"I haven’t figured out whether cracking open your computer, attaching it to an Underwood typewriter, then inserting it into a combination Victorian mantel clock/desk and calling it “The Nagy Magical-Movable-Type Pixello-Dynamotronic Computational Engine” is some sort of daft wit or evidence of a pedantry bordering on the pathological. " - Steampunk'd, Or Humbug by Design, design writer Randy Nakamura takes a look at the Steampunk phenomenon.
posted to MetaFilter by Artw at 11:09 AM on July 23, 2008 (114 comments)

From the Land of the Gods: Art of the Kathmandu Valley. [Via Plep - NY]
posted to MetaFilter by homunculus at 12:20 PM on July 17, 2008 (3 comments)

Next-Door Neighbor, from SMITH Magazine, takes a bunch of renowned artists and writers from the world of Indie Comics and asks them to tell stories about, well, memorable Next-Door Neighbor experiences. "The Next-Door Neighbor I Don't Know," by Harvey Pekar and Rick Veitch is worth a look, of course, but personal favorites for me include "Halloweens Ago," and "Hank & Barbara." And after reading, "Dream Train," be sure to check out the video link of the subject playing an old cowboy song.
posted to MetaFilter by Navelgazer at 5:40 PM on July 16, 2008 (5 comments)

"Dear Mr Clarke... I had been a great admirer of your books for quite a time and had always wanted to discuss with you the possibility of doing the proverbial really good science-fiction movie." Excerpts from the letters of Stanley Kubrick.
posted to MetaFilter by kirkaracha at 8:57 AM on July 15, 2008 (19 comments)

Jack "Marvel" Whiteside Parsons was the right hand man to Aleister Crowley, a founder of modern US rocket science, and early partner to L Ron Hubbard. Celebrate July 4th by investigating this major character in the birth of our age.
posted to MetaFilter by unpoppy at 1:22 PM on July 4, 2008 (36 comments)

In an intriguing blog entry the mysterious jasminembla muses about the man in the moon, and his relationship with thorns, linking finally to a most remarkable collection of sourced and footnoted Victorian Moon Lore authored by a Rev. Timothy Harley, 1885. In the "Man in the Moon" section, we learn that, indeed, the man in the moon has been traditionally linked with thorns, variously being exiled to the moon for stealing a bundle of brambles, strewing brambles on the path to church to hinder the pious, or cutting wood on the Sabbath, among other infractions - and that this folktale has existed since at least 1157, when an English abbot asks, in Latin, "Do you not know what the people call the rustic in the moon who carries the thorns? Whence one vulgarly speaking says, "The Rustic in the moon / Whose burden weighs him down / This changeless truth reveals / He profits not who steals." Furthermore, no less a personage than Shakespeare has mentioned the thorny situation of the poor man in the moon... and most interesting, perhaps, the rather convincing theory that the bramble-burdened man in the moon may very well be an older "Jack" of Jack and Jill fame, who did not steal, but was stolen by the moon, along with his sister.
posted to MetaFilter by taz at 5:46 AM on June 26, 2008 (19 comments)

Philip Pullman interviewed about the ideas behind "His Dark Materials" [YT,1 hour, South Bank Show,parts 2,3,4,5,6,7]. Inside, and hidden from those who don't want spoilers, are links relating to the ideas raised and about the books generally.
posted to MetaFilter by rongorongo at 4:40 PM on June 23, 2008 (85 comments)

As a child, illustrator Rafa Toro adored the creepy Monstruos Diabolicos sticker collection. As an adult, he's giving the whole set a fresh look. [Via]
posted to MetaFilter by [NOT HERMITOSIS-IST] at 10:44 AM on June 15, 2008 (9 comments)

With all the crystal skulls, nazca lines and such at the box office these days now might be the ideal time to reacquaint yourself with the theories of Erich von Däniken. What better way to do it than by watching William Shatners Mysteries of the Gods ( Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3, Pt. 4, Pt. 5, Pt. 6, Pt. 7, Pt. 8, Pt. 9, Pt. 10)(MULTI LINK YOUTUBE SHATNERFEST)
posted to MetaFilter by Artw at 10:00 PM on June 10, 2008 (28 comments)

123 mm = 12 stacked CD cases. 6 miles = 30 Eiffel Towers. 5 acres = 11 ice hockey rinks. Sensibleunits.com converts any length, area or mass into real objects.
posted to MetaFilter by gottabefunky at 1:19 PM on June 5, 2008 (34 comments)

ESPN's Paul Jackson tells the tale of 10-Cent Beer Night and the ensuing riot in Cleveland on June 4, 1974.
posted to MetaFilter by togdon at 12:25 PM on June 4, 2008 (28 comments)

Two Spanish women meet in their late twenties and realize that they're identical twins. The hospital had accidentally swapped one with another random newborn, and each family had unknowingly taken home the wrong baby. Now all three women - the two actual twins, and the one fake twin - are suing the hospital, who seriously did not have their act together. But there are all sorts of ways this could happen. For example...
posted to MetaFilter by granted at 11:20 PM on June 1, 2008 (28 comments)

Selected Stories of H.P. Lovecraft.
posted to MetaFilter by owhydididoit at 7:14 AM on June 2, 2008 (45 comments)

Shaft was so cool that he had his own theme song. Shaft walked across the street whenever he wanted to. Shaft was a complicated man. But not all Blaxploitation heros were Private Dicks. They could be a Pimp, a Power-Hungry Criminal, a Coke Dealer, or a Male Prostitute. One was a Former Green Beret, one was a Bounty Hunter, and one was a Prize Fighter. Some were Foxy Ladies, such as Vigilante Nurses, US Special Agents, or Escaped Convicts. They might even be a Karate Master or a Vampire.
posted to MetaFilter by burnmp3s at 6:22 PM on May 24, 2008 (23 comments)

What are, say, the 5 key dumbbell exercises for arm strongening?
posted to Ask Metafilter by turgid dahlia at 6:59 PM on May 19, 2008 (12 comments)

How do I go from out-of-shape to a baseline level of fitness in a relatively short time without giving myself a heart attack or a stroke?
posted to Ask Metafilter by scrump at 2:50 PM on May 13, 2008 (16 comments)

Mulder's Big Adventure is an exercise in awesomeness by Metafilter members Secretariat and Cortex. Join them as they endeavor to riff on all 202 episodes of The X-Files. To refresh your memory of the series, you can watch the original episodes here. [via mefi projects]
posted to MetaFilter by cog_nate at 12:14 PM on May 14, 2008 (61 comments)

Toho kingdom is a deeply obsessive website devoted to Japanese media company Toho. Highlights include monster bios, failed projects (including Batman vs. Godzilla and Godzilla vs. the Devil), in-depth articles, movie concept art and music tablature. You can also check out a few scholarly treatments/discussions of Toho's most famous creation here (MP3 version), here, and here (YT version). But if you'd rather just watch big rubbery monsters slug it out over a major metropolitan centers in a battle for world supremacy, well, take your pick. Happy Friday everyone!
posted to MetaFilter by cog_nate at 9:36 AM on May 9, 2008 (7 comments)

I would like to sense God in my life. I go to church regularly, pray, and read the Bible to understand Him better but I still have such deep bouts of depression where I either don't trust or sense his presence. There is a wide gap between what I believe with my heart and what I understand in my head. For example, I understand and believe in the sovereignty in God but when hard times come or extremely difficult emotions (despair) arise, that is the first thing I question. I am not looking for an easy life or a perfect life, just one that is able to trust God more. Any opinions on how to do this? I feel a great tension between trying harder, and just letting go but my letting go resembles more closely giving up than "letting God" if you know what i mean. To summarize, I want a stronger faith. Any ideas? Thanks so much for input.
posted to Ask Metafilter by snap_dragon at 6:30 AM on May 8, 2008 (62 comments)

In the late '90s, pop-culture historian Bill Geerhart had a little too much time on his hands and a surfeit of stamps. So, for his own entertainment, the then-unemployed thirtysomething launched a letter-writing campaign to some of the most powerful and infamous figures in the country, posing as a curious 10-year-old named Billy.
posted to MetaFilter by snsranch at 6:07 PM on April 29, 2008 (21 comments)

Is the Wendigo purely a Northeast American (and Canadian) myth? If so is there a Northwest equivalent?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Artw at 10:36 PM on April 29, 2008 (15 comments)

I recently came across an article about the lack of opportunities for teenagers in rapidly developed suburban/exurban communities. Can you help me find it again?
posted to Ask Metafilter by glibhamdreck at 1:20 PM on April 24, 2008 (4 comments)

Why do we spend so many precious hours of our lives watching films? What is it about cinema that it should occupy a place of such prominence in our lives? And why do we even need movies? It is as though we are trying to fill a gap in our lives - a void, an emptiness within ourselves. So to even begin on the path of our Truth Quest, we have to see the broader picture of how film correlates to life, and life to film. To find this higher perspective, it is helpful to look towards the other arts, as well as philosophy.
Cinema Seekers: Searching for truth in cinema and in life.
posted to MetaFilter by carsonb at 11:49 PM on April 21, 2008 (26 comments)

from ACT I SCENE 4

J: Your pardon; did I break thy concentration?
Continue! Ah, but now thy tongue is still.
Allow me then to offer a response.
Describe Marsellus Wallace to me, pray.
posted to MetaFilter by 2or3whiskeysodas at 6:48 AM on April 20, 2008 (170 comments)

Superstar Scottish comics writer Grant Morrison is about to tear the DC Universe apart again with Final Crisis, the latest in a series of apocalypses and world ending events he's inflicted on various comics worlds over the years. But there was a time before fame when he wrote the tie-in comic for ZOIDS, the robot dinosaur children's toy. So what did he do? Ushered in the apocalypse, in the form of THE BLACK ZOID.
posted to MetaFilter by Artw at 8:53 PM on April 17, 2008 (74 comments)

I'm looking for jokes that sound like they are going to be very involved at the start but end up being very short.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Carbolic at 8:28 AM on April 17, 2008 (61 comments)

Easiest Way To Put DVD>Google Video ?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Izzmeister at 9:55 AM on April 16, 2008 (1 comment)

You're the Wandering Jew. When do you start worrying about sleeping with your own descendants?
posted to Ask Metafilter by 235w103 at 10:37 PM on April 15, 2008 (19 comments)

How can I get Keanu's forearms?
posted to Ask Metafilter by bitteroldman at 7:15 PM on April 14, 2008 (34 comments)

An introduction to the works of Alberto Breccia, 'often referred to as "The master of black and white."' A brilliant comic artist little known in the english-speaking world, his works have mostly been published in italian, french and spanish. In the '70s he and writer Norberto Buscaglia adapted nine H.P. Lovecraft stories, available here in ebook form (in spanish, but the art speaks for itself).
posted to MetaFilter by aldurtregi at 6:44 PM on April 11, 2008 (4 comments)

What is the source of the "I freaked out very, very badly -- I freaked out on acid" sample used by Thrill Kill Kult and Meat Beat Manifesto?
posted to Ask Metafilter by elvissinatra at 10:54 AM on April 4, 2008 (11 comments)

I have Tourette Syndrome, and I can't stop jumping up and down. Help me rewire my defective brain to channel this activity into something less destructive.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Juliet Banana at 3:05 PM on March 31, 2008 (36 comments)

I had a dream last night that I was at the base of a pyramid, and there was something earth-destroying in the pyramid, like an ancient God-like evil. I had to work my way through the booby trapped maze of the pyramid to reach the evil before it awoke, and so I popped open my trusty laptop and went to AskMeFi and typed my first question: How do I get to the center of a booby trapped pyramid maze. The answers started pouring in, and I began my mission, dodging ancient mummies and flying spikes.
posted to MetaTalk by Astro Zombie at 9:05 AM on March 31, 2008 (136 comments)

"In a possibly historic ruling, a federal judge Wednesday determined that the heirs of Superman co-creator, Jerry Siegel, are now the rightful owners of one-half of the copyright of Superman, and have been since 1999."
posted to MetaFilter by Alvy Ampersand at 11:48 PM on March 28, 2008 (50 comments)

Pony request - auto ban for cracked.com posts
posted to MetaTalk by Artw at 11:45 AM on March 25, 2008 (115 comments)

The devil visiting earth seems to be a pretty common happening in certain litterature or films. I am looking for examples of what he actually does when coming here.
posted to Ask Metafilter by ilike at 4:13 AM on March 21, 2008 (51 comments)

Between 1981 and 1984, the first network for kids broadcast an unusual show called THE THIRD EYE
posted to MetaFilter by cinemafiend at 9:05 AM on March 19, 2008 (48 comments)

I would love to know what song this is. [Direct Link to 4.7 MB mp3] [Caution at work, song gets louder]
posted to Ask Metafilter by churl at 1:48 AM on March 9, 2008 (7 comments)

The Hidden Stanley Kubrick. In the nine years following Stanley Kubrick's death on March 7, 1999, several of his collaborators have written and spoken about their experiences working with this notoriously reclusive filmmaker. Their reminiscences shed light on aspects of Kubrick’s family life, private thoughts and work habits, and make for fascinating reading and viewing. Those who've shared their reflections include Michael Herr (co-screenwriter, "Full Metal Jacket"); Leon Vitali (actor, "Barry Lyndon" and Kubrick's personal assistant for nearly 25 years); Ian Watson (credited with the "screen story" for "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence"); and Brian Aldiss (who helped to develop the story for "A.I."). Peter Bogdanovich gathered together the impressions of others who worked with Kubrick on various projects over the legendary director's career.
posted to MetaFilter by New Frontier at 11:37 PM on March 8, 2008 (21 comments)

"Many women experience a fluid sexual desire that is responsive to a person rather than a specific gender" A description of the topic for Lisa Diamond's new book, Sexual Fluidity. While waiting to get your copy of the book, why not read some of her papers? Here's one about young women who identify as lesbians or bisexuals and then change their minds. Was it a phase? (pdf) Here's one about the development of sexual orientation among adolescent and young adult women. (pdf) Here's one containing a new view of lesbian subtypes. (pdf) There are more.
posted to MetaFilter by wittgenstein at 6:24 PM on March 5, 2008 (102 comments)

If you've seen clips of Bo Diddley performances from the early 60s, you'll surely have noticed the presence of one or more female guitarists on stage, churning out that chunky six-string rhythm alongside the esteemed Mr. Diddley. Might've been Lady Bo that you've seen or heard, or it might've been The Duchess. Either way, hats off to some fine guitarists: women who filled a job category generally reserved (especially at that time) for the menfolk.
posted to MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite at 6:16 AM on March 4, 2008 (13 comments)

Lost America is a purdy website featuring night photography of ghost towns, urban exploration, decommissioned military facilities, airplane graveyards, and other roadside abandonments of the American west.
posted to MetaFilter by dhammond at 9:00 PM on March 2, 2008 (22 comments)

A collection of comic books, Amar Chitra Katha is like the American Illustrated Classics, except that the stories are from Indian sacred texts, mythology, history, folktales and legends. It was conceived by Anant Pai. The series has sold over 86 million copies of about 440 titles.
posted to MetaFilter by nickyskye at 7:40 AM on March 3, 2008 (35 comments)

The Hagakure, written by Yamamoto Tsunemoto in the early 1700s, is a guide to being a warrior and servant in a decadent world. It's probably known best to Westerners, at least indie-film folk and Forest Whitaker fans, as being the favorite text of the hero of Ghost Dog. Study it well and you could be as cool as Ghost Dog. (NSFW)
posted to MetaFilter by Bookhouse at 5:33 PM on March 2, 2008 (20 comments)

Erotic Falconry
posted to MetaFilter by loquacious at 2:45 PM on February 29, 2008 (66 comments)

What will give me the best bang for my buck to advertise a graphic novel that's horror-genre-based, but totally violates genre conventions?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Shepherd at 2:37 AM on February 29, 2008 (12 comments)

"He's got scratch arms." Help me identify the sociology video that contains this unforgettable dialogue from a four year old child.
posted to Ask Metafilter by anazgnos at 10:56 AM on February 26, 2008 (4 comments)

Why do some restauants resist issuing separate checks for large groups? What are the motivations at play? Does it affect the tip? Is it an issue of complexity? Politics? I'd particularly appreciate perspective from people who have worked as waiters/waitresses, or who own a restaurant.
posted to Ask Metafilter by Jeff Howard at 4:13 PM on February 25, 2008 (50 comments)

I'm looking for an article (couple years old probably) about Barack Obama "stealing" the author's girlfriend.
posted to Ask Metafilter by gratuitous1 at 2:29 PM on February 24, 2008 (4 comments)

Free Star Trek. The only Star Trek that matters -- the ones with Kirk, Spock, Bones, and the rest.
posted to MetaFilter by ardgedee at 1:00 PM on February 22, 2008 (71 comments)