Here you go. Get two of the half-spheres and go to town.

http://www.mirrors-r-us.com/surveillance.htm
Use some lightweight Sintra, 3/4" thick for the base-of-the-antennae details, and some inexpensive fishing rods for the actual antennae. Get some aluminum plumbing tape to silver whatever details you have and you're done.
I might add blinking LEDs to the end of the fishing rods. Not accurate, but it gives that "satellite" feel.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 9:14 PM on October 13, 2009

Thirding Isopropyl. It is the kryptonite of the Sharpies. Back of the neck you should be fine. Should disappear the moment the alcohol touches the sharpie. Nice post suedehead.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 12:48 AM on August 31, 2009

For the record, the HHO generator thing is complete hogwash. Yes you CAN make hydrogen with an electrical current and water, but not REMOTELY enough to improve your fuel efficiency by any reasonable metric.

Can't be done.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:10 AM on August 17, 2009

By the way, that's the EXACT make, model and year of my first car. I love that thing and you got a screaming deal.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:12 AM on August 17, 2009

You can drive it, as long as it's registered. You're just not allowed to turn on the lights or sirens. The rental place we rent them from here in San Francisco rents them with a cover for the lightbar. Obey the speed limit and you'll be fine.

The laws in your state may vary, but in CA, covering up the lightbar is sufficient. Any place you rent them from ought to be able to tell you how to move it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:20 PM on August 16, 2009 marked best answer

Tough one. You have to imagine that things like the Alison question are waaaay overdone for him. Detailed inquiries into specific lyrics also may also, on their own, be a bit much. Hard to say.

I'm a person who does tend to get asked similar questions by fans over and over, (for the record, this is Adam Savage from Mythbusters here) and I must say that i don't think that you should (or even could) come up with a "perfect question."... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 11:24 PM on June 21, 2009

To be clear, it's not any of the other varieties of Sierra. I also bought a six pack the other day and it tasted fine.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 10:21 PM on June 9, 2009

You know what they say: Pressure and Elevation.

I can't imagine the difference in terms of ml/second between being stable and falling as very large at all, if any.

Okay: There ARE cuts that you can bleed to death from in a very short order. Let's take one of those:
Let's look at a cut's dangerousness as a factor of how much blood you lose over time: (x)ml/second. The human body holds an average of 5.6 liters of blood. 40% blood... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 10:23 PM on June 7, 2009 marked best answer

What's the term of art for using up your weekly askmefi quota while inebriated?
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 10:47 PM on June 7, 2009

I own several plastic skeletons. Some high quality, some very low. Honestly, the difference isn't that great. A while back there were some factory second skeletons on ebay for $80, and I bought two. (that's must me). Let me go see what's there right now:

Here's one for $99 http://cgi.ebay.com/BUCKY-4th-Class-HUMAN-SKELETON-Halloween-Prop_W0QQitemZ330168373758QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4cdf9191fe&_trksid=p3286.c0.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 10:46 PM on June 7, 2009 marked best answer

I've done it with a 1g, a 2g and a 3gen ipod. I compared the instructions that came with the batteries to other instructions I found on the web. Had perfect results for all 3.

It wasn't as hard as I thought I would be. YRMV.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 12:29 AM on April 11, 2009

I love Araldite, but neither that or epoxy would be my choice. They're hard. Even Araldite can let go of surfaces where it doesn't have a proper bite.
I'd go with a high temperature silicone. Available at auto parts stores, it should be able to handle the excessive thermal expansion differential between the feet and the laptop.


http://tinyurl.com/cwr3kc
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 7:33 PM on March 15, 2009 marked best answer

Couples therapy can't happen soon enough. I'm a proponent of it even when things are going well. Really, get thee there as soon as possible. And good luck!
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 12:46 AM on January 5, 2009

Seconding idiopath's solution. I've found different resistor values work for different toys, but I've done it. Tape works great too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 7:39 PM on January 2, 2009 marked best answer

Thirding mathowie and JFitzpatrick. The disagreement is the kind of thing that can (I guess) happen between 2 people with different viewpoints, but HOLY SHIT telling you to see a shrink is class-a assholishness. (or is it assholism?)

This comes from someone who's taken the financial hit forever to avoid any roommate situations except for girlfriends, but his approach to the argument is dirty pool.

"I hold viewpoint A, and I disagree with... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 12:09 AM on December 26, 2008

DATE AROUND! Please. Get hurt. Put yourself on the line. Try everything. Life is messy, and no amount of planning will keep your hands from getting dirty. Might as well get your junk dirty too...

Really. If you like the plotting and planning, I'll give you an apt analogy: a potential carpenter doesn't wait for the perfect tool and the piece of wood to make their first piece of furniture. They start moving wood, cutting it, shaping it, learning about it.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 1:29 PM on October 21, 2008

The guys at Tippett did a bunch of the digital effects, but none of the practical ones. They no longer have a shop for anything but maquettes and prototypes, IIRC. I do know some people there, and that might be an avenue for the art dept.

Cat Pie, that's an awesome idea, but I have other photos that tell me that it's not a glass jar filled with stuff. In this picture you can clearly see many more of these items scattered about in the lid compartments. Those details... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 11:23 PM on October 13, 2008

Holy crap! That's an amazing site. See you all in a week!
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 11:47 PM on October 13, 2008

Oh my god I love the hive mind.
Quin, you may be right, but here's the thing. Prop makers are on the clock. Making 7 of something is hard to justify, but now that I think of it, the earlier comment that the top is so... round, is compelling. I'm gonna get me some white leather, and a small piece of plastic tubing, and do some wrapping and binding. I'll let you all know where I come out.

PS. One of the Hellboy set dressers works on CSI, and since I did a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 2:31 PM on October 14, 2008

I like the idea of pounce bags, I've made them for moldmaking (filled with cornstarch). But I think they're leather.

I made this tonight
http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/8672/broomboxbag16tk9.jpg

I think it's not far off. I had some white leather, taped it to a tube, ran some wire around, and crazy glued the whole thing.

I just need to order some black latex sheet (dental dam?)
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 11:15 PM on October 16, 2008

Lacking silica, you could also throw it in a bag of rice. That will have some absorbing qualities. It's worked for me for laptop spills in the past.

Don't know about water spots.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 10:57 AM on October 11, 2008

There are multiple axis factory robots all over ebay, which could likely do the job handily, though I'd expect some work once it arrives. Prices vary from under 4k to well over 50k. Even a cheap one of these ought to give you the repeatability you're looking for.
While this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ABB-IRB6400-M94-ROBOT_W0QQitemZ190255805180QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item190255805180&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C66%3A4%7C65%3A3%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
May be a bit large though...
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 11:37 AM on October 7, 2008 marked best answer

Take your shirt off, get sweaty and do Coppola directing Apocalypse Now...
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:09 AM on October 6, 2008

Don't forget the similarities in the DNA. The phrase "we've looked so hard for a link and haven't found one, really." simply isn't true.
Creationists love to move the evidentiary bar, and especially love to demand evidence that either a: doesn't exist yet, and use that fact to deny conclusions supported by a wealth of evidence they *haven't* asked for, or b: demand evidence that actually does exist (like transition fossils, showing a species in an intermediate phase, like... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 9:29 PM on September 28, 2008

Wow, 3 posts when I start typing, 14 when I finish. You people are fast. This is an intelligently designed site.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 9:33 PM on September 28, 2008

punkbitch cannot positively assert this sentence...
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 9:43 PM on September 28, 2008

I freaking LOVED that toy. Had two sets. So much fun.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 6:52 PM on September 28, 2008

It's not that hard, and the nice new strong polymer chains in the monofilament that hold the bottom of the lens should cooperate nicely.
I'm hard on my glasses and have repaired a few of these over the years.

Hold the lens up to the frame in it's correct orientation. Lens in front. I've done it with the whole arrangement upside-down, bottom facing me.
Then guide the monofilament into it's groove (crucial to get the monofilament seated... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:38 AM on September 22, 2008 marked best answer

BATS BATS BATS. I took a few of their classes and it's great. They're awesome. I love those guys and go to their shows all the time.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 11:58 PM on September 16, 2008

I've performed about a dozen weddings over the years as a minister in the ULC. I've sung them in blues, I've played it straight. I've written each ceremony i've done, so this will be a long post (my longest mefi post!)

In general, I find the following form has worked pretty great. All quotes are from ceremonies that I've performed and written. Please feel free to use and change as you wish.

INTRODUCTION.
This might be something... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 9:00 PM on September 14, 2008 marked best answer

Easiest thing to check, and it COULD conceivably cause all this is the battery connections. Sometimes a loose battery connection will let everything electric work, but can't provide enough of a connection to run the starter (it needs LOTS of electrons). Just make sure they're tight, take them off, put a little vaseline on there, put them back on tight.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 6:23 PM on September 4, 2008

Yeah, it would. Like I said, the starter motor takes a metric shitload of amperage to operate compared to everything else in your car. You may need a new battery, but my money's on the connection.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 6:38 PM on September 4, 2008

Battery might not test dead. If it does, scrunch those battery clamps down and get a jump, drive around for about an hour and then turn the car off. If it doesn't start again, then by all means, go get a new battery. If it doesn't test dead (a nice full battery should test above 12v, even up to 13) then scrunch those suckers down and go about your business. Make sure that the clamp connection to the battery cables is very good, and when replacing them if that's needed, for god's sake don't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 7:06 PM on September 4, 2008 marked best answer

I'll tell you what I never like: the fruit basket. No cheese, jelly, jam etc. No maple syrup. I've never kept the bottle of wine, they didn't seem to be that good and I travel light. I always keep the gimmick calculators but they're never that great. I tend to dislike anything overly branded.

What I HAVE liked is:
Bags-- cloth bags, messenger bags, always seem to get used at some point.
Seconding pens. A good pen is an awesome gift.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 5:59 PM on September 3, 2008

Here I is.

I just reviewed this wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarring_and_feathering
and note, like stated above, that victims were as often painted with the tar as doused with it.
Latex is problematic, because of body hair. I've been painted head to toe with the stuff, and missed a 4" square patch on my inner thigh and it sucked and hurt like few things I've endured.

Paint is problematic because... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 5:16 PM on September 3, 2008

David Straithairn
My wife spotted it. She's good.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:27 PM on August 28, 2008 marked best answer

Tons of useful stuff up there, but cmoj, in regards to the first half of your statement #1, to whit "Do you want to make art that fits in with what is contemporarily successful or do you want to advance art?" This presupposes ( and I know that this is a MUCH bigger conversation) that one has a choice, where I hold that (if one is listening) one does not. But that's the romantic in me.

I worked as an artist's assistant. Looong hours. Fantastic and invaluable... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 9:20 PM on August 11, 2008

Read "The Brutality of Fact", interviews with Francis Bacon, by David Sylvester IIRC. Nobody but NOBODY talks about art like Bacon does imho.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 9:21 PM on August 11, 2008

In the science fiction realm, Stanislaw Lem is recognized as having a fabulous translator. "Notes from a Bathtub", "Princess Ineffable", "Solaris".
Mikhail Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita has a few translations, and I can't remember which I read, though I loved it. (illustration of black cat on cover).
Here's the wiki on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_and_Margarita
For my money, given the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:23 AM on August 9, 2008

You could say: " Give me your number and I'll give you a call in 3 hours and I'll have a withering response THEN". In my opinion, a sharp comeback is funniest when I'm honest, even if my honesty is deprecating. Actually, it's usually self-deprecating.

Improv classes are great. Super fun, and very good for one's quickness.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 7:08 PM on June 3, 2008

I'm staying in Old-town.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 9:54 AM on May 31, 2008

loiseau, I don't care for pretention as much as I love good grub. Any kind.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 10:13 AM on May 31, 2008

Calumet can be snooty to be sure. My friend in the Rental Dept. there said that the guys in Sales work on commission and don't like to waste their time with small-fry questions.

LIke I said: snooty. But good gear, good selection, good prices too. Not all the staff are like that either.

I love the guys here:
Discount Camera - 33 Kearny Street - San Francisco, CA 94108

May seem like a downtown "fleece... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:54 AM on May 17, 2008

I have two. Twins even. Boys.
And I still don't like kids. But my kids: I cant get enough of them. Really: everything everyone says who're parents-- that's it's transformative, amazing, incredible-- is 100% true. And in that sense you either get it because you have kids or you don't. I don't mean to say that non-parents can't find kids transformative, because obviously they can. I've met a bunch of them. But I'm not one of them. I (personally) had to have kids to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 1:23 AM on January 30, 2008

Have you ever built papercraft models? Or done any carpentry? For me, sewing and carpentry are the same thing. It's all planar forms. The problem with cloth is that no matter how much you assemble it, it doesn't look like it should until you're in it. Which would make assembly difficult.
I LOVE to sew. Though I agree with liet about the sewing patterns debacle.
I learned about patterning by buying a nice simple dress at the salvation army, that looked good on my... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:42 PM on January 26, 2008

I use the roo, but then again, I always notice it when people (incorrectly, or so I'm told) say often with the T. (and what about the New Yorker spelling focussing that way?)

Honestly, The World Famous gets my vote for the Oscar Wilde quote of the day, and the definitive answer.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 11:19 AM on January 8, 2008

I'll have the french toast tomorrow. Thanks neilpede.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 4:58 PM on December 30, 2007

Freelancing for 15 years. ALWAYS got something (usually 50 percent) up front.
Echoing what's said above. The way a client is at the beginning, is the way they'll be through the whole process. (I've found this fairly consistent with people as well) I've sent clients packing halfway through the bidding process because of their unrealistic demands.

I also HATE HATE HATE the argument technique she seems to be using: "Give me ONE example of what your... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 11:33 PM on December 24, 2007

Make that looking for GOOD bike rides. My bad.
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 10:38 PM on December 17, 2007

I love good food, I eat well, and I'm a durned good cook.

But:

While it's indefensible to be sure, I'd like to speak up and say that I love Subway. Unnaturally so. My wife actually shares this love.
It's all about the cold-cut-trio for me. With the chipotle sauce. Damn, I want one right now.

I've been teased about it by co-workers FOREVER. I don't indulge this love more than a few times a year, as... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by asavage at 8:21 PM on December 13, 2007