Are there any cultures in which a smile is not an expression of happiness? [more inside]
posted by kmtiszen on Oct 14, 2009 - 17 answers

When do you make eye contact with people you see on the street or on a trail? [more inside]
posted by rwatson on May 3, 2009 - 27 answers

Say cheesy! There are threads discussing tips on how to smile more often, but what happens when you do? For those who aren't innately full of sunshine, have you ever made a concerted, sudden effort to smile as much as possible, and what impact has it had on those around you? Does it lift your own spirits, or wear you out? Do people think you're flirting with them and/or get creeped out? Does it start to feel kind of fake after a while, and actually make you feel kinda empty inside? Just a general query.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing on Mar 10, 2009 - 41 answers

What are your experiences with thin porcelain veneers? I just spent $1200 on a Snap-On Smile and don't like the result. Should I take my dentist up on his offer to apply that cost towards a $5900 veneers procedure, or just give up and get stuck with the $1200 piece of plastic I won't use? [more inside]
posted by potatopeople on Nov 18, 2008 - 13 answers

In the Art of Fiction interview in the current Paris Review, Kazuo Ishiguro says of his father: "He had a Chinese characteristic, which was that he smiled when something bad happened." Is that really considered a Chinese characteristic? Are there other cultures it's commonly associated with?
posted by Cucurbit on Apr 29, 2008 - 14 answers

A while ago, I went into a Christian bookstore and saw a poster/reprinted painting of Jesus dressed in a very colorful coat and he had a really big smile and was possibly laughing. From what I remember, the picture showed the whole body of Jesus as opposed to just his face - can anyone help me find this image? There's a best answer in it for the winner :)

BTW - The basic Google search yielded some fine pictures, but not the one I was searching for.
posted by royalchinook on Apr 9, 2008 - 12 answers

I'd like your real-life testimonials for wrinkle treatments that actually work. Bonus points if your skin is brownish. [more inside]
posted by pseudostrabismus on Jan 22, 2008 - 13 answers

I like to learn the many ways a smile might be interpreted in different countries and cultures. I'd also be interested in examples of the influencial power of a smile.
posted by JaySunSee on Oct 31, 2007 - 11 answers

How do I look relaxed and happy in photographs? [more inside]
posted by Phalene on Oct 10, 2007 - 22 answers

How can I learn to smile? [more inside]
posted by sequential on Aug 5, 2007 - 23 answers

Can I correct my smile posture? [more inside]
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur on Jul 9, 2007 - 13 answers

Help me get people to leave me and my pearly whites alone! [more inside]
posted by sephira on Nov 7, 2006 - 41 answers

Is there an explanation for why Jesus is never said to be smiling or laughing (he must have at some stage surely)?
posted by tellurian on Sep 23, 2006 - 14 answers

When did people start smiling for photographs? What is the oldest extant photograph of someone smiling (whether for the camera or incidentally)?
posted by pracowity on Aug 27, 2005 - 17 answers

My wife maintains that our dog smiles in response to being happy. I maintain that she smiles because she is panting (my dog, not my wife). I concede that there is a smile-like movement on the dog's mouth but, since she is part beagle and has a skin flap over her mouth, she is doing this to enhance her air exchange. Also, since she seems to pant more when she is excited, I think this "smiling" mechanism can be confusing because it happens on occasions when we would expect a smile. I'm not sure what evolutionary purpose smiling would provide a dog (or a cat for that matter…she thinks the cat smiles, too). My guess is that smiling in humans serves a sexual/propagation purpose and, since dogs spend their time with their noses up the ass of other dogs, this would not make sense. Maybe that's why they wag their tails? Anyone have any thoughts on this important matter?
posted by SparkyPine on Mar 23, 2005 - 16 answers

I'm looking for two photos of Brian Wilson circa the original Smile sessions (that is, around 1968). [MI] [more inside]
posted by Frankieist on Dec 15, 2004 - 4 answers