I think most of what pisses people off about this article is the attitude displayed. There's nothing wrong with borrowing money from your parents if you really need it. but taking money for luxuries just strikes me as regressing back to having an allowance. In either case, neither parents nor their money will lsst forever, so it strikes me that these kids are avoiding a little financial pain now for a lot more later (when their support runs out).
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 7:52 PM on July 25, 2008

Just a weird confluence of posts today.
posted by Navelgazer

yeah that was intentional, at least on my part.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 5:41 PM on July 21, 2008

the tarzan rope swing dropped you into the coldest water in the entire universe!!! *shivers*

In 1984, a fatal heart attack suffered by one visitor was unofficially believed to have been triggered by the shock of the cold water in the pool beneath the Tarzan Swing.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 10:33 PM on July 21, 2008

But Watchmen isn't a story about heroes with super-powers. It's (on one level) a story about a bunch of people who dressed up in costumes and pretended to be superheros. Then, along come a guy with real super powers and things.....change.

It's more like a bunch superheroes who do superhero things then along comes God...

In any case, I can't hear anything in here over the deafening fanboy screams that started when they put... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 6:47 PM on July 17, 2008

sorry, meant to write "It's more like a bunch of superheroes who..."

cheetos powder makes your fingers all tacky, apparently.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 6:50 PM on July 17, 2008

Personally I think one of the great tragedies of society these days is the unimportance we place on sex and sexuality. A lot of trauma and pain can be traced back to people not understanding how sex and relationships are intertwined. The fact that something like could be considered illegal is one of the reasons for that.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:10 PM on July 3, 2008

Interesting question. There seems to be a whole subgenre of science fiction devoted to this question. A couple that I've read that were good included "Island in the Sea of Time", except instead of the year 1000AD, it's set 3000 years ago and the whole island of Nantucket and the surrounding sea is sent back. It looks at survival from a more community oriented point of view. Amazon link.

Also, the Belasarius series by Eric Flint/David Drake is pretty fanciful,... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 7:43 PM on June 11, 2008

PS I've also read Leo Frankowski but just found his personal website...... and now hang my head in shame
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 7:45 PM on June 11, 2008

Have to say that the Crash Test Dummies last album is actually a really interesting choice of sound. Like Prairie gothic.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 2:34 PM on May 24, 2008

have we learned nothing from futurama?
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 10:00 AM on May 22, 2008

Oliver Cromwell, anyone?
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:56 PM on May 8, 2008

fist in the air metal bear
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:12 AM on May 8, 2008

pleased to meet you/hoped you guessed my name
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 3:28 PM on April 21, 2008

Well, I'm going there this Saturday so I'll let you all know if mojitos are still available.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:42 AM on February 19, 2008

koeselitz - true, but here the lunatic fringe doesn't often arrest you.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 7:59 AM on November 30, 2007

re: the vancouver airport thing:

1. The cops waited less than a minute to tase the guy
2. There's video that the police don't want the public to see

Personally, I can see both sides of the issue here. I can see how tasing could be seen by police as an easy solution to their problems, which is the start of a slippery slope - don't want to deal with this guy screaming at you? Tired of arguing with someone over a traffic ticket? And, by... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 5:21 PM on November 10, 2007

critical mass is probably the second most stupid way of getting attention that I've seen. Way to automatically make the 70% of people who have no opinion on biking dislike you and justify the actions of the remaining 20% who are actively looking for ways to hurt you.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 3:26 PM on September 3, 2007

don't worry, as long as the feather on top of the post isn't knocked off, you can still win at metafilter.

I've seen clips of this race on travel shows several times but never caught the name. Interesting post.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 12:10 PM on June 29, 2007

Personally, I'm more mad at the judge than at the parents or whoever called the police. I mean, yes, she was giving alcohol to other people's kids and that's stepping over the line, but how was anyone supposed to know that the judge would get his mad on and call for an 8 year (!) sentence.

Just for giggles, let's see what else will give you a 27 month sentence (remember, the original judge called for 8 years, but using that long would be like shooting fish in a barrel).... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 11:44 AM on June 9, 2007

personally I'm ambivalent about any economic gains the Olympics will bring here long term, but the only ones the APC are hurting with their stupid tactics is themselves and those they are trying to represent.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 2:12 PM on May 17, 2007

Who wouldn't be offended to be accused of cheating? It's idiotic to assume otherwise. Would you like to be accused of it?

So you're damned if you do, damned (in some cases) if you don't. Time to make the government do it so at least everyone is hating the right people!

Anyway, one way or another this will get sorted out in the next 50 years or so. Genetic testing and family history will become a normal part of the pre-natal... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 9:19 AM on April 27, 2007

"We commend this body to the abode of the damned. The damned good looking!"
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 1:43 PM on April 17, 2007

speaking to pithy comment comment (ahem) on the DC Alert system, I think a big ass message sign on the side of a few campus buildings would be a good idea on university campus's that are this size. Even if the message was sent out as fast as they could (and I'm with tkchrist/etc. on this - 2 hours before notifying the campus population that there had been a shooting seems almost negligent) email is not a super efficient way to reach large populations of people on the move.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 5:12 PM on April 16, 2007

I guess they haven't visited bash.org yet.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 1:39 PM on March 12, 2007

yeah, he should have said "man, I can't afford to pay you for all this stuff". Then watch it get dumped in the garbage.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 10:55 AM on March 9, 2007

ah, but which one of us is running on a Pentium IV?
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:19 AM on February 22, 2007

I think you're all missing the point.

Consdering the recent historical standard of modesty, etc. required for women who have to wear the burqua, the fact that these are even sold now can be considered a step in the right direction. The right direction = away from the women beating brigades and towards personal freedom to wear whatever the hell you want without long term, physical effects.

As for the bikini staring debate, all I can say is that... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 11:04 AM on February 11, 2007

so, to extend the discussion to a more general question: at what point does someone's personality and/or background influence your view of their music?

(otherwise know as the "what-if-hitler-was-really-good-at-singing" dilemma)
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 7:26 PM on January 29, 2007

Figures. You often can't tell by looking at someone whether they're large because of a medical condition or not.

"But seeing an opportunity to make an extra fare, Southwest's agent, having been informed of Richard's failing medical condition and shown supporting medical documentation, refused to allow Richard to board, stating "each airport has their own rules and these are ours, no extra seat, no boarding." (from consumerist.com)
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 3:39 PM on January 24, 2007

vronsky - this show has been around before viking challenge. It was more the inspiration for Viking than the other way around.

The wikipedia entry for it has the original air dates (here).

There's only been 2 winners, Makoto and Kazuhiko Akiyama. The prize is 2 million yen.

Of course, this video doesn't show all sides of the contestents.

Personally, I prefer the more wacky side of japanese tv -... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 1:02 PM on January 22, 2007

check here as well:

conceptart.org self-explanatory.
Vectortown is okay for Illustrator tips and some nice artist profiles.
illustrationfriday is fun.
eatpoo(I know, I know) is like the drawingboard in some ways.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 1:46 PM on January 3, 2007

war is hell. In hell, you either be a devil or a sinner. Pick your side.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:49 AM on December 27, 2006

[deguised as Father Brown, Jim is asked to give a speech to the town. He reads from a brochure stuck in his Bible that says "An Encounter with a Bear"]

Jim: Have you ever felt alone, with no one to rely on? Danger on every hand, in a world fraught with danger, and when I looked into my pocket, what did I find? What did I find?

[flips the brochure over - it's an ad for... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 11:05 AM on December 8, 2006

for uncle harold (from the article):

Nearly a century later, a 76-year-old Elmira man who contested a speeding ticket in Newfield, outside Ithaca, was jailed without even a warning for three days in 2003 because he called the sheriff’s deputy a liar.

“I thought, this is not America,” said the man, Michael J. Pronti, who spent two years and $8,000 before a state appeals court ruled that he had been improperly jailed.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 9:06 AM on September 26, 2006

You need Enstein and Newton to be where they were (or someplace equivalent) in order to make their contribution. In other words, you needed a University of Oxford before you could have Newton's contribution.

No, you just need a species that has curiousity as a trait. Everything you've mentioned flows from that, in whatever form a "university" would take on another planet.

It could be perfectly possible that there... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 9:19 AM on August 28, 2006

you know, I heard that Antartica has some prime prison real estate up for grabs..
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:45 AM on August 25, 2006

This book is sold in the gift shop and flogged somewhat during the tour - at least the one I went on. It's an entertaining read about the founding and history of Seattle.

I don't know much about the Seattle underground, but a little further North, Victoria may or may not have tunnels, but it sure has some wacky inhabitants.

If you happen to stop by Vancouver on the way to Seattle this museum is worth a visit.

Meanwhile,... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 12:40 PM on August 9, 2006

concreteforest, not to detract from your worthwhile warning, but the four people who died in your "easily" link were above ground, in a shed.

Yes I know - I chose that example to show the sometimes unique dangers of exploring an industrial area, even if it seems undisturbed. These guys died in a shed that wasn't even underground in a mine that was regularly visited.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 3:04 PM on August 9, 2006

340 gunmen, 25 craftsmen, 35 silomen and the minigun with 320 rounds... then the mouse button doesn't work !!ONE!
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 12:40 PM on July 30, 2006

Yes, rescues on Everest never happen. I can't believe this thread. Sir Edmund Hillary thinks that this was a bad thing and we're debating?! Of course, trying to rescue someone would be dangerous. It's a dangerous environment. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't try. It defintiely doesn't mean that your summit is more important than someone's life. I don't think Inglis deserves as much blame though, as the people who saw this guy before him. Oh, and this:

I... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 7:56 PM on May 27, 2006

Fry: "So what if I love a robot? It's not hurting anybody."
Hermes: "My god! He never took middle school high hygiene. He never saw the propaganda film."
Professor: "It's just lucky I keep a copy in the VCR at all times."

[video starts playing in the middle]

Speaker: "Did you notice what went wrong in that scene? Ordinarily Billy would work hard to make money from his paper route then... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 11:09 AM on April 16, 2006

man, I thought that stereotype of black people being really good at throwing things was dead and buried...I guess I was wrong.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:16 AM on April 13, 2006

Farnsworth: If we can stimulate that nerve, the bowel will convulse, expelling the entire worm society.
Hermes: But what about the worms in the other parts of his body?
Farnsworth: Listen, this is gonna be one hell of a bowel movement. Afterwards he'll be lucky if he has any bones left.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 5:09 PM on April 7, 2006

"will no one rid me of this troublesome mother? Oh.. wait, that's not what I meant!"
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 9:54 AM on April 4, 2006

"people should not be afraid of their governments, governments should be afraid of SNAKES ON A PLANE!"
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 1:22 PM on March 17, 2006

soviet sleepover - it's inuktitut.

I was born in Iqaluit, which is where the restaurant and cathedral are located, but moved when I was 2 to Yellowknife. Iqaluit used to be called Frobisher Bay. I sent my dad a link to this though, and he recognized the buildings:

HI Son Yes I recognize and have been in all of them...The restaurant and cathedral are in Iqaluit, and the research centre is in Igloolik.. The cathedral just burned down a... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 8:24 PM on March 14, 2006

thats for the credit, arse_hat. Hmmm..that sounds like a back handed compliment, but it's your handle, not me! Keswick's article was the first place I heard about it.

For those in Japan that want to visit this place, the closest option that I've found was mentioned in this article - apparently there are boats that go out and circle the island. They don't land, of course.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 7:21 PM on February 25, 2006

this is the one place in the world that I wished I could visit, but never will. There is a "coffee table" type photo book available called city of darkness.

A few other books that might be interesting (not specific to Kowloon) are Invisible New York, Paris Underground and Shadow Cities.

Perhaps an alternative for everyone who wanted to visit Kowloon is Gunkanjima. If anyone manages to get there, let me know how you did :)... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 9:11 AM on February 24, 2006

summary of arguments so far:

hincandenza: "they made their bed, they can lie in it. I'm tired of making it for them!"

everyone else: "Can't you understand what it's like to live with an unmade bed!? Feel their pain! Besides, if we don't help them with their bed, it will remain unmade, and you know, someone will eventually have to make it!"

Caddis: "I never really understood why everyone puts the... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 9:01 AM on February 23, 2006

just an update - the guy who made this is on the new season of the amazing race.link. Should be interesting.
posted to MetaFilter by concreteforest at 1:51 PM on January 31, 2006