I recently applied to an internship and was informed via phone that while I was highly qualified and interviewed well, the position was being offered to a person of color in support of institutional diversity efforts. I commend that decision. Those efforts are important and align with my values. I do not want them to reconsider and am accepting a different offer anyway. However, I feel compelled to let the hiring manager who called me know that I am Hispanic, despite my complexion not making this obvious; I look white.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by calcetinporfavor at 7:56 AM on January 31, 2019 (17 comments)

One of the things I both strive for and struggle with in my photography is portraying a sense of depth. Photography is an inherently monocular medium, and also photos are still, which rules out two of real life's biggest depth cues. Therefore, one must resort to tricks. Tell me some tricks for achieving a sense of depth in photography.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 7:25 PM on January 22, 2019 (15 comments)

Say there are two drivers, each with distinct reaction times, in two identical vehicles, on a straight two-lane country road. Each is heading the same direction at the same speed. Give a number of variables (e.g. probability of a deer crossing, reaction times, braking time), what configuration—you in the front or back, space between the cars, and speed—would minimize the chance of you striking a deer, while maximizing your speed?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Pig Tail Orchestra at 6:54 AM on January 17, 2019 (9 comments)

My apartment complex is installing keyless entry for each unit. As someone who believes that household objects that aren't actual computing devices have no business being on a network or requiring a power source, I am not pleased. Worse, they're responding to valid after-hours lockout cost complaints by providing a phone app that can be used for unlocking the door, which seems like an additional vulnerability in the system. Am I justified in my concern, or should I get over myself?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by rhiannonstone at 7:50 PM on January 14, 2019 (35 comments)

What better way to look back on another mad year with BBC 4's The Big Fat Quiz of the Year? [YouTube] Stand-up comedian Jimmy Carr recently returned to host the 2018 recap, with teams featuring previous panelists, including comic actors Richard Ayoade, Noel Fielding and David Mitchell, and presenter Claudia Winkleman, joined by comedians Mo Gilligan and American comic Michelle Wolf, who appeared on the show for the first time. You can expect the usual mix of pithy one liners, risque jokes and general shenanigans from Carr and the panellists [iNews UK]. And if that's not enough, you can take a jaunt back through time with the BFQotY for 2004-2017. [YT Playlist] But why is it that panel shows [Wikipedia] like this are so ubiquitous in England, but not elsewhere?
posted to MetaFilter by filthy light thief at 8:25 PM on January 2, 2019 (78 comments)

I get TV from the cable company, and I get internet from the same cable company. It's all bits of electronic data that come through a coax cable into a box in my house, then into my screen devices. I can leave the TV on TBS and watch Friends 24/7 for the whole week and nobody cares ... but I can only use X-hundred GB of data before the cable company will cap me for the month, so I can't stream Friends on Netflix 24/7 in the same unrestricted way.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mccxxiii at 2:37 PM on January 10, 2019 (8 comments)

I know someone whose first name is Tara and who habitually pronounces it with a short A, like "tap" or "taxi". Almost everyone she meets politely asks if it's "Ta-ra" or "Tar-a" (with a long A like "tar") so when she tries to explain it's "Ta-ra like taxi" they 100% of the time get a baffled look on their face, like well now I have less information than I did before. Is there a better or different hint or clue she can give?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by bleep at 9:35 PM on January 9, 2019 (111 comments)

Hyperbole aside, after seeing the recent image of the Trump press conference where he was flanked by four bald white guys, I've realized I kinda look like a type of person I really don't like.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by BenevolentActor at 1:01 PM on January 8, 2019 (57 comments)

VELCRO's lawyers would like you to stop misusing their brand (slyt)
posted to MetaFilter by fremen at 8:33 PM on September 25, 2017 (96 comments)

I'm curious to know if any MeFites are active on Find a Grave.
posted to MetaTalk by ryanshepard at 12:22 PM on December 16, 2018 (43 comments)

I would like to know your experiences with grocery delivery, like instacart and shipt. I don't drive due to disability so trips to the grocery store are an hour minimum from home, and 30 minutes if I only need to pick up a couple things after work. Worth it? Not so much?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Aranquis at 3:02 PM on December 16, 2018 (22 comments)

A friend and I were talking about our favorite sledding positions. She said "double decker". I responded: do you mean one sitting behind the other, or one lying on top of the other? She thought I was joking, which caused me to wonder if this is widespread. Do you do this?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Emmy Rae at 6:21 AM on December 14, 2018 (24 comments)

Welcome to the trip of your life: the rise of underground LSD guides. "Some Americans searching for alternative paths to healing have turned to psychedelics. But how does one forge a career as a guide when the substances are illegal?"
posted to MetaFilter by homunculus at 9:18 AM on December 14, 2018 (50 comments)

My partner has a habit of putting heavy stuff into our car in ways that I think are potentially very dangerous. How can I illustrate this and show why it's such a bad idea.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by diode at 12:03 PM on December 7, 2018 (27 comments)

I lost something of great sentimental value to me, and I'm quite sure I'm never going to be able to find it. How do I train my brain to understand that's it's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kryptondog at 9:11 AM on December 6, 2018 (39 comments)

Writing from a crowded waiting room where four (4!) Phones are competing to fill the airspace with (variously) 2 news programs, one makeup tutorial and one video about a bouncing dog teaching multiplication. I know that cell phone blockers are illegal, but does anything exist that would allow me to electromagnetically block cell phone speakers?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by arnicae at 10:39 AM on December 5, 2018 (25 comments)

This was me, the first year (2011) as a Layaway Angel. But now I'm wondering what we could do that's a bit different. IOW, what's "Layaway Angel 2.0"? Specs inside.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by DrGail at 1:41 PM on December 4, 2018 (8 comments)

In one of the shorts of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs there is a scene of a sideshow where a chicken seemingly answers math questions from the crowd by pecking a metal plate with the answer on it. Was this a real sideshow at any time? How would it work?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Regal Ox Inigo at 12:44 PM on December 3, 2018 (6 comments)

I'm looking for reusable items that I can buy once to replace things I have to buy repeatedly and thereby save money (and reduce waste). Bonus points if they also save time and/or would make good holiday gifts.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by quiet coyote at 8:22 AM on November 30, 2018 (36 comments)

My wife is due any day now, and one thing that I'm freaking out about is seeing her in pain during labor. I've heard from a couple of other people that this is something that they/their partner really struggled with. What can I do to not be overwhelmed by this and stay strong for my wife while she's laboring? Thanks!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Fister Roboto at 11:16 AM on November 29, 2018 (30 comments)

I have medium cat allergies. I am considering getting a hairless cat. Let me know your experiences with them! Specific questions inside.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hepta at 11:12 AM on November 29, 2018 (13 comments)

Assuming I am buying fruit from my local grocery store (HyVee) in season (ie nearly ripe pears in the fall, ripe peaches in the middle of summer, crisp apples in the fall, oranges in the winter, etc, etc) , can I really expect the fruit from Harry and David to taste significantly better? On the one hand I feel it must because otherwise what justifies the exorbitant pricing? But on the other hand perfectly ripened in season fruit is so good that I can't imagine what could be done to it to make it taste even better. Thoughts?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by TestamentToGrace at 6:36 PM on November 28, 2018 (23 comments)

I’m dependent on chap stick to keep my lips from disintigrating during the colder months. I’m currently using chapstick original, but after a few hours my lips are chapped again. Any suggestions? My one request is that it’s as scentless/tasteless as possible (aka Burt’s Bees works well, but I can’t stand the smell).
posted to Ask MetaFilter by thankyoumuchly at 9:38 AM on November 26, 2018 (41 comments)

Inside an annual contest of brains, brawn, and library logistics. For the sixth time, an elite squad of 12 professional New York sorters—the fleet-fingered men and women who feed books into the machine—will compete with their counterparts from Washington State’s King County Library System to see who can process the most books in an hour.
posted to MetaFilter by cynical pinnacle at 4:51 PM on November 14, 2018 (14 comments)

Two cats that have spent the past two years trying to enter an art museum in western Japan – only to be politely turned away at the door – have become online celebrities with a global following willing them on in their attempts to see at least one exhibit up close.
posted to MetaFilter by Johnny Wallflower at 7:42 AM on November 15, 2018 (51 comments)

I am a gay man in NYC, and I would like to begin selling my used underwear to other men to make some extra money. What are the best places/ways to do this?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by crocodiletsunami at 5:52 PM on November 12, 2018 (4 comments)

that's better than "National Association of Parliamentarians"?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Ms Vegetable at 6:51 PM on November 9, 2018 (34 comments)

What's the best order to change my identity documents and gender marker? (Difficulty level: I live in Oregon where changing legal name/gender and state ID is super easy, but my birth certificate is from a state where I need to have gender affirmation surgery first. Details inside.)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by The demon that lives in the air at 2:15 PM on November 7, 2018 (5 comments)

There's good trivia and bad trivia. Bad trivia is mere fact (e.g. the population of Toronto is .....). Good trivia is entertaining, surprising, insightful. What's your favorite bit of good trivia?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by storybored at 7:51 PM on September 10, 2018 (85 comments)

How do you tell a thirsty elephant not to take a drink? When DC Water, the Washington, DC water authority, announced possible contamination of the city’s water supply last month, it was an irritating nuisance for residents who had to boil cooking and drinking water for 48 hours. At the National Zoo, where staff are responsible for rare and endangered animals who require thousands of gallons of water each day, the alert was a dangerous emergency. This is how they coped.
posted to MetaFilter by gudrun at 9:46 AM on August 22, 2018 (15 comments)

An Investigation: Do men enter the bathtub on their hands and knees in order to ensure their balls hit the water last?
posted to MetaFilter by rewil at 1:02 PM on August 21, 2018 (100 comments)

My husband and I are playing scrabble with a dictionary that is 20 years old. We are only allowed to play words that are in this dictionary - so, the names of Hebrew letters or Russian political positions are ok, but Filipino cake is not. Is there a more modern, global, "official" or unofficial dictionary we could use instead? Also, I'd love to hear about any house rules you have for what is and is not allowed in your scrabble games!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by rebent at 5:54 AM on August 19, 2018 (15 comments)

Our measurements confirmed what every woman already knows to be true: women’s pockets are ridiculous. [slThePudding]
posted to MetaFilter by atlantica at 2:46 PM on August 16, 2018 (164 comments)

Yesterday's AskMe about iconic music videos mentioned The Lonely Island's "I'm on a Boat!" which I'd never heard of before. I thought the video was hilarious. What are your favorite comedy music videos?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by storybored at 8:42 AM on August 16, 2018 (63 comments)

You know those little popups/notices/overlays on some websites? Usually they ask you if you'd like to sign up for a newsletter, and then you can click "X" or "close" if you don't want to. I want to make them go away forever.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by danceswithlight at 7:59 AM on August 9, 2018 (10 comments)

The short version: I'm curious about how to represent the largest possible number in an arbitrarily-limited physical space (think, say, a sheet of paper with room for only so many legible characters), using only standard, commonly-recognized numbers and mathematical symbols.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by the phlegmatic king at 11:08 AM on August 7, 2018 (15 comments)

A shelter in Golden Valley, Minnesota is testing out housing for dogs where they can interact with each other, instead of being housed separately. "Instead of housing animals individually, the new space allows for up to six dogs to live together in a shared room. Each still has their own den, where they rest and eat, but for much of the day they live and mingle with one another in an open play area. And when potential adopters visit, they're more likely to see a dog's true personality."
posted to MetaFilter by Emmy Rae at 7:43 AM on June 22, 2018 (26 comments)

There's a bug in my ear. My doctor gave me eardrops and told me that they would kill the bug. They have not killed the bug. The bug is now moving constantly and has been for an hour. PLEASE HELP ME KILL IT.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by a hat out of hell at 10:11 AM on June 19, 2018 (48 comments)

So around 2015, there was a lot of buzz around the konmari decluttering method (like this post). Anyone want to weigh in on the method, 3 years down the line?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Valancy Rachel at 3:55 PM on June 14, 2018 (28 comments)

I nailed Breakfast at Tiffany's at karaoke tonight and I have MetaFilter to thank for it.
posted to MetaTalk by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 12:57 AM on June 14, 2018 (48 comments)

A lesson in foresight: Balloonfest—about the Doomed Cleveland Balloonfest of 1986. Release 1.5 Million Helium Balloons at the same time? To raise funds for charity, to raise Cleveland's civic pride, and get the city into the Guinness Book of World Records? That's a Great Idea! What could possibly go wrong? This post features old-school local news footage, murmurations of balloons, the mysteries of atmospheric science in 1986, maritime tragedies, and Cleveland. \\ Happy footage. "Let the Bad Memories Fade Away." \\ [via The Atlantic and Jessamyn]
posted to MetaFilter by not_on_display at 8:19 PM on June 13, 2018 (21 comments)

I work in a public library in a deeply segregated county in the U.S., and just transferred to the department which oversees collection development--what to buy, where to send it, if it merits replacing it if it's damaged, etc. Every three weeks or so, the department manager makes some snide comment about one or both of the branches which are in a predominantly black neighborhood and/or about works by black authors. I don't know how to get this behavior to stop. Bonus difficulty: she's defensive and vengeful, clearly considers herself to have enemies, and is an extremely bad listener.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 7:22 AM on June 7, 2018 (19 comments)

Toto's "Africa" refers to Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the Serengeti, but the mountain isn't actually in that geographic area. Chicago's song "Saturday in the Park" has a line that's supposed to be someone singing in Italian, but it's actually made-up Italian-sounding gibberish. What other songs have factual mistakes and errors in them?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by cadge at 7:34 PM on May 31, 2018 (89 comments)

I'm vegan. I buy my clothes and shoes second hand. I don't have air conditioning. You get the picture. Still, I sometimes feel like I can't get through a day without harming the planet or exploiting people. How do you maintain your ethics in this global capitalist economy?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by probably not that Karen Blair at 1:03 PM on May 30, 2018 (39 comments)

A 14-year-old from Cleveland had a simple dream -- persuade Weezer to cover Toto's "Africa." Today, the band granted Mary's wish. Enjoy. (For added enjoyment, have this video playing muted while you listen. Yes.)
posted to MetaFilter by rewil at 7:26 AM on May 29, 2018 (46 comments)

I have a four day event coming up with a fair bit of public speaking. A lot of it is general stuff (I'm 'conducting' the event, as it were). My audience is subject matter experts and the top management of my organization. I am TERRIFIED of public speaking. I said yes to this event in part to push through this irrational fear. The event is tomorrow. I'm panicking, big-time. Please bring your best tips and tricks that would help me not dissolve into a blubbering mess. Thank you!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Nieshka at 5:52 AM on May 24, 2018 (32 comments)

Bill "Spaceman" Lee is playing in an alumni game at Fenway Park on my birthday. I would really like to get his autograph. Does Fenway have anything like a stage door at a theatre or a nightclub where I could wait and see if he'd sign something?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by pxe2000 at 7:39 AM on May 21, 2018 (4 comments)

In 2014, MeFite-beloved image sharing site MLKSHK (pronounced "Milk Shake") announced it was shutting down. But have no fear! A dedicated group of volunteer users has worked hard to put together a replacement site based on the original -- and it launched today! Introducing MLTSHP (pronounced "Malt Shop")! See Popular Posts for public-facing content.
posted to MetaFilter by zarq at 3:26 PM on May 16, 2017 (51 comments)

The Clown Egg Register: “The eggs are not just a record of the clown's facial makeup, but an actual portraiture in miniature.” Also, Happy Clown Week!
posted to MetaFilter by Deathalicious at 8:09 AM on August 5, 2010 (43 comments)

I have - way too many books. I'm pretty sure I need to have fewer. But I don't know how to get over the mindset that having too many books is actually a point of pride.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by my left sock at 2:22 PM on May 9, 2018 (64 comments)