My dad's house is sans bathtub and their bathroom is awesome.

But, where will you make your gin?
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 10:01 AM on June 16, 2008

You can find old Roman coins for waaaay less than you might think.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 9:41 AM on June 16, 2008 marked best answer

I think volume is key to this question. I'm guessing you wouldn't consume as much aspartame as you would HFCS.

I mean, as bad as HFCS is I would rather eat a gallon of that than a gallon of pure aspartame.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 9:28 AM on June 16, 2008

"Is it cool if John comes?"

Ugg. Been there done that. She very well might be a super cool person but either she is oblivious to the frustration she is putting you through or she likes playing games. You might be a pawn in the chess game that is John. There are so many seemingly nice people who don't mind toying with others. My guess is that she knows exactly how you feel, and doesn't want to reciprocate for whatever reason but at the same... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 9:24 AM on June 16, 2008

Check out StumbleUpon. Its a toolbar thingy that lets you randomly surf websites that others have recommended, all based on your preferences. You select a bunch of categories (ie fishing, politics, wine, kids, funny pictures, etc) and then those are stored. You hit the 'Stumble" button and you are directed to random website that someone recommended that also fits in one of your categories. Pretty neat.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 8:45 AM on June 16, 2008

I wonder if maybe you are over-emphasizing the chicken-leggedness in your searching?
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:30 AM on May 20, 2008

Its not Vampire's Moon is it?
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 2:12 PM on May 20, 2008

If you are up for an adventure of sorts, check out the Red Victorian, its a B&B right on Haight. Very reasonable prices and lots of fun people. The rooms are super funky.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 12:11 PM on May 12, 2008

StumbleUpon has a stumble Wiki feature. You will randomly stumble to wikis that other people recommended, and that also fall within your interest lists.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 4:13 AM on May 1, 2008

We just moved from a dodgy neighborhood...nothing bad happened to us thankfully, but there were gunfights and drug busts and general stupidity galore. I think the main thing is to be aware of your surroundings. Avoid wandering around in the middle of the night aimlessly in your bathrobe.

Talk to your neighbors when you get a chance, just make small talk. Chances are most of them are just as annoyed/frustrated/scared as you are. It only takes a few morons to turn what... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 12:12 PM on April 30, 2008

Have something to look forward to in the morning. A nice walk, tasty breakfast, whatever, something that you *want* to do in the morning.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 6:11 AM on April 30, 2008

Maybe someone at the gaming club would clue you in?
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:22 AM on April 28, 2008 marked best answer

That is a great response from drakeg. I like how he described the burden of winning all the time.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:40 AM on April 30, 2008

For Roman flavor, the BBC series I, Claudius has quite a few softcore moments. And its a great series too (and an even better book.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:22 PM on April 29, 2008

I would also say it depends on where in the states you are going. I remember the first time I went to a semi-nice restaurant in Chicago and there was a bathroom attendant. That was the most uncomfortable thing. I just wanted to pee. I needed no help whatsoever, but there he was, turning the water on, commenting on how nice and warm he got it, then fluffing up my towel, making small talk about sports or whatever. It was very awkward. I dropped some ones into the basket but not out of a sense of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:28 AM on April 29, 2008

I've read that a rule of thumb for tipping a bartender: If the bartender leaves you coins as part of your change, its okay to leave the coins as part of the tip, but only if you never pick up the coins and then put them back down.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:57 AM on April 29, 2008

It is a racist joke but really most of the racism falls on the white guy. True, there is a physical stereotype on the black guy, but its the white guy who is made to be afraid, assumptive, and racist. Not all white guys are diminutive, afraid, and homophobic.


On another note....3 lbs? I would think that would be a hassle.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:43 AM on April 29, 2008

fuzzy - not 'chapteral title'?
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:34 AM on April 29, 2008

You could keep one on hand in case you get attacked by a tiny little shark.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:33 AM on April 29, 2008

None whatsoever.

Wait a minute...I think in my home-ec class we did have to do some grocery budget thing but it was a joke.

A 1 semester class on basic banking, credit, mortgages, retirement and so forth should be a requirement for graduation.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:24 AM on April 28, 2008

What if you got some fake foliage and put lighting behind it? Michael's has a huge selection of fake plants, vines, etc.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 4:30 AM on April 28, 2008

How about if you got one of those constellation lamp thingys, removed the casing, rigged some piece of plastic that could act as a new casing, and cut out leaf holes onto it?
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 4:56 AM on April 28, 2008

I would guess that the specimens have long since finished the bulk of their outgassing of formaldehyde, but I have nothing to back that up.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 8:16 PM on April 17, 2008

remote control boats and/or airplanes
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:04 PM on April 13, 2008

"If money were no object I would simply study and take as long as I needed to in educating myself."

So get some gig that pays the bills and learn all the math you want. Probably if you get a math related job it would lose its luster anyhow.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:03 PM on April 13, 2008

Sounds like you have a reasonable explanation....and its good that you followed up on it and issued the complaint....they should be much more likely to believe that it was a bogus warning.

I would disclose it. They could find out 3 years down the line that you lied about it and can you like that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:39 AM on March 31, 2008

Woah! There is more out there than I thought. Thanks everyone!

For the record, right now I am leaning towards LibraryThing. I will test it out with the free 200 entries, and see if it is worth the $10 to get unlimited entries.

Thanks!
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 12:14 PM on March 17, 2008

natabat - I just looked, you are correct. As low as $6 for yearly membership and as low as $19 for the yearly. They even have cute little adjectives describing the various membership amounts. for example, if you give $12 for a yearly membership you are deemed 'generous' and if you give $20 it states "We Love You!"
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 12:32 PM on March 17, 2008

Buy a new computer and use your current one to feed her false info.

And of course change all your online passwords using your new computer.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 12:19 PM on March 17, 2008

"Love is a battlefield."

What's that? Its not in a foreign language? Sure it is, its in cougar-ese.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:06 AM on February 13, 2008 marked best answer

Maybe make it a dialog. Model it after ask.metafilter somehow.

That way besides just complaining, you can utilize the hive-mind to actually solve problems instead of just pointing them out.

One way might be to have an open suggestion period....then tabulate those results and reduce duplicates...then have a list of condensed questions/complaints/advice that all employees can reply to.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 5:04 AM on February 12, 2008

At least I've learnt my lesson. Come pay-day I'm going straight out to buy a dedicated backup drive.

Oh come on! Where is your sense of adventure? What are the odds of it happening again? :-P
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 2:42 PM on February 5, 2008

Maybe since Indian food has been a *relatively* recent introduction to mainstream american diets, a buffet is an easier way for newcomers to sample a whole bunch of different stuff instead of having to commit to one entree that they aren't familiar with.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:19 PM on February 4, 2008

Maybe its just one of those things that is an easy enough idea to come to given our culture. Maybe its no meme at all, but just something that children invent over and over again.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 9:08 AM on February 4, 2008

hutta: I say its not a meme cuz kids make it up, independently of any meme-transmission between meme holders and meme recipients. Not to say that some people don't learn it as a meme, I just think it is constantly being re'discovered' by millions of kids every year.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 9:32 AM on February 4, 2008

In movies and on TV (which is what I base reality on) I see singers wearing scarves while nursing their throats. So maybe a scarf combined with the salt water and tea will push his throat over the edge into healthiness.

Ooh! And on Crocodile Dundee I saw Paul Hogan dump some cocaine into a pot of boiling water to use as a vaporizer. So he could try that too. Only maybe not cocaine, something mentholated or something.

Also maybe try Vick's Vapo rub.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:30 AM on February 4, 2008

I don't want to get to 85, and suddenly think "Damn! I wish I'd done that years ago"

All the above practical advice seconded. (ie save money, go to school, etc)

For the less tangible...ie How to end up at age 85 and be satisfied...

I think that is kinda hard to figure out. You could spend the next 40 years pursuing your every whim and desire and still be unsatisfied and feel that you wasted... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 4:45 AM on February 4, 2008 marked best answer

A regular old credit card? (ie not a check card?)

If its a regular credit card I would think it is not possible. Credit cards do not have routing numbers as far as I know.

There probably would be a way that it would be technically possible but that would probably involve an extra step for your HR and the chances of them cheerfully doing that would be nil I would guess.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 4:35 AM on February 4, 2008

OK...stretch but....

Three times. A Lady! (punctuation and capital A intentional)
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 2:18 PM on January 29, 2008

Domino's pizza is alright except for that corn meal powder crud they put on the bottom of their crust. Blech.

When I say its alright, I mean, if your office orders some and its either eat free pizza or work, eat the pizza. But don't order it at home.

Why not buy some flour and yeast and make some pizza dough. Soooo easy and it will be awesome.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:15 PM on January 26, 2008

Johnny (Edwards) Cake

Huckabeen Dip - bean dip

Guiliani Shots - jello shots

Frankenberry - (Fred Thompson - a la Daily Show)
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 7:12 PM on January 26, 2008

Egads! Let us know when you figure it out!

I have don't-stare-disease... Any time I am NOT supposed to stare at something, anything, I have this overwhelming urge to stare, and then, caught between my reptillian brains physiological need to look and my rational brains urge to be a socially acceptable creature, my body nearly convulses while the two duke it out. And all the while, I literally have no real desire to look upon said forbidden fruit,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 2:48 PM on January 23, 2008

what industry are you in?

I wouldn't worry about prospective employers caring about your temp status. If anything, it lets you off the hook on the question "Why are you looking for a job when you have one already?" Answer: I am a temp, duh.

You worked there a little over a year as a temp. Many companies have perma-temps, so prospective employers probably wouldnt really even take notice.

I would say perm.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 11:28 AM on January 23, 2008

Does it have to be a human cadaver?

Check out the side of county roads...plenty of deer and raccoons and such. I assume much of the basic anatomy is the same.

I wouldn't want to get caught digging around in a road kill though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 10:30 AM on January 23, 2008

Some of it is fashion...

I remember hearing something about Paul McCartney saying that he didn't want 'Mancini strings' when adding a string section to Sgt Peppers. What he meant by that was the string section mic'ed from a further distance, which gives it a more averaged, swooshy sound. So when recording the strings for Sgt Pepper they mic'ed the strings up close which changed the sound. Nowadays that is kinda par for the course.

Disclaimer:... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 9:14 AM on January 23, 2008

Seconding Naxos. I've got some good stuff from them. I'm no audiophile though.

On second thought...I do have one Naxos CD that is ridiculously quiet. I dont mean the music is quiet, I mean the CD is almost inaudible. Maybe it was just a lemon CD (is there such a thing?).
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 10:12 AM on January 23, 2008

He's a graphic designer? Does he like old things?

Get him this! Its an antique printing thing. High in unique-ness factor.

Hurry though, only 7 hours left.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 9:22 AM on January 23, 2008

OOh! I changed my mind, get him this

or this
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 9:26 AM on January 23, 2008

I chew them down to nubs so there is no where for the dirt to hide.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 8:15 AM on January 23, 2008

Mind you...I have zero intention of doing this...I just wanted to satisfy my curiosity. ergo, the desirability of drinking this concoction plays no part in my question. :-P

Espresso won't do the trick, unless you re-run the espresso through the machine. Although, it would probably take less cycles to create said Super Coffee with an espresso maker rather than a regular coffee maker.

jtron: When you did this...how many cycles did you do? Did it get thick? Did you drink it?
posted to Ask Metafilter by ian1977 at 8:11 AM on January 23, 2008