Americas Favorite Architecture - The American Institute of Architecture lists its 150 most favorite buildings as ranked by its members. Zoom-able photos and building information herein. You can also rate your top five.
posted by Burhanistan
on May 3, 2007 -
65 comments
“Ten Years, Ten Trends” Highlights of the major findings in Year Four of the Digital Future Project’s study of the impact of the Internet on Americans.
posted by gwint
on Oct 15, 2004 -
4 comments
Consider the scorecard. During Clinton's two terms, the median income for American families increased by a solid 15% after inflation, according to Census Bureau figures. But it rose even faster for African Americans (33%) and Hispanics (24%) than it did for whites (14%). The growth was so widely shared that from 1993 through 1999, families in the bottom fifth of the income distribution saw their incomes increase faster than those in the top 5%. By comparison, under President Reagan in the 1980s, those in the top 5% increased their income more than five times faster than the bottom 20%. Likewise, the poverty rate under Clinton fell 25%, the biggest eight-year decline since the 1960s. It fell even faster for particularly vulnerable groups like blacks, Hispanics and children. Again the contrast with Reagan is striking. During Reagan's two terms, the number of Americans in poverty fell by just 77,000. During Clinton's two terms, the number of Americans in poverty plummeted by 8.1 million. The number of children in poverty fell by 50,000 under Reagan. Under Clinton the number was 4.1 million. That's a ratio of 80 to 1.
Clinton's Biggest Gains Not on Conservative Critics' Radar
posted by y2karl
on Jun 29, 2004 -
44 comments
HBO wants feedback about Carnivàle. The first season of HBO's Carnivàle concluded last Sunday (making way for
Angels in America to occupy the next two Sunday evenings). Although a second season is
likely, according to its creator, HBO is now asking viewers what they think about the show, asking them to rate each character and say whether or not they'd watch a second season. [survey link via
TV Barn Ticker; background info inside.]
posted by realityblurred
on Dec 5, 2003 -
21 comments
Are Online Depression Quizzes Depressingly Useless? Or is there something to
them? There are certainly a lot of
them about, posted by
respectable institutions. And they don't seem far removed or less complete than the set of questions doctors will ask you to help them decide whether you're depressed or not. In other words, if I were to take all four quizzes and divided my results by four or something, would I be any wiser? Is the fact that they're very private an advantage? So many questions! [
First link, for which I assume you don't need to have had a baby this month in order to answer, via Bifurcated Rivets.]
posted by MiguelCardoso
on Nov 27, 2002 -
18 comments
No more Mr. Nice Guy. Nice guys have believed a myth, this myth is the essence of what I call the Nice Guy Syndrome. The Nice Guy Syndrome represents a belief that if Nice Guys are good, they will be loved, get their needs met, and live a problem-free life. Are you a nice guy?
Take the test, if you are, better hurry, there are still
therapy groups available!
posted by patrickje
on Jun 13, 2002 -
35 comments
Like tarot or astrology in that it's a tool for introspection, only without the occult trappings. Kinda fun to play with, though. Or maybe not. (Warning: annoying
The Weakest Linkesque music.)
posted by alumshubby
on Mar 5, 2002 -
20 comments
Are you drinking too much? Daniel Lieberman is a psychiatrist at George Washington University who has posted a clinically-tested questionnaire which measures personal relationships with the demon drink. Unlike the usual amateur "are you an alcoholic?" tests on the Net it seems methodologically sound and non-judgemental. I don't know about scientific - but it may actually be useful in a Socratic, "know yourself" sort of way.
It does take about 10 minutes to fill out - enough for half a gin and tonic - but it's free, well set out, and will probably leave you feeling slightly less guilty about your drinking habits than before.
So...chin-chin!
posted by MiguelCardoso
on Sep 11, 2001 -
9 comments
Have you ever wondered about your sexuality? If you're like me, no. But, you might want to mosey over here and check on it anyway. Who knows what happened to it since the last time you looked?
This quiz attempts to guess your sexuality based on the answers you give to multiple choice questions. There's a AI program behind it that grows more intelligent as more people take the quiz.
posted by RustyBrooks
on Aug 29, 2001 -
54 comments
The Thoughts of Anonymous Pedophiles While researching an unrelated topic, I found a site called
The Pedophilia Survey. This survey asks people who have sexual desires involving children to submit a paragraph or two on their feelings on the topic.
One of the respondents said: 'Pedophilia is a legitimate sexual orientation.' But, is it? Pedophilia seems so widespread that should, perhaps, we be researching the causes of pedophilia instead of just condemning it?
posted by wackybrit
on Jun 5, 2001 -
46 comments
Claims based on early census data that "non-hispanic whites" are becoming a minority in many regions of the United States are very devisive and inaccurate,
this nytimes op-ed by Orlando Patterson claims. "The misleading reports of white proportional decline are likely not only to sustain the racist fears of white supremacist groups but also to affect the views of ordinary white, nonextremist Americans."
posted by palegirl
on May 8, 2001 -
13 comments
Shakespeare and the electronic age For those who studied or read Shakespeare some time ago, this quick test can help determine whether you recall the Bard's work or confuse it with the language of technology and more recent forms of entertainment. Not to sound Onan-like, score yourself.
posted by Postroad
on Mar 7, 2001 -
6 comments
Every once in a while I like to throw a big fat monkey wrench into the MetaFilter "post a link and a comment" system and get people to sit down and actually answer questions, instead of lazily following links off into the great blue yonder. And lately I've been hankering for some new & interesting reading material. So tonight, boys and girls:
if you could only have one weblog to take with you to the desert island, which one would it be? [Hint: Besides your own log!] Personally, I'd probably go with either
Noah Grey's weblog or the
Chess Log. What about you?
posted by hanseugene
on Feb 14, 2001 -
114 comments
After answering a few questions here, a presidential candidate with the traits closest to what you specified will appear as your best choice. My choice came up as Bill Bradley, which seemed funny to me. Thanks to Ronald Reagan, I ignore former actors, musicians, and sports stars in political races. I had no idea Bradley stood for the things I support. Looks like I'll have to break the rules and watch this guy.
posted by mathowie
on Dec 16, 1999 -
0 comments
