins. I just got orthotics, and they are helping a little. Are there any running shoes that could help me with this? [more inside]
posted by josh at 6:28 AM PST - 7 comments

This post had me wondering: Is there a difference between progressive and liberal? Is it a difference in kind, in degree, or some of each? Is it a case of using one word because the opposition uses the other perjoratively? Started to ask this in that thread, then realized it would derail the discussion...
posted by alumshubby at 5:51 AM PST - 12 comments

I've almost always toured in an aluminum canoe. I don't like the noise (or the weight) but I like the tracking and stability afforded by the keel, especially in a big wind on a big lake. Why don't kevlar/royalex/etc. touring canoes have keels?
posted by bricoleur at 5:34 AM PST - 14 comments

I've made the switch to a Mac Mini, and unfortunately it seems to be detecting my monitor capabilities incorrectly; how can I override this autodetection, or otherwise get around the problem? [more inside]
posted by Chunder at 4:08 AM PST - 17 comments

How do I cut my curly (medium curls), shoulder length hair by myself? [more inside]
posted by mirileh at 1:06 AM PST - 15 comments

How do you make yourself stop loving someone? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:58 PM PST - 45 comments

Recently, my G5 running 10.4.1 has had a problem where, all of a sudden, my system fonts will change to something that looks Hebrew or Arabic, rendering text unreadable. The font looks a good deal like Geeza Pro. It happens mostly in Firefox and Thunderbird, but it can affect other programs like iTunes as well. It's scary as all get-out -- if it were to be permanent, almost everything on screen that's text would be indecipherable. Has anyone else experienced/heard of this? [more inside]
posted by mrkinla at 10:40 PM PST - 5 comments

I'd like to get one of those nice Nikon d50s when they come out. The problem is, I'm completely freaked out at the notion of carrying around a thousand dollars around my neck for fear of getting mugged, or stolen. I'll be moving to Miami in a month and living in an urban area too. And the camera isn't worth it if I leave it at home. Are these fears justified? Am I just freaking out? Any tips on how to make myself less of a target? I'd like to have the camera with me on a fairly occasional basis. [more inside]
posted by Stan Chin at 8:09 PM PST - 25 comments

We're having issues getting communication from and outstanding problems resolved with our townhouse homeowners association president. [more inside]
posted by jerseygirl at 5:42 PM PST - 5 comments

I recently moved to St. Louis into a non-ghetto but decidedly urban area. I've noticed that an enormous amount of the teenage/young adult boys in the area wear simple, plain white t-shirts. No logos whatsoever. They're long, down to the knees often, but that's the style for all shirts. Definitely quite larger than what would come in a package of hanes. I'd say something nearing a majority of the boys seen out and about here are dressed this way. I passed by a shop a few blocks from my house that had a large sign in the window which read, "White Tees xx-xxx-xxxx-xxxxx-xxxxxx". I'm extremely curious what the deal is! I thought maybe it was some sort of school dress-code, but some of the boys are too old to be in school. Also the girls don't do the white t-shirts at all. So anyways, anybody know if it means something? Or is it some new fashion? A function of poverty? Maybe rebellion against branding? That'd be cool!
posted by FortyT-wo at 5:28 PM PST - 16 comments

My mother has been told by a PC repair firm that the capacitors on her motherboard have burnt out (computer is as dead as a doornail). They have presented her with a 9-item quote for a new PC: we are wondering whether all the items need to be replaced, as she was happy with her computer before it gave up the ghost for factors such as speed, storage capacity, etc. [more inside]
posted by Pigpen at 4:54 PM PST - 25 comments

I received a huge questionnaire in the mail from the US Census Bureau. It says there is a legal penalty if I do not fill it out. I do not like ANYONE...even our trusted government asking all this personal info. What will happen if I do not fill it out, will the Feds show up? [more inside]
posted by SparkyPine at 3:00 PM PST - 43 comments

My aquarium filter, an aqua clear 500, makes a lot of humming noise. Do you know of a very quiet filter (maybe one of those external ones?), or do you have suggestions for making it less noisy?
posted by about_time at 1:41 PM PST - 8 comments

I need to lose weight. I have a very hard time keeping from snacking and overeating, and generally keeping track of my meals. [more inside]
posted by stoneegg21 at 1:38 PM PST - 31 comments

When was the first salvo in the "culture war" fired? By which I mean, I don't remember hearing the term all that often growing up, despite a lot of the same issues being debated and discussed. Now, though, it's all over the place. When did the Left/Right, Red/Blue, Catsup/Ketchup divide start being refered to as a War. Bonus points to whoever can tell me who first started using it. [more inside]
posted by absalom at 12:40 PM PST - 19 comments

Anyone else on the verge of making the switch to Mac land (or upgrading)? Everywhere i've seen rumored they are saying 2nd Q for the G5 powerbooks... What do you guys think? I'd rather not repeat my mistake of getting the Canon Rebel right before the new one came out (d'oh!).. So I'm thinking about waiting for the G5 to appear and either get the low end one or a used (or new) G4 assuming the prices drop. Given that being a gadgetfreak if you're always waiting for the next big thing you'll never end up buying anything... but seems like it could be soon hmmm?
posted by joshgray at 12:18 PM PST - 23 comments

So the old "Helmet Law" debate flared up on a motorcycle mailing list I'm on. A new twist came about this time though; the claim is outstanding that it's actually illegal to wear a helmet while driving a passenger car or truck on public roads. Is this true? [more inside]
posted by de void at 11:55 AM PST - 19 comments

Years ago, I was sent two MP3s with songs by Jump and Joy. The titles are "Vamos Everybody" and "Lets Roll". Where can I get the CD by this group? I live in the USA and LOVE their music. Thanks for the help.
posted by seinfeld at 11:05 AM PST - 1 comment

Google won't help me find out the name of a singer songwriter that was featured on StarTV last night. He cooked breakfast for the interviewer.... [more inside]
posted by skinnydipp at 11:04 AM PST - 3 comments

I want more buttons, dammit. [more clicking inside] [more inside]
posted by mzurer at 10:29 AM PST - 7 comments

What if most people were born blind, and seeing was rare? [more inside]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 10:28 AM PST - 43 comments

I got a fancy-schmancy new iPod. I also have Windows XP and iTunes. Let's say I already had all my music ripped and cover art downloaded, but the music was in .flac files and on a linux box... [more inside]
posted by Capn at 10:13 AM PST - 4 comments

I'm looking for a travel website that will purchase airline tickets for a specific date automatically once the price goes below a specified amount. I'm pretty sure this service is available for purchasing stocks. But is it for airfare?
posted by sublivious at 9:42 AM PST - 7 comments

Army Knowledge Online is a webmail/pop email service that any current or former US Army member can use in order to have a .mil address. I've been using it for a while, but for going on three years now I can't get Mail.app (and the keychain) to accept its security certificate. The normal way of importing a self-signed certificate doesn't work under Jaguar, Panther, or Tiger- I can import the cert, but nothing happens. I've tried setting up a new "root" certificate. Nothing works. Apple discussion boards have been useless. Can someone look at this certificate (try going here and it will send you the cert) and maybe tell me what's going on? I think it's in some odd format that prevents it from being imported.
posted by yesno at 9:27 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm putting together an iPod soundtrack for a friend's restaurant. It's a semi-upscale, small-town American bistro sort of place that gets city people on weekends. Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations of albums (jazz, rock, latin, whatever) they've always thought would work well in a restaurant soundtrack?
posted by dearleader at 9:19 AM PST - 24 comments

CSI-filter. I'm considering buying a season of CSI (the original, Las Vegas show) as a birthday present for a fan. Is there any consensus out there on which is the best season? It looks like seasons 1 through 4 are available, but I can't afford more than one.
posted by jasper411 at 9:01 AM PST - 10 comments

Maybe I'm SOL, but I figure it doesn't hurt to try. Just got a nice new Dell laptop complete with wireless internet card and built-in wifi finder (it automatically detects local networks). The boyfriend and I go to the beach (OC, Md.) quite frequently and as a freelance writer, the whole point of the laptop was to work wirelessly down there. The problem, inside. [more inside]
posted by bozichsl at 8:35 AM PST - 14 comments

So I am trying to get rid of some kittens. My cat became pregnant soon after she came to my home. These are black long-hair kittens in Nashville TN. I have tried the kitty adoption centers and everyone I know but had no luck. Now these kittens are a week away from going to the Humane Society. Do any of you know any novel ways to dispurse the kitties so that I can avoid sending them to the kitty concentration camps? [more inside]
posted by aburd at 8:34 AM PST - 27 comments

This weekend my husband and I are planning on re-doing the guest bathroom. The house is run-of-the-mill American wood-construction, built in 1985. The shower fixtures seem to be "original equiptment," as it were, and look bad enough that I'd like to replace them. The shower is fiberglass and there is no "acecss panel" to get to the inner workings of the shower. How do we replace the knobs, spigot, drain, and shower head/neck with the least hoopla?
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:20 AM PST - 6 comments

Yuck: Our house has a flea infestation. Looking for the best treatment option. [more inside]
posted by kmel at 8:08 AM PST - 21 comments

We need a PowerPoint presentation to scroll text continuously, like movie credits, but looped over and over again for a kiosk. I can use the Credits animation scheme on the slides, but there's a long gap of time between slides where it shows nothing. How can I make it more seamless and have zero space between slides?
posted by patgas at 7:16 AM PST - 4 comments

Laminated versus acoustic glass. Which is best glass for noise reduction: Acoustic or laminated glass? [mi]
posted by plep at 6:36 AM PST - 4 comments

What book(s) on babies and the childbirth experience worked for you as a first time parent and why? [more inside]
posted by Mrs. Green at 6:10 AM PST - 26 comments

Editing the data in XML documents via a web browser. I'm currently contracting in the report-producing department of a big financial company. The biggest bugbear is manually amending copy in many of the six million pages we produce each year. I'm researching into a possible project using XML to make everybody's lives easier... [more inside]
posted by i_cola at 4:58 AM PST - 11 comments

Waste my time! [mi] [more inside]
posted by NekulturnY at 4:53 AM PST - 28 comments

I need help with a birthday present. [more inside]
posted by john-paul at 3:59 AM PST - 6 comments

I know the theory of solving Sudoku puzzles but I'd like to know how you would go about creating them. [more inside]
posted by ralawrence at 2:37 AM PST - 7 comments

this comment made me wonder: what is it like to witness an epileptic seizure? [more inside]
posted by mdn at 1:30 AM PST - 31 comments

My partner and I are going to Montreal for a week and we are on a very limited budget. We are looking at staying with people via hospitality exchange rather than in hotels or hostels. Specifically, I've been looking at www.hospitalityclub.com . I was wondering if anyone has done this sort of thing and what your experiences were. What questions do I ask when I'm talking with someone I might stay with? What should I look out for? On another note, ideas for cheap fun in Montreal would also be welcome. We are twenty-something lesbians from small town Alberta.
posted by arcticwoman at 10:48 PM PST - 9 comments

I opened my unlisted mailbox this morning to find an unaddressed business card with the seal of a federal agency, claiming that "The U.S. Government is conducting a background investigation on a person you may know." Is it for real and what should I make of it? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:28 PM PST - 48 comments

I'm about to throw away my hard earned cash into that nest of vipers, used car sales. Help me make the right choice. [more inside]
posted by forallmankind at 9:35 PM PST - 10 comments

So I saw an article in MAKE magazine about recording HDTV on your Mac with an "over the air" antenna....but I've never seen a detailed run through with Hardware and Software suggestions for a windows machine.....Where can I find out about this?
posted by stevyb at 7:34 PM PST - 2 comments

MovieFilter: Help ID this movie about a British boarding school. [more inside]
posted by jca at 4:53 PM PST - 12 comments

Can someone explain the Doomsday Argument in a way that a math-challenged person like me can understand? [more inside]
posted by swift at 4:40 PM PST - 37 comments

what 'rules' do you have for relationships as well as personal rules for when youre in a relationship? [more inside]
posted by GleepGlop at 4:40 PM PST - 52 comments

I'm looking for a blog/site where people post regularly and passionately about good songs. [more inside]
posted by fire&wings at 4:12 PM PST - 12 comments

What exactly is the job of a divorce mediator? Do I have unreasonable expectations? Or does our mediator just suck? [more inside]
posted by Gucky at 3:58 PM PST - 9 comments

CSI Filter: How do I find the person who hit my car given that it was a woman driving a blue SUV that hit my car in State College, PA at approximately 12:11 AM May 26th, 2005? [more inside]
posted by Fat Guy at 2:44 PM PST - 14 comments

How does one go about procuring one of those magic 5 digit SMS numbers? For instance: 46645 (googl) is the SMS interface to google.
posted by djacobs at 2:40 PM PST - 2 comments

I've had bad body acne for as long as I can remember. It is especially difficult during the summer because it makes me self-concious about exposing my upper chest and back. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:31 PM PST - 32 comments

We're off to Richmond VA. What neighborhood should we live in? How much should we pay? Any tips for looking for an apartment? [more inside]
posted by lalalana at 2:00 PM PST - 14 comments

I've had the amazing luck to get a free infocus pl770 projector. Can someone teach me how to treat this new toy right? [more inside]
posted by Dean Keaton at 1:43 PM PST - 9 comments

I know that if you want to sell a CD with cover songs on it, you have to get permission from the artist/copyright holder. But what about if you just want to record covers and make them available for free? For fun, I'd like to record myself playing some covers and put 'em up on Ourmedia, but I want to stay on the good side of the law. [more inside]
posted by danb at 1:29 PM PST - 9 comments

I really like Jawbox. What other bands have put out albums since 2000 that I'd like? [more inside]
posted by sohcahtoa at 1:22 PM PST - 23 comments

What can you tell me about putting up an electric fence (to deter our dog from climbing out of the dog run)? I'd like to install one this weekend. [more inside]
posted by vignettist at 1:05 PM PST - 12 comments

I have a blog at http://depravedlibrarian.blogspot.com (I've also registerd the domain and will eventually put up a forwarding page). I misstyped this in the location bar: http://depravedlibrarian.blogpsot.com and found that registrant for this site and all the other Amazingbiblestudies sites (I checked 3 other Blogger address) is the same registrant. While it's not exactly domain hijacking, what can I, or should I do about this? How else can I get the word out about this? Thanks for your suggestions.
posted by gleenyc at 12:42 PM PST - 24 comments

Short-sleeved work shirts and big tattoos. [more inside]
posted by adampsyche at 12:28 PM PST - 20 comments

In an interview in The Comics Journal, Dirk Deppy is talking about surrealism with Flaming Carrot author Bob Burden, when suddenly a remembered moment from a public television Japanese Noh Drama documentary leaps off the page... [more inside]
posted by felix at 12:24 PM PST - 1 comment

Is there a greasemonkey extension or something for Firefox that will unobtrusively change websites so they have a black background with white text? Basically, I want everything to look like Maddox's site, for the same reasons he designs his site that way: [more inside]
posted by monsterhero at 12:06 PM PST - 7 comments

I wear a lovely necklace. It's an 18in sterling silver chain with a little teardrop pendant on it. I love it, but one thing that annoys me is how often the clasp slips down to the front. Now that I have started paying attention to it, I notice it about every 15 minutes. What I'm also noticing is that it ALWAYS comes down on the same side of my neck. This begs the question: How? Do I turn my head to one side more than the other? Am I somehow assymetrical?
posted by SheIsMighty at 12:02 PM PST - 19 comments

I'm paring down categories on a website and I'm looking for a single phrase that can be used to replace "Contact Us" and "Locations." The info on each page is too similar, so I'd like to create a single page with contact info and location maps. It's for a medical practice with two offices. Limitation: around 12-15 letters maximum, to match the other categories and stay within the limitations of the menu. Thanks!
posted by letitrain at 11:28 AM PST - 19 comments

I have been trying to find the name of this movie or TV show for years, and have come up empty every time. I only remember vague details since I saw it when I was little: it was scary (to a little kid), and it featured bugs that would burn people. [more inside]
posted by geeky at 11:08 AM PST - 5 comments

I have sensitive skin and I need a good sunscreen. [more inside]
posted by crapulent at 11:02 AM PST - 14 comments

Where can I find (free) videos of guitar legends doing their thing? [more inside]
posted by Who_Am_I at 10:35 AM PST - 8 comments

I have an HP A330n which seems to get slower and slower. It takes 30-600 secs just to open My Computer. Any non-software purchase, reinstall Windows ideas? [more inside]
posted by thimk at 10:32 AM PST - 14 comments

I've been given 700 Word documents some of which I'll need to edit, based on content. The values to be queried are stored in named fields in the documents. [more inside]
posted by punilux at 9:55 AM PST - 3 comments

What is the best way to go about creating an employee handbook? Are there any good resources out there (guides, templates, software, etc.)?
posted by necessitas at 9:34 AM PST - 8 comments

I've always wanted to have a cat(s), but when I was a kid, we couldn't have pets in the house. Now I'm older and home-owning, I may be able to own my own cat (and to hell with anyone who says otherwise...). Problem is my very special lady friend is allergic to animals (sneezing, runny nose, etc) which would make having house pets a problem, and would make her life a sneezing misery. Is there any way round this? Can you get hypo-allergenic cats? How can I help?
posted by gaby at 9:02 AM PST - 31 comments

My 1.5ghz 17" powerbook screen has a couple of light spots and dark spots (no dead pixels) and I want to send it in. But I've heard some scary stories about apple. Any help/stories would be appreciated. [more inside]
posted by asavage at 8:32 AM PST - 12 comments

Yesterday my husband brought our new kitten, Hercules, to the vet. [more inside]
posted by scratch at 8:12 AM PST - 13 comments

Can anyone here recommend a good on-line support community for a friend whose s/o is undergoing treatment for an undiagnosed mental illness? [more inside]
posted by anastasiav at 8:09 AM PST - 3 comments

So I want to buy an mp3 player, and I'm having a hard time making a choice. As I see it, Creative Zen players are cheaper than ipods, but the software isn't that great and the players are bigger. Ipods look beautiful but are pricey. [more inside]
posted by altolinguistic at 7:49 AM PST - 45 comments

My 13 y.o. son had a metal plate screwed onto his radius on Tuesday afternoon to correct the way it was healing from a break about 3 weeks ago. He's in a LOT of pain still and I'm hoping that anyone who has had this kind of surgery can tell us something about recovery time, medication and how much pain they experienced. [more inside]
posted by mygothlaundry at 7:42 AM PST - 13 comments

My parents are visiting the French Riviera for about a month, and I have their (almost) complete itinerary. I'd love to send something to one of their hotels as a surprise gift, but not sure what. [more inside]
posted by nitsuj at 7:24 AM PST - 4 comments

What should I engrave on my iPod? [more inside]
posted by Gortuk at 6:48 AM PST - 56 comments

CareerFilter: I have been working at an education software company for over 6 years. In this time, my responsibilities have multiplied and my pay had increased in steady (but small) increments, which is fine. But I have some concerns and need some advice from anyone with experience or perspective on "moving up". (more inside) [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:51 AM PST - 6 comments

Based on excellent advice from this thread, I settled on a Creative Muvo 1 gig mp3 player. I've been happily adding tracks, but when I hit the 532 mb mark, it won't let me add anything else. Everything in there so far are mp3s with a handful of wmas, and I'm stumped as to why I can't have a gig of files on a gig drive. Ideas?
posted by moonbird at 3:58 AM PST - 10 comments

What songs, pieces of music or audio tracks contain the best drum solos ... ever
posted by ajbattrick at 1:51 AM PST - 51 comments

This is kind of a big one: Tooth abscesses, wisdom teeth, and finding doctors in Southeast Asia. [more inside]
posted by borkingchikapa at 1:24 AM PST - 13 comments

My US-resident sister will be moving to Hewlett, NY in August this year. I am planning a trip from New Zealand to see her, and I need some advice. [more inside]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 1:21 AM PST - 5 comments

I just replaced a burned out bulb in my overhead kitchen fixture. The bulb that burned out was a 60 watter. I only had a 100 watter on hand. I know I'm hastening fossil fuel depletion, but am I also causing a fire risk? What about ignoring the wattage recomendations in favor of higher watts in table lamps?
posted by incessant at 12:33 AM PST - 16 comments

Say you're on a budget and you need a receiver and a surround sound speaker system... [more inside]
posted by drpynchon at 11:47 PM PST - 14 comments

Guy filter: How do you get rid of an unwanted erection? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:40 PM PST - 37 comments

I'm looking for a program that will be the "master" volume control for all programs on my computer (XP Pro, SP2). Something where I can, say, mute all the programs except iTunes. Or shut up AIM with one click but still be able to watch a Quicktime video. [more inside]
posted by radioamy at 11:30 PM PST - 3 comments

Much to my surprise, I have been given a visa to visit ol' zhongguo (china) for a few months (i'll be doing research on minorities). I would like to be able to surf the net anonymously but I'm a bit of a nOOb when it comes to proxy servers and what not. I remember seeing a similar question on slashdot but answers said things like "Just ssh into ..." I know what ssh is, etc. but i'm not sure how to use a proxy through ssh. can anyone give me some basic instructions? I would appreciate help. Comments like "Don't go to China if you don't want to obey their rules!!!" or whatever are less appreciated. Thanks!
posted by hurting.the.feelings.of.thechinesepeople at 11:11 PM PST - 9 comments

Will my East-Coast American cell phone work in Mexico? [more inside]
posted by Jon-o at 10:53 PM PST - 7 comments

LameTvQuestionFilter: I've been trying to remember a very short-lived 80s tv show. In it, a government project centered around an enhanced tractor trailer (yes, really) that could transform into a helicopter (yes, really). [more inside]
posted by Silent Thomas at 10:20 PM PST - 5 comments

Books v Audio Books: What is the unique value of the work of reading? [more inside]
posted by peacay at 10:09 PM PST - 23 comments

How do you sell ads on a website? [more inside]
posted by mudpuppie at 8:34 PM PST - 4 comments

Did my pharmacist rip me off? The Codeine isn't working. [more inside]
posted by tfmm at 7:28 PM PST - 18 comments

Is there some sort of extension or plugin for Mozilla which lets me highlight something semi-permanently? [more inside]
posted by nakedsushi at 7:19 PM PST - 11 comments

I'm having a really hard time getting a site to display correctly cross-platform and cross-browser. What are the best sites for specific advice about such problems? And are there any places that specialize in troubleshooting CSS? [more inside]
posted by UrbanFigaro at 7:01 PM PST - 6 comments

Does anyone have any hard information on why mornings are considered the most productive or focused time of day? [more inside]
posted by philida at 6:34 PM PST - 24 comments

I've had three electronic items in my apartment bite the dust within 24 hours. What is the deal? [more inside]
posted by rolypolyman at 6:25 PM PST - 9 comments

I'm looking for a good recording device, and the Archos Jukebox Recorders have been suggested to me as an ideal device. I'm an opera major studying at a conservatory, and need a device to record my lessons and coachings. I don't want to spend much money. Is Archos the way to go? Are there any significant differences between the units or can I just get an old 10GB from ebay for $100? [more inside]
posted by sdis at 6:11 PM PST - 13 comments

My rear bicycle wheel was stolen (annoying) and thus I need to replace it. [more inside]
posted by panoptican at 6:07 PM PST - 22 comments

I already have my BA and I am investigating my options for getting my teacher certification in Texas. Either a local program in Houston or a long-distance learning program would be fine. I've been looking at the programs where you take night/weekend classes and either teach full-time or sub during the day, for example ACT Houston and ITEACH Texas. Can anyone vouch for these kinds of programs? I can't figure out what this one actually does.
posted by Elagabalus at 6:00 PM PST - 8 comments

Is there anyway to turn off those helpful XP features? [more inside]
posted by slipperywhenwet at 5:52 PM PST - 4 comments

I'm trying to find a website I read a while ago before I lost my bookmarks! [more inside]
posted by tomble at 5:35 PM PST - 5 comments

In a effort to allow both of my parents access to the family photos, I have accepted the task of digitizing all of our albums. I have more than 2000 photos I need to scan and wanted to know if anyone has any advice for me. My mum owns a Epson Stylus Photo RX620 for me to use. [more inside]
posted by herting at 5:33 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm considering getting a pet rabbit, and looking for pros and cons. [more inside]
posted by Specklet at 5:08 PM PST - 41 comments

What's Microsoft's excuse for the fact that Windows can't seem to consistently keep track of which files are actually in use, and so periodically I have to reboot the machine in order to actually move, copy, or delete a file? Is there any power-user type fix? Is there a way to lynch their QA department? [more inside]
posted by namespan at 4:56 PM PST - 11 comments

Where/how can I get myself some pig whipworm eggs? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 4:50 PM PST - 3 comments

Okay, this is probably going to come off as kinda pretentious, but has anyone ever dealt with winning TOO much scholarship money? [more inside]
posted by stray at 3:46 PM PST - 10 comments

Access 2003, ActiveState Perl, Win32::ODBC: my MEMO fields are being truncated to 255 characters when I pull them via SQL queries from a Perl script. [more inside]
posted by IshmaelGraves at 2:14 PM PST - 6 comments

I've got four kids, ages 8, 5 and 4. I want to limit their tv viewing. Specifically, it would be great if there were an inexpensive remote switch I could use to turn it off. [more inside]
posted by craniac at 2:12 PM PST - 36 comments

I'd like to set up a website. Not a blog, exactly, but something simple, something warm, something that reminds me of home and summer days and the first time I was kissed. I'm a tech weenie but I've made a simple site or two. Should I build and host my own site, or use one of the free blogging sites? [more inside]
posted by OmieWise at 1:28 PM PST - 12 comments

Does anybody know of some good and cheap earbuds that won't fall out while I'm jogging? [more inside]
posted by celibate_life at 1:01 PM PST - 11 comments

My Google-fu has failed me, and I haven't found an adequate answer... What, exactly, do those crazy show dog names mean? I'm referring to the ones that sound like "PopTart's Momentary Lapse of Reason Concrete Hullabaloo".
I'm sure it's something to do with breeding and AKC registration and whatnot. But the names are so wacky. Any insight to the madness would be most appreciated. Thanks!
posted by Thorzdad at 12:52 PM PST - 11 comments

What's the best way to audition a vocalist? [more inside]
posted by LordSludge at 12:42 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm trying to cut down on my sugar intake. The hardest part has been cutting out sugary (or corn-syrupy) drinks. I'm wondering if anyone can suggest some additional drinks to try. [more inside]
posted by xulu at 12:34 PM PST - 46 comments

Does anybody have any recommendations for martial arts sparring equipment and, more importantly, shops where I might procure them in London? [more inside]
posted by Jongo at 12:24 PM PST - 2 comments

Back in the dear dead days of DOS, I used to speed up things by creating a virtual disk in memory so that searches and other disk-I/O-intensive operations would run faster. In later version of DOS, there was a RAMDrive command. Is there an equivalent utility in Win XP (Home or Pro) to park Temp files and similar items in a lettered drive in RAM? Or does Windows take care of that automatically?
posted by KRS at 12:13 PM PST - 10 comments

OK, I know of Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and Sallie Mae. I understand that the names come from the initials of the corporations, but where did the names come from, and how many of these "named government companies" are there? And why are some girls and some boys? &c.
posted by taumeson at 12:05 PM PST - 8 comments

Banana Republic? Why name your safari-themed clothing store after a phrase that refers directly to violent, corporation-influenced corruption? Was it a wry joke at the time? Were the corporate executives involved completely oblivious or were they banking on the ignorance of the public in the face of such lovely, exotic bananas? Searching online has yielded nothing, and a query through the company's "contact us" page a few months ago has gone unanswered.
posted by nobody at 11:55 AM PST - 34 comments

I'm helping organize a charity walk where each participant would receive a t-shirt. We want to provide sponsorship opportunities for space on the t-shirt. We're thinking about offering a couple of different levels of sponsorship, each tied to logo/text location and size on the t-shirt. What's an appropriate amount to ask the highest-level sponsors for? (This event is taking place in the US)
posted by 27 at 11:42 AM PST - 5 comments

Can we use our cell phones in Cuba? [more inside]
posted by Cosine at 11:34 AM PST - 11 comments

Help me track down any information I can about the remote possibility of getting a program designed for Win 98 and ME to work in XP... [more inside]
posted by emptybowl at 11:25 AM PST - 5 comments

My boss is heading to Nepal in a week and wants to stay connected to the USA. He's interested in purchasing -- or renting? -- a satellite phone. Any recommendations for providers, and comments on service & clarity would be appreciated.
posted by mollykiely at 10:50 AM PST - 1 comment

My dog appears to have summer allergies, much like his master. I've owned him for about 2 years, and every summer he develops a rash of sorts on his tummy. Vets haven't seemed to help. [more inside]
posted by Happydaz at 10:43 AM PST - 9 comments

How do I convince my boss that our site needs a major overhaul? [more inside]
posted by godawful at 10:10 AM PST - 13 comments

After eighteen years in Detroit, four years in Ann Arbor and one in Washington, DC I am packing up my life and moving to Chicago. I've been to town a few times as a tourist, but this will be my first long-term stay. I'm looking for recommendations of good bars, music stores, and restaurants. [more inside]
posted by fancypants at 10:03 AM PST - 11 comments

I'm developed a craving for trail mix lately. One thing I've found out because of this is that trail mix is expensive. Everytime I buy it I think there's got to be a cheaper place to buy or it's got to be cheaper to make it myself..... Does anyone have any suggestions where to get cheap trail mix, recipies for good trail mix, ideas for the cheapest way to make it?
posted by TuxHeDoh at 9:55 AM PST - 14 comments

I run an internet cafe in Co. Cork, Ireland. We have recently added a wireless router to accommodate our customers who use wireless cards in their laptops. I need to be able to monitor who's using my wireless connection and possibly how much bandwidth they are using. Anyone know of a windows application that will do this?
posted by Livewire Confusion at 9:48 AM PST - 13 comments

After having to restore to an old version of the registry, my search window in XP now looks like this instead of the default view I'm used to (i.e., with the animated characters, etc.). How do I get the old search back?
posted by dustinAFN at 9:42 AM PST - 13 comments

All things considered, I'd rather be in Philadelphia--and soon I will be. Please share your recommendations for used book stores, record stores, and vegetarian food (cheap to moderate, with moderate being entrees under $20). Also, as a bonus, if you know if any yummy restaurants near the Jersey Turnpike that would allow one to avoid the nastiness of the rest stop, that would be totally awesome.
posted by dame at 8:51 AM PST - 40 comments

How can I learn how to read aloud? [more inside]
posted by louigi at 8:16 AM PST - 13 comments

Can anyone tell me what this image (NSFW) comes from? Given its content, I wouldn't be surprised if it was from a bad Troma film or something similar, so bear that in mind before you click on it.
posted by jimmy at 8:00 AM PST - 6 comments

KCFilter: The lady and I have an excuse and a reason to go to Kansas City a couple of weekends from now. Can the local MeFites recommend good sights/eateries/destinations romantiques preferably near the downtown area? [more inside]
posted by symphonik at 7:39 AM PST - 14 comments

Do you have a corner grocer where you live? A market to pick up fresh veggies, meats or cheeses, or maybe a bottle of wine for that evening's dinner, that you can walk to? Apparently grocers make very little money, so the bigger the store, the lower delivery costs, etc. So why not have several small stores in one area to concentrate delivery? Or go with smaller trucks? Or partner with local farmers? Sort of like CSA for a city dweller.
posted by yoga at 7:09 AM PST - 12 comments

Mefi Doctors: A recent Ask Metafilter question prompts me to ask - how long was your thesis? [more inside]
posted by handee at 5:39 AM PST - 47 comments

In a few days we will be driving from Atlanta up to Maryland for a family reunion and then driving back. For the drive up we'll go the usual well-worn 85-95 route since we need to get it done in one day. On the way back we're spending two days, so we plan to drive down 81 in western Virginia and eastern Tennessee, right along the Appalachians. Recommendations for place to stop? At some point we'll probably get off I-81 and drive parallel to it on the Blue Ridge Skyway or something. Where's a good place to overnight just north of the VA/TN border? Target audience: overeducated misanthropic hipsters, no kids.
posted by intermod at 5:17 AM PST - 15 comments

What makes something melodramatic? I have an idea of its definition, based on context; but would never use this word, since I'm not exactly sure -- what does it mean to you? I've known people who use the term to mean something like dramatic or overly dramatic or emotional, over-wrought or even hysterical. So, okay, dramatic; but why mellow? [more inside]
posted by Rash at 11:18 PM PST - 16 comments

I'm writing a screenplay -- like an action/thriller type deal. Anyhow, like every other film and TV show, it's based in New York City. What I need from you guys is a few ideas about where to set a chase scene. Some place that sounds good on paper and looks good on the screen -- and hopefully some where that hasn't been used before in a movie, or at least not a well known one.
posted by JPowers at 10:33 PM PST - 37 comments

I need advice from people who have experience taking herbal remedies / vitamins, specifically for depression. [more inside]
posted by Ugh at 9:16 PM PST - 22 comments

What's the coolest / cleanest / most striking / most eye-catching / attractive / professional-but-hip resumé you've seen published on the web?
posted by jenleigh at 8:51 PM PST - 7 comments

What's a good resource for self-publishing music CDs? [more inside]
posted by Noah at 8:40 PM PST - 9 comments

ShrinkingWoolSweaterFilter: Ok, so I took a wool sweater, washed it in cold water then let it dry naturally. Result: it shrank! Now, I'm asking something slightly different than what you think I'm asking... [more inside]
posted by vacapinta at 8:34 PM PST - 6 comments

Illegal Uses for iTunesFilter: How do you copy the mp3s from Shared libraries on iTunes to your HD? I seem to recall a program that achieved this task, but don't remember its name.
posted by mowglisambo at 7:09 PM PST - 8 comments

My tub was/is moldy. Out of frustration over smell and look, I decided tonight to take care of it and destroy the offending mold for the 90th time. I've had really bad luck with caulk in the past and I don't think I'm up to spending another 6 hours thoroughly cleaning it when the caulk I've been using fails again. What are your recommendations? Both for caulk types and caulking tips? [more inside]
posted by tozturk at 6:26 PM PST - 10 comments

Your best guacomole recipes please! (read: we can't drink margaritas on an empty stomach.) [more inside]
posted by gaspode at 6:09 PM PST - 41 comments

How to write my own professional reference? [more inside]
posted by coriolisdave at 5:29 PM PST - 12 comments

Sorry to bother people but I'm at my wit’s end and desperate for help. I've bought a CardBus PCMCIA card with 2x USB2 ports, 1x 1394 firewire 6 pin, 1x 1394 firewire 4 pin for my laptop from eBay. It was supplied without documentation and a copied CD with USB 2.0 drivers. I'm running a Dell Latitude C640 with Windows 2000 SP4. I have today updated my BIOS and am running the most recent set. Windows update reports that my OS is fully up to date. Upon inserting the card Windows auto-detected the device. Inserting USB devices (camera and iPod) doesn't bring them up and interestingly the iPod isn't charging. After 8 hours of grappling with VIA USB drivers I’ve hit a brick wall. Under USB controllers in the device manger the following are listed: Standard Universal PCI to USB Hub USB Root Hub USB Root Hub USB Root Hub VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller VIA USB Universal Controller VIA USB Universal Controller All now appear to have the right driver installed but VIA USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller lists a Code 10 error saying that it can't start. I've downloaded the Microsoft USB2.0 hotfix as well as the VIA USB2.0 2.60 drivers all to no avail. Does anyone have any idea as to what I could do?
posted by dmt at 5:11 PM PST - 8 comments

How do I break up with a significant other? After 3 months, the relationship is no longer working out for me-- I find that spending time with my s/o has become tedious and not fun. S/o has become very clingy and needy. As a result, for me, the 'spark' just isn't there anymore. We had a long discussion where I aired some of my concerns... [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:08 PM PST - 31 comments

My digital camera died and I'm in the market for a new one. I was always leaving my old one at home because it was not slim enough to fit comfortably in my pocket. So I'm looking for a really slim one. I just found info on the Samsung Digimax #1. It looks so cool. http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/peripherals/storage/samsung-digimax-1-teaser-104790.php http://www.dpreview.com/news/0505/05052404samsung_1.asp http://www.samsungcamera.co.kr/swf/zoomin_785_258_050523.swf

Can anyone tell me more about this camera? I could not find, for example, the actual zoom in any of the specs. Or the price when it comes out on June 1^st. I’m totally okay spending a little more for a slim camera or a cool looking camera but I want to make sure it works well. Ideally, I’d pre-order it so I’d get it in time for an event on June 11^th.
posted by hokie409 at 5:08 PM PST - 8 comments

When I check Hotmail my emails are deleted automatically after reading them. The shiny, happy people at Hotmail blame this on the Firefox browser. Is there a way to fix this?
posted by Ugandan Discussions at 4:00 PM PST - 29 comments

My girlfriend and I have had alternating business trips over the last month or so and we're looking to spend some quality time together this weekend. I live in the Washington DC area and would like to keep it within three hours drive time. [more inside]
posted by aspenbaloo at 3:55 PM PST - 8 comments

Can someone please explain to me what a council house is, and what it means to live in one? [more inside]
posted by Sheppagus at 3:40 PM PST - 23 comments

Moving to Montreal and I need some advice. [more inside]
posted by googly at 3:11 PM PST - 9 comments

I am looking for the name of the girl in the song Rocky Raccoon by the Beatles (the one that called herself Lil and that everyone knew as Nancy). Lyric sites vary between Magil, Magill, and McGill, but I do not want to rely on the number of search results as the answer. Is there a definitive source for her real name?
posted by hindmost at 2:58 PM PST - 6 comments

Does anybody remember anything about a pre-world wide web consumer product called Yak (or Yack) that was marketing in the United States around 1990? Google fails me. [more inside]
posted by punkfloyd at 2:48 PM PST - 2 comments

For the first time in many years I live in a place where I can have pets. I like cats and am considering getting one, though I've never had one before (I've had dogs before). [more inside]
posted by bac at 2:21 PM PST - 41 comments

WeddingMusicFilter: A friend has asked me to help him compile fun songs for his wedding reception... [more inside]
posted by ch3ch2oh at 2:19 PM PST - 12 comments

Anyone know how I can get my hands on one of those miniature tents used as display models in the sporting goods sections of many stores? [more inside]
posted by caution live frogs at 2:03 PM PST - 14 comments

ManagerFilter:Need some easy, cost-effective tips for making the workday more fun and upbeat. [more inside]
posted by Miko at 1:59 PM PST - 17 comments

I'm starting an investment club with my friends and have a few questions. [more inside]
posted by fletchmuy at 1:00 PM PST - 9 comments

There seems to be a trend lately where people are preferring goods made in smaller batches, often locally - crafted, if you will - such as olive oil, beer (at least in the 90s) and lately distilled spirits. What are some other examples of this? (Not necessarily food.)
posted by gottabefunky at 12:34 PM PST - 37 comments

Help! My domain name registration expires today, and I don't want to pay too much to renew it! [more inside]
posted by nyterrant at 12:30 PM PST - 9 comments

My dissertation consists of about 320 pages, split up over seven chapters; each chapter is a separate document. I'd like to combine the seven chapters into one single megadocument, which is easy enough. But I'm having some trouble getting the numbering of the footnotes the way I want ... [more inside]
posted by Dr. Wu at 12:25 PM PST - 3 comments

Just got a 2nd hand Palm OS 4.1 PDA. I'm aware of other threads on this topic - but could you clue me into indispensible/wierd/cool software/resources for Pam OS 4.1? [+] [more inside]
posted by PurplePorpoise at 12:00 PM PST - 7 comments

So I'm overweight, have been my entire life with a couple of exceptions. I'm 6'5" and around 290 lbs. Which actually isn't as bad as it sounds, even at my skinniest (post-military) I have a 50" chest. But I'm still pretty out of shape and would like to fix that. [more inside]
posted by KirTakat at 11:40 AM PST - 30 comments

After a long and ridiculously heated quasi-scientific discussion last night, I absolutely must know: what would happen to life on earth if the moon suddenly disappeared? I say the results would be disastrous, but my friend doesn't think it would matter much. I'd be interested to know who is more accurate in her assessment and the specific problems associated with a moonless earth.
posted by TheGoldenOne at 11:32 AM PST - 43 comments

Please tell me your experiences with passive agressiveness in your relationships. [more inside]
posted by eas98 at 11:20 AM PST - 20 comments

I recently purchased my first home. It's in a neighborhood that used to be a little sketchy (Seattle's Rainier Beach), but is now relatively safe. Here's the thing: some of my neighbors still have bars on their windows. Others have security systems. Should I? Do they really help? Or is it just dwindling hysteria?
posted by arielmeadow at 11:14 AM PST - 24 comments

What kind of cell phone should I get? [more inside]
posted by boo_radley at 10:57 AM PST - 18 comments

Can somebody help out with a Microsoft Outlook problem that has me stumped? [more inside]
posted by .kobayashi. at 10:26 AM PST - 4 comments

Why do the coffee mugs in diners have concave sides? [more inside]
posted by nebulawindphone at 10:21 AM PST - 23 comments

I made a donation in the name of a child who died many years ago. Do I tell the parents? [more inside]
posted by LadyBonita at 10:10 AM PST - 17 comments

How do you tell someone they need to deal with their anger? More specifically, how do you tell them they scare you and other people? [more inside]
posted by wallaby at 9:55 AM PST - 14 comments

I've been doing web design for a very small company for almost 6 years. My skills basically are limited to designing comps for websites in Photoshop & building them out with Dreamweaver. I also do a tiny bit of Flash. But the current company is unlikely to grow, nor will my responsibilities become any more interesting, so I've set my sights on the local university's tech & humanities departments. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:53 AM PST - 4 comments

What PC video games would you consider "best of the best"? Any genre from any era is fine: FPS, RPG, adventure, anything. I'm trying to expand my gaming horizons. [more inside]
posted by cosmicbandito at 9:34 AM PST - 69 comments

Looking for the author/title of a science fiction/fantasy novel read around 1985. Details inside. [more inside]
posted by jperkins at 8:29 AM PST - 4 comments

MolecularBio geeks: What's the best sequence analysis software for OS X? [more inside]
posted by docgonzo at 8:26 AM PST - 7 comments

Entire drive crashed and lost all the data it contained. We've used lots of programs so far and managed to recover music, photos and movies that are less than 20. We are looking to recover movies that are over 20 but not having much luck. There are tons of really expensive programs but we don't want to shell out w/o some sort of idea how they work or if they are effective. HELP!
posted by mscatch22 at 7:40 AM PST - 10 comments

MensRoomFilter: Guys, your standing at the urinal. on the wall in front of you is a box with a hose that runs down to the urinal. What is is it and how does it work? [more inside]
posted by ShawnString at 7:14 AM PST - 9 comments

I am headed off to Central Asia for the summer and am looking for some first hand advice. [more inside]
posted by JPD at 6:58 AM PST - 2 comments

A number of other sites have asked me for help about putting my RSS feed on their site. Um. Help? more, as they say, inside. [more inside]
posted by filmgeek at 5:31 AM PST - 12 comments

Please help my husband! What are your favorite techniques to manage your stress and anger at home, for free, that requires no professional assistance? [more inside]
posted by ferociouskitty at 4:43 AM PST - 33 comments

Woo! It's BBQ time at work, and we're planning a big party. It's come down to me to pick out the various activities, and I'm looking for suggestions. [more inside]
posted by fishfucker at 3:26 AM PST - 20 comments

I know nothing about financial instruments, bonds, certificates... And I want to buy some. Please help. (MI) [more inside]
posted by Meatbomb at 1:57 AM PST - 7 comments

How do I make a VCD disk using the CD burner in my Powerbook? I have an .avi file that I would like to play on my DVD player, but I have no idea what's the best software to use for encoding, burning, etc.
posted by invisible ink at 12:08 AM PST - 13 comments

Building on recent questions: I am an amateur cook who is considering going pro... [more inside]
posted by lackutrol at 11:43 PM PST - 14 comments

I am told by my sculpting teacher that there is a mixture of shellac and a form of alcohol called 'alcosol' that is used to seal wood carvings. Does anyone know of this or another solution to dilute shellac with to seal wood? I have a carving that is very porous and needs a good sealer before waxing. I am anxious to get this finished. LAG
posted by lag at 11:25 PM PST - 5 comments

I live in a renovated condo in Chicago. My upstairs neighbors are driving me nuts with the noise. [more inside]
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 10:26 PM PST - 18 comments

Let's say you have provided hosting facilities for a collaborative event-focused weblog. One of the contributors is violating the social norms for the site in ways that might well have negative real-world consequences for business relationships which are dependent on collegiality and the event. A sponsoring entity for the weblog has requested that this individual be bounced, and possibly requests that the posts by the individual be removed as well. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:51 PM PST - 7 comments

I need some suggestions for cookbooks with really odd recipes. Cookbooks that have colorful themes or contain recipes that always seem to list canned peaches or SPAM in their ingredients are good for starters but anything really bizarre, unique, or old-timey will do.
posted by rokabiri at 9:48 PM PST - 18 comments

I've been Googling fruitlessly for a good half-hour here, in search of a post I recall from a year or so ago, on the topic of Getting Things Done / 43Folders / LifeHacks [more inside]
posted by idontlikewords at 9:33 PM PST - 5 comments

I have aprox. 200 mp3s saved on my desktop's hard drive. I want to transfer them to my notebook. The pc is W98 and the notebook is XP. [more inside]
posted by Juicylicious at 7:56 PM PST - 15 comments

I'm debating whether or not to pursue a degree in culinary arts, and also what type of degree and school I should consider. [more inside]
posted by BradNelson at 7:48 PM PST - 12 comments

I get these from time to time, usually on the front of my chin or outsides of my mouth: [more inside]
posted by phredhead at 7:37 PM PST - 14 comments

I'm lost in the sea of PHP/CMS systems out there. Help me find the best one for me. [more inside]
posted by jeremias at 6:51 PM PST - 8 comments

I would like to relocate the forum post that described when pitchforkmedia.com was "hacked" last fall. Normally I would attempt to locate it myself but my Google-fu has not been helpful. The forum was a community of people that disliked Pitchfork. The title of the thread in question was something along the lines of "when pitchforkmedia.com/1up becomes pitchforkmedia.com/2up" and it was where someone had merely found a directory containing private emails of the Pitchfork's chief. Can you help me find that thread again?
posted by Monochrome at 5:57 PM PST - 10 comments

Is there a way to force a (Windows XP) laptop with an Intel video chipset to always clone the display out the external monitor port? Or a utility (or shortcut) that can turn on cloning with a simple double-click? [more inside]
posted by krisjohn at 5:49 PM PST - 7 comments

My partner will be in Sarajevo for three weeks. He needs some info. [more inside]
posted by anapestic at 5:37 PM PST - 2 comments

Lately it seems that several of my friends are receiving HPV diagnoses, with all the accompanying uncertainty that entails. Given how little research we have on HPV and the relative benignity of the diagnosis, how should the topic be discussed with prospective partners? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:33 PM PST - 10 comments

I chronically get canker sores, does anyone know of any remedies or treatments? [more inside]
posted by sicem07 at 4:53 PM PST - 27 comments

What is the origin of addressing all comments in Senate speeches to the President of the Senate? Is this simply tradition or is there some parliamentary reason for this?
posted by trey at 4:23 PM PST - 4 comments

I really want to add an RSS feed and XML feed to my site... and anything else that everyone is doing. Can someone PLEASE show me the most simplest way/site of adding this essential element to my site?
posted by bamassippi at 3:03 PM PST - 12 comments

What fiction covers prehistoric and early historic societies? [more inside]
posted by NickDouglas at 2:31 PM PST - 19 comments

Is it possible to negotiate prices on a new construction -- specifically, a small-to-medium builder in a somewhat-hot market (Raleigh NC)? [more inside]
posted by SeanCier at 2:14 PM PST - 3 comments

How can I create a Star Wars-type crawl in Flash?
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 1:50 PM PST - 2 comments

Most travellers to Europe concentrate on the culture and the man-made historical artifacts. What specific places would you go to if you wanted to concentrate on the natural wonders instead?
posted by smackfu at 1:43 PM PST - 32 comments

NYCFilter: 24yo guy moving to Manhattan for the first time and I'm basically going to have 10 days to kill before work starts. For locals: What is the coolest thing I can do during the day? I've already researched all the traditional (museums, restaurants, shops) places, I was hoping for the unusual places that will make me feel like a new yorker or just enlighten me. [more inside]
posted by slapshot57 at 1:38 PM PST - 38 comments

I'm looking for a cheap scanner for my ibook running Tiger, something like the Canoscan 3000ex for $50, that works ok.
posted by mecran01 at 1:36 PM PST - 5 comments

I'm moving into an apartment with my two brothers in about a week. The younger one has had major issues over the past year finding a job and paying rent. What can I do to help him? [more inside]
posted by bibbit at 1:16 PM PST - 10 comments

Anyone with Hodgkin's Disease out there? Have a question about the wonders and side effects of ABVD chemotherapy. [more inside]
posted by Moondoggie at 1:15 PM PST - 10 comments

I know that this is a VERY subjective question but can you provide any insight on the terror quotient of Walt Disney World "thrill" rides? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:03 PM PST - 28 comments

I'm a 25 year old recent law school graduate (female) who is thinking of moving to Las Vegas.... [more inside]
posted by elquien at 12:51 PM PST - 11 comments

How do you tell the sex of a cat? A strange cat came through the wall of my apartment this morning, and I'm wondering what gender it is. [more inside]
posted by scazza at 12:49 PM PST - 15 comments

ParliamentaryFilter: can my organization change its Bylaws to complete rewrite the title and responsibilities of an elected officer mid-term? [more inside]
posted by alopez at 12:36 PM PST - 6 comments

What brands make women's jeans that fit curvy women and aren't ultra low cut and made of stretch denim?
posted by srboisvert at 12:30 PM PST - 19 comments

Folks- A pretty straightforward question... I'm looking for the penetration of cable TV into U.S. households... both as a percentage and an absolute number. I'm done the requisite Googling and turn up all sorts of numbers... Any cable TV industry people out there who have the info at their mental fingertips? As always, thanks in advance. Peter
posted by petestein1 at 12:29 PM PST - 1 comment

is the weston a. price foundation on to something, or are they half-baked? organic foods and whole grains good (sure), accurate labels important (check), soy deadly (huh?), and something about a board member's unique form of "magnetic, intuitive, spiritual or psychic healing" (groan).
posted by subpixel at 12:29 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm having trouble creating new accounts on my WinXP Professional system. When I create a new limited account, I can't log it in; the system simply hangs. [more inside]
posted by Justinian at 12:04 PM PST - 9 comments

Things to Do in Denver When You're... [more inside]
posted by purephase at 11:11 AM PST - 19 comments

My roommate's Sony Vaio PCG-F590 notebook, has had a peculiar problem for a couple of years now. In short, BIOS doesn't recognise the HDD, but only for the purposes of booting. [more inside]
posted by daksya at 10:51 AM PST - 2 comments

What's the best high-end place to stay in NYC? I'm not looking for absurdly priced penthouse rentals, just a weekend stay in NYC that's somewhat more unique than a Hilton. I'm specifically looking at the Soho House and have family that raves about the Waldorf (a little too blueblood for me). Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 10:43 AM PST - 18 comments

Whose style did The Human League's "Don't You Want Me" video clip bite? [more inside]
posted by kuperman at 10:37 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm *this* close to throwing away my Bell/ExpressVu satellite/PVR setup. What are alternative ways to feed my TV addiction in western Canada? [more inside]
posted by timeistight at 10:30 AM PST - 2 comments

With the completion of the Star Wars sextology [sic], I was looking for recommendations of other science fiction/fantasy space operas. I just bought the Doc Smith's Lensman "prequel", Triplanetary, and his first Skylark book. Any other suggestions or comments on these (i.e. should I start with Galactic Patrol in the Lensman series? Read Skylark before Lensman)? Suggestions from across all media is welcome (Babylon 5, etc.).
posted by Dante5Inferno at 10:25 AM PST - 30 comments

I am looking into getting cable television and DirecTV seems to be the cheapest route. I'm worried about the dish getting knocked out of service range during bad weather, though. Does anyone have any experience with satellite dishes in less than desirable climates? (I live in Baltimore, MD.)
posted by amandaudoff at 10:24 AM PST - 12 comments

I have a P-3 Dell desktop with Win98 that is a few years old and has been buggy of late, even with all the virus and adware scans I can do on it. I also have a laptop with XP and the XP install disks (I have reinstalled XP on this one). I feel like it's time to start fresh with the desktop, so my question is two-pronged: 1. Would it be easier to just buy a new hard drive (since a 20 gig one is relatively cheap) than to reformat the existing one and reinstall everything? 2. Would you reinstall Win98 or go with XP (assuming that it WOULD install on this box and I don't know any reason why it would not)?
posted by Danf at 10:22 AM PST - 15 comments

The family and I are planning a vacation in Williamsburg VA, in August. We know all about Busch Gardens, Colonial Williamsburg, and Water Country. We need ideas for low-cost, off the beaten track, and generally neat things to do. [more inside]
posted by quibx at 10:08 AM PST - 9 comments

Want to go to Croatia in September. Have questions and need some advice. [more inside]
posted by spicynuts at 9:04 AM PST - 9 comments

I need suggestions for a site to list my neighbor's antique car. He's a nice old fellow and I want to help. [more inside]
posted by drakepool at 8:53 AM PST - 5 comments

My wife and I are heading to Chicago sometime between June 2nd - June 5th to celebrate our anniversary. Chi-town pals, help us find some cool things to do/places to eat! [more inside]
posted by sluggo at 7:48 AM PST - 34 comments

I want to make a table. [more inside]
posted by Marky at 7:16 AM PST - 11 comments

What are some good places to camp on the beach in the San Francisco Bay Area? [more inside]
posted by Espoo2 at 6:36 AM PST - 11 comments

I'd like to go on a day trip to eastern PA this upcoming weekend. Caves, hikes, waterfalls - what is nice in the area?
posted by skwm at 6:35 AM PST - 8 comments

I have been asked to reivew my companys site. We provide software solutions and services. I am trying to make the case for stripping away much of the graphics content and blurb in favour of clearly presented text tailored to suit specific target audiences. I would appreciate articles or examples of sites which support and illustrate this approach.
posted by kenaman at 2:37 AM PST - 12 comments

My machine has a DVD writer, my girlfriend's iMac has a DVD reader. Is there a piece of software which will allow me to burn a bootable DVD in Mac format?
posted by NinjaPirate at 1:46 AM PST - 10 comments

What's it like working at a Super Target? There's one opening here in town. I understand they offer some decent benefits. How's the work environment? Would you recommend it?
posted by wsg at 12:31 AM PST - 14 comments

Does anyone have any experience or first-hand knowledge about working for the AcademicWord company? Is it a legitimate operation or is it too good to be true? I'm confident I have the skills, do they pay their bills? (MI) [more inside]
posted by loquacious at 12:30 AM PST - 2 comments

Can anyone give me a good intro to drip irrigation? I'm fairly used to sprinklers, but I've heard good things about drip lines, and I'm wondering whether it's worth trying to switch over. [more inside]
posted by sirion at 10:51 PM PST - 11 comments

I'm supposed to be best man in a wedding for someone whose family is getting bent out of shape about me wearing my family's tartan because his family and mine never got along. Are there rules for this sort of thing? [more inside]
posted by small_ruminant at 10:41 PM PST - 34 comments

My budget web host does not have the GD or ImageMagick libraries installed. How can I get around this? More inside... [more inside]
posted by hifimofo at 10:09 PM PST - 5 comments

What does the law say about selling food containing alcohol? Would a store need a liquor license to sell a dessert made with, say, rum? Is there a difference between food containing liquor versus beer or wine? Do these rules vary by state?
posted by medpt at 9:52 PM PST - 5 comments

In the U.S., personal checks and paper currency are the same size. So I've been wondering- is there an international standard size for personal checks? Or, do checks issued in one particular country match up with that country's currency? (And what about places like China, where the bills are all different sizes?) Thanks in advance for helping me sleep at night.
posted by elisabeth r at 9:36 PM PST - 11 comments

Given all of the brouhaha about file trading and lost movie sales, is there a way to figure out what percentage of commercially released movies don't recoup their production costs, when all avenues are factored in (theater runs, dvd, cable, etc...). [more inside]
posted by Caviar at 9:20 PM PST - 11 comments

Summer is coming. I'm a student. I'd like to earn me some dosh in as pleasant a way as possible. Additionally, since I'm already sitting behind a darn desk for the whole friggin' year, I think it's time for a change. No coding. No system administration. No data entry. No QA. I think you catch my drift. [more inside]
posted by koenie at 7:48 PM PST - 19 comments

I have around 20+ long boxes full of comics that I'd like to get rid of. Is it possible to donate them and receive a charitable donation tax credit? If so, where? [more inside]
posted by gaelenh at 7:30 PM PST - 11 comments

It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights, it's time to ask some questions about The Muppet Show tonight! [more inside]
posted by five fresh fish at 7:08 PM PST - 29 comments

A coworker is looking for some kind of text-messaging device that she can use to keep in touch with her boyfriend. Few specifications. [more inside]
posted by itchie at 6:50 PM PST - 16 comments

I recently purchased a Kingston 256MB SD card for my Tungsten-E. File transfer speeds are incredibly slow: it takes 15-30 minutes to transfer one measly MP3. I bought and installed a USB-2 card on my computer, but it doesn't seem to help much. Is this normal? Is there a problem with the SD-card or the handheld? Would buying a dedicated card reader help?
posted by signal at 6:35 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm already thinking about summer (maybe too optimistically at this point) but I know for sure that our plans include some camping trips. I'd like to bring my guitar along for kicks, but I don't know what to play. What are some good (not cliche, not sappy, etc) songs that would be good? Keep in mind that I'm not amazing at guitar, nor am I amazing at singing.
posted by devilsbrigade at 6:10 PM PST - 17 comments

Giftfilter: I need to buy a gift for a high school grad going off to Film school. I'm looking for cool gifts that he might enjoy. [more inside]
posted by renyoj at 5:23 PM PST - 15 comments

Sock-matching with shorts? While I have a good feel for the rules on matching socks with trousers, I'm not as sure whether those also apply to matching socks with shorts. [more inside]
posted by Handcoding at 5:20 PM PST - 25 comments

Has anyone had experience, good or bad, with buying a kilt in the United States? I'm getting married on July 30th and I would really like to wear my fiancee's tartan. I am not Scottish (as far as I know), but she most definitely is - clan Elliott. I've looked at a number of online places, but I'm still kind of in the dark. [more inside]
posted by starvingartist at 4:42 PM PST - 12 comments

FigFilter: I'm in NYC and have been aching, pining even, for some fresh (not dried) figs. In London, they were absolutely everywhere, even in the off-season. So why is it, in this town, I can't find a single fresh fig... [more inside]
posted by yellowcandy at 4:37 PM PST - 12 comments

I lost my glasses on the plane a couple of months ago and I could probably use an update to the prescription. How do I pick an opthamologist? [more inside]
posted by Saucy Intruder at 3:48 PM PST - 5 comments

Does anyone have experience with Blogads? I've been approached to join their ad program in which I'd place ads from their network of advertisers on my blog in exchange for a share of the profits. My blog gets about 700 hits per day (on a good non-Slashdotted day). Can a blog as small as mine be profitable with Blogads? Are Blogads's business dealings fair and above the table? Are Blogads's ads so annoying that most people in-the-know block them with Adblock etc.? Basically, is Blogads a good idea for my blog?
posted by Servo5678 at 3:33 PM PST - 1 comment

I've been using OpenBook to change Firefox's Add Bookmark behavior, but it isn't quite what I want. I would like the Add Bookmark dialog box to have the Description field included. Is there any extension or hidden setting that will allow me to expose this field?
posted by xyzzy at 3:09 PM PST - 2 comments

We are considering buying Martinique Yellow dinnerware from Crate and Barrel. Some friends told us that they were less than impressed with the durability of Crate and Barrel plates. Obviously, the quality will differ from product to product, but if you have Crate and Barrel dinnerware, please tell me what you think about the quality.
posted by Mayor Curley at 2:51 PM PST - 18 comments

My relationship is wonderful. It's been a couple of years and we have big plans, a definitely long term view, get along perfectly, still have passion, all that... So why did I kiss a friend while really, really drunk the other night? And what should I do about it? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:05 PM PST - 55 comments

My 1989 Jeep Cherokee's serpentine belt is squealing horrifically. Nothing I have done will make it stop for longer than a few minutes. [more inside]
posted by davey_darling at 12:44 PM PST - 9 comments

Back in 1997-98 (when the Computer City chain was still around), I remember seeing a "mind controlled" game for the PC on display, and one of the titles involved steering a downhill skier. [more inside]
posted by mrbill at 12:30 PM PST - 7 comments

I need advice on studying abroad in Japan. [more inside]
posted by MostHolyPorcine at 12:26 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm a male - been married for 8 years, I'm 36 - have 2 kids and I'm feeling like I don't want to be married anymore. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:19 AM PST - 40 comments

Is there a way to add a schedule to an Outlook user's calendar by having him click a link on a website? [more inside]
posted by slater at 4:23 AM PST - 8 comments

When I use IE Explorer, the page images sometimes start jumping up and down uncontrollably. How can I fix this? (MI.) [more inside]
posted by zaelic at 4:16 AM PST - 9 comments

I've a batch file for automatically uploading a file from my computer to my webspace. The batch file does it's job perfectly but I'm having problems automating the running of the batch file. I've set up a scheduled task to run the file but the problem is that even with the batch file settings changed to 'Run Minimized' the scheduled task still runs maximised and takes over my whole screen. Since I have the file set to run every 10 minutes this is a problem. Anybody have any solutions?
posted by daveirl at 3:43 AM PST - 5 comments

I've installed phone management and sync software for my new mobile phone, but cannot allocate a comm port successfully. The help file says to use a comm port from the list which has a * beside it, but there are no ports listed with an asterisk beside them. I am using a USB connection. Any guidance would be much appreciated
posted by haelen at 12:23 AM PST - 7 comments

I am a M.A. student at a small university in Canada. Next week I will be heading to a large academic conference and I want to have some business cards for shmoozing networking purposes. [more inside]
posted by synecdoche at 12:05 AM PST - 22 comments

My name is RavinDave and I am a Radioholic. [more inside]
posted by RavinDave at 11:20 PM PST - 10 comments

How many laser treatments should it take to remove a dark blue tatoo? My friend thinks a dermatologist has a thing for her because after four visits, her dark blue tatoo (an Ex-'s name) is still there, and not very much different than prior to her first removal treatment [more inside]
posted by ParisParamus at 6:56 PM PST - 5 comments

Help! Problems sending text messages from the U.S. (T-Mobile) to Spain (Vodafone). I can receive but can't send... [more inside]
posted by buddha9090 at 6:25 PM PST - 5 comments

How can I get files off an improperly finalized data DVD? (WinXP, Nero) [more inside]
posted by muckster at 5:53 PM PST - 4 comments

My brother-in-law used to run a coffee shop. He sold mugs with the slogan, "Coffee makes you GO!", alluding of course to that common side effect of coffee, diarrhea. My question is: 1. Why does coffee cause diarrhea? 2. What can be done about it, apart from (a) giving up coffee, or (b) taking a daily dose of Imodium / Loperamide? Coffee is like physics: we love it, and yet we hate it. Please help me hate it less. Bottoms up!
posted by rwhe at 4:00 PM PST - 23 comments

I have a nice wide screen display (Sony P234) on a linux box. It's usually beautiful but on many applications there's a font problem. When it happens all the fonts appear as boxes. [more inside]
posted by substrate at 3:49 PM PST - 6 comments

How should I manage multiple del.icio.us accounts with my mac? [more inside]
posted by cali at 3:40 PM PST - 6 comments

Do standard “QAM” HDTV tuners work over conventional cable? [more inside]
posted by phatboy at 3:12 PM PST - 6 comments

Nice white walls in the new place, a few bad scuffmarks from the moving hooligans...help! [more inside]
posted by nj_subgenius at 1:44 PM PST - 15 comments

How often should I drip irrigate my front yard in foggy San Francisco? [more inside]
posted by Nelson at 1:41 PM PST - 4 comments

Has anyone tried microdermabrasion - performed by a certified plastic surgeon or at home? Please tell me if it worked and was worth the cost. [more inside]
posted by sophie at 12:52 PM PST - 14 comments

I am trying to find articles online which delve into the origins of naming human offspring and whether or not other species have audible monickers as well. [more inside]
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 12:43 PM PST - 4 comments

Recently a wiki that I host has been defaced pretty badly by some Asian group. I'd like to block an ip address or a range of addresses from my web server. I'm running Jakarta Tomcat on a Windows XP Pro box but Google hasn't been able to tell me how to do this.
posted by furtive at 12:31 PM PST - 7 comments

After spending a solid half hour staring at the new iTunes 4.8 visualizer and not seeing it loop around once, I started wondering how this was possible. Certain aspects repeat, but never in quite the same forms or colours. Is there a simple explanation?
posted by hopeless romantique at 10:40 AM PST - 13 comments

The front porch of my 1926 non-historic house needs to be refinished. It has peeling paint over stain, is developing 3-4mm wide cracks and when I make it down to wood, the boards seem to be damp. Small ants come spilling out when I turn off my orbital sander. [more inside]
posted by QIbHom at 10:21 AM PST - 14 comments

Need some online radio recommendations, and with a quickness. Just moved and we have like 24 country radio stations and 1 "Best of Aaron Neville/Peter Cetera" station. Help me escape the insanity! [more inside]
posted by shannymara at 10:20 AM PST - 16 comments

EarwormFilter: What is the actual title and artist of the song popularly known as the soundtrack to the Numa Numa Dance video? Gods forgive me, I would like to download an MP3 of it. (Bonus points if you can point me to an MP3 link.)
posted by matildaben at 7:35 AM PST - 8 comments

I can't get the sound to work on my computer anymore. [more inside]
posted by luser at 7:19 AM PST - 7 comments

I've just got a very natty little mp3 player which comes with MusicMatch Jukebox 9 to transfer music from my PC to the player. So far, so good - but I'm having problems loading on multiple tracks with the same name - I'm much more into listening to albums straight through, and I have several albums by the same artists which (of course) have identical track names. Can anyone suggest a method of automatically renaming shed-loads of mp3's so I can listen to albums as they were meant to be heard, instead of missing out tracks which have appeared elsewhere already? I know it can be done manually, but life is too short (and Emerson, Lake and Palmer have recorded the same songs *way* too many times)! :-) Thanks!
posted by timpollard at 6:00 AM PST - 5 comments

What's up with applause at funerals? [more inside]
posted by Mutant at 3:20 AM PST - 5 comments

I've heard many times that if you read the front page of the newspaper, you would have gone through more words than if you listened to a half hour TV broadcast news show. With this in mind, I am wondering: how many words are there, on average on the front page of a newspaper? What about inside? Does the format (broadsheet vs. tabloid) make a difference? If yes, how many words for each?
posted by TNLNYC at 9:33 PM PST - 7 comments

My neck is killing me. Where can I find a buckwheat/soba pillow in NYC? Bonus points for somewhere not overcharging for "organic ultimate lifesaving pillows".
posted by mkultra at 8:47 PM PST - 10 comments

What kind of vegan food options exist in Germany? [more inside]
posted by cmonkey at 6:39 PM PST - 14 comments

Do Mini Coopers really need high-octane gas? (Apologies to my boyfriend for asking this question because he says they do! I'm just not convinced.)
posted by abbyladybug at 6:27 PM PST - 35 comments

I'm looking to buy a book on history to read for pleasure. My interest is mainly in American history and especially Lincoln, but I'm open to suggestions on other areas too. Does anyone have a good suggestion or two?
posted by flexxer at 6:02 PM PST - 23 comments

I have a shot at salvaging a kid (twelve) from the mind numbing wasteland that is hip-hop-bippity-bop and pop. I need help. [more inside]
posted by cedar at 5:56 PM PST - 68 comments

Does anyone know a bush pilot, have contact with one, or know anything about the becoming one? I'm thinking about becoming one, and while I've found a great deal of narratives about bush pilot adventures, I haven't found anything that that talks about it as a career path, which is what I'm primarily looking for.
posted by Snyder at 3:10 PM PST - 8 comments

Most men develop an enlarged prostate as they age. I was wondering what effect an enlarged prostate would have on pleasure derived from the massaging of the prostate. Does an enlarged prostate make anal sex more pleasurable, less pleasurable or does it have no effect on pleasure?
posted by hellx at 2:48 PM PST - 2 comments

In your personal experience, do you think it's possible (or even common) to be mistakenly diagnosed as bipolar? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:18 PM PST - 29 comments

I enjoy reading people with opinions that differ from mine. Could you offer some suggestions to columnists (daily or otherwise) online that I could be enlightened by. I'm looking mostly for writer's who deal with current events going on in our nation and world. I'm looking for people of all different viewpoints and backgrounds.
posted by ieatwords at 2:10 PM PST - 11 comments

I am looking for a proven, simple and possibly cheap way to boost my mobile phone's signal. Inside my house I have no signal, however on the roof I can sometimes get a signal and make phone calls. I know there are repeaters, but does anyone know of a product that is tried and works well. Oh, and I am on Bell CDMA in Canada
posted by bright77blue at 1:29 PM PST - 10 comments

Anyone know where I can get Star Wars personal checks? All my Google-Fu can turn up is http://www.anthonygrandio.com/agindex.html, and while those are nice, they're not what I'm looking for. And they're even more than the insanely expensive checks my bank offers.
posted by Kellydamnit at 1:19 PM PST - 6 comments

What are the legal ramifications of using a real person in a fictional story? Do you have to have their permission? [more inside]
posted by bjork24 at 12:55 PM PST - 22 comments

What songs actually have messages when played backwards, or at least are popularly rumored to do so?
posted by apple scruff at 12:53 PM PST - 11 comments

My cat is bored! [more inside]
posted by Zosia Blue at 12:43 PM PST - 28 comments

Another rental question for all ya'll to tackle. I rented a room from an ad in the paper (I was moving in from out of state, didn't know many people). Rent was advertised @ $300/mo. A little steep for around here, but not TOO bad. Conveniently enough, the day after I got the lease signed, one of my roomates let me in on the fact that the couple downstairs, who rent their room/living room/bathroom combo area for $500, are moving out and subleasing it to a girl from SF for $367. Which bumps both mine and the other roomates rent up to $367 as well. I recently discovered that EVERYONE I talked to was aware this was going to happen - The landlord, the guy I subleased from, and the three other roomates. I spoke with ALL of them extensively before signing the lease, and no one felt it pertinent to let me in on this little "detail". So, to put it lightly, I'm feeling a little burned here. The lease, which legally covers the landlord ( I signed it for the total amount of the rent, $1,100, as did the rest of the roomates, which basically leaves it up to us to figure out distribution ) runs through August. An extra $67 may not seem like alot to some other MeFi'rs, but it's a ton to me, and I simply can't afford it. Subleasing it myself isn't an option, as $367 is absolutely RIDICULOUS rent for a room in this town, much less this neighborhood. Now to the question: What would happen, if I were to say, quit paying rent, period, and the landlord evicted me? Would I still be bound by the lease? I would pay all due rent ONCE he kicked me out - The point of not paying rent would be to provoke him to legally release me from the lease.. This sounds like the perfect solution to my problem, but...I mean, I've gotta be missing a critical detail here, right? An interesting side note is that I haven't paid my $300 deposit, which I don't plan on doing either. So I'm not worried about that end of it...
posted by rabble at 12:35 PM PST - 24 comments

Looking for a specific PBS show, uh... filter. I produced a sound for an in-game video, and one of my coworkers thinks I sampled it from an old (70's, early 80's) PBS show. I *did* create the sound with old PBS educational programming in mind, but not a specific show or sound. [more inside]
posted by fake at 12:32 PM PST - 6 comments

What's the best history of the British Empire you've ever read? I'm looking for something reasonably scholarly but still very readable.
posted by transona5 at 12:02 PM PST - 14 comments

Over the past year, right after I eat lunch at work (no matter what I eat) I get back to my desk and can't think straight, concentrate, or focus on what I'm doing. I get really really tired and sometimes even dizzy. Basically, I can barely function. It's got to be something more than the average food coma. Same thing happens when I drink soda or other caffeinated products too. I don't drink coffee or coke cause it screws me up. What's wrong with me and how can I get rid of this problem?
posted by freshness at 11:58 AM PST - 21 comments

I recently went to a wedding in Israel with a group of friends. The groom's in-laws let us borrow their car for a week and a friend of the bride acted as tour guide for several days. I'd like to get them each a nice gift in the $100 range, preferably something uniquely American. The inlaws are a 50-ish, fairly cosmopolitan married couple and the bride's friend is a single 30-ish woman. Any suggestions?
posted by electroboy at 11:42 AM PST - 5 comments

Has anybody ever used a cross-platform (Win, OSX) USB dongle/hardware key to copy protect a Java application? Which one(s)? How was it to integrate into the application? [more inside]
posted by Netzapper at 11:31 AM PST - 3 comments

Calling all historians: a question inspired by this photo, found through this FPP. What is the significance of the Napoleonic hand-inside-of-shirt pose? [more inside]
posted by Cuke at 10:58 AM PST - 15 comments

It's the time to consolidate my school loans, or so I hear. My question is have any of you had good/bad experiences with loan consolidation companies? Are there any I should stay away from? With school interest rates at a low, will my payments be the same regardless of whom I consolidate with? I'm looking for pretty much any experience fellow MeFites have with loan consolidation so I don't mess this up.
posted by jmd82 at 10:38 AM PST - 15 comments

I'm looking for a source of simple outline maps of the countries of the world, showing only their shapes. Any ideas?
posted by Vidiot at 10:35 AM PST - 6 comments

I'm looking for recommendations for a bed and breakfast, a guest farm or guest house or something along those lines in Scotland. [more inside]
posted by undertone at 10:34 AM PST - 7 comments

Does anyone know how to repair fusuma? [more inside]
posted by emmling at 10:09 AM PST - 6 comments

What is the best time, and day of the week to organize getting a group of people together? [more inside]
posted by helvetica at 9:53 AM PST - 18 comments

Has anyone applied for and used Tonik Insurance? [more inside]
posted by hamster at 9:28 AM PST - 2 comments

How do you stay awake, alert and keep from getting bored or broody when your work is extremely repetitive? I have an iPod, but no internet/computer access at work.
posted by Jeanne at 9:01 AM PST - 11 comments

Is there a quick and easy way to generate a list of all of the programs I have installed on my WinXP computer? [more inside]
posted by graventy at 9:00 AM PST - 2 comments

Looking for input on finishing new interior replacement windows. [more inside]
posted by jalexei at 9:00 AM PST - 1 comment

I'd like to setup a webstore/portal script for local bands to sell their merchandise on. Can anyone recommend a solution? I'd prefer it to be LAMP based if possible.
posted by jackofsaxons at 8:56 AM PST - 4 comments

Having recently finished Getting Things Done (and after following 43 Folders for some time), I'm inspired to organize my life. I've gathered supplies and plan to organize my physical life this weekend. My on-line life (based on a Mac) needs help, though. How do you stay organized on your Mac? Do you use iCal? (It still seems so buggy to me.) What e-mail program do you use? Is Microsoft's Entourage all that? I know about Quicksilver, but can you recommend other little apps to keep my digital life organized and worry free? (Tips on physical GTD organization are welcome, too.)
posted by jdroth at 8:43 AM PST - 26 comments

Anybody know of architectural salvage yards or stores in the Boston area where I can get hold of things from older building being torn down or replaced. Sinks..etc.. Thanks
posted by flyby22 at 7:33 AM PST - 3 comments

What wedding-day songs would you recommend? [more inside]
posted by mds35 at 7:18 AM PST - 48 comments

Question for NYCmefites and/or mefis that know about Rutgers University. I have a friend here in Spain that is going to do a 2 month academic sojourn at Rutgers but wants to enjoy NYC to the fullest. She has a tight budget, where should she stay? [more inside]
posted by sic at 6:26 AM PST - 15 comments

XP, possible related issues/causes inside, but the short of it is a message that says "Boot Failure: System Halted" when I turn on the computer. [more inside]
posted by tr33hggr at 6:21 AM PST - 23 comments

I saw this old horror movie about eight years ago, but I think it's from the seventies. A young couple moves into an old house and people start dying. As it turns out, the ghost either is, or looks just like, the young woman. The ghost speaks to her through the mirror. The only line of dialog I remember is when she was walking along a flight of stairs with an old man, and he says something to the effect that, "people today are so impolite." [more inside]
posted by airguitar at 5:42 AM PST - 6 comments

BostonRealty: My lease ends in September and a friend and I are planning on moving in together. We need a new place. We both work full time (and then some) and have some pretty specific requirements. Should we be having a realtor help us look? [more inside]
posted by ThePants at 5:36 AM PST - 7 comments

I didn't have enough coffee this morning and accidentally deleted some important files from a mapped network drive. I don't think the Recycle Bin is going to help me here. I am running Windows XP on my workstation, and the Server / NOS software is Windows 2000. Anyone know of any tools/methods to get these files back?
posted by jasondigitized at 5:15 AM PST - 6 comments

My small company has been working on a relatively significant time and materials-based software development project for the past three months. We still have three months more of this to go. At any rate, because we don't have the expertise in house nor do we really have the need to build up a QA area (this is a one off project), we are looking into off-shoring the testing of the application. Is it ethical to markup the offshored hourly tester rates? [more inside]
posted by Flem Snopes at 4:42 AM PST - 5 comments

I will soon need to submit my first offset jobs, and I know enough to confuse myself, but not enough to make things easier. The jobs will be short-runs (500 copies), primarily b/w photos, 20-40 pages. Questions abound, here are a few. [more inside]
posted by Jack Karaoke at 4:24 AM PST - 10 comments

A friend is becoming ordained as a full pastor in the methodist church this spring. He currently is a pastor of a small congregation, of which I am not a member. Any ideas on an appropriate gift? There is a group of five of us who would like to chip in between $30-$60 US and buy something together.
posted by barrista at 1:22 AM PST - 15 comments

I've lost my primary income provider recently (MI). [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:17 PM PST - 10 comments

A cousin of mine is getting married in Cartagena and I'll be spending a week there at the end of July. Any travel tips? Recommended places to visit/eat? I may have opportunities to travel outside of Cartagena after the wedding festivities are over, considering I'll be staying over longer than many of the guests; after I do the official Romancing The Stone walking tour (kidding, I think) where should I go from there?
posted by emelenjr at 8:46 PM PST - 2 comments

My husband and I are spending this weekend in Portland for our 12th wedding anniversary. We are staying at the Mark Spencer, and have tickets to a play Sunday evening. I'd like to book us a dinner someplace nice (but under $200 including wine/tip) for dinner either before or after the theater. [more inside]
posted by dbmcd at 6:58 PM PST - 25 comments

how do you handle authentication via cookie with CURL? [more inside]
posted by miniape at 6:57 PM PST - 8 comments

I have vinyl shades on my windows. One, in particular, has absolutely no tension. [more inside]
posted by sugarfish at 6:55 PM PST - 5 comments

What MeFi-like community blog sites do you recommend in the Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and German-speaking parts of the web? [more inside]
posted by mmahaffie at 6:03 PM PST - 2 comments

I'm about to start a rigorous plyometric jump training program. So .. to lessen all the wear and tear on my knees and ankles.. can anyone refer me to the best pair of athletic shoes to buy ? The program lasts six months, so they need to last and provide maximum shock absorbtion..thanks!
posted by jason9009 at 5:56 PM PST - 6 comments

The edges of my monitor are distorted. I can't seem to find the right adjustment to the settings. Can anyone help me fix this annoying problem? [more inside]
posted by eatcherry at 4:26 PM PST - 7 comments

I just got a new used laptop, and it has a lot of error messages showing up, so I want to completely clean it up before I start using it. Is it better to use the manufacturer's Quick Restore discs (Compaq), or to reformat the HD completely and install an operating system clean? [more inside]
posted by ruwan at 3:57 PM PST - 9 comments

What tool can I use to make a "poster" approximately 3' by 3' consisting of individual 8.5" by 11" pieces of paper? Something like Rasterbator, but without the raster part. [more inside]
posted by DakotaPaul at 3:48 PM PST - 12 comments

Is it possible to change the default search engine in Firefox's context menu for selected text? [more inside]
posted by Pigpen at 2:49 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm looking for shops in either Miami Beach or New York City where I could find interesting handmade jewelry. (A slightly random combination of cities, I know--it's just that I'll be in both places on an upcoming trip.) I'm looking for jewelry that is well made but not ultra expensive--which, in my mind, would probably put the price range somewhere between $20 and $100. Any tips for shops in either location?
posted by yankeefog at 2:42 PM PST - 6 comments

Any Canadian Mefites use Vonage (http://www.vonage.ca) for their phone service? How's the reception? Uptime? Any details you can share? Any nightmares? Details specific to Toronto or Rogers Hi-Speed appreciated.
posted by Badmichelle at 2:37 PM PST - 5 comments

I've been ignoring a number of minor Firefox bugs but I've finally had enough. Help! The Linky! extension doesn't work. The Conquery extension doesn't work. I select text but then I get an empty dialog prompting me for search text. [more inside]
posted by stuart_s at 2:28 PM PST - 3 comments

Is my water cooler doubling my electricity bill? [more inside]
posted by toftk at 2:14 PM PST - 16 comments

I remember once seeing a neighbor-search utility. One could enter an address and find who lived nearby. It wasn't fundrace. Can anyone point me to it?
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:02 PM PST - 2 comments

What did Sandy Duncan Say in her Wheat Thins commercials? Seems like she had a tag line, but it certainly wasn't "mmmm, good cracker" or "just a pinch between your cheek and gum." I'd love to have a whole transcript of one of those commercials, but what was it she said? "The little cracker with the big taste?"
posted by rainbaby at 12:27 PM PST - 17 comments

My wife and I are looking for good cheap lodging on Topsail Island NC in July. Any suggestions?
posted by Yer-Ol-Pal at 11:43 AM PST - 1 comment

I'm trying to assemble a document that outlines the various tax credits available for filming in Canada. Is there a comprehensive site (or doc) already in existence that breaks down credits nationally and by province? [more inside]
posted by johndavi at 11:23 AM PST - 5 comments

Does anyone have any advice/experience with trying to get rid of or lessen the appearance of stretch marks. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:16 AM PST - 15 comments

I work in an office where one of our managers is very overtly political. Slogans, "[opposite party] go home!," pictures of Dear Leader, and other partisan paraphanalia are par for the course with this person. It's in email signatures and publicly visible in other areas of our department. Is this excessive or am I just over-sensitive? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 11:16 AM PST - 48 comments

I swear that I've seen this quote before: "A good {conductor,composer} will anticipate his audience... and then do something else." That may not be the exact phrasing, and my googlefu has failed me. Does anyone recognize this?
posted by sbutler at 9:56 AM PST - 2 comments

Is there an easy way to change the margins on Project Gutenberg e-books? [more inside]
posted by redteam at 8:54 AM PST - 9 comments

I read once about (didn't actually read it) a short story by a Japanese author in which the protagonist's business cards come to life and impersonate him; I thought it might be Kobo Abe, but couldn't substantiate. Please to assist.
posted by clockzero at 7:56 AM PST - 3 comments

Is there some sort of rule-of-thumb for how many giveaways you bring to a conference based on number of attendees? [more inside]
posted by tristeza at 7:52 AM PST - 5 comments

My sweetie and I are looking for lodging recommendations in Montreal. [more inside]
posted by TurkishGolds at 7:40 AM PST - 17 comments

Show my boss the power of AskMe by indentifying this half-remembered mystery story/novel for her, please... [more inside]
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:30 AM PST - 6 comments

Looking for the name of the sculptor who made 2 kinetic pieces that used to be in (I think 2) areas at Logan Airport. Maybe United Airlines area? Balls 2 or 3 " in diameter rolled along troughs, tripped levers, were carried up escalators, etc. etc. Haven't seen them in years , but I would love more information about them and him.
posted by judybxxx at 7:29 AM PST - 16 comments

What's the best place / way to sell my quality but no-longer-wanted clothing in the Boston area? Craigslist? eBay? Consignment shops? I'm curious about how I can get the most money possible. [more inside]
posted by josh at 6:58 AM PST - 6 comments

I do marketing for a company that manufactures and installs windows/doors/gates in Uganda (East Africa). I want to create signage to put up at construction sites to advertise that the windows (etc) are by us. Problem: as opposed to the north american constructions sites i am familiar with, site hoardings (the barrier around the site) are usually corrugated metal sheets instead of the flat, nailable/gluable wood we use at home, and lawn-type areas around construction sites are non-existent, so you can't just stick something into the ground. SO.. how to display the sign? [more inside]
posted by Kololo at 6:44 AM PST - 8 comments

Can anyone recommend a sunscreen (or alternative option) that will offer good protection for my face and scalp while I am in the sea. Balding scalp can make it difficult to get cream all over, and constantly being in and out of waves can be a problem for keeping stuff on. Any products would need to be stuff I can buy in the UK.
posted by biffa at 6:10 AM PST - 8 comments

My wife and I really really love this soap. (sorry, crappy photo) It's 'Atlantis' made by L'Aromarine of France. Please help me find a place to buy it online! We have one bar left, and we can't bear to use it up... [more inside]
posted by chr1sb0y at 5:23 AM PST - 8 comments

What are your favorite Mac-only tips and tricks (like the instant-off / instant-on feature when you close the lid of an iBook) from which a switching Windows user would benefit?
posted by humuhumu at 4:24 AM PST - 41 comments

I have a 512 MB Lexar jump drive, which I connected to my brother's computer before installing windows. I didn't think about this while instructing him on the install, and the partition on the jump drive was deleted. How can I fix it?
posted by borkencode at 1:34 AM PST - 3 comments

Is there an extension or a setting I can change to get firefox to open bookmarks in a new tab as the default single-left click behavior?
posted by juv3nal at 12:02 AM PST - 14 comments

I need book recommendations pronto! [more inside]
posted by ttrendel at 10:14 PM PST - 55 comments

I need a facial moisturizer that won't give me blackheads. [more inside]
posted by luneray at 10:01 PM PST - 25 comments

Has anyone ever installed stainless steel chimney liner themselves? I've been quoted amounts ranging from expensive to outrageous to have it done professionally. [more inside]
posted by TimeFactor at 8:51 PM PST - 6 comments

Can you recommend any great books on fashion and style? [more inside]
posted by orange swan at 8:41 PM PST - 7 comments

I just got a new laptop which I like very much, but there is one dead pixel on the right side of the screen. I'm debating if I should exchange it. It really isn't that big a deal, but it seems like one of those little things that might slowly drive me insane if I keep it. [more inside]
posted by furiousxgeorge at 7:55 PM PST - 17 comments

What's the name of the musician who does lounge style remakes of popular (often heavy metal or hard rock) songs? He's on the Dawn of the Dead remake soundtrack.
posted by Jon-o at 7:45 PM PST - 6 comments

I am trying to find good sources on estimating the startup costs for an ecommerce site. My googlefu is not working, as all the sites I find are trying to sell me affiliations, books, etc. and are not 'real' resources. [more inside]
posted by juggler at 7:37 PM PST - 2 comments

Remember the default screensaver that came with SGI IRIX around 10 years ago? Has anyone ported that to Windows? [more inside]
posted by randomstriker at 7:27 PM PST - 11 comments

Where is the ultimate video game arcade in the United States? I want to take my 12-yo son on a fun vacation that he has most decidedly earned, and I need ideas. He does not like rollercoasters or other amusement park rides, but he does like experiential movie theatres like IMAX, 3-D and the like.
posted by mischief at 7:22 PM PST - 19 comments

How long can I expect unused gasoline in a car's gas tank to last before it breaks down into something that the engine can't burn?
posted by nmiell at 6:03 PM PST - 11 comments

I have a friend who wants to buy a sweet (and cheap!) fixer-upper in an up-and-coming section of Philadelphia. Thing is, she'll need to do a lot of work to renovate it, including putting in new floors... [more inside]
posted by AlexReynolds at 5:21 PM PST - 14 comments

Inspired by this, I want to remove the lettering from my iBook's keyboard. What is the best method to do this cleanly? [more inside]
posted by rorycberger at 4:59 PM PST - 25 comments

My fiance and I have been looking for a unique wedding band design and we really like carved and engraved gold but not the stuff that looks like it has just been diamond cut. We found a really nice 1930's french wedding band with laurel on it Here. Any ideas where I could find more designs like this?? We are looking to stick to yellow gold and want something unique.
posted by cdcello at 4:39 PM PST - 14 comments

since recently i'm the proud owner of an mda. the qtek c100 is my new best friend... i'm curious if you now any good pda sites [mefi looks & works great], which are really good for these kind of devices. news, guides, games... low kb's and straight to the point, and what's your experience?
posted by mailhans at 4:30 PM PST - 2 comments

My home LAN media streaming is too slow, [more inside]
posted by curiousleo at 3:50 PM PST - 8 comments

Are newspaper obituaries always provided by the family, or in the event where one has no family, are there people who write them? If so, does anyone have any experience or second hand stories concerning writing them? [more inside]
posted by xmutex at 3:43 PM PST - 20 comments

I have two niggling little problems with my mac. First, the screensaver comes on when my mac is idle. I know about my control panels, and the screen saver is, and always has been, set to never. My desktop pic also changes at startup and it too is set to never. Also, when I drag a picture from a website to my desktop, using safari, I get a jpeg icon on my desktop. When I use explorer, the image is a viewable thumbnail. Upgrading to Tiger didn't help. Any ideas?
posted by vronsky at 3:36 PM PST - 3 comments

Has anyone around here used Skype? Is it any good? I should mention I'm hoping to use it on a dial-up connection.
posted by feelinglistless at 2:44 PM PST - 17 comments

My girlfriend's applied to editorial positions, and is uncertain what to expect on editing tests. She's taken some professional editing classes (using the CMS, which the positions will also use), so the concern isn't at the level of how to edit. Any tips or insight into what such tests generally consist of would be appreciated.
posted by kenko at 2:34 PM PST - 12 comments

Page layout: not indenting first paragraph nor paragraphs after subheadings... who made this rule? [more inside]
posted by CaptApollo at 2:28 PM PST - 9 comments

Is it at all possible to recover deleted files from OS X? What if they were deleted 6 months ago? [more inside]
posted by rough at 2:27 PM PST - 10 comments

I recently upgraded to Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. However I do not have a compatible VPN client from Cisco. Anyone know of a place I can obtain one? [more inside]
posted by cahlers at 2:23 PM PST - 15 comments

Does anyone remember the site that shows an infographic of US discretionary spending, departments represented as circles, the size of which are proportional to the percentage of the budget that department receives?
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 1:55 PM PST - 8 comments

I've been working on some Flash that I was hoping to convert to MPEG2 to use as a background for a DVD I'm building. But I've hit a snag.. [more inside]
posted by lemonfridge at 1:36 PM PST - 6 comments

White refrigerators are so boring. I want to paint mine a nice shiny stylish black. [more inside]
posted by willmize at 1:30 PM PST - 8 comments

What's the best Yoga video on Netflix for beginners? [more inside]
posted by exhilaration at 1:17 PM PST - 11 comments

Car Insurance question - I was in an accident over New Years, where a friend of mine and I were hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street. The driver fled, and was never caught by the cops. 5 months later, I've found out he filed a claim with his car insurance company for a significant amount of money, and been approved. [more inside]
posted by SweetJesus at 1:15 PM PST - 17 comments

Sitting in a car today as my friend was filling her tank, and my colleagues and I wondered aloud why there doesn't seem to be a standard for which side of the car has the gas cap on it. The car we were in had it on the right, as do both my cars, but the others in the car had cars with the caps on the left. What logic do car manufacturers use to determine from which side fuel is delivered? Some vehicles have the delivery point at the rear, and I believe I once saw a car with the gas cap near the front somewhere. Anyone know a rough ratio of left / right on North American cars? If there is a majority, is it an ergonomics thing? Just curious.
posted by galto at 1:01 PM PST - 45 comments

There has to be a list somewhere of the U.S. theatres showing The Revenge of the Sith in digital projection or IMAX, but I'm d*mned if my weak-ass google-fu can turn it up. Help me.... No. Must. Resist.
posted by mojohand at 12:29 PM PST - 21 comments

I'm going to be doing some outdoor travelling in Europe this summer, and I'd like to wear a hat for protection from the sun (my hair is thinning, sad to say). Are there any recommendations for hats for men that A) look good B) are not baseball caps C) won't make me look like a mountaineer? [more inside]
posted by bjennings at 12:13 PM PST - 23 comments

I have an old Nikon N6006 film SLR. I am interested in buying a Nikon D70 digital SLR and would like to know if my old lenses will be compatible. I don't know much about what types of Nikon lenses are out there, but the ones I have are autofocus and work with my N6006. How can I tell if they will work with the D70?
posted by scarabic at 12:10 PM PST - 12 comments

I upgraded my wife's powerbook (15" titanium/867Mhz, from 2003) to tiger last week and now it seems when unplugged it doesn't recognize the battery in the status monitor. I've searched google but can't find any fix. [more inside]
posted by mathowie at 11:52 AM PST - 2 comments

I enjoy the often-derided NewsFilter type posts, epecially the comments and links provided in follow-up. These days, Canadian politics has become interesting, but I haven't found a spot on the web where ideas, information and links of MeFi caliber are posted on this subject. Are there any Canadian politics oriented blogs or forums that are worthy?
posted by bumpkin at 11:52 AM PST - 8 comments

Is there any FTP software that will compare the files on the server to the ones stored locally, and only download new or updated / changed files? (I'd prefer a program that does this as opposed to some sort of script or other hackery) [more inside]
posted by banished at 11:03 AM PST - 11 comments

I know that some contests have cheats so you can usually win... Are there any ways to "cheat" on scratch off contests where there are two boxes to choose from? Specifically, Burger King's "Choose your Destiny" contest.
posted by ajpresto at 11:01 AM PST - 5 comments

How do I do a wookie roar with only my voice?
posted by brownpau at 10:42 AM PST - 26 comments

What's the deal? It's not like a newborn cares about bows and ruffles, and it's not like she'll grow up any more or less feminine as a result of what she wears. Boys' clothes are much simpler and seem to have cooler designs, and some of the unisex stuff is pretty good, but all the girl stuff seems pastelly and flowery. Where are the primary colors for girls, the animals and trucks and fire engines. And does anyone make black baby clothes?
posted by SobaFett at 10:33 AM PST - 26 comments

I've been diagnosed a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Is the surgical solution the best? Can it guaranty a full recovery? [more inside]
posted by nims at 10:28 AM PST - 14 comments

Home networking gurus: Is it possible to set things up such that most types of my net traffic will go through the satellite connection, but certain specific tasks will go over dialup instead? [more inside]
posted by ook at 10:03 AM PST - 5 comments

I'm looking for surprises about the web that few would have expected 10 years ago. Like Google maps, with satellite images. Or that "view your block" option on Amazon. There are indeed many marvelous benefits on the www. What is a most unexpected feature on the web today that would have seemed 'unrealistic' to expect just 10 years ago? I'm looking for the non-obvious.
posted by kk at 9:59 AM PST - 31 comments

I've been asked by my best friend to be a bridesmaid next year, and while I've said yes, I'm really dreading it. Help me learn to like taking care of my appearance during the following 12 months? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:46 AM PST - 22 comments

Does anyone know of a program where I can store recipes, prepare a menu from those recipes, and then a shopping list? [more inside]
posted by nulledge at 9:46 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm looking for songs about gratitude/giving thanks. [more inside]
posted by Tuwa at 9:33 AM PST - 32 comments

I broke my WiFi support in Win2k. Everything works except the scanning - I can connect to a network only if I know the SSID. There are various ways I can scan - netstumbler, IBM's tool for managing connections, or via Cisco's own software. They all used to work. Now they all detect nothing. [more inside]
posted by andrew cooke at 9:02 AM PST - 3 comments

I am job hunting for an executive position after over 15 years as a self-employed consultant. Has anyone had experience with a Career Marketing & Outplacement service such as Allen and Associates? They claim to help you get directly to the decision-makers, and get you interviews and offers quicker. Is it worth the price?
posted by bobduckles at 8:36 AM PST - 10 comments

In June I attend a conference on the Boston University campus. It looks like the BU network will be closed to attendees who are not BU students. Do you know of wifi access close to the BU campus? [more inside]
posted by Mo Nickels at 8:30 AM PST - 5 comments

How difficult would it be for a nineteen year old with one year of college, moderate work experience, a TEFL certificate and little to no European language ability to get a temporary work visa in the EU? I'm thinking Germany, specifically. I've checked out this thread, but that seems to pertain mostly to becomig a citizen. I'm not looking to become naturalized or anything (though that would be nice), just find a menial job to support myself for six months or less. Note: I'm willing to accept "impossible" as an answer.
posted by borkingchikapa at 8:26 AM PST - 6 comments

I want to apply for an internship, and the posting says to send cover letter, resume, and references via email. My question is: how exactly should this be done? [more inside]
posted by dagnyscott at 8:07 AM PST - 15 comments

I've got a 2003 Mazda Protege5...which, over the past 3 weeks or so, has developed a noticeable fuel odor in the cabin. [more inside]
posted by tpl1212 at 7:03 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm pretty verbose, but I don't think my vocabulary has grown much in years. And I'd like to build it up. [more inside]
posted by grumblebee at 6:54 AM PST - 23 comments

How can I re-install shareware that doesn't want to be re-installed? [more inside]
posted by Frasermoo at 6:35 AM PST - 9 comments

Myself and my fiance will be travelling in Europe later this year, and he needs a visa to visit pretty much anywhere. A colleague has mentioned that there is one Europe-wide (apart from Ireland and the UK) tourist visa available, which would save us the time and expense of getting six separate visas, but I can't find any info about this. Does it exist? If so, where do we apply? Or would an e.g. French visa be valid to visit Spain? Thanks.
posted by dublinemma at 6:27 AM PST - 5 comments

Need help designing a sports collage [more inside]
posted by askmatrix at 5:57 AM PST - 2 comments

I'd like to learn American Sign Language. Are there any good, free web resources that would let me teach myself?
posted by Apoch at 5:43 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm looking for quotes, proverbs or passages roughly synonymous with the saying "the more things change, the more they stay the same". English or non-English. Religious or secular. Your own or someone else's.
posted by Ritchie at 3:38 AM PST - 26 comments

I'm putting together an on-line version of an old book as a personal project, but in my copy of it a few words are illegible: I wonder is there anyone out there who owns a copy of the book in question—Isaac D’Israeli’s Curiosities of Literature—or a librarian who has access to a copy, who could help me fill in the blanks? I live in provincial Sweden, so my local library are unlikely to have what I need. Alternatively, if you know of another on-line forum (or newsgroup) where a question like this might be readily answered, then please point me in that direction. [more inside]
posted by misteraitch at 2:36 AM PST - 16 comments

How do I access the iTunes music store with a dial-up connection? [more inside]
posted by monkey closet at 1:48 AM PST - 5 comments

I'm looking for a blog post from a day or two ago that took the form of the letter that the government sent to Chuck D, as referenced in the Public Enemy song 'Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos' [more inside]
posted by nonemoreblack at 8:52 PM PST - 2 comments

My daughter is all freaked out about the proposed national id and peak oil. Now some Christians have given her a verbal tour of the book of Revelations (along with the common born- again interpretations) and she is asking me questions. Not believing that the bible is anything too special, I am at a loss as how to enlarge her view from American Judeo-Christian to a more serious world view. Does anyone have any sources that refute common Revelations prophecy or sourcing for other end stories of different religions? Any other ideas are welcome. My goal is not to prevent her from believing anything but to show her that the world is a very broad place. Thanks!
posted by jswanson19 at 8:39 PM PST - 38 comments

A friend is graduating law school on Saturday, I'd like to give him a gift to mark the occassion. My only qualifiers are that the cost not exceed $100 and the present not be something obvious, which is to say something that he might get from someone else or buy himself. I'd be grateful for any suggestions.
posted by boombot at 7:26 PM PST - 26 comments

I am no longer comfortable living in my apartment. The lease calls for 60 days notice. I found an apartment I adore, but it may be snatched up by then. [more inside]
posted by Miss Bitchy Pants at 5:02 PM PST - 13 comments

Arrgh. I just installed the new DVD Player of OS X and it hung up on Optimizing Performance. I ended up having to reboot and when I did both my Lacie 160 firewire drive and iPod are DEAD! [more inside]
posted by dobbs at 4:49 PM PST - 16 comments

Curiosity struck and I'm looking for a year-by-year breakdown of the number of times the filibuster has been used. A chart with further breakdowns of senator, state, party, duration, cause, and whether the filibuster was ended via cloture would be even nicer. [more inside]
posted by rudyfink at 4:09 PM PST - 7 comments

I want to learn intermediate/advanced algebra and on to trig/calculus. Are there any good books / software / resources / websites that will help me with this, aside from the regular run of dry textbooks? [more inside]
posted by rolypolyman at 4:04 PM PST - 9 comments

Does anyone know a simple (and free) method of password-protecting my USB thumbdrive?
posted by celibate_life at 3:26 PM PST - 14 comments

What sort of daily time commitment is required to make strong progress in picking up a language? Granted, this varies greatly from person to person, but I want to hear about your experiences. I can only muster 45 minutes of German grammar a day. Will this get me somewhere, or am I chasing after wind?
posted by ori at 2:49 PM PST - 14 comments

A question asked before, but I can't find it. Anyone know any free utilities that are easy to use, to allow a web developer to simulate a slow connection speed on what is actually a high speed line ? For the purposes of testing a graphically intensive website/web app on a low bandwith line. Thanks.
posted by superfurry at 2:45 PM PST - 7 comments

Why can I get AM radio stations crystal clear in my car and cannot get them in my house no matter what antenna (that is ones provided by audio equip) I use?
posted by thimk at 2:04 PM PST - 10 comments

I'm trying to set something up for a whole bunch of people with busy schedules. Is there a free web app, or open source hosted script, that allows a group of people to schedule something, and show where the conflicts are? (As in Outlook, but free, and collaborative)
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 1:44 PM PST - 6 comments

I have never been the best in fashion, but I would like to be able to start to dress better. Is there a website out there that makes understanding men's fashion a bit easier? What goes with what, fashion from certain time periods, how to thrift shop and make it work for you... [more inside]
posted by matthelm at 1:27 PM PST - 11 comments

Does anyone know any good games to play with a six-month old baby? I'm frequently with my son Max, and I often can't think of anything to do with him. I feel like I'm denying him proper game playing. He can't sit up yet, or completely roll over and back, so things are a bit limited. I often entertain him with songs and weird noises, but I would like to figure out more interactive stuff to do with him. Any suggestions out there?
posted by Alex Marshall at 1:14 PM PST - 19 comments

It strikes me that English doesn't have any good words for genitalia. I attribute this to our repressed culture. Any words for our naughty parts are either porn words, schoolkid words, or clinical. Can anyone think of some good words for the privates? (Obviously there will be some raw language inside this question.) [more inside]
posted by jojopizza at 12:26 PM PST - 73 comments

NYC: How much, if any, are you supposed to tip car-service drivers? [more inside]
posted by nobody at 12:12 PM PST - 7 comments

Anyone happen to remember which Supreme Court case dealt with federal funding going to states that complied with guidelines, and specified that the funding incentives had to be related to the guideline (ie, money for highways if you instituted a speed limit is OK, but money for highways if your public school test scores were past a minimum is not OK)?
posted by kafziel at 12:10 PM PST - 2 comments

What events would have to happen for you to conclude your country had become a despotism? What actions, if any, would you take to to combat that despotism? What would be the most effective way to organize opposition? [more inside]
posted by orthogonality at 11:07 AM PST - 35 comments

I'm looking to elope later this year. The plan is to go on honeymoon to a place like Belize, starting off (there) with a simple, unattended ceremony. What are the implications of getting married outside of the US, and what sort of things do I need to do prior to the trip down there? Is this a bad idea?
posted by davebug at 10:12 AM PST - 6 comments

My mother disappeared from my life when I was 11 and now I want to find her. [more inside]
posted by panoptican at 10:02 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm a recently divorced female in my early 30s and haven't dated since college. I've been pretty successful as far as meeting men with who I click; it's the part after that I don't understand...having The Talk without seeming needy or psycho... [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 9:37 AM PST - 33 comments

Does my reverse engineering a protocol for a poker website constitute a violation of the DMCA (or any other statute?) [more inside]
posted by RustyBrooks at 9:17 AM PST - 19 comments

I'm going on a three-week backpacking trip in the mountains, and I'm trying to find a good resource for food planning. [more inside]
posted by ORthey at 8:41 AM PST - 15 comments

Be my focus group! Due to very limited resources the company that I work for can only commit development resources for one emerging technology to be integrated. Understandably I want the biggest bang for the buck. What do you consider to be an up and coming technology/app for web hosting? [more inside]
posted by FlamingBore at 8:05 AM PST - 36 comments

I just planted flowers for the summertime, and I have two windowboxes that I want to hang off of my front balcony. The problem is that the balcony is 9" thick. All of the brackets I could find are 6" max. I can't drill holes as the balcony is old limestone and I'm afraid I'd ruin it. [more inside]
posted by AgentRocket at 7:51 AM PST - 10 comments

Help me find some decent line art.... [more inside]
posted by monkey!knife!fight! at 7:36 AM PST - 4 comments

Quick little French question - how would you say "reprint" in French, as in, "click here to reprint your receipt". [more inside]
posted by loquax at 7:21 AM PST - 9 comments

My mechanic just told me that my 98 Saturn wagon (125,000 miles) needs a new clutch. Nothing dramatic happened; I just brought it in for a pre road trip checkup. The clutch has been getting stickier & stickier, and sometimes it's very hard to wrench it into first gear, but it's drivable. He said he had no way of knowing when it would go completely, but it definitely was going to need to be replaced soon. Since inspecting it involves pulling the transmission, you might as well commit to fixing it altogether. I have two questions. [more inside]
posted by mygothlaundry at 6:55 AM PST - 23 comments

My step-mom (who doesn't normally read sci-fi/fantasy) recently read "The Fifth Sacred Thing" by Starhawk and is looking for more similar books. Specifically she is wanting to read about post-apocalyptic societies. Anyone have any ideas?
posted by arcticwoman at 6:21 AM PST - 31 comments

Name that Creepy Short Film: A woman starts to pull a hair out of a sink... [more inside]
posted by sciurus at 5:30 AM PST - 3 comments

Quicktime error message: Quicktime is unable to process this request. The software needed is not located on the Quicktime server. I get this message when trying to play the items in the pop up list from clicking the 'film' link under the first picture at this url: http://www.strandbeest.com/#. [more inside]
posted by yoga at 5:24 AM PST - 5 comments

Any legal historians out there? Can you tell me, historically, what's the deal with punitive damages? [more inside]
posted by IndigoJones at 4:30 AM PST - 9 comments

What is the best software for scanning documents? [more inside]
posted by benjh at 4:24 AM PST - 6 comments

I believe it's been asked before, and I'm already able to do this, but I'm sure there's an easier and more efficient way of recording Real Audio and other streaming audio sources so I can listen to them on my MP3 player. [more inside]
posted by tomble at 11:35 PM PST - 12 comments

A friend and I are producing and directing a biweekly variety-type theater show. We've run our own weekly show much like this with our own creative crew for a number of months, so the production angle is quite familiar, but we need fresh writing blood from outside our social circle. We'd like to open our submissions to playwrights, sketch writers, monologists, and the like, but it's an awfully big city. What are the best ways to find such people willing to submit writing, especially in NYC? Craigslist leaps out as the obvious choice, as does flyering up colleges, but there must be other options as well. [more inside]
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:29 PM PST - 5 comments

Alton Brown Filter: Hey, does anybody know where I can get those great measuring cups Alton Brown uses on Good Eats? [more inside]
posted by ebeeb at 9:36 PM PST - 15 comments

I've recently acquired a Vulcan oven from a restaurant that was closing down. To say it is dirty is an understatement. I've used lye based cleaners, a pressure washer, scrub brushes, and anything else I had lying around. It still isn't clean. It is mostly stainless steel, with some cast iron here and there. I have it sitting outside for the time being, because I don't want to attract rodents and bugs into the house. I really need to get this thing clean soon so I can get the propane tank installed. This oven was in use for 8 years without having a real cleaning. The grease was dripping off in the heat of the sun. But it is still quite grimy. Any advice? Nothing is too drastic. Help!
posted by bh at 8:38 PM PST - 41 comments

Two friends have been infected with the evil Aurora pop-up thing, and I've spent hours thinking about how to kill it. I've installed Avast on their systems and no dice yet. Is there an app that will destroy it, or is the fix deep DIY registry surgery? Thanks!
posted by moonbird at 8:27 PM PST - 9 comments

I want to be a Jedi for the Star Wars premiere. [more inside]
posted by petah at 7:39 PM PST - 5 comments

If I use Shuffler to copy music to my iPod Shuffle, will it still work with iTunes? I'm worried the database rebuilder will break something, or that iTunes will know I've been unfaithful to it and refuse to speak to me.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 7:26 PM PST - 2 comments

After watching "My Beautiful Laundrette" for the hundredth time - I had a question about one of the relationships in the movie. [more inside]
posted by Julnyes at 7:25 PM PST - 5 comments

My window screen pops out at the bottom corner. I'm on 2nd floor. Easy fix from inside? [more inside]
posted by freudianslipper at 6:28 PM PST - 9 comments

Mac to PC: How do I avoid having images replaced with the error message "Quick time and a tiff decompressor are needed to view image"? [more inside]
posted by 445supermag at 6:09 PM PST - 6 comments

My girlfriend is obsessed with the Cillit Bang advertisement remix. Back in the 80's (or early 90's), there was a similar "remix" video of 50's black and white advertisements set to a beat-box soundtrack, with "lyrics" consisting of samples the sales pitches of those ads. Can anyone ID this? [more inside]
posted by eschatfische at 5:08 PM PST - 3 comments

Israeli cultural recommendations... [more inside]
posted by xo at 3:41 PM PST - 10 comments

Has any one read any biographies of Napoleon that they would recommend? [more inside]
posted by grapefruitmoon at 3:12 PM PST - 11 comments

Need recommendations for men's hair stylist in San Francisco/ East Bay Area. My SO's much younger brother is staying with us for the summer. He has terrible hair- thin, fine, and yet somehow wiry. Tendency to do weird spiky things. Help us help him get a decent haircut. [more inside]
posted by ambrosia at 2:57 PM PST - 7 comments

How do you find the right marriage counselor? I really need to talk to someone... [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:47 PM PST - 9 comments

I hate myself. This is a problem. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 2:47 PM PST - 57 comments

Has anyone ever heard of somebody going back to do an undergrad degree in science after doing an unrelated degree in something completely unrelated to science? And being successful or satisfied with their choice? [more inside]
posted by Idiot Mittens at 2:38 PM PST - 26 comments

Maybe it's just a variation of Parkour, but does anyone have more information on this? (I tried asking mandala but no response)
posted by vacapinta at 2:26 PM PST - 1 comment

I remember an article on the internet about a man who set up a satellite receiver and licensed his TV from the same people most cable companies get theirs from, then ended up reselling to his neighbors. Does anyone remember this or is my feeble mind playing tricks on me again?
posted by Ikazuchi at 2:11 PM PST - 1 comment

Please help me ID this song. Very slow french duet, a coarse sounding french male voice, with a light beautiful female. They go back and forth with sentence/answer lyrics in a loving tone. Set over melodic acoustic guitar track. Vague, but it's all I got.
posted by omidius at 1:59 PM PST - 22 comments

Where should I go to college? [more inside]
posted by puffin at 1:30 PM PST - 54 comments

since this seems to be "remember a sci-fi book from your childhood" week, i thought i'd pose my own. the story is your basic time-travel adventure, between "today" (read:1950s) and ancient Byzantium. it involved time traveling under the moniker of "shunting" and involved some steamy sex scenes that certainly were fun when i was 13 and reading it. any help?
posted by yonation at 12:47 PM PST - 8 comments

I want songs about writing and writers. So far I have Cake's "Shadow Stabbing," Moxy Fruvous' "My Baby Loves a Bunch of Authors," and the Beatles' "Paperback Writer." [more inside]
posted by NickDouglas at 12:41 PM PST - 37 comments

The new Ford Mustang, just like the last one, "features" a solid rear axle. Ford (and her enthusiasts) claim that such a design is for "performance reasons." Is this plausible? [more inside]
posted by Kwantsar at 12:28 PM PST - 12 comments

Oh no, I downloaded a virus! ... Out of curiosity, that is. And now I'd like to analyze it somehow to see what it would've done if I hadn't been on my Mac. [more inside]
posted by wanderingmind at 12:21 PM PST - 7 comments

I want to get a boat/kayak/canoe/floaty thing for a nearby small river. Knowing nothing about them, I need some advice about what to get. [more inside]
posted by striker at 11:56 AM PST - 18 comments

Looking to pick up a new laptop. Where is the best place online to find reviews of laptops to compare specs, pricing etc.? Looking for a PC OS, not an Apple one.
posted by derekislost at 11:42 AM PST - 6 comments

Being a non-US citizen that has family living in the continental US I have noticed that border traversal has been getting exceedingly difficult and more intrusive. However, the US-VISIT program seems to take it a little far (IMO). [more inside]
posted by purephase at 10:53 AM PST - 20 comments

Do you know of a list of ways to answer the phone? [more inside]
posted by shepd at 10:40 AM PST - 65 comments

"When Irish eyes are smiling... you've probably been ripped off" was a repeated refrain in a science fiction novel about virtual reality and perception. It's been at least six years since publication since it was over that long ago I read it. [more inside]
posted by phearlez at 10:39 AM PST - 26 comments

Recently, I've had to pull several all-nighters to finish papers, etc. Not only do I feel awful the next day, but it generally puts me partially out of commission for the day after too. Is there anything I can do during the time I'm working to help prevent/counter some of the effects of sleep deprivation?
posted by almostbarefoot at 10:25 AM PST - 17 comments

Is there a utility or method to modify the expiry date of a cookie in Firefox from any website? [more inside]
posted by Big Fat Tycoon at 8:35 AM PST - 4 comments

The recent Chapelle breakdown has me wondering, is fame and fortune that big of a change? I don't see CEOs and VPs bemoaning their large bank accounts and the people around them. Is this a creative-type personality dilemna where they feel inadequate against expectations? [more inside]
posted by geoff. at 7:31 AM PST - 22 comments

I'm finishing up my master's thesis, and I am having trouble picking a font to print it in. The thesis writing guide we are given just says it must be a "classic" font. I'd like something snazzy, yet easy to read. Save me from the clutches of Times New Roman! [more inside]
posted by amelliferae at 7:19 AM PST - 43 comments

So I've been listening to Chris Morris' Blue Jam a lot, lately... [more inside]
posted by Rothko at 7:11 AM PST - 7 comments

My wife is an insulin dependent diabetic who's had great success in using an insulin pump. We live in the US but are originally from the UK. After conversations with various people in the UK knowledgeable of diabetes treatment, we've learned that insulin pumps seem to be almost non-existent there. Is this really the case and if so what are the reasons?
posted by TheManticore at 6:47 AM PST - 2 comments

I've started using TeamSpeak to communicate with the members of my guild in World of Warcraft, and I've run into a problem. The other users can barely hear me, unless I have the Speech Control Panel open in Windows. I don't have to do anything other than open it, and my volume comes through fine. (Already checked all the levels on the microphone, and that's not the issue.) Any ideas?
posted by emptybowl at 6:46 AM PST - 8 comments

Does anyone know how I can automatically BCC an email address when I send email with GMail? [more inside]
posted by chunking express at 6:22 AM PST - 0 comments

If the car you're in is about to be hit from behind, what is the best thing to do to avoid injury? Assuming your car is stopped (i.e. at a stoplight or something) and you don't have time to do any significant acceleration, should you, for instance, apply or release the breaks? Should you brace against the steering wheel? [more inside]
posted by abingham at 5:57 AM PST - 21 comments

I'm looking for the perfect booklight. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by gfrobe at 4:51 AM PST - 6 comments

You can find them everywhere, but not the one I need. I bought an inexpensive memo pad holder and refills from a (now defunct) office supply store in NYC years ago. I'm down to the last pad and I cannot find refills anywhere. (Small) scans of the refill inside... [more inside]
posted by Expat at 3:26 AM PST - 4 comments

Trying to remember the name(s) of a series of books I read, ooh, 10-15 years ago (ouch). Scifi/fantasy genre, female author. Susan something? Anyhoo, there were these big fortresses, and it was completely dark inside and all the people hid inside them while the big flappy things ruled the land outside. Your typical three-volume fallen from grace to rise again with the strength of our courage and sweat of our brows kind of thing, but (with a precious few moments) set entirely in these dark fortresses. [more inside]
posted by 5MeoCMP at 11:22 PM PST - 8 comments

Moving boxes of books and clothes from the US to Canada cheaply - I need to ask about options. [more inside]
posted by jb at 10:43 PM PST - 8 comments

At my cousins' new house the water pipes make this awful and continuous groaning noise when she waters the front lawn but not the back. Any ideas what may be causing it and if anything can be done about it? Cheap fix is what we're hoping for.
posted by BoscosMom at 9:49 PM PST - 9 comments

Looking for a book title - 70's science fiction. The protagonist was a straight (from cover picture) seeming phone phreak who had an electronic avatar that he discussed everything with. The avatar was his friend and ally. He would use his avatar to destroy the credit of a bad guy and etc. It was a paperback original I think and probably came out in the mid 70's. Any ideas?
posted by ptm at 8:49 PM PST - 9 comments

I need a 3D app for OS X. Is Blender my best choice if I don't want to spend a lot of dough? [more inside]
posted by gwint at 6:37 PM PST - 6 comments

I heard from an R2 unit a while ago there was an underground album of remixed star wars related tunes, breakbeats, other various mixes, this illicit material was highly rated among the republic but the imperial guard look to have wiped all trace of it from the archives, does anyone have details? MTFBWU
posted by ugrndhg at 3:28 PM PST - 6 comments

My daughter's birthday is coming up (she will be 2 next month) and the wife and I began to look at some outdoor play-sets, namely this one its called the Step2 Naturally Playful Woodland Climber, and besides Toys R Us, they seem awfully high price-wise, where can I buy these? [more inside]
posted by ShawnString at 2:53 PM PST - 6 comments

I remember when I was younger we used to get these bag of chips that tasted like pizza. They were shaped like pepperonis and had spices on them. I have no idea what they were called and I've never seen them since. Everyone that I ask have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about and think I'm crazy. Did I just imagine these or does anyone else remember them? What were they called?
posted by Livewire Confusion at 2:48 PM PST - 13 comments

How do you get rid of a friend? Once upon a time I was carefree when it came to making friends, now I'm a little more discriminating when it comes to who I want to spend my time with. [more inside]
posted by thefinned1 at 10:45 AM PST - 29 comments

So I'm making a yellow cake from a mix...I added the water and the oil, then reached into the refrigerator for eggs that weren't there. What will happen if I bake this without the eggs? Or is there any normal pantry item that I could substitute for them? All the substitution recommendations I can find online are like substituting whites for whole eggs and using those non-egg egg substitutes. I'm not going to leave the house. Can this cake be saved?
posted by leapingsheep at 10:33 AM PST - 18 comments

Bookfilter : I'm looking for a book I read as a kid. As I remember it was of a similar genre to Narnia books or even Harry Potter in that kind of escapist way that I find I loved to read as a kid... [more inside]
posted by mikeanegus at 10:09 AM PST - 6 comments

I need some free or cheap software for a bookstore staff filled with computer users that want to present some awesome content and promote their store. And it's gotta go up quick. The software needs to be as easy to use as the widely known blog software like that used on blogspot, livejournal and the like. But it can't produce pages that look and feel like a blog... [more inside]
posted by By The Grace of God at 9:43 AM PST - 5 comments

A friend of mine, who writes for Ministry and Liturgy magazine, has a question about a prayer attributed to St. Teresa. [more inside]
posted by UKnowForKids at 9:08 AM PST - 4 comments

I purchased a Moleskine notebook yesterday (previously discussed at length in this MeFi thread), and I have a feeling that it will be the first of many--overblown marketing aside, the design of these things really is excellent. But $11 for a pocket-size notebook is pretty expensive. Where's the cheapest place online to find them? Bulk purchasing is a possibility.
posted by Prospero at 7:57 AM PST - 22 comments

What's in Val Kilmer's "Go Bag" in the movie Spartan? [more inside]
posted by asavage at 7:48 AM PST - 5 comments

Trying to identify a short story I read in some sort of Harper's or Atlantic type magazine a few years ago. [more inside]
posted by ITheCosmos at 7:46 AM PST - 0 comments

How can I make iTunes delete songs again? [more inside]
posted by Skyanth at 3:46 AM PST - 13 comments

Normally I experience deja vu randomly, just every once in a while. But occasionally, maybe once or twice a year, I have days in which I experience it really frequently, dozens of times a day. Today is one of those days. It's actually not quite deja vu, it's more linked to my dreams last night...it's hard to explain, but does anyone know what I'm talking about? What causes this? It's not unpleasant, but it's certainly....weird.
posted by zardoz at 12:26 AM PST - 21 comments

My mac wakes up randomly from sleep in the middle of the night. Why? (Question 2: My mac beeps once at 1:30pm and I think 4:30pm. Whats with that?) [more inside]
posted by sirion at 12:02 AM PST - 7 comments

How do professional sports commentators keep track of statistics? I imagine they have at least one person during games to crank out some stats for them, and there are probably statisticians for sports reporting shows, but how do they store and recall all this stuff? [more inside]
posted by attercoppe at 11:28 PM PST - 12 comments

What makes books special? What makes them different from other media? [more inside]
posted by Panfilo at 11:27 PM PST - 31 comments

Why do airline flight attendants and gate agents speak in the same oddly stilted manner, regardless of (U.S.) location or employer? [more inside]
posted by bac at 9:14 PM PST - 19 comments

I want to make a mix CD based on educational songs that still sound good. Any subject - biology, chemistry, grammar, history, you name it. What songs should I add to my collection?
posted by Newbornstranger at 8:52 PM PST - 45 comments

So I bought a shirt today, and they forgot to remove the security tag. Had I known that it wasn't going to beep, I'd never have thrown down the Visa. Why buy what you can steal? Anyway, short of returning to the store, how can I remove the tag at home. I have all the basic tools a homeowner needs. It is not the kind of tag that sprays inks should the procedure go bad. Anyone larcenous members, or those that have retail experience care to detail a procedure.
posted by Keith Talent at 7:55 PM PST - 26 comments

Cat poop. Does it make good fertilizer? [more inside]
posted by Faze at 7:04 PM PST - 9 comments

DivorceFilter: Is it worth it to stay together "for the kid"? My marriage is crumbling quickly and most likely would have been over long ago, except that I cannot bear to part with our three year old. [more] [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:24 PM PST - 63 comments

I've been in this relationship for a while now, it's good, she's my best friend and I love her dearly. However... [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:24 PM PST - 32 comments

Why can't I ever listen to my wife? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:23 PM PST - 32 comments

I have a friend would like to perform a "social intervention" for an acquaintance whose lack of social skills has managed to nearly alienate him from everyone in his social circle. [more inside]
posted by debgpi at 5:24 PM PST - 13 comments

More Hot Powerbook Action! My Powerbook G4 seems to run especially hot since I got a new battery, a generic-ish 3rd party dealie I bought off eBay. And the power adapter just failed. Could the battery cause these troubles? If so, where should I look for proper battery replacements? [more inside]
posted by weston at 1:54 PM PST - 7 comments

I am going to NYC with a group of friends for a long weekend this summer. We have narrowed our hotel choices down to two, one near Union Square and one near Central Park. In which area would you recommend staying? I should say we are a bunch of housewives going to celebrate a 40th birthday.
posted by davenportmom at 1:50 PM PST - 19 comments

Cleaning house, looking to sell books, CDs, toys etc., and I'm LOST. Need advice both specific and general. Is eBay best for books and CDs, or are there other places to get better value? With the 'Net awash in Star Wars paraphernalia, how do I find a price for this elaborate 1998 14" talking Darth Vader? (I've checked books and they're mostly about "vintage" SW toys.) How do I value odd things for my uncle, like this pipe from Germany circa 1890 or earlier, or some Xmas cards circa WWII made by Chinese Xtian nuns in Tsing Tao? Is there a market for historical magazines and newspapers, for example with headlines about the first moon walk? [more inside]
posted by Shane at 12:38 PM PST - 19 comments

Are sunrise alarmclocks like these any good? Has anyone here used one? I have a problem sleep pattern (stay up too late/get up too late) which I'm trying to improve and I'm wondering if one of these might help. [more inside]
posted by Flitcraft at 11:49 AM PST - 11 comments

In this post, we decided only people with rare skills can get work visas. This has me wondering, how does the stereotypical immigrant taxi driver/office cleaner/etc get one? Or are they just a stereotype?
posted by cillit bang at 11:20 AM PST - 13 comments

I have a G4 Powerbook 12" the model released last year, and it's hot. I mean, really physically hot! [more inside]
posted by spinifex23 at 10:17 AM PST - 13 comments

I currently live in Iceland but I'm immigrating to the US this summer. I have a cell phone that I'm quite attached to (Nokia 2650) and would like to be able to use it in the US (I'm moving to NYC or Boston, if that matters any). Googling for info has told me that this is impossible. Is there something I can do or will have to resign myself to getting another handset when I've moved to the US?
posted by Kattullus at 10:03 AM PST - 16 comments

Is it a good idea to follow up on an interview to see if or when you'll be hired? If so, how soon after the interview? [more inside]
posted by drezdn at 9:57 AM PST - 9 comments

I was wondering if there is a way for a group of people to give thanks online. [more inside]
posted by theFlyingSquirrel at 9:43 AM PST - 3 comments

I'm bored that I default to seeing problems, decisions and my life in general in a linear way. How can I reprogram my mind, and to do what?
posted by forallmankind at 9:35 AM PST - 21 comments

So, I was thinking about the latest "airplane over DC" scare, and it reminded me of something I've been wondering about for a while. Given all the advances in avionics and fly-by-wire technology, couldn't aircraft manufacturers install some sort of 'hijack button' that would irreversibly cause the aircraft to contact the authorities and land itself at the nearest suitable airport, or let someone on the ground take over the controls remotely? [more inside]
posted by greatgefilte at 9:21 AM PST - 17 comments

We're going on our honeymoon in Europe. We're renting cars in Italy and Ireland. I'm getting conflicting reports on the international driver's license. Do we need them?
posted by dpx.mfx at 8:42 AM PST - 12 comments

After getting by without needing a suit all through college, I'm finding that that dog won't hunt in the real world. And my suits from high school all don't fit. Where can a person buy a good suit, as inexpensively as possible, in the Twin Cities? [more inside]
posted by the_W at 8:19 AM PST - 24 comments

My bathtub seems to be organic. It's fiberglass or plastic or something like that. What is best to clean out dried soap scum and the orange stuff that lives in between all the little bumps at the bottom?
posted by DeepFriedTwinkies at 7:46 AM PST - 7 comments

I have Tiger, but can't install it on my G4 because I don't have a DVD drive. I borrowed a friend's external drive, but I can't get the G4 to boot off of the installer disc. Is there anything I can do to resolve this? If there is no solution, I am considering replacing the CD-RW drive in my G4 with a SuperDrive. Who manufactures this drive, and what is the basic process involved in installing it. Please help me get Tiger on my Mac! [more inside]
posted by mudhouse at 7:15 AM PST - 20 comments

So I'm planning a little party to commemorate the first episode of the Britney Spears-Kevin Federline home movie-rama on UPN, and I need to come up with a truly inspired menu. [more inside]
posted by ferociouskitty at 7:03 AM PST - 29 comments

All of a sudden my wife's Mac OS X account won't open on our desktop (OS 10.3.9). We put in the password but the login bar just displays the blue and white candy cane bar (it's animated). And then it just hangs. I've tried correcting permissions but it didn't help. Anyone have any suggestions short of deleting the account and starting over?
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 5:32 AM PST - 6 comments

Looking for more of these types of catchphrases: "like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic" or "How did you enjoy the play otherwise, Mrs. Lincoln?" Formula: take a famous historical event and add a sardonic element. (Not like "Et tu Brute" or "Dr. Livingstone I presume" -- they lack the second element.) Can you think of more? Is there one about Custer?
posted by nancoix at 5:05 AM PST - 23 comments

Two of my three Sega Game Gears have no sound. Is this a known problem I might be able to fix with a soldering iron and the right resistor?
posted by krisjohn at 12:45 AM PST - 7 comments

Today's article on passenger pigeons at Interesting Thing of the Day.com was very interesting. I tried looking for pictures of passenger pigeons in migration, but I can't find any. [more inside]
posted by BuddhaInABucket at 9:49 PM PST - 3 comments

Fun exercises to teach basic programming skills? [more inside]
posted by shaun at 9:29 PM PST - 18 comments

Is there a free, online database that charts approximate sales figures for sub-platinum, sub-gold, music albums? [more inside]
posted by cadastral at 8:38 PM PST - 4 comments

Any monkey know what's up with the site? It's all down, tracicle's blog, Monkeyfilter, wiki, all of it. Anyone been able to contact her? Page coming up says that all these sites have been suspended. Would try her in KoL, but can't remember her name.
posted by codeofconduct at 8:05 PM PST - 50 comments

OK.... After the mid-song break in the Axel F Crazy Frog remix, the music is temporarily stolen from a game, probably on the Commodore 64. What game? Also, there was a cult website using the original game's music along with epilepsy-inducing multicoloured pop-up windows. Where is that site? Inquiring minds need to know.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 7:06 PM PST - 5 comments

Questions of the Unverse: Do blind people shave thier legs? [more inside]
posted by NGnerd at 6:56 PM PST - 28 comments

TurntableFilter: I am looking to buy a turntable in order to archive records. I'm not sure which model is best - help? [more inside]
posted by petebest at 6:45 PM PST - 7 comments

Wanted: workstation (desk and chair) that can be quickly/frequently/comfortably repositioned back and forth between sitting and standing positions. (Also much interested in tips/alternatives for keeping focus while having to do this constant sit/stand switchoff throughout the day.) [more inside]
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 6:39 PM PST - 7 comments

So are the vaunted Aero beds as wonderful and more comfortable than regular air mattresses as (some) people say they are? The reviews are decidedly tilted in one direction (omgbestairmattressEVAR!) or the other (leakyleakyBAD!). I was hoping to get some more constructive feedback, or find out if there was a less costly alternative. Thanks.
posted by calistasm at 6:12 PM PST - 18 comments

I'm looking for books that can give me a new perspective on our modern world and culture. [more inside]
posted by davebush at 6:11 PM PST - 28 comments

I'm trying to find to purchase a print/poster/ of a black and white photo i saw a while back (don't remember where but the image stuck with me). It's a picture of a very well-muscled naked torso (from chin to below navel) of a black man, clutching a baby to his chest. I don't know who it's by and all my googling and allpostering has turned up diddly. Can askme help?
posted by ramix at 12:33 PM PST - 6 comments

I'm in my third year of college, and I just got grades back from this past semester. I've always been an A/B student; my gpa has been around 3.66 or so. This last semester I had a bunch of relationship-related/personal trouble; I was diagnosed with depression and generalized anxiety disorder. [consequences inside] [more inside]
posted by Stauf at 12:31 PM PST - 25 comments

Some time ago, my girlfriend and I saw, or heard on NPR (we are debating that) a commercial for a musical. It was a lesser known show by a more famous composer. If I recall correctly, the subject was corruption in a city hall, possible chicago. All we really remember for sure was a catchy refrain we have both been singing ever since. "Its a little tin box, a little tin box, that a little tin key unlocks. There is nothing unorthodox about a little tin box..." [more inside]
posted by Manjusri at 12:12 PM PST - 7 comments

I'm not getting that good of results from Wellbutrin (prescribed for ADD), and to be honest, I'm not getting bad results either. Looking around, I'm don't see any first-hand ADD related Wellbutrin experiences (positive or negative), and I'm wondering if it's really all it's cracked up to be. Should I go back and try and get Adderall instead (which seems to have good responses here)? [more inside]
posted by redsparkler at 11:14 AM PST - 13 comments

Where does "Pepsin" flavour come from? [more inside]
posted by Cosine at 11:01 AM PST - 6 comments

Is there a way to automate the task of doing a daily mySQL dump? I'm looking for something (a program perhaps) that I could automate to dump mySQL into a file and save it to my PC. [more inside]
posted by bjork24 at 10:47 AM PST - 8 comments

My dog has serious anxiety problems (she goes to the bathroom all over the floor) when my mom is out of the house. In a week and a half mom starts a new job. Does anyone have any ideas on how to lessen this anxiety? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 10:42 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm in the position of having to layoff/terminate several employees due to program structure changes at a small non-profit agency (thus the "free" part, we have a tight budget). I have spent a couple of hours searching for templates for layoff/termination letters online with no luck. Can anyone point me towards a good online source for this?
posted by HuronBob at 10:27 AM PST - 6 comments

My wife is interviewing with the AFL-CIO for a union organizing position--any tips? [more inside]
posted by kimota at 10:27 AM PST - 4 comments

I need to get earbuds for my morning ferry ride to use with my laptop. Which ones are best? [more inside]
posted by Four Flavors at 10:20 AM PST - 22 comments

What legal issues exist for loaning out or perhaps even renting out a car that you own? [more inside]
posted by wildblueyonder at 10:10 AM PST - 7 comments

I understand that if the dollar collapses prices Americans pay for foreign goods rise, but I am wondering what other little and big consequences of a falling dollar are? What will life be like in a collapsing dollar environment? [more inside]
posted by izizi at 9:55 AM PST - 10 comments

I'm looking for the best songs ever recorded for breakdancing. Old Skool especially (I.e. "Beat Box" by Art of Noise or "Rockit" by Herbie Hancock)
posted by jeremias at 9:43 AM PST - 16 comments

Anybody ever have this happen: Every once in a while (but more often lately) when I'm eating, my jaw will "crack"right near my right ear and then hurts like a mother*@!$&. What causes this? I've never had my wisdom teeth removed...I'm wondering if that's related or not.....anyone?
posted by stevyb at 9:18 AM PST - 17 comments

I live by a shop that sells some very impressive fossils. Should I get one? [more inside]
posted by magullo at 9:13 AM PST - 16 comments

A co-worker is trying to determine reasonable advertising rates for a newsletter we publish. Any ad buyers out there able to help us out? [more inside]
posted by me3dia at 9:05 AM PST - 4 comments

What is the best portable device for playing audiobooks? [more inside]
posted by stbalbach at 8:35 AM PST - 19 comments

I'm a little worried about applying to grad school. I've read an awful lot about it, and I'm looking for some advice from actual people. [more inside]
posted by Netzapper at 8:34 AM PST - 16 comments

Please help me arrange a list of Post-World War II American Novels for a bookgroup. [more inside]
posted by OmieWise at 8:33 AM PST - 32 comments

This switcher is looking for OS X equivalents of two can't-live-without Windows apps. [more inside]
posted by neilkod at 8:29 AM PST - 6 comments

Can you help me get my beagle puppy to poo for me? [more inside]
posted by UncleHornHead at 7:50 AM PST - 16 comments

a) Anyone have a particular make/model of pedometer they like? b) Are they very reliable? I don't mean survey-grade reliable, but even for rough distance estimation? c) Calibration tips?
posted by everichon at 7:46 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm not a big-time formal dress wearer. What is the correct way to wear a tie bar? I know that it secures the tie to the shirt, but is the bar supposed to go the whole width of the tie, or just a little way across? [more inside]
posted by C17H19NO3 at 6:29 AM PST - 17 comments

Is there any way to export ratings along with your library in iTunes? Pretty please?
posted by adampsyche at 6:11 AM PST - 6 comments

I just started up a clubnight in my university town. Everybody who's been has had a good time, but they are far too few. I need ideas... [more inside]
posted by godawful at 6:07 AM PST - 16 comments

How do you fight academic plagiarism if accused? What effects on your academic future if found guilty? [more inside]
posted by dsaelf at 4:57 AM PST - 30 comments

I'm thinking of getting some dress shirts custom made. [more inside]
posted by Dallasfilm at 4:25 AM PST - 6 comments

I am trying to a UK-wide postal distribution system for a bi-monthly magzine. [more inside]
posted by ajbattrick at 2:18 AM PST - 4 comments

Ugh, this is driving me CRAZY. Any idea where I can find that awesome video of the declawed cat attacking the baby (with the drumbeat soundtrack)? I wish ask.metafilter included giving readers cupcakes for their answers.
posted by hautenegro at 11:12 PM PST - 8 comments

Does anyone have any reccomendations for multimedia jukebox software with a web interface? [more inside]
posted by bryanzera at 10:51 PM PST - 7 comments

School's out and I haven't got a job yet, but I want to get myself into the habit of getting up early... [more inside]
posted by ArsncHeart at 9:08 PM PST - 17 comments

my computer is freezing and rebooting [more inside]
posted by hayeled at 6:51 PM PST - 18 comments

I am looking to find a high resolution photo of an area in Canada to buy (cheap will be good) as a gift. The area in question is around Peterborough - Clear lake and the coordinates are 44.5 N, -78,16 W. I have searched around, but looks as if only low res pictures are free.
posted by bright77blue at 6:31 PM PST - 2 comments

We're starting up a wee web radio station. We are Canadians. What, realistically, are we meant to do in the way of royalties and whatnot? [more inside]
posted by Count Ziggurat at 6:07 PM PST - 3 comments

Is it just me, or does the "buddy list only" feature not work correctly on iChat? Are there any alternative Mac aim clients that will keep out annoying people? Ability to talk to those in invisible mode/go into invisible mode a plus
posted by Mossy at 5:29 PM PST - 10 comments

What's the best way to promote healing for a section of abraded gum? [more inside]
posted by Dreama at 5:13 PM PST - 11 comments

Would it be legal to sell an MP3 player already full of music? [more inside]
posted by gottabefunky at 4:36 PM PST - 18 comments

There was a post a while back about a new people-finder website. It was linked with a search on Matt's name (I believe). It worked pretty good. I need to use it today, and can't find the post. Any help? Or suggestions of good alternatives? The one's I tried by searching google were all pretty lousy.
posted by gummo at 4:35 PM PST - 3 comments

I gave up my old domain name (which is a made-up word meaningful only to me) in February. The domain is still getting serch engine hits for some pages I had up as a tribute to a Christian band I was in; the problem is that the domain was bought by some kind of speculator and is redirected to a very unsavory adult website. He'll sell the domain back to me - for $500. This really makes me sick. Any ideas of what I can do to mitigate the damage?
posted by DandyRandy at 3:51 PM PST - 7 comments

I ride a 1985 Yamaha Virago as my primary transportation. I leave for work before 6:30 am and the ride is less than ten minutes long. I park my bike outside in the designated motorcycle area and walk to work. When I come back in the afternoon, approximately nine hours later, the bike is very uncooperative in starting. Why is this? [more inside]
posted by sun-el at 3:36 PM PST - 8 comments

Our non-profit group is setting it's first web site, and we're having some trouble deciding on a domain name. [more inside]
posted by DakotaPaul at 2:57 PM PST - 11 comments

Did anyone here keep their last name (female I should add) after getting married? Did your partner have a huge issue with it? Why would you want to change your name? What about the potential children? I'm having a heated debate with a friend.
posted by yodelingisfun at 2:42 PM PST - 135 comments

Do you remember a flash game with chickens and umbrellas? [more inside]
posted by Capn at 2:41 PM PST - 4 comments

Any tips on what to include/mention in order to get my self-released CD reviewed by online music publications? [more inside]
posted by ludwig_van at 2:19 PM PST - 13 comments

Any time I'm not with or in contact with this person, I start to get antsy. I can't stop thinking about the person and find it hard to do anything but go into some kind of wait mode or worse yet, try to get in touch even if I know the person's busy. I already know that I need to learn to calm down and do other things. I just want to know how. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 1:34 PM PST - 16 comments

Has anyone ever gotten a ticket for drinking alcohol in a New York City Park? Is it any different a charge than for having an open container on the street? Should I get a lawyer??
posted by anonymous at 1:34 PM PST - 10 comments

Why are you supposed to soak soft shell crabs in milk before cooking them? Most of the recipes I've found call for this, but none say why. None of the cookbooks I've consulting (including On Food and Cooking and the CIA Professional Chef) have an answer.
posted by Caviar at 1:09 PM PST - 14 comments

Can you identify this tree for me? [more inside]
posted by Witty at 1:01 PM PST - 15 comments

My wife and I were hit by a car a few weeks ago, and we both seem to be recovering nicely. However, today at work, I was scratching my navel, and it was moist. There was some whitish, mildly stinky fluid on the end of my finger. Any ideas? It sounds like some sort of infection, but I wanted a 2nd opinion...
posted by jackofsaxons at 12:39 PM PST - 26 comments

I use a LaCie 500 GB firewire hard drive for backing up my files and running my iTunes library on it (I'm running OS 10.4 - Tiger). Even when I don't use it, it continues to make noise like it's still spinning. What gives? Is this an indication that something is wrong? [more inside]
posted by psmealey at 12:22 PM PST - 13 comments

A co-worker brought back a box of "Chocolate Daifuku" from Tokyo. She thinks we need to microwave this stuff, in order to "puff it up" and eat it. Question, is she right? How long do we need to cook it? Why did she bring back foodstuffs that she didn't know how to eat?
posted by dhacker at 12:14 PM PST - 9 comments

I bought an engagement ring with the store CC and was given 6 months no interest. Well that six months is almost up, and I'd love to be able to get my CC's 1% cash-back. Problem is, if I transfer the money to my CC, I don't get the 1% back. I have the money and can pay it off, but 1% is a significant amount and I'd like to finagle that 1% into my wallet if at all possible. Is there anything I can do? Thanks for the help, SEINFELD
posted by seinfeld at 11:39 AM PST - 3 comments

I would like to have a portable device for keeping track of the time that is not a wristwatch (I seem to inevitably lose all wristwatches) but can be stored and accessed with ease. I was thinking maybe something I could store in my wallet. Any suggestions or ideas?
posted by selfnoise at 10:56 AM PST - 22 comments

My girlfriend's cat was recently diagnosed with asthma. The vet suggested two courses of action. One involved a mask and inhalers (replaced monthly.) The other method was intermittent cortisone shots. The vet mentioned that a risk of the cortisone treatment was the possibility of the cat developing diabetes, but the inhaler route is cost prohibitive (around $100/month.) What did you do when your cat was diagnosed with asthma? [more inside]
posted by schyler523 at 10:13 AM PST - 15 comments

Can you use 800 speed film in a Holga? [more inside]
posted by jasonspaceman at 10:11 AM PST - 14 comments

For our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I want to take a trip to Greece. We narrowed it down and decided that the island of Rhodes looks great. The question is - how to get there and which village to stay in? [more inside]
posted by dual_action at 9:47 AM PST - 12 comments

I need, for sentimental reasons, a few old issues of Hustler magazine from the late 70s/early 80s. The problem? I'm not sure of the issue dates and it's not the kind of thing my local library carries. Where can I browse through old Hustlers? [more inside]
posted by Gucky at 9:45 AM PST - 16 comments

An ASP/SQL Server web/e-mail/domain host that's affordable and reliable? [more inside]
posted by normy at 9:39 AM PST - 8 comments

I'm attending a job interview next week. What do I say when they ask me the inevitable question 'what are your weaknesses'? [more inside]
posted by kenchie at 9:17 AM PST - 36 comments

I live in a "Bing and Bing" building. People seem to think it's a big deal so I tried to Google them: the only thing that comes back is expensive apartments for sale in New York highlighting that they are in "Bing and Bing" buildings. Does anyone know who "Bing and Bing" where (I'm assuming they were real estate developers)? Why their building are considered so interesting/important? What is their history? I'm also assuming that they disappeared from the scene sometimes between the late 20s and today? What happened? Were they wiped out by the great depression? Any New York historian out there willing to help?
posted by TNLNYC at 8:58 AM PST - 4 comments

Earlier this week, my husband adopted a dog from a friend whose new baby is allergic to it. Previous to having this dog, we were a one-cat, no-child household. The cat is slowly adjusting to our newest family member, but I am having a really hard time adjusting. [more inside]
posted by melissa at 8:57 AM PST - 32 comments

A long time ago I found a website where you could type in the name of a band/artist you liked, and it would show a web-shaped layout of other bands that were similar, those being the closest in sound and style physically closest to the name of the band entered (which was centered on the page). Anyone have any idea what I am talking about or know of a similar webiste???
posted by shminny at 8:07 AM PST - 12 comments

Wedding Filter: I'm looking for piano pieces that are light, happy, and energetic. I like classical and baroque (Mozart, Handel, Bach, etc.), and would prefer something not hacknied or cliched -- i.e. no Vivaldi Four Seasons or Delibes Lakme. Needs to be piano music or adaptable to piano. These would be played before the ceremony begins, as people are sitting down.
posted by timnyc at 8:02 AM PST - 20 comments

My Powerbook (15" G4 1.25 Ghz) is criminally hot. Temperature Monitor reports that my Processor/Controller Bottomside temp. is 140°F, Power Supply Bottomside is 142.2°F, Battery is 95°F, and my Hard Disk is 104°F. The metal bottom of the "laptop" is too hot to touch for more than a moment. Is this reasonable? Is my computer broken? [MI] [more inside]
posted by maniactown at 8:02 AM PST - 29 comments

Buying advice for a good starter metal detector. [more inside]
posted by crunchland at 7:58 AM PST - 5 comments

Where can I find an on-line checklist (sorted by month) of Marvel comics released in the 1970s? I've run out of google ideas. I found a fantastic silver age checklist, more detailed than I actually need for the seventies, but can't find information for 1972 and beyond. (Only this chronology, which is informative, but not what I'm after.)
posted by jdroth at 7:49 AM PST - 2 comments

After hearing that the prescription that I've been using to treat my eczema has been linked to cancer, I have been looking into some body-friendly preventatives or treatments. I keep finding articles that suggest either probiotics or GLA (omega-6?). What are these, and has anyone used them? [more inside]
posted by sarahmelah at 7:44 AM PST - 11 comments

What is your favorite method for showing and hiding a DIV layer? [more inside]
posted by ao4047 at 7:42 AM PST - 7 comments

A few months back I had dangerously too much to drink. Sometime after that, I realized that the little finger of one hand has less sensation than it should. It's not completely numb and moves normally, but the partial numbness is disconcerting. Could alcohol consumption have caused this? Is this a symptom I should see a doctor about?
posted by alumshubby at 7:06 AM PST - 13 comments

Why are there two versions of the new Black Eyed Peas single? It (kinda) made sense to have a radio version of "Let's Get Retarded", but what's so bad about "Don't Phunk With My Heart"? [more inside]
posted by smackfu at 6:43 AM PST - 7 comments

Who makes mens boots with an aluminium or lightweight toecap? - in brown would be best
posted by lunkfish at 6:37 AM PST - 7 comments

Why do people have speech impediments? [more inside]
posted by sjvilla79 at 6:31 AM PST - 12 comments

My laptop seems to hate my home network. Every now and again it takes way too long to get from the choose user screen to the actual user desktop. Whenever this happens my LAN settings seem to fly out the window. [more inside]
posted by twine42 at 5:57 AM PST - 6 comments

I am strongly considering taking a new job, but the benefits package is, frankly, horrible compared to the one I have with my current job. However, the new job promises to be much more fulfilling than the current one. How can I make up for the lack of good benefits? [more inside]
posted by mike9322 at 5:51 AM PST - 5 comments

How do I keep birds off my pool's solar cover? [more inside]
posted by deshead at 5:38 AM PST - 6 comments

I've recently joined a couple of Yahoo! Groups, and I would like to have all the old messages (prior to my joining) sent to me via email. Is that possible? I want to store all the messages in my gmail account so that I can search through them in the future.
posted by jacknose at 5:37 AM PST - 3 comments

Have I hopelessly stained my white formica kitchen counter? [more inside]
posted by CunningLinguist at 5:30 AM PST - 18 comments

Do I need insurance on my rental car? [more inside]
posted by Vidiot at 5:10 AM PST - 9 comments

I have two loans, and an extra $250/month to pay them down, but I don't know which one to choose. *Bonus question: should I pay them down? [more inside]
posted by letitrain at 12:27 AM PST - 22 comments

Network drive question: can anyone give a strong thumbs-up or -down on the use of a home-office level network drive? [more inside]
posted by squirrel at 9:15 PM PST - 8 comments

Is there any way to recover data from an external USB 2/Firewire hard drive that has apparently decided to stop working? [more inside]
posted by cathodeheart at 8:58 PM PST - 7 comments

One of my new street shoes has suddenly started squeaking. Why is it doing this, and how do I make it stop?
posted by showmethecalvino at 8:29 PM PST - 7 comments

Highway_Patrol_Filter: I'm moving from Baltimore to Manhattan in three weeks and trying to avoid shelling out $250 for a moving van. I don't have that much stuff, but want to take my mattress Is it ok to strap a full sized mattress to the roof of a volvo station wagon on I-95 or will that result in me getting pulled over by the cops? Also, for those of you who've moved like this, what's the best way to strap it to the roof?
posted by slapshot57 at 8:13 PM PST - 18 comments

Either I'm way too sensitive to the phenomenon of having an oncoming car's brights flashed at me, or it actually is happening too often to me. So, my question is: who out there is flashing their brights at other cars and why? [more inside]
posted by achmorrison at 8:03 PM PST - 23 comments

Anybody have a good prom story? Not limited to asking out dates.
posted by greasy_skillet at 7:57 PM PST - 28 comments

Can anyone recommend a good handyman or home/construction type contractor in the Seattle area? (Specifically Bellevue, but most of these guys seem willing to travel.) [more inside]
posted by agropyron at 7:43 PM PST - 5 comments

Science/physics geeks (and I mean geek in the most affectionate possible way) -- I need a hand. Two extremely sciencey friends of mine are having a baby, and I am looking for something to embroider on a little outfit for it. [more inside]
posted by jennyjenny at 7:01 PM PST - 19 comments

im looking for a sewing machine. id like it more powerful/reliable than fancy and feature filled. convenience/ease of use is a plus. Punching through leather would also be nice but isn't necessary. Can anyone recommend such a device?
posted by Tryptophan-5ht at 6:27 PM PST - 10 comments

How do I learn to argue with my wife? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 5:49 PM PST - 41 comments

I have very fond memories of playing a graphically-simple game in the late eighties or possibly early nineties. It was set in the future, in a plague-ridde, post-apocalyptic America. You were a gang leader, and your job was to assemble gang members, vehicles and guns and essentially deliver America from ruin. [more inside]
posted by dbarefoot at 4:49 PM PST - 11 comments

I am moving away from Madison, WI on Saturday. I want to donate a whole bunch of clothes and shoes and things. I can not for the life of me find hours and guidelines online. I often go by a "donation station" while on the bus, and will stop there tomorrow, but it would be nice to find this information so I can just call a taxi and run over with all my donations tomorrow, instead of doing so on Friday.
posted by kavasa at 4:41 PM PST - 8 comments

I'm thinking about buying a house that's out in the country a little bit. It's on a septic system. It's a new construction that the contractor built and is living in while he builds the one next to it. The septic system is reported to be a "Low Pressure Drip System for Residential Sewers" made by Murdon. Is this good/bad/potentially costly? [more inside]
posted by ontic at 4:14 PM PST - 4 comments

CVS question: This thread is of some help, but I'm still failing to grasp a fundamental facet of CVS use, and no matter how much documentation I read, I can't seem to figure it out. [more inside]
posted by yalestar at 3:44 PM PST - 9 comments

The back of my house faces an alley. There is no fence or gate. Someone loves to take my hanging flower baskets or even vegetables from my garden boxes. I would like to get a weather-proof wireless camera to start snapping away when someone enters the field of view. What brands or technologies should I look at? -I'd also like to beam the images to my home PC which would be about 50-75 feet away from where I want to put the camera.
posted by phredhead at 3:26 PM PST - 10 comments

My new pool team needs a name. [more inside]
posted by Specklet at 3:18 PM PST - 34 comments

I've been trying to get a mod rewrite thingie to work for the past day, and I'm tired of bashing my head against my desk. [more inside]
posted by SpecialK at 3:12 PM PST - 5 comments

Has anyone else here had trouble getting to Livejournal today? [more inside]
posted by pxe2000 at 2:48 PM PST - 8 comments

I can't dance. [more inside]
posted by Stynxno at 2:36 PM PST - 18 comments

The school where I teach recently purchased a LCD projector and I'm having some trouble getting it to play video... [mi] [more inside]
posted by RockyChrysler at 2:20 PM PST - 5 comments

Fill in the blank: "Don't even talk to me about video games until you've beaten _____." What do you think? When Ninja Gaiden was released for the XBox, some people had said it was so hard that gamers would wear it as a badge when they beat it. So what are some other games that every gamer should try to take on? Not just difficult ones, classic games apply too.
posted by patgas at 1:56 PM PST - 51 comments

What was the first book you read and really loved? Do you still think about it? [more inside]
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 1:32 PM PST - 81 comments

A recent thread about farts has me curious. How often do you fart publicly? Do you routinely have to hold them in? I know this question is silly, but I am very serious.
posted by PEAK OIL at 1:28 PM PST - 48 comments

The silver lining to colds and flus has always been that at least my immune system is better for it, and I’ll be less likely to catch the next thing. However, I’ve caught 3 colds (or something- they were all different, and none were serious) this year and it’s only May! In the past I’ve caught maybe one thing a year. Does your immune system stop improving as you get older? Why do old people get sick more easily? And how old are you when that starts? And how possible IS it to reinfect yourself with the exact same virus or bacteria? Once you’ve had something, wouldn’t your immune system just whomp it the next time it came by?
posted by small_ruminant at 1:27 PM PST - 20 comments

Is there any type of plugin or program that integrates Audioscrobbler data into Winamp? I'm looking for something that functions similarly to amaroK for Linux. If there is no such thing (and I suspect there isn't, I've search thoroughly), why not? Winamp is the most popular music application among Audioscrobbler users; I imagine such a plugin would be wildly popular. I know very little about programming, but this kind of thing doesn't seem terribly complex. What's the deal?
posted by monsterhero at 1:16 PM PST - 5 comments

I went on a hike and went through lots of poison oak. I've been free of any symptoms for now because I washed myself with some expensive specialized cleaner. But my clothes and shoes are likely to be contaminated, so I've put them far away. I would like to retrieve and cleanse them, but worry about spreading the oils. Looking also for low-cost or "found in the household" solutions. [more inside]
posted by alex3005 at 1:09 PM PST - 8 comments

Any ticket brokers here? After paying through the nose for some sold out shows, and spending a number of Saturdays hitting refresh on Ticketmaster's site, I got to thinking... [more inside]
posted by andrewzipp at 12:50 PM PST - 10 comments

What's wrong with my shoulder? Or: How can I tell the difference between normal muscle soreness and incipient injury? [more inside]
posted by dame at 12:30 PM PST - 15 comments

Back in October, I bought some cigars. Five of them. Macanudo Portofinos -- the kind in the white screw-top tube. Since then, they've lived in a kitchen cabinet, never opened, untouched in a zip-lock bag. My question is ... does anyone think they're still smokeable as is? Or is there some way to restore their viability?
posted by grabbingsand at 12:18 PM PST - 8 comments

What is the .NET framework? Some programs require it. Windows update wants me to get it. Do I need it? Should I stay away from it? Instead of reading fluff at MS.com I'd like some trustworthy people to explain it to me. Like the AxMe crew.
posted by Termite at 11:11 AM PST - 14 comments

Field Trip Filter - Where would you take a 10th grade math class on a field trip? [more inside]
posted by wannabehippie at 11:00 AM PST - 9 comments

What is the origin of the line: "You're already dead, you just don't know it yet." [more inside]
posted by clunkyrobot at 10:56 AM PST - 13 comments

Why does Ichiro Suzuki's jersey say "Ichiro"? [more inside]
posted by mkultra at 8:07 AM PST - 15 comments

I don't know anything about Frank Zappa. What album should I start with - and/or what is his best?
posted by grateful at 8:04 AM PST - 37 comments

I recently hooked up a 23" (older model) to a PC and some of the graphics don't appear to be displaying properly. The problem exists with subtle gradients and color transitions. It looks almost like a .gif would display. Do Macs run a higher bit rate or color set? Is there a base video card that should be used with a PC. [more inside]
posted by Yukon at 6:23 AM PST - 6 comments

What is the courtesy, etiquette, and/or best way to handle audible flatulence? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:16 AM PST - 42 comments

How do you know your relationship is worth fighting for? Or, how do you know when to call it quits? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:16 AM PST - 25 comments

My fiancee and I are having real issues and would like counselling asap to attempt to reconcile them (I'm in individual conunselling now). The problem? She's in Texas, I'm in England. Any ideas?
posted by anonymous at 6:16 AM PST - 17 comments

What would you take on a long road trip? [more inside]
posted by orange swan at 5:38 AM PST - 29 comments

How can I recycle my Wheelie Bin? We've now putting our waste in a compost bin and I'm looking for a new use for the old bin. Any (cheap) ideas?
posted by quarsan at 3:56 AM PST - 6 comments

Two mathematical syntax questions--one easy, one astoundingly maybe not so complex [more inside]
posted by hototogisu at 2:16 AM PST - 8 comments

Does stretching work? Does it increase flexibility in adults or just maintain it? [more inside]
posted by randomstriker at 12:25 AM PST - 24 comments

I am trying to setup a server or something (i am very amature at computer network) so that I can share radio records and video files (200mb to 600mb) with my parents abroad? [more inside]
posted by curiousleo at 12:13 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm writing a paper about Classical Chinese norms of authorship disguised as a legal article about Intellectual Property. I'm looking for a citation on the following story: Chinese painters (or calligraphers) would apparently purposefully ruin their authenticating stamps, so that the resulting flaw would result in a harder-to-forge mark. Does anyone know where this is from? [more inside]
posted by kensanway at 11:33 PM PST - 3 comments

As an intern in a software dev company whose desktop system is a 233MHz PII, I'm wondering if I should bring in my own PC to work on? [more inside]
posted by ChrisR at 11:21 PM PST - 17 comments

I've seen a lot of movies and TV shows in which child actors play characters who, among other things, discuss sexual abuse, point and shoot guns, speak swear words, and witness violence, drug use and miscellaneous depravity. Do these kids suffer any ill effects from this kind of acting? [more inside]
posted by Saucy Intruder at 11:20 PM PST - 16 comments

I am trying to add Chinese to the Language Bar in Windows XP Professional. I have in the past successfully added Japanese with no problem, but when I try to add the Chinese IME, I get this message: "Windows could not properly load the Chinese (PRC) - Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 keyboard layout." How can I fix this?
posted by Sangermaine at 11:20 PM PST - 2 comments

Help me choose a Tivo successor. [more inside]
posted by xorowo at 10:17 PM PST - 15 comments

Are centipedes safe for cats to eat? [more inside]
posted by oflinkey at 9:11 PM PST - 15 comments

I just got a job offer in Portland -- where should I live? [more inside]
posted by j at 8:59 PM PST - 17 comments

I just moved in with a couple of friends, and there's this stuff growing in the shower... here are two pictures: pic1, pic2. Can anyone tell me what it is, how do I get rid of it, and can I keep it from returning?
posted by exhilaration at 8:28 PM PST - 19 comments

Why do TV stations (or any other news organization) have a fleet of white SUVs? [more inside]
posted by BradNelson at 6:58 PM PST - 7 comments

Twofold question: 1) any way for me to get out of my two year contract with at&t? 2) sidekick II a good idea? more in the extended... [more inside]
posted by whatitis at 6:39 PM PST - 11 comments

Help me learn more about Mahler. [more inside]
posted by felix betachat at 5:38 PM PST - 7 comments

So I'm watching the new Dr. Who series and they are dealing with the last of the Daleks, I want to know what happened to the Daleks since Tom Baker was around (possible spoilers inside). [more inside]
posted by furtive at 5:37 PM PST - 9 comments

Why is Darth Vader called Lord Fener in Italy? Does Darth Vadar means something in Italian or was there some other reason to change that?
posted by willnot at 5:37 PM PST - 7 comments

How legal/illegal is mailing CDs (of MP3s) through the mail? [more inside]
posted by graventy at 4:48 PM PST - 23 comments

What's the state of the art in Voice Recognition as a typing substitute? [more inside]
posted by signal at 4:36 PM PST - 5 comments

I need to learn how to build Applescript Studio apps in a very short amount of time. I mostly need to build widgets that capture variables through dialogs, run some shell commands and consume some webservices. Dashboard isn't an option in the target environment. Can anyone recommend some online guides other than Apple's dev site or some decent books?
posted by machaus at 4:09 PM PST - 4 comments

This is one of those questions that will make me look very silly when it's answered, so I'll abandon any pretense of dignity straight off: with the ideas set forth in this comic about talking clip-art dinosaurs, why can't any arbitrarily huge amount of data be transmitted as a simple statement of a date and time?
posted by squidlarkin at 2:40 PM PST - 31 comments

I want to include a counter on my website. I don't want to use a "free" counter that includes links or advertisement on my site. I'd rather just write the code in myself for a simple, small, black-and-white counter. Can anyone help me?
posted by Il Furioso at 2:01 PM PST - 5 comments

I have an old Yamaha SE110 electric guitar with a damaged nut, and I purchased a cheap replacement at one time, but it was too tall, and I didn't feel like filing it. So, are there certain types of nuts besides locking and non-locking and different materials, such as sizes that are specific types of guitars?
posted by angry modem at 1:21 PM PST - 5 comments

What is the song used in this Blaupunkt viral video? [Teddy bear/bunny action, if you consider that NSFW...] [more inside]
posted by TinTitan at 1:20 PM PST - 3 comments

Would you buy a house in which someone had been murdered?
posted by humuhumu at 12:02 PM PST - 49 comments

My uncle needs a new computer and wants to spend about $1000 on a laptop. I suggested an Apple iBook 12" as it would fit that budget and be less prone to viruses and spyware than his current Windows machine. This machine apparently has slowed down a lot and my guess would be due to a lot of spyware at the very least (he uses IE I think). My questions pertain to software included and needed and ease of use of the computer [MI]. [more inside]
posted by 6550 at 11:25 AM PST - 25 comments

What exactly is the problem with the proposed change in the definition of science in Kansas? Here's the proposed change: "...continuing investigation that uses observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, logical argument and theory building to lead to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena." And here is what we'll all recognize as the "Scientific Method": 1. Observation and description of a phenomenon or group of phenomena. 2. Formulation of an hypothesis to explain the phenomena. In physics, the hypothesis often takes the form of a causal mechanism or a mathematical relation. 3. Use of the hypothesis to predict the existence of other phenomena, or to predict quantitatively the results of new observations. 4. Performance of experimental tests of the predictions by several independent experimenters and properly performed experiments.
posted by lacus at 10:33 AM PST - 22 comments

A friend of mine asked about upcomming concerts in my area. Where can I find local concert listings? [more inside]
posted by delmoi at 10:33 AM PST - 11 comments

Is it insane to want to buy upgrades for a new laptop? [more inside]
posted by tozturk at 10:21 AM PST - 10 comments

My 733ghz G4 mac with a GeForce2 MX videocard no longer seems like the top-of-the-line powerhouse it was back in '01, but I'd like to squeeze another year or two out of it by upgrading the video card (I've already added a bunch more RAM). I don't expect to run Doom 3, but I'd love to have better performance when using Final Cut Pro or playing No One Lives Forever 2. Since I'm hoping to upgrade to a new computer in a year or two, I don't want to spend a lot of money on a video card now. Ideally, I'd spend less than $50 on eBay and buy a used one--after all, a two-year-old card is still many several generations ahead of the one I've got! Alas, I know nothing about graphics cards and I'm overwhelmed by all the possibilities. What do I need to know, and what older cards would you good folks recommend?
posted by yankeefog at 10:18 AM PST - 8 comments

Has anyone ever heard of a thing like a CD swap, but for HDDs, with the goal of sharing digitized music in extremely large quantities?
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 10:13 AM PST - 14 comments

Because of long-standing behavior issues, I need to find a way to keep a large, determined, unusually intelligent cat in the basement all night. Actually, I need to keep her from climbing some stairs. [more inside]
posted by COBRA! at 10:08 AM PST - 23 comments

What computer is on the cover of Kraftwerk's Computer World album?
posted by donth at 10:00 AM PST - 7 comments

I know this is hard to believe, but Windows has crashed on my computer. Can I fix this somehow, or do I need to reformat? Again? [more inside]
posted by iconomy at 9:37 AM PST - 6 comments

I have a two year old boy who needs to be potty trained. A friend, who moved away, had mentioned a book that he read to his children over the course of several weeks and, on their own, both children told their dad that they did not want to use diapers anymore. Anybody out there have similar experiences potty training? Any book/video suggestions?
posted by thimk at 9:18 AM PST - 16 comments

I'm thinking of going to Southeast Asia for a couple (3) months at the end of this year, and would like to spend about a month in Thailand, preferably at a kickboxing camp. I'm not into martial arts, it's just something I've always wanted to do. With the myriad of camps/locations available, I'm wondering if anyone has ever done it, and if they have any recommendations. I've already been to Pattaya, so I'm not looking to do the tourist thing. Probably quitting my job to do it, so I'll be on the cheap. Also, most airfares are coming up at around $1000 BOS/BKK. Does this sound like the typical deal or does anyone have any tips on cheaper airfares?
posted by jsavimbi at 8:40 AM PST - 7 comments

I'm looking for more music like the song "One More Kiss, Dear" from the Blade Runner soundtrack. [more inside]
posted by redteam at 8:10 AM PST - 13 comments

How can I stop touching my face? Whenever I am sitting still and concentrating, and sometimes when I am anxious or nervous, I touch, scratch and otherwise fiddle with my face. This is not good for me, and results in any small spots/blemishes getting much worse and inflamed, and they stick around for longer than they should. Please help me break this habit and help me get prettier!
posted by altolinguistic at 8:06 AM PST - 19 comments