I kind of suck at Buteos, but I want to go with red-tailed hawk. Dark face, light breast, belly-band. Ospreys have a very conspicuous eye-stripe which I'm not seeing here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 6:28 PM on July 18, 2008

Guitarnoise.com
The easy songs for beginners series is pretty great, I've been working my way through them myself.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 1:44 PM on June 9, 2008

If the skids are on wet turns, then your problem is not in your brakes. Your problem is that your new car weighs about 500lbs more than your old car. You need to drive more slowly, and you especially need to drive more slowly in the rain. If curves can jump out at you so fast that you simply don't have time to slow down enough for them, then you just need to be driving more conservatively. Your GIS should be for directions, not to warn you of road conditions. If you came around one of those... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 10:38 PM on May 22, 2008

1: Nearly every day.
2: No, never.
2a: I have seen someone threatened with violence for doing so (although the asker was not particularly politic in the phrasing of his request.)
Unasked for 3: But you know what I hate? People listening to music on their cell phones on the bus. Seriously, they sit there with their cell phone open on their lap, playing music out of the speaker. Super annoying. But I still don't say anything.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 11:29 PM on May 9, 2008

We have a guitar which "died" (bridge pulled loose, home repairs insufficient, guitar not worth professional repairs) and was subsequently turned into an art project. To hang it, I cut a keyhole in the back of the body, from which it can hang on a single nail. It hangs at an angle because of the placement of the keyhole. This option looks great, but means that the guitar loses nearly all of its value as a musical instrument. Don't do this to a still-functioning guitar.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 3:22 PM on April 5, 2008

Instead of push-ups or sit-ups, for which you have to drop to the floor, train yourself to do squats or, if you have the upper body strength and the space for a bar, pull-ups.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 10:05 PM on March 31, 2008

Talk to your geography department, and see about a license for GIS software. It is likely that they have an institutional ArcGIS license. ArcGIS won't run on your mac, as has been mentioned, but perhaps you can install it on a machine on-campus that you have access to? That might be easier for licensing purposes too. Play with it, and be aware that it is a very picky piece of software. Example: keep your filenames short and alpha-numeric. Don't try and move your files around without using... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 12:13 AM on March 28, 2008

A search term for you: Choropleth map.
The easiest way? With GIS software. You have zero budget, and my only experience is with ArcGIS software, which ain't free. You might investigate whether an institution that you have access to has a license for GIS software, or else investigate the various free/open source GIS programs. I'm not familiar with .svg format, except that it's a vector image format, so I don't know offhand whether it will be useful. What you need out of your base... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 5:10 PM on March 23, 2008 marked best answer

Not extinct globally, and is mostly a danger to our food, not us, but how about screw-worm? The California Condor gets another very nearly vote, though much of that loss was from ecological factors, some was ranchers thinking it killed cattle. I'd mostly vote for large predators like wolves and bear, though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 2:15 AM on March 22, 2008

Food prep to remove inedible portions is very common--think nut shelling. Chimps also perform a behavior called pestle-pounding to crush the meristematic tissues of palms, softening the fibers enough for eating, which I think qualifies more as food prep since it's modifying the part of the food that will be ingested, not removing unwanted portions. (Chimps have lots of other tool-use behaviors as well, but this is the only food-modification one I can think of.) I remember some film, don't... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 1:48 AM on March 22, 2008

Interesting! My transplanted-southern aunt introduced me to the concept of a bottle of vinegar with some sliced jalapenos left to soak in it, but I never knew you could buy it in a store. It's great on black-eyed peas though (the bean--never tried it with the band.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 1:32 AM on March 15, 2008

I'm not an expert here, but I think that for something to be a game you almost always need at least one of: interaction/competition between multiple players, a physically challenging task, or [pseudo]randomization of game variables. These factors can be separated from the "playing' of the game in space and time, though. For example, in a choose-your-own-adventure book, or in a chess puzzle, the author and the reader are both "players" but they play at different times. You could... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 5:44 PM on March 14, 2008

To summarize: real charcoal is wood that has been partially combusted by heating in a sealed container. Charcoal Briquettes are all kinds of weird shit (sawdust, coal, borax...) held together with some kind of binding agent. At a guess, the real charcoal (natural hardwood charcoal like you have) is the stuff you want to use to heat your inhalants.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 10:18 PM on March 11, 2008

Lots here specifically here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 12:34 AM on March 9, 2008

What InfidelZombie said. Also, you can define the projection for a layer in ArcGIS under, I believe, Properties-->Source if you know what projection it ought to be in.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 4:24 PM on March 6, 2008

Oh, for a join to work, the two columns will have to be the same variable type (string, double integer, etc.) If Arc is inferring the wrong type for your Excel data, try importing it into an access database and defining the variable type there, then loading the .dbf into Arc instead of the .xls
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 4:26 PM on March 6, 2008 marked best answer

One more: I was wrong about how to define a projection. Here's instructions.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 4:36 PM on March 6, 2008 marked best answer

It sounds like you're working on "unfair words." Since these can't be solved with phonetics, she needs them as sight-words. Google "sight words" to get good lists of common, but unfair words. If, on the other hand, you want increasingly tricky phonetic words, don't be afraid to make them up. Ask her to spell crumbilstion, or read phrogment.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 12:15 AM on March 6, 2008 marked best answer

bricoleur: I'm familiar with hypothetical and categorical imperatives, but my (admittedly limited) understanding of ethics is that a given system of ethics defines a value, and then states that the quantity of whatever is valued ought to be increased. Shouldn't it then be possible to construct evolutionarily-based systems of ethics (e.g. Maximal adaptation is the good, Maximal species diversity is the good, maximal copies of my particular genes is the good?)

More to the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 8:31 PM on March 4, 2008

The Desert. Go to Mojave National Preserve.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 5:00 PM on March 2, 2008

I'm generally of the opinion that dobbs' explanation is the right one here, but I'm not sure whether the data backs me up. Because I couldn't find old stats for the US, I looked for England, and came up with this (warning: pdf) particularly page 14 which indicates a decreasing trend in homicides per capita over the 1st half of the 20th century, but a much larger increasing trend over the 2nd half. They stipulate that this refers only to reported crime, which is not necessarily equivalent to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 4:58 PM on March 2, 2008

Still Alive and the rest of Portal.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 6:04 PM on March 1, 2008

I'm 6'3 and 150lbs. Not technically underweight by the BMI definition (very borderline) but if I stand very still in front of a mirror with my shirt off, I can watch my heart beat. I can eat as much as I want, of whatever I want, and these numbers do not change. I have friends who tell me they envy me this (and I do appreciate its good points) but if I work out with these friends, doing the same regimen, they gain muscle probably 30-60 times as fast as me, as measured by weight increase (if... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 2:29 PM on February 24, 2008

Oh, and take jseven's advice about doing low-rep power lifting, and the muscle groups he suggests. I'd also add shoulders and arms because those'll make you look cool. That's optional, though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 2:32 PM on February 24, 2008

Eye contact is not always for dominance. It is a very distinct form of signaling though, as it fairly incontrovertibly says "I see you, you see me, and we each know that the other sees us."
Example: some prey animals will use eye contact (along with distinctive patterns in their ears which allow for easy recognition by others of the spot they are looking at) with stalking predators to signal "I know you're there. It'll just be a waste of both of our time if you chase... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 4:17 PM on February 21, 2008

Well, you could always use the Gmaps API to make your own interface including an image overlay.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 1:43 AM on February 17, 2008

We live on a very busy street, and have two cats. #1 is happy to sleep, eat, and, from time to time, play. #2 wants to meet the neighborhood cats, wants to see the wide world. She's also not "street smart." She was taken from her mother too early and hand-raised, and doesn't quite know how to be a cat. I used to take her onto the (enclosed) porch and let her hang out while I sat with her and read, but all she wanted to do was find a way out. Eventually she figured out how to open... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 12:32 PM on February 16, 2008

Yep, thanks!
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 10:19 PM on February 14, 2008

1: Some people are allergic to red tattoo ink. Red ink is an ingredient in brown ink. If you are allergic and get a brown tattoo, it will fade and blotch badly.
2: Some older tattoo artists think that if a colored tattoo isn't outlined in black, it will fade. This is not true.
All colored tattoos are believed to need more care than black to prevent fading, but with good care they can last and stay vibrant just fine. Treat it well and it should do fine, if you are not... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 2:25 PM on February 14, 2008

My childhood dentist was Dr. Chu. My friend's was Dr. Gum.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 2:15 PM on January 31, 2008

Don't be overly concerned about sea-level rise, focus instead on other factors. It will obviously suck in low elevation flood plains and very, very close to the coast, but in general even coastal cities are not predicted to see major changes to their coastlines in the next hundred years. I once made a little toy to show me the new coastlines for San Francisco based on a few predicted sea-level changes, and while the one for all of Antarctica melting is very, very bad, the actual prediction for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 4:40 PM on January 28, 2008

I think more description of the starting bed would be helpful. Also, do you want to be able to go back and forth between the two, or is one-way (i.e. saw a few inches off the legs) acceptable?
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 11:24 AM on January 26, 2008

Ursula Le Guin, The Word for World is Forest.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 5:39 PM on January 19, 2008

I have done tutoring in CA, but as an employee of a larger company, not as an independent contractor. Just like for a credential, my company required that I be livescanned (fingerprinted, background checked, entered into the system by the local sheriff) and provide a TB test. I don't know whether these requirements were statutory or for liability, but the fact that they're the same requirements I faced to be a substitute makes me think there might be some legal basis. I have also known... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 12:57 PM on January 18, 2008

I recall the same study, and I seem to recall the article referring to fidgeting as non-exercise movements, or something like that. As in, they burn calories, but they never go far enough to stress the muscles or the cardio-pulmonary system, so the body doesn't bother to repair/build/strengthen anything. So it burns some of the food you ate, but otherwise is pretty neutral. I remember this because I fidget constantly and was disappointed that it wasn't making me stronger.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 5:22 PM on January 10, 2008

I do not have synaesthesia, but 3 = r and 6 = s.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 2:54 PM on January 9, 2008

Step 1: pick up your favorite lab-created gems from ebay sellers. Corundum (the mineral that forms both sapphire and ruby) is very hard, inexpensive to make in the lab, and available in a variety of colors. Cubic Zirconium is great for very sparkly whites. If you're so inclined, you can get enormous ones of either of these.
Step 2: Have them set at a local jeweler. The pave might be a little more difficult to get done, but regardless I'm sure you can get your setting for under... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 3:05 PM on January 6, 2008

California scorpions exist in Northern California--I have found them there. Flip some logs and you might, too. (You might also find giant millipedes and lots of exciting salamanders! Don't eat salamanders and they won't hurt you. Eat newts and you will surely die.) You may also see lots of cute little snakes in the Bay area. Gopher snakes, ring-neck snakes, sharp-tailed snakes, garter snakes (these will musk you something fierce if you pick them up.) I go out looking for all these things,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 11:05 AM on December 28, 2007

Lots of good explanations in here, but could also just be confirmation bias.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 10:52 AM on December 23, 2007

Second Terry Pratchett.
Also maybe Laurie Notaro, books of her humor columns. She may count as moronic, or at least a bit sophomoric at times, but laugh out loud funny. No investment in it because all you have to do is finish one column and you never need to read another if you don't have time.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 12:19 AM on December 22, 2007

Lots of different types of nerds = lots of different types of nerd meeting places. A classic is the game store/comic shop (role-playing/collectible card/specialty board game/table-top strategy, etc.) This only works if you're into gaming.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 12:28 PM on December 17, 2007

If you're really serious about avoiding this, you could use an anonymizing proxy such as Tor.
Remember that this is not the same as encryption!
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 1:22 AM on December 16, 2007

A book or movie featuring a really happy, healthy relationship between a father and his daughter.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 12:29 AM on December 9, 2007

camcgee, The Deej: helps if you change the characters slightly: I always saw the "musical note" as o/`
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 3:13 PM on December 8, 2007

Try her department first. My department gives out several grants and scholarships annually, mostly to master's students. They will know about them in the department office if they exist.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 1:33 PM on December 1, 2007

We didn't want diamonds, so we designed our own. eBay has a great selection of loose gems. We used created sapphires because they are beautiful and nearly as hard as diamonds, and never involved children in horrendous mines. With the stones in hand, we went to several jewelers and asked if they had an appropriate setting and what it would cost. Ultimately, we got exactly what we wanted, and ended up paying about $20 for the stones (including a very large blue sapphire) and, iirc, about $350... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 1:13 PM on December 1, 2007

My anecodtal evidence suggests alcohol or dish soap as effective at removing poison-oak oils. I do not know what those will do to suede. Test patch?
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 6:58 PM on November 26, 2007

I've seen some recommendations for multiples, and I have to say, some games throw a LOT of a few dice. Since dice are cheap, I don't think it would be unreasonable to get large numbers (10ish) of say d6 and d8, and nearly as many d4, d10, d12. d20 are rarely thrown in large numbers, but having backups of everything so that when one gets lost you still have a matching set might be nice.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 6:52 PM on November 26, 2007

Rijsttafel (Dutch: rice table). Rice plus 10-50 side dishes. It's a Dutch adaptation of Indonesian food. I'm having trouble coming up with recipes online, perhaps because it's really just a whole bunch of different recipes.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 4:54 PM on November 24, 2007

Wow, I apologize for not reading the question correctly. I have nothing helpful to add here after all.
posted to Ask Metafilter by agentofselection at 11:13 PM on November 23, 2007