McCain Home Fries.

(although sadly I think they're only be available in he UK; here in London, I will serving them as a side with my Obamaburgers).
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 6:16 AM on November 4, 2008

Oh yes - and wash it all down with plenty of Red Whine.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 9:35 AM on November 4, 2008

Thank you all very much - probably not dual monitors although I can see why people like. That new dell is insanely cheap (s2409) - but is it any good, I couldn't find any reviews....
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:14 AM on October 9, 2008

..and do keep them coming. It all helps. Inasmuch as almost everyone who posts here either knows more than me or has personal experience. Any personal exp of 22" monitors would be great too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:22 AM on October 9, 2008

Does anyone have any experience with the Lenovo L220x. It's a 1920x1200 22 incher, non TN and priced about £280. Is it the answer?
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 9:46 AM on October 9, 2008

Maybe I will try dual monitors....could be fun. Or is it an incredible pain in the ass with ubuntu?
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 3:32 PM on October 9, 2008

In the end I chose a Lenovo L220x, which, I think is the only 22" 1920x1200 monitor. It's also the only non TN 22". It has a very nice screen and I like it a lot.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:13 AM on October 23, 2008

It depends what you're trying to find. But I sometimes find intelligence / newspaper archive services such as Factiva (expensive, I know) succeed where Google fails. They tend to be less neophile than the net and less given to snowballing around certain topics. Also, the information is often, but not always, "truthier." If you don't want to pay for one of these services, individual online archives like the (London) Times and the Guardian are also pretty good although obviously... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 1:10 AM on October 22, 2008

It's also to do with house design. European townhouses tend to be narrow, deep and terraced meaning that all light comes in from the front and back. These are to get light to the middle, which as other posters have noted is usually the hallway.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:09 AM on October 9, 2008

Hunter make the Queen's wellies.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 4:18 AM on October 9, 2008

Take your chances. Nothing you can do and none of the heavily marketed products are likely to make much difference although the stress of worrying about it might have a marginal effect. Besides, it's not exactly cholera is it?
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 1:17 PM on September 25, 2008

If you can pay it by machine, do so. Most banks do not check cheques below a certain amount so, unless anyone objects, it'll just go through the system as normal. I once had my sister pay her rent with a cheque from my chequebook by accident and only noticed when it cleared from my account despite having a very different signature from a very different gender on it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 3:28 AM on August 1, 2008

Potato starch (usually available from Chinese shops) might. But I'd try it on small area of the sauce that doesn't show first.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 12:43 PM on July 29, 2008

You also have to remember that many people self diagnose. I'm certainly not gluten intolerant but if I eat toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and pasta for supper, I'll tend to feel bloated. Yet I know quite a few people who, having experienced this, will happily tell me they're gluten intolerant.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 2:47 AM on July 28, 2008

Gel based paint removers usually work pretty well. It's also worth bearing in mind that lead in paint isn't too bad on adults. We have a lot in our house and the balance of advice seems to be that wherever possible you should paint over it if you can.

Worth looking here: it's a UK gov't website. But we have a lot of old houses.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 1:58 PM on July 14, 2008

I'd second the voice coaching - some of them really are impressive. I also think that reading (fairly difficult) stuff aloud and perhaps in the mirror helps.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 1:54 PM on July 14, 2008

OK: from the Indonesian rainforests, Indian jungles Sri Lankan jungles and Malaysian rainforest. Questions answered in order of yours.

Ground was fine when it wasn't raining, slippery as hell otherwise; only marshy in wet low areas. The soil wasn't red. Tropical soils can be but aren't all by any means, for example near volcanoes.
You don't get dirty unless it's raining, then you get muddy.
It's pretty warm, but shady. So not excessive. You do... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 1:46 PM on July 9, 2008 marked best answer

I'm a journalist and iamisaid is basically right. Find out who's doing the PR and call them. It should be pretty easy. Oh and whenever anyone says "Are you a member of the press?", just say "yes" politely and firmly rather than going into a laboured explanation before it's asked for. This might be a good place to start.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 1:26 PM on July 9, 2008

Rather confusingly for those who've heard that Brick Lane is the centre of the curryverse, the best ethnic restaurants in the area are actually Pakistani, not Indian and are a short walk from Brick Lane itself. They are New Tayyab on Feldgate Street and the Lahore Kebab House on Umberston Street. Both are very good and ridiculously cheap; neither is licensed, but you can bring your own beer. Tayyab is buzzier and better located but can be a bit rushed; Lahore is a bit more relaxed and ever so... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 5:05 AM on June 30, 2008

For me, porn shops.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 10:09 AM on June 21, 2008

Tamil Nadu then to Kodaikanal, the only hill station founded by Americans. The food is fantatsic and hill stations are wonderful places. Pics here. Darjeeling is great too and you can walk in the Himalayas. I've been to Leh, Manali and Ladakh too and they were pretty cool. But I'd have to say that Tamil Nadu - Kodai was the best.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 4:07 PM on June 15, 2008

I'm in the UK so rabies isn't an issue (as it almost certainly isn't in US cities) but I'm with nicwolff here. My cat bites and scratches me all the time when we're play fighting and often draws blood. It has never occurred to me to seek medical help.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 4:08 AM on May 19, 2008

I would take a lot of books, plenty of suntan lotion, some snacks in case the food is bad and an iPod.

I would also differentiate myself by not writing a blog about it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:56 AM on April 25, 2008

Sulawesi, Indonedisia is a great three weeks. It's got beaches, jungles, mountains, volcanoes, strange cultures, a bit of extremism and dog eating. I loved it. Self link to a few pix mostly from there here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 3:10 PM on April 20, 2008

Angel Island is nice. You can hike there for hours.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 1:54 PM on April 10, 2008

Personally, I'd get it professionally cleaned. And if you have carpets etc. it might be a good idea to take them up and or get rid of any dirty furniture. I like in an old London house with centuries of dust in the cellar, between the floors, in the walls etc.) but we have mostly bare floorboards and not much in the way of soft furnishings and no real dust problem.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 11:05 AM on April 5, 2008

Touching the void is a pretty good tale of when mountains go wrong.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 9:48 AM on April 4, 2008

I can't believe no-one's mentioned NWA's Bitch is a Bitch.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:44 AM on April 4, 2008

The Apprentice might provide some light relief.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:34 AM on April 4, 2008

You could point out that it's such a common tourist destination for we citizens of the UK (America's no.1 ally cum lapdog) that several of our low-cost airlines fly there and property shows on buying abroad regularly feature it. You might also want to point out that you are roughly 10 times more likely to be murdered in the US (Morocco has 0.47 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, the US, 5.9).

Although you may wish to avoid this.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:31 AM on April 4, 2008

There are so many guesthouses in Goa, they change so quickly and LP write-ups are often on the subjective side. I'd just show up and stay somewhere you like the look of.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 2:13 PM on March 30, 2008

andrewsullivan is worth a look. Not least because being a gay, HIV positive, conservative, Catholic Englishman writing about US politics gives you a certain viewpoint.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 3:17 PM on March 26, 2008

I write for papers and mags and they're real, if edited for length and clarity. I'd go one further than M.C. Lo-Carb! and say that Cosmo's are probably real too. There are
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 3:11 PM on March 26, 2008 marked best answer

oops...after all, plenty of idiots in the street.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 3:12 PM on March 26, 2008

I wouldn't spend all that long in Indian cities., although Mumbai is fun for a few days. In some ways, I'd also advise against the golden triangle. The Taj is spectacular and Jaipur is nice, but they're also tourist traps and are not exactly in the most interesting and pleasant parts of the country.

Anyway, my favourite trip. Fly into Madras (everyone still calls it that) then go down through Tamil Nadu to Rameswawaram, stopping at Pondicherry en route. Enjoy the food.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 4:59 PM on March 10, 2008

As others have suggested, cycling to work is about the best thing you can do. It turns dead time into exercise. I did about 22 miles a day (round trip) for a while. It was great. In my mid 30s, I ate crap all the time because I was so hungry and still lost weight. Just go straight at it - 5 days a week, twice a day and cycle fast. It'll kill you for the first two weeks. But it'll work. The only downside is you do get a big butt. My choice of skinny strides is somewhat limited on account of my... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 12:06 PM on February 18, 2008

I remember reading Flowers in the Attic aged about eight or nine. I'm not sure I remember loving it. But it was certainly an eye opener.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 11:57 AM on February 18, 2008

Thanks for all your help - especially on the graphics cards. Just to clarify, I use my PC mostly word processing. But I do watch the odd video and use photoshop a fair bit. I should also have mentioned that I live in the UK (for those who didn't spot the dual spelling of aluminium). Damn, but I wish there was a newegg.co.uk. But there isn't, alas.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 2:14 AM on January 31, 2008

Also, I don't want something that rumbles like an earth mover in the corner, but it doesn't have to be whisper quiet either. I'm a bit middle of the road, I'm afraid. Although my dell is rather noisy.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 6:28 AM on January 31, 2008

OK, a few more - hopefully final - questions

1. Is the 8600 GTS a good card in terms of price / performance? I don't mind a bit of overkill in terms of what I actually need but I think the 8800s are probably excessive. This is the single thing I'm most confused about because everyone seems to have different opinions.

2. I'm quite tempted by this Lian Li desktop case. Yuk, yuk. I know, not a tower. Thing is though, my monitor is currently on a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 7:02 AM on January 31, 2008

I had pins and needles in my toes for about four months after climbing at nearly 7000m in the Andes. It was undoubtedly a result of the cold and probably nerve damage. It went away eventually though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 2:23 PM on December 3, 2007

A live monkey is nice.
posted to Ask Metafilter by rhymer at 6:37 AM on September 18, 2006