I recently switched to an iMac after a lifetime of being a PC user. It's been great, except for this one mystery: What's the best way to play single MP3 tracks that you don't much care about, without them mucking up your pristine iTunes database?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by flod at 2:41 PM on December 20, 2014 (12 comments)

So, I lost a fair chunk of weight in the past year, which has had many beneficial effects, to be sure. Unexpected downside: I have turned into a complete wuss about cold. After years of considering myself innately warm-blooded, merrily running around hatless through all the winter months, I am now dreading going outdoors even to grab a quart of milk. This will not do. Fellow cold-wusses, how do I adapt? What are your best tips, tricks and products for dealing with the cold? Or alternatively, toughening myself up so it doesn't bother me so much?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Diablevert at 7:04 PM on December 8, 2014 (52 comments)

It's that special time of year again (reminder: please vote for the posts you like mostest via the favorites button, and if you are so inclined, sign up on the Wiki to contribute a prize!), and the first week of the Mefite's Choice 2014 best posts extravaganza has come to pass, revealing to us that, with or without salad, Metafilter members love a good chuckle, as demonstrated by storybored's #1 winning post "JokeFilter" (What's the one joke you always tell when someone says "Tell me a joke."). In thanks for the all the hilarity, storybored wins anything from the Mefi Mall from me, up to $25*.
posted to MetaTalk by taz at 8:29 AM on December 8, 2014 (29 comments)

A few months ago I moved into a new apartment, and decided to get one of these industrial shelving units - something like this to use as a desk/bookshelf/musical gear shelf. Everything works great, except when I plug my macbook into its charger and start typing. If my hands are on the aluminum body of the macbook and my wrists brush up against the metal frame of the shelving unit, I get a sharp shock, nothing too bad, but painful and annoying.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by taromsn at 2:40 PM on November 30, 2014 (6 comments)

Help me generate real-looking fake handwriting? I know that the Autopen has been used for a long time to help presidents and celebrities churn out thousands of signatures that look and feel like the real deal (it physically moves a pen and varies the pressure to get that true handwritten look). I'm looking for a machine that could "hand"write a multi-line card (e.g. 3x5 inches). Ideally it would be computer programmable (I believe traditional Autopen templates are physical plates).
posted to Ask MetaFilter by reeddavid at 3:49 PM on November 25, 2014 (5 comments)

The illicit parts of the dark web like Agora and Silk Road 2.0 have been pretty well-covered by the media. What's out there that's pretty vanilla but for whatever reason is a .onion site?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by joechip at 5:30 PM on November 23, 2014 (3 comments)

Not meant to be snarky on Buffalo per se-I wonder this about most cold places- but why did the people who settled Buffalo think it would be a good idea to live there permanently?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by the foreground at 3:10 PM on November 22, 2014 (28 comments)

I'm trying to transcribe an old-time coroner's inquest and, between the cursive script and the medical terms, I'm having difficulty with some words. Can you help?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by entropicamericana at 8:11 AM on November 21, 2014 (8 comments)

Dave's Classic Limousines is dedicated to documenting Limousines prior to the Super-Stretch era and features pictures and descriptions of Custom Coachworks cars and one offs (home built and commercial) plus a page devoted to presidential limos.
posted to MetaFilter by Mitheral at 8:21 PM on July 20, 2014 (10 comments)

I am watching my co-worker's cat because she had to move to a place where you can''t have cats. We can't find the cat and I am afraid she escaped from the house. However no one saw her run out of the door and no doors were left open. We have a resident cat who likes to run out of the house so we are extra careful when we leave. I think the cat might be hiding but my boyfriend thinks that is unlikely because he looked for her ALL day. Have you ever lost a cat inside your house?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by OsoMeaty at 7:28 PM on November 7, 2014 (123 comments)

Tom Menino, Boston's 53rd and longest-serving mayor, dies at 71. He had recently published his memoirs, but announced last week that he was suspending both his book tour and his cancer treatments. "Because of his leadership," current Mayor Marty Walsh said in a released statement, "Boston is a better place today." That is an understatement -- some polls showed that more than fifty percent of Bostonians had met him at one time or another; Tom Menino was the People's Mayor.
posted to MetaFilter by not_on_display at 9:30 PM on October 30, 2014 (51 comments)

My partner made Oolong tea two days ago, cooled it and put it in the fridge to drink as iced tea. Today we poured a cup, and then added a splash of homemade ginger-vinegar syrup and the liquid (the tea was a light clear brown, the syrup a darker clear brown) immediately turned into an opaque dark greeny black. Why?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by stray at 4:13 PM on October 28, 2014 (27 comments)

What are some MeFi usernames which match their users' expertise? For example, physicsmatt comes in to set things straight regarding physics posts. And backseatpilot can be relied upon to supply intelligent aviation-related info. Who else comments pretty much exclusively on topics represented by their username?
posted to MetaTalk by paleyellowwithorange at 4:22 AM on October 19, 2014 (237 comments)

I'm wondering whether a randomized computation (Monte Carlo, etc.) has ever gotten a string of very unlucky random numbers, computed an erroneous result, and caused a real-world problem.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by vogon_poet at 4:30 PM on October 15, 2014 (14 comments)

‘The Giving Tree’: Tender Story of Unconditional Love or Disturbing Tale of Selfishness?

Anna Holmes and Rivka Galchen reconsider Shel Silverstein’s classic, published 50 years ago.

posted to MetaFilter by Fizz at 9:30 AM on October 6, 2014 (126 comments)

I have always been really bad at really simple games, like the ones where there are generally sound mathematical strategies for playing the optimal game. I'd like to compile a little mental rolodex of simple games and their solutions so I can feel smugly superior to any small children who seek to challenge me.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by phunniemee at 11:26 AM on October 1, 2014 (16 comments)

Daydreaming about what I'd do if I were American CEO-level rich, I wondered: Are there any laws against a wood-burning fireplace in a private train car?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Monochrome at 6:59 PM on October 1, 2014 (4 comments)

I've recently been on a soup kick. However, my meager store of recipes I'm good at cooking has been exhausted. I'm looking for soups that are relatively easy to prepare, are healthy, and are cheap to make. I'm not really interested in cold soups at the moment. No particular restrictions or considerations beyond that.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by codacorolla at 9:54 AM on September 23, 2014 (52 comments)

Jessamyn asked me to cover this song a long time ago, and I set about it at a snails pace. It's finally done! (Sorry it took so long, darlin.) It started out in my mind as, "What if New Order or the Cure covered it?", and it turned out sounding like me covering it. I worked more over the past month to make sure it sounded the way I wanted it to, and I learned a lot about Garageband along the way. I'm kinda proud of it. And I'm glad it's over.
posted to MeFi Music by not_on_display at 12:23 AM on September 24, 2014 (10 comments)

I'm considering attending the Geological Society of America conference this October in Vancouver, BC. I'm an undergrad geology student, and a student member of GSA. I'm not making a presentation, receiving an award, or bringing a poster. Do people ever attend conferences like this for fun? Or would I end up feeling like it was a waste of time and money, attending a conference that really wasn't intended for people like me?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Secretariat at 10:23 AM on September 23, 2014 (29 comments)

I finally gave in and started reading Game of Thrones. When I got to the end of the first chapter, I texted a bunch of my nerd friends like, "Why do people think this is surprising? It is like super-obviously signposted!" From there, it turned into a project where I try to predict what will happen in Game of Thrones. I am blogging my predictions and there is a page where I mark off my predictions as correct or incorrect as I get to them.
posted to MetaFilter Projects by Eyebrows McGee at 9:35 PM on August 10, 2014 (9 comments)

Name That Student is a free Android app to help teachers (post-secondary or K12) learn the names of their students. The app uses pictures of each student to create study flashcards and then to create quizzes: flashcard, multiple choice (one picture: 3-5 names), and reverse multiple choice (one name: four pictures).
posted to MetaFilter Projects by A.Marin at 6:44 AM on August 28, 2014

My girlfriend and I have spent several hours picking out places to stay from AirBNB listings in Copenhagen. It SEEMS like there are so many wonderful, available places to stay. But my booking requests (5 so far) have all been declined by the hosts. What's going on here? How do I get a successful booking?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ErikH2000 at 8:10 PM on August 25, 2014 (23 comments)

I never got a chance to thank my fellow Chicago MeFites for going above and beyond the call of duty in celebrating MetaFilter's 15th Anniversary. Did you know we had 29 straight days of meetups in July? Here's just some of the stuff we did:
posted to MetaTalk by eamondaly at 12:35 PM on August 25, 2014 (28 comments)

Ok, so a couple of weeks ago I posted a couple of IRL posts pointing out that I wanted to meet Mefites on a loosely-defined 'New England vacation'. Holy shit, guys!
posted to MetaTalk by pjern at 1:26 AM on August 25, 2014 (22 comments)

I have an 8-10 year old, very strange, beagle. Last night I found her with eyes open, but unresponsive, clawing and biting at the wall. Is this seizure activity, night terrors, or something else?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by geeky at 6:02 AM on August 23, 2014 (10 comments)

Can anyone smell the difference between a cup of normal water, a cup of salt water (not ocean water, just salt dissolved in water), and a cup of sugar water? And if so, who/what level of smeller, precisely? Does your answer change if the water is warm but not steaming? What about steaming?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by vegartanipla at 8:13 PM on August 19, 2014 (26 comments)

I was walking in an old cemetery last weekend, and I noticed that many of the tombstones dating from around the late 19th to the early 20th centuries used a period after the surname on the tombstone: "JONES." and not "JONES" by itself. Can anybody point me to any resources for learning about this particular style convention?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by JanetLand at 11:32 AM on July 29, 2014 (5 comments)

Are there any? The only possibilities I can immediately think of are Lawn Bowls and Shooting. And maybe varieties of race car driving (I'm not sure if there's a physical fitness component to this at all?) Is there anything you could say this of that IS a more physical sport?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Kirn at 6:09 AM on July 28, 2014 (52 comments)

July 5, 2014: Anthrocon Fursuit Parade [~27m]. 1326 animals of various species and styles pass before your eyes.
posted to MetaFilter by hippybear at 1:22 AM on July 11, 2014 (31 comments)

The North American Vexillogical Association [previously] guides you through the 5 Basic Principles of Flag Design, citing examples of good and bad flags. Badflags, however, focused on the latter -- "the most vexing examples in vexillology."
posted to MetaFilter by not_on_display at 10:38 AM on July 25, 2014 (90 comments)

Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias has, in many ways, become America's all-but-forgotten sports superstar. You might have seen the round brick museum built in her tribute as you zip along Interstate 10 in Beaumont, Texas (Google maps), or remember she ranked #10 on the ESPN SportsCentury top 50 athletes of the 20th century, but that was back in 1999. So if this is all news to you, here's a bit more about Babe.
posted to MetaFilter by filthy light thief at 9:01 AM on July 15, 2014 (13 comments)

Fans of history, mythology, language, and music: allow Metsatöll's Lauri Õunapuu to present his arsenal of traditional Estonian instruments. Then continue below the fold for an introduction to the world of folk metal.
posted to MetaFilter by gueneverey at 4:35 PM on July 10, 2014 (16 comments)

Songs about long-term, developed love - not butterflies.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ohsnapdragon at 9:16 AM on July 11, 2014 (78 comments)

Strange & wonderful vernacular photography collected from eBay and Craigslist listings. Witness as ordinary Objects take on other-worldly, pathetic or even menacing qualities. You will never look at Objects the same again. http://worldofobjects.tumblr.com
posted to MetaFilter Projects by kingfelix at 2:54 PM on July 2, 2014 (5 comments)

Vera Rubin and Dark Matter Vera Rubin has been quoted as saying "Does Sex Matter? Of course it does. But does it matter enough to Matter? That's a different question." She is an astronomer and mother of four who successfully combined a serious career with raising a family. She is one of the discoverers of dark matter.
posted to MetaFilter by Michele in California at 3:54 PM on July 2, 2014 (6 comments)

Yesterday, during the pre-World Cup friendly between England and Peru being played at Wembley Stadium, there were three goals scored, but the moment that captured the most attention has been this unbelievable, incredible paper airplane toss.
posted to MetaFilter by BeerFilter at 11:30 AM on May 31, 2014 (24 comments)

Treading a line between post-punk and dance, the English band Shriekback had only a few minor hits (My Spine (Is the Bassline), Nemesis) and then vanished into obscurity, more of a "who were they then" than a "where are they now". They were Carl Marsh, Dave Allen (formerly of Gang of Four), Barry Andrews (formerly of XTC), and Martyn Barker. One notable fan was Michael Mann, who used the band's music in his movies Band of the Hand ("Faded Flowers" from Oil and Gold) and Manhunter ("This Big Hush" and "Coelacanth" from Oil and Gold and "Evaporation" from Care), and also in at least one episode of Miami Vice ("Underwaterboys" from Big Night Music). They put out two records on Y Records (Tench (1982), Care (1983)), two on Arista (Jam Science (1984), Oil and Gold (1985)), and two on Island (Big Night Music (1986), Go Bang! (1988)). This last album was an obvious push to appeal to a wider demographic. It tanked, and the band soon dissolved. Except they didn't.
posted to MetaFilter by Legomancer at 11:30 AM on June 26, 2014 (47 comments)

NBC's cult sitcom Community has been uncancelled and will have a sixth season on Yahoo Screen. Previously. The main cast are all scheduled to return, as well as showrunner Dan Harmon.
posted to MetaFilter by Small Dollar at 3:10 PM on June 30, 2014 (141 comments)

Back in 2006, the cover was lifted on the version of Metafilter Music we all know and love! I wanted to wish it happy birthday, and post a torrent for the songs from 2013!
posted to MetaTalk by Pronoiac at 9:52 PM on June 29, 2014 (24 comments)

2 years ago my husband got all huffy and insulted that I hadn't seen all the James Bond movies and instated "Bondathon" where we watched one Bond movie, in order, every sunday every week until we got through them all. He had it all timed out so that the final week coincided with the release of Skyfall. I may not have liked all the movies (Oh my god, "You Only Live Twice" is utter crap!) but I really liked the experience otherwise. Give me some suggestions for other movie -athons that we can have.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by PuppetMcSockerson at 6:04 AM on June 26, 2014 (92 comments)

This has become somewhat of a perennial AskMe question (previously in 2013, previously in 2012, previously in 2007), but as the mobile communications landscape is ever-shifting, it never hurts to have up to date information. So, if I'm spending the month of August in London, which of the several offerings is the best PAYG-SIM phone to grab upon arrival? I will be bringing my iPhone (AT&T), but turning off data roaming and using it as wi-fi only when I can. Are there deals on low-end smartphones that are worth the extra cash, or is it still best to just grab a simple flip-phone with SMS?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by grabbingsand at 8:45 AM on June 4, 2014 (7 comments)

I actually have a few subquestions. I have a tumblr page that I use infrequently and sometimes binge-use, but either way, it is not maintained regularly. It has lots of stuff related to my interests and mostly just reposted stuff and some things about my profession and its results. I just had a major breakthrough in my (artistic) field and am wondering if it would be a good idea to start this tumblr page back.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by jitterbug perfume at 10:14 PM on May 19, 2014 (8 comments)

I just received a huge cellphone bill due to excessive data usage. I checked my iPhone's cellular data usage, and the IFTTT app has used 7.5GB (yes, gigabytes) of data in the last month. WTF!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by krunk at 1:49 PM on May 9, 2014 (14 comments)

The Palmaris Longus is a notorious muscle of the hand since some people don't have it at all. Wait, what!?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by jgwong at 12:10 PM on October 24, 2009 (27 comments)

When I launched Upcoming.org in 2003, I clipped this little piece of red texture from a vinyl album cover and used it as the header background. I'm pretty sure that the light bands are guitar strings, and I thought it was a Frank Zappa cover, but I can't find anything that fits. Can you identify it, or am I sunk?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by waxpancake at 2:01 PM on May 8, 2014 (9 comments)

There is a place in Russia called the Kola Penninsula that is just a jump away from both Norway and Finland. At this remote locale, people can visit a crumbling cinder block building in the middle of nowhere that is surround by debris. Amongst this debris is a nondescript metal cap secured with a dozen rusting bolts. Beneath this cap is the deepest hole in the world.
posted to MetaFilter by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 9:30 AM on May 8, 2014 (48 comments)

Author, environmentalist, and activist Farley Mowat, OC, died Tuesday at his home in Port Hope, Ontario, six days short of his 93rd birthday.
posted to MetaFilter by gingerest at 6:32 PM on May 7, 2014 (81 comments)

At long last the College Of Arms has released offical guidelines on the effects of same-sex marriage on heraldry.
posted to MetaFilter by The Whelk at 12:21 PM on May 6, 2014 (104 comments)

I admit up front this is an odd question, and it won't kill me if I never get an authoritative answer, but it's been bugging me. My car's stereo has an LCD display that gives the artist's name in fairly large letters and the track title below that in smaller letters. It can only display so many letters of course, and so it has to truncate most names and titles. But it truncates text differently in its daytime and nighttime modes. Why does it do that?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Naberius at 11:44 AM on May 6, 2014 (7 comments)