I loved the plot of Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Any recommendations for similar books, shows, or movies? [more inside]
posted by reenum on Oct 28, 2009 - 10 answers

What's the best platform for a local community news and events site? [more inside]
posted by TochterAusElysium on Oct 24, 2009 - 5 answers

Years ago (2002? 2003?), long before Etsy, there was an online community for DIY/crafty blogger types to trade materials and maybe handmade goods as well. What was it called, and what happened to it? [more inside]
posted by junkbox on Oct 7, 2009 - 10 answers

A new version of MP3.com? [more inside]
posted by sycophant on Sep 27, 2009 - 3 answers

Looking for suggestions or examples of websites dedicated to folks who live in Condos or HOAs (i.e. a website for a specific building or development), and what makes them work (or not). [more inside]
posted by lowlife on Sep 23, 2009 - 3 answers

What are the five metrics you would use to measure the health* of an online community? [more inside]
posted by A Terrible Llama on Sep 12, 2009 - 10 answers

I feel like a career change. I need help brainstorming the possibilities. Which careers do you think may meet my skills and requirements? [more inside]
posted by speedoavenger on Aug 23, 2009 - 8 answers

Suggest a model for a money-making, or at least self-sufficient, website dedicated to a region or small city something like "Mayberry Online." Probably advertising driven, dedicated to news, events, listings, but with active forums for 'consumer gripes,' local politics, advice columns, restaurant reviews, arts, sports, health, pets & wildlife. Think 'city paper' or alternative press but online, with an active Craigslist component. Any thing like that out there? Suggestions on website design/creation/start-up consultants would be an added bonus. Links please to worthy existing sites that fit the bill. And, TIA
posted by NorthCoastCafe on Aug 17, 2009 - 12 answers

How hard are math placement tests for community colleges? [more inside]
posted by greatalleycat on Aug 10, 2009 - 10 answers

Community college: am I asking all the right questions for my soon-to-be-senior daughter? [more inside]
posted by dzaz on Aug 6, 2009 - 37 answers

I have an opportunity to produce a kickass community Web site for my town. What cities already have wonderfully interactive, community Web sites I can look at for inspiration, or what do you think a killer town Web site should have or be like? [more inside]
posted by wackybrit on Aug 4, 2009 - 13 answers

Best topic-specific networking/community/cloud sites? [more inside]
posted by Kattiara17 on Jul 30, 2009 - 3 answers

Looking for examples of websites that engage/inform/empower the communities and readers they serve. Examples include barackobama.com, greenforall.org and (in terms of content, not presentation/interface) this site for the UK Improvement and Development Agency. [more inside]
posted by Admiral Haddock on Jul 17, 2009 - 2 answers

I'm a little short on skills but large on motivation. Should I start working on growing my community's web presence, or leave it to the pros? [more inside]
posted by scarykarrey on Jul 1, 2009 - 4 answers

Are there any sites out there for organizing people to work on collaborative projects or new ideas? [more inside]
posted by Muffpub on Jun 25, 2009 - 8 answers

I need to come up with a community engagement plan for a community based event, and I need to do it by Monday. My problem? I have never designed a community engagement plan before, and I don't even know how to begin designing one. I'm really quite desperate for help here so could you please help me? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 11, 2009 - 4 answers

Does anyone have any information about best practices & strategies for online community support and community development? [more inside]
posted by mere on May 8, 2009 - 6 answers

Anyone know any active writing forums they would recommend? [more inside]
posted by Ugh on Apr 12, 2009 - 5 answers

How to set up a way for my non-profit's supporters to send letters to the editor and to elected officials online? [more inside]
posted by acridrabbit on Apr 12, 2009 - 5 answers

Are there instrumental equivalents to community choirs? And which ones work? [more inside]
posted by argybarg on Apr 11, 2009 - 11 answers

What are some great examples of cities using new media to connect citizens? to promote a project? to do something awesome? [more inside]
posted by icarus on Apr 10, 2009 - 11 answers

I live in Madison WI and am looking to move to a larger city, under the impression that being in a larger city will provide me with more exposure and greater opportunities. I was thinking of moving to the outskirts of Chicago because it's close to my family in Madison and I love it there. I also miss Denver CO where I was born, but am unsure what kind of an art community it has. Does anyone know what cities are best for making a living as an artist? I have a degree in illustration but am also trying to get into gallery shows as well if that helps. Thank you very much for any advice.
posted by RaceTheDream on Mar 31, 2009 - 8 answers

In this article, Clive Thompson says Disqus invented "selective invisibility" -- the moderation technique of hiding the activity of troublemakers and trolls from everyone but the troll themselves. I know this can't be true, mostly because I implemented it on Upcoming.org back in 2003. But I remember the idea floating around long before that, and some old online communities definitely implemented it, but I can't remember which ones. Any old-schoolers remember? [more inside]
posted by waxpancake on Mar 25, 2009 - 26 answers

Has anyone here participated in (or know someone who has participated in) the Industrial Area Foundation's National Leadership Training? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 11, 2009 - 0 answers

CollegeTransitionFilter: Help a sad little CS student deal with figuring out where to live, what he can expect in this economy, and how to deal with an unexpected surprise for his besieged parents. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 11, 2009 - 14 answers

I'm looking for annual community bike rides around the world, particularly where there's a big participation or closing of regular streets. As an example, I've done Chicago's Bike the Drive and just found out about Perth's Freeway Bike Hike. Are you aware of anything else that's similar? [more inside]
posted by kaydo on Mar 9, 2009 - 22 answers

I remember reading an article in 2008 about an informal gathering in New York of people who do various kinds of freelance work; they met in a coffee shop, I believe. I think it may have been in New York magazine or the NYTimes, but I can't find it. Does anyone else remember this? Or know of a gathering that meets this description? [more inside]
posted by toomuchkatherine on Jan 4, 2009 - 10 answers

Where can I find the best online community for your hobby? Specifically looking for stamp collectors and old coin dealers, but all are welcome! [more inside]
posted by DMan on Jan 1, 2009 - 5 answers

20+ years ago, I heard a recording of the Hallelujah Chorus done by an English village on WFCR. It was horrible. I'd like to hear it again. [more inside]
posted by QIbHom on Dec 24, 2008 - 10 answers

I fail at Amazon. Help me find a book on running a small community group. [more inside]
posted by symphonik on Dec 14, 2008 - 3 answers

Any recommendations for (preferably) online Public Health Journals, Communities, or Blogs? [more inside]
posted by rosswald on Dec 11, 2008 - 6 answers

I'm looking for help in finding good examples of interest surveys for social sites that match a user to a group/other users based on interest survey results (very much like StumbleUpon process but its focused on matching sites I might like). I'm looking for best practices, too, to decide on hierarchy structure (what is a considered a top level and second level category). [more inside]
posted by dael on Nov 17, 2008 - 1 answer

What are some benchmarks in the history of multiplayer game lobbies? [more inside]
posted by serial_consign on Sep 6, 2008 - 5 answers

How much would an online expert expect to be paid? [more inside]
posted by cherie72 on Sep 2, 2008 - 6 answers

What are some small towns in the Adirondacks (NY)- with nice community, local food, and art? [more inside]
posted by Nillocsoc on Aug 29, 2008 - 16 answers

Help me with this Urban Planning problem. I live in your typical bedroom community on the perimeter of a large metropolitan area. We have about 30,000 residents and a lot going for us in terms of community and location. We're going to get hooked up on the regions new commuter rail system, but it's on the far side of the community and I don't see it getting much use without a feeder system of some kind. Our regional mass transit system sucks otherwise; so we're on our own to develop an intra-community system that will keep our community vibrant, green, and support commuter rail. [more inside]
posted by IndigoSkye on Aug 22, 2008 - 14 answers

How can I set up a simple, intuitive and free online donations account via PayPal or another service? [more inside]
posted by chinese_fashion on Aug 6, 2008 - 4 answers

Is there a Metafilter about sex? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 5, 2008 - 3 answers

For those of you who live in LA or the greater LA area (Long Beach, especially) -- what do you enjoy most about your neighborhood, and how have you created a personal space for yourself in this sprawling city? [more inside]
posted by tinygiant on Jul 29, 2008 - 14 answers

Looking for community building tool to create a family website. I have family all across the US and would like to create a website where each family member could create their own profile, make posts, share photos. Like a MySpace or Facebook but something more private and to a degree less complex. Something that is just for invited users, something that is easy to use for non-technical users and something that I can host and administer. Open source solutions would be preferred. I have used wordpress, drupal, and joomla but each requires tweaking and modules, and lots of research to setup. Just wondering if there are any prepackages solutions or easier to use modules for WP, drupal, or joomla. Thanks.
posted by mountainfrog on Jul 15, 2008 - 6 answers

What are the best graduate schools for environmental planning, with a focus on community involvement? I am specifically interested in community involvement in watershed health, and sustainable stormwater issues. [more inside]
posted by Delfena on Jul 9, 2008 - 10 answers

I have been trying to get the hang of Drupal all morning. I am trying to set up a community/info site and I am completely overwhelmed. Help me figure out what I need to know! [more inside]
posted by [insert clever name here] on Jun 14, 2008 - 15 answers

My community theatre group forgot to have tickets printed for this weekend's show. I'd like to use a template and print them on my office copier to help the group save money. Is there an online program that will help me do this easily? I have MS Office 2000 programs, but the built in templates don't want to cooperate. Guidance would be appreciated.
posted by rdauphin on Jun 4, 2008 - 8 answers

I'm looking for some research or (last resort) anecdotal stories about the effect of improved/improving schools on communities/neighborhoods. [more inside]
posted by jeanmari on Jun 3, 2008 - 8 answers

What's the best software to start an easy-to-use community blog/wiki website? The focus is on ease of use for a wide range of users, allowing people to write articles, upload photos, sound and potentially video. [more inside]
posted by Magnakai on Jun 2, 2008 - 9 answers

RecordingStudioFilter: Advice sought on how to run a collective no-budget underground (literally) studio; starting immediately. lots [more inside]
posted by yoHighness on May 31, 2008 - 8 answers

What kind of community music ensembles are there that a flute player could join in (or near) the San Fernando valley area of Los Angeles? [more inside]
posted by TheClonusHorror on May 24, 2008 - 1 answer

Why do I often see two, three, even four different Thai restaurants on the same block, sometimes even right next to one another? [more inside]
posted by bubukaba on May 19, 2008 - 22 answers

I'm looking for great examples of local/city networking and information sites that really offer something useful/fun to both visitors AND residents of a community. Sites that people enjoy using as a regular resource to enjoy and really embrace a specific place and what makes it tick. Do you know of any really kickass city websites that have rocked your world? [more inside]
posted by miss lynnster on May 19, 2008 - 5 answers

Hey MeFi, long time listener - first time caller here. I'm looking for guidance on how to help out the homeless in my community, further my photography career, create awareness, and do this all with the utmost respect. [more inside]
posted by JRGould on May 17, 2008 - 7 answers