4653 Ask MetaFilter answers by dobbs (displaying 1 through 50)
I didn't really even start listening to pop music until the end of the eighties, never mind, like, cool music. And it has recently struck me that there's a lot of cool alternative/college/indie music of the late seventies/early eighties that I never heard. What do you recommend? Details within.
comment posted at 10:52 AM on Apr-30-25
I used to own myname.com (subbing for my first and last name) for over a decade, and suddenly I don't anymore. What gives?
comment posted at 7:35 PM on Apr-28-25
My grandmother's blender had a glass carafe and could nearly do the work of a food processor. I just threw away the latest in a long series of plastic blenders with apparently plastic motors that just burn right up. Are there any blenders that don't suck? If it's expensive, ok, but then it really has to not suck. Explain why it doesn't suck because I probably don't trust you. Explain why my grandma would approve.
comment posted at 4:46 PM on Apr-27-25
When you open your phone or laptop, you could pre-commit to what apps you will (and won't) use this session. This is a powerful and proven technique for gambling addiction. But I can't find anything like it for screen addiction.
comment posted at 10:50 PM on Apr-25-25
Is there a current AI platform that I can input something like a 1000 notes that I've collected, and then have it output an article on a topic using the ideas from those notes?
comment posted at 5:59 PM on Apr-23-25
This and this are screen grabs from a video by a guy in the UK. I'm in the US. I want this knife, or one very similar, for ultra fine plant cutting. It looks like a utility knife, but not like any here in the US. Help please, Metasleuths?
comment posted at 5:51 PM on Apr-23-25
I am 40. The case was one involving public disorder and property damage in the US when I was a student. I paid the restitution even though it wasn’t me. I was the guy who got arrested. The case was dismissed with no admissions of guilt or liability. I have the documentation of the dismissal of the case. Does anyone have advice in the current climate about someone I can talk to in order to work this out? I previously got a visa to travel (in Obama days) but it seems the world has changed. This worries me as a now middle aged man haunted by this. I want to travel to participate in an academic conference about social impacts of AI.
comment posted at 7:49 PM on Apr-19-25
A recent MeFi answerer said: I used to have my paper checks (remember those?) sent to my local [bank] branch. I'm not on the same page as this flippant MeFi answer. Of course I use fewer checks every year, but how can anyone suggest no longer having or even remembering paper checks?
comment posted at 11:21 AM on Apr-17-25
How can I stop the Messages application from creating pop-ups on my macos Monterey version 12.3 Macbook Pro? I will be watching a TV show in Firefox, with the Messages app not even OPEN, and yet if someone sends a text message to my phone, I get multiple popups interrupting my TV show.
comment posted at 9:50 AM on Apr-17-25
What is the best, actually waterproof rain gear? I have a rain jacket from REI that soaks through as soon as you pass the light drizzle phase.
comment posted at 2:09 PM on Apr-16-25
For spam texts in general, I swipe to 'Delete and Report Junk.' For unwanted texts from otherwise good political orgs, I text STOP (or whatever their opt-out word is). But what about texts that are purportedly from good political orgs that I've never contacted? Are these generally legit or imposters?
comment posted at 9:54 AM on Apr-17-25
All of the instructions I can find online for adding a shortcut to the Action Button say to go into Settings on the Watch, then hit Actions, and then choose Shortcuts. There is no Shorcuts option on that menu for me. Any suggestions?
comment posted at 4:57 AM on Apr-15-25
comment posted at 7:32 AM on Apr-15-25
My bathroom scale has gone wonky. I can step on it a few times in a row and it will give me a slightly different weight each time.
comment posted at 10:11 AM on Apr-12-25
I'm tired of typing on a touchscreen. Should/can I buy an external keyboard for my android? Which one?
comment posted at 12:18 PM on Apr-11-25
One of my best friends is stuck living in Amarillo and doesn't have any cool people to hang with. Do you know any resources to make new friends in Amarillo?
comment posted at 6:01 PM on Apr-9-25
I have a question about instant ramen noodles, the noodles specifically...
comment posted at 3:40 PM on Apr-9-25
I will shortly be attending my kid's college graduation + associated events, over 3 days. I'll wear a variety of dresses mostly oriented toward warm/humid weather. For non-negotiable body reasons, I will need to wear sneakers, alas. I'm thinking that nowadays a pristine white sneaker can be considered chic. Is that the way to go? If yes, please recommend me.
comment posted at 7:17 AM on Apr-7-25
Today I was excited that a library eBook I had on hold was available. I borrowed it, started reading it, but after about 10 pages, I thought "Wait a minute! Have I read this already?"
comment posted at 8:08 PM on Apr-5-25
My toddler LOVES watching and dancing along with Jungle’s music videos. Can you recommend similar videos to add to our playlist?
comment posted at 1:53 PM on Apr-4-25
How to get Apple to forget a "relay" username/id? I accidentally created two accounts for an app. One uses my email address and one uses one of those Apple ID relay options where you choose that you don't want the developer to have your email address. All my data is in the real email. But when I sign in, it defaults to the empty relay one. How can I delete it?
comment posted at 6:14 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 6:32 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 6:36 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 7:22 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 7:25 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 5:31 AM on Apr-4-25
I am looking to find a miracle app that can sort my random "things to remember" into nice, ordered and easy to find categories, with minimal effort.
comment posted at 4:36 PM on Apr-2-25
comment posted at 4:38 PM on Apr-2-25
comment posted at 4:40 PM on Apr-2-25
comment posted at 6:01 PM on Apr-2-25
Due to circumstances I’m about to start listening to a lot more audiobooks, and I’m looking for recommendations within a few criteria:
comment posted at 5:25 AM on Apr-3-25
My partner and I want to significantly limit screen time at home for us, a teenager, and two pre-tweens. My partner wants to get a safe or some kind of lock box where we all keep our phones and tablets locked away the whole time we are at home. There is a lot we like about this idea, particularly that it is simple and all-encompassing. At the same time, we both have aging parents, the kids' other co-parents, and jobs that occasionally reach out with urgent or emergency needs. Is there a hybrid of this low-tech solution involving some other tech or creative thinking that will help us unplug at home while also staying connected for the important stuff? Some additional specific considerations inside.
comment posted at 6:33 PM on Apr-1-25
comment posted at 6:06 PM on Apr-2-25
I want to get a horse size 40" ball like these but my GSD will deflate this in a matter of seconds. Do they make a solid rubber ball this large?
comment posted at 6:43 PM on Apr-1-25
I'm finding it surprisingly hard to identify an Android tablet that can power, via HDMI-to-USB, an external monitor.
comment posted at 11:17 AM on Mar-31-25
comment posted at 11:19 AM on Mar-31-25
My dad (85 yr old retired geology professor) and I (55 yr old science teacher) have an 8 hr road trip coming up to visit family back where he grew up. Last summer we had some audiobook hits and misses on a similar road trip. Humor and/or narratives from 50s/60s/70s is probably best bet, not science. More inside…
comment posted at 4:32 PM on Mar-28-25
Building a playlist for a mood I’m calling “I hate everything and everyone; I hope the sun devours us all.” This mood is every day all day for me so as many songs as possible please!
comment posted at 6:29 PM on Mar-26-25
The usual sources don't appear to be reliable narrators, so where do I go now?
comment posted at 6:11 PM on Mar-17-25
Help me figure where this movie/TV line is from.
comment posted at 5:23 PM on Mar-8-25
I hear the words "grift" and "grifter" thrown around a lot these days. I know it roughly means "crook" - the act of obtaining something illegally. My question is - I've observed the use of this word as also having connotations of cashing in on current trends/situations in an opportunistic fashion. Has the word "grift" actually developed that connotation, and if I want to emphasize the fact someone is specifically "cashing in" on a trend or movement, what word conveys it most succinctly?
comment posted at 3:55 PM on Mar-4-25
What are some email newsletters that share interesting links from around the web?
comment posted at 1:48 PM on Mar-3-25
I'm trying to cook on an induction cooktop / hob thing. I'm finding it very confusing. If you cook with induction, what temperatures do you use?
comment posted at 6:16 AM on Feb-25-25
comment posted at 6:17 AM on Feb-25-25
I'm looking for a new go-to news app, ideally that I can read desktop (PC) and via app (Android). Some qualifications inside for what I want.
comment posted at 12:42 PM on Feb-20-25
I, retired librarian, have a large-ish house in a college town, with a studio wing that I’ve rented out some years. I also have 3 mid-size dogs that come and go from house to fenced yard. The dogs make it hard for me to take even short trips because of the cost of kenneling the 3; this is a rural area and overnight dog sitting isn’t yet really a thing here. I may also need to be across the country for several months, if an old friend’s illness enters a terminal phase.
comment posted at 8:11 PM on Feb-15-25
As asked in this previous question, I'm trying to set up my mother's iDevices. It keeps asking me to enter the Passcode for a device that doesn't exist.
comment posted at 5:21 PM on Feb-12-25
comment posted at 6:47 PM on Feb-12-25
comment posted at 6:54 PM on Feb-12-25
comment posted at 7:34 PM on Feb-12-25
comment posted at 10:52 AM on Apr-30-25
I used to own myname.com (subbing for my first and last name) for over a decade, and suddenly I don't anymore. What gives?
comment posted at 7:35 PM on Apr-28-25
My grandmother's blender had a glass carafe and could nearly do the work of a food processor. I just threw away the latest in a long series of plastic blenders with apparently plastic motors that just burn right up. Are there any blenders that don't suck? If it's expensive, ok, but then it really has to not suck. Explain why it doesn't suck because I probably don't trust you. Explain why my grandma would approve.
comment posted at 4:46 PM on Apr-27-25
When you open your phone or laptop, you could pre-commit to what apps you will (and won't) use this session. This is a powerful and proven technique for gambling addiction. But I can't find anything like it for screen addiction.
comment posted at 10:50 PM on Apr-25-25
Is there a current AI platform that I can input something like a 1000 notes that I've collected, and then have it output an article on a topic using the ideas from those notes?
comment posted at 5:59 PM on Apr-23-25
This and this are screen grabs from a video by a guy in the UK. I'm in the US. I want this knife, or one very similar, for ultra fine plant cutting. It looks like a utility knife, but not like any here in the US. Help please, Metasleuths?
comment posted at 5:51 PM on Apr-23-25
I am 40. The case was one involving public disorder and property damage in the US when I was a student. I paid the restitution even though it wasn’t me. I was the guy who got arrested. The case was dismissed with no admissions of guilt or liability. I have the documentation of the dismissal of the case. Does anyone have advice in the current climate about someone I can talk to in order to work this out? I previously got a visa to travel (in Obama days) but it seems the world has changed. This worries me as a now middle aged man haunted by this. I want to travel to participate in an academic conference about social impacts of AI.
comment posted at 7:49 PM on Apr-19-25
A recent MeFi answerer said: I used to have my paper checks (remember those?) sent to my local [bank] branch. I'm not on the same page as this flippant MeFi answer. Of course I use fewer checks every year, but how can anyone suggest no longer having or even remembering paper checks?
comment posted at 11:21 AM on Apr-17-25
How can I stop the Messages application from creating pop-ups on my macos Monterey version 12.3 Macbook Pro? I will be watching a TV show in Firefox, with the Messages app not even OPEN, and yet if someone sends a text message to my phone, I get multiple popups interrupting my TV show.
comment posted at 9:50 AM on Apr-17-25
What is the best, actually waterproof rain gear? I have a rain jacket from REI that soaks through as soon as you pass the light drizzle phase.
comment posted at 2:09 PM on Apr-16-25
For spam texts in general, I swipe to 'Delete and Report Junk.' For unwanted texts from otherwise good political orgs, I text STOP (or whatever their opt-out word is). But what about texts that are purportedly from good political orgs that I've never contacted? Are these generally legit or imposters?
comment posted at 9:54 AM on Apr-17-25
All of the instructions I can find online for adding a shortcut to the Action Button say to go into Settings on the Watch, then hit Actions, and then choose Shortcuts. There is no Shorcuts option on that menu for me. Any suggestions?
comment posted at 4:57 AM on Apr-15-25
comment posted at 7:32 AM on Apr-15-25
My bathroom scale has gone wonky. I can step on it a few times in a row and it will give me a slightly different weight each time.
comment posted at 10:11 AM on Apr-12-25
I'm tired of typing on a touchscreen. Should/can I buy an external keyboard for my android? Which one?
comment posted at 12:18 PM on Apr-11-25
One of my best friends is stuck living in Amarillo and doesn't have any cool people to hang with. Do you know any resources to make new friends in Amarillo?
comment posted at 6:01 PM on Apr-9-25
I have a question about instant ramen noodles, the noodles specifically...
comment posted at 3:40 PM on Apr-9-25
I will shortly be attending my kid's college graduation + associated events, over 3 days. I'll wear a variety of dresses mostly oriented toward warm/humid weather. For non-negotiable body reasons, I will need to wear sneakers, alas. I'm thinking that nowadays a pristine white sneaker can be considered chic. Is that the way to go? If yes, please recommend me.
comment posted at 7:17 AM on Apr-7-25
Today I was excited that a library eBook I had on hold was available. I borrowed it, started reading it, but after about 10 pages, I thought "Wait a minute! Have I read this already?"
comment posted at 8:08 PM on Apr-5-25
My toddler LOVES watching and dancing along with Jungle’s music videos. Can you recommend similar videos to add to our playlist?
comment posted at 1:53 PM on Apr-4-25
How to get Apple to forget a "relay" username/id? I accidentally created two accounts for an app. One uses my email address and one uses one of those Apple ID relay options where you choose that you don't want the developer to have your email address. All my data is in the real email. But when I sign in, it defaults to the empty relay one. How can I delete it?
comment posted at 6:14 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 6:32 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 6:36 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 7:22 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 7:25 PM on Apr-3-25
comment posted at 5:31 AM on Apr-4-25
I am looking to find a miracle app that can sort my random "things to remember" into nice, ordered and easy to find categories, with minimal effort.
comment posted at 4:36 PM on Apr-2-25
comment posted at 4:38 PM on Apr-2-25
comment posted at 4:40 PM on Apr-2-25
comment posted at 6:01 PM on Apr-2-25
Due to circumstances I’m about to start listening to a lot more audiobooks, and I’m looking for recommendations within a few criteria:
comment posted at 5:25 AM on Apr-3-25
My partner and I want to significantly limit screen time at home for us, a teenager, and two pre-tweens. My partner wants to get a safe or some kind of lock box where we all keep our phones and tablets locked away the whole time we are at home. There is a lot we like about this idea, particularly that it is simple and all-encompassing. At the same time, we both have aging parents, the kids' other co-parents, and jobs that occasionally reach out with urgent or emergency needs. Is there a hybrid of this low-tech solution involving some other tech or creative thinking that will help us unplug at home while also staying connected for the important stuff? Some additional specific considerations inside.
comment posted at 6:33 PM on Apr-1-25
comment posted at 6:06 PM on Apr-2-25
I want to get a horse size 40" ball like these but my GSD will deflate this in a matter of seconds. Do they make a solid rubber ball this large?
comment posted at 6:43 PM on Apr-1-25
I'm finding it surprisingly hard to identify an Android tablet that can power, via HDMI-to-USB, an external monitor.
comment posted at 11:17 AM on Mar-31-25
comment posted at 11:19 AM on Mar-31-25
My dad (85 yr old retired geology professor) and I (55 yr old science teacher) have an 8 hr road trip coming up to visit family back where he grew up. Last summer we had some audiobook hits and misses on a similar road trip. Humor and/or narratives from 50s/60s/70s is probably best bet, not science. More inside…
comment posted at 4:32 PM on Mar-28-25
Building a playlist for a mood I’m calling “I hate everything and everyone; I hope the sun devours us all.” This mood is every day all day for me so as many songs as possible please!
comment posted at 6:29 PM on Mar-26-25
The usual sources don't appear to be reliable narrators, so where do I go now?
comment posted at 6:11 PM on Mar-17-25
Help me figure where this movie/TV line is from.
comment posted at 5:23 PM on Mar-8-25
I hear the words "grift" and "grifter" thrown around a lot these days. I know it roughly means "crook" - the act of obtaining something illegally. My question is - I've observed the use of this word as also having connotations of cashing in on current trends/situations in an opportunistic fashion. Has the word "grift" actually developed that connotation, and if I want to emphasize the fact someone is specifically "cashing in" on a trend or movement, what word conveys it most succinctly?
comment posted at 3:55 PM on Mar-4-25
What are some email newsletters that share interesting links from around the web?
comment posted at 1:48 PM on Mar-3-25
I'm trying to cook on an induction cooktop / hob thing. I'm finding it very confusing. If you cook with induction, what temperatures do you use?
comment posted at 6:16 AM on Feb-25-25
comment posted at 6:17 AM on Feb-25-25
I'm looking for a new go-to news app, ideally that I can read desktop (PC) and via app (Android). Some qualifications inside for what I want.
comment posted at 12:42 PM on Feb-20-25
I, retired librarian, have a large-ish house in a college town, with a studio wing that I’ve rented out some years. I also have 3 mid-size dogs that come and go from house to fenced yard. The dogs make it hard for me to take even short trips because of the cost of kenneling the 3; this is a rural area and overnight dog sitting isn’t yet really a thing here. I may also need to be across the country for several months, if an old friend’s illness enters a terminal phase.
comment posted at 8:11 PM on Feb-15-25
As asked in this previous question, I'm trying to set up my mother's iDevices. It keeps asking me to enter the Passcode for a device that doesn't exist.
comment posted at 5:21 PM on Feb-12-25
comment posted at 6:47 PM on Feb-12-25
comment posted at 6:54 PM on Feb-12-25
comment posted at 7:34 PM on Feb-12-25