Not to hijack, but does anyone have a good angle on where one could find the ingrediants for a simple Mozzarella? I've looked far and near at both well stocked supermarkets and smaller speciality stores and the employees act as if I am speaking Klingon. This is espacially true of trying to find the rennet.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 11:05 AM on July 24, 2008

Thanks all for the suggestions. We are going to try the garden hose approach here in a little bit after we fabricate some proper coverings out of wire mesh and some hose clamps.

And yeah, I am shocked too on how big these pipes are for the purpose but they are indeed vent stacks. The bamboo however is a good idea.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:31 AM on July 22, 2008

New man.

What? Horrible advice. If he likes to please you and if he is at all a decent fellow, then he will welcome suggestions on how to please you. If you are looking for ways to ease into the conversation Forktine gives some good ideas. "I have a friend who likes to do X in bed and I think it would be fun to try that out." That is an invitation to be naked with you and what bf wouldn't want that?
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:02 AM on July 17, 2008

Speaking of the National Radio Free Zones, there was an article in Wired about the West Virginia zone. I've spent some time in the zone and while it can suck (very little cell coverage from only a few providers and only while on top of the tallest mountain in the area), it certainly isn't radio free as the article points out. Lots of stuff bleeds into the zone from outside of the zone and of course there is all the unlicensed RF that by definition the powers that be are unable to police.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:57 AM on July 17, 2008

Shiny Happy People
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 8:16 PM on July 16, 2008

other downsides of Flash is that search engine indexing has been a problem (although that is starting to be addressed now). Also with Flash there is a great temptation to use non-platform UI conventions which can be hard to use.

I think you should use Silverlight...I kid I kid.

My preference is AJAX/DHTML site that degrades into something that is usable for non-cutting edge browsers. That will save your bacon for older users as well as people... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 2:11 PM on July 16, 2008

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte is certainly not be missed. The pointillism technique can only truly be appreciated in person and the scale of the painting coupled with the technique is pretty amazing.

Are we allowed to ask what painting you want to see?

I'll add ancedotally that I've had good luck with the Chicago trains in the past, although you will want to keep in mind that some of the O'Hare concourses are rather long so... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:02 AM on July 16, 2008

Not a site exactly, but there are a series of books that cover assorted Star Trek and X-Files series that do some of this as well as point out production flaws (continuity mistakes, visible microphones, etc.).
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:25 AM on July 16, 2008

Doesn't it also really depend on the club and time of year that you are going? Outside of the top half dozen or so clubs at peak times it shouldn't be too hard to get into a club assuming you have the cover charge.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 12:38 PM on July 15, 2008

As someone that does SharePoint things for living (and in the past Lotus/Domino) things, there are real pro and cons to all of these things. SharePoint has a lot of power in its out of the box, Web UI so I would focus on getting the functionality that you want down. Do you want to share documents with end user settable alerts? Do you want to be able to create ad hoc lists for keeping project data in one place? Do you want to use it as dashboard to other sites and services? etc. Nail that... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 12:06 PM on July 15, 2008

It's not computer related but your standard garden variety kitchen timer would work and it is useful for cooking too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 11:25 AM on July 12, 2008

This might be aiming too low on the material repayment but what about writing her a nice note or letter telling her how much you appreciate her and all the things that she has done for you.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 8:11 AM on July 10, 2008

Definitely reach out to his family and his close friends. If they know about you (and they probably do since you were so close) they probably feel just as awkward about reaching out to you.

I'm sorry for your loss.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 12:36 PM on July 9, 2008

The technique I have used is to run the cord under my shirt so it doesn't flap around too much.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 11:58 AM on July 9, 2008 marked best answer

Is it possible to visit the cabin when your parents aren't there?
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:21 PM on July 8, 2008

The laptop idea is clever if it works out for your environment and your users are savvy enough (you'd be surprised and don't assume technical competence). Otherwise answering them all on paper is how I have always seen contests like this in bars handled.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:42 AM on July 8, 2008

I think most places that have multiple mobile providers will find that the different latencies of SMS message sending and delivery will render this a not very fair approach for a quiz that is expected to have rapid fire answers.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 8:26 AM on July 8, 2008

I am more often sans t-shirt when wearing a polo shirt but do occasionally where one when I know I might be outside for a long stretch of time and it will be hot out. This is more a safe guard against a little sweating than showing off some hair.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 1:02 PM on June 27, 2008

Sangria is good...the are a lot of recipes calling for poaching in wine.

The other thing is that boxed wine keeps for a decent amount of time so you have some leeway in having some friends over for a few glasses.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 8:43 AM on June 26, 2008

CNBC definitely had some coverage in the last Olympics.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:42 AM on June 26, 2008

Using the autoconfig URL in your browser and studying the output is the proper approach if you want to solve the problem by yourself rather than ask your IT folks what the actual name and port of your proxy server is. The code you are seeing (which I believe is actually JavaScript) is what is run to determine how to connect to the machine in question. i.e. if desired URL is foo.bar.com use Proxy proxy1.bar.com, else if url is example.com use Proxy proxy2.bar.com etc.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 11:33 AM on June 19, 2008

Caffeine is a Diuretic which is certainly not what you want.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:37 AM on June 19, 2008

Making a sandwich can be easy and can have minimal cleanup. You can make it more special by using good bread or different meats/cheese/vegtables/condiments. Another way to make it more special is to grill the sandwhich in skillet with bread that has been buttered or drizzled with olive oil. Very yummy, fast and relatively cheap.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 12:33 PM on June 18, 2008

"She is a very good friend to me and very caring and good company".

This is a very important attribute to have in a long term relationship. People change a lot physically over 30 to 50 years. However, it sounds like you have a lot of other concerns about this relationship. Commitment in the form of marriage is a serious thing for most people so you aren't being ridiculous for having some doubts. I think most people are self-deluding if they don't have... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:02 AM on June 16, 2008

I'd be most concerned about your blogger identity in your current setup. You would have to be very careful about not using it to comment on other blogs or other websites where you might post personally identifiable information. If you use the same ID or e-mail address at other sites, people might be able to start to form a picture of who you are.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:39 PM on June 14, 2008

I've always had a good time at Kunde. The staff has always been very friendly and knowledgeable. They are also very eager for you to try everything behind the tasting bar. It's a pure joy to visit.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:34 PM on June 14, 2008

The Liege waffles are not to be missed....if you can find one. I found that the sidewalk waffle guys weren't really around once it got warm. I really hope I am wrong about that because going out for a stroll to fetch a waffle or two was a favorite weekend past time for me.

As for people watching you might do well in the Place Louise. There is an metro stop there for easy access and a few of the avenues off of the Place have some great window shopping and people... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:19 PM on June 12, 2008

The Anne Frank Musuem was very powerful and sobering. I was there in 2000 and it still gives me shivers when I think about it. Perhaps not the most uplifting thing for a vacation but it is a very important piece of the world's history.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:58 AM on June 12, 2008

I have a Landice treadmill and it has a lifetime guarantee on parts.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 2:02 PM on May 25, 2008

Depends on the product and where you bought it. I've never bought anything at Costco, but I can say that Cutco knives have a lifetime guarantee against breakage and possesion of the knife is seen as the only prereq in exercising the warranty.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:37 AM on June 10, 2008

Another solution would be to do the non-indexable stuff as an IFrame and load the IFrame from a URL that is excluded from Googlebot.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:49 PM on June 9, 2008 marked best answer

This is our MO as well for group vacations with friends. We've never really had a problem with dealing with the rental companies. Frankly in situations like this you usually have more problems with getting friends to commit, pay deposits, help with planning, etc. The other sticking point can be assigning sleeping arrangements. However this all depends on your group dynamics.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:33 PM on June 8, 2008

Definitely plausible. The train and Metro system are very easy to figure out. I've never been out to Charles de Gaulle so I don't know if a cab will save you any time. It will certainly cost you more money. Definitely plan ahead because the Louvre is gigantic and the attractions across the city are spread out enough that you will want to minimize your travel times between things.

In terms of art, I prefer the Musée d'Orsay. It is in a interesting old train station... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:41 AM on June 7, 2008

Massage, skiing, roller coaster rides and sometimes if just right a good run.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:34 PM on June 5, 2008

nthing a lot of advice above. Different scales espacially those outside of doctor's offices are often not calibrated correctly. Often the best you can hope for is that it is consistant.

If you wear belts espacially the kind with a lot of holes, you should be able to tell a difference after awhile. For me I noticed it most in my pants as the waist wasn't as tight. But everyone wears and loses their weight differently.

Another thing, if you can... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 9:34 AM on June 3, 2008

The Robert Redford version of The Great Gadsby was very faithful to the point where you could following along with the book as they said the dialog.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:34 AM on June 2, 2008

If you have access to a SharePoint 2007 server, there is a feature that lets you upload a PPT file to a location where you can see all the slides. Then it let's you pick an arbritrary n slides to combine them into a new presentation. Its not quite what you suggest you want but it is kind of neat.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:29 AM on June 2, 2008

I saw a nighttime launch from Orlando and it was spectacular. I am not sure they are doing nighttime launches anymore in order to properly document an debris that might hit the shuttle during launch. However, if you can see one of those it will be spectacular. It was awesome and lit up the sky in Orlando so I can't imagine what it must have looked like at the Cape.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:15 PM on May 31, 2008

standbythree, if you wanted a document, I bet that the church that did your infant baptism has a record of it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 11:35 AM on May 31, 2008

Can you take it apart perhaps with jeweler's screwdrivers? That might be a fun diversion for a few hours.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 2:05 PM on May 28, 2008

Passports also count as identification for the I-9 paperwork.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 10:44 AM on May 27, 2008

How about the Sopranos? Big huge casts with lots of characters and drama. It is one of the most iconic shows that was ever on American television.

As far as the US Office goes, I thought it was weak at first because it was just recycling the plot lines of the UK version and you can't help to compare it negatively. It has gotten better since.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:49 AM on May 26, 2008

Also, how about Firefly, the series that is the prequel for the movie Serenity? Although set in the future, it is more of a fusion of a Western with a few Science Fiction elements added in. It was a very unique take on the future that isn't like anything else that came before it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:10 AM on May 26, 2008

Oh absolutely seconding The Shield. Fantastic show. Lots of morally grey areas and dilemmas. Steller cast and the cinematography from the first couple seasons were groundbreaking to me.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 7:44 AM on May 26, 2008

Zion is incredible. I am not sure you are spending enough time there. If you had to do a quick look-see in one place and exploring in another, I would do the opposite of you. To me, I thought 4 hours hiking around the Bryce amphitheater was enough for me, but I needed a lot more time at Zion to really appreciate it. Granted with the time you are spending at these sites you are just scratching the surface.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:45 AM on May 26, 2008

Hawaii certainly is doable. Spread your trip over a few different islands and you will have a great time. There are some surprisingly affordable places to be had (and some crazy expensive ones as well). On Waikiki we stayed at the Hawaiiana and while it was sparse and simple it was in the heart of it all. It is a half block to the beach, half block to the strip. Wonderful restaurants were within two blocks. You really can't beat that. Prices are a little higher than they were 5 years ago... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 1:01 PM on May 23, 2008

Lots of the stuff they film doesn't make it into the final cut. It's even true that stuff in commercials or trailers may not be in the movie. I've heard commentary tracks discuss one cause of this being that commercials or trailers might need some direct, frank expository dialogue to get the commercial viewer into the right frame of mind but when taken in context of the film as a whole, it doesn't fit.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 6:21 AM on May 22, 2008

Matt Belknap the producer of the On The Page podcast (sorry couldn't find a better non-iTunes Music Store link) is a reader as his primary job. He talks about his job a lot during this podcast (which is mainly focused on screenwriting).
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 10:03 AM on May 21, 2008

yes, you and your other two neighbors need to have a friendly chat as soon as possible with the fourth neighbor. Keep it friendly and make sure everyone's positions are understood. After all, you are hearing about the neighbor's intentions second hand, things could have been mixed up. It is imperative that you talk to the source (with your two others neighbors as backup) in a friendly way to understand what they intend to do and your position on the matter.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 8:06 AM on May 21, 2008 marked best answer

Not to be impolite but what do you weigh? Treadmills are rated in terms of the horsepower they offer as well as the amount of weight it will support. Granted walking is a lot easier on the equipment than running but there are still limits (especially at the low end of the spectrum).
posted to Ask Metafilter by mmascolino at 12:16 PM on May 20, 2008