Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with recommend

Broaden my podcast horizons in twenty minutes or less.

shelleycat — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:45:40 -0800

Another recommend-me-new-podcasts question but with a small twist: I'm specifically looking for podcasts which are 20 minutes duration or less. Subject matter is wide open, it's just difficult to search by length. Shorter podcasts I already love include: Afternoon Tea with Richard Wiseman, Skeptoid, SGU 5x5, Vital Signs, and SciAm's 60-Second Science. As you can see I'm heavy on the skeptics and science but I'd like to widen my horizons. So please don't feel limited to this area, diversity is good. The only things I won't listen to is politics and religion, everything (and anything!) else is fair game.

Links are good, names I can google to find links myself are also good. Podcasts longer than twenty minutes, while being good in their own way, aren't what I'm looking for right now (the odd minute or two over here and there is fine). I promise to download and listen to at least one episode of everything mentioned as long as it's short enough.

Oh. And I listen while I walk to work so I'm talking about audio podcasts here rather than video ones. Cheers!

I can see, I can see perfectly. I can see that van over there

twine42 — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:03:48 -0800

Why are windscreen wipers so, well, crap? Am I mistreating my wipers? Is there a better brand to use? The entire time I've been driving (I got my license in 94) I've been unimpressed with windscreen wipers.

Unless there's a good downpour, wipers always seem to leave multiple parallel streaks across the path of the blade. It's often bad enough that I consider it a risk to my view of the road.

It's always been the same on every car I've owned. I've used Bosch branded blades, motor factor own-brand blades, budget ones and OEM ones. They've all been awful. They work for maybe a week at most and then fail. This has been on everything from a 70s Austins to a 5 year old Skoda.

In fact, they're normally bad enough that I tend to put my cars in for their MOT test with spare blades in the boot, but the testers have never failed the car on them.

Presumably I'm being fussier than the testers.

Other than washing the car and using an all-over wax, I do no maintenance to the screen or blades. I used to try cleaning the blade itself, but I've given up on that as it seemed to make no difference.

So, what can I do to improve the performance of the blades? What blades (in the UK) could you recommend as being the best?

You've GOT the see this movie!

grumblebee — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:05:06 -0800

Is there an web app via which people can recommend things (movies, music, books, etc.) to me? I feel a bit stupid asking this, because something this obvious must exist, and I should know about it. But I don't.

What I want is this:

A friend of mine goes to (say) recommend.to/grumblebee. He fills out a simple form indicating that he thinks I'd like a book called "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. If he wants, he can write why thinks I'd like it, and he can (optionally) post a link to the book on Amazon.

I can check the page for recommendations, or I can opt to get an email whenever anyone recommends things to me.

IMPORTANT: I would like a low-bar-of-entry. I don't want friends of mine to have to sign up. They just go to the page, fill out the form, press POST, and they're done.

Also, I don't want this to be part of a social-networking site. Not everyone is on Facebook (really!).

I want this, because lovely people are always recommending things to me. They make these recommendations through a bewildering number of channels: email, Facebook, Twitter, IM... Inevitably, I lose track of them and can't find them when I need them.

I'd like to "train" my friends to shoot stuff to recommend.to/grumblebee. If it's something they have to join, many of them will not do it. But if it's a simple form, it shouldn't be a problem.

Basically, it would be like a delicious page for me -- but one created by friends of mine.

Would you guys recommend to buy MOTORS LIQ CO (MTLQQ)?

omaralarifi — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:32:31 -0800

Can I buy MOTORS LIQ CO (MTLQQ) AKA General Motors stock? If yes, Would you guys recommend to buy the stock? Whatever your answer I need to know the reason. Thank You

Recommendations for an online Document Management System?

kensch — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:25:55 -0800

Recommendations for an online Document Management System? Looking to host ~10 years of mixed files online (minutes, proposals, etc.), and have it be easily accessible and searched. I'm looking to move the entire record of our organization: minutes, proposals, amendments, flyers, and so forth online (This amounts to 10 years of weekly documents), to make them accessible to the general membership and public. I'm trying to find an online program or system that would easily structure these documents, sort them by date, and allow for searching. We're looking for either a free service, or open source package. Nothing should require you to log in, so there is no need for accounts except for administrator access. We also don't need access control (such as checking in/out documents).

I've been toying around with different things for a while now. We tried to use Scribd, which made documents very easy to read and accessible, but I found that it was difficult to sort by date and unwieldy with large numbers of documents. There were a few others that didn't work for various reasons. Knowledgetree was too caught up in version control. My latest attempt is with Owl Knowledgebase, though the normal version has too many features that we don't need and makes file access difficult. Owl-lite actually comes closest to what we need, and I've been doing my best to customize it. However, it has difficulty sorting by dates. So, any ideas? How have you overcome the obstacle of structuring documents online?

Great ladies running clothes and gear?

mintchip — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:06:25 -0800

Great ladies running clothes and gear? Amateur running looking to get out there 3-4 times a week (for 3-5 miles each time). I'm looking to get some more gear but don't really know much about what I should be looking for. My challenge is adjusting to weather that is often cold/wet/windy when I start out and then feels warm pretty quickly once I get moving.

I really don't know what I should be looking for in "good" running gear, since I've always just used old sweats or discount off-label workout clothes like those you can get at TJ Maxx. I'd like to get your recommendations here and then look for them at online discounters. Basically, I'm looking for favorite brands and advice features to look for in:

1. tops
2. pants
3. outer layers
4. workout bag
5. accessories (fanny pack, etc.)

Bonus if you can recommend a great padded sports bra (size A here). Thanks!

Recommend News Blogs

billtron — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:12:54 -0800

JournalismFilter: Please recommend good blogs/online columns by individual reporters. I really enjoy reading Ta Nehisi Coates' blog at The Atlantic, Jasmina Tešanović's work on BoingBoing.net, and Benjamin Kabak's SecondAvenueSagas, not just as good sources for news but also because there is something rewarding about following a particular author's path through the world on a day-to-day basis.

Are there particular online writers whose blogs or articles you would recommend for the similar reason? For example, do any individual writers at any of the collective political blogs stand out to you? Journalists at newspapers or magazines? Random individuals with a passion for some topic? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Help me find the awesomest laptop ever.

gwpcasey — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:03:06 -0800

Laptop filter: please help me find an awesome laptop for business and personal use for the next 3-4 years. (Feel free to recommend an ideal setup, rather than the hardware itself if you feel so inclined.) Hello all. I'm currently in the market for a new laptop and am having trouble finding one that gets me all excited.

For the purposes of this question, here are my key considerations:
1) let's pretend that money isn't an object;
2) I work out of a few different locations - I will hook the laptop up to a monitor and keyboard at some, but at others I'll be using the laptop itself (including at home), so I'd prefer a large screen;
3) I travel regularly but not a lot, so I'm not really concerned with weight this time around;
4) I live outside of most warranty zones (and/or have to ship it at my own, very high cost to get work done under warranty) so reliability is paramount;
5) I tried Mac many years ago, it was a disappointment and then the screen died, I had to ship it to the US and lost everything... I'm not likely to go there again;
6) I mostly use it for word processing, email and the internet. I also use some music recording and editing software, astronomy imaging and tracking software and will be loading up some photo and video editing software too. No gaming, no super-fancy graphics, and I'm not editing photos or music every day. So primary use is definitely low-bandwidth stuff, so to speak.

I'd appreciate any help you can offer - I'll be getting my chance to actually touch and play with some laptops in 2 weeks, until then I can only do research on the Internets.

Thanks.

Recommend me some kickass fight scenes please!

ORthey — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:00:05 -0800

Recommend me some contemporary movies that have lengthy, intense, kickass fight scenes please! I just watched "Taken" and it has a really intense fight scene... it's not insanely long, but it's visceral and very exciting just the same. I realized that I love me a good fight scene! Another one that fits into the category for me was in the third Bourne film (Ultilmatum). They Live also has a legendary, ridiculously long fight scene.

Essentially, I'm looking for fights that make you gasp, and that are hair-on-end, sweaty palms, kick-you-in-the-ass awesome. So, please let me have 'em!

How can I find a dentist who is good with terrified patients?

photomusic86 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:35:42 -0800

How can I find a dentist who is good with terrified patients? Yeah, it's me. I'm looking for one in Northeast Ohio, nearish Brunswick. If you know one specifically, please recommend! Or maybe some sort of recommendation service?

Japan or bust: recommend a camera

doctor.dan — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:25:26 -0800

I'm planning on going to Japan later on in the year, and I need a new camera. I don't know much about digital cameras, so I figured I'd use my weekly askMeFi question to get some help.

Basically, I want a camera that isn't too expensive (I was thinking up to about AU$500), takes a decent photo when I point and click, and isn't too chunky. I'll want to be able to lug it around to a lot of places.

I'm liking the look of the geotagging feature in iPhoto 09, so something that incorporates GPS in some way would be awesome.

What Akira Kurosawa movies do you recommend?

AZNsupermarket — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:55:39 -0800

What Akira Kurosawa movies do you recommend? I have seen the following Kurosawa movies:
Stray Dog, Rashômon, Ikiru, The Seven Samurai, Throne of Blood, Hidden Fortress, The Bad Sleep Well, Yojimbo, Kagemusha, Ran, Drunken Angel, Sanjuro

As you can see, I am big Kurosawa fan. I felt that Kagemusha and Ran went on a little long, but overall I enjoyed them all. I also plan on watching:
High and Low, Red Beard

Are there any other great Kurosawa movies that I should check out?

What should I read if I love Clan of the Cave Bear?

melodykramer — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:06:14 -0800

I love The Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel, and am looking to read other series in the same vein (i.e. historical, fact-filled, plot driven awesomeness) What would you recommend?

Writing your own letter of recommendation

ztdavis — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:04:08 -0800

How do you write a letter for recommendation for yourself? My wife is applying for a job that has asked for three professional letters of recommendation. One of her three recommenders has asked my wife to draft the letter herself so that the recommender can go over it, make minor changes, and sign off on it.

Is there any good (ethical, not awkward) way to go about this? It seems like she will need to write it from her boss' perspective and voice, which toes the line of dishonesty. To go the other route and merely be factually descriptive without much praise will make it sound lackluster.

What have any mefites done in similar situations?

The good part is, we need an agreement

EllenC — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:10:12 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good, reasonably priced lawyer with a experience with intellectual property agreements? Specifically software, but maybe that's not so critical. My usual sources aren't being that much help. Anywhere in the U.S. would be fine, Michigan would be best of all. I need an agreement drafted, pretty quickly, that will cover everything we need, without costing the moon and the stars. I know laywers are expensive, but am hoping for reasonable rather than top of the line.

Inkjet Printer Recommendations

NorthCoastCafe — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 05:34:15 -0800

I'm loking for a small, not too expensive inkjet printer for mostly black and white printing of documents. I don't do photos and only occasionally want color--for Mapquest printouts etc. Lowest cost ink cartridges preferred. Speed and resolution not a big consideration. Footprint (size) is important but I don't want a "portable" which seem expensive. Thanks for your recommendations

American History Books

blue_beetle — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 09:20:46 -0800

AmericanHistoryFilter: Looking for a book (or books) to learn about american history from 1500 to 1850. I'm looking for an overview of american history (up to the middle/end of the 1800s) that is witty and engaging. Most of the books I've found are fairly dry and, while filled with facts, aren't very interesting. Can you recommend a book or two to help me out?
[note: I am familiar with canadian history, just not as much with the rest of North America.]

I love Post Apocalyptic Genre books and movies. Can you recommend some?

crewshell — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 10:56:58 -0800

I love Post Apocalyptic Genre books and movies. Can you recommend some? Alas Babylon is one of my favorites. I prefer the ones that are based in “reality” or shall I say somewhat believable terms, but I could get into any story were a group of people are struggling to survive after a major event has caused the elimination of a large portion of the population (I.E Nuclear war, Alien Attack, Plague, Etc etc) The movies that I have seen in the genre are The Post Man, Mad Max Series, Water World, 28 Days Later, an old movie I believe was called Omega Man, Can you suggest any other movies? And in terms of books I have read Alas Babylon, Plague and one other I can’t remember the name… I would love more recommendations on both sides, film and literature! I’ve try Amazon but they do not really get this specific with their book categories, nor does my public library.

Thanks guys!

Recommend music similar to Figurine's The Heartfelt.

defenestration — Thu, 20 Oct 2005 10:08:44 -0800

MusicFilter: I enjoy Figurine. What else would I like? I specifically dig their album The Heartfelt, especially songs like Stranger, Time(His Mix), and So Futuristic.

I guess you'd call it electronic pop music with a sort of blasé, soft(yet easily intelligible), vocal style. The lyrics are usually rather simple and are about relationships and observations within the digital age.

To skip some more obvious recommendations: Yes I've listened to both dntel and The Postal Service.

Any recommendations are welcome. Thanks.

Can anyone recommend markets in NYC to buy fresh oysters?

clubfoote — Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:24:14 -0800

Shellfish Filter: So I've recently discovered that I love Oysters. I don't know much about them other than the ones I've had at Doc's and Pearl (NYC oyster bars) I loved. Can anyone recommend markets in NYC to buy them,what types are the best? Favorite recipes/cookbooks? I've just bought the one from Pearl.

Senior DVDs

Juicylicious — Fri, 26 Nov 2004 16:49:06 -0800

Please help me pick some dvds for my grandmother. [mi] I purchased a DVD player for my 90 y.o. grandmother a few months back. I also gave her the LOTR special edition, Master & Commander (thought grandpa would like it) and Whalerider. Although she loved the LOTR series in book, she couldn't watch the films because they literally give her nightmares. Anything, film or novel that is at all violent gives her nightmares. Apparently, this is a common problem with the elderly. I think it has something to do with her meds.

Anyway, we watched Whalerider yesterday and she LOVED it. She said it was the best film she had seen in years. I think that she liked that it was a story about a young girl and it ended on an upbeat note.

I want to get her more films in the Whalerider vein but I'm coming up blank. Any recommendations?

Replacing a Furnace

alms — Mon, 27 Sep 2004 19:28:31 -0800

Should I replace my dying oil furnace with oil or gas? A year ago gas would have been a no-brainer, but now gas supplies are increasingly constrained, while locally-produced biodiesel supplies are starting to come online. (The obvious advantages of gas: cleaner and less maintenance. But I'm thinking long term energy supply here.)

Can you think of any children's albums by good adult artists?

waxpancake — Mon, 28 Jun 2004 08:55:45 -0800

Can you think of any children's albums by good adult artists? (more inside) Most of the albums I've found are bland pablum by musicians like Kenny Loggins, Olivia Newton-John, Linda Rondstadt, Dave Koz, and the like. Where are all the good kids' albums?!?

So far, all I can come up with is Harry Nilsson's The Point, Carole King's Really Rosie, They Might Be Giants' No! and Jason "guitarist for Jellyfish" Falkner's Bedtime with the Beatles. I'm not counting compilations (e.g. Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits or Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks).

And why aren't indie artists making music for kids? (I'd love to hear albums from musicians with a young spirit, like Jonathan Richman, Mates of State, Mirah, Of Montreal, and Ben Kweller.)

RSS Feeds: Why?

*burp* — Fri, 25 Jun 2004 07:43:50 -0800

RSS Feeds: Why?
I like the idea of feeds, but I haven't found any partcular benefit to them over, say, just visiting their respective websites. Which feeds do you find to be most rewarding -- in and of themselves? And what makes them such a big deal, anyway?

Can anyone recommend something which will monitor web pages and then post changes into an RSS feed?

feelinglistless — Sun, 13 Jun 2004 03:27:59 -0800

Can anyone recommend something which will monitor web pages and then post changes into an RSS feed. I've tried using things like MyRSS but they don't seem to work very well on pages were the content is non-linear. A Google search offers some results but it would be lovely to know about the good ones.