It's possible that your cat has settled down into its normal self now, and that what you have previously seen is how it acts when adapting to a new environment. Now that it's figured out "This person is not gonna eat me or boot me out into the streets", your Kiki may feel comfortable enough to be true to its nature. Which could involve a great deal of self-indulgent and oblivious napping, which she is free to do now that she has dubbed herself to be the master of all she surveys.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:17 AM on July 12, 2007

The birds in Austin have definitely gotten stupider. This past year, I've also noticed this "I wonder if that car will be friendly?" phenomenon quite a lot. Maybe the birds have a really awful air traffic control center that keeps routing them into deadly low-level lanes above the roads?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 11:48 AM on June 25, 2007

He's checking your email now against your explicit wishes.

Next he'll be checking your cellphone logs. And then questioning items on your credit card statements. And watching the mileage on your car. And questioning what time you come home.

This guy is a tool whose behavior goes beyond reacting to a blow to his fragile male ego. He's overly judgmental and based on what you've said, he really seems like a control freak with possible anger issues.

Get out.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:47 AM on June 19, 2007

Currently in release is Paul Verhoeven's Black Book: "In the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II, a Jewish singer infiltrates the regional Gestapo headquarters for the Dutch resistance."

Much older: Army of Shadows. "This non-spectacular movie (do not expect any Rambo or Robin Hood) shows us rigorously and austerely the everyday of the French Resistants : their solitude, their fears, their relationships,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:31 AM on June 19, 2007

Damn, I learned something new today. I was all set to laugh at this thread 'cuz for some reason I though Cherenkov radiation was only some theoretical emission from the event horizons of black holes. Where did I get that idea? I feel as if I should probably blame Larry Niven or something.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 12:22 PM on June 15, 2007

I've lived in Austin for five years now (and 20+ years in Houston prior to that), and I do not concur with the assessment by roofone. I find the city far from "seedy". Actually, the only places I've been to which I'd attach that label would be Atlanta (because of litter and grafitti along major thoroughfares) and the non-Inner Harbor portions of Baltimore (admittedly, most of my exposure to that was what could be viewed from the highway or rail line).

Austin is,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 3:40 PM on June 14, 2007

Hey, I lived in both Montrose and the Heights in Houston! Those places are about as funky as Houston manages to get.

Yes, the weather in Houston can be completely brutal BUT if you are not an outdoorsy type, that's just a problem in your dash from your car to the next air-conditioned shelter.

Portions of Houston get flooded with alarming frequency.

Rush hour traffic is completely horrible. I lived in H-town for 20+ years... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 2:29 PM on June 13, 2007

Torah Torah Torah
The Thirteenth Tribe
Thou Shalt Huck
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 8:30 AM on June 13, 2007

People's Front of Judea
Fighting Rabbis
Kabbalah Krew
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:34 AM on June 13, 2007

Electric Bugaloo II?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 1:43 PM on June 11, 2007

I like the Jitterthug suggestion. Or you could go with The Beatdown.

Also, doesn't dance music still come out on 12" vinyl? So, something alluding to that. Twelve-Inch Attack. Vinyl Siding. Uh...damn, my brushes with house music were too many years ago.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 2:45 PM on June 11, 2007

Ooh, I got it! Needle Tracks.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 10:00 AM on June 12, 2007

I was just out by Llano last weekend and a lot of the terrain out that way has much the same appearance as noted by rolypolyman above. On the side roads, you should be able to find some areas with significant amounts of prickly pear and mesquite and the like. Plus, if you're lucky, buzzards. Nothing in the way of tumbleweeds, however.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 6:55 PM on June 8, 2007

One thing you MIGHT have to take into consideration. A friend of mine just dropped $20K USD on new siding for his house. Then the neighborhood association enforcers walked by and said, "Oh, you can't do that. It violates your deed." And evidently some city code, too, as well. So be sure to check all relevant documents to make certain that your local municipality and neighborhood groups can't complain about you.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 12:14 PM on June 8, 2007

I've always thought it's very simple to explain. Cats HATE when you try to close off part of the house to them. They seem to feel that you are deliberately concealing some fabulous mystery from them and their lives are devoid of meaning unless they can get to the other side of the door to investigate. So basically, when you saunter into the bathroom and (presumably) close the door, cats are convinced that you're hiding something from them.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 6:25 PM on June 7, 2007

To look for a one-size-fits-all answer to a false question is to waste the resources of AskMe.

Because those resources are limited, dammit, and those who have responded here now cannot proffer answers to any other critical issues of the day. I blame cats.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 7:46 AM on June 8, 2007

I concur that it'll be important for you to observe the style of fellow players and try to conform to that, at least initially. It would be a buzz-kill if they're all about lengthy bloviating and speechifying and amateur acting, for instance, and you're about throwin' down the dice and blandly announcing "I hit and do 12 points of damage. Next."

Another thing--to the extent that you can, just roll with everything. There's a fine line between "I don't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 6:41 PM on June 7, 2007

In my opinion, regardless of what you want to happen, most cats have a solid and innate personality core from birth that won't change. You can modify some of their behavior, but there's at least 50% of their little psyches that boils down to "That's how that cat is". So while Cat Jr. might watch Cat Sr. and conclude "Biting and scratching is fun!", it's equally likely that some of her more noxious traits won't sink in at all, because Junior is just different from her.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 6:30 PM on June 7, 2007

As I often say, people with the means to make a choice are generally living the exact lifestyles they desire. As hermitosis points out upstream, it's easy to yammer about the things you want and how your life could be different. But that's typically just fantasizing out loud, because if you really wanted to change, you'd be working out a program for that. So, if this guy is pushing 50 and still boozing it up with the boys, it's not because he's pining for the love of a good... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 8:26 AM on June 6, 2007

It is difficult to have completely altruistic relationships based wholly on the goodness of one's heart. You need to be getting some kind of fulfillment out of a friendship. Usually, this is in the form of shared intimacy, good times, fond memories, and the ever-popular "Dude, I need a ride to the airport" or the somewhat less-frequent "Dude, I'm in jail". But some people find satisfaction in being the emotional prop to a needy friend with issues. If you can be that kind of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 8:19 AM on June 5, 2007

Air traffic controller.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 8:09 AM on June 5, 2007

You are asking me to worm into your brain and deterimine the parameters of your personal regret-o-meter. I decline this invitation.

Would I regret it? Heck, no! Look at it this way. "I want to listen to satellite radio in my car but I don't want to install the receiver myself. If I pay someone else to do this, will I feel a lack of ownership?" Correct answer = no.

There are many times when we want things and stuff... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:47 AM on May 31, 2007

Read a lot. Teach yourself a foreign language. Research and plan a mighty road trip or overseas dream vacation. Visit relatives. Paint over grafitti and pick up trash at a local park. Take up birding. Assign yourself a topic and write a semi-scholarly paper. Set up a woodshop in the garage and learn how to make or refinish furniture. Clean out the attic and/or cellar. Start writing a family history and videotape the oral memories of your elders. Play boardgames (warning: the high-end ones these... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 10:31 AM on May 25, 2007

In the American system, the controllers (and I'm talking about the folks that handle the flights in the air, not the dudes in the tower that control the takeoffs and landings) are on a loathsome shiftwork system. Two days, two nights, and a mid-shift. Every week. Every month. Every year. Until you die. Also, only the highest seniority controllers get a "real" Saturday-Sunday weekend...the juniors get stuck with, like, Tuesday-Wednesday.

When you graduate from... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 7:43 PM on May 24, 2007 marked best answer

In one household I know of, I've seen an elderly and fairly solitary cat driven into self-imposed exile into a blocked-off spare bedroom from which it seldom emerged because it could not abide a completely rambunctious Dobie that was brought into the fold.

In my own house, my former pseudo-tenant had an extremely sedate beagle/basset mix that was perhaps not even alive, it was so laidback. She had no interest at all in my cats and it's not even clear she recognized their... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 3:13 PM on May 21, 2007

Mike Conroy's 500 Great Comicbook Action Heroes is a nice survey of a wide range of figures from the 1930s to the present day, including a good number of non-Marvel and DC characters. It also has a good amount of detail about the assorted artists and writers associated with various titles and their publishing histories. Be advised, though, that there are some curious omissions and the organization of topics is idiosyncratic.

I concur that the Marvel and DC encylopedias... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 10:50 AM on May 21, 2007 marked best answer

Sometimes it amazes me how much the real world resembles Sweet Valley High.

O young man, gather her into your arms and rapturously kiss her with the kisses of your mouth. But no tongue...you're not ready for that.

Or nuke her from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 7:56 AM on May 19, 2007 marked best answer

Drunk texting is what people do nowadays. Before that there was drunk dialing, and prior to that, drunk semaphoring and drunk smoke signalling. It's an essential part of the human condition, and in fact, my in-depth study of T'ang-era Chinese poetry indicates that if it weren't for wine and women, there would essentially have been no poetry at all in the Middle Kingdom.

Everyone knows this, and the polite reaction for all involved is to pretend it never happened, which... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 7:17 AM on May 18, 2007

Go for the easy kill and target a woman whose boyfriend just went off to college in another town or got transferred to an office hours and hours away. Be a good friend. Take her out to the movies in that capacity and initiate long conversations and listen to her woes. Wait about three months. Make your move. Ideally, you should time it around a major holiday.

For more information on this topic, walk up to a random woman and say, "My speech is due tomorrow and my... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 10:40 PM on May 16, 2007

"Oh, no, I have TOO MANY women to sleep with--what shall I do? How can I sleep with ALL of them and still respect myself in the morning?" This is probably not the most compelling moral dilemma I've encountered.

The key thing here is to embrace the hedonism and throw off the shackles of your fake relationship and get down to business. And use plenty of protection. Also, drink lots of fluids. Lots and lots of fluids.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:59 PM on May 15, 2007

You could always go with "When I'm 64" by the Beatles. It's got the aging part covered, anyway.

Of course, a lot of music that discusses age is more in the vein of "Hope I die before I get old"...
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 2:08 PM on May 15, 2007

The method of transmission of zombiehood is pretty much identical to that of classical cases of rabies--through a bite. And no one would categorize the rabies-infected as being a different species. So your answer is that zombiehood would be considered, by the scientifically minded, to be a disease.

Although I've always been a bit puzzled as to how rapidly the zombie plague spreads. Zombies want to eat you, and usually they gang-tackle you and devour you. In their swarm... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 11:15 AM on May 15, 2007

Meh. Studies have indicated that roughly 63% of all heterosexual women can tell at least 78% of the time when their guy friend is making schmoopy eyes at them. And in today's free and unfettered environment, women make the first move whenever it so pleases them. So I would guess that A) she already knows how you feel, and B) she's hoping that you don't rock the friendship with a sweeping declaration of intent.

The other mathematical calculation here is: you have 100% of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:14 AM on May 15, 2007

Eh, none of these are as bad as a one-shot villain that the Thing fought back in the late '70s or early '80s. I think it was in Marvel Two-in-One or Marvel Teamup? Anyway, the bad guy had the ability to control his body's adhesiveness. Yes...he could make stuff stick to himself. Kinda like he was a living Post-It (tm) note. Except less exciting.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 3:51 PM on May 14, 2007

If nothing else, federal governments are rarely thrilled when member states decide they want to bail. Secession wasn't altogether warmly greeted when the southern states tried it in the U.S., for instance. And it didn't work so great for Yugoslavia or the U.S.S.R. Most breakup attempts are resisted strenuously because nations don't generally enjoy getting smaller and therefore less powerful. Losing any component elements could risk losing valuable resources or populations.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 12:19 PM on May 14, 2007

I would base my decision on very selfish grounds. Which area will give you the greatest opportunities for quick and easy travel on your free time to the widest range of interesting sites? Of course, this depends upon what constitutes "interesting" for you. Urban vistas versus the wilderness?

You would also want to consider culture shock. Do you want something vaguely Westernish or completely new to you?

That being said, I'd choose Asia.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 10:01 AM on May 14, 2007

Hollywood has already shown us the inevitable consequences of such treachery. Whenever someone betrays their side for money or other reasons, the enemy that used him or her immediately puts a bullet in their brain on the theory that they can't trust a traitor.

DO NOT PUT A BULLET IN HER BRAIN. That was a metaphor. But the point is, you're already wondering how you trust someone who broke faith with another. It could turn out that you might not ever be able to. But I... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 12:42 PM on May 11, 2007

Part of growing up is ignoring the advice of your parents and striking out by yourself to make foolish mistakes of your own.

A lot of learning only occurs by doing, and a lot of realizing the value of things is by exploring the alternatives. And a lot of appreciating what we have in life comes from a sense of having earned it and chosen it by ourselves.

Move to a different state and start anew. You'll stumble and you'll commit more than a few... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:25 AM on May 11, 2007

Good call on the BOC tune.

B.B. King's "Into The Night" from the movie soundtrack of the same name.

Rev. Horton Heat's "In Your Wildest Dreams"
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 11:17 AM on May 10, 2007

Oh, and also a good call on the Julee Cruise song.

Did we get "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 1:07 PM on May 10, 2007

I knew that I had achieved adulthood when I found myself saying things like "Turn that music down!" and "Slow down, you'll crash the car!" and "Get off my lawn!"

Mostly this happened after I got a major promotion at work and also bought a house.

But a lot of adulthood comes simply from the accumulation of years and therefore experience. With the passage of time, you learn to show up early at the airport instead of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 1:52 PM on May 9, 2007

My rule for this sort of thing is: follow the advice that would give a friend who was telling you this same story. "Yes, but this is different--" No. No, it is not. Everyone in this type of situation wants to believe that their heartache is unique and that the guy/girl/goat in question really means well, and here are the extenuating circumstances, and et cetera. There's no reason why you shouldn't do exactly what you would urge your friends to do with their errant... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 12:52 PM on May 9, 2007

I abhor running and try to avoid it at all costs. If I absolutely can't escape this hideous torture, I spend most of my mental monologue whinging and sniveling. I am incapable of reaching that fabled runner's Zen-like state of emptiness.

If I concentrate, though, I can derail the self-pity and dwell more productively upon other matters. I find that it helps to be a nerd. So I think about what my D&D character's plans should be, or try to reconcile the timelines from... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 2:48 PM on May 8, 2007

Huh. My grandfather and some of my grand-uncles used to hop the freight back in Depression times. When I learned of this, I made the mistake of referring to that practice as "riding the rails", and he got indignant. He said that phrase referred to the tactic of perching on part of the undercarriage of a car, and that only the lowest of the low were reduced to such an extremity.

Upon research, I see he meant "riding the rods".... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 10:47 AM on May 8, 2007

The rather twisted German thriller Funny Games by Michael Haneke (who apparently is directing an American remake) might qualify. There is some breaking of the fourth wall, along with other unexpected developments that show that the characters are aware they are in a movie.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 3:31 PM on May 3, 2007

I think she's deciphering the unique scent-tag associated with each dog and matching it to her mental library of known canines. "Hmm, pleasingly acrid with strong ammonia overtones and an impudent vinegary tang...must be Bloodfang the Destroyer." Then she has to decide whether or not the accumulation of urinary leavings requires her addition to either announce to her friends that "Kilroy was here" or to warn unknown pee-ers that this is her turf and suckas best respect.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 3:23 PM on May 3, 2007

If you intend to go ahead with Operation: Awesome!, I would recommend that you take some digital pictures at the start of your grand scheme and then post regular updates for us to monitor your progress from 98-pound weakling to Charles Atlas. Otherwise, as many have noted, you will lose any incentive to do anything other than schlep around all day in your underwear, playing World of Warcraft. Which is, of course, a completely viable alternative.

I view these kinds of... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 8:43 AM on May 2, 2007

Eh. My undergrad GPA was embarrassing...2.67, I think, when I was capable of much more. But I did pretty good on the GMAT or some other such test, and I easily got into an MBA program a few years later. Of course, it was at a minor university in Houston, not some top-line program. But still...

My thinking is that most programs are primarily interested in your ability to pay.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 8:41 AM on May 1, 2007

Having been in Seoul for a few days last year, I can second the recommendation of Gyeongbokgung. Extensive grounds, a ceremonial changing of the guard in period costumes, and a nice folk museum, plus the scenic backdrop of the mountains.

Also, as noted above, Insadong is a nice shopping district if you're looking for a non-mall experience and you are in search of arts/crafts-type stuff. Also a lot of little restaurants there.

You can always go to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 9:07 AM on April 30, 2007

Specifically to answer this question, I just conducted a review of several dozen checks drawn on all types of financial institutions from across the country. The styling ranges from "Big Bank" to "Big Bank, Bogusville, XX" to "Big Bank, 123 Dogwood Lane, Bogusville, XX" to "Big Bank, 123 Dogwood Lane, Boguseville, XX, Ph# 555-1212". So there does not appear to be some hard and fast rule.

It can be helpful for the bank processing a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Midnight Creeper at 1:21 PM on April 25, 2007