Our cats use the Omega Paw box, and rolling the box is much easier and less yucky than scooping. Easy to clean, and to add litter I just tip the thing back and pour. My only complaint is that the plastic clips that hold the halves together are too flimsy -- after a year, two of the four have failed. (I replaced them with mini C-clamps from the hardware store.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 1:06 PM on July 12, 2008

Thirding Boomerang Tags -- in my case, for cats. I really like the flat (non-dangling) kind.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 12:50 PM on June 21, 2008 marked best answer

The Fry/Laurie TV series is more Clive Exton than Wodehouse, i.e. only loosely based on the works of The Master.

"Wodehouse Playhouse" (from the 50s) is a much more faithful adaptation (PGW was involved in the production), and highly recommended.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 2:54 PM on June 18, 2008

I've never actually drilled a tooth, but a high speed drill (e.g. a Dremel tool) with lubrication should work. I've drilled holes in glass using turpentine as the lubricant. (Build a little coffer-dam around the drill site with putty, fill with turpentine, drill carefully with light pressure -- let the tool do the work, as they say.) Just make sure you use a good quality sharp drill bit.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 2:59 PM on June 16, 2008

Many kinds of bacteria form spores when under environmental stress (drying out etc.). Spores are notoriously hard to kill.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 8:52 AM on June 11, 2008

Are you going car-camping, or backpacking? If the former, definitely take the dutch oven.

Things that I've eaten on the trail, all from scratch: birthday cake (I have a crazy friend who thinks nothing of carrying a dutch oven on his back for a week); beef stroganoff; broiled fresh-caught trout; Indian rice, naan (toasted on the campfire) and veg.; and burritos/fajitas. Remember that fresh fruit, veg, and eggs will keep for a few days without... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 2:49 PM on June 2, 2008

Two things that come to mind: DWB (driving while black/brown) and of course the TSA.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:39 PM on May 29, 2008

I lived in Glen Park for many years, and most houses there have gardens, there are lots of public gardens and parks, and there are few major streets with lots of traffic. In other words, cat (and dog) heaven! (Glen Park seems to be a community of gardeners, I haven't seen that kind of concentration of excellent gardens anywhere else.)

As stonefruit mentioned, there are also plenty of wild (and other) animals and hence missing cats, but if you already have an outdoor cat... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:57 PM on May 28, 2008

Also remember that we don't have any recordings of Latin as it was spoken "back then". If someone tries to put down your pronunciation just remind them of that!
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:48 PM on May 23, 2008

notyou: You should consider the WiFi network as part of "the outside" -- which means you should keep your PC, your NAS box, etc. on your wired network (which is firewalled off from the wireless network). Even if you have a password-protected private WiFi network, do not put machines you care about (which should include your PC and NAS) on it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:03 PM on May 15, 2008

Apparently when I made my backup of /var/lib/mysql the database was still running, so now MySQL refuses to open the database. (This also means editing wp-config.php is fruitless.)

Any way to repair the database? How do people recover the DB if their MySQL machine crashed? (The DB equivalent of fsck is what I need, I think.)

Any way to dump all (ASCII) text in the database?
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:40 PM on May 12, 2008

Hooray! Thank you tetranz, that worked. After entering "SELECT * FROM wp_posts;" it printed out a whole bunch of stuff to stdout, text from the blog posts. It looks like the database is saved.

Unfortunately wordpress still can't use the database. From the error message on the web page ("Unknown column link_count in where clause") suggests there's a version problem, this version of wordpress incompatibly newer than the one that created the database. At... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 11:33 AM on May 13, 2008

Another vote for Innova EVO (dry). Our vet says that the only reason he doesn't recommend EVO to everyone is because it's more expensive. The cats (both male) each get half a cup per day, and they're both crazy active kitties. Since they eat dry food, I make sure they drink plenty of water.

(They also get supervised visits to the backyard so they can eat grass.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:26 PM on May 8, 2008

On Unix systems (Mac OS X too) try "df directory-name" for free space, and "mount" shows you everything that's currently mounted on the system.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:06 PM on May 6, 2008

A cycling jersey. (It has pockets in the back.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 2:42 PM on May 5, 2008

If you're familiar with low-level stuff like firmware and device drivers, what about an autonomous robot (using a microcontroller)? It's totally open-ended so you can take it in the direction you find interesting. Or maybe just some sort of music-related microcontroller powered doohickey you've always dreamt of?
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 2:40 PM on May 5, 2008

If you've already read the books, I recommend "Wodehouse Playhouse" over "Jeeves and Wooster". For one thing, Wodehouse himself was involved with the making of Playhouse, whereas J&W features the ham-handed "adaptations" of Clive Exton.

If you insist on J&W, I believe that only the first season is watchable. (Jeeves in drag? Never. Bertie and Jeeves as long-haired castaways? Ridiculous.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:23 PM on April 30, 2008

Southern Utah, the Escalanate Grand Staircase national monument. If you like the Grand Canyon, you'll die over Escalante. All the tourists go to places like the Grand Canyon/Bryce/Zion, leaving Escalante (and to a lesser extent Canyonlands) as the True Believers' Great Secret. (Oh crap!)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:03 PM on April 29, 2008

Our cats get dry food, Innova Evo (no grains, >50% protein). As kittens they got "all you can eat". At 1 year I turned it down to 7/8 cup a day, following the instructions on the bag. A few months after, they were both about 15-17 lbs.; the vet said they need to be more like 10 or 12 pounds, and to cut their food back by 1/3rd. Now they each get 1/2 cup a day, and (three months later) they're trim, dapper, and active little 12 lb. kitties. (At first there was much complaining and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 5:24 PM on April 23, 2008

I use the "Resco Cat Nail Trimmer #757" (less than $10), a "guillotine-style" clipper that was recommended by a friend's vet.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:25 PM on April 21, 2008

If you live in Palo Alto (or have a friend who does), Foothill Park. (Yes, only residents of Palo Alto are allowed in.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:08 PM on April 10, 2008

Composition.

More abstractly, a good photograph captures what your mind saw, and allows someone else to relive your experience by looking at the picture. How do you apply that to your shooting? Simplify, so the image only contains things that you want. One easy way: before pressing the shutter button, look at the image, not through the camera; pay particular attention to the edges and corners and get rid of distracting elements.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:28 PM on April 7, 2008

The Golden Rules of Optimization:

1. Don't.
2. (Experts only) Not yet.

On most real world programs there will be no real difference in execution speed between compiled and interpreted programs. (Interpreted systems do most of their heavy lifting in code that's carefully tuned and optimized by real experts.)

To write good fast code, think carefully before designing your algorithm, and use... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:47 PM on March 12, 2008

My favourite is the Paperang -- if built carefully it looks great and flies even better. You can download it for free from the site.

(And here's another version.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:29 PM on February 29, 2008

Stretch before and after exercise. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds; don't "bounce". (For me, hamstring and calf stretches are the most important.)

(The advice I wish I'd received when I first started running in my teens: switch to cycling and skiing. I ran for about four years before getting smart.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 1:11 PM on February 29, 2008

Do NOT leave the computer plugged in while working on it!

All the advice here is spot on. The important thing about voltage is that it's relative, not absolute: it's the difference that matters. You could sit on a high-voltage transmission line and be totally safe. But if you touched the ground with one foot while sitting on it, things would get exciting because now there's a voltage difference between your extremities.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 9:59 PM on February 28, 2008

Ditto to "lose the strap, carry it in your hand" advice.

As everyone has pointed out, the essential thing is to just get out there and shoot. I assume you also have some sort of unassuming point-and-shoot -- why not go out with it and promise yourself you're going to take at least 50 pictures a day? (The exact number is not important, as long as it's large.) This will help in two ways: you'll be less self-conscious about taking pictures, and you'll internalize... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 1:18 PM on February 25, 2008

The infamous wartime broadcasts that P. G. Wodehouse made were about his life in a German prison camp.

http://www.wodehouse.org/pgw-broadcast1.html
http://www.wodehouse.org/pgw-broadcast2.html
http://www.wodehouse.org/pgw-broadcast3.html
http://www.wodehouse.org/pgw-broadcast4.html
http://www.wodehouse.org/pgw-broadcast5.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 5:57 PM on February 7, 2008

If shooting RAW, you can adjust the white-balance later (Photoshop, The GIMP, etc.). Otherwise you have to set the white balance in the camera. Easiest thing to use is the snow itself. Find a good white patch (stay away from the yellow snow!) and use your camera's manual white-balance feature.

For the exposure setting, since you're using a digital camera you have it easy. Start with +1 exposure compensation (i.e. overexpose by 1 stop) and experiment till you find the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:35 PM on February 6, 2008 marked best answer

Well, we don't consider their feelings before chopping their knackers off. (This leads me to believe that cats are somewhat different from developmentally-disabled brothers.)

Tonight, I'm going to see if our felines like having catnip rubbed into their fur. Hmmm, I can make it a scientific experiment by just doing it to one cat.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 5:13 PM on January 31, 2008

My rule for table scraps is "never". As a result, both cats completely ignore human food, and we (the humans) eat in peace.

One of our cats still chases his tail, but only when it catches him by surprise. (Tails are sneaky that way.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:10 PM on January 22, 2008

Sometimes it takes a friend who makes a psychiatric appointment for you and makes sure that you keep it. (I didn't have the initiative to get out of bed most days.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:26 PM on January 15, 2008

How much do you want to spend?

I got a pair of M-Audio DX-4 speakers (no subwoofer) for around $100. They sound great, better than the giant Logitech 2+1 set I got a couple of years ago. (I think Bose speakers sound like shit, but of course that's only one person's opinion.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:46 PM on January 15, 2008

For me there are no silent letters in either February or Wednesday, but I also pronounce "medicine" as "medsn".

And what price "solder"? I've always pronounced it "soul-der", but then I find that in the US everyone says "sodder" (which for the first five years or so made me want to giggle because a sodder sounds like who sods [off]).

(In primary school -- first and second grades, as I remember it... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:29 PM on January 8, 2008

My cats have two Cat-Nappers, which is very similar -- attaches with velcro. The kitties love them.

If you're handy, you can modify any of these velcro-attaching platforms to not require gluing or screwing to the sill -- add a metal strap to the platform frame, and put a bend in the far end so it catches the far edge of the window sill. (I can draw a picture if required.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:02 PM on December 17, 2007

A huge part of the "Time Out" sound is Paul Desmond on saxophone, so look for him.

No one has yet suggested "President" Lester Young, the gold standard of lyrical sax playing. Check out the stuff he did with Oscar Peterson.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 6:18 PM on December 10, 2007

I use a Fostex MR-8 with two Shure 57 mikes. The MR-8 records to a compact flash card, as CD-quality (44100/16-bit/stereo) WAV files. The batteries are good for about two hours, and it can also be powered by the usual wall-wart AC adapter.

The MR-8 has XLR jacks, so you don't need a separate mike pre-amp. It doesn't seem to be in production any more, so there's probably a "new! improved!" version out. I paid $300 for it a couple of years ago.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 5:42 PM on December 3, 2007

Stay with electric (or gliders): internal combustion engines are noisy, smelly, dirty, and expensive. Most cities/towns have ordinances against them, so you can't fly an airplane with an IC engine in city parks etc.

There are many web sites that have helpful tips for RC beginners.

A word of warning: learning to fly an RC airplane is harder than flying a full-size airplane. (I fly both.) If you can't find someone to teach you... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:14 PM on November 26, 2007

Also, RCGroups.com is probably the best discussion site for R/C.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:18 PM on November 26, 2007

A couple of things: first, "racial minority" is not a useful term in much (most?) of the rest of the world. In India, religion -- and if you're Hindu, caste -- matters much more than skin colour. Second, "head of state" and "head of government" are very different roles, with one often being a figurehead.

The office of President (Head of State) in India is such a ceremonial position, and there have been three muslim presidents: Zakir... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:45 PM on November 20, 2007

If you care about the taste, you should take notes and be as consistent as possible. To reinforce what Bonaldi said: the most important thing about brewing tea is the boiling. Take the water off the heat as soon as it's boiling, and pour it on the leaves immediately. (The mnemonic mom taught me is "take the teapot to the kettle, not the other way around.")

I prefer to not let the water come to a full roiling boil; I take the water off just... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:49 PM on November 19, 2007

Short answer: yes. If you're within 10% you should be fine. My light table is a DC device, an external "wall wart" provides 12V to the box, and inside there are electronics to regulate the power.

Another factor is that the frequency is different: US is 60 Hz but the UK is 50 Hz. Shouldn't make a difference for a light table. (It makes a big difference for the older kinds of electric clocks.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 11:51 AM on November 16, 2007

Anderson Valley, Mendocino county? A couple of months ago my partner and I rented a cabin in the hills above Boonville (directly above Andreson Valley Brewery although that was an unplanned bonus). The big plus of this place was that they allowed pets, and the surrounding hills are doggy heaven. We have cats (that we took along) and they enjoyed it too. Besides the excellent hiking in the area, there's also very little light pollution so the stars were spectacular. Here are some pictures I took.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 5:07 PM on November 14, 2007

Something else to consider: 4810m above what?

You could dig a trench from the ocean all the way to Chamonix and after the water level was stable, measure how high the peak was above it. That's a little impractical; how about a geometrical answer? To calculate sea-level correctly you'd have to figure out the mass of the crust in the Alps etc. -- also impractical. Instead we have a model of the earth where latitude, longitude and elevation are pinned... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 11:50 PM on November 12, 2007

Since you say "mountainbiking" I assume you're not talking about riding in the city. Will you have a car that can transport bikes? If so, the peninsula has lots of excellent single-track riding, stop at any bike store and chat. (I recommend Box Dog Bikes.)

If you will not have a car, one possibility is to take the ferry to Angel Island. There's a bike rental is on the island but you can rent elsewhere if you like and take them on the ferry. There's an... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:07 PM on November 9, 2007 marked best answer

phrontist: do the keyboards recommended by missmagenta have "hammer action"?

(I'm also looking for a keyboard. The long-term goal is a real piano but until I can afford one I want to make sure I get something that will let me develop good technique.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 7:22 PM on November 5, 2007

The instructor (CFI) is much more important than the flight school. You're going to be spending a lot of time with this person in a very small space under very stressful (for you) conditions. Fly with a few different ones and pick the most compatible one.

Also, read up on "Part 141" schools. That's a decision you have to make up front, whether or not to do it that way. Part 141 is a very structured program with milestones and phase checks and all that; if... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 3:57 PM on November 2, 2007 marked best answer

On Unix/X11 systems (Solaris, Linux, *BSD, OS X, ...) you can use gv (ghostview). On the left side of its window there is a list of page numbers; you can mark any number of them with the mouse and use the "Save marked pages" menu command.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 5:14 PM on October 24, 2007

I don't like zooms -- too slow, too many compromises. My favourite Canon lens is the 100/2. It's the perfect portrait lens, and excellent quality for the price (around $300). I use it primarily for available-light shooting in bars, clubs, and concerts. Shooting Ektachrome 400 pushed 2 stops (so it becomes 1600), f/2 is fast enough to hand-hold much of the time.

My second favourite is the 50/1.4. Fantastic "normal" lens. Every EOS owner should have one.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 4:18 PM on October 18, 2007

I recommend Box Dog Bikes. It's a worker-owned collective, and if you like bikes (as opposed to looking for a place to buy a bike) it's great. A couple of times I went in looking for small things (like cleats for my new shoes) they just gave me a couple from their odds-and-ends box.

There's usually a cool bike or two on display -- a few weeks ago there was a 70s Cinelli track bike.
posted to Ask Metafilter by phliar at 1:47 PM on September 4, 2007