Fratty, surfer, anti-intellectual, cheesy.

True for The Strand but 4 - 5 blocks off it's pretty much a fairly quiet community of white professional families.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:40 PM on June 24, 2008

Hmmm...okay. I have a large south-facing balcony garden for vegetables, flowers, and herbs. First, climate wise, you have to consider that Southern California is very dry in the summer, so you will probably be very water conscious. When your garden is young, water once a day in the evening around sunset. You will want to use lined planter boxes. A lot of people like coco fiber, but I prefer a double layer of landscaping cloth. It lasts longer, is thinner, and if you double it up it... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 12:42 PM on June 17, 2008

Electric baseboard can be cost comparable to other forms of heating (and probably cheaper than natural gas these days but I'm just making an educated guess). It would be better if you had a fan or two to distribute the heat - perhaps you could ask them to install a ceiling fan. You would probably be laughed at if you asked them to re-insulate and they would probably politely decline to replace a working thermostat for a more expensive one. Ask them to repair/replace the weather stripping... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 1:31 PM on June 2, 2008 marked best answer

A number of people have warned against asking about putting additional insulation in the attic. But how expensive would this really be, I wonder? Especially if it just involved blowing or tossing some loose insulation into an attic that is usually closed-off?

I'll try to break it down from a landlord's point of view:

1) Ceiling fans are an actual visible improvement to the apartment. The money spent on the fan directly... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 5:41 AM on June 3, 2008

If you see a sign warning that only high-clearance 4wd vehicles should be on the road, don't keep driving unless you are in that kind of vehicle and you have the gear to extricate the vehicle if it gets stuck and you have all the water and supplies you are supposed to have.

I can't stress this advice enough. The lats thing you want is to get your vehicle stuck off-road, 15 miles from the nearest anything in summer desert weather.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:42 PM on June 2, 2008

Writing phonetically is not remotely the same thing as reading orthographically correct text, which it sounds like she is learning to do, albeit not without some stress from somewhere. Her writing right now is her mimicking what she sees others doing and using her understanding of speech, which is why she seems to ignore all the "normal" rules of writing. It's not linked to her ability to read in the way you would think. If anything, I would recommend that you encourage her writing... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:57 PM on May 25, 2008 marked best answer

mrmojoflying: I'm not concerned about "correct" writing at all -- on the contrary, I think it's wonderful that she's writing anything, and we definitely encourage that.

Oohhh...I'm sorry that it came across that I was implying that. What I meant to say was that they rely on different cognitive operations and are available at different stages of development. Your child will probably begin to read next, and then afterwards begin to write... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 4:26 AM on May 26, 2008

I would steer clear of places like Banana Republic, where the cuts of the fabric favor the slim. I'm an evenly distributed 30 lbs overweight and I can't wear their clothes any more and look good. When you are seeking a new look, a good bet is to head to a Bloomingdales or Nordstrom. You probably won't buy anything there because of the expense, but you have a wide variety of stylish clothing to try on and a very attentive staff that you can ask simple questions of like, "What line would... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 1:30 PM on May 23, 2008

I'm rather grateful when a student lets me know that they are dropping my class (since I won't find out for weeks otherwise because of how the registrar works), but it's certainly the student's prerogative. It doesn't really matter why a student is dropping - not having enough time for the class and not working well with the mode that it is presented in (e.g. online) are both completely legitimate reasons for opting out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 3:48 PM on May 17, 2008

For what it's worth - in Pennsylvania, a vehicle will not pass inspection if the crack extends into the driver's side visibility area.

Here in Kentucky, I've seen vehicles driven with half of the windshield collapsed into the car.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:35 PM on May 8, 2008

Fat isn't necessary for moisture:

1:2 ratio lean ground beef (94%)
1:2 ratio lean ground turkey
1 egg for binding
1 medium onion sautéed with meat for moisture
processed saltine crumbs for bulk
Worcestershire sauce
salt, pepper
ketchup
whatever other little tricks that makes your meatloaf the best

gently mix and form

braise and then brown
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:59 PM on April 1, 2008

Another farm answer from Pennsylvania Deutsch country is that any productive fruit or nut bearing trees (apple, pear, walnut, and hickory mostly) would be left standing on the principle of practicality. These are usually the only trees you will find in the middle of a field - they provide food to add to the winter store (e.g. jams, jellies, salted nuts, etc.). Nut bearing trees take decades to mature and can't be easily replaced. These trees also draw game that can be hunted after crops have... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:36 PM on March 23, 2008 marked best answer

so addressing [the teaching philosophy] in the cover letter is a big plus

Agreed, and if you are interviewing for a CC position or another "teaching" faculty position, it could come a little sooner in the mix.

Cutting your letter to one page and using lots of action verbs, or whatever is done in the real world, may mean that you do not have the space for a clear and descriptive presentation of your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:22 PM on March 19, 2008

Non-chili pepper chili recipe that feeds 3...scale up as needed:

In mortar:

1 tsp. black peppercorn
1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. corriander seed
1 tsp. sea salt

grind and add:

2 tsp. paprika
pinch thyme

grind and set mixture aside

In 4 quart sauce pot:

brown 3/4 pound very... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 2:16 PM on March 17, 2008

A very inexpensive Spanish Rice recipe (if you make your own stock...otherwise just inexpensive):

Red rice (feeds 4)

2 tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 cups white rice (well rinsed)
about 3 cups chicken stock
1 16oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. crushed black peppercorns

brown rice... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 2:20 PM on March 17, 2008

Hrmmm...given the nature of how academic databases work, I can't "give" you citations, but I can direct you to them. Unfortunately, sometimes you can't just type in the magic combination of words that give you a ready made thesis, already explained arguments, and a prefabricated conclusion.

When I typed in "Ethiopia" in my university's Academic Search Premier database it returned 1684 results in a title search.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:43 PM on March 15, 2008 marked best answer

Motion activated goodness is a little extreme for indoor use, but if your problem is outdoor kitties...heh...
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:53 PM on March 6, 2008

Googling the ISBN number for the book returns only Australian (and one NZ) retailers. I would call your local Border's or Barnes and Noble's with the book's ISBN number and ask them to order it for you.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 5:29 AM on February 28, 2008

Also, in states I've lived, the longer you let your expired registration go, the greater the "penalty" for renewal, so the sooner the better.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:12 AM on February 25, 2008

And you can't forget decades of lingering cigarette odor.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:07 AM on February 25, 2008

If you are a normal, healthy adult you'll be fine. You might notice that it turns a day or two more quickly than normal so I would enjoy it soon.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:55 AM on February 25, 2008

I'm not a Dell owner, but I'll try help with some general instructions for altering the power savings mode.

If there is a battery icon on the lower right-hand corner, double click on it and you should be able to access the power options. You can personalize those settings by adjusting them to not dim the screen and so on. Tell your friend to be careful though if she often runs her laptop without AC power because altering those settings can cause the battery to drain... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:44 PM on February 20, 2008

Academic library collections are your best bet. I would try the big names first since they usually have extensive special collections. Go to their library sites and look for special collections resources that have been digitized. This is almost as good as making an appointment to go to the library yourself and have a look.

Here is one example from Princeton's extensive collection.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:29 PM on February 19, 2008

I feel your pain...literally. I've fractured my left wrist (my writing hand) three times and I often-times must write continually for 2-3 hours at a stretch. Here are the things I've found that help maintain speed over longer periods of time.

1) Stretching my fingers and wrist before beginning and every 30 minutes or so. Limber wrists and fingers can maintain speed for longer periods of time.

2) Practicing holding my Pentel rubber gripped... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 8:08 AM on February 18, 2008

When I worked for a major film studio, we had to get passports for people in a matter of days, but even when money was no object, it sometimes took 3-4 days depending on circumstances....and a passport that fast would cost more than your tickets.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 4:35 AM on February 16, 2008

Does the window have original glass in it? That old Victorian-era stuff is worthless as far as heat loss goes. You can do better with more modern single pane.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 4:27 AM on February 16, 2008

Fortunately, my wife has access to an R1 university library though me and is already making use of the resources and taking the advice listed here. She has decided to save $5 for now and has asked me to thank you all for your generous responses and offers.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 3:09 PM on February 7, 2008

Update: Taking the good advice of this list about spending time in an academic library, my wife has just accepted a temporary grant funded position in my university library's archives. Thanks again.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 10:38 AM on February 15, 2008

I second the cabin rental in PA even though it's not South. Cook Forest State Park is a great place with stands of beautiful old growth trees. I think if you go to the Gateway Lodge site that they have activities every weekend...nothing special, but you said you might be looking for offbeat. Also, on your way, you can stop in Punsxutawney, PA, home of the prognosticating groundhog (about 45 minutes south), Oil City (35 minutes to the west) the place of the first oil derrick in the United... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 11:33 AM on February 12, 2008

What would really be helpful is to know (a) what data you are collecting, (b) what outcomes you are charged with demonstrating with said data, (c) what institutional resources you have for completing the assessment (budget, person hours, faculty expertise/willingness), and (d) as close as you can come to a sense of what is expected...i.e. what it is supposed to "look" like. Any sense of assessment process or delivery is going to depend directly on these factors.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 11:09 AM on February 12, 2008

The question of authenticism and culture always implies an omnipotent point-of-view that is able to judge such things in an objective way. But there is always the question of "authentic to who?" and "authentic when?" and "authentic under what conditions?" Authentic to Hispanics? Which ones? Authentic to Mexicans or those of Mexican-descent? From what region? From Chiapas? When? Authentic recipe for what social class? Perhaps one group says authentic... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 8:47 AM on February 12, 2008

But for me it's lime and a whole lot of it and maybe a bit of chili (not jalapeno) for spice. It's a recipe I got from my 5th generation Texan neighbor while living in Los Angeles, and according to her, it is the "authentic" recipe.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 8:49 AM on February 12, 2008

When I worked as a screenprinter, we would use mineral spirits to remove "tape snot" and other adhesive residue from unfinished wood.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 4:55 AM on February 10, 2008

I think one of the basic presumptions that is supposed to separate a workshop from a lecture or a presentation is that a workshop involves some sort of praxis on the part of the attendees. The framework for the workshop was to deliver practical resources for those who attended and provide them with an appropriate contextual frame for use in their own practice. As far as complexity of the materials goes, it is definitely for an audience of working professionals rather than experts on the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 12:28 PM on February 9, 2008

Besides well-thought out considerations of scarcity, utility, and scale? I think a lot of well-balanced game economies come from how well they engage the player base. Assuming that some sort of player time input (i.e. labor) is needed to make the economy function, the more time you can get players to spend exploring the economy (ie. testing it), the more structurally robust it will become. I would be surprised if there wasn't someone at DiGRA presenting papers on this. It might be worth your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 12:08 PM on February 9, 2008

IANAD, but I have fractured a wrist five different times and injured wrists, arms, and shoulders in several other ways, which means I'm full of good-old folksy farm advice for "am I injured enough to seek treatment." In each case where I've broken a bone, whether the fracture was minor or severe, I knew that I had broken a bone. In cases where I suffered a different injury (sprain, tendon, or ligament damage), I knew that I did not break a bone. If I were you, based on your seeming... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:07 AM on February 9, 2008

Rethinking the design of presentation slides is a bonanza of various PowerPoint design resources, both technical and accessible.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:57 PM on February 8, 2008

Unfortunately, I've been in this situation several times. I think, like several other posters are alluding to, that you need to examine this situation and how you feel about it a little more carefully. Do you simply have an ideological issue with how these relatives are raising their children? Are they simply bad parents, or are they subjecting their children to the kind of abuse or neglect that a CPS investigation would determine warrants action? Are the parents drug or alcohol dependent... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:50 PM on February 8, 2008

If one of my instructors had this problem and was out until Monday, I would immediately consult with my supervisor. Obviously, this teacher is presently a safety liability to herself, a legal liability to your institution, and cannot do anything positive for her students. Call your boss....at home...tomorrow morning and discuss the situation.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:25 PM on February 8, 2008

I would imagine that starting a "college" is a lot like starting a town, in that one person just doesn't go out and do it. Of course new, particularly for profit and religious, institutions are popping up all the time, for example Delphi University. Of course, accreditation and legitimacy are an altogether different matter. Not only do you have to think about "what is the gap," but you have to think about who best fills it. If you have a certain degree of notoriety and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 5:55 PM on December 2, 2007

No personal stories about the epiphany that got you interested in history or whatever. It'll just come across as maudlin.

...however, don't mistake this advice for not being personable and compelling. While it's not interesting to reading an epiphanic coming-to-the-discipline personal statement, a well-turned sense of why you are applying to Program X, when you haven't really done much work in X, can be helpful. This is your place to put yourself... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 1:48 PM on December 1, 2007

What about "myriad"? Or, if you are looking for something more vernacular, I think that a "metric fuckton" is considerably more than a "shitload."
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 5:44 PM on November 30, 2007

It's very clean and shiny...except for the spots.

Those spots are probably deep oxidation (the kind that eventually lead to pitting). If you are interested in functionality, then I recommend the advice above about rouge + buffing wheel. Make sure you don't nick the bone though...rouge + bone = bad.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 9:46 AM on November 20, 2007

I am the assistant director of a very large university writing program (approx. 100 grad students & 30 non-TT instructors). I deal with these issues every day as a writing teacher and as an administrator. I will add a bit more advice (some of which contradicts what you've read above) -- take it for what it's worth.

1) Do not expect an easy solution that can be found in a book. No book, not even the most complete grammar or rhetoric, is going to be a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:37 AM on November 9, 2007 marked best answer

I've used Uhaul plenty of times and never had more than minor problems, but can't recommend using a Uhaul for more than a few hundred mile drive. If you are crossing the continent though, I would definitely pay to rent space in an "over-the-road" (OTR) moving company truck (sounds like 4 linear ft. will do it for you) and have them drop off and deliver while you fly to your new home. Even if it costs you a little more, which it probably will, you will thank yourself in terms of a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:55 PM on November 1, 2007

Wow...LobsterMitten couldn't be any closer to the truth. In fact, I'm printing that for our M.A.s who have applications out. I would add that rejection is an integral part of grad school and the professionalizing activities you do there. Successful grad students aren't necessarily those ones who get every opportunity and outperform in all of them...really, there are very, very few of those. Successful grad students are the ones that tenaciously pursue next-best opportunities after being... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:37 AM on October 23, 2007

If it is an increasingly lazy flush and you've already snaked my bet is either (a) vent, or (b) foreign object in pipe like a toothbrush that slowly picks up debris as it washes by. I'd say (a) if you have pigeons, or (b) if you have kids or frequent house guests. Both cases require a plumber unless you feel (a) comfortable on a ladder and (b) taking a toilet off its seal.

Good luck.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 7:24 AM on October 23, 2007

When I get that smell with thick/gluey snot, it's not a sinus infection, it's seasonal allergies. When I get that rotting dish towel smell with discolored mucus, that is a sinus infection. YMWV.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 6:33 PM on October 16, 2007

I would also like to point out that the interdisciplinary study of narrative, or the rhetorical applications of theories of narrative expands far beyond narratology or literary theory. You can pick up those sorts of specializations in media/cultural theory programs, rhetoric programs, and humanities programs. I would be interested to hear whether narratology still carries much weight as a theoretical enterprise outside of literary criticism.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 12:06 PM on October 16, 2007

Neighborhood hardware stores and/or hobby stores sometimes have spools of it. If they don't, they could probably order it. I've seen it at both, but don't know what it's called.
posted to Ask Metafilter by mrmojoflying at 2:31 PM on October 15, 2007