October 15
Good ways to save online articles?
A project I worked on is getting some online press. What's the best way to save it? [more inside]
Japanese candy translation
Can anyone translate the writing on these Japanese candy wrappers? The first three lines are the same, and I believe the bottom line on each would identify the flavor. [more inside]
Identify a chef’s knife?
I have a chef’s knife I’d like to know more about. So far my searching and translating attempts have failed.
Imgur link
Is there a fast way to turn an android phone into an mp3 player?
My son has asked for a music player for his 8th birthday. I've bought him what is essentially a cheap android that has no sim or camera. Is there a fast way to disable everything but an mp3 app and maybe spotify? [more inside]
recommendation for ENT doctor in Berkeley, Oakland, SF?
Anyone have a recommendation for a great ENT doctor in Berkeley, Oakland, SF, or nearby? [more inside]
how to clear the cache for a specific site on Chrome (macbook pro)
Pretty much the title. My workplace changed to a different instance of our platform, and Chrome keeps opening the old one and I can't access student records. I don't want to clear ALL of my cache - just the work stuff. 2023 Macbook Pro M2. [more inside]
Issues in my apartment - asking for assistance.
I have two issues in my apartment that I was hoping I could ask for assistance here first, to see if those two issues are something I can resolve myself before putting in a maintenance ticket. [more inside]
Grass Permeable Parking
I have a 9' x 30' area that I want to use as a parking spot for a car. Right now its just dirt. I want to use some sort of grass permeable system. What have you done? [more inside]
Folks who love their therapist: How did you find/choose them?
How did you know they were right for you? Did it take time or did you immediately now? Where did you first hear about them? How did you do your evaluation to land on this person? [more inside]
Health insurance paperwork helper?
Is there someone I can pay to help file out-of-network claims with my health insurance company for me? [more inside]
How to Best Manage the LinkedIn Security Settings Maze?
I've recently started looking for a job and have updated my LinkedIn profile. Whereas my facebook and IG accounts are set to private, anyone on LinkedIn - e.g. potential employers - can see my profile and access a significant amount of information about me. How do I manage the LinkedIn settings maze to - admittedly counterintuitively - best protect myself while sharing personal information at the same time? [more inside]
What does the "Smell the roses! SPICY!" video mean?
There is a very weird Instagram video making the rounds. I can't figure it out, and this bothers me. [more inside]
October 14
How to pretend among (emotional) vampires
How do you handle vampires you can’t stand because your spawn have taken a shine to each other?
And how do I make this not weird for the spawn? [more inside]
Missing: Two adorable little ambitious RAPPING robot invaders.
Attention Susan!
Attention Humans!
I remember two little rapping robots that were “by the bench!”
THE BENCH BY THE FOUNTAIN! [more inside]
Car shaking and nothing seems to fix it
2016 Honda Fit, 4 new tires Sept 2022. 1 tire had a slow leak and needed to be replaced in summer 2024. Drive about 4000 miles a year, mostly city driving on not great roads. [more inside]
Resources for elderly parent getting scammed
See my previous question about my elderly mom being scammed online. The situation has not improved, and she has now lost a few thousand dollars to this scam. She refuses to believe that her 'boyfriend' is fake, and I'm at my wits end. I've done a lot to try to report this, but nothing has happened. Are there any resources to help with this kind of thing that maybe I haven't tried? [more inside]
Tell me everything I need to know about hiring a car in the UK
I’m British, but I’ve never hired a car before. I might need to do it for the first time, at a time of fair personal stress when I don’t have much extra bandwidth for learning new processes. I’ve read the RAC guide to car hire but I don’t know what else I don’t know. [more inside]
Latchkey Parenting Data
I'm looking for data (not info on the impacts or causes) on the prevalence of US or even western society young children (grade school) being more supervised and having less ability to be independent than over time. Looking to see if there's some data (even if it's survey data) .
Does work pay for childcare while you're traveling? Tell me about it.
My small, all-remote, nonprofit workplace has an annual in-person gathering, and it has become clear that some people aren't able to attend because of family commitments. Help us fix that. [more inside]
Seeking recommendations for new dumb garage door opener
Pretty much what is says in the title -- I need a new garage door opener. Please help! [more inside]
Why should I bother voting? I live in a solid Blue (or Red) state
This is what I hear from some folks. They feel that since the results are forgone in their district, there is no value in casting a vote at all. While I may agree with them, that their 1 vote may not move the overall needle, and I pushback on the grounds of responsibility, there is a missing factor I don't understand, and can't explain very well. [more inside]
What is the current view of Gillian Bently's research on breast shape?
I remember reading about (but can only find this news article with googling) a theory that the flatness of human faces resulted in the prominence of breasts, with the idea being that it was easier for babies to suckle breasts than nipples on a flat surface.
Has anything more been written about this? [more inside]
Just to say..I passed my final ACCA accounting exam!
I passed my final exam! I'm so relieved and happy. It has been a 10 year journey from start to finish filled with dread, reluctance, hope, sadness and now finally some happiness. [more inside]
October 13
What to do after receiving a bad prescription?
My child was mis-prescribed at an urgent care facility, an error that was caught by her primary care doctor. What, if anything, should we do? [more inside]
How worried should I be about a consistently high bilirubin count?
Yes, you're not not my doctor, but am asking for some general advice.
Throughout my years of blood work results (done every six months), my bilirubin count has been high. I've asked my doctor about this and he says not to worry, I just have a high count, some people just do.
This does not ease my general worry abou tthis. How worried should I be? [more inside]
Need a good cry
I could use a good cry, but it hasn't worked out. Can you suggest a good sad movie (in Netflix ONLY) or other sad media, either on Netflix or available for free somewhere. Or, what the hey, if you can make me cry otherwise. [more inside]
Advice for navigating a corn maze?
I have no sense of direction and can't remember which is right or left when under pressure. I love corn mazes but thought this year it might be nice to finish in under 3 hours. Do you have any tips for getting through a maze?
Things I'll have: phone, Garmin watch with some GPS features, and, hopefully, a sunny day.
I live in a place where moss grows on all sides of a tree, so finding north with moss will not work.
Buying a car in Illinois on FB Marketplace from a "wholesaler"
I am in Chicagoland. I found a Chevy Cruze for a good deal on Facebook Marketplace. Total sale is less than $6K. I've seen the car and it's what I expect. I think I am okay but AskMe is good at spotting scams and I want to poke at this before I hand over cash. [more inside]
Red Dead Redemption Deadeye question
How do I turn off autotagging when using deadeye in RDR2 (on PC)? [more inside]
They name cats, don't they?
Friends! It has been ten years since you helped me name Inky and Clyde. And you are needed once again. [more inside]
EB-1A letter of recommendation: sign or don't sign?
An acquaintance of mine has asked me to provide a letter of recommendation for an EB-1A visa to the US. I have concerns. [more inside]
Mac Sequoia update seems to have broken Books - replacement or fix?
I updated my Mac laptop to Sequoia and now Books will not recognize epubs unless I restart. Then after a while it stops recognizing them. I hate this. [more inside]
USA blue-state MeFites: how to help campaign for Harris-Walz?
I live in a non-swing state (WA) and have a small amount of free time evenings and weekends. How can I best support the Harris presidential campaign? [more inside]
How to balance my smartphone on my chest when lying down
Would like to watch the commanders ravens game without having to hold the phone the entire time. Need a make-shift stand to balance the device upright, using common household items. Suggestions?
Down ballot
I screwed up my mail-in ballot by using a sharpie such that the mark bleeds through to the other side. I'll call the county tomorrow to see what can be done. What is usually done in these cases? [more inside]
How do I, a non-programmer, write a script to click in sequence..
Hey, remember me and the shark game...I've kept at it on and off... I want to do the lots of everything thing again. This time I want to get up to a high climate level first. To do this, I want to just click through worlds to get to a high climate level. Can I use some sort of auto-clicker or program something simple myself to do this? So you don't need to know the shark game: THe question is, how do I get my computer to read the screen and repetitively click the right thing. [more inside]
Samsung Dryer heating element keeps failing...does yours?
I've had to replace the heating element in our Samsung clothes dryer 4 times in the last decade...does anyone have insight into what might be the underlying cause? [more inside]
ISO best cream of mushroom soup recipe
I bought $15 of wildcrafted mushrooms and need to use them ASAP. I'd like to make the best cream o' mushroom soup ever, suitable for freezing so I can eat them months from now. [more inside]
Did White radio stations play Motown in 1962, pre-Beatles?
To what extent were the Beatles, like Elvis, bringing Black Music to White people in 1963? Was Motown already popular outside of Black radio stations, or not yet?
How long is access to the Wikipedia Library?
I see that you have to have 500 edits with 10 edits within the last thirty days to access the Wikipedia Library, but then how long does access last?
Planning a dog memorial
My sweet boy died peacefully at home in his favorite spot on October 11 and I’m going to have a Zoom memorial for him next week with his favorite people. What else would you add? [more inside]
Are all these anti-snore things internet garbage?
I must have google something or clicked on something or just my phone is tired of hearing me snore because I'm getting ad after ad for mouthpieces to stop snoring. I do have diagnosed apnea and hate/do not use my CPAP so I'm a little curious but also skeptical because at this point 99% of the internet is desperate capitalist garbage. [more inside]
October 12
Do you use your smart phone as your primary alarm clock?
My wife and I both use our phones as alarm clocks. I have two times saved in my phone alarm clock. She has 91, only three of which do not end in 0 or 5. We both think the other is doing it wrong. How do you do it, so we can get some data points? [more inside]
What did the abacus say to the adding machine?
Mystery object ID, has keyring
A friend found this item in the back of their dishwasher when cleaning it out. What the heck is it? The ring is a typical keychain ring.
Get courtesy faculty appointment w/o offering to teach?
I am university staff who wants to propose one of our academic departments grant me a courtesy research/practice professor appointment. There are precedents here for staff who want to teach for-credit classes for departments, but I don't want to do regular formal classroom teaching (I am open to teaching in other formats, like independent studies and reading groups). Which is why I'll be suggesting the model of research faculty/faculty of practice.
What can I offer in my proposal, that might be attractive to an academic department? (The only cost to them is their reputation. I don't need pay/an office.) [more inside]
Stroller advice for travelling twins
My wife and I will be travelling to Europe soon with our nearly two-year-old twins, and we're really uncertain about our stroller strategy. Would you go with a regular two-seater or two travel-oriented single strollers? [more inside]
Recommend me an ebike!
I want an ebike for commuting and erranding through hilly San Francisco. I've read posts here & elsewhere and I do plan to go to a couple shops for advice and test rides, but I'd love recommendations to research before then. Requirements: Parts available at US bike shops, as light as reasonable possible, can handle a 275 lb rider, and if the battery dies I should be able to ride it like a non-e bike. Please don't tell me to use bike share, I do that already and want to own a better one.
What is this thing?
A cutter/snipper of some sort.
In need of an academic citation
I'm looking for an academic citation, or the proper technical terminology (if it exists yet) from sociology or related discipline, for a particular category of microaggression or gender bias referred to in a Facebook post I saw recently as "Men Responding Negatively to Everything a Women Says". Slightly more details below the fold. [more inside]
Link between a history of undernourishment and chronic fatigue?
Is there research on the possibility of chronic undernourishment paired with exercise, resulting in major weight loss, leading to long-term fatigue or ME-CFS? The theory would be that if you are expending a lot more calories than you are taking in, your body will make you feel tired to stop weight loss. If this happens over and over, it might preemptively make you tired whenever you burn even a small amount of energy through exercise. Especially if you are exercising on an empty stomach or even slightly low blood sugar. [more inside]
What happens if I, Canadian, don't pay for my US car rental damage?
I live in Canada but recently rented a car on a visit to the US. I caused $963 worth of damage to the car by stupidly reversing into a rock, which the US-based rental company is demanding I pay. What happens if I ignore them? I have a US bank account and credit score from having lived in the States, but I don't plan ever to return so don't care if my credit score takes a ding. Are any other consequences likely?
Untreated migraines lead to more migraines?
I recently saw a new headache specialist. While discussing medication, she told me that not treating a migraine makes it more likely that you'll get another migraine -- she said this to encourage me to treat headaches, when I said that often I'd just power through them. On reflection, this is not what I've heard from specialists before. Has anyone else been told this? [more inside]
Alternative way of getting into CAD/3D printing?
I'd like to learn how to design in Fusion 360 (or similar) for 3D printing. I find my learning style doesn't mesh well with typical step-by-step guided tutorials. Are there any alternatives? [more inside]
Left side of face sensitive and painful, trigeminal neuralgia?
I woke up this morning and the entirety of the left side of my face feel sensitive, my left eye hurts. It's very low level pain, more discomfort and sensitivity. [more inside]
High Risk Breast Cancer Journey- Can I get off this ride now (Safely)?
I first asked about biopsies 2 years ago. Now I've just finished my second surgical excision. I have questions if anyone is familiar with this type of biopsy-excision-repeat journey. (And the hope that it can just stop before anything else happens) I can't find answers online/reddit/out there. I'm in the US. [more inside]
Mis-fortune teller
My kid signed up to work the fortune teller’s booth at her elementary school’s Halloween fair. Help us come up with brief, funny predictions suitable for kids age 5-10. She wants about an equal mix of good luck and minor bad luck.
Hobbies for the Lazy
I've been feeling pretty burnt out lately and a lot of the hobbies I previously enjoyed often just feel like work now. Looking for low-key hobbies that don't involve screens. [more inside]
October 11
Best liquor for a spicy mule— head to Kentucky, Moscow, London?
I love a spicy ginger beer, and I like making them into mules. I usually use bourbon but it really cuts the spiciness. (Or maybe it’s the teaspoon of lime juice?) I’ve tried gin and vodka too (in about that order of how often I use them in mules). Is there a liquor that you’ve found that keeps it spicy at a 3:1 ratio?
How to plan and prep for meals
My freezer, refrigerator, and pantry are filled to the brim.
What's the best way to take inventory? To plan meals? To prep meals in advance? [more inside]