What about Dave Brubeck's "Take Five"? Anything that's played by Lisa Simpson must qualify as a standard, no?
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 1:07 PM on July 21, 2007

Try the New Jersey Psychiatric Association?

If it makes you feel any less worse, it's very common for shrinks NOT to return calls even to tell you they're booked up or they don't take your insurance. To me this is inexcusable, but at least it's a quick way to find out that it's someone you don't want to waste time with.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 1:18 PM on July 13, 2007

1 raw egg
1/4 lb silken tofu
3-5 ice cubes, depending on season
big spoonful of smooth peanut butter
1 ripe (or even slightly overripe) banana
good-sized blop of SkimPlus (R) milk

Blend until lumpless. There should be enough there for two 16-oz glasses full (for me, that's enough for dinner).
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 1:14 PM on July 13, 2007

Wrong species, but as my long-haired cat got to be elderly (12+ yrs), she got more matted, and it occurred to me she wasn't grooming as much as she used to. Don't know if this would apply to a dog, though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 12:59 PM on July 9, 2007

Can't leave the night before b/c have a class until 9:30, don't like driving at night*, don't wanna spend $ on motel, etc. But thanks for suggesting the state park and the two hours of "insurance." Good ideas both.

*What's the only thing more boring than the Jersey Turnpike? The Jersey Turnpike in the dark.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 5:01 PM on July 8, 2007

cars.com is handy.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 10:41 AM on July 5, 2007

You can get annual fees waived, too, but you need to be polite and respectful for that.

+1. Believe it or not, sometimes flatly refusing to pay these fees actually works, at least in my experience. My argument is usually along the lines of "excellent on-time payment history, why should I pay for you to make a few more keystrokes, etc. etc." Stay calm and courteous but refuse to budge or be placated by anything less than what you want.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:54 AM on June 21, 2007

Scarsdale is prohibitively expensive for all but the very affluent. $100,000 a year won't buy you a chicken coop in Scarsdale. (Unless you have other assets, of course, in addition to your income.)

Speaking as one who lives in Westchester and used to live in Manhattan (and Brooklyn), I can tell you there's not much "hip" up here. That's why everyone goes to the city. White Plains does have an allegedly lively bar scene, though.

As I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 11:57 AM on June 19, 2007

A reputable tattooist will not tattoo an unconscious person. IMHO your first step should be to find another tattooist.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 10:05 AM on June 19, 2007

Re: carrying it on your back, that probably will dampen the vibes, but as we motorcycle commuters say, don't carry anything on your back that you wouldn't want impaling your back when (not if) you go down. Personally I'd go with the foam-lined pannier.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 12:54 PM on June 18, 2007

Law librarian? (Most likely requires MLS in addition to JD.) And be prepared to make a lot less $$.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:38 AM on June 18, 2007

In Taxi Driver, Iris is making money for her pimp, not exploring her own sexuality, and Travis has no interest in havnig sex with her -- he wants to rescue her from her sordid existence. And in Big the sex isn't portrayed, it's (blatantly) implied. Hanks and Perkins start out their evening each sleeping in a bunk bed, and then (IIRC) we cut to the next scene, in which Hanks bursts into a room with a big grin on his face and the subtext is obvious.

So ANYWAY, I'll chime... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 11:41 AM on May 31, 2007

Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, VT (scroll down on linked page), is a classic rail-car place, as is the Martindale Chief in Martindale, NY. More Americana ambience, IMHO, than the chrome-and-pastel Greek-style places. Food's great at Blue Benn, not so great at Martindale Chief.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:49 AM on May 30, 2007

Librarian here. Local-underperforming-public-school summer reading for:

6th Grade: Crash by Jerry Spinelli

7th Grade: Loser by Jerry Spinelli

8th Grade: The Man Who Was Poe by Avi
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 9:46 AM on May 24, 2007

The fiction-masquerading-as-real-diary conceit sounds like the cautionary (read: alarmist) tales of Beatrice Sparks, of Go Ask Alice fame, but I strongly doubt she'd write anything that had anything to do with Thoreau. Have you tried asking at LibraryThing?
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 1:44 PM on May 23, 2007

I went to grad school full-time (9 credits, classes 3x a week, four semesters) for library science while working full time (40 hrs/week), first in publishing and then in a library. One thing that ade it doable was that library school wasn't very demanding. I could get away with not doing a lot of the readings, unless I felt they were important to me personally for what I wanted to learn. The real saving grace was that I have an unfortunate tendency to get jobs where my main task is just showing... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 8:19 AM on May 23, 2007

I've got similar problems coming up with references. I've used my common-law uncle and my psychiatrist, if you can believe that. So IMO fudging is acceptable. I would say get your online friends' real-world contact info and use that. Arrange for white lies, if necessary, to explain how you know each other, if you don't want the interviewer to know they're online friends.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 1:00 PM on May 22, 2007

Also, your right-wing neighbors will kill you if you fly the regular flag ass-end-to.

What about the plain old "black flag of anarchy"? More than likely all this will provoke is discussion. (Or they'll kill you.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 12:15 PM on May 17, 2007

give foolproof directions to the house

... by painting a whole side of it, or the whole damn thing, in a nifty and amazing way. Patterns or stripes or fake "Visit Rock City" billboard. Or a flag, if that floats your boat.

me's envious of people who have barns
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:33 AM on May 17, 2007

Not a linden -- we have a 60' tall one in our yard, and it looks pretty similar but doesn't have a distinctive scent.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:27 AM on May 17, 2007

"Our House" by Madness
"We're Desperate" and "In This House That I Call Home" by X
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 7:46 AM on May 16, 2007

vytae reminded me of T. Rex's Spaceball Ricochet: "Deep in my heart, there's a house that can hold just about all of you..."
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 9:40 AM on May 16, 2007

My first thought was a metal shop or small ironwork place. (We have a lot of these in NYC due to fire escapes.) I don't know where you are but I googled up this place: All Metals Incorporated.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 8:21 AM on May 11, 2007

Seconding misswiss. My best boss ever, thus far (twenty years and counting), was my first boss. I was a 20-year-old college dropout, and yet my opinions were frequently solicited and taken into consideration; my work performance was monitored but not in a micromanager kind of way. He understood that I understood priorities, and (in keeping with the preceding bit) he took seriously anything I had to say if, for instance, I felt priorities needed reorganizing for whatever reason. He expected a lot,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 8:16 AM on May 11, 2007

Bragg's Liquid Aminos will give you a shot of protein and it tastes basically like soy sauce (salty). Love the stuff, but people will look at you like you belong on a commune.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 3:33 PM on May 7, 2007 marked best answer

Some grouchy and long-winded thoughts from an August `07 MSLIS and current "Librarian Trainee":

You either can or cannot go from public lib. work to academic lib. work, and vice versa.

You either do or do not need a subject master's in addition to the MLS in order to get an academic library job.

You will be strongly encouraged to be flexible in your job search: that is, accept that you may have to move from,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 12:20 PM on May 7, 2007

I believe you, Griffey, but if I had a nickel for every impeccable resume I sent out that returned exactly zilch for my efforts...well... I'd had a helluva lot of nickels.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 3:16 PM on May 7, 2007

Our house is of similar vintage and materials: 1932, plaster, hardwood, even original wiring! It only needed a new roof when we bought it though. We're insured with Metlife in Westchester County, NY and haven't felt our premiums are outrageous. Then again, this is the first time we've owned, so maybe we don't know anything.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 12:04 PM on May 4, 2007

Take a gander at the Used Motorcycle Evaluation Guide, it's the Encyclopedia Britannica of used bike guides.

Then visit NADA Guides' motorcycle page, Kelley Blue Books, and Motorcycle Consumer News, which has used prices as well.

I wouldn't pay extra for "customization," for the simple reason that what mattered to the previous owner doesn't necessarily matter to anyone else. In the real world, customization doesn't "add value.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 1:54 PM on May 3, 2007

Forgot to mention that I generally look at the prices in KBB, NADA, and MCNews and then average it out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 3:28 PM on May 3, 2007

Seconding paulsc, and adding that a bad stitch or a tiny knot can really kill you, especially if they're using that fishing-line-esque nylon (?) thread. Don't know what on earth you could do about it, though, sorry.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:47 AM on May 3, 2007

It's probably Homeboy, by Seth Morgan, and it's a wonderful, wonderful book. The dealer is Joe Speaker and the stripper is Bermuda Schwartze. Sadly out of print (I think) but easily findable, I would imagine.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 10:50 AM on May 2, 2007 marked best answer

You're welcome. It's the definitive work in the heroin-dealer-and-boob-job genre. Glad to get a chance to sing its praises.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 11:15 AM on May 2, 2007

You want field guides: Birds and Trees.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 12:12 PM on May 1, 2007

(warning: logorrhea ahead)

Hey, I ride a late-model Sportster and I feel your pain, Tommy, re: the stereotype, but here's how I combat it: 1) No chrome, skulls, fringe, H-D branded apparel, and so on. 2) No loud exhaust! Bone stock, baby. 3) I have no qualms about wearing safety gear, like a full-face helmet & armored gear, and even including a reflective vest at night. Geek City! 4) Most importantly, I ride the hell out of the sucker. 26,000 miles in 2 years ain't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 4:47 PM on April 23, 2007 marked best answer

Do the service records and performance specs of these machines merit the price? Or, am I being a sucker because I've fallen in love with her for her looks alone, and am overlooking her shortcomings?

Forgot to addresss this: My bike has been entirely trouble-free since the day I rode it home. And did you know that HD labor rates are cheaper than Ducati's? At least here in NYC they are. Performance wise, it depends on what you get. A Fat Boy, for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 4:53 PM on April 23, 2007

Take a look at city-data.com and neighboroo.com
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 10:34 AM on April 18, 2007

Is it a Saturn? My Saturn has a button like that and I don't think it does a damn thing.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 8:07 AM on April 11, 2007

I asked a similar question some time ago.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 7:15 AM on April 11, 2007

Sounds like Patricia Highsmith's kind of nastiness, though she wasn't German.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:40 AM on April 10, 2007

Use of the subjunctive "were" in "If I were not me" is correct, because you're suggesting a situation that doesn't exist. As for the myself/me question, I think DU is pretty much right. It's one of those pretentious things people say in an inept attempt to make you think they're all ejimicated and shit.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:39 PM on April 5, 2007

Put 'em out on the street. They'll be gone in an hour.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:28 AM on April 4, 2007

No boil! No boil! Just braise them Italian style like spinach. Here's what I do:

Tear the leaves off the stems and put the stems in the compost heap. Rinse the leaves in a colander or salad spinner (not necessary to dry them; leave them dripping).

Slice a clove of garlic thinly. In a heavy pot, heat about 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Add garlic, saute briefly but don't brown it.

Then take about 1/2 cup of water with a dash... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 12:58 PM on April 3, 2007

Hmmm. We got our wedding rings at Clay Pot, spent around $150 each 15 years ago (hardly high end) and never felt slighted by sales staff. And I love my ring.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:40 AM on April 3, 2007

The most affordable Westchester towns are those with a large proportion of people of color, which seems to go hand in hand with having more light industrial areas. These include Yonkers (where I live), New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Port Chester, Elmsford, and White Plains.

In all these cities there are nice neighborhoods and not-so-nice ones. Basically, if you're looking for a house, anything that costs less than about $400,000 is likely to be in a crummy area or have some... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 6:36 AM on April 3, 2007 marked best answer

Zone of Proximal Development

Or scaffolding.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 1:42 PM on March 30, 2007

No, no, no, and no. But the links are good.

He might have written on the necessity of the people's access to a free press to ensure a free society. Or something like that.

I think this is my first-ever senior moment.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 7:58 AM on March 28, 2007

GRAMSCI!!!

Not an anarchist but a Marxist. Oops. And "cultural hegemony" was the notion I was fumbling for.

Thanks all for your help. Google Scholar saved my ass.

Oh, and if anyone cares, here's the photo. There are plenty of photos of him but this is supposedly the only one where he's smiling. He's a dead ringer for Martin Scorsese.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 8:18 AM on March 28, 2007

Languagehat and Hydatius, you're both right, of course. I really embarrassed myself on this one. Definitely my first senior moment.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 1:52 PM on March 28, 2007

You don't mention exercising, but strenuous exercise has been known to keep everything, um, moving along. Google "runner's trots" if you want to know more.
posted to Ask Metafilter by scratch at 3:24 PM on March 26, 2007