SNLfilter: what are the classic Saturday Night Live sketches where the actors mess up and/or uncontrollably start laughing?
posted to Ask Metafilter by Melismata at 3:50 PM on August 30, 2008 (37 comments)

"You're really smart!" Psychologist Carol Dweck says that praising a child for being smart only teaches the kid to avoid any effort that might fail. "When we praise children for their intelligence, we tell them that this is the name of the game: Look smart, don't risk making mistakes." Malcolm Gladwell chimes in with his thoughts on the importance of being a smart kid, "What a gifted child is, in many ways, is a gifted learner. And what a gifted adult is, is a gifted doer. And those are quite separate domains of achievement."
posted to MetaFilter by revgeorge at 7:15 AM on February 13, 2007 (218 comments)

I gifted my family a Wordpress blog (it's all up and designed and everything). I want a virtual center for our family that now spans the globe and can't get together often. However, how can I get the older coots to not only understand WHAT a blog is but how to use it. They use the interwebs. But only to look up the goofy stuff old people like - like when Murder She Wrote is on. Or to hate on George Bush. But not so much to interact. More inside.
posted to Ask Metafilter by tkchrist at 9:17 PM on December 23, 2007 (14 comments)

Life-altering experiences. Can you point to a single experience in your life, as a child, which you can define as having contributed to the person you are today? (+)
posted to Ask Metafilter by jeremias at 4:41 AM on February 2, 2005 (216 comments)

I need practical advice from parents. I will become a father in the next 3-4 weeks. What should I be thinking about that I am not?
posted to Ask Metafilter by zerobyproxy at 5:34 PM on December 7, 2007 (59 comments)

My aunt's family has been listening to the same Christmas tape (as in, the same physical tape) repeatedly for about 25 years. The tape was originally made by dubbing from vinyl. I'd like, as a gift, to remaster the whole thing, but I need help identifying all the song versions.
posted to Ask Metafilter by dmd at 8:12 PM on November 20, 2007 (26 comments)

Control, the biopic covering the the life and untimely death of Joy Division's singer Ian Curtis, opens in the US today (on a limited release) [ trailer | fan site | on set interview ]. This is director Anton Corbijn's debut full length film [ interview ] and was co-produced by Tony Wilson (a giant in the Manchester and UK music scene, sadly missed. Check out 24 Hour Party People [trailer | clip]) . Control opened in the UK several days ago and the reviews are largely positive [ Guardian | Times Online | Independent | Channel 4 | Time Out | Manchester Evening News ].
posted to MetaFilter by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:43 AM on October 10, 2007 (40 comments)

What single book is the best introduction to your field (or specialization within your field) for laypeople?
posted to Ask Metafilter by limon at 5:40 PM on September 8, 2007 (242 comments)

My fast-growing startup is looking for part-time content writers immediately. The content in question usually takes the form of short blurbs, quips and fascinating facts in a variety of categories, presented in a compelling and humorous way. The job is fun, the schedule is flexible, and the pay is great, but we are very picky. We need exactly the right combination of wit, warmth, intelligence, and curiosity (ie perfect for MeFites), as well as the ability to spell and proofread your own writing against firm deadlines. Time required will vary from 2-10 hours per week, depending on your skill and areas of interest. Needless to say, this position requires reliable Internet access. Of course there's always [more inside], but to get the ball rolling, send your resume and/or writing samples (yes, blog postings count) in an email to coolwritingjob@gmail.com. Put subject line "metafilter" so I know who you are.
posted to MeFi Jobs by nkknkk at 8:21 AM on July 27, 2007

Famous Poems Rewritten as Limericks , as brought to us by our very own Lore Sjöberg. English majors, begin your griping now.
posted to MetaFilter by SansPoint at 5:21 AM on July 23, 2007 (302 comments)

Dr Who - a guide to the totality of the Dr. Who universe online. Like the TARDIS itself, this post contains much [more inside]. via
posted to MetaFilter by jonson at 8:41 AM on July 5, 2007 (117 comments)

I'm looking for a good group lip sync song similar to this.
posted to Ask Metafilter by pencroft at 9:54 AM on June 5, 2007 (6 comments)

It's a lovely summer day in London and we want to go to the pub. Suggest central, cheap places with nice beer gardens.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jobby at 7:57 AM on June 2, 2007 (6 comments)

I’d like to dress better. Clothing advice for a slim 20 year old male with a budget a bit smaller than the target audience of most fashion mags, please? And while we’re at it, how about some general clothing/grooming advice for the guys? [more inside]
posted to Ask Metafilter by rfordh at 10:44 AM on January 14, 2005 (64 comments)

Baseball fans heckle Vernon Wells, and he throws them a personally-inscribed baseball which reads "Here’s your ball, now please tell me what gas station you work at so I can come and yell at you when you’re working. Please sit down, shut up and enjoy the game. From your favorite centre fielder, Vernon Wells." (See the followups at the bottom of that article, with pictures of the ball.) This past weekend, Ken Griffey Jr. throws his jockstrap into the stands because a dude has been heckling him. (Everybody is laughing in both of these stories.)
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 7:31 PM on May 14, 2007 (28 comments)

Librarians and book collectors have many tales about ephemera left in books. While the legend of the bacon bookmark may be among the more pervasive reports of strange finds, a smallpox sample is probably the most bizarre. There are blogs and discussion boards that record other makeshift markers. Some readers prefer designated over spontaneous markers. Mirage Bookmark has an extensive collection of bookmark ephemera, with Bookmark of the Week and Bookmark Collector also offering noteworthy collections.
posted to MetaFilter by madamjujujive at 9:34 AM on May 9, 2007 (68 comments)

HagiographyFilter: Looking for a reference for Catholic Saints' Days in Hispanic cultures.
posted to Ask Metafilter by nkknkk at 2:13 PM on May 1, 2007 (10 comments)