Thanks for all the answers - very quick response, too. Anyway, the bic pen trick won't work, but I'll get a grinder out there and see what happens.... Keep the ideas coming!
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 3:08 PM on May 23, 2008

Pretty sure it's more serious than that, though perhaps the dealer is really trying to make a buck by replacing the whole ignition lock assembly.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 12:52 PM on January 11, 2008

Terpia - any way for me to check and see if this is indeed the case? The car was bequeathed to me many years ago, and I don't really know where it came from and what the dealer may have installed. Gosh I hope it's something as simple as that.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 2:44 PM on January 11, 2008

And thanks for all the advice - keep it coming!
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 2:44 PM on January 11, 2008

The Bible.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 7:59 PM on December 17, 2007

I made a mix about a year ago for a friend for this very purpose - songs to sing or sing along to your baby as they're going to sleep. Here's the playlist:

Sailor - Hem
Birds - Neil Young
The Wind - Cat Stevens
Sundays - Lucinda Williams
The Fox in the Snow - Belle & Sebastian
Time Has Told Me - Nick Drake
Off To Sea Once More - Jerry Garcia & David Grisman
Grassey,Grass Grass -... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 7:06 AM on October 17, 2007

Where I'm From - Shelby Lynne
A beautiful song, with bonus patois/cajun lyrics
_________
Heaven knows this ain't no Margaret Mitchell
where the oak trees meet the pines
I know it might sound kinda simple
oh but it's mine oh it's mine

Thought I heard a logman cuttin' timber
down the Mississippi line
I'm up the old Tombigbee river
high as the pines, all the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 7:02 PM on March 23, 2007

I may not have explained myself clearly.
I'm not looking to get the PT appointment reimbursed, I'm looking to recoup the remaining six months worth of insurance (that I signed up for and paid for) from the plan I just switched away from.

As per your second paragraph, I agree. I don't regret having insurance for the past three months, even though it never kicked in (thankfully). What I regret is that I can't get out of my old insurance policy early and get... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 9:05 PM on March 13, 2007

Thanks for the advice - I'll get tough!
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 9:49 PM on March 13, 2007

Matthew Shipp is right up your jazz alley. Anthony Braxton Live - released in 1975 is a great one.

Brian Eno and Phillip Glass as composers.

What about Zappa and Captain Beefheart? Too rocky?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 8:22 PM on March 5, 2007

As if you haven't gotten enough recommendations, but what about The Books? I don't want to open the collage/electronic can of worms, but it seems like it's worth checking out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 1:04 PM on March 7, 2007

Lily Allen is a little bubble-gummier, but has some of these elements. And the Streets, too.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 3:40 PM on February 15, 2007

And yes, Lady Soveirgn is right up your alley.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 3:43 PM on February 15, 2007

Port Wine. Best paired with Stoned Wheat Thin Crackers Hm!
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 9:03 AM on February 15, 2007

Statshot
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 9:01 AM on February 15, 2007

Yes to Flannery. Wise Blood is manlier than just about everything.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 11:08 AM on February 13, 2007

The All Music Guide new release newsletter is pretty sweet. It comes into my inbox every Tuesday, is comprehensive, with links to reviews of every release. Of course, this isn't going to help you anticipate releases, just know about them when they happen. For longer-term planning, I second (fifth?) Pitchfork.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 9:33 AM on February 13, 2007

So, yes, Big Sur can be a bit pricey, but you did state that you were interested in great food, wine, etc.

There's a lot of debate about where to go in Big Sur, but in my opinion the BEST is the Big Sur Bakery, better than Deetjens and Nepenthe. Run by Phil and Michelle, husband and wife team that will take great care of you. The dinner is spectacular as is the wine list, but if your timing is not right for dinner, at least stop for coffee and the best desserts between... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 8:23 AM on February 11, 2007

Company I used to work for asked this one:

4 people on one side of a river who need to row accross a river. They row in 1, 2, 5, 8 minutes respectively.

There's one rowboat, two people in the boat, max. If two people are in the boat, the slowest rower has to row. So, if the 8 and 1 are in the boat, it will take 8 minutes to cross. If the 5-2 are together, it will take 5, and so on...

Obviously, the boat needs to get... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 1:11 PM on February 8, 2007

A lot of this is nicely referenced here but I'll just add to the advice:

+Obviously, STRETCH STRETCH STRETCH. Hamstrings are usually the main problem area.

+Start slow and get faster. One of the hardest things to do is start fast, slow down, then try to go back up. It will be much more rewarding if your home stretch is your fastest, no matter how slow you have to start.

+Run with someone. Chat for the first half or... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 11:47 AM on February 7, 2007

Okay, this is really not true. Yes, passive stretching before-hand is pretty useless, but NO ONE says that stretching after working out is not helpful. If you really want to do it right, an active warm-up (3min run, high knees, butt kicks, frankenstein walks, so forth) is the way to go, then a nice long stretch (working from larger muscle groups to smaller) after your run. This will help flexibility - which is key to power - and push lactic acid out of your muscles.

The... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 12:57 PM on February 8, 2007

I would look into some of the experimental stuff that was taking place in NYC in the late-70s. This is when Salsa was just taking off, and also talking to funk, soul and other emerging styles. SoulJazz has put out an absolutely amazing compilation - Nuyorica: Experiments in Latin Music . Bands like Ocho, Cortijo, and all of that Fania records stuff is great.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 11:30 AM on February 7, 2007 marked best answer

Yes yes yes to Brautigan. And of course Didion's The White Album.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 9:16 PM on February 6, 2007

I don't know squat about this field, but it's funny that you mention that many of these school's sites are "hard to navigate at best." Might be the perfect topic for your essay - how I'd redesign your website.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 1:22 PM on February 6, 2007

Aha! Yes, I do have a credit card with a $3500 balance sitting on it. I've stopped using the card and am chipping away with small monthly payments... Is that where I should put it?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 1:48 PM on December 27, 2006

I recently wrote my best friend, who has impeccable taste in literature, with this question:

"I haven't read a work of fiction that has really fired me up in a long time. I generally read non-fiction, but the holidays are coming up and I need ONE GREAT BOOK to re-awaken my love of serious fiction. I need a suggestion from you; I'm not asking anyone else, and I don't want a list. One book, take your time."

His response: Gould's Book of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 1:23 PM on December 27, 2006

You should check out the International Ecotourism Society. They have lots of briefs, guides and links.

Issues surrounding ecotourism, as the above have alluded to, are very interesting and worth considering. Everything from making personal choices to legislating environmental impact and community involvement. Good luck. If you get a chance, post a sketch syllabus here for us to see what you come up with.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 8:05 AM on December 21, 2006

For what it's worth, most craftsman hand tools have a lifetime warranty, so my suggestion would be to meet your needs at your price level and not worry about getting "cheap" tools - everything in their line is rock solid for non-commercial use.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 3:07 PM on December 19, 2006

The best sportswriter in the land is Michael Lewis. He famously wrote the books Liar's Poker, Moneyball and The Blind Side, but he is also a regular contributor to the NYTimes, so you can definitely find lots of his stuff in there.

Why the aversion to real books? You could go read Paper Tiger, Levels of The Game, David Foster Wallace's pieces on tennis...... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 11:13 AM on December 13, 2006

Folks, seriously, it's gotta be Savannah, GA, the best little city in America.

Growing, but with a very rich tradition.
Friendlier than just about anywhere.
Obviously, great weather and beach.
Culture, with SCAD and other universities.
Close to Charleston, and only a few hours from Atlanta.

I live in Brooklyn, and wish I lived in Savannah.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 11:17 AM on December 12, 2006

Benjamin Smoke is one of my favorite documentaries, period. Made by Jem Cohen, the same guy who made the Fugazi Movie. Also worth seeing:

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

The Cruise [not exactly an "artist" but certainly an outsider]

Jim White's documentary about the weird south.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 11:47 AM on November 29, 2006

I second that Henry Darger doc - it's really great.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 11:57 AM on November 29, 2006

ArcticWoman: I'm in no way going to be able to answer the bigger questions, but I think this:

The first thing I’ve done is organise my music into genre related playlists such as Indie, Dance, Chill etc. You could do this using a smart playlist and matching the genre to a specified keyword.

simply means that he created a manual playlist called "Dance" and dragged all the music that falls under that into it. That's a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 3:09 PM on November 27, 2006

Thanks, that does help.

More specifically, I was thinking about instances where people have replaced a technological tool (say, the PDA) with a *new* invention that is explicitely anti-technology (index cards and clip). The examples above are good, but they seem more like embracing older technology as opposed to inventing something new that has an anti-technology aesthetic...

It's a minor distinction, and, again, this helps alot. Thanks. Any other ideas out there?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 7:35 AM on November 26, 2006

Thanks to all for the great response. Chuckles, yes, I think much of it is frivolous; I by no means am advocating an anti-technology aesthetic for the sake of it. But I am trying to wrap my head around the thesis that there might be a move towards 'primitive' technology (or lack of technology (as in electronics) entirely) by those who are at the very edge of emerging innovations.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 2:04 PM on November 27, 2006

Going through PA is awfully pretty, hitting towns like Harrisburg and Lancaster. But, I'm going to third the Cape May option.

Lewes, the little town you end up in in DE after the ferry, is a lovely little town, and pretty close to Rehobeth and Henlopen St. Park. Then, along this route you'll pass through Georgetown and all these beautiful little towns with white picket fences and candles in the windows, the whole works.

Then over the bay bridge,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 6:05 PM on November 26, 2006

Aimee Mann just released a Christmas album. Sounds like an awful idea, but everything she touches turns to gold, so you gotta give it the benefit of the doubt.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jtajta at 7:17 PM on November 24, 2006