My fiance is half-Norwegian, and all the family he's in contact with are pretty Norwegian. We're having a wedding and trying to honor each other's heritages. I need touches and customs that can be added to said wedding. Problem: while googling on the internet for Viking stuff and/or meaningful runes, I'm finding a ton of racist stuff. My fiance has done antifa work and I just plain hate Nazis. How can I find cool customs that have not been appropriated by horrible people, and how can I buy jewelry (particularly ring-type) that isn't going to racist pockets?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by corb at 8:15 AM on February 4, 2013 (24 comments)

Halfbuckaroo here, got a hit in Key West for the first time in probably 10 years, and I thought it was groovy as hell and I'm reporting. Bad karaoke at AQUA, and a mefite from Chicago shows up, and it was superior. I thought I was alone, and yet. I'm gratified and delighted. small happiness, and utter delight. Thanks MeFi.
posted to MetaTalk by halfbuckaroo at 6:03 PM on January 29, 2013 (119 comments)

In 1978, geological explorers in a remote region of southern Siberia made an unexpected discovery: a family living alone, more than 150 miles from the nearest settlement. They had lived in isolation since 1936 and were unaware that World War II had happened.
posted to MetaFilter by the duck by the oboe at 6:52 PM on January 28, 2013 (62 comments)

The Next Parking Revolution
posted to MetaFilter by the man of twists and turns at 7:11 AM on January 28, 2013 (40 comments)

What Is YOUR Best Photography Tip, Secret, Trick, Lesson, Technique, or Hack?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by chrisalbon at 5:46 PM on August 22, 2008 (82 comments)

If you've never done the Wingate-cycle test, let me try to explain what it feels like: It feels like your legs are giving birth. It feels like you've got an eight-martini hangover in your calves. Your face contorts like a porn star in an AVN-award-winning threesome scene. You emit noises that resemble feedback at a thrash-metal concert. Maybe your eyes are closed and you're rocking your head back and forth. The upside: It's over in 30 seconds. ... I rode the Wingate cycle as part of my research on a surprising and potentially life-altering theory called high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Think of it as the Evelyn Wood of exercise. The idea is that lightning-quick intense workouts might be as good for you as — if not better than — longer medium-intensity workouts.

posted to MetaFilter by the man of twists and turns at 2:42 AM on January 20, 2013 (79 comments)

Why You Won’t Be the Person You Expect to Be (NYT): "When we remember our past selves, they seem quite different. We know how much our personalities and tastes have changed over the years. But when we look ahead, somehow we expect ourselves to stay the same... They called this phenomenon the “end of history illusion,” in which people tend to “underestimate how much they will change in the future.”" (via exp.lore)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 11:48 AM on January 6, 2013 (34 comments)

Civilisation: A Personal View by Kenneth Clark is a 13-part documentary produced by the BBC that was first aired on in 1969. It is considered to be a landmark in British Television's broadcasting of the visual arts. Here's the entire series (13 one-hour episodes) on YouTube. This is a treat for those of you who like History of Art, especially so if you haven't yet got around to seeing it.
posted to MetaFilter by baejoseph at 5:16 AM on February 8, 2012 (24 comments)

Why does our brain perceive tilt-shift photography as tiny little toy models? I'd love to know the science behind this popular effect.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by waxpancake at 12:16 PM on April 10, 2008 (19 comments)

After 15 years of a VERY sedentary lifestyle, I recently started commuting to work on my bike (about 10 miles each way). After 9 months, I've really come to enjoy it; I've gained some fitness, lost some weight, and feel great about the transition. I've been riding an old bike that's I've had sitting in my basement for at least 10 years - a 1996 Specialized Stumpjumper. I replaced the tubes and tires, got it tuned up at a local bike shop, but otherwise, haven't made any changes to it. I love the bike - it works reasonably well - but I'm wondering if you knowledgeable bike experts would recommend any upgrades that would really make a big difference, and would be money well spent.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by stuehler at 8:49 AM on December 11, 2012 (17 comments)

Seen any good movies or TV lately, or ever? The hard part: must be Bechdel-positive.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Corvid at 3:03 PM on December 8, 2012 (70 comments)

I want to have a Sock Puppet Party and a Grilled Cheese Party that will have people tripping out, throwing up, and talking about it for years to come. I need all your tips on how to throw the sickest shindigs of all time.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Juliet Banana at 2:28 PM on March 3, 2009 (68 comments)

Ariel Meadow Stallings (creator of Offbeat Mama and Offbeat Bride) on liberal bullying: "...what's the biggest challenge we deal with every day? The challenge that has my editors second-guessing every post and quaking in fear, just waiting for the awfulness to begin? It's attacks from our fellow progressives... Increasingly, I've started recognizing this kind of behavior for what it is: privilege-checking as a form of internet sport. It's a kind of trolling, with all the politics I agree with, but motivations and execution that turns my stomach. It's well-intended (SO well-intended), but when the motivations seem to be less about opening dialogue about the issues, and more about performance, righteousness, and intolerance for those who don't agree with you… well, I'm not on-board."
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 8:57 AM on December 2, 2012 (169 comments)

what's the best way to send an automatic random reminder to myself every day?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by starcrust at 7:20 AM on December 1, 2012 (5 comments)

Which personal fitness gizmo do I want?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by KathrynT at 2:25 PM on November 29, 2012 (16 comments)

Building the best emergency kit -- gadget time!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ClaudiaCenter at 4:46 PM on November 24, 2012 (25 comments)

Some random, wet images: A seahorse on a diver’s watch.
A diver hitting an Olympic pool
Mass stingray migration off Baja
Two streams of water colliding
A photographer in the rain
Waiting for the bubble to burst
Close up of a wave
Bathtime at a refugee camp Kutupalong, Bangladesh
Water being released from a dam to prevent flooding in Jiyuan, China
Transparent Montana lake, (and more)
posted to MetaFilter by growabrain at 5:49 PM on November 19, 2012 (26 comments)

Need a name for an unmemorable Viking!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Pastor of Muppets at 10:38 AM on November 18, 2012 (11 comments)

We have previously discussed private railcars on Ask Metafilter, but there is a growing hobby of people owning and running their own railcar speeders.
posted to MetaFilter by pjern at 1:57 PM on November 15, 2012 (31 comments)

So, what is the most oil-dependent thing that most people do / western lifestyle choice? _{How do we discourage that thing / encourage an alternative?}
posted to Ask MetaFilter by wormwood23 at 10:54 PM on November 12, 2012 (25 comments)

By popular demand, your new resident marine biology nerd has compiled some cool information about the Giant Pacific Octopus.The Giant Pacific Octopus (Octopus dofleini) is one of the strangest animals in the sea- and one of the smartest. Though it is commonly believed that vertebrates are always "smarter" than invertebrates, these guys defy that convention. As this video shows, they are able to easily open jars and retrieve food from inside. They are also, as the "Giant" implies, enormous- the biggest one on record was 30 feet across (according to National Geographic)
posted to MetaFilter by WhySharksMatter at 6:57 PM on July 6, 2009 (138 comments)

Charlie Pierce is a longtime sportswriter and author who has, among other things, reported for Grantland, Slate, and the Boston Globe, paneled on more than a few games of Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, and fished diapers out of trees as a state forest ranger. He's also made a name for himself as one of the sharpest and most incisive political columnists since Molly Ivins. The lead writer for Esquire's Politics Blog ever since a caustic article on former Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell cost him his Globe job, Pierce has churned out an uninterrupted stream of clever, colorful, and challenging commentary on the 2012 election season and its implications for the nation's future, dispatches often seething with eviscerative anger but shot through with deep love of (or perhaps grief for) country. Look inside for a selection of Pierce's most vital works for some edifying Election Eve reading.
posted to MetaFilter by Rhaomi at 10:21 AM on November 5, 2012 (72 comments)

Cosmos: A Personal Voyage is a thirteen-part television series of one hour shows written by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan, and Steven Soter, that was aired at the tail end of 1980 and was - at the time - the most widely watched series in the history of American public television. It is best introduced by an audio excerpt of one of his books, The Pale Blue Dot. Inside is a complete annotated collection of the series.
posted to MetaFilter by Blasdelb at 5:07 PM on November 3, 2012 (46 comments)

Are there any cheeses which are worthwhile to make myself?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by shothotbot at 7:40 PM on October 31, 2012 (25 comments)

Our study, “Bicyclists’ Injuries and the Cycling Environment” (the BICE Study), examined which route types are associated with higher and lower cycling injury risk. It examined the association between bicyclists’ injuries and the cycling environment (e.g., route types, intersection types). Taking place in Toronto and Vancouver between May 2008 and November 2009, the participants were adults who were injured while bicycling and who attended hospital emergency departments for treatment. Five hospitals recruited participants, 690 in total.
posted to MetaFilter by Blasdelb at 3:44 AM on October 31, 2012 (91 comments)

The Art of Presence. Despite so many threats to their freedom, Arab women continue to stage a thousand small revolutions in their everyday lives.
posted to MetaFilter by bardophile at 10:34 AM on October 28, 2012 (8 comments)

Frost my cupcakes! Please suggest your best recipe for an excellent middle-of-the-road chocolate frosting-- not too dark, not too heavy, not too fragile, not too sugary.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Bardolph at 9:51 AM on October 26, 2012 (19 comments)

Humans of New York is a Facebook page that posts pictures of the humans (and sometimes pets) of New York. Yesterday, HONY got ready to post a picture of an NYU student named Stella, . Afterwards, she told the photographer about a self-portrait she recently posted on Tumblr. So, instead of just posting of the photo they took, they also included her self portrait. In the first 13 hours, the photo was been seen by 2.4 million people, and has been "liked" by 300,000.
posted to MetaFilter by roomthreeseventeen at 10:02 AM on October 19, 2012 (104 comments)

Could Alpha Centaurians detect planets around Sol?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by chairface at 10:26 AM on October 17, 2012 (13 comments)

Sitting is hazardous to your health. "The research, published in separate medical journals this month, adds to a growing scientific consensus that the more time someone spends sitting, especially in front of the television, the shorter and less robust his or her life may be."
posted to MetaFilter by roger ackroyd at 10:25 AM on October 17, 2012 (115 comments)

The Mom Stays in the Picture - When Allison Tate wrote about how "Too much of a mama's life goes undocumented and unseen... I'm everywhere in their young lives, and yet I have very few pictures of me with them", it resonated with many other women. "To read through the notes that came with the thousand-plus photos (and yes, we have read every single one) was to read the minds of today's mothers. Over and over you told us that you don't look the way you want to look, don't look the way you once did. Even when joining a movement created around the motto 'I am not perfect to look at and I am not perfect to love, but I am perfectly their mother,' you felt the need to apologize." (via middleclasstool's other half)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 11:16 AM on October 12, 2012 (49 comments)

The Clothesline Paradox: A Conversation with Tim O'Reilly - "The thesis is simple: You put your clothes in the dryer, and the energy you use gets measured and counted. You hang your clothes on the clothesline, and it "disappears" from the economy. It struck me that there are a lot of things that we're dealing with on the Internet that are subject to the Clothesline Paradox. Value is created, but it's not measured and counted. It's captured somewhere else in the economy." (a full text transcript of a video interview)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 4:34 PM on October 9, 2012 (77 comments)

"I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man, I will not. And the Government will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. Not now, not ever. The Leader of the Opposition says that people who hold sexist views and who are misogynists are not appropriate for high office. Well, I hope the Leader of the Opposition has got a piece of paper and he is writing out his resignation." - The Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, takes the Leader of the Opposition to task over his sexist views (link includes extracts and video of full fifteen minute speech)
posted to MetaFilter by crossoverman at 4:58 AM on October 9, 2012 (206 comments)

Women on Waves is a Dutch organization started by a doctor in 1999 to provide abortion services to women in countries where abortion is illegal by performing procedures in international waters. They have traveled to Ireland, Spain, and Portugal, and now have their eyes set on Morocco. But Moroccan authorities are attempting to prevent the ship from docking. The group promises a surprise response.
posted to MetaFilter by zug at 4:51 PM on October 4, 2012 (40 comments)

Peggy Wang, a senior editor at Buzzfeed, has recently displayed a pronounced knack for aggregating what feels like some of the best of Pinterest in tips/lifehacks, home decor ideas, and DIY projects shared around the web. Exhibit A: 52 Totally Feasible Ways To Organize Your Entire Home; Exhibit B: 22 Things You're Doing Wrong; Exhibit C: 33 Meticulous Cleaning Tricks
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 4:07 PM on October 1, 2012 (67 comments)

Men: how was your mom awesome during your teenage years?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by SinAesthetic at 11:28 AM on August 29, 2012 (19 comments)

What excites YOU about your regular diet/exercise routine? What motivational thoughts do you have that you believe are uniquely yours?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Th!nk at 12:03 AM on September 30, 2012 (32 comments)

I like drawing and photography, but I have trouble just sitting down and doing it. I enjoy art classes where I'm given parameters for assignments-- is there anywhere online that I can find drawing or photography exercises?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by geegollygosh at 5:27 PM on September 24, 2012 (8 comments)

Whenever the subject of women in science comes up, there are people fiercely committed to the idea that sexism does not exist. They will point to everything and anything else to explain differences while becoming angry and condescending if you even suggest that discrimination could be a factor. But these people are wrong. This data shows they are wrong. And if you encounter them, you can now use this study to inform them they’re wrong.
posted to MetaFilter by sarastro at 2:17 PM on September 24, 2012 (68 comments)

Peru aside, South American cuisine does not get a lot of attention in the English-speaking world, but there are plenty of recipes out there which allow you to try the specialities from Colombia, Argentina & Chile in the comfort of your own home. Starting with the staple of Colombia and Venezuela and made from cornmeal / hominy, the arepa forms the basis of breakfast, lunch, dinner and anything in between. Basic arepa recipe.
posted to MetaFilter by jontyjago at 4:35 PM on September 20, 2012 (54 comments)

Transform-my-life filter: looking for "good habits" to build into my life.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by inbetweener at 4:28 PM on September 18, 2012 (37 comments)

The Medical School at the University of California, San Francisco “presents Mini Medical School for the Public, a series of programs providing an opportunity to learn about health and the health sciences directly from UCSF faculty members and other nationally-recognized experts.” Videos particularly geared toward integrative medicine and healthy living can be found here. (Most of the videos are between sixty and ninety minutes long.)
posted to MetaFilter by ferdydurke at 3:52 PM on September 8, 2012 (12 comments)

In the Netherlands, bikes abound. And now, they even take kids to school. Behold, the bicycle school bus.
posted to MetaFilter by Blasdelb at 6:13 PM on February 28, 2012 (53 comments)

I'm looking for my perfect, versatile slip-on walking shoe that is comfortable without socks and not too clunky to wear with a casual skirt/dress.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by drlith at 11:02 AM on September 5, 2012 (16 comments)

Is their a non-homophobic alternative to the Boy Scouts in the USA? My wife and I think our six year-old son would love the boy scouts. He enjoys camping, hiking, and nature, and seems to thrive in structured situations and programs. However, we don't approve of the ban on gays and know that our close gay friends would be very hurt if we had him join a local troop (or pack? I don't know the lingo).
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Area Man at 11:23 AM on September 2, 2012 (29 comments)

Tomorrow would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday. To celebrate, PBS Digital Studios offers: Julia Child Remixed. They also have created a celebration page, complete with an infographic, recipes, quotes, videos and more.
posted to MetaFilter by zarq at 12:48 PM on August 14, 2012 (50 comments)

Why is Amtrak not profitable despite massive subsidies? And just how environmentally friendly is Amtrak?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by bluelight at 11:53 AM on August 6, 2012 (64 comments)

Cat lost at Devil's Tower. What to do?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by k8t at 12:25 PM on July 13, 2012 (371 comments)

Cross country train trip -- sleeper or no? Terrible idea?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by caoimhe at 2:53 PM on July 27, 2012 (43 comments)

Now that I've worked my way through P.G. Wodehouse (I think, some books have different titles so it is difficult to keep track), what should I read for laughs? I like to read books that are so funny that I laugh out loud. For years, that was P.G. Wodehouse (and Saki). I've now read those novels and stories too many times. I need to leave them for a few years. What should I read now?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Area Man at 3:22 PM on July 15, 2012 (79 comments)