Chile, chilli, chili or however you want to spell it. Cheap if you use canned beans, even cheaper if you have the time to use dry. You can make it with meat - beef, turkey, chicken - ground or in chunks - or without. It doesn't need to be spicy hot at all, although cumin is a must. Pretty quick to throw together as well, although it's better if it simmers awhile or sits overnight in the fridge. In short, I think it meets your requirements.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 7:30 AM on July 29, 2008

Consider taking the slightly long way to ABQ from Taos and hit the Sandia Crest. As you can see from my link, you can take a tram up from the ABQ side. You can also drive up the east side, which will take you a bit out of your way drivewise but might be worth it. There are a bunch of trails along the crest, some with excitingly precipitous drops. If I recall correctly, you can walk from the parking area to the tram stop in a hour or so. Last time I was there (2001), the tram stop at the top... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 1:55 PM on July 8, 2008

Any sinus pressure or pain? The sore throat and foul taste could be the result of bacteria laden mucus dripping out of infected sinuses and down your throat.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 10:00 AM on July 4, 2008

The maple (which I think it is, although I can't quite tell if the leaves and branches are opposite one another) is probably not a native species. I don't think those are seeds, I think they are flower buds. Look at this image of Amur or Tartarian Maple (Acer tataricum). It looks like the same species to me, although if it's a cultivated variety it may be hard to definitively identify it.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:01 AM on June 19, 2008

The cedar does look to be a northern white cedar. It's not a eastern red cedar because their needles are scale-like but not flat, and their fruit does not turn woody like the northern white cedar. It remains a slightly fleshy, blue-like berry until it dries up and/or is eaten in the winter by desperate birds. In fact, the eastern red is not a cedar at all but a juniper, which have similar fruit. Crush an eastern red cedar fruit and you'll smell gin, which makes sense since juniper is a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:43 AM on June 19, 2008

On preview, the cones don't look right for white spruce (too big and elongate).
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:46 AM on June 19, 2008

Duh, -1 for reading comprehension. You weren't suggestion it was eastern red cedar, Xurando, sorry about that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:49 AM on June 19, 2008

If you don't want to pay $12 per person to go up to the top of the Prudential Tower, you can go to bar one floor below for free. One martini will cost you $12, but other drinks are less, and you get the same view. Oh, the fried calamari with preserved lemons and jalapeño peppers is really, really good.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 5:32 PM on May 25, 2008

N'thing the Poang. I've had one for 9 years and it's still comfortable after reasonably heavy use. I find this impressive considering I weigh around 195 lbs. It's especially good for reading if you get the ottoman.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 9:25 AM on May 6, 2008

XTC's Funk Pop a Roll and Travels in Nihilon fit the bill.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 9:48 AM on April 28, 2008

Uff da, that's quite a question. I'll answer a part of it. I've owned Hondas and Mazdas, and have had no reliability issues with either. Consider one of the Honda Accord wagons (although they may have stopped producing them awhile ago, so that any you might find might be rather old) or a Mazda Protege 5 or Mazda 3 wagon. The Accord wagon will be larger, but the Mazda will be sportier and more fun to drive, as well as newer.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 7:35 PM on February 29, 2008

I'd say you're overthinking a bit, especially since you're worried about looking like dorks at a concert by dorks for dorks. I say this a TMBG fan, TMBG concert veteran and dork myself. You should also listen to their first two albums, They Might Be Giants and Lincoln, which I think still stand up as pretty darn good, especially the second side (yes, I'm dating myself) of Lincoln.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 7:11 AM on February 13, 2008

Dying by XTC on Skylarking. Creeps me out everytime I ti
e I hear it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:51 PM on February 1, 2008 marked best answer

Um, the Americans declared war upon the Japanese after they attacked Pearl Harbor.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:58 PM on December 22, 2007

The Lies of Locke Lamorra by Scott Lynch.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 5:34 PM on December 20, 2007

Are you anchovy adverse? If not, try this:

In a large saute pan or other large (3 qt or more) straight sided cooking vessel with lid, heat olive oil over medium or medium high heat 'til hot. Add a few crushed or minced cloves of garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add as many anchovies as you like. The recipe I base it off of calls for something like 4, but I like more than that, most of a small tin of oil packed ones. Stir until the anchovies are broken up.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:13 PM on December 7, 2007

I concur with the folks who are pointing out the problems with most DEMs. They just don't have the resolution to perform the analysis you're looking for. Unless you have LIDAR quality elevation data, you're unlikely to be able to get the vertical resolution required. Your best bet might be scouring high resolution (sub 1 foot) aerial photos for potential paths that you can assess using your personal knowledge of the area. Collecting GPS data the next time you're hiking hiking there might... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:24 PM on December 1, 2007

Up the hill to blanket fair,
What shall we have we get there,
A bucket full of water,
A penny worth of hay,
Gee up, dobbin, all the way.

From my son's My Very First Mother Goose.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:38 AM on December 1, 2007

Actually, it's "up the wooden hill". So much for my memory.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:39 AM on December 1, 2007

Seconding the midwives at Delaware Valley ObGyn. My wife had precisely the birth experience she wanted (no meds) with no pressure/judgement/attitude at all. Really nice folks.

If you're committed to the one car/public transport option, Princeton town is your best bet. Highland Park, a 10 minute walk from the New Brunswick train station might be an option worth considering, if you're willing to deal with the longer train ride. Both Princeton and Highland Park are... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:53 PM on November 26, 2007

Lambertville is indeed a great town, but the drive to the Trenton or Hamilton train station is as far as the drive to Princeton itself. It's about 14 miles as the crow flies from Lambertville to all three, although the roads will get you to Trenton or Hamilton a bit faster.

Sounds like it's getting to be time for a Princeton/Lambertville Mefi Meetup!
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:14 PM on November 26, 2007

Welcome to the neighborhood. I applaud your search for alternative holiday decorations.

Assuming your profile isn't full of misleading information regarding your location, bears shouldn't be a particular concern. They're more of a problem farther north in New Jersey. As you've no doubt noticed driving around your new home, the deer density in central New Jersey exceeds that of just about anywhere else in the country. Feeding the deer may cause them to be more of a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:21 AM on November 25, 2007

I can't focus on blue lights regardless of the ambient light level. This can be so distracting at concerts and other productions that I need to turn away or close my eyes when the lighting shifts to mostly or exclusively blue.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:23 AM on November 22, 2007

I occasionally take the leftover prenatals we have when I run out of my normal cheapo multivitamin. If I take them 3 or more days in a row the high levels of iron constipate me. If you start running off schedule after you start taking them, you may want to reconsider.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:58 PM on November 21, 2007

Perhaps the individual plants were just planted and hadn't had a chance to grow along the wires yet. Or they were trimmed right before the photo was taken. Alternatively, it could be an orchard with trees planted along contour lines.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 10:31 AM on October 19, 2007

I'm not a native Mainer, but can you really consider Winthrop to be in northern Maine? And 5 suicides within one high school within 3 years seems high, especially considering the size of the high school (about 350, near as I can tell). I agree with the Mayor that being on the football team may be a red herring, but 5 suicides in a such a small school within a few years does seem notable in and of itself. I'd like to see comparable stats from similar high schools.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 7:27 PM on October 4, 2007

Oops, you're right. I accidentally pasted the wrong url. Here's Winthrop, ME.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 9:50 AM on October 5, 2007

I'm not sure if you can get where you are, but Wolaver's Organic Stout hits all the right buttons for me, and I'm very picky about stouts. Unlike the imperial stouts, it's light enough to have more than one, yet it has the requisite sweetness to balance out the bitterness and acidity of the roasted malts that make stouts dark. (Can you tell I'm not a fan of dry Irish stouts, like some famous ones I won't mention?).

I also strongly recommend Bell's stouts. Any stout... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 5:24 PM on September 27, 2007

My wife was able to have a midwife as her primary medical provider throughout her pregnancy while giving birth at a hospital. This midwife was associated with a larger practice that included ObGyns. The midwives in the practice performed all of the prenatal examinations and the midwife on duty at the time of our son's birth was the attending professional at the hospital. In our case, at least, it was possible to use a midwife as the primary medical professional and still have a hospital birth.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:21 PM on September 20, 2007

Wearing my normal boxer shorts (of any style) works for me because it prevents chafing, which I do get with briefs. So, figure out what works and then wear that. If chafing's an issue with the liner in, wear the shorts with boxer. If it seems weird, rip the liner out and try again.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 1:24 PM on August 30, 2007

If you've got a Freecycle board/chapter near you, post a request for Thomas/compatible trains on it. My wife did, and we got well over $100 worth of track and trains free for the picking up.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 10:45 AM on August 29, 2007

Oh, yeah, and before you start completely dissing electric burners: I know for a fact that my electric stove puts out more heat than any home gas range I've encountered. You just have to learn how to work it. Longer to heat up, longer to cool down. If you're unluckly like me, the notches on your burner dials might actually mean something. I can't boil 4 qts of water and pasta in a 5 qt pot without either: boiling over on high or not quite boiling on medium high. The burner actually seems... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 7:54 PM on August 26, 2007

I think we need to consider the difference between calories consumed and calories absorbed. As an avid consumer of beer, I'm pretty sure that the quantity of calories I consume does not equal the quantity of calories I absorb, or otherwise I'd be a lot more overweight than I am. Unless I'm mistaken, food calories are calculated as a theoretical maximum based on the physical energy content of the foodstuff. I strongly suspect this doesn't equal the biologically available energy. Put another... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 7:47 PM on August 26, 2007

My wife counsels nursing moms, and she sez:

1. Your wife needs someone else she can turn to for support other than you. You may be the most important/immediate person for her, but you can't be the only person for her. She should consider joining a mom's club and/or find a nursing mom's support group.

2. Your wife really needs to make sure she gets out and about with the baby. Going to kid's programs at the local library, even just going for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 8:46 PM on August 25, 2007

Wegman's on Rt. 1 in the Nassau Park shopping center also has roast turkey like you describe.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:04 AM on August 21, 2007

It's a geocache.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 10:54 AM on August 10, 2007 marked best answer

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. I have been to the Lakes, the Welsh Marches and Dorset previously, and have enjoyed them all. I've actually stayed in Ambleside. I'm certainly not adverse to visiting any of them again, but all of them felt a bit far from airports for my current purposes. I'm going to seriously investigate the Peaks district as well as Yorkshire, and Llangollen canal sounds quite interesting too. Cheers!
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:31 AM on July 24, 2007

There are two reasons why the brewer's yeast you added is unlikely to lead to any significant alcohol in your food. First, there's little fermentable sugar in your dish. Yeast only eat relatively simple sugars, which quinoa doesn't have. Unless you added something laden with simple sugars (carrots probably don't count) I doubt the yeast would have enough food to create noticeable amounts of alcohol. Second, and most importantly, the processing the brewer's yeast undergoes (grinding and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:47 PM on February 3, 2007

Ok, so I'm late to the party, but I can't let the thread pass with mentioning "What I Like About You" by The Romantics.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 9:20 AM on October 3, 2006

Kimota, I always thought I Remember the Sun was about how much better life was when we were kids. And I thought I was an XTC fan. Oh, well. How about Living Through Another Cuba? Almost every song by Pixies feels apolyptic to me for some reason, perhaps because I listened to so much my senior year of college.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 5:27 PM on August 11, 2006

erf, that's apocalyptic, not apolyptic
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 5:27 PM on August 11, 2006

If this bathroom has a shower that gets daily use, don't take the "close the door" route unless you have an exhaust fan. We kept our bathroom door shut for a year or so to prevent the cat from getting to the tp and the garbage can. The moisture build up caused the paint to crack and peel straight to the dry wall/plaster/whatever the bleep is underneath of it (Why, yes, it is an old house). Since I haven't found the time to take care of it for the past three years, everytime I go... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 10:15 AM on July 18, 2006

I haven't lived in the Twin Cities since '98, so I won't comment on the food issue. As far as hiking goes, I don't think you can beat Afton State Park. It's got some nice hills with views of the St. Croix River and the trails go through both restored prairie and some lovely forests. If you can't tell, I desparately miss having this fantastic park 30 minutes from my house. You might also try the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which has the added attraction of many landscaped exhibits.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:03 PM on May 14, 2006

I use an oxygenated cleanser sold by homebrew stores under the name One-step. All I do it put a teaspoon full in my 0.5 liter thermos, fill it with warm water and let it sit for 30 minutes. When the time is up, pour it out then rinse it out. It works like a charm, and no scraped knuckles. I imagine something like Oxy-clean would work as well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:07 PM on May 8, 2006 marked best answer

Umm, I almost hesitate to suggest something that might not be conceived as the most healthy, but caffeine does a good job of dumping water into the colon and moving things along. I suppose if you don't normally drink coffee you shouldn't start because of my comment, but if you do, perhaps consider having another cup o' joe to get things going.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 6:19 PM on April 12, 2006

While it's not strictly a science book, Richard Rhodes wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning account of the making of the atomic bomb that includes a primer on early twentieth century atomic physics. It's called, oddly enough, The Making of the Atomic Bomb. I thought it was fantastic in no small part part because of his in-depth treatment of the science and scientists whose work made the bomb possible.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 5:47 PM on December 13, 2005

Was it orujo con miel? It's aguardiente (which in Spain is distilled from wine, I believe) mixed with honey and perhaps some spices to turn it into a liqueur. It's sweet, a bit too sweet for my tastes, but tasty and reasonably potent.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 5:19 PM on November 9, 2005 marked best answer

At my school, students with a reason to learn GIS can get free access to many of ESRI's online courses. Try talking to a faculty member who teaches GIS (or someone who runs whatever GIS facilities you have) to see if Cornell has the same deal.

As far as cheap(er) GIS programs go, check out Idrisi. It's produced by a spinoff of Clark University's Geography program, and has a different orientation than ArcGIS. For instance, it has many more interesting analysis and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 12:32 PM on October 28, 2005

All I'd like to know is why I didn't hear anything about the season series being a tiebreaker until today. All along when hearing about 3-way ties, etc., I kept thinking to myself, "what about the season series, doesn't that count?" I could convince myself that I heard a lot about it last year, yet nothing this year until today. I find this odd since I'm a Yankees (since birth, before the late 1970's, thanks for your hate) and have been watching and listening to Yankees on TV and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 7:06 PM on October 1, 2005

My wife and I loved St. Paul, weather and all. I wouldn't hesitate to move back if the opportunity arises. Since I haven't been there in a few years, I'll keep my comments focussed mostly on something that I don't think has changed much, the weather. The winter will be harsher than what you are used to in Boston, since the presence of the ocean protects Boston from the full onslaught of the New England winter. It will be colder for longer in St. Paul, although there may not be as much snow.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mollweide at 11:46 AM on September 14, 2005