Latecomer here. It's hard to tell if this is going to hit the mark because I don't know exactly what you liked about the Peregrine. But my girlfriend and I have a two-person Tadpole 23 which we love. Lightweight, a snap to set up, and a good size for a couple--it's more than enough room for us and we're both within 3 inches of 6' (me above, she below). It may be too tight if you're thinking of platonic camping, but that's probably the case with most two-person tents out... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 7:54 PM on August 22, 2008

I don't know that there's a single "best practice" that answers when to use PHP vs. Javascript. I tackle this issue at work all the time—I'm the frontend (Javascript[jQuery]/CSS/HTML) guy, and I work closely with the backend (PHP/MySQL/server) guy on rich web apps. So we answer the "Who handles X?" question several times a day, and always on a case-by-case basis (though it's rare that we need to give it more than a moment's thought). Here are some of our guiding... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 12:06 PM on August 20, 2008

Nth-ing the "say hi" suggestions, but I just needed to point out there are about a thousand reasons I could imagine gym clientele or staff moving a couple of machines around, but an attempt to exercise closer to an attractive stranger doesn't even make the cut.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 2:26 PM on August 15, 2008

Take him out for some drinks. At some point say, "You know, you went above and beyond the call of duty without it being expected or me having to ask. This particular incident was a pretty big deal, but since I've known you, you are always there to help and lend a hand without being asked regardless of the scope of the problem. I really appreciate that. Thanks." Then change the subject. Done.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:31 AM on August 4, 2008

Too add to the pile of etsy suggestions, I recently bought my girlfriend a coinpurse from fieldofroses. Quite gorgeous, super well-made, and I can't overstate the friendliness and helpfulness of the seller.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 10:42 PM on August 1, 2008

If Walmart can do it, your company can. From an excellent article in Fast Company:Last year, conversations started in Wal-Mart around the potential of swirls to save customers money on utility bills. "Somebody asked, 'What difference would it make if we changed the bulbs in the ceiling-fan display to CFLs?'" says Kerby. A typical Wal-Mart has 10 models of ceiling fans on display, each with four bulbs. Forty bulbs per store, 3,230 stores.

"Someone went off... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 4:52 PM on July 30, 2008

If you're not too worried, I suggest leaving it on the street (not near downtown but in a nice residential neighborhood). If it will be a weekend or if you're parking the car after 6 and picking it up before 10-ish, you could park in any (safe-feeling) neighborhood (2 hours parking, most permit areas are 8am-8pm M-F, if I recall correctly). But there are even nice permit-free zones.

In particular, there is always plenty of parking on the hilly blocks just west of Dolores... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:52 AM on July 19, 2008

Not really an answer, but a friend was just ticketed going down Valencia at 16th-ish? 11:30 at night, no cross-traffic. No fine on his ticket, either. But maybe part of a crackdown trend...
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:56 PM on July 17, 2008

I Know There's a Word For This by Aimee Mann.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:45 PM on July 17, 2008

Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions. We won't have too much time (so no Sacramento or Santa Cruz), but the tentative plan is to hit up the Solano County Fair Sunday night. I'll try to remember to post a link to the photo if we get it!
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 4:27 PM on July 11, 2008

A belated thanks to everyone. If I ever get out to Richmond I may take up your advice, BrotherCaine.

I looked into ordering them on Kalustyan's as suggested but I couldn't justify paying $6 shipping on a $6 bag of candy. But a friend in New York was able to pick them up there, and will be bringing them next week when he visits. Thanks!
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 4:23 PM on July 11, 2008

Not exactly what you asked, but (if this wasn't already the inspiration for your question), you may be interested in Blindness by José Saramago, an excellent novel about a (fictional) epidemic of blindness. (Now a major motion picture that I'm not holding my breath for.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:32 AM on July 6, 2008

Sorry, miniape, someone already made a Rick Roll detector. It's a Firefox plugin.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:17 PM on April 2, 2008

I love a good arthouse theater, but my favorite theater ever was a more well-rounded place that shows a variety of independent and foreign stuff as well as the artier/cultier end of the mainstream spectrum (think Wes Anderson, et cetera). And, though I know you're supposed to make your killing on concessions, I was behind a patron once who made a show of chugging his soda before going into the theater. The clerk said, "Take it easy! We don't have a food policy or anything like that."... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 2:46 AM on October 10, 2007

My girlfriend and I recently moved here from small cities in the Northeast (we were both brought up in the most generic of suburbs, but hung around our respective college towns for a bit). I've discussed the experience and logistics of the move quite a bit in previous threads, if those aspects interest you.

We came here once on a vacation with her family and didn't like it at all — the touristy sites are just that. Get away from the Embarcadero and North Beach if... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 9:37 PM on October 2, 2007 marked best answer

You'll be great. (Your biggest concern is being warm enough — visitors always end up freezing. It does get warmer here toward late September, so you may be okay, but weather really varies by neighborhood. It's always gorgeous in the Mission, but if you'll be in the touristy areas or downtown expect fog and a cool breeze.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 12:44 PM on August 27, 2007

Latecomer here.

At the risk of baring all my personal details to the internet: I moved from Providence to San Francisco with my girlfriend in June. Between us, we had about $12k in savings. We got an awesome (if tiny) one bedroom in a really nice part of the city ($1825/mo) and even rented a garage space for the car (for much more than I'm willing to say. It was a huge mistake). We bought new furniture (thrift stores and garage sales) when we got here, and the rest of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 4:14 PM on July 25, 2007 marked best answer

Crouton, remember that Second Life has (in this generous estimate) a ballpark of 320,000 users. World of Warcraft has 8.5 million. With 2600% of the users, you'd expect World of Warcraft to substantially more than 33% more of the media coverage (all other things being equal, of course, which I realize they're not).

This is comparable to New York City only getting 33% more media coverage than Tampa, FL.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 2:39 PM on July 10, 2007

I found a great match, but with one big caveat: the author thinks that Second Life appeals to educators and academics for the reasons you mention, not to journalists. Could you be misremembering?What I find interesting is the difference in seriousness SL is given in the press and in academics compared to WoW. [...] I’m sure most of this has to do with the inherent customizability of SL. [...] Thus, social environments such as SL will continue to be more popular with educators than rigid gaming... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 3:09 PM on July 10, 2007

The trailer and the IMDB page do not seem to be for the same movie.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 8:12 PM on June 24, 2007

My girlfriend's hairdresser said that sometimes supermarket-style stuff can cause dandruff because it's loaded with waxy fillers. I switched from Suave anti-dandruff stuff to something slightly more upscale (Joe Shampoo, though I don't think the brand matters). Worked like a charm.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 7:23 AM on May 16, 2007

I'm unclear on what you're even trying to do. Are you trying to autocreate MySQL columns based on an extant HTML form (as jellicle suggests) or are you trying to automatically write the form itself based on an extant mySQL structure?
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 2:04 PM on May 12, 2007

Its been a while, but im pretty sure they have a CAPTCHA during the upload process, thus your script wont be able to see what letters to input using OCR.

CAPTCHAs are notoriously easy to
beat, so if there is one it would not be a big obstacle.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 2:46 PM on April 26, 2007

I've been waiting for this myself (actually to the point of watching Intrade hoping for a spike). As I think is mentioned in the Rolling Stone article, he's indicated several times he won't enter (though sometimes they take the "no plans to" non-denial denial formulation). His closest friends really doubt he'd run, apparently.

The New Yorker did a good article on the subject, too: You Know Me, Al.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 4:46 PM on April 17, 2007

From the Grain of Salt Dept...

(And I think SDB is wrong about his chances. He won [okay, okay, won the popular vote] in 2000, is polling even more likable now, and can fall back again and again on the "What if?" scenario after Bush's disastrous presidency. It's a bit of a longshot, but I'm hoping for Gore/Obama myself.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 10:18 AM on April 22, 2007

Sarah Harmer's "Open Window" is a simple, beautiful song written for the occasion of a friends wedding. The lyrics are really pushing the awww-factor, but -- hey, it's a wedding!
Lyrics | Audio sample at Amazon
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 10:06 PM on April 17, 2007

Late to the party, but my girlfriend and I say this (she learned from her grandmother when she was young). This is the first third-party confirmation I've ever had that it wasn't just a family ritual.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 10:53 PM on March 21, 2007

My vote is for the Wicked Bible.

But:

Japan’s government rebuked the Tokyo Stock Exchange and one of the country’s biggest brokerage firms Friday after a typing error caused Mizuho Securities Co. to lose at least 27 billion yen ($225 million) on a stock trade.

posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 1:09 PM on February 27, 2007

"Referer" is a great one, too. Forgot that.

Here's another famous one: MSNBC's on-screen graphic when Niger Innis was a guest. Yep, they made that typo.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 3:48 PM on February 27, 2007

No, no, no. Go in an entirely different direction. Here's my suggestion:Ms. Nilsson, reached at Sunnyside Elementary School in Durango, Colo., said she had heard from dozens of librarians who agreed with her stance. “I don’t want to start an issue about censorship,” she said. “But you won’t find men’s genitalia in quality literature.”

“At least not for children,” she added. —The New York Times.

Works with our without the punchline.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 4:06 PM on February 22, 2007

The convertible standing/sitting wheelchair exists. My sister has one similar to this model.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 2:19 PM on February 15, 2007

Recommendations are tough because what one likes is so intangible — the poets you list are straight-talkers for the most part, but it's not necessarily something stylistic that's caught your eye. When I think about Creeley, and when I think about people who "don't know shit about poetry," and when I think about good poetry about "relationships, romance, and love," I'm thinking of a certain kind of poem (if you'll allow a gratuitous self-link, that's the type of poetry... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:14 PM on February 8, 2007

(General on-preview acknowledgment of all the duplicated suggestions. Opened the thread a bit ago, lots has happened since! —)
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:20 PM on February 8, 2007

We Don't Live Here Anymore is not great, but worth seeing.

The Andre Dubus short stories on which it is based are excellent.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 5:45 PM on December 23, 2006

Think about how you treated him before he came out. Now continue treating him like that.

Exactly. I recently came across an excellent Heterosexual Questionnaire that allows some insight into the (unfortunate) discriminating straight frame of reference your son is guaranteed to face.

--lauren
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 9:08 AM on October 24, 2006

At room temperature, I usually whip myself up a hummus sandwich with vegan lunchmeat — my personal favorite is Cajun Chicken slices, or seasoned Turkey and red bell pepper hummus. If you want to be creative, throw some bean sprouts and shredded carrots on there. (And a roll rather than sliced bread for some variety.)

If you want to use the microwave, the instant soft taco is a good one. I do it with just black beans and Spanish rice (rice-o-roni style, add canned... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 4:55 PM on October 17, 2006

(In addition to others mentioned above) If you've seen the movie Millions, you'll see that Danny Boyle uses similar rhythm effects to speed up time, intensify emotion, and create suspense.

--lauren
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 5:00 AM on October 14, 2006

fashionista

fashionisto
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 6:18 PM on October 9, 2006 marked best answer

rafter is wrong, it's fashionista regardless of the gender of the -ista. Just like it's always barista. Un fashionista, una fashionista.

I know. A joke (given the context of the thread).
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 1:31 PM on October 10, 2006

That youtube version isn't the whole video, is it? Now I'm dying to see the end!

Yes, that's the real ending! It's a parable!

(Seriously, you'll see the credits come up at the end. If not it might not have loaded all the way for you.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 8:14 PM on September 26, 2006

I'm guessuing this is the Schneier article jellicle is referring to.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 6:50 PM on September 26, 2006

Of course the other benefit of using PF is that it leaves your main browser history untarnished, and not incriminatingly empty.

You can delete history entries in the history panel individually (delete key). You can do the same for any autocomplete entry with shift-delete.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 7:37 PM on September 4, 2006

I would go with a D50 (or even used D70s if you see one in your price range). Rebels have always felt cheap to me compared to the Nikon counterparts, and I think the Nikon interface blows Canon out of the water.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 6:06 PM on August 30, 2006

I get unexplained scratches all the time (and have even had several long ones like that on my back).
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 10:46 AM on August 26, 2006

Thirding (fourthing?) Diet For a New America. I had pretty much decided to go vegan at 15 (through the influence of various online communities) and reading Diet was a great help and encouragement.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 10:34 AM on August 16, 2006

My favorite philosophy professors were both women. And one of my favorite philosophers.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 10:26 AM on August 12, 2006

Coming a little late to the thread, but I can't believe no one mentioned Crumpler Bags — they're known for amazing bags that don't look like camera bags. Well under your $299 limit and you really can't go wrong. I use a Six Million Dollar Home that fits a D50 body, D70 (with lens attached), a couple spare lenses (a zoom and a 50mm prime), an external flash, and a blower. It's pretty tight with all that, but you might prefer one of the smaller bags. Look at the selection... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 12:42 AM on August 10, 2006

rdc: "How about dinner at Greens?"

No idea whether you're considering this, tonylord, but (as a recent visitor to San Francisco) I'll second — maybe not the place to propose, but the food is great (and the view!).
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 2:31 PM on August 3, 2006 marked best answer

I see them at chain craft stores from time to time.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 10:25 PM on July 31, 2006

Mitheral: "My favourite is the saga of trying to spend and american $2. Mostly because I aquired one in Canada without even knowing they are rare and have amazed at least a few Americans with the existence of such a bill."

The Avon in Providence, RI requested $2 bills from the bank so they could give them as change for $8 tickets. I thought this was awesome, of course, so was disappointed when they hiked the ticket price to $8.50 but was... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rafter at 11:16 AM on July 28, 2006