If you don't mind going a bit further north of Mendocino (about 10 miles), the Columbi Motel in Fort Bragg has insanely good rates. It's somewhat bare bones and the WiFi sucks, but I recently picked up a single room with a kitchen for $60 a night. According to their site, they even have some rooms as cheap as $35 a night, which is a downright steal.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 3:14 PM on September 6, 2008

I should add...assuming you're one of those people who says "we" meaning "my significant other and I" and you're looking for something romantic, forget my suggestion :-)
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 3:16 PM on September 6, 2008

Metallica Drummer is the first one that comes to mind.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:33 PM on July 25, 2008 marked best answer

...although that's from the '90s which might be a bit late for what you're doing. However, it was definitely pre-internet as it spread via VHS dubs, much like the Winnebago Man Jack Rebney video (self-link).
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:35 PM on July 25, 2008

I'm not sure if it's changed, but I was able to take traffic school (online, no less) about 3 times during the course of 18 months or so in Los Angeles about 5 years ago. I believe you have to specifically request it, though. I can't remember exactly how you do that.

Also, assuming this is still true, the court will almost always grant you the traffic school option because they get paid a fee for those (something like $29.95, I think). The court does not get a similar... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 7:35 PM on July 23, 2008

This may be relatively common knowledge, but it helps a lot if you always keep your fingers together and slightly cupped if you're doing anything other than backstroke.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 7:27 PM on July 23, 2008

I am prone to seasickness and successfully avoided any trace of it on a cruise a few years back with a combination of Sea-Bands and the Transderm Scōp patch, as mentioned above. If you can get your hands on both, I'd recommend that. YMMY, but I don't recall having any side effects.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 3:18 PM on July 22, 2008

Hotel Brouwer Singel canal. Wonderful.

Seconded. I stayed there a few months back, and I highly recommend it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:51 PM on July 18, 2008

"Never give up the punt for the pole."
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 10:14 PM on July 9, 2008

New Beverly Cinema
Sushi Row and Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City!
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 12:00 AM on July 7, 2008

A belated thank you to everyone who chimed in. I had a great time on the trip and really appreciate the suggestions.

I ending up staying at base2stay in London and Phileas Fogg in Brussels, both of which were nice (if a bit expensive).

In Amsterdam, I went "offlist" and booked a few nights at the Hotel Brouwer, which I wholeheartedly recommend for both price (60 euros a night) and location (right on the Singel canal about a 10 minute... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:35 PM on June 17, 2008

15GB for an hour is pretty insane.

I don't think that's insane if we're talking long terms storage for archival purposes. I'd argue that if you're talking about keeping stuff around for decades, you'll want to keep the media as high quality (uncompressed is best) as you can. The quality is likely to be significantly lower than what's available decades from now, so I see no need to further reduce it when hard drive space is relatively affordable... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 7:16 PM on June 14, 2008 marked best answer

If you're looking for round-the-world airfare accommodations, I've noticed that BootsnAll seems to be highly regarded by a good number of people, though I haven't used them myself.

If you're unfamiliar with Rolf Potts, you would do well to read Vagabonding, which is excellent. He has a blog as well, which could be a good resource for what you're trying to do.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 5:28 PM on June 14, 2008

Assuming you'd like to visit some biercafés and not just breweries, I left a reply to a recent AskMe about good places to visit in Brussels that might be helpful. When in Bruges, you would do well to visit the most excellent and unmissable 't Brugs Beertje and Café Vlissinghe, the oldest café in Bruges (dating from 1515).

As far as Westvleteren goes, a beer scholar in Brussels recently mentioned to me that, due to reselling, the abbey only sells three bottles at a time... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 5:16 PM on June 14, 2008

I had about 6 hours in the center of Brussels a month ago and spent most of it walking around the Grand Place area, soaking up the atmosphere and (ahem) trying a beer at a bunch of amazing establishments. All of these are within a few minutes' walk of one another and highly recommended:

Delirium Cafe (Impasse de la Fidélité, 4A) Good stuff. Right down the alley from the Jeanneke Pis, the funnier little sister of the Mannekin Pis.

A La Mort... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 6:16 PM on June 12, 2008

Renting bikes is the best way to get around Amsterdam, but you (and especially your children) will need to be careful and watch out for cars, trams, other bicycles, and (perhaps most importantly) pedestrians (read: clueless tourists walking into bike lanes).

I highly recommend going to the Anne Frank House in the evening, after 6 or 7 pm. I did this recently and there was no line whatsoever.

I haven't taken it myself, but a friend recently took... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:59 PM on June 12, 2008

Wow, so I'm not the only one that does this? Awesome.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 8:23 PM on June 9, 2008

Rosemary's Baby.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 5:40 PM on June 1, 2008

I just came back from Belgium and, though it's a bit more touristy, I thought Bruges was nicer than Ghent. YMMV, but two days in Ghent seems about one too many (at least) for a trip of that length. Whatever you do, make sure you rent a bicycle whenever possible.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:26 PM on May 28, 2008

Wow, that's kind of messed up. I would be very firm with her and tell her that you do not want the cat inside her (or anyone else's) apartment and that you don't want anyone else to feed her. In the interest of neighborly relations, I'd suggest being very friendly about this, but I would be ready to follow up with a threat to go to the police if she doesn't comply.

I realize that it's not typically a scenario where you would typically involve the police, but it's just... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 3:41 PM on May 2, 2008

No.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 3:50 PM on April 27, 2008

This is a tough question to answer because you're asking two things here. Some songs are "hits" but aren't necessarily great songs, as far as a band's catalog goes. And many of these bands have loads of great songs but they're not hits. If you're talking straight popularity, I'd suggest Pavement's "Cut Your Hair" (again, the only problem with this is that it's just not that good as far as Pavement goes, but YMMV) and Nada Surf's "Popular" (same problem).... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:13 PM on April 22, 2008

most film houses/producers don't care if you've been to school or not.

Not true, unless you want to hump boxes or log tapes. This goes double in LA.

Seconding SMC.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 5:22 PM on April 15, 2008

If you do go, make sure you get every last drop out of it, cause you'll be paying it off for quite awhile.

That's for damn sure. My experience has been different, but as you said, there are no hard and fast rules. I was working full time at Miramax inside two weeks of moving to LA, and this was an avenue that directly opened up to me because of connections I otherwise would not have had. But you are correct -- if you are resourceful or driven... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 6:58 PM on April 15, 2008

Gauloises Blondes, the Marlboro Medium of the Continental set.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 12:25 AM on April 15, 2008

Os Mutantes is some seriously awesome stuff.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 5:13 PM on April 13, 2008

I think the most misogynistic song I've ever heard is Eminem's '97 Bonnie and Clyde.

A minor quibble: Something isn't necessarily misogynistic just because it speaks of violence against a woman. To Eminem's credit, the song (as reprehensible or inappropriate as it is) isn't about hating women, it's about hating a woman.

Anyway, my vote goes to "It's So Easy" by Guns n' Roses:Ya get nothin' for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 5:36 PM on April 3, 2008

MeTa
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 12:29 AM on April 4, 2008

Enthusiastically seconding Real Genius. A very sweet, funny film with some laugh out loud moments. Plus, it's got William Atherton!
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 11:21 PM on April 3, 2008

Forgive my lack of modesty here, but I launched the original viral video channel on iFilm some years back and I consider myself a bit of an expert in this arena. Here's what I'd say:

Best - Will it Blend? Not only did they get a ridiculous amount of exposure for their blenders, they actually made money on the videos by posting them to Revver and similiar sites that pay based on performance.

Worst - Most of the worst ones you haven't even heard... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:32 PM on April 3, 2008 marked best answer

Plink (available at Vons and your local neighborhood pharmacist/grocery). For all your dishwasher disposal/apartment-holey-things cleaning needs.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 1:40 AM on March 26, 2008

He's a bit older now, but I'd say Joe Perry.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 10:55 PM on March 25, 2008

Seconding the recommendations for the Senator and Belvedere Square in the 212. But absolutely do not miss Swallow at the Hollow and Jerry's Belvedere (right across the street from each other) if you'd like a good old-timey drink in the neighborhood tavern.

I also heartily recommend the Mt. Washington Tavern, which is a great place for a drink and a bite after lacrosse at Hopkins. Even if you're not big into sports, watching a game at Homewood Field is fun and cheap.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 10:53 PM on March 11, 2008

jmnugent: 2.) over-prescribed anti-depressants

I think your comment proves that the inability of so many to understand mental illness is a big part of the problem.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 4:47 PM on March 2, 2008

The letter threatened that in the future, being late would "not be tolerated." There was no further explanation of what this entailed.

This almost certainly means you're going to fired if you don't shape up immediately.

ask him to clarify what he means by not being "tolerated"

Do not do this. To put it bluntly, your boss will think you're an idiot, in which... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 10:21 PM on February 19, 2008

anyway, you can consider a lawsuit

Are you seriously suggesting that the poster sue the company because her supervisor called her out for fucking something up?

if you belong to any kind of minority or have some sort of disability or have been harassed in any way, you might consider talking to a lawyer. [emphasis mine]

matteo, I've generally found you to be a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 3:26 PM on February 20, 2008

Thank you for reading. I will appreciate any insight.

I don't say this to be unduly harsh, but you are really at the point of your life where you need to figure this shit out yourself. The specifics may very, but you are an adult now and need to be able to figure out what's acceptable for you and what's not without asking a bunch of strangers on the internet what to do.

Taking responsibility for your own life and what's a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 11:24 PM on February 18, 2008

Hey, so I was able to use the information garnered from this post during the appearance. Shameless/shameful self-link.

Thanks, AskMetafilter!
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 11:23 PM on February 6, 2008

I saw the elephant seals just two days ago, and they are all kinds of awesome. They smelled wonderful.

video (self-link)
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 1:48 AM on January 26, 2008

Jerry Brown (former Governor and current AG of California) called me once after dialing a wrong number while he was running in his most recent campaign. He literally spent 5 minutes talking to me about what I was doing and small talk that that. Then he put me on the phone with his wife, who was equally pleasant. You're goddamned right I voted for him after that.

Much nicer than Al Franken, who seemed kind of like a dick, actually, when he called.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 6:12 PM on January 7, 2008

There are some here, but they're not high-res [via].

If there for a high quality book, I suggest you contact the copyright holders for the film in question. Assuming they're interested in your licensing fees, I am sure they could point you in the right direction.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 8:06 PM on January 1, 2008

When I think of Massachusetts, I mostly think of provincialism. Beyond that, the following comes to mind:

1. Annoying sports fans

2. Racism (you can always tell who's from New England because they're the type of person that looks around Boston and says "there's a lot of blacks here!")

3. Meatheads & Massholes

4. Bad drivers (ever seen a left turn from the right lane? You will.)... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 7:43 PM on January 1, 2008

I can understand being annoyed, since it sounds like they didn't consult you at all.

Why on earth should they consult her before deciding to celebrate Christmas with their own kids?

anonymous, if you don't want to participate, then don't. Beyond that, it's really none of your business what holidays these folks celebrate with their kids, and the fact that you are concerned about a new tradition that brings family together strikes me as bizarre and selfish.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 3:23 PM on December 31, 2007

Calling the police is definitively a no-no. My parents do not approve this at all in fear of rumours.

I hate to put this so bluntly, but assuming that statement is true, your parents are a big part of the problem and deserve whatever "rumors" people might start if they hear about this.

Call the police. Tell them what you have told us. Do this. PLEASE. Your brother is a dangerous person, and even if you could... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 10:14 PM on December 30, 2007

Not Thai food, but El Floridita is just a few blocks away at Fountain and Vine, and they serve excellent Cuban food.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 5:33 PM on December 30, 2007

Flagged as everything that is wrong with the internet.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 2:59 PM on December 29, 2007

At the very least, you could try contacting the police department in the town where he departed and see if they can tell you anything. If a gun was involved in his death, surely the police would have been involved in some capacity.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 8:32 PM on December 28, 2007

Both of the cats living in my apartment exhibit the same traits.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 7:43 PM on December 28, 2007

"Why are you wasting your life filling out MySpace surveys?"
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 7:42 PM on December 28, 2007

I am jumping on this thread way late, but I definitely second the recommendation of getting the 1103. I have the Degen model and it works wonders (especially for the price), but you will probably fare better with the Kaito model. Shipping to China is quite expensive and time consuming in the event that you have a faulty unit. I'd say it's definitely worth spending just a bit more to get one that's under warranty in the U.S. (assuming you live here, that is).
posted to Ask Metafilter by dhammond at 6:57 PM on December 28, 2007