Please help me find recordings of early anarchist songs in English or Yiddish!
posted to Ask Metafilter by Flitcraft at 3:01 PM on July 14, 2008 (7 comments)

Total financial ruin filter: I am terrible at managing my very small amount of money. How did you learn to manage your money better than me?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Anonymous at 7:57 PM on July 8, 2008 (39 comments)

MeFi Gardeners: Save your Seeds!
posted to MetaTalk by Miko at 5:52 AM on July 9, 2008 (41 comments)

Is there a movie review site out there somewhere that regularly applies the Bechdel Test as part of its reviews?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Stacey at 8:33 PM on July 2, 2008 (5 comments)

Mexican and Latin Immmigrants as Superheroes [ via guanabee ]
posted to MetaFilter by Stynxno at 9:17 AM on July 3, 2008 (37 comments)

Bush Stimulates The Porn Industry With His Economic Package When President Bush announced his economic stimulus in January, he bragged that his package was “large enough to have an impact" and would “boost” the economy. It sure has led to “higher consumer spending”, but not where Bush had probably hoped. The adult pornography industry reports that has seen a huge uptick in business thanks to Bush’s package. According to a press release from the Adult Internet Market Research Company. A case of tax relief translating into a venti latte with full release?
posted to MetaFilter by psmealey at 8:58 AM on July 3, 2008 (59 comments)

The functional giant Kelpie heads would rock backwards and forwards as part of a mechanism allowing boats to move through Scotland's lowland canal network. "Although the Kelpie legend does talk of the mythical creatures luring seafarers into the water, British Waterways is quick to point out that anyone travelling through the boat lift will be given a small bridle which according to legend would tame the creature and allow safe passage." (via they must need bears)
posted to MetaFilter by joannemerriam at 4:52 PM on July 1, 2008 (3 comments)

Chief Justice Roberts (mis)quotes Bob Dylan* in his dissent on Sprint Communications Co. v. APCC Services, Inc., making this the first known time that a Supreme Court Opinion has used a "rock song to buttress legal opinion," according to Alex B. Long of the University of Tennessee. Mr. Long knows a thing or two about this**, having authored [Insert Song Lyrics Here]***, a Washington & Lee Law review Article on the subject of Pop Music in legal writing. The article is funny†, insightful, comprehensive in its musical background††, and surprisingly knowledgeable about good taste in writing.†††
posted to MetaFilter by Navelgazer at 6:57 PM on June 30, 2008 (43 comments)

Can I patent a sandwich? I may have just invented the best sandwich ever, and before I reveal the recipe I want to know it's safe from those would attempt to misuse it's power for evil.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Dillonlikescookies at 8:39 PM on June 21, 2008 (51 comments)

I'd like to suggest that the "related questions" feature of Ask appear in the preview stage of posting a question. It may cause the asker to find their answer pre-posting (great for people who suck at searching, like me!) or rephrase their question in a manner that's more helpful and therefore cut down on the asker having to clarify repeatedly in the thread.
posted to MetaTalk by dobbs at 9:57 AM on June 16, 2008 (31 comments)

In the 1930-40s there was an interracial, all woman swing band, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. They are not exactly forgotten. There is a book, a movie, a black history month public radio special and a tribute album devoted to them. Ladies and gentleman: the International Sweethearts of Rhythm (YouTube). More audio files here. Photo 1, 2
posted to MetaFilter by shothotbot at 6:55 PM on June 16, 2008 (7 comments)

The Dark Side of Literacy - Indian education reform organization Shikshantar, who aims to encourage concepts of "Swaraj", or self-rule in local education, argues that current education and literacy models do not take into account local cultures and languages and gives too much credit to the Western alphabet. They also argue that there are many serious flaws in what they describe as UNESCO's campaign of "McEducation For All".
posted to MetaFilter by divabat at 4:49 PM on June 13, 2008 (46 comments)

A woman ovulates during surgery for a partial hysterectomy, and it's caught on film.
posted to MetaFilter by streetdreams at 1:48 PM on June 12, 2008 (82 comments)

Fritz Haber's story is the story of the double edged sword of science. He won the Nobel prize in 1918 for his groundbreaking work in breaking the nitrogen cycle for Germany's WWI efforts, but it's been estimated that two out of every five people now living would not have been born if it weren't for artificial fertilizers created using his process. He also spent much of the war developing poison gases; first chlorine (after watching its first use, Haber's wife committed suicide) and later Zyklon B (the cyanide insecticide later used against his fellow Jews in concentration camps). He died alone and in poverty in Switzerland. But the lessons of his life haven't quite been forgotten.
posted to MetaFilter by Plutor at 5:07 AM on November 21, 2006 (17 comments)

I'd like to start introducing my almost 6-year-old to the piano. What are some good books or new techniques that are designed to teach young children how to play the piano, basics on music theory, etc.?
posted to Ask Metafilter by adverb at 6:50 PM on June 2, 2008 (14 comments)

To Whom It May Concern: If you are reading this then I can only assume that you have removed the pond under which this note is buried...
posted to MetaFilter by ZachsMind at 2:39 PM on May 31, 2008 (92 comments)

I know what you're thinking: "What if I attached a faucet to a watermelon and filled it with spiked watermelon juice so party guests could serve themselves right from the melon?"
posted to MetaFilter by mr_crash_davis at 3:33 PM on May 28, 2008 (65 comments)

Read at Work. How to read at work without being busted, and not in a "guide to" kind of way...
posted to MetaFilter by jonathanstrange at 8:38 PM on May 28, 2008 (49 comments)

Fascinating account (w/ pix) of a motorcycle journey through Angola. Stumbled onto this from the Black Flag forums and have not been able to stop reading it.
posted to MetaFilter by jcruelty at 9:29 PM on May 26, 2008 (40 comments)

"This might be a weird request, but I just want to cuddle," Nevada Sagebrush columnist Jordan Butler decided to do something for his last column (before graduating college) that he hadn't done before. He decided to solicit a brothel. Here's the catch: he wasn't interested in paying for sex. He just wanted something to write about for his last column. The result is half after school special and half Twilight Zone episode, but it's all funny.
posted to MetaFilter by ZachsMind at 8:52 PM on May 23, 2008 (55 comments)

The Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela have won the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts. It might be in part due to their charismatic conductor, or very probably due to their unique style. What sets them apart from most orchestras, though, is their System, which the NYT referred to as "the most ambitious program of music education and orchestra training in the world".
posted to MetaFilter by micayetoca at 7:47 AM on May 23, 2008 (7 comments)

The Most Curious Thing (follow-up of sorts) by Errol Morris. Fuzzed up indeed.
posted to MetaFilter by i_am_a_Jedi at 9:09 AM on May 21, 2008 (31 comments)

Mercedes Allen looks at who's in charge of deciding the fate of Gender Identity Disorder in the DSM-IV. The APA (American Psychological Association) has announced it's intention to revise the DSMV (Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). The expert they've named to chair revisions on sexuality and gender is Kenneth Zucker. Zucker is the major remaining proponent of Reparative Therapy for LGBT folks.
posted to MetaFilter by FunkyHelix at 10:40 AM on May 17, 2008 (87 comments)

A woman walks into a bar and asks the bartender for a double entendre, so he gave it to her. Ba-dum dum. What's green and has wheels? Grass. I lied about the wheels. Ba-dum dum. A baby seal walks into a club. (pause) Ba-dum dum. How many kids with ADD does it take to change a lightbulb? LET'S GO RIDE BIKES! Ba-dum dum. A priest, a rabbi, and a minister walk into a bar. The bartender says, "What is this, some kind of joke?" Ba-dum dum. Instant Rimshot. For all those times you need a big red Flash button that'll give you a well-timed rimshot. (Jokes courtesy of Ask Mefi.)
posted to MetaFilter by WCityMike at 7:10 PM on May 12, 2008 (250 comments)

B'gawk! It may sound a bit like a joke, but forget about merely watching webcams, or playing with subservient facsimilies. Join the urban farming movement and do it for real. Martha Stewart does it, Hollywood producers make movies about it, and now even hipsters are doing it too: they're raising chickens in urban and suburban backyards. Coops range from the eggs-spensive but low-maintenance "HenSpa" to tricked-out Home Depot sheds to faux-gingerbread cottages to the very cool iMac-style "eglu". Surprisingly, it's usually legal to keep chickens in most areas as long as you only keep hens and no rooster (too noisy), but even in anti-chicken cities like NYC, it goes on in secret and remains legal on public property. And you can always buy your neighbors' silence with fresh eggs. Poultry Power to the People!
posted to MetaFilter by Asparagirl at 6:12 PM on September 18, 2004 (27 comments)

Like sea monkeys in your pants! Entomological blogger Bug Girl (previously) debunked a web site touting the benefits of giant Japanese non-biting genital lice as personal "pets" (they just live happily in your underwear. It’s so COOL! They grow, and have families. You can feel em living and crawling around!). She dismissed it as a hoax. So the site's author sent her a sample.
posted to MetaFilter by Turtles all the way down at 9:34 AM on May 7, 2008 (60 comments)

Give Us Today Our Daily Terror is an exact copy of Hitchcock’s 1963 film The Birds from which all the birds have been removed. Video: 1-2-3 Stills
posted to MetaFilter by vronsky at 4:58 PM on April 12, 2008 (47 comments)

Prior to 1990, over a hundred illegal immigrants died attempting to cross the I-5 in Southern California. The answer? Put up a sign, of course. The sign has been seen as racist, and sometimes as a joke. The L.A. Times profiles the man who designed the sign, a Vietnam veteran who grew up on a Navajo reservation. The sign in question has become iconic in the debate on immigration policies, and a copy of it now sits in the Smithsonian. Via Strongly Worded Letter.
posted to MetaFilter by jabberjaw at 8:33 PM on April 12, 2008 (51 comments)

Lennon and McCartney's Studio Reunion. On March 28, 1974, John Lennon was in a Burbank studio producing Harry Nilsson's "Pussy Cats" album when Paul McCartney dropped in. The room froze and remained silent until John said, "Valiant Paul McCartney, I presume?" Paul responded: "Sir Jasper Lennon, I presume?" The tension broken, a jam session [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] ensued featuring Lennon on guitar and vocals, McCartney on drums and vocals, Stevie Wonder on electric piano and vocals, Harry Nilsson on vocals, Jesse Ed Davis on guitar and Bobby Keys on saxophone. A bootleg of the session has circulated under the title "A Toot and a Snore in '74".
posted to MetaFilter by New Frontier at 8:19 PM on March 30, 2008 (25 comments)

Truck Spills.com (some photos NSFWish) - a collection of, you guessed it, pictures (most with backstory) of lost loads of freight. Picture set links open in new window.
posted to MetaFilter by Burhanistan at 8:04 PM on March 28, 2008 (29 comments)

Just some cellophane condom wrappers from the 1930 and '40s. Nicely matched with syphilis awareness posters from the same era.
posted to MetaFilter by shothotbot at 7:30 AM on February 14, 2008 (34 comments)

Today is the Day.
posted to MetaFilter by Burhanistan at 5:12 PM on February 3, 2008 (105 comments)

Dildo chess set (NSFW, probably). Other suggestive chess sets, part of a small collection of, er, pawnography.
posted to MetaFilter by GrammarMoses at 2:26 PM on January 12, 2008 (41 comments)

Diary Junction. "An internet resource for those interested in historical and literary diaries and diarists." Information pages on over five hundred diarists are included.
posted to MetaFilter by jayder at 1:39 PM on January 12, 2008 (3 comments)

1945. As the new year breaks in Auschwitz-Birkenau, the months-long SS torture of four women -- Ala Gertner, Roza Robota, Regina Safirzstain and Ester Wajcblum -- draws to an end. The women were being interrogated about their role in the Sonderkommando revolt of October, 1944.
posted to MetaFilter by forrest at 10:11 PM on January 4, 2008 (24 comments)

Mea maxima culpa
posted to MetaFilter by ardgedee at 5:01 PM on January 1, 2008 (98 comments)

"Hugh Massingberd, a celebrated former obituaries editor of The Telegraph of London who made a once-dreary page required reading by speaking frankly, wittily and often gleefully ill of the dead, became the recipient of his own services after dying in West London on Christmas Day." The linked NY Times obit (by Margalit Fox; print version) contains many good quotes, like "The Telegraph’s send-off of one Lt. Col. Geoffrey Knowles, 'who as a subaltern was bitten in the buttocks by a bear — he survived but the bear expired'"; The Telegraph's own obit is much longer (and, of course, unsigned) and contains, along with more good zingers, a well-written account of his life ("The inevitable consequence of his bingeing proved another triumph of style, as Massingberd, a tall, slim and notably handsome youth with hollowed-out cheeks, transmogrified into an impressively corpulent presence whose moon face lit up with Pickwickian benevolence").
posted to MetaFilter by languagehat at 12:08 PM on December 30, 2007 (21 comments)

Want to study some history and have hundreds of hours on your hands? Don't worry now. We already exhaustive know about the Valley of the Shadow project. But what about Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History, a bilingual English-French archive? If neither of these (vast) subjects tickle your pickle, don't worry...
posted to MetaFilter by flibbertigibbet at 8:34 PM on December 27, 2007 (6 comments)

"It serves 125, takes eight hours to cook and is stuffed with 12 different birds..." [via Cynical-C]
posted to MetaFilter by Chrysostom at 12:56 PM on December 17, 2007 (43 comments)

I collected book related askMes on the wiki into readMe.
posted to MetaTalk by shothotbot at 8:26 PM on December 8, 2007 (77 comments)

The Cliff House was San Francisco Mayor Adolph Sutro's amazing 7-storey Victorian chateau built in 1896 and destroyed by fire in 1907. The Cliff House Project (photos) has a large and absorbing database of related material. [via the indefatigable gmtPlus9 (-15)]
posted to MetaFilter by peacay at 10:34 PM on December 14, 2006 (14 comments)

"Dear Miss Breed..." the letters begin. Clara Estelle Breed was the children's librarian at the San Diego Public Library from 1929 to 1945. When her young Japanese American patrons and their families were forced into relocation camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1942, Miss Breed became their penpal and their lifeline, sending them books and supplies, assisting with various requests, and "serving as a reminder of the possibility for decency and justice in a troubled world."
posted to MetaFilter by amyms at 1:03 AM on December 1, 2007 (10 comments)

How to win friends and influence people.
Or, how to earn two dollars, three balls at a time.
Or, why Lynn Swann was a wide receiver.
YouRUBEry? Step right up. That is, if your fat butts aren't stuck to your chairs from reading all the rest of this crap, heh heh heh heh, high and dry.
posted to MetaFilter by not_on_display at 10:06 PM on November 18, 2007 (30 comments)

Man comments on Flickr photos he discarded in an alley dumpster 30 years ago. Vietnam 1967-1968: Darrell Hill, Photographer
posted to MetaFilter by thisisdrew at 10:36 PM on November 11, 2007 (29 comments)

Zigzag Zombie.

As part of the recent Dutch Design Week, students were instructed to produce an original typeset using thin, flat material (metal strips, tape, toilet paper, etc.) and then "pick one location, and create a large scale zigzag lettering and make passersby hallucinate."
posted to MetaFilter by Terminal Verbosity at 6:56 AM on November 12, 2007 (16 comments)

While God was fooling around with his celestial SimCity control panel, he accidentally built a river right through the middle of a road.
posted to MetaFilter by brain_drain at 10:56 AM on November 9, 2007 (49 comments)

So like reddit sends me an email when someone responds to my postings. Is it possible to engineer the system here in a similar fashion to email me when someone posts an answer to my Ask Metafilter question? I think it could make it a more valuable service. Literally a golden cow. Like Baal.
posted to MetaTalk by four panels at 10:52 AM on November 2, 2007 (31 comments)

He owned a chain of hair salons. She was a computer science student at University of Leicester. Together, they stared at many a kid from the games section of their local toy store, challenging them to try a grown-up game. Now you can find out what happened to the couple on the Mastermind box. (Via.)
posted to MetaFilter by beaucoupkevin at 11:58 AM on October 25, 2007 (52 comments)

25 Photos from a Toy Factory in China.
posted to MetaFilter by chunking express at 7:28 AM on October 4, 2007 (53 comments)

Living in the Mall is an art project by Providence artist Michael J. Townsend that has come to an abrubt end. "Eight artists snuck into the depths of Providence Place mall and built a secret studio apartment in which they stayed, on and off, for nearly four years until mall security finally caught their leader last week." Townsend's wife, Adriana Yoto, also documented the project at her website.
posted to MetaFilter by Kattullus at 9:26 AM on October 2, 2007 (73 comments)