I asked this question because I asked it of a repair guy who was fixing the second floor ceiling of a 3 story house that had partially fallen out because of a rain leak.

His explanation was that the old chimney had leaks or that once the carbon particles flew out of the chimney gravity made them find their way back into the house. He also said that the "coal dust" problem got worse the higher in the house you went.

I don't accept his... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 9:30 PM on October 16, 2007

almost all theories of "consciousness" involve a lot of cracked pots because there is no commonly accepted definition of what "consciousness" is.

People who do more legitimate science in this area generally use better defined terms such as "attention", "self-awareness", "internal-monologue", etc.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 11:33 AM on October 15, 2007

I'd like to add that people who write about "consciousness" often seem to be treating it as one's "soul" (e.g. the part of you that is said to exist to exist after you die) and often times have a hidden aggenda.

On the other hand, for a really whack theory see Julian Jaynes and his book The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind.

Jaynes puts forth that consciousness in humans may have only recently... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 5:45 PM on October 16, 2007

Is stainless steel chain ok?
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 2:24 PM on October 15, 2007 marked best answer

Rings n Things has stainless curb
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 2:56 PM on October 15, 2007 marked best answer

umm ReiToei, I can see the lines - its is a jpeg image and you should be able to also.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 9:22 AM on October 15, 2007

maybe the site doesn't want people copying text from their pages, and so their pages have a script to prevent selection. I haven't seen this before but I have come across several sites that disable right-click so you can't save images from them (easily).

Post the url of the page. I'll have a look at it and if that is the case I'll write you a GreaseMonkey script to disable that behavior. The whole content of such would probably be something likeunsafeWindow.hideText =... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:09 PM on October 13, 2007

On XP I have long had the problem that very occasionally (once a week maybe) one FF window disappears from the task bar. Say I know I have 5 windows but only 4 are listed. Rarely I get FF appearing twice in the task bar - 1 lists 4 windows and the other lists 2 windows.

I always presumed it was a windows bug.

If I have a lot of Notepad windows, sometimes they get lost or split into multiple groups.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 1:34 PM on October 12, 2007

Cricket says: splinters in your gums.

What happens is not "spinters in your gums" but "splinters stuck where your gums meet your teeth".
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 1:23 PM on October 12, 2007

Telf says: much of the food has no English label.

You will find that most all of the packaged food will have a sticker in English that lists the ingredients and nutritional values. This gives you some clues about the food.

One of my favorites from my local market is Shirakiku frozen pork gyoza. 21oz bag for under $5, and the whole package is in english.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 1:17 PM on October 12, 2007

I might mention taboolie but you really need to deal with your invasive mint problem. The best approach is to put in underground barriers to prevent the sidewise underground roots from making new plants.

Asking for help with too much mint is like saying "I started out with 3 guinea pigs and now I have 30".
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 11:58 AM on October 9, 2007

While you could never get electro magnets strong enough to work in this scheme, there is a slightly possible workable scheme that is rather similar.

Have each fret separated into 6 segments with solenoids mounted under each segment. Somehow in your playing you can cause the segments to pop up to hold a position and somehow you can make them pop down.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:45 AM on October 9, 2007

on further thought, my scheme (fret segments with solenoids), I don't think you could get the solenoids strong enough. However you might be able to get it to work by using pistons powered by compressed air or hydraulic fluid.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:52 AM on October 9, 2007

Dishes I've eaten at friends' houses that have really amazed me often do so because they have really fresh great ingredients for which they have some source other then the tired versions you can find in the local supermarket. Some examples include:homemade ice cream containing lush ripe apricots plucked from the backyard tree.wild chanterelles turned into a pasta sauce with some cream, shallots, and white wine. Even chopped into small bits the mushrooms perfumed everything.sushi quality tuna... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:50 PM on October 7, 2007

Put it in a small boat or canoe.

I once was in a guy's office and saw a painting of a small crouched man wearing a big covering hat sleeping at one end of a canoe. The guy saw me looking at it and and asked if I liked it and said his wife painted it. I asked him if he knew what it meant and he said no. Barely constraining my laughter I asked if his wife came up with the idea or had her painting instructor suggested it. He said it was her idea. I eventually explained... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:34 PM on October 1, 2007

signal says: Why do otherwise english-speaking people feel the need to say "sombrero" for "hat" when talking about mexicans?

Ummm. Because a big Mexican sombrero is a distinct type of hat not to be confused with a homburg, fedora, or panama.

Your profile says you live in Chile. Are all hats there no matter how little sun-shade they give called "sombreros"?
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:05 PM on October 1, 2007

signal (from Chile) says: "Sombrero" is the exact literal translation of "hat". Not "big sun shade giving mexican hat", just "hat".

Well maybe you should give us the politically correct way to refer to big sun shade hats in Spanish. English speakers refer to the big Mexican hats as Sombreros see google pics English speakers also refer to the sunshading asian... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:58 PM on October 1, 2007

Actually if you are re-applying to your old school you might have some edge there as a dropout. They believe "you left, grew up, and then loved us enough to come back". Such cases helps their dropout rate.

When I took 2 years off in the middle of being an undergraduate the college was quite concerned that I come back.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:23 PM on October 1, 2007

There seem to be a bunch of mine tours but I have no experence with those near where you will be.

I have done the Mollie Kathelene gold mine tour in Colorado and it was pretty cool.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 5:49 PM on September 30, 2007

Not if it is a decent tap - such won't affect the phone line. It depends upon how technically sophisticated your landlord is.

You could examine the phone cables from where the enter the building on the outside, where they enter the basement to where your phone line branches off.

If the landlord (or an accomplice) lives in your building there is one simple hack to look for that can give him access to your phone line. Most interior phone wires... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 11:49 AM on September 30, 2007

I've noticed this a little with squashes such as butternut. The worst offender to me is Chayote which really drys out my hands. The responsible agent seems to be in the peel.

Recently I had a very large butternut. I cut it in half and only further prepared the top for cooking. Later I looked at the remaining bottom. All around the circumference of the cut little beads of moisture were welling up. I left if out overnight and the beads dried and became rubbery.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:08 PM on September 23, 2007 marked best answer

How about a slab of styrofoam - covered with cloth if you like?
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:41 PM on September 23, 2007

is "independant" a euphemism for "uptight control freak who allways gets her way and insists she is always right on every issue"?
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:38 PM on September 23, 2007

For the last decade, I've had gout attacks randomly around once a year or two - Toe, ankle, knee. One defining characteristic is redness of the skin covering the joint. Since they are so infrequent the doc says it doesn't make sense to go prevention medicine.

My episodes generally run where the sensation builds up for a few days, the pain peaks, and then builds down for a few days. At peak, the pain can be quite severe (usually at night in bed) and twice I have resorted... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 4:55 PM on September 17, 2007

I also heard that Zellig Harris didn't teach much or spend time in his office. If you wanted to interact with him you went to the deli he hung out in.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 3:35 PM on August 28, 2007

Balding like gray hair is a sign of age and naturally occurs late in life. In many males it can be premature to give a false indication of wisdom and maturity. In religion monks often shave or partially shave their heads presumable in part to appear older and wiser.

Silverback gorillas use graying as a sign of maturity. People often go gray before they are really old, but often the graying mostly happens in highly visible areas - temples, beard, chest hair while less... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 11:25 AM on August 17, 2007

How about just a fat colored ribbon worn around the neck that holds some sort of library emblem on the chest.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 11:07 AM on August 17, 2007

I would take a small melon baller to some raw potatoes.

Deep fry them like french fries. I've often made fries from scratch, and I often carve a few weird shapes to see which lucky eater gets them.

I've never made a hole batch of balls but it should work. Use the smaller scoop on a double ended baller. If the balls are too large they won't cook well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 4:36 PM on August 16, 2007

Bring a loaf of old bread, walk around the Venice Canals, and feed the duckies. I think this is where the kiddie playground is located, though if not it is somewhere nearby.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:02 PM on August 15, 2007

The nail will eventually fall off. If the the swelling and pressure is bothering you the actual recommended treatment is to heat some thin metal (like a large pin or small nail) till it is glowing red and then use it to burn a hole through the center of your nail. A gout of disgusting fluid will come out. There is no health benefit to leaving the pressure there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 9:46 PM on August 15, 2007

Why don't you adopt a different approach. Make a jar of simple syrup (2 parts sugar boiled in 1 part water). It keeps fine. She can then add however much she wants to her glasses of tea.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 7:09 AM on August 15, 2007

Chinese restaurants often serve food that appears Chinese but didn't originate in China. For example see Crab Rangoon and some of the other dishes in the wiki list of American Chinese dishes. In France I've eaten Grenouille Pékinoise and in Sweden sweet and sour meatballs.

[ When I last mentioned Grenouille Pékinoise on Mefi I couldn't find any google hits. Now I can find them on the menu at the Vietnamese restaurant La Perle de Jade in France (with no explanation of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 9:51 PM on August 13, 2007

One laundromat near me is semi-commercial - they have some large and larger washers and dryers. Walk in customers can use them, but it seems they are mainly used by commercial accounts. I once saw a large dryer that was drying about 20 string-mop heads. A janitorial service company regularly drops off loads of what they need laundered. Even though they also have wash-n-fold service, the few times I've been there it seems the attendant has lots of loafing time.

Getting... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:58 PM on August 13, 2007

Coin op busnesses and small cash ones have often been somewhat owned by organized crime for money laundering purposes. Back when the numbers racket was big, it seemed OC owned all the vending and pinball machine distribution and service companies. I don't know how big the numbers racket still is, but to this day whenever I go to a pinball distributor to pick up some replacement parts the owner/manager always seems to be an Italian guy with a bit of bling.

Somebody may... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:02 PM on August 13, 2007

What really put YouTube & the web on the map was ""Macaca". In response GOP issues rules to avoid Macaca moments.

Somewhere I read a long article about how Webb's team was ready to take hold of such an opportunity and carefully sent out info through YouTube and the blogosphere so than when it the MSM picked it up it became a sledghammer that crushed Webb.

I can't find that article now.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:45 PM on August 11, 2007

crushed Webb Allen.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:47 PM on August 11, 2007

suggested retail price of US$43,190.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:32 PM on August 11, 2007

I once has a swollen uvula of the WTF-is-that-back-there type after a party at which I smoked cigarettes and drank a lot of rye whiskey (I hardly ever touch any type of whisky).

I was disgusting and went away after a day, as did my hangover.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 5:40 PM on August 10, 2007

Colorado Springs is one of several places that had been undergoing hyper housing and road construction.

So much so that a bunch of the new housing (or older rentals) was occupied by the people doing the construction.

Those people will wind up moving to someplace they can get construction or worse jobs. That employment sector is rapidly shrinking in such ex-hyper markets.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 1:16 AM on August 10, 2007

If you want to use some sort of bean to thicken stews you should note that they can require a lot more cooking than the other ingredients.

I personally don't like quickly cooked beans because of their grainy texture. But if you cook them long enough all of the grains will pop.

One thing I often have in my freezer is long-cooked thick plain split-pea soup base (made with peas, carrots, onions, celery and bay). Everything has been forced through a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:44 PM on August 7, 2007

Breaded Eggplant - There is a fair amount of prep in this but it can be frozen raw and then cooked without thawing - e.g. fry a slice in a pan to make a sandwich with some cheese and a table spoon of bottled marinara (or whatever) sauce.

The prep can involve (if you follow all the steps in a some recipes): slicing, salting, waiting while water weeps out, breading, and setting on a rack to dry and firm up.

When I want me some breaded eggplant I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:27 PM on August 7, 2007

It could be a pinched nerve in your spine.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:48 PM on August 5, 2007

A neat early summer drink is mulberry lemonade. By themselves mulberries can be rather insipid but when added to lemonade they add a depth and richness - you may be reminded of red wine.

Go to a black mulberry tree and pick a lot of fruit. Put it into a strainer suspended over a bowl and mash the juice out of them with a big spoon.

Combine mulberry juice with lemonade in whatever proportion to taste.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:07 PM on August 4, 2007

One important caveat about good lemonade is "age" - fresh lemonade tastes different than old. In SoCal I made lots of lemonade with fresh lemons and simple syrup. (though I didn't know to put the zest into the syrup).

Lemons (particularly from a friend's tree) vary in tartness and sweetness so it was important to gradually add simple syrup to a lemon-juice/water mix and taste it until the right sweet-sour mix was achieved.

I got... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 2:23 AM on August 4, 2007

velcro (aka 'hook and loop') dots - you can stick or glue all sorts of small things to the dots and then use the hooks to non-destructively attach them to the fuzzy ball.

Velcro dots can be found in craft stores, large drug stores, stationary stores, etc.

Use some dots to fix it to his desk.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 6:47 PM on August 3, 2007

I'm sure there was a status hierarchy of furs that everybody understood much probably similar to the situation in the Soviet Union when you wanted a fur hat (where mostly you couldn't buy one but they were awarded).

sable -----\
fetal lamb -\ > ermine > beaver > racoon > rabbit > cat

posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 10:52 PM on August 1, 2007

phoenixy: Dead metaphor?

Actually I think the term opaque metaphor might be slightly more standard. Particularly from a theoretical perspective where words or phrases take on a new meaning mediated by a metaphorical mapping to a prior meaning.

I think many more people understand somewhat "kick the bucket", "pig sticker", and "squeal like a stuck... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 5:55 PM on July 31, 2007

In addition, a dead metaphor like "eye of a needle" is considered dead because an understander does not have to consciously understand it by thinking about a human eye. Though if told that eye is is a metaphor and asked what it is based on, the questionee will probably mention a human or animal eye.

The definition of an opaque metaphor is that people use the word or phrase without understanding what it is based on.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:18 PM on July 31, 2007

Two posts above I should have given Google counts for various phrases. Most writers of these don't understand the underlying metaphors and thus for them it is opaque.kick the bucket - about 232,000 hits.squeal like a stuck pig - about 3,080 hitspig sticker - about 15,000... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 8:44 PM on July 31, 2007

The normal analysis of crossed arms is along the lines of

No, I don't agree with you

often found in the context of one person trying to tell another what to do.
posted to Ask Metafilter by MonkeySaltedNuts at 11:57 AM on July 31, 2007