Well, there's existential horror, which doesn't have to do with evil at all. It has to do with the kind of dread you feel when you think your life might be meaningless. That things happen for no reason at all, which is more disorienting and horrifying than 'evil' is, imo.

The Cube would be a prime example of that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 3:11 PM on March 30, 2011

A little off the beaten path, but have you tried listening to progressive house or trance DJ mixes? The best are one or two hours long and are basically one long piece of music.

Some of my all time favorites:

Paul Oakenfold - The Goa Mix (A BBC Essential Mix from 1994)

From the Global Underground Series:

Sasha - Ibiza or San Francisco
Oakenfold - New York or Oslo
Nick... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 6:20 AM on March 30, 2011

Am flummoxed as to how to set up the office document storage and enable collaborative access to edit and store documents (primarily Word, PowerPoint and Excel docs).

The idea with google docs is that you collaborate on the documents in the web app, not using word, etc. You only export to Office format when you need to send them to someone.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 6:00 AM on March 30, 2011

There's a lot of questions, I can answer a few easily, the others, I'd have to think about.

How far back does this work for? Because they talk about looking very far out to see what was happening in the first few seconds of the universe.

There are two limits, one is the basically the boundary of the observable universe, due to expansion is about 45 billion light years. The second limit is a time limit. At some point in the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 11:56 AM on March 29, 2011 marked best answer

Let's say that I was looking through my telescope and I saw, 10 light-years away, a fat guy jazzercising in front of an open window. I think it's hilarious. One year later, I meet someone with a similar sense of humor and we get a bigger telescope and look 11 light-years away. Can we see that same fat guy jazzercising? How? Hasn't that light already passed us?

If he's moving at the speed of light, you wouldn't see time pass at all.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 11:58 AM on March 29, 2011

I think that these things, taken together, answer my question.

Honestly, not really. Relativity is deeply, deeply weird, and I don't understand it, either...

That radiation is coming from everywhere, not from some distant place or horizon; therefore it is arriving here on Earth continuously

The way I think about it is this. You have two 'light-cones', which stretch out in all... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:16 PM on March 29, 2011

empath, while that's true it's still the case that the visible universe is probably much smaller than the totality. There still more of the original universe coming into view every second as I understand things.

I don't honestly know. I mean we can already 'see' to the big bang, right? Or does the expanding universe allow us to keep seeing new things emerging from the big bang, new quasars, etc? I really don't know...
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:43 PM on March 29, 2011

No, we can't see the big bang. The earliest thing we can see is the CMB: anything before that is lost.

Sorry, that's actually what I meant.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 1:30 PM on March 29, 2011

STOP EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW AND WATCH THIS:

Wizard People Dear Reader.

on youtube here

posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 11:24 AM on March 29, 2011 marked best answer

Is Cutting Crew - Died in Your Arms Tonight new wave?
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 10:47 AM on March 29, 2011

While Masons don't care about what religion you are, many Christian sects (notably Catholics) do not approve of Masonry on any level.

To take your question seriously: "Light" is just a word, and like all words, it can refer to many things, not all of which are related. Light can mean actual illumination, it can mean salvation, or it can mean something frivolous, and so on. Just as with all other words and symbols, it's what is being represented that is... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 3:37 PM on March 28, 2011

Research what the church means when it refers to 'light', and what Masonry means, and decide for yourself if they're talking about the same thing. You may need to ask someone in Masonry and the church for help figuring that out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 3:40 PM on March 28, 2011

Is this a cd that's supposed to be continuously mixed? If so, go to burn options, and make sure you have 'burn without gaps' checked.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 1:56 PM on March 28, 2011

Try using itunes -- see if you still have the problem?
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 2:06 PM on March 28, 2011

At least the 1920 Annapolis City Directory did that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:50 PM on March 28, 2011

More support for that idea.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:51 PM on March 28, 2011

Sounds like you are self-medicating for ADD.

Talk to your doctor about it.

Of course, the likely treatment for ADD is an even more powerful stimulant than caffeine.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:15 AM on March 28, 2011

Is ephedra legal in the UK? I found it tremendously useful for helping me concentrate (I have ADD, as well) before they took it off the market in the US.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:35 AM on March 28, 2011

'being tired all the time' is kind of a notoriously difficult thing to diagnose, from what I understand. There's probably thousands of things that could be the cause of it, from depression to an infection, to toxic mold, to dietary deficiencies. I went through a terrible phase a few years ago where i literally would get exhausted walking up two flights of stairs, and I'd have to stop my car on the way home from work to take a nap a few days a week.

Turns out that the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:22 AM on March 28, 2011

My Absolute Watchmen is my favorite thing.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 5:46 AM on March 28, 2011

Btw, Sandman's art gets MUCH better after the first 4 trades or so.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 6:32 AM on March 28, 2011

That said, I'm sorry I didn't purchase the whole series in the late 90s when they were simple graphic novels with tasteful Dave McKean covers.

I actually have an almost complete run of the original sandman issues. I paid $10 for it from a comic book store near me that went broke, and the two owners kind of hated each other by the time it closed. One of them was into indie comics and the other was into superhero stuff, and if you took the right... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 7:43 AM on March 28, 2011

Forget about learning how to dance.

Go to a club that plays music you like.

Get intoxicated on your chemical of choice. (some people need more of this than others)

Find a spot on the dance floor.

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND MOVE YOUR FEET.

That's all there is to it. Don't look for a dance partner. Just pretend there is no one else in the room.

If... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:32 PM on March 27, 2011

Also, don't go to a dance club to hook up. Just don't. Nobody likes that guy. Even people that that guy picks up don't really like him. Don't be that guy. Talk to people, sure, make friends, sure. But don't try to pick up someone. I think generally if you're friendly and go to the same club enough, you'll eventually pick up someone else without really trying. Just keep going to the same club and meet as many people as possible without trying to 'pick up' anybody.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:37 PM on March 27, 2011

I had a brutal cough with the recent flu that went around. Mucinex and lots of water is the answer. It took about 2 weeks for the coughing to stop completely, but the wost was over after about 4-5 days.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 9:13 AM on March 27, 2011

D's background spells drama and trouble -- did she cheat on her current BF at all? Is she an alcoholic?

That said, how unhappy are you with M? Are you ready to settle down at all? If you're still young, and you just want to have a good time right now, and sincerely think that it might work with D and you're really unhappy with M, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to take a shot at it. You don't want to live with regrets.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 2:28 PM on March 26, 2011

Here's a short 303 audio documentary.

Higher State of Consciousness is probably the best 303 track, imo. (even though it uses a 202, instead).

Blood is Pumping is another good one.

There are literally thousands of acid records, though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 3:16 AM on March 26, 2011

Oh, and also -- if you have an iphone, get "Rebirth" from the app store -- it's a 303 (and 808) in your pocket.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 3:17 AM on March 26, 2011

If you already use a cellphone or have wireless in your house, the AT&T cell tower radio waves will be a tiny fraction of that power.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 2:08 PM on March 25, 2011 marked best answer

Feynman on The Pleasure of Finding Things Out

Particular on the difference between knowing the names of things and knowing things.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:23 PM on March 25, 2011

To summarize the feynman video, the important thing is to not portray the world as a list of items to catalog and name, but as an interlocking set of systems that has rules that can be understood.

In other words, don't just point at a cloud and say they're cumulonimbus clouds, but explain the water cycle and evaporation and how clouds are formed and weather and chaos theory and the butterfly effect, or whatever.. use questions as an excuse to explain how things fit... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:29 PM on March 25, 2011

(and as a bonus, can be a good excuse to learn things yourself)
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:30 PM on March 25, 2011

My mom, a biologist, is the same way. I looked at an overflowing rain ditch on our way home from school and said "I wonder what's in that water." Mom, bless her heart, pulled the car over, dumped out a McDonald's cup, got a sample, and took it home and made slides that we looked at together under a microscope

Exactly. Encourage curiosity by being curious yourself.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:34 PM on March 25, 2011

1. Asking for a first date over text is kinda no good. You want someone to phone and show up a few times before treating you so casually, IMHO.

This is really not true, any more.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 7:02 AM on March 25, 2011

Btw, I wouldn't overly stress on this. A guy is not always going to think you're blowing him off because you told him you had plans friday and saturday. He might think you were just busy.

Send him a text message. Or if you really want to show interest, text him while you're actually at the place you had plans for this weekend saying you're bored or wished you didn't have to be there or something.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 7:05 AM on March 25, 2011

I'm sorry.... He waits until Friday to ask "whether you have plans" for this weekend? Many people would by now, so he leaves it to you to either answer truthfully (right?) that you do have plans or try to interpret and guess what he was really asking? I'm not impressed.

Some guys are shy and/or can't handle rejection and/or are socially awkward and that doesn't make them bad people.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 10:02 AM on March 25, 2011

Holy god, y'all.. she just MET him 2 days ago. They don't have a 'communication problem'. They've barely communicated!
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 10:43 AM on March 25, 2011

A relevant Steven Pinker video on the utility of indirect language
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:20 PM on March 25, 2011

Here is what you can do:

Do something about it.

Don't just update facebook. Do something concrete, right now, today, to affect the outcome of the election. Whether it be donating money or going home and campaigning or demonstrating at the embassy. Do whatever you can do to take control of the outcome.

Be the change you want to make in the world today.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 12:04 PM on March 25, 2011 marked best answer

Pulp Fiction
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 10:14 AM on March 25, 2011

Army of Darkness
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 10:44 AM on March 25, 2011

Space Balls (or any Mel Brooks, movie, really)
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 10:44 AM on March 25, 2011

(bah, i should read the entire question)

If you can't make phone calls or drop by the office, can you IM them?

If you can't IM, what i've found starts getting attention is CC'ing various people if the initial person doesn't respond.

I'd send a follow up daily. Perhaps at different times of the day. (Maybe people get swamped first thing in the morning and might respond better in the afternoon).... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:13 AM on March 25, 2011

Also, technical people often work through a ticket system and kind of ignore direct emails unless someone brings them to their attention that they need to act on it, do you have a ticket system there?
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:14 AM on March 25, 2011

I find when I stop by in person, they'll give me the "plain language" version so that I can understand it, which is good, but I can't send that wording out to the public.

Oh if that's the problem, don't ask them to give you the explanation in person. Just stop by their office and say, "Hey, can you reply to my email at some point today?"
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:29 AM on March 25, 2011 marked best answer

do you mean about one person, or about a population of people? You can't get statistical information from a population of 1.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:07 AM on March 25, 2011

Terry Grant w/Jennifer Horne - I'll Kill You
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:01 AM on March 25, 2011

(lyrics because it takes 4 minutes to get to the vocal)

I've been alone, for too long,
To be burned by this now.
If i can keep, you here with me,
I will live somehow.

I'll tell you, when you run away,
I'll save you.
I'll break you, when you fall away,
I'll kill you.

posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 8:03 AM on March 25, 2011

I had something like this happen to me with a flu I had just a couple of weeks ago, and I don't know if it was lack of sleep or the robotussin or the fever, but I woke up the middle of a night in a cold sweat, and my thoughts were completely disordered. I'd almost call it 'word salad'. Just random strings of thoughts that made absolutely no sense and also seemed to be often work-related. I ended up putting some music on to distract me and go back to sleep and I was fine in the morning, but... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 5:15 PM on March 24, 2011

oh, wait.. the x*y multiplication makes that not work.
posted to Ask Metafilter by empath at 10:43 AM on March 24, 2011