I love a good LA Roast Chicken. Zankou's (Armenian) and Versailles' (Cuban) being my go-tos. Generally, while LA has the fine dining you'd expect in a city full of rich people, she really shines in the cheap, ethnic hole-in-the-wall department.

I just got turned on to Sam Woo's BBQ and the Ranch 99 Market next door. Great Chinese food FOR Chinese people, and the market is an incredible value that also features all the tough-to-find Asian foods you could ask for.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 12:51 PM on July 6, 2008

I've heard from multiple sources that The Hereford House is THE steak place to visit in KC. They're right on the feed-lot!
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:09 AM on July 3, 2008

If you're planning on doing a funny toast, there's a sweet spot of meanness/love that always pays off huge.

Basically, you lovingly make fun of the person's identifiable foibles, what makes them unique and odd. You wonder how any woman is going to tolerate being around this guy, then praise his bride for doing just that. As I remember from my wedding, I was so deliriously happy that my brother got away with an incredibly caustic speech about me. I just didn't care,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:05 AM on July 3, 2008

July 12 is Fireworks night at Dodger Stadium. They do one of the best shows in town, if not THE best.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:45 AM on July 2, 2008

Yet another Toto fan. I grew up in a house with the worst, slowest, crappiest European toilets I've ever encountered. Now my home office has a Toto, and I'm still happy with every flush.

However, if the price of a Toto is too steep, they make some knockoffs. The key is the flapper, the rubber disc that lifts up when you operate the flush handle. Totos have HUGE flappers, bigger than bagels. Most other brands have little ones barely the size of a McDonalds plain... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:43 AM on July 2, 2008

I've heard that if you want to better track what you're reading, scrawl notes in the liner to acknowledge major story beats. The act of writing can often help in pushing the memory from short-term to long-term. Though I haven't personally tried this.

Maybe you could do that when watching a movie. Pick a GOOD movie that's generally known for having a coherent plot, and as you watch, hit pause after major scenes and jot down what's going on. Eventually, I imagine... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:24 AM on June 29, 2008

You've already been given a lot of good recommendations for different drinks to try. I'd like to talk about technique and experience.

Beer: Do not sip beer. N00bs like to approach beer delicately and sip a little and swirl it around. This is NOT how beer is best enjoyed. Sipping gives it too much time on the tongue, and the bitter hops take over. Beer must be drunk down like water. Even good beer. Hell, ESPECIALLY good beer, since the flavors tend to be more... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:05 PM on June 22, 2008

Good God. I'm so sorry you have to go through this.

You're on the right track. This is going to be a team effort. You're going to want to stay "busy" with a lot of people around you as much as you can, and when he approaches, you're going to need his kids to run interference for you, which is football speak for "get in between the two of you and distract him".

Since he's not a malicious sexual predator, how and why does... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 1:08 PM on June 21, 2008

New fan of Tom Bihn here. They sell a variety of styles of laptop bags, plus modular protective cases for laptops that interlock with the bags.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 12:35 AM on June 19, 2008

If you're willing to sacrifice a little history for a little fiction, James Ellroy's books are incredibly well-crafted. The one I can definitely vouch for is The Black Dahlia, which is vastly superior to the recent crappy movie.

Apparently, everything Caleb Carr wrote after The Alienist has been a huge disappointment. But the book itself was a good yarn.

And to complete the Murder Trifecta, you could consider going graphic and reading Alan... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 9:55 AM on June 15, 2008

I can't say for certain that it IS or ISN'T splenda, but I noticed a pretty direct correlation to that horrible new Pepsi One and long periods of high gas volume. Fortunately, Coke Zero has not produced or at least correlated to any such silliness.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:57 PM on June 13, 2008

It may take a lot of time to learn a small but important part of American History, but Ken Burns' The Civil War is a truly awe-inspiring piece of work.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:28 AM on June 13, 2008

I'm Asparagirl's husband and I approved this message.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 6:49 PM on June 9, 2008

I had kind of lost touch with baseball during college, but Ken Burns' Baseball reignited my passion for the game big time. Plus, it's a great documentary anyway.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:51 AM on June 9, 2008

Pity you're not into war games, because Call of Duty 4 is a lot like Halo, albeit with a grittier, realistic setting. The multiplayer system is really well done and addicting.

As a loyal PS3 fan, I still think the best games are the cross platform titles (though that might change with Metal Gear Solid 4.) Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is a good shooter with a character system like Call of Duty's, but with a cheerier setting (that being Vegas of course) plus smarter and more... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 4:46 PM on June 8, 2008

If you want to send media to your PS3, but you have a Mac, you can use Nullriver's MediaLink.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 6:06 PM on June 8, 2008

If you're playing real-time strategy, here's a simple principle that applies to most battles.

If you have ten tanks, and they have ten tanks, and each one of your tanks is shooting at each of theirs, you're essentially even. What you want to do is focus all your firepower on one unit at a time. Units losing health will still dish out damage at their normal rate, so what you want to do is lower the amount of guns being fired at your guys. If your ten tanks fire at one... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:27 PM on June 7, 2008

Vaca Frita!
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:53 AM on June 4, 2008

I'm a gun supporter too, but I will caution you: It's more than just a financial commitment. You have to learn a lot of laws, both in gun handling and use of force. You'll have to store it safely or at least have an option to do so. (You might not have kids, but it's not unreasonable to expect a few to show up now and then.) And, of course, you've got to search your soul and decide if you really can shoot somebody dead.

I don't put much stock in the whole... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:48 PM on June 2, 2008

As a follow up, if you get a handgun, don't make it THAT easy to get to while you're sleeping. You want at least one barrier so that you have to be fully awake before it's in your hand. One night, our cat let out an ear-piercing hellbeast scream at a raccoon outside, and I woke up squatting in front of my quick-access safe. My unconscious reaction was to get the gun, but the combo lock meant I had to be awake first. So instead of having a loaded .45 in my hand, I was able to make the right... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:08 AM on June 3, 2008

I just got introduced to the works of Kenny Dorham. I don't know much about him, but his stuff is great.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:34 PM on June 2, 2008

2nd on the Short Stop. I actually haven't been, but my buddy, who's traveled the world and tippled with the titans, insists on going before every game, so it must be good.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:33 PM on June 2, 2008

One bit of free entertainment is perfect for Yanks who are fresh off the plane. The Tsukiji Fish Market is a pretty incredible thing to see, with every conceivable aquatic creature on display, either dead, or in the process of being brutally killed to feed the city. You'll see Tunas the size of sofas being cut with table saws, and the whole thing is free.

What makes it good for new arrivals is that you have to go at around 5am, which is normally a PITA, but when flying... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 5:58 PM on May 31, 2008

Just a snippet. My high school Russian teacher was "lucky" enough to live in the USSR during the Brezhnev administration. Leonid was apparently quite bad at enunciating, and as such his speeches, which were mandatory listening, were filled with malaprops that make W's look pretty pale. For example, when trying to say "systematic", or systematichesky, he wound up saying "seesky-moseesky" which means "shitty sausages". Thus, entire... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:48 PM on May 28, 2008

I can't speak for the current lineup of Shure earbuds, but I have the old E2Cs and they're so powerful that you can run your pod at half volume and still hear everything. Previously, I had a nice pair of Sonys that had neodymium drivers, which required about 3/4 volume to get good output.

So yes, my guess is a decent pair of Shures will allow you to run your pod with less oomph and get more battery life.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:54 PM on May 17, 2008

The Mets will be in town that weekend, playing two day games against the Dodgers, but alas, the Yanks will be in Minnesota.

If he wants to see the Mets, take him. It's not a terrible hardship to get tickets, especially if you buy them right now.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 9:59 PM on May 14, 2008

I think you're referring to Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of Zero Punctuation, a regular feature at the Escapist Magazine.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 3:06 PM on May 10, 2008 marked best answer

The two versions of "To Victory" from the 300 Soundtrack (particularly the Philip Steir remix) are excellent for this.

Can't do much better than Basil Poledouris' score to Conan the Barbarian.

Also, try the Thief soundtrack by Tangerine Dream, particularly the last track "Confrontation".

There's your soundtrack sampling.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:00 AM on May 9, 2008

In a reversal, Tears of the Sun started out as a Die Hard sequel.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:45 AM on May 1, 2008

Can't conjure up any by the anti's, but Oleg Volk is a Russian-born photographer who makes pro-gun rights posters by the bushel, and has very lenient usage policies. (Also, he's clearly amassed a spectacular array of hardware.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 9:22 PM on April 27, 2008

The one thing I remember from a video about the making of Forrest Gump was that you can change the perceived age of a man fairly well just by moving his hairline back and forth. Obviously, the other techniques presented here are better, but it's something to keep in mind. A guy won't really look 80 if he has the hairline of a 25-year-old.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 12:12 PM on April 23, 2008

While I find Glocks to be somewhat uncomfortable to shoot, it sounds like the pistol fits your criteria perfectly. The tenifer finish on the metal parts is incredibly rust-resistant, and the polymer frame requires no real maintenance at all.

So, given that the Glock is an excellent option for you, I'll just recommend some others in case you try a Glock at the range and hate it.

Sig-Sauer: Regular Sigs are more expensive than Glocks, while the... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 2:50 PM on April 15, 2008 marked best answer

Just a tiny correction on Kadin's otherwise excellent post: The XD is a Springfield Armory gun. Smith & Wesson makes a Glock-like gun as well, but the general consensus is that it's not in the league of the XD or Glock.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 3:50 PM on April 15, 2008 marked best answer

Books written by service members about their time can be helpful. I read "Inside Delta Force" very recently and it was illuminating on the topic.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 9:33 PM on April 12, 2008

I get that too from a 56-inch DLP screen. You're not going crazy and/or dying.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 9:31 PM on April 12, 2008

Pre-sex onanism can be helpful, but I've found it's most useful if you're going to have sex and you haven't gotten your rocks off for over a day or two.

Having sex with her on top can help quite a bit. Later on in life, supposedly, it'll be tougher to maintain an erection in this position, but when you're young, all it does is slow things down a bit.

Do you use condoms? Having done both (the other in a marriage, I'll have you know) I can tell... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:37 AM on April 1, 2008

Thanks, but is there an option that will tally the home runs for me, so that I don't have to track the stats down myself?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:06 AM on March 21, 2008

It's more of a dessert, but I love it.

I like to call it the Chocolate Elvis. Spread Nutella on both slices of bread, then slice a banana into little discs and spread evenly on one side. Then fold, eat, and know happiness.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:37 AM on March 16, 2008

Journey: Any Way You Want It.

Press play, press repeat, begin air guitar, be well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:34 AM on March 16, 2008

Bora Bora has everything on the list, except maybe the proximity to NZ. It's touristy, but not nearly so as Hawaii. My wife and I went there for our honeymoon and we loved it.

Also, a friend of mine swears by Palau, which is apparently right near a major sea trench and as such has great diving. It's more out of the way than most island paradises.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:50 AM on March 10, 2008

Bellboy, by the Who, from Quadrophenia.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:04 AM on March 7, 2008

They have a LOT of SNL episodes on Hulu.com. Can you hunt down the air date of the episode in question?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 3:08 PM on March 2, 2008

One area that has never made it to the Mac are the Tom Clancy games. I've heard of UBI games having problems with boot-camp macs, but that might have been during the beta. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is, IMHO, the best of the Splinter Cell franchise. R6 Vegas is a good time, and the original Ghost Recon (from way back when) is an outstanding, challenging, adult milsim shooter. The recent GRAW games are good too, but different.

There are great games that are available... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:50 AM on March 2, 2008

"All I wanna do is make love to you" by Heart?

"Whole Lotta Love" by Zeppelin is more about the singer proposing to change her life than actually having done it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:23 PM on February 29, 2008

Assuming he's not bat-sh!t insane, I would still suggest to him that he take a few different safety-proficiency courses at the local range. He should be made to learn the four basic rules of gun safety, and should be told in no uncertain terms that he's entered into a serious responsibility, akin to having a child. (Having done both, I can tell you it's not as inappropriate a comparison as you'd think.) It's a lifestyle change that demands strict adherence to and knowledge of the law, many... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:16 PM on February 29, 2008

Slightly twisting what harlequin said, sometimes owning a gun can actually help bring about a more focused, mature mindset in an individual. You have to grow up to be a gun owner.

The danger, however, would be if he doesn't man up to the challenge.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 11:17 PM on February 29, 2008

Forgive me if this one's in someone else's answer, but I love this simple, effective design. You can fold the wings three different ways depending on what you want. The displayed fold is good for general flight. Bigger wings create more of a lift-intensive glider, while folding the wings as shown, then in half again makes an eyeball-destroying dart.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:16 AM on February 29, 2008

I love this particular Cuban dish, called Vaca Frita. (disregard the blog, I don't read it. I only found the recipe there and can't vouch for whatever else is in there.)

The dish is really easy. You start it the night before, it marinates overnight, and all the steps are really easy. The flank steak will set you back maybe 35 bucks, but you can supposedly use chuck or skirt steak as well. (I like flank best.) Also, you can sautee some sliced green pepper to go with... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 10:12 AM on February 29, 2008

I'll be a bit of a soundtrack dweeb and suggest a few pieces by Vangelis.

Across the Mountains from Alexander builds slowly, but is super-triumphant and chest-beat worthy. (It's available on the soundtrack without all the dialogue and sounds, of course.)

Conquest of Paradise from 1492 is another good one, but again, takes a bit to get rolling. (try starting around 1:45)... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 6:15 PM on February 27, 2008

So... How's Your Girl? by Handsome Boy Modeling School is very odd and self-aware, and derives its theme from an episode of Get a Life.

The Mouse and the Mask is a hip-hop album centered on the many characters of Adult Swim's Sunday Night lineup. Another really oddball record, but it has a lot of good grooves.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by Doctor Suarez at 6:08 PM on February 27, 2008