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Looking for the best children's books for 1 to three year olds printed in the last few years.
posted by cda at 7:58 AM - 17 answers

Partner and child away this weekend, so what I really want to do is scare myself with a good film from the last three years (2015 onwards). I'm going to get IT and Get Out, so what are some other recent films that might fit the bill? I have UK Netflix too if there are any good picks on there.
posted by threetwentytwo at 5:26 AM - 29 answers

Dearest MeFites, I have been searching for a documentary I saw on TV some years ago that I am hoping our hive mind might help me track down. It was about historical re-enactors in or around York, England. They had a small village in which they portrayed villagers in the Viking era. The documentary showed various technologies being employed: blacksmithing, woodworking, animal husbandry, textile crafts and so on, as people carried out their period-appropriate lifestyles. Can you point me to it? [more inside]
posted by darkstar at 6:48 PM - 7 answers

I'm the staff coordinator for a project in which law students will research media-industry questions for people. They are not lawyers and will not give legal advice, but will answer with links to relevant statutes and court decisions to let you know what the laws are. I'm trying to furnish them with questions to answer to kickstart this project. What media-related questions would you want to ask them? [more inside]
posted by Shepherd at 1:06 PM - 8 answers

As I understand it, sometimes foundations are repositories for donations from a number of sources. Those foundations then redistribute those funds to causes it supports. I'm looking for any American arts, educational or cultural foundations that receive money from Saudi Arabia?
posted by CollectiveMind at 3:27 PM - 3 answers

A friend recalls a scene from a movie or possibly tv show where a character opens a door, looks through at what's beyond, closes the door, moves the doorknob from the left side to the right side (or possible from right to left), and reopens the door (now opening as though hinges have shifted as well) to a more satisfactory place. What movie is this? [more inside]
posted by VeritableSaintOfBrevity at 1:37 PM - 3 answers

Formerly fluent in French and I'd like to get back in the groove with some podcasts. Not interested in straight nightly news-type programs or anything for language learners. English language podcasts I enjoy: The Bugle (more when John was on), 99% Invisible, Planet Money, Hidden Brain. Anything you like along those lines?
posted by waninggibbon at 12:20 PM - 4 answers

I'm trying to remember a novel I read within the last ten years--I've Googled, checked all my reading lists, and nothing. Please help? [more inside]
posted by dearwassily at 3:19 PM - 2 answers

I've been reading horror novels on the train to work and horror film soundtracks are improving the experience, both by enhancing the mood and blocking out competing noise. What are some you would recommend? Instrumental only, please. Only recent stuff. Preferably on Spotify for easy access. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:01 PM - 26 answers

A year or so ago I saw a strange animated short on YouTube. Probably 3D CG. The characters were all edible items on a sushi conveyer belt, fighting a violent battle with guns and swords. I think the main character was a female salmon nigiri, who is mortally wounded in the action. I think it was untranslated, either Chinese or Japanese. I've not been able to re-find it and it's niggling at me.
posted by snarfois at 9:15 AM - 4 answers

I have a poor-quality but totally legible recording of a choral performance of the school song of the Japanese high school where I used to teach. I would like to have sheet music/chords/a midi file for the song, so that I might create my own ridiculous version of it. How should I go about finding someone to transcribe it? [more inside]
posted by Sokka shot first at 9:13 AM - 4 answers

The title says it all. IMAX is more expensive and further away, so is there anything about the film makes IMAX worth those headaches?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:15 AM - 4 answers

My partner and I (old-ish millenials) are on a bad-movie kick while waiting for the new MST3K season, and I thought AskMe might have some good recommendations for us. Films from the 80s-90s tend to be our favourites, but we're open to other eras if they're really worth it (we've already seen The Room and Rubber, for example). Our criteria and previous likes/dislikes below the fold. [more inside]
posted by Paper rabies at 6:35 PM - 91 answers

What are your favorite streaming documentaries about ordinary people, communities, problems? [more inside]
posted by nantucket at 9:52 PM - 18 answers

My museum has been contacted by someone looking for help identifying something they purchased at a flea market in a Western state in the U.S.. You can see photos of it here. It does not seem to be Native North American, and people have doubted it was from Europe or the Middle East. Some have thought it might be from South America. (It is also not from Easter Island apparently.) If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate it (contemporary art object or fake are also ok answers :-)
posted by gudrun at 10:20 AM - 12 answers

A few of us in the League of Women Voters are developing a radio show (and podcast), covering issues that are interesting and relevant to voters -- that is, political, legal, and civics issues. We hope to broadcast our first episode very soon, before Election Day. But before we can release anything, we need a snappy title! What should our name be? [more inside]
posted by rue72 at 7:33 AM - 12 answers

I’m a school librarian. I may or may not have left a toaster oven on at 215F on in my office with a one inch piece of polymer (scupper) clay inside, baking, around 11:45. I cannot remember if I turned it off. If it’s stull turned on, what are my chances that it will still be fine overnight and not catch fire or explode? There’s a limited custodial staff there at night but I have no way to get in touch, and my badge won’t get me into the building this late. Plus it’s forty minutes each way. Thoughts???
posted by firei at 3:03 PM - 15 answers

Help me find authoritative sources that will explain to people at work why it's ludicrous that we're still required to use a fixed-width font in written work, and why we should switch to a variable-width font like pretty much every other organization in the known universe. [more inside]
posted by holborne at 8:39 AM - 10 answers

Years ago I came across an essay online by an artist, I think one who does a lot of performance art, arguing that confronting the audience with hostility was pretty tired and worn-out territory, and that caring for the audience (e.g., washing their feet) and expressing love and hospitality was the new frontier. I thought I bookmarked it but can't find it. Anyone remember this?
posted by brainwane at 7:49 AM - 2 answers

I'm in search of some great kids songs/albums for my kid's car ride to preschool (bilingual, English/Spanish). Raffi has been a big hit and has a couple songs in other languages, but I'm looking for someone singing fully in Spanish. Who's the Spanish-world Raffi? Searching found me this great thread but that's for French. Any suggestions for kids songs/albums en español?
posted by mnop at 6:04 PM - 8 answers