Hi folks -- here's a thread to talk about constructive next steps after this thread from two weeks ago.
posted to MetaTalk by jessamyn at 9:20 AM on October 18, 2023 (123 comments)

CUNY TV brings us Stephen Sondheim's Legacy, part of their Theater: All the Moving Parts series. It's an hour looking back at Sondheim, with the first half-hour in conversation with three Stephenstans [Sondheimistas?], and the second part with his official biographer and a CUNY music scholar.
posted to MetaFilter by hippybear at 8:51 AM on September 1, 2023 (1 comment)

Please recommend good current (Δ<=5y) heavy metal / hard rock.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by signal at 2:32 PM on August 21, 2022 (26 comments)

Lately I've been captivated by cyberpunk, Dune-movie-ish, Japanese tactical-looking street wear, or hippie harem pants and want to know where to look to find it. If it's flowy, baggy, tight at the ankles and black, so much the better. Brands I already know about: Demobaza, Schnittmuskel, Urban Society. But those are inspirations for what I'm on about here.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Lipstick Thespian at 12:53 PM on September 8, 2021 (21 comments)

Shenzhen Tech Girl Naomi Wu, Part 3: Defunding, Deplatforming, and Detention. After her run-ins with Vice, as she had documented previously, and the fallout from that, Naomi Wu finds herself once again being used by Western entertainment-journalism (this time Hasan Minhaj's show) in a China-critical piece that she had no say over. Sometime later, she was detained. Was it related? Who can say?
posted to MetaFilter by cendawanita at 8:55 PM on November 11, 2019 (37 comments)

I want to feel amazed. Please give me your best examples of transcendent performance (musical, sports, film, fictional stories, etc.) that show people performing at the peak of what's possible and even surpassing their conscious selves. Give me the chills! Raise the hair on the back of my head! Some Youtube links would be great. Thanks!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Gosha_Dog at 6:57 PM on September 24, 2016 (135 comments)

Someone on Facebook told our thirteen year-old niece that he knows her IP address and plans to break in and assault her. Is there any way that even a sophisticated hacker could get this from play on one of the Facebook games? Dad says he contacted local police who told him there is nothing they can do and we've asked him to call our state police.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by R2WeTwo at 1:34 PM on February 7, 2016 (23 comments)

The Rocky J. Adkins Public Library in Elliott County, Kentucky recently posted a job advertisement for a new director. The wage? US$7.25 per hour -- in other words, minimum wage. This garnered some immediate expressions of dismmay from librarians on social media. For others, it also reminded them of where they grew up.
posted to MetaFilter by metaquarry at 6:49 PM on February 25, 2015 (74 comments)

If my friends likes '80s David Bowie, The Cure, and New Order, what new artists would she possibly enjoy?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by batmonkey at 2:12 PM on August 4, 2014 (39 comments)

A friend and I are curious about acquiring a home/hobby laserccutter and would like some recommendations.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Calzephyr at 9:05 PM on July 30, 2014 (13 comments)

I am looking for a drone to buy to take aerial photos of and on my own property. I have no experience with remote control flying equipment so I need something that is fairly easy to operate. I also would like one where a decent camera is included with the drone. My budget is $500-$1000. I am interested in opinions on different brands and any tips/ideas/advice you may have to offer. Thank you.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by GlowWyrm at 2:55 PM on July 30, 2014 (6 comments)

This retro-future film went viral sometime in 2007 because of how many things it predicted correctly (e-commerce) but also missed (women's lib). But the performance at 19:30 is amazing, and I can't find anything that even mentions it. Not even in the two times it appeared on metafilter. Shazam doesn't correctly identify it. Can you?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by onehalfjunco at 1:13 PM on April 11, 2014 (3 comments)

Future Islands' recent David Letterman appearance has me in a frenzy. I want to see more examples of dazzling showmanship and unstoppable catharsis -- raw, intimate, unfettered performances by artists at the top of their games. I'm talking pulsing veins, searching eyes, trembling throats and chest-pounding theatrics. Send me your best videos of rockers and riveters!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by fritillary at 12:08 PM on March 26, 2014 (50 comments)

Where can I buy blank plastic boxes for electronic gizmo projects?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Dag Maggot at 6:00 PM on March 20, 2014 (13 comments)

I'm looking for more love songs with a specific theme - essentially, "You drive me fucking crazy and sometimes I want to throttle you and we're both kind of fucked up AND ALSO I love you more than anything and need you more than air and think you're the best person ever."
posted to Ask MetaFilter by DulcineaX at 11:52 AM on February 7, 2014 (46 comments)

My 3yo wants a monkey farm for Christmas. We have no idea what a monkey farm is.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Hogshead at 4:00 PM on November 24, 2013 (36 comments)

My kids (a boy and a girl) are now five years old, and my wife or I read to them every night before bed. I'd like to start reading larger books to them which we can stretch out throughout a week or more, by reading them a chapter a night. Please help me put together a great reading list of age-appropriate books that will capture their imaginations and inspire happy dreams.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by zarq at 2:06 PM on April 2, 2013 (61 comments)

I've been building guitar pedal kits from buildyourownclone, and it's been great fun. I'm running out of pedals I want to make for myself, and am looking for other projects, like this stereo tube amp, and maybe this sous vide. Can you recommend more electronics projects (preferably kits, so I don't have to scrounge for parts) that are cool and look good at the end?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Admiral Haddock at 10:43 AM on March 21, 2013 (9 comments)

Looking for travel advice for Tampa / St. Pete's FL area for November 13-16. If you live in the area or have visited there I'd love to hear your suggestions.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by dog food sugar at 9:38 AM on October 1, 2009 (14 comments)

Siri is touted as an advanced piece of engineering technology, but as far as I know I can open Apple made apps and run a command. Very helpful if you figure it out (it's worth it), but limited indeed. What are its limits? Can this be extended? Note: There is no Siri API, or god forbid, SDK, to speak of.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by tenstairs at 8:32 PM on February 26, 2013 (4 comments)

I'm looking for a bag that may or may not exist: a stylish hip bag that won't make me look either like I'm wearing a waiter's apron or like I'm on my way to a Renaissance Faire.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by tomorrow at 11:43 AM on February 19, 2013 (21 comments)

I keep hearing about cool and cheap new gizmos obtained from Asia via ebay and other online sources out of the mainstream - inexpensive IPS monitors, Android set-top boxes, etc. Is there a good resource that covers these no-name wonders shipped to your doorstep from abroad? Articles, posts or blog entries about what's out there, how they actually work, and where to order them from would help... as would a guide to how to tell a scam from a steal, and dangers in ordering stuff this way.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Slap*Happy at 10:01 AM on February 15, 2013 (9 comments)

I would like to hear about the little things that really stood out and details you still remember to this day from conferences or conventions in any field.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Juniper Toast at 8:30 AM on February 12, 2013 (26 comments)

Good picture books that feature princesses/fairies who are conventionally feminine but also have agency and are valued for things other than selflessness?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ActionPopulated at 6:11 AM on February 6, 2013 (37 comments)

A friend and I want to get to the Harry Potter theme park at some point in 2013 (I guess during March/April or September/October when it isn't so hot, though the fall is hurricane season so maybe that is a bad idea?). Neither of us has ever been to Orlando theme parks and we're kind of at a loss. And is there a way to do this that isn't so crazy expensive?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by leesh at 8:12 AM on February 6, 2013 (24 comments)

I am making a prototype of a consumer electronic device, the final product will be housed in plastic. I want to get a case made for the prototype that will resemble the final product. The case design is nothing complicated, essentially a rectangular box with some rounded corners and some holes for buttons, etc. I have designed the look of the outside of the case in adobe illustrator (top, bottom, front, rear and side views). The case will have a top shell and a bottom shell that fit together. What is the best way to go about getting maybe 2 cases made for prototypes? I am thinking either cnc or 3d printing, but I don't know what the best route to making a 3d model is from adobe illustrator or anything...
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Charlie Lesoine at 3:24 PM on January 18, 2013 (16 comments)

What are the actual good, worthwhile, non-ironic, non-self-referential horror films of the last ten years?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Artw at 10:37 AM on October 4, 2012 (63 comments)

Librarian Jenica Rogers wrote an interesting post on how her library decided to cancel their ACS subscription. Walking away from the American Chemical Society where she talks about money issues all too familiar to librarians but maybe not well known in the general public. Her post was picked up by The Chronicle Of Higher Ed The ACS only said "We find little constructive dialogue can be had on blogs and other listservs where logic, balance and common courtesy are not practiced and observed..." Things took a turn on a discussion list, where The Director of Office of Public Affairs for the ACS said "But I think you would agree that vulgarity and profanity postings do not lend themselves to meaningful, productive and civil discourse, thus our decision not to engage any further with her on this topic." Many other bloggers have taken up the torch including Walt Crawford, Jonathan Eisen, Iris Jastram, Chris Zammarelli and Steve Lawson, Any Woodworth, John Dupuis and one on ChemBark.
posted to MetaFilter by Blake at 8:32 AM on September 28, 2012 (62 comments)

Help me find the perfect bento box.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by digitalprimate at 4:47 AM on September 16, 2012 (16 comments)

Try as I might, I can only think of one fantasy novel that I've ever (*ever*) read that had a girl as the main character. Can you suggest some for my 8yo daughter?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by nonspecialist at 1:07 AM on September 1, 2012 (88 comments)

Looking for the next Indie Beatles!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Lipstick Thespian at 5:13 AM on September 1, 2012 (17 comments)

Catch me up on what's happened in rock music in the last 10 years?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by joshwa at 1:07 AM on August 30, 2012 (22 comments)

I have the opportunity to build a state of the art academic computer lab. If you were one of our students, what would you want in the lab?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Silvertree at 8:00 PM on August 2, 2012 (29 comments)

You'll put your eye out! My childhood was fraught with peril. I rode bikes without a helmet. My friends made flashpowder bombs. I brought knives and lasers to school. I survived. Blogger Tim Blair did too, and asks "What insane risks did you take as kids that would now induce rage and fear if repeated by your children?"
posted to MetaFilter by bitmage at 10:42 AM on December 1, 2004 (147 comments)

After reading this post about ridiculously cheap, but great-sounding headphones, I became curious about other cheap things that compare favorably to much their much more expensive counterparts. Does anyone know of anything that fits the bill?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by jessssse at 7:26 AM on July 4, 2012 (45 comments)

In the wake of their grunge-y breakout hit "Creep" and the success of sophomore record The Bends, Thom Yorke and the rest of Radiohead were under pressure to deliver once more. So they shut themselves away inside the echoing halls of a secluded 16th century manor and got to work. What emerged from that crumbling Elizabethan castle fifteen years ago today was a shockingly ambitious masterpiece of progressive rock, a visionary concept album that explored the "fridge buzz" of modernity -- alienation, social disconnection, existential dread, the impersonal hum of technology -- through a mosaic of challenging, innovative, eerily beautiful music unlike anything else at the time. Tentatively called Ones and Zeroes, then Your Home May Be at Risk If You Do Not Keep Up Payments, the band finally settled on OK Computer, an appropriately enigmatic title for this acclaimed harbinger of millennial angst. For more, you can watch the retrospective OK Computer: A Classic Album Under Review for a track-by-track rundown, or the unsettling documentary Meeting People is Easy for a look at how the album's whirlwind tour nearly gave Yorke a nervous breakdown. Or look inside for more details and cool interpretations of all the tracks -- including an upcoming MeFi Music Challenge!
posted to MetaFilter by Rhaomi at 12:06 PM on June 16, 2012 (65 comments)

vintage children's books my kid loves (a blog) & scans of vintage Little Golden Books (scroll down a bit) & The Children's Object Book (1880s) & if you want to read and look at even more vintage children's books online, you could start with browsing the Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature with almost 6000 classic books (some may be unsuitable for modern sensibilities)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 7:31 PM on June 11, 2012 (11 comments)

Do you know of any backpacks similar to the Outlier Minimal backpack? Attributes in order of importance to me are are: 1) extreme light weight (the one from Outlier is paper-thin) 2) pocket-stuffable/foldable 3) sleek minimal modern anonymous look (like all of outlier's stuff)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by thedaniel at 8:46 PM on April 29, 2012 (15 comments)

Secrets of Pro Wrestling (1987) What happens when these two wrestlers get a raw deal from their chosen profession? They don't get mad, the get even! (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, Trailer)
posted to MetaFilter by fearfulsymmetry at 3:56 AM on April 29, 2012 (18 comments)

Hey Mefites, I would like you to scare the crap out of me with your horror novel recommendations! I really enjoyed House of Leaves and A Good and Happy Child. I'm looking for books like that.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Ziggy500 at 7:48 AM on April 23, 2012 (18 comments)

Best iPad educational apps to help a 5 year old catch up before kindergarten? She needs help with basic English, ABCs, numbers.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by CruiseSavvy at 9:58 PM on April 22, 2012 (10 comments)

We shrugged when friends told us Prince's Sign "O" the Times was the greatest rock concert movie ever. There are limits to how great a rock concert movie can be, and we figured Jonathan Demme's--and Talking Heads'--Stop Making Sense had stretched them as far as they were liable to go. But even though Sign "O" the Times was directed by the artiste, whose previous cinematic exploits haven't exactly put him in Demme's class, Prince has come up with a contender. Where Demme goes for a sinuous, almost elegant clarity, Prince's movie is all murk, scuzz, steam, and, oh yeah, sex. With all due respect, which one sounds more like a real rock concert to you? - Robert Christgau
posted to MetaFilter by Trurl at 9:47 PM on April 20, 2012 (31 comments)

I want to read some more great fantasy novels and want your recommendations.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by luvmywife at 6:14 AM on April 19, 2012 (50 comments)

Harvard's Science & Cooking class - a collaboration between eminent Harvard researchers and world-class chefs - featured a series of public lectures from scientifically-minded A-list chefs, including Ferran Adrià (of elBulli), Wylie Dufresne (from wd~50), Grant Achatz (of Alinea), White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses, and Nathan Myhrvold .
posted to MetaFilter by twoleftfeet at 3:17 AM on April 15, 2012 (14 comments)

A free university textbook project Boundless Learning is being sued jointly by Pearson, Cengage Learning, and Macmillan Higher Education for attempting to simulate the textbooks required by courses by patching together an array of open texts that cover the material similarly.
posted to MetaFilter by jeffburdges at 10:46 AM on April 9, 2012 (99 comments)

Web developer Justin Watt was staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Times Square, New York and using the hotel wifi to access the Internet. He noticed some strangeness on his website... and on every other website he visited (not to mention YouTube was broken.)

In short, Marriott is injecting JavaScript into the HTML of every webpage its hotel customers view for the purpose of injecting ads (and in the meantime, breaking YouTube). Marriott’s wireless internet service provider is a third-party company called Hotel Internet Services, so it is possible, though unlikely, that Marriott doesn’t know what’s going on. But it’s crazy to me that I’m paying $368 a night for a hotel room, and this is how I get treated.

posted to MetaFilter by gen at 7:06 PM on April 5, 2012 (106 comments)

Looking to buy a 3D printer for a small college library.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by fifilaru at 7:43 PM on April 5, 2012 (5 comments)

Beautiful HD video of whirlpools flowing around rocks, courtesy of NASA and neatorama.
posted to MetaFilter by mediareport at 6:51 AM on March 25, 2012 (10 comments)

Vernor Vinge is optimistic about the collapse of civilization
posted to MetaFilter by Artw at 1:29 PM on March 22, 2012 (46 comments)

Where do I park near Brighton Music Hall on Friday night in Boston?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by otters walk among us at 9:25 AM on March 22, 2012 (12 comments)