The Olympus TP7 telephone pickup allows you to record anything you can hear through your phone (phone conversations or voicemail, doesn't matter). It's like a tiny mic that you place in your ear, that eavesdrops on your conversation. Just plug it into any device that can record audio. I've used it and it works very well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 8:24 AM on July 16, 2008

Jeez, is everyone here old? "it's their house..." It's also your room, I'd say.

When this problem arose in my life, long ago, and my mother asked my gf to sleep in the spare bedroom, I just asked my mother: "er, don't you think this is a bit silly?" To which, to her credit, she said: "Now that you mention it, yes." And that was that, more or less. The trick, I think, is to approach this lightly and not make a big fuss over it. The old wink... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 3:36 AM on July 2, 2008

750ml is really only about 4 glasses. Don't bother asking how I know. (hic) For two people, two glasses of wine with dinner is perfectly acceptable. If red, it's likely medically recommended. (you can do your own research on that one)

It's not medically recommended to drink half a bottle of wine a day. Also, I don't think a bottle is four glasses. A glass of wine is about 150 ml. For champagne it's less: you can count on serving 6 or 7 glasses from a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 3:02 AM on July 1, 2008

One of the best wines I ever had in my life was a Burgundy that had been sitting around for days, half-full, with just a cork in it.

Maybe you just don't like wine that much, or maybe the wine wasn't very good to begin with. A few hours of decanting or aeration is fine for (some) old wines, but letting a pinot noir stand around "for days", with just a cork in it, will have completely killed it, I can assure you. Are you also one of those... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 10:22 AM on July 1, 2008

Things you must do:

- buy chocolate at Marcolini's (Grand Sablon place)
- buy some patisserie at Wittamer's (also Grand Sablon) - he makes a mean éclair

they are not cheap, unfortunately.

- drink Orval, or any trappist, as others have said (watch out for hangovers, they're quite heady)
- eat French fries at 'Maison Antoine' on the Place Jourdan (near metro Schuman), these are the best in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 12:05 AM on June 13, 2008

Die Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge by Rainer Maria Rilke (a poet who only wrote one novel, iirc).
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 11:55 PM on June 12, 2008

Chestnut risotto with mushrooms. Make a standard "white" risotto (with chicken stock), add chestnut purée and fried mushrooms at the end (and lots of parmesan and mascarpone).

Another good one is a risotto where you use a can of peeled tomatoes and red wine as fluid.

Basically you can make a risotto with whatever vegetable that you can glaze in some butter or oil. The best texture is obtained when you add a decent cube of butter at the end, plus grated cheese.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 5:02 AM on April 17, 2008 marked best answer

Make the rar-rar-rar nasal and somewhat whiney and you'll hit it squarely. Make it loud. One thing that always strikes me is how Americans use their nasal cavities as a resonator, which makes them incredibly decibel effective.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 7:23 AM on April 10, 2008

I am often tormented by utterly illogical feelings of guilt and shame after major drinking, even when my friends say I did or said nothing of note. Thanks to a previous AskMe answer, wherein it was suggested that such feelings are sometimes due to a B12 deficiency, I've tried downing a few B12 caps before or after carousing and found it really does seem to help.

Interesting. Got any links?
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 9:21 AM on April 7, 2008

I've left calls with appropriate offices and have received no response.

I'm a reporter. My desktop background shows a big phone. This reminds me that when I've "left calls" with "appropriate offices" and nobody's responding, I should pick up the phone again to make more calls. And then, make some more calls. And if you find someone willing to help you, ask them to make some calls for you as well. If someone says they'll "ask... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 3:26 AM on April 3, 2008

This could do the trick, I guess. But please be careful and make sure you understand exactly how it works before trying this at home or at the rock garden.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 10:15 AM on April 2, 2008

80k is in the middle-upper range of comfortable for Belgian standards (not sure what you're used to of course). Median Belgian income is about 1200 - 1400 € take home, although most will have two earners. If your take home will end up > 3000 / month, you'll do fine, although you won't qualify as "rich".

Rent for a decent to excellent small 1 bedroom in the centre of Brussels costs about 900 - 1200 € a month, it's cheaper the further you move from the centre.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 5:26 AM on April 1, 2008

so on an Xbox, there's no possibility of uploading content to the HD of the Xbox before watching (like on an appletv), only streaming from the computer (wireless or via LAN)?
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 2:53 AM on April 1, 2008

usually in French it's 'bébé à bord'

you also wouldn't say 'l'enfant terrible à bord' but just 'enfant terrible à bord' (just like in English, by the way: you wouldn't write 'The baby on board' but just 'baby on board').

Hope that helps.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 1:16 AM on March 31, 2008 marked best answer

If you'll be working in an expats environment, I don't think languages will be a problem.

Brussels is basically divided in two towns: the rich part (the south: quartier Louise, Woluwe Saint Pierre and Woluwe Saint Etienne, Vorst, Sint-Gillis, Uccle, Audergem) and the poor part (the north: Sint-Joost-Ten-Node, Molenbeek, Koekelberg, Anderlecht).

The centre has a bit of both worlds. The Sablon/Zavel is where the big chocolatiers are (you'll love... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 1:37 AM on March 25, 2008

The classic French/Belgian way to make it is tongue in Madeira sauce.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 4:09 AM on March 19, 2008

I followed a class called "legal anthropology" when in law school. I think I can dig up the name of the professor if you want. Feel free to PM me.

It was definitely one of the more interesting courses I took - it's useful to think about the renaissance and the birth of humanism and what not, but 'applications in the non-academic world'? Not so much, I think, unless you want to go lecture about the importance of "personal and undivisible rights" in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 7:32 AM on March 17, 2008

If you like the kind of non fiction writing that Simon uses in 'Homicide: a year on the killing streets', you might like 'Doctor Dealer' by Mark Bowden. Great storytelling.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 11:28 AM on March 10, 2008 marked best answer

Sounds like a form of mania rather than inspiration. (This being AskMe, someone will be along shortly to diagnose him/her as bipolar.)

In any case, I think your friend would benefit from trying not to get too "lost" in the manic episodes. I believe people are generally more productive when emotionally stable. It's easy to mistake mania for inspiration, especially among people with artistic sensibilities, but it's not helpful.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 3:05 AM on February 26, 2008

Tartare de boeuf aux huîtres: make a "tartare" of beef (very fresh, high quality beef) by dicing it very very small. Also slice the oysters in small pieces. Mix oysters with beef, grind fresh black pepper over it, add salt and a bit of olive oil.

Also mean: mashed potatoes with oyster.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 12:41 AM on February 22, 2008

I used the TRX recorder for the same purposes and was generally very happy with it. It's very simple (which makes it better than the bloated CallCorder imo), and free.

You don't say how you wired your phone to your computer. If you're just using the line in or the mic in, I think you can record the sound with the standard Windows sound recorder. Just grab the sound from the audio card.

If you're splitting the actual phone line, TRX is probably... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 4:35 AM on February 20, 2008

Then I'd go with TRX recorder. When you record, pay attention to an audible "click" on your line: that's a sign you're recording. If at any time during your conversation you hear another of those "clicks", check the program to see if it's still recording. Some of these programs (CallCorder too) sometimes drop the recording for some reason.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 5:49 AM on February 20, 2008

Random thoughts when reading this post.

To the people who said 'egal' (German): might I suggest 'whatever'? It has exactly the same meaning.

The Danish 'jo' extists in French as "si!" and in Dutch as "jawel"

Tu n'as pas faim? - Si.
Heb je geen honger? - Jawel.

I think in English, the meaning is conveyed by use of the word "sure".
Don't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 8:28 AM on February 19, 2008

The Wire is good. Entourage is fun (and it's only 1/2 hr episodes, so you can basically watch season one in one evening). House MD. Crime Scene Investigation is still good after 7 seasons, I think. Grey's Anatomy is as guilty as the pleasure comes. Prison Break I & II is bollocks, but fun. Nine seasons of Frasier and Seinfeld should keep you busy for a while.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 8:17 AM on February 12, 2008

An interview is a narrative: it should progress naturally from a beginning to an end. You should think about what story you want to tell before thinking of the questions. Otherwise, you'll get a collection of questions and answers, but that's not an interview. Find an arc. The most basic is something like this (this is the stock interview):

- new movie/album/book: the relation between the interviewee and his product
this is seldom very interesting,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 3:22 AM on February 12, 2008

I think the point of good nonfiction is not that it's "well written" (stylistically). I think the point is more often that it is well structured, and that a compelling plot has materialised out of the chaotic and ragged fabric of real life. An assignment that helps future feature writers would be an assignment that forces them to think about structure and plot - any literary technique really, and why they are used the way they're used.

For a good book to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 2:28 AM on February 6, 2008

'The code of the street' by Elijah Anderson might be good for background info. It's mostly about Detroit, I believe. 'The Corner' by David Simon has some good observations on 'street' life, but it's not focussed on gangs.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 1:15 AM on January 21, 2008

not sure if rijstafel is the offical vernacular (Java/Indonesian Dutch is sometimes pidginized), but in Dutch it should be "rijsttafel" with two t's

it could help your google search
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 6:34 AM on January 14, 2008

Forgot to mention, it's a Windows PC running XP.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 7:04 AM on December 16, 2007

Robert A. Caro:

The Years of Lyndon Johnson
The Power Broker

Both classics. Complex, intriguing and, for lack of a better word: umami.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 8:46 AM on December 6, 2007

amateur psychology/tough love ahead:

you feel rejected by her (rightly so, she rejected you in no uncertain terms if she was in on the stunt)

this hurts your narcissistic core (you believed yourself to be so fantastic/hot/... that she would be salivating over a keyboard to get her hands on some hot pics of you, and then it turned out she wasn't)

it hurts, but if you face it, maybe things will get easier.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 7:57 AM on November 22, 2007

I'd say: American Beauty.

Lusting after a hot babe and when she kindly offers herself, say "no thanks", because that's what suburbian middle aged men do when on a testosteron trip. OH REALLY?
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 12:55 AM on November 9, 2007 marked best answer

Don Quichote de la Mancha by Miguel Cervantes: excellent read, guaranteed to keep him busy for months.

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (it's more of a detective novel than a philosophical novel, but a good long read anyway).

Re the light reads: anything by P.G. Wodehouse should be light enough. 'The Bonfire of the Vanities' should qualify too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 7:19 AM on November 4, 2007

Depends.

In a freeze out tournament, when play is heads up and one of two players is all in, the dealer will ask to flip the cards over. It's mostly to make play more exciting for the onlookers, I think.

In cash games, cards are typically only flipped when the hand ends. The person who made the last bet (the one who went all in) has to show his cards first. The caller can then choose to either show his, or muck. Different casino's have different... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 1:24 AM on October 30, 2007

Ah, I knew I would forget something:

The Iroquois (44th, NY 10036): would that be a good choice? It claims to be "only a few moments" away from Fifth Ave. and Broadway. It's just that I have no idea if that's a good thing (and if it's true).
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 12:12 PM on October 25, 2007

Small add on question: is there an optimal time to visit NYC? I was thinking April/May. I might reconsider if hotel rates are better in March or June.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 12:36 PM on October 25, 2007

Yet when their economy falls apart, she loses her deal and/or gets shafted because no one wants to do business with Argentina anymore by that point in their crisis.

I think you have it the wrong way around: Argentina goes bankrupt, the investment banker can now broker the purchase of a few public utilities monopolies in Argentina, $$$, she gets promoted and shafts her sexist boss.

Happy ending and all for your heroine!
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 12:33 AM on October 4, 2007

Many parties in Flanders pushing for secession are unabashedly racist and anti-immigrant. They want to split so they can have their crazy enforced monoculture policies enacted. Since many people want to split for the reasons listed above, these parties gain support.

Damn, this must be some dangerous country I live in. I'd never have known it.

As far as I know, there's one racist party in Belgium, which is indeed Vlaams... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 12:36 AM on September 17, 2007

Follow the story, by James B. Stewart is a decent introduction to reporting and feature writing, although I expect there's still quite some room for improvement in the "how to write the definitive feature article"-genre.

Most of the 'how to write'-books seem written by editors, who seem to be obsessed with, for lack of a better word, neatness. They have rules for everything (use a joke, get an anecdote, don't write too many words, kill... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 3:35 AM on September 14, 2007

"Melon balls"? That's for chicks, man. I have to agree that in order to have a real ball's ball, you need to eat testicles. You think those Spartans at Thermopylae would shy away from eating a sheep's balls? No sir. They would chuck them in a deep fryer, serve with some green salad and vinaigrette, and feast upon those fine, fine cojones.

You will find that they taste pretty good. A bit like veal brains.

Melon balls, he said. Tsk.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 1:26 AM on August 17, 2007

I would think cooking it for two days would make it somewhat sterile. You should be fine, but let us know.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 1:21 AM on August 8, 2007

You have your countries mixed up. Belgium is where the fries are. Type "Place Jourdan, Brussels" in maps.google.be and get thee to "Chez Antoine". Best fries in the low countries.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 6:35 AM on July 4, 2007

Café Leffe is a chain, operated by InBev (technically a Brasilian company these days, I believe). If I wanted to be harsh, I'd say something like: it's like eating Mexican food at Chi Chi's. But I won't.

Au Vieux Saint Martin is okay. Also okay, in that vast, unseemly red quarter of tourist trap lobster restaurants with pushy waiters is "Aux Armes De Bruxelles". You'll recognise it easily enough: it has no terrace, and no pushy waiter.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 11:56 AM on July 4, 2007

I answered this one already...
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 7:58 AM on May 29, 2007 marked best answer

Le voyage n'est pas la carte.

The journey is not the roadmap.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 7:55 AM on May 29, 2007

'Black hawk down' by Mark Bowden. Yes, it's gung ho, but it's well reported and the film is quite faithful to the book.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 3:28 AM on May 21, 2007

Like you, a terrifying episode during landing made me afraid of flying. My gp prescribed me a very mild benzodiazepam. I know, it's nasty stuff and you get hooked quickly, but it works like magic. It breaks the fear loop that you get into: from nervous to anxious to afraid to panicking and back again (you probably know what I'm talking about).

Instead, I hover somewhere between nervous and normal when flying. It makes a big difference - big enough to endure two... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 7:06 AM on May 5, 2007

You'd probably be the first to end up with a load of bad debt, because you signed a document sight unseen when prompted by 'close friends'.

Or on second thought, maybe you wouldn't?
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 2:21 AM on May 4, 2007

Whatever you do, steer clear of

Gaya Rive Gauche (one star restaurant of Pierre Gagnaire)
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (one star restaurant of Joel Robuchon)

unless, of course, you want to spend 350 $ on overpriced food.

L'Epi Dupin (Rue Dupin, 6e arrds) is very good, but very cramped; three course dinner for about 33 €.
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 12:33 PM on April 6, 2007

(studied law in Belgium, but I'm not your lawyer, obviously)

First, you need a Belgian lawyer (I can point you to a few if you want, e-mail in profile).

The theft and use of a database is a violation of the privacy laws (Wet ter bescherming persoonsgegevens), and is punishable under penal law. If he sent the stuff after his severance, then the fact that he was in the building and using your resources as well may be punishable by law as well.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by NekulturnY at 3:20 AM on April 6, 2007