MetaFilter

Google is not a "covered entity" under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the regulations promulgated thereunder ("HIPAA"). As a result, HIPAA does not apply to the transmission of health information by Google to any third party.
posted to MetaFilter by thewalledcity at 2:27 PM on May 19, 2008

My life revolves around my computers, but I find that no more depressing that someone from 100 years ago saying their life revolved around their horse or opera glasses or bookshelves. It's my window onto a world I enjoy.
posted to MetaFilter by DU at 6:04 PM on May 19, 2008

Your efforts are much appreciated, puke & cry.
posted to MetaTalk by amyms at 10:05 PM on May 18, 2008

I am an archivist sir, and I resent such character assassination.
posted to MetaTalk by puke & cry at 9:53 PM on May 18, 2008

We can usefully distinguish between the speaker's message, as I shall call it, and his or her stance.

This is controversial. In highly politicized situations, it may become impossible to do this. See Coetzee on the paranoid in scenarios of censorship.
posted to MetaFilter by honest knave at 11:54 PM on May 18, 2008

"Humbug" is a great word if you don't want to say "bullshit"...

I'm not sure I can think of a modern equivalent to Barnum. I'd like to say pranksters like Joey Skaggs, but Skaggs always had to adopt a different persona to pull his pranks. Barnum was always Barnum. The closest I can think of might be Frank Hansen, who promoted the "Minnesota Iceman" back in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

While I would argue that... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Tube at 8:41 PM on May 18, 2008

Nineteen sixty called. It wants it's arrogant, bigoted psychologists back.
posted to MetaFilter by Caduceus at 10:59 AM on May 17, 2008

Again, the irony is stunning. The comparison is the age old Apple vs. Microsoft, but Apple has no comparable software product to the one in the post! So the complaint is that the application that Microsoft spent its research money to develop from scratch and from which it derives no revenue should have had a native OS port. Why should Microsoft have done that? Can someone answer this question?

Think, people. This is educational software. Macs have a high market... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by Pastabagel at 2:29 PM on May 13, 2008

this is how it looks to me.

misdirection
hipsterection
plantarflexion
heat convection
love connection
meat injection
brain infection
botched election
vivisection
posted to MetaTalk by jessamyn at 2:27 PM on May 13, 2008

Around 2000 (which is earlier the earliest date I read that they have on file) some of these crazy ants showed up in the bathroom of our Houston apartment. They were INSANE. We couldn't get rid of them, but they eventually disappeared after a couple years. We couldn't figure out why they would be there, because they had no obvious source of food. I didn't connect the two at the time, but some batteries we kept in a cabinet were inexplicably ruined and leaking. The ants were quite strange and... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Nattie at 6:35 PM on May 16, 2008

I am so sorry I missed this. I was so tired and I just spaced it out. That Sunday I was whupped. As to why, had I made it, I could have regaled you all with talesabout the full Fellini meets Bukowski Monty of it for hours. That preceding Saturday Night was definitely a massace. And so I missed out talking to interesting nice normal abnormal people. Oh, man, wish I was there. Dang.

But I was thinking this morning that I am going to push for another multiple canoe meet... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by y2karl at 7:44 AM on May 15, 2008

We had fun. Not just fun: we rocked. (Bonus extra footage from the Shoreline meetup, because the thumbnails were so frikkin' small that I didn't notice it.)
posted to MetaTalk by The corpse in the library at 9:32 AM on May 15, 2008

Is the prosecution's theory really that anyone who violates a TOS commits a federal crime?

No.

Read the indictment.

Violating the TOS isn't a crime. It just satisfies one of many elements of the crime (assuming the indictment is based on a correct understanding of the law -- I don't know what the law really says).

By analogy, if burglary is a crime that has "entering a... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Jaltcoh at 7:15 PM on May 15, 2008

nebulawindphone writes "If it's established that you're guilty of manslaughter for causing the emotional injury that leads to the suicide, there's gonna be a lot of ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends, ex-bosses and former friends getting prosecuted."

Good point. And, moreover it would encourage suicide, in cases where the suicider wanted to get back at someone.
posted to MetaFilter by orthogonality at 6:19 PM on May 15, 2008

People are trolled in the same way all over the internet. In one major internet circle that most people nowadays are aware of, "KILL YOURSELF" is the the most popular thing said to anyone in need of advice.

Hardly comparable.

This wasn't someone posting on 4chan and getting a swift "KILL YOURSELF LOL" near-meme response from anonymous posters. This was from someone (the artificial boy) that she considered a friend / nearly-boyfriend.
posted to MetaFilter by CKmtl at 5:13 PM on May 15, 2008

Hard time would be quite just
posted to MetaFilter by fourcheesemac at 4:49 PM on May 15, 2008

Has no one actually linked to a copy of the indictment yet?

Sigh.

As revealed by the indictment, the "unauthorized access" results from various violations of MySpace's terms of service.

I'm no expert on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), but at least one court has found that violation of a company's terms of service constitutes "unauthorized access" for purposes of the Act. See... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by saslett at 3:19 PM on May 15, 2008

When speech kills, it's a bit more serious than "unpopular".
posted to MetaFilter by nomisxid at 2:37 PM on May 15, 2008

Oh, and even if the charges don't stick, I'm glad to see her being charged in an extremely inconvenient manner.

It's good to see that she will be forced to face an expensive, inconvenient and horribly embarrassing ordeal. It's not jail, but it's better than nothing
posted to MetaFilter by Project F at 2:34 PM on May 15, 2008

She should be charged, but this charge is weak.

Well someone should keep an ion it then.




(what, too soon?)
posted to MetaFilter by tkolar at 2:26 PM on May 15, 2008

They didn't find enough. She should be charged with manslaughter.

Something tells me that would be bad precedent.

People already get witch-hunty enough when someone commits suicide. If it's established that you're guilty of manslaughter for causing the emotional injury that leads to the suicide, there's gonna be a lot of ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends, ex-bosses and former friends getting prosecuted.... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by nebulawindphone at 2:13 PM on May 15, 2008

The solution is clear: Ban Myspace.
posted to MetaFilter by Dr-Baa at 2:10 PM on May 15, 2008

"I doubt few people, if anybody would seriously vote against McCain because of his age, itself, so much as the consequences of his age and what little has been made public knowledge about his health."

No, I'm going to vote against him because he's full of ideas that will make America worse. That he's a deluded, venal, hypocritical geezer with a totally creepy head is secondary.
posted to MetaTalk by klangklangston at 7:32 PM on May 15, 2008

Marie, I don't think dg meant any harm even if I can see a harsher reading into his comment than I think was intended. Come on back if you feel like it.
posted to MetaTalk by cortex at 4:26 PM on May 15, 2008

It's a little surprising that so many of the senators "don't deal in hypotheticals". Wouldn't dealing in hypotheticals be good for, you know, planning and stuff?
posted to MetaFilter by a snickering nuthatch at 6:48 PM on May 14, 2008

A family meetup sounds like a great idea, hopefully I can borrow one in time.
posted to MetaTalk by Slarty Bartfast at 9:01 PM on May 12, 2008

also, in case anyone needs kittens, talk to owhydididoit, he's your man.
posted to MetaTalk by mrzarquon at 3:15 PM on May 12, 2008

have a flower, Windows users.

Thanks for the flower! And all that fertilizer too!

it's not the argument I'm worried about, but the tone.

What tone? "Fuck this Windows-only garbage?" That tone?
posted to MetaTalk by me & my monkey at 5:33 PM on May 14, 2008

That said, I feel very wrong basically having the power to take something off a website that is making someone else feel like they made a big huge mistake...

The valuing of people over hard fast rules is why I like AskMe and is just one part of why I'm glad you're here. Thanks, jessamyn.
posted to MetaTalk by melissa may at 7:48 PM on May 13, 2008

I went to a MetaFilter FPP, and a Slashdot thread broke out.
posted to MetaFilter by dw at 11:32 PM on May 12, 2008

With no native support for Macintosh, Google wins again when it comes to web software development.
posted by Brocktoon at 11:21 PM on May 12

If Mac users want this, they can ask Apple to code one for them. Its funny how in one sentence Microsoft is compared to Apple and Google, when those two companies can't be compared to each other in any way at all. Apple is non-existent on the internet aside from their web store, and google sucks at... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by Pastabagel at 9:25 PM on May 12, 2008

ginger iced tea

In a large glass jar, put one large hand of ginger, scrubbed, coarsely chopped, and bruised. (Mashing it into the jar with a wooden spoon is both effective and kinda fun.) Add 4 to 6 tablespoons of loose tea of your choice. I like plain black tea.

Cover with 1 quart water. If you're using filtered water, draw a new batch so it's fresh. Cover tightly and place outdoors in direct sun for about five hours.... [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Elsa at 8:28 AM on August 4, 2007

As a woman, I have to tell you, this is not cold feet, this is your sensible self screaming that you are not ready. Your passiveness has probably not gotten you into too much trouble so far in your relationship, but this wedding thing is EXTREMELY serious. You cannot NOT ACT. Stop it now.

A marriage is about a friend, an ally, a partner in life against all troubles. A woman who seems eager to ignore your tentativeness and whose whole life has changed in her frothy... [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by generic230 at 7:53 PM on May 12, 2008

I'll be there. I love sausage. And beer.

Will anyone have an official Metafilter sign? Or do I get to wander around asking strangers if they're from Metafilter and getting weird looks in return, as I did at the Victoria meetup?
posted to MetaTalk by The corpse in the library at 12:30 PM on May 11, 2008

Say what you will about the artist, but as a self-made woman with a head for business, Madonna is a damned fine role model.
posted to MetaFilter by three blind mice at 5:24 AM on May 12, 2008

This brings back memories: back in the mid-70s, when I was a teen, I bought a book called "Vagabonding in America", which I read eagerly as I anticipated my "life on the road" that lay ahead. And I remember my dad once seeing the book and saying, in a disgusted tone, "So, you want to be a vagabond?" Ha ha!

Anyway, just googled it, and it seems it's back in print!... [more]
posted to MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite at 3:46 PM on May 10, 2008

I got a really nice note from the school project I funded through Donors Choose with my winnings.

Dear Jessamyn,

I cannot even begin to express the thanks that I have, as well as my students, in hearing that our project was funded. Although we are surrounded by some of the most beautiful woodlands, it is not so easy to find food chains and food webs in action at this time of the year. Your funding will keep the love of science alive in both the... [more]
posted to MetaTalk by jessamyn at 2:06 PM on May 9, 2008

I think it's ok to like or dislike something for aesthetic reasons and then tell people that.
posted to MetaFilter by Divine_Wino at 9:19 AM on May 8, 2008

Wait...one link to a NYT article on Steampunk, with a "More Inside" link, and there's no more inside? WTF?

Kind of a fitting metaphor for Steampunk itself, dontcha think?
posted to MetaFilter by Thorzdad at 8:10 AM on May 8, 2008

and there's no more inside

OK, fine. Here's the slideshow.



.
posted to MetaFilter by dersins at 8:05 AM on May 8, 2008

THANK YOU MARIO!

BUT OUR PRINCESS IS IN ANOTHER CASTLE.
posted to MetaFilter by ShawnStruck at 7:23 PM on May 8, 2008

Com-puters
posted to MetaFilter by DU at 5:08 PM on May 8, 2008

The United States had a new menace, they said, one whose name started with "c" and whose first syllable rhymed with "bomb."

That's just awful writing, right there.
posted to MetaFilter by Shepherd at 4:47 PM on May 8, 2008

See also, 1968 - Myth or Reality?
posted to MetaFilter by dmt at 4:21 AM on May 8, 2008

I think we've lost sight of what news is. News doesn't take a side. That's propaganda.

It's worth noting that this is a uniquely American view. Most Western European news providers have an explicit viewpoint; the argument is that by making the bias transparent, it's easier to rationally evaluate the journalism.
posted to MetaFilter by mr_roboto at 10:40 AM on May 8, 2008

Vitameatametafilter.
posted to MetaFilter by kirkaracha at 3:00 PM on May 8, 2008

Thoughts on Ants, Altruism and the Future of Humanity

The Early Science of Altruism

The Future Science of Altruism
posted to MetaFilter by homunculus at 4:38 PM on May 7, 2008

Ooh look, the UK is doing studies on pot and then ignoring the advice of the study when it's politically inconvenient.

Hey UK, do you really want to copy Nixon?
posted to MetaFilter by mullingitover at 5:28 PM on May 7, 2008

Curiosity was his only crime!

That and illegally copying shit.
posted to MetaFilter by Artw at 2:24 PM on May 6, 2008

He arrived in the United States in 1992 on an H1B visa, wanting to leave Swedish social democracy.

batshitinsane tag
posted to MetaFilter by TheOnlyCoolTim at 2:11 PM on May 6, 2008