It's the dream that I believe we all should aspire to.

I really hope no one ever thinks I'm an old man.

(Happy Birthday Matt)
posted to MetaTalk by shelleycat at 4:08 PM on October 10, 2008

This sounds like an excellent idea. An after-work meetup during the week (Mon to Fri) would work well for me, probably before the end of October.

Another place I like to hang out is Galbraiths in Mt Eden road, although might be too far up for those that work in the city? They brew their own tasty tasty beer and large tables are easy to get on weeknights, although it can be kind of busy on Friday.

We did actually have a meetup a few years ago... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by shelleycat at 2:46 PM on October 5, 2008

My boyfriend made me a dogbert cake once. It was pretty geeky. Tasty too (white chocolate and coffee cinnamon sponge).
posted to MetaFilter by shelleycat at 4:09 PM on October 2, 2008

Incidentally, the red robot cake he made me this year was pretty geeky too.
posted to MetaFilter by shelleycat at 7:41 PM on October 2, 2008

I have some ecco boots which are very similar to those (same sole shape and heel) although seude (less practical for the snow but water proof enough for the buckets of rain we get here) and they are so so comfortable. I normally wear orthotics and have sore feet pretty much always. My orthotics don't fit in the ecco boots but they still give me awesome support and my feet rarely hurt (and even then not much) when wearing them. They're like miracle boots. Plus they've had lots of compliments and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:01 PM on September 27, 2008

You have excellent taste.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 12:10 AM on October 2, 2008

or a bunch of cheap fleece blankets they can burrow in

This is a great idea for inside the house. That way the dogs can regulate their own temperature to a degree, whereas with a coat on they can't. You should easily be able to show them what the blankets are for and if they're cold the dogs will burrow, if they're not they won't. If you see them burrowing a lot then you could look at an inside coat or turning up the heat or whatever.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 9:52 PM on September 28, 2008

kiltedtaco is correct in that the even-ness of the heat is important. So I'd preheat the oven but not the oven racks. Then put a rack in a the same time as the lasagne. That way the dish isn't touching anything hot at all and both will heat evenly together. Having the rack cold will slow down cooking a tiny smidgen but not enough to notice, and having the oven preheated will avoid any cold spots and let your lasagne cook nicely rather than go soggy while the oven heats. The frozen lasagne is... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:58 PM on September 22, 2008

The classic room-to-room arty is around the world, where every room is a different country. You could co-opt the idea and be a place or country. I was once Jamaica with reggae, cheap rum and Stones ginger wine.

Taking this one step further, you could be the moon (or somewhere else off world). Blow up aliens, a fake moon lander, silver suits and moon-juice to drink.

Or you could be Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole. Fake snow, fuzzy... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 11:37 PM on September 16, 2008

Mn - Monteiths. I like the real ale but there are plenty to chose from.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 11:01 PM on September 16, 2008

I am a digestive physiologist. I have spent years studying intestines, they are my speciality (and my favourite organ). I want to back up what people here are telling you, the science shows no benefit for colonics and the only positive reviews you're going to get are anecdotal from people who have had them and do not understand the science of what is going on. I know the media likes to make a big deal about being balanced and showing both sides of each story when reporting science but that's not... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 8:51 PM on September 15, 2008

I've transported bagels overnight although not as far. Seal them up in a plastic bag, remove the air and you'll be good. Bagels travel very well. If they're in your hand luggage and totally under your control then even a sturdy paper bag will be fine. The main thing is to make sure the bagels aren't still warm when you seal them up (condensation in the bag) and that the bag is water tight or kept dry, you don't want the bread getting soggy.

I second the idea of getting... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 1:59 PM on September 15, 2008 marked best answer

Your cats shouldn't be eating the same food anyway, with that range of ages they have very different dietary needs. Your youngest is still a kitten and should be on kitten food, this lasts until one year old. The 9 and 12 yo's are both old enough to be on mature food, although we didn't switch until about 11 yo with no problem, so the middle one could still be on normal 'adult' food or could be eating mature food with the oldest. Either way now that the oldest has diabetes he'll need different... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 12:59 AM on September 14, 2008

My Idea of Fun by Will Self.

Possibly a little more fucked up rather than straight evil but an excellent read: The Wasp factory by Iain banks.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:55 PM on September 13, 2008

I was apparently shortlisted for the Melbourne edition. The thing I didn't like about it, and the reason I said no, was that the message they left me said I had to specifically tell them I didn't want to be included. So it was opt-out rather than opt-in. I don't use my flickr account a huge deal and don't check my comments or the associated email address regularly so I could have easily missed noticing it before the deadline they gave, in which case I guess they would have gone ahead and used my... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:03 AM on September 13, 2008 marked best answer

I've gone back and looked for the message they left me but it seems to have disappeared. It may be that it was truly opt-out just badly worded. The more recent messages I've seen via google are longer and better written than the one I remember (I think mine was first edition?) but again, it's gone so I can't see for sure. This is probably a good thing though, if they'd left the comment on my photo there after I withdrew it that would look a lot more like advertising for their service rather than... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:45 PM on September 13, 2008

The science industry is surprisingly close knit. There's always someone who knows someone, people talk (particularly about who is being hired to do what) and word gets around. It would take very little digging for the hiring company to find out you were in grad school across the country, and it might not even be intentional digging, just people gossiping. It might not come up in this specific hiring instance, but still could in a future job application (yours or your friend's). When it is found... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 7:10 PM on September 12, 2008

Assuming that the amount you can afford to give is enough to fix this problem (as others have mentioned) then I'd take this angle: You say she's your best friend so I'm assuming you also have a relationship with the dog, right? And if he die then you also lose a special canine friend too? So it's totally understandable that you'd want to help save him and would be better for you as well as for your friend. So talk to your friend about this and make it clear that you want to help and that by... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 9:21 PM on September 5, 2008

Oxalic acid (also as far as I've been able to find out) prevents your body from properly absorbing the iron.

I'm not a nutritionaist but a physiologist/biochemist who has studied both iron absorption and IBD (not at the same time) and you are correct. Oxalic acid (and tannins, phytates and other divalent metals) block iron absorption.

If you are up for it, I would heartily recommend trying Hemaplex. It is a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 9:10 PM on September 5, 2008 marked best answer

Stubble isn't as big a deal as you would expect on the shoulders as the hair is softer and finer than facial hair so shaving or trimming is certainly feasible. But yeah, a home wax kit will clean it up nicely. My boyfriend actually uses Nads instead of wax because it washes off better than the cheap disposable wax strips he tried first (sticky bits of wax around your neck will catch on your clothes and be painful), and the pot he bought several years ago will last for several more years yet.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 8:29 PM on September 5, 2008 marked best answer

It's probably easier to get someone else to do it but will take that very patient GF a lot less time to use wax or similar than it will with tweezers

Um, I meant besides yourself not besides your girlfriend. I think that sentence was a bit ambiguous and badly written, sorry!
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 8:31 PM on September 5, 2008

When my AC died the local air con place did a full check totally for free, no obligation. They were able to tell me exactly what was wrong, how they could fix it (in detail), how much it would cost and how long it would take. Then gave it all to me in writing. That's the kind of information you're going to need before you can even start to think about doing it yourself anyway, so you might as well look around and find an air con place that will give you the same kind of no-obligation quote. It... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 8:17 PM on September 4, 2008

These are all awesome ideas so far and none of them are things I would have come up with. I'm going to start following up on this and hopefully there will be more ideas to come!
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:54 PM on September 3, 2008

Professional association? I'm not actually sure what that means. Details? Things may be less formalised here in NZ, plus we're all in different areas of biology but if there's a resource I'm missing then that's totally the kind of thing I need to hear about.

The academic side of what we do is well taken care of by the University so I'm probably looking for activities that focus away from that. At the same time it's a great idea to gather information about the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:49 PM on September 4, 2008

Ah, I wondered if that was what you meant. The ones I've looked at in my area do nothing besides organised conferences and give travel grants to said conferences. But then I'd belong to a totally different one than any other student at my organisation so I'll suggest it as something they can look into in their areas. Thanks!
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:28 PM on September 4, 2008

My PhD supervisor has these attached to his desk lamp along with a fifth one his daughter made which looks just like him. So you get Darwin, Franklin, Curie, Einstein, Laing ...

Anything unique and personalised like that works I reckon.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 10:49 PM on September 3, 2008

I think you should focus on this part of your question:

However, I want to find out if there's more than just the physical here.

It's not so much that you don't want to jump him, but that you want to do other stuff with him instead. So you want the opportunity to interact with him on a more cerebral level rather than just make out, right? Find something to do together that gives you a focus besides him, like maybe bowling or... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:23 PM on September 3, 2008 marked best answer

Scrabble, awesome! I actually had boardgames listed in place of a museum in my first answer but thought it might be too private. Your plans sound perfect and your attitude sounds entirely sane. Good luck!
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 10:37 PM on September 3, 2008

I think TPS has it here. This response really fulfils your requirement A, it doesn't attack or even engage with what they said yet still gets across your disapproval in a non-ambiguous way. PhoBWanKenobi is also correct in that it gives them a kinder viewpoint to consider along the way.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 10:29 PM on September 3, 2008

We just moved in a week ago

Either someone somewhere hasn't pulled the rental listing yet or he has an old list. This happened to us for about six weeks after moving into one house, including one person wandering around the yard jumping up and looking in the windows. I called a few rental agencies, found the one which still had the listing, and told them it was rented, but calling your landlord would work too.

That really... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 2:48 PM on August 31, 2008 marked best answer

Don't thank me, thank levelator!

Thanks levelator! Made listening a lot easier and even when Jessamyn was yelling at cortex (totally justified by the way) it didn't hurt my eardrums. So much better.
posted to MetaTalk by shelleycat at 8:32 PM on August 29, 2008

This is awful. I love it.
posted to MetaFilter by shelleycat at 6:18 PM on August 29, 2008

The only point of your list that is important is the first, you take medication that makes you ineligible. That rules you out without all the rest. And that's all you need to tell people (i.e. you're ineligible), even the medication part of the sentence is optional.

I actually wonder if you've given too many reasons, diluting the message. Then it starts to sound like you're just making excuses rather than really genuinely unable to. Particularly the stuff about how it... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:40 AM on August 26, 2008

I like bowmaniac's idea and here's why: having your sleeping bags etc in a corner like that means they're likely to get damp and/or musty over time. Raising them up a little will get the air flowing underneath, keep your camping gear in better condition, and solve your lamp issue along the way.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:20 PM on August 23, 2008

I may be projecting because I live somewhere reasonably humid, but my bags definitely get musty even living in a cupboard year round. Also, I was always told not to keep them in the bags for storage. Being crushed and squashed is hard on the filling material and will damage it over time so they should just be folded and laid flat. Takes up more room but again has the side effect of making them less musty or damp and it's easier to keep them aired. Dust etc shouldn't be a worry because you can... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 6:34 PM on August 23, 2008

What about the plug on her hot water bottle? I've seen a burn start off as a general red area then have a pattern emerge as the lesser burnt parts heal first (the more burnt parts can take a lot longer to heal). In my case it was ironing myself instead of my clothes but a hot water bottle plug may have fins or a weird shape that makes that pattern. It wouldn't be as noticeable as general hot water bottle indents as the plug is usually protected by the rubber collar.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 10:29 PM on August 14, 2008

Collagen starts to melt at around fifty degrees, so even a cooler surface can cause that sort of mark as long as it's directed to a specific area by something. Which is why I wondered about the plug, if it had metal or the wrong kind of plastic in it that could heat up from the water and cause a specific burn rather than just a general red area like you'd see from a water splash. I've burnt myself on hot water taps and received a red mark similar to the photo (we can't access the heat control... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 6:11 PM on August 15, 2008

Sometimes on the bus I lean on the person next to me a little just because they hold me up. I hate the way the bus makes me sway around and prefer a little stability (I don't transfer weight on to them, just touch slightly). This is why I like to sit by the window or stand next to a pole, then I can lean on the actual bus instead. It's generally a subconscious thing and I won't notice until I get up to get off or whatever that I was doing it, but then I spend all my bus time totally zoned out... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:31 PM on August 15, 2008

For a really direct approach revolution, civil war or coup can cause very dramatic change.

Here in New Zealand we have referendums. To call a referendum you need a petition with a certain number of legit signatures (not sure how many, it's reasonably substantial) asking for a specific question to be put to vote. Once that has been achieved the government has to arrange for a national vote on the question, one that every eligible voter can participate in. Coupling it to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 9:35 PM on August 11, 2008

You can buy cat deterrent spray that's supposed to stop them hanging out in specific places. Bitter apple is a name I hear used but you'll be able to find it at a pet shop or possibly a supermarket easily enough. In my experience a determined cat will just ignore it but I have heard of it working for other cats (my cats are pretty naughty). Maybe if you spray enough onto your bed so that it no longer smells welcoming (which may put you off too) and set up a nice bed elsewhere then the cat will... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:31 PM on August 11, 2008

missmagenta - Lane Scott, PhD is a neuroscience medical researcher in Campbell, California so no, I guess gramcracker's point is not valid.

So? I'm a biomedical science researcher who will soon have a PhD in immunology. I focus on the treatment of a specific disease and my understanding of that disease at a mechanistic level would be greater than most MDs. I also know a lot about the specific treatment I'm developing and obviously I'm biased and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 4:51 PM on August 11, 2008

You're not lactose intolerant if lactose-free milk causes exactly the same symptoms. You're probably not allergic to casein as it's a main component of cheese (it's basically the solid stuff in milk, the curds). You probably are, however, allergic to proteins in the whey (the liquid). This is apparently less common but still totally possible and lactose free milk would contain whatever you're reacting too.

You can either see an allergist to try and work out some kind... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 10:58 PM on August 10, 2008

Keep in mind that milk allergies often cross react between species, particularly cow, goat and sheep. I was reading this website this afternoon (before I saw your post actually) and while it's pretty ugly the info is decent.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 1:45 AM on August 11, 2008

This looks awesome. Intestines are my favourite body part.
posted to MetaFilter by shelleycat at 5:05 PM on August 9, 2008

For a slightly more roundabout way of learning about scientific method:
A Guinea Pig’s History of Biology

It goes through the history of genetics focussing on the model organisms used for each main discovery rather than the more standard method of focussing on the scientists. I found that while it's aim wasn't to demonstrate scientific process per se, it does a great job of showcasing this anyway just by discussing some really great examples of scientific... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 9:18 PM on August 5, 2008

But did you know he also takes amazing pictures of birds?

No I didn't. And now I do. And I'm glad.
posted to MetaFilter by shelleycat at 5:39 PM on August 5, 2008

I've also lived in a flea infested house. It's certainly possible to keep it under control although we never managed to fully clean the place up. Vacuuming in general is a good idea and should be done before you do more treatment. The reason is that the flea eggs sit dormant until food comes along (so warmth and footsteps), then they hatch. Vacuuming makes the floor vibrate which tells the eggs there's something there to eat and is a good way to get the rest of them to hatch.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 3:46 PM on August 5, 2008

I read an article recently in either Nature or New Scientist where they tested the flea collar in vacuum bags trick. Turns out that the force of sucking the flea into the cleaner is enough to damage it's exoskeleton and kill the flea, so the collar isn't necessary.
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:32 PM on August 5, 2008

'Breast cancer' isn't a thing. It's a big bunch of different things. Some of those things are very treatable, some of them are very horrible and the most common types kill many people each year (metastatic breast cancer is often one of the most aggressive and invasive kind because of the characteristics of the cells in which it originates). Same goes for lung cancer and same goes for liver cancer. I know more about breast and lung cancer than liver cancer and for those you're not even giving... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:25 PM on August 5, 2008 marked best answer

Then on race day, they can do whatever they want with their fuel load for the race.

This bit is wrong. The team fuels the car at the start of Q3, then whatever is left after qualifying is what is carried into the race. So you're making a decision for two things at once, how light the car will be during qualifying vs how long before the first pit stop. It's a tricky balance and leads to the issues you've seen where cars aren't optimally fuelled for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by shelleycat at 5:00 PM on August 5, 2008