I say this as a vegetarian, animal rights activist, and biological engineer:

PETA often says things that are factually inaccurate. Just completely false. They also use poorly constructed and sensational arguments to get their points across. They often make me cringe. In fact, it reminds me of the time Jon Stewart congratulated MoveOn.org on "10 years of making even people who agree with you cringe." (source)

I'm heartened to see... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Cygnet at 1:55 PM on October 5, 2008

Also, no amount of statistics or damning figures will make it easy to accept an ideology that involves rejecting the kind of tasty food one has grown to like. In the end the stomach is mightier than the brain. As for me, I forgive PETA their excesses because I admire their dedication in the face of a world full of hostile carnivores

It's not just carnivores omnivores who hate them. I've been vegetarian for almost 20 years and I think PeTA are a bunch... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Manhasset at 3:31 PM on October 5, 2008

Practice voting here.
posted to MetaFilter by lee at 10:49 AM on October 2, 2008

I'm sure there's something living in my asshole right now that if magnified a couple thousand times would look like a raging six headed Godzilla on PCP so I just shrug, look the other way and keep on chuggin' down the road when it comes this sort of thing.
posted to MetaFilter by The Straightener at 8:56 AM on October 2, 2008

If this went through, I'd be pissed I worked my ass off and did everything right and got a 6.125% fixed 30 year mortgage in 2005, because I knew the ARMs and subprime loans readily available to me at the time were total and complete bullshit.

So dipshits that bought more house than they could afford and knew the ARMs would kick in after 1, 2, and 3 years get a better rate and a free loan? That kind of blows.
posted to MetaFilter by mathowie at 9:13 PM on October 1, 2008

My current theory of her reminds of me of a rule of thumb when scouting sports talent, especially high school basketball, and hey, she was a high school basketball star ...

Oftentimes, you see a high school basketball star get flayed at the college level, because up until that time, they've always been the best player on the court, and their game is centered around using their built-in talent advantage only. They have no flexibility in dealing with a challenge outside of... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Cool Papa Bell at 3:48 PM on October 1, 2008

Go back and watch some of George W's debates against Ann Richards...

Oh, how I miss Ann Richards!

'Poor George. He can't help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.'
posted to MetaFilter by ericb at 4:04 PM on October 1, 2008

The weird part is the police let her keep her cow-hat on for the mugshot.

Oh wait, that's not the weird part..
posted to MetaFilter by mannequito at 3:24 PM on September 30, 2008

I've worked for not one, but two different companies that used cows as their logos.

Tucows? OMG!
posted to MetaFilter by dersins at 5:24 PM on September 30, 2008

You folks are right. A second web is more of a Shelbyville idea...
posted to MetaFilter by mosk at 1:07 AM on September 30, 2008

It is an old maxim and a very sound one, that he that dances should always pay the fiddler. Now, sir, in the present case, if any gentlemen, whose money is a burden to them, choose to lead off a dance, I am decidedly opposed to the people’s money being used to pay the fiddler…all this to settle a question in which the people have no interest, and about which they care nothing. These capitalists generally act harmoniously, and in concert, to fleece the people, and now, that they have got into a... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Kirth Gerson at 11:13 AM on September 29, 2008

Can you blame us, Pastabagel? What's your take on the bill, if you've had time to digest it?
posted by Mister_A at 2:10 PM on September 29

I trust no one. I say pass anything that allows the government to profit from the buyout and mandates some congressional oversight. There's no time to do the bill right, it's too complex and too massive to slap together even in a week.

So we need to elect Obama. After... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Pastabagel at 11:28 AM on September 29, 2008

You know what really pisses me off? The Mets. WTF.
posted to MetaFilter by poppo at 11:53 AM on September 29, 2008

186,000: The number of these studies that could be funded with the money spent on the war in Iraq.

233000: The number of these studies that could be funded with the money allotted in the current bailout proposal.

120: The number of these studies that could be undertaken with the money spent on one F-22 Raptor.

I don't give a rats ass about attaching a 3 million dollar research project to a congressional bill. There are bigger fish to fry.
posted to MetaFilter by clearly at 12:23 AM on September 29, 2008

THE NEW SHERIFF'S A NI-*bell ringing*
posted to MetaFilter by sciurus at 6:20 PM on September 26, 2008

"We just wanted to choose a really large number."

Right out of the fucking Onion.
posted to MetaFilter by hellojed at 11:42 PM on September 24, 2008

Seven hundred billion dolllars is 100 billion dollars more than NASAs entire combined 50 year budget

*feels something die inside*
posted to MetaFilter by sexyrobot at 10:29 AM on September 25, 2008

China banks told to halt lending to US banks...Ruh-roh.

thatsracist.gif

I thought it was Scooby-Doo-ist.
posted to MetaFilter by billysumday at 7:42 AM on September 25, 2008

Q: How can I help deal with the financial crisis?

Your selflessness brings a tear to my eye. Here some simple things everyone can do:

1. Obviously, you should take the day off of work or school. Country first!

2. If you happen to live in New York and see a guy in a suit at the bar or on the subway in the middle of the day, he's probably a laid off banker that is hiding his joblessness from his wife. You should try to be... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by milkrate at 9:31 AM on September 25, 2008

I was all set to debate, but like, my printer's been acting weird, so like, I couldn't print out my debate cards? And then something with the economy happened? And then like, my roommate asked me to help him with his econ work? 'Cause like, he's really worried? It would just help me a lot if I could have like one more day to work on this.
posted to MetaFilter by Greg Nog at 12:34 PM on September 24, 2008

In Utero is better.
posted to MetaFilter by chillmost at 4:18 AM on September 24, 2008

Huh? You know he produced Gish right? Which arguably could be the greatest rock and roll album of all time.

This is arguably the awesomest claim of all time. It's really the perfect album to make this claim about. Gish is so far from having any plausible claim to best rock album ever I'm almost positive that any major dude is the only person on earth who would make this claim. At the same time, it's not deliberately making some kind of point like if... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by snofoam at 6:57 AM on September 24, 2008

So .... let me get this straight ...

We're short on National Guard troops here in the States, the folks who are meant to help us in times of disaster, because they're over in the Middle East.

So to address this, we're going to station active Army units in the United States.

Really?
posted to MetaFilter by grabbingsand at 7:12 AM on September 24, 2008

Obama's email.
posted to MetaFilter by Astro Zombie at 11:20 AM on September 17, 2008

oh anonymous, what will you do next

Dear Ask Metafilter,

A friend of mine recently hacked the email of a fairly well-known person. He didn't do much, just took some screenshots. But it has become a big deal now. He's not sure what to do because he had heated up some leftover chicken right before posting his screenshots and never got around to eating it. It has been several hours since and he's wondering if it's OK to eat the chicken.
posted to MetaFilter by strangeleftydoublethink at 4:00 PM on September 17, 2008

RUN, MR. GORE, RUN!

Do not panic! He can be regenerated!
posted to MetaFilter by Tehanu at 7:34 PM on September 17, 2008

Sigh.

Here's how you hack a VIP's email. Upon successfully accessing someone's email account:

1. Do absolutely nothing. Now that you have the password, disconnect.

2. Go to a public access point with your laptop, like an open wifi or a library. Install Thunderbird or some similar program. Login to the email account again. Remember that the clock is ticking, and that everything you are doing is logged. Don't click... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Pastabagel at 11:57 AM on September 17, 2008

I married the girl with hairy legs and no make-up, and I'm extremely happy.
posted to MetaFilter by seanmpuckett at 1:06 PM on September 21, 2008

As someone who has translated parts of the NT from their original Koine Greek, I will agree that the bible is rarely interpreted as it was originally intended. In fact Christianity as we know it today is vastly different from what it meant to early Christians, pre-Aquinas Christians, Protestant Christians during the reformation, etc. I would go so far as to say even the idea of "God" is completely different than what it meant even several hundred years ago (for a thorough and very... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by geoff. at 5:53 PM on September 18, 2008

You don't fuck with archivists.
posted to MetaFilter by Pope Guilty at 3:03 PM on September 16, 2008

Factors in the Democrat's favor this year: a disastrous economy, an unpopular war, an incumbent president with a 30% approval rating, far more money and better organization than the other side, a candidate who is charismatic, smart, accomplished and eloquent, an opponent who is old, out of touch, disliked by a large portion of his own party and a Washington insider when people want change.

Factors in the Republican's favor this year: the Democratic candidate is black.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by ND¢ at 8:31 AM on September 15, 2008

Over 130 comments, and people are still confusing a fetus with a person.

Would any of you, even a single one, wish the condition of Down Syndrome on any living person? Those with Down Syndrome are people, and some of them are certainly good and loving people, but it is still a horrible condition that causes them massive difficulty through life, a shorter lifespan, and health problems throughout beyond the mental incapacity.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by explosion at 4:41 AM on September 16, 2008

--/\<
posted to MetaFilter by Pastabagel at 10:21 AM on September 15, 2008

.

When ever a great one passes I remember this comic. (Its Led Zeppelin but its the same deal)
posted to MetaFilter by lilkeith07 at 11:39 AM on September 15, 2008

But nobody made money off of this - everybody lost.

I beg to differ. Until a few months ago, everybody made money off this. That's the nature of bubbles, everyone makes money until it collapses. Even if you know better, if you stay on the sidelines you don't make money and someone else gets your job.

Second, the market is regulated, and it seems like Republicans and Democrats haven't really fucked... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by lupus_yonderboy at 10:04 PM on September 14, 2008

Haven't we already¹...?
posted to MetaFilter by casarkos at 8:54 PM on September 13, 2008

"I moved here, primarily, to have the bigger, stronger, runway ... then built a taxiway to the house that would endure the weight of the 707 ... so that when Lord Xenu arrives, I'll be ready."

"What did you say? I didn't catch that last part."

"Nevermind. Here, let me show you the pool ..."
posted to MetaFilter by Cool Papa Bell at 11:25 AM on September 11, 2008

This post bowelled me over. I colon the mods to ignore those who are just too anal to see the humor. Some people should just learn to turd the other cheek.
posted to MetaFilter by pardonyou? at 12:38 PM on September 11, 2008

$ telnet barackobama.com 443
Trying 66.39.143.229...
Connected to barackobama.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
Connection closed by foreign host.
$ telnet johnmccain.com 443
Trying 64.203.107.149...
Connected to johnmccain.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
Connection closed by a real American.
$ _


Need I say more.
posted to MetaFilter by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 6:16 PM on September 9, 2008

"Oh my god, I lost an electron" said the atom.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive!"


Okay, go ahead, you can kill me now..
posted to MetaFilter by DreamerFi at 6:07 AM on September 9, 2008

If that's what you consider a huge pain in the ass, you need to find something else to do

Well, the worst part is that the on-screen symbols don't display right in CGA, so you need to find somebody with at least an EGA card to write down which symbols are which on the keypad so you know which ones to select. I hear it's similar for Hercules users. I don't know why they didn't test it on these machines; not everybody can afford a fancy graphics card.
posted to MetaFilter by uncleozzy at 12:43 PM on September 8, 2008

Leave it to Microsoft to launch a multi-million dollar campaign with a video link ending in a GUID.
posted to MetaFilter by LukeyBoy at 5:07 PM on September 6, 2008

I keep getting a 404.

That's because you listen to John Cage.
posted to MetaFilter by cimbrog at 12:17 PM on September 5, 2008

According to the second link, they tied, 3 to 3. Significantly, the tally shows Obama=2, McCain=0.
Terrorism? Well, the Republicans are ahead there, 10 to 8, but the R numbers are inflated by Giuliani's 5 "terrorisms" to McCain's solo mention. Obama, n=4.

Giuliani fits the Biden description of him "Noun, verb, 9/11." What a maroon.
posted to MetaFilter by beelzbubba at 12:14 PM on September 5, 2008

"That, it strikes me, is something that requires a serious response."

Sarah Palin -
- Finished second in the Miss Alaska pageant.
- Has a degree from from the University of Idaho in communications
- Had a 20% ownership in an Anchorage car wash business
- Two terms as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska.
- One year as chairman of an oil commission.
- A year an a half as Governor of... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Ragma at 12:43 PM on September 5, 2008

Meta_ltalk
posted to MetaFilter by Challahtronix at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2008

Oh, goodie. Another browser to check XHTML and CSS against.
posted to MetaFilter by signal at 4:19 PM on September 1, 2008

My favorite thing about Firefox is surfing with Adblock and NoScript turned on. Since Google is an advertising company, I'm thinking that they'd never put up with features like that.

I'll just put in a small endorsement at this point for Privoxy, an HTTP proxy that sits between your web browser and the outside world and does the ad filtering and sanitization for you. It's been one of the first pieces of software I install on any new machine of mine for... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by letourneau at 4:38 PM on September 1, 2008

The thing about this blog is that it neglects the whole "Obama" phenomenon. How will this affect my taxes?

I know this is supposed to be a website for grownups, but I can see you there. Yeah, you. You know I'm talking to you. I'm on to you, kid. I know your dad walked away from the monitor for a sec to go polish his Ajax or tweak some CSS, and you thought you might get a quick look at some pictures of frogs having sex or something. It's all right, though,... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Greg Nog at 10:44 AM on August 26, 2008

[I]t is clear to me that Metafilter is so partisan that it can't really view election issues clearly or with any distance. This was a really smart move for McCain, as long as she doesn't have something in her past that will come back to bite him. This next week and the Republican convention might be tough for Democrats.

Palin was named on Veep lists (and future Pres. lists) a year or two ago, but not recently at all. From a purely pragmatic and... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by DaShiv at 9:06 AM on August 29, 2008