I might mention the Cluetrain Manifesto.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 12:22 PM on January 14, 2008

1. You don't have to season it, but IMO: the unglazed interiors are much better than the glazed. They absorb a lot of condensation, which keeps the tagine from crossing the line between moist and juicy stew to giant soupy mess.

2. I don't use a heat diffuser, and the owner of Kalustyan's assured me that I didn't need to, because when I got my tagine I was terrified of cracking it. (BTW, make sure you get some Ras El-Hanout spice mix; if you don't have it locally, you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 10:52 AM on January 10, 2008

1. The post was bad; it needed some fleshing out and background links and compelling content.

2. Still: There are approx. 946 posts on the front page of metafilter right now; why did people choose that one to shit in? Isn't there one about fat people around?

3. I tend to agree with dead_. We don't do rap well, but yeah, we don't do "white trash" well either. The Great White nightclub fire was a real fuckin' beaut.... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 10:19 AM on December 5, 2007

Posts about Mos Def or anticon or Cannibal Ox or the like get very little of that snark.

OK, so we do white-kids rap well. Though I guess it could be argued that gangsta rap = white-kids rap.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 12:38 PM on December 5, 2007

Wait, so if white people aren't allowed to debate the merits of "black" music, what the hell are all of us doing in this thread?

And I'm still waiting for someone to tell me whether it was Wayne Kramer or Rob Tyner who hated women? Or was it both? Surely one of you must have memorized Please Kill Me.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 2:44 PM on December 5, 2007

Except the guy taking us to task for not appreciating rap properly

Actually, Artw, my comment was directed at you.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 3:07 PM on December 5, 2007

Funny, I was thinking that as well and contemplating whether or not to post it. Fits part of the bill--could it have been another version of the same song? Sounds like something Hathaway would've written. (Or Syl Johnson maybe?)
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 11:04 AM on December 2, 2007

OK, this isn't so helpful (though not as outside of the realm of possibility as Johnny Cash), but since you mentioned him: What about Brook Benton's "A Black Child Can't Smile"? I don't have a recording of it--it's a real rarity of his--but it fits the bill.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 7:06 PM on December 4, 2007

For the record, it's Ms. Winfrey. She's not married.
posted to MetaFilter by veronica sawyer at 11:52 AM on December 1, 2007

And on the topic of ironies, how about the fact that Michael Jackson's on the cover of Ebony?
posted to MetaFilter by veronica sawyer at 11:55 AM on December 1, 2007

(Wow, great links, brautigan.)

If you would like to check out some additional historical background, I recommend poking around the Library of Congress' giant repository of recordings. For example, here's a whole bunch of music from the folk festival at Fort Valley State College in GA, recorded in 1938-43. There are also various southern field recordings that might be of interest. For non-audio stuff, you can search here for "gospel.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 12:35 PM on November 25, 2007

I'll be damned, bassjump, those Dollhouse boots are really close. I swear they must be new to Zappos because I just checked last week and didn't see them. Good find. I wish the buckles were silver instead of gold. (I know, I'm an ingrate.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 11:57 AM on November 20, 2007

My calves measure about 36.5 cm, which isn't really all that wide--but somehow the shape of my legs makes it hard to fit into boots. (One time I forced a boot zipper all the way up and had to get pried out by the salesperson. Never again.) Even though the 10-strap boots are 35 cm max, I'd be willing to take the risk of ordering them and having to send them back--just not a $50 overseas risk.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 3:32 PM on November 20, 2007

Oh, and thank you for your answers!
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 5:38 PM on November 20, 2007

If I could get paid to research random shit like this all day long, I would be happy as a dog with two dicks.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 2:53 PM on November 13, 2007

Who wants to get a collection going so we can pay veronica sawyer to research just how happy a dog with two dicks is?

I've actually been conducting research on this very topic. Here are the results.

God bless the MacArthur Fellowship.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 8:33 AM on November 14, 2007

Ok, here are two thoughts. I suspect that whatever this word is, it's something that's phonetically spelled, and spelled in different ways all over the place. So I looked up permutations of "harrogatha."

There's this slokam/shloka to Ganesha that mentions "arogatham," which I also found in various places spelled "arogatha." (Scroll down to the bottom.)
He who recites this every morning with devotion, these five gems... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 11:43 AM on November 6, 2007

Or maybe he was referencing Theragatha, which is a book of poems by Buddhist monks who "recount their struggles and accomplishments along the road to arahantship"?

But yeah, as LN said, I'm giving this guy an awful lot of credit.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 11:54 AM on November 6, 2007

This is going to be a 17-pronged attack, because I got his email address from his psychic (long story...don't ask) and Javier gave her permission to email him directly about it. I wrote him this morning, so if I hear back, I'll post it here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 11:21 AM on November 8, 2007

Brief update for any of you who still care: I heard back from Ashley, but he asked me to phone him and that he'd explain it (!)--I'll try to get around to it this afternoon.

It all seems very odd that I have the phone number of a man who doesn't even solicit clients.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 6:51 AM on November 13, 2007 marked best answer

Dude, I'm *so* not calling him if he's "had many questions on this." I'm worried he'll be irritated. And he'll flip out on me and then make up a unique word just for me. And it will mean "trifling woman with $30 haircut."

I'm going with Flying Saucer's take.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 9:11 AM on November 13, 2007

OK, FINE. I called him.

First of all, I gotta say: He not only has a wonderful voice, but a really warm and charming personality. Very genuine.

Anyhow, here's the backstory, and it confirms what Phyllis had to say, but it elaborates on it. Here we go (this is an approximate transcript):

When Ashley moved to NYC 15 years ago, he befriended Paul Rutherford of Frankie Goes to Hollywood fame.

So... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 9:24 AM on November 13, 2007 marked best answer

Oh, and he said it's a term he would use only to describe a thing or place, and not another person.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 9:25 AM on November 13, 2007

My 20th is coming up in five years and I've already determined I'm not going. I went to my 10th and found it ~ok~. Unlike you, I did have a couple friends--one of whom went with me--but HS was generally a nightmare. The reason I had an ok time was because people sometimes do become nicer as adults, and of course it was fun to see the former beautiful people whose looks had taken a nosedive. It's petty, but satisfying.

A weird thing happened, though: At least four people... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 7:41 AM on November 9, 2007

My roommates and I are in a band. The band is called Hitler's Petrified Dick.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 10:11 AM on November 2, 2007

Shortly after 9/11, there was a spate of Get Your War On posts. Like eight or so over the course of a week, maybe? In that case though people eventually started posting GYWO just to be annoying. So I don't know if it counts.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 9:27 AM on October 30, 2007

7" Punk, Something I Learned Today [RIP], Killed By Death Records are all good resources (some leaning more toward punk).
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 9:23 AM on October 24, 2007

(Whoopsie, I missed that 7" Punk was already mentioned.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 9:23 AM on October 24, 2007

Oh, and try searching Hype Machine, which is an aggregator of music blogs, for specific bands/songs.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 9:39 AM on October 24, 2007

Hey four panels, perhaps that thread would be the appropriate place for you to finally get answers to all those questions you had about the sex lives of retarded people.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 11:29 AM on October 12, 2007

Somewhat related data point, which speaks to the popularity of fruity sodas/quarter waters: In the early 90s, a widely circulated urban legend claimed that Tropical Fantasy sodas (a popular "urban" brand) contained sterilizing agents.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 5:55 PM on September 30, 2007

Plutor, why did you comment without reading the article first? She's a notable and acclaimed writer, Christ. I mean, I realize that's not as impressive as being the cohost of a show on the Discovery Channel, but still.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 9:11 AM on September 21, 2007

How about Amiri Baraka's Somebody Blew Up America? It's controversial, yeah, and of debatable merit according to some, but to me it's an excellent example of a) a reaction to 9/11 and b) the concept of the "modern mythology."
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 12:50 PM on September 18, 2007

Have you talked to your super about it? The fact that the garbage cans say "metal only" makes me think it's a throwback from 2002 when they suspended plastic recycling.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 9:16 AM on September 14, 2007

I like Unkut.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 4:36 PM on September 12, 2007

Holy cow, Jenny Diski!
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 2:25 PM on September 12, 2007

La Di Da Di or Mona Lisa by Slick Rick are both good, fun songs. Also, most of Digital Underground's Sex Packets. Bizzie Boys. The first Pharcyde record, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde, which includes Ya Mama and Oh Shit. Del Tha Funky Homosapien's Mistadobolina.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 3:26 PM on September 8, 2007

Do you think Loren Feldman read this?
posted to MetaFilter by veronica sawyer at 12:17 PM on September 5, 2007

There's something weird and glib about the way that post is written. The tone seems more suited to something like "List of Celebs Who've Worn Embarrassing Outfits to the Oscars."

And also, Greg Louganis? Luckily, he recovered, and made it to the Games as a diver.

....aaaaand then he got AIDS! Lucky him.
posted to MetaFilter by veronica sawyer at 11:44 AM on September 5, 2007

LOLHOOKERS

Ronaldo is a total dil. You have to be when the media single you out as an asshole on an entire club of assholes. He was charged once with sexual assault (later dropped) and I picture him being dicey in the bedroom; look how bad he fucked Wayne Rooney.
posted to MetaFilter by veronica sawyer at 12:41 PM on September 4, 2007

The purpose of the project seems to be all over the place: Platforms is designed to question moral attitudes and value judgments, especially with this marginalized section of the population...What are the ethics of surveillance and tracking?...Is it ever possible to guarantee that knowledge will stay within the hands of those who it is intended for?

How about some statistical background here: Chances are, if you're a "street ho," as you put... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by veronica sawyer at 10:30 AM on August 19, 2007

Yes, it is an art project. And it's meant to raise awareness of the sex work industry. And I offered some background of the industry. And until you've known someone who's been murdered by a john, it'd be cool to hold off on labeling others wannabes. Didn't mean to detract from your highly conceptual post.
posted to MetaFilter by veronica sawyer at 11:05 AM on August 19, 2007

I think the most shocking thing about these ads is none of them are from America.

Yeah, it almost seems like the US ones have gotten milder over the years, too. I was poking around for equivalent American campaigns and I realized how toothless the contemporary red t-shirts will stop AIDS and the shoes and handbags will stop AIDS campaigns are in comparison to the David Kirby Benetton ad, which is 15 years old.

It... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by veronica sawyer at 9:36 AM on August 17, 2007

Blurb and Lulu are two good options (Blurb caters to blogs specifically).
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 8:40 AM on August 15, 2007 marked best answer

I'll bet that the restorer has a UV light--it's a common restoration tool. Shining it on the painting ought to give a good idea of what was there originally.

Varnish is pretty easily removed.

If this painting is at all monetarily valuable, though, I think it might be a good idea to take it to another restorer.
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 7:11 AM on August 13, 2007

(By which I mean, this one might not be the most apt and could harm its value.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 7:12 AM on August 13, 2007

(I'm sure you've already seen Borat. Sweet Jesus.)

Seconding Christopher Guest.

I consider this a partial comedy, some may beg to differ: The Celebration, a Dogme film that is possibly one of the darkest, most sadistic movies I've ever seen. Not for the squeamish. I really love it.

Or do you want straight-up, light-hearted comedy?

(On preview: Yeah, anything by Neil La Bute or... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 11:19 AM on August 4, 2007

The premade (Thai) curry pastes generally have all of the following ingredients in them, but I find adding extra can really enhance the flavor (plus, it's a fun little treasure hunt to track some of them down, depending on where you live):

kaffir lime leaves
galangal (fresh or dried)
fresh lemongrass

In terms of substitutions, as someone pointed out above you can use lime juice instead of the leaves (I use both); galangal... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 9:33 AM on August 4, 2007

The BV + yeast combo is not unusual, and BV can bring on yeast...and the antibiotics to cure the BV are generally pretty hardcore. I empathize. Definitely ask your doctor about the diflucan.

The BV could be sexually transmitted, and is more serious than the yeast (though generally less torturous). Ask your doctor whether s/he thinks your partner could be giving it back to you, and what you should do about it. Maybe he can be treated with antibiotics as well.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by veronica sawyer at 1:28 PM on July 17, 2007

This isn't about whether or not neocons hate Arafat or gays or whatever, it's about what the impact could be in the West Bank. And unfortunately for most people, AIDS means gay, so good for all of us that we recognize it doesn't. I bet the Palestinians aren't quite so enlightened.

Imagine if!

Whatever it is you're getting at, it still doesn't offer any rationale for the content of that lame attempt at a shit-stirring post.
posted to MetaTalk by veronica sawyer at 1:12 PM on July 13, 2007