It's been a big week for high speed rail proponents and infrastructure hawks. This week, the California Legislature approved startup funds for the $68 billion high-speed line linking San Diego to San Francisco and Sacramento and points in between. Today, Amtrak unvelied its $151 billion plan (PDF) for the Northeast Corridor. Both will take decades to complete. Detractors worry about exploding costs and operating losses, while supporters stress jobs, mobility, and international competitiveness. Europe and Japan have lapped us a few times over. However, those who want to do this quickly and cheaply might want to take a lesson from once-ambitious China.
posted to MetaFilter by moammargaret at 8:06 AM on July 10, 2012 (238 comments)

Looking back at the past week, as thunderstorms finally rolled into the Midwest Saturday evening, it seems that the past week's extreme heat (previously) has broken more than 3,500 temperature records in the U.S.
posted to MetaFilter by limeonaire at 8:25 PM on July 7, 2012 (136 comments)

Should I consider a treadmill desk?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by anotherpanacea at 1:35 PM on July 3, 2012 (12 comments)

I want your best recipes for turning comfort foods into health foods without sacrificing satisfaction.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Rory Marinich at 5:48 AM on June 25, 2012 (33 comments)

You have long hair. You exercise often. What is your routine?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by lovableiago at 6:42 PM on June 19, 2012 (34 comments)

I'm looking for websites that have cool, educational, entertaining and kid-safe stuff I can share with my two 4 year olds, perhaps similar to the kids should see this, and/or sites that suggest neat projects and how-to's my wife and I can work on with them to open their eyes to the wonders of the world around them. All suggestions welcome!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by zarq at 7:21 PM on June 10, 2012 (4 comments)

Looking for suggestions on must sees as we drive from Lisbon, Portugal to Sagres, Portugal next week. We aren't committed to either the highway further inland or the coastline. Suggestions?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kathrock at 11:33 AM on June 8, 2012 (3 comments)

Please tell me about your toddler's difficult questions.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by rabbitrabbit at 1:21 PM on June 7, 2012 (19 comments)

What are some science-y experiments that would be fun (and impressive) for a 4 year old?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by imabanana at 2:01 PM on June 5, 2012 (34 comments)

Bratabase is a crowdsourced "bra database" made to help women find the right bra (interview with the creator). According to many studies, over 80% of women aren't wearing the correct bra size: "there's a lot of misinformation about bras out there". For instance, D cups just aren't that big ("Clearly there are a whole lot more D+ cups out there than people assume") and not all D cups are the same size ("from left to right 30D, 32D, 34D, 36D, 38D. Five different band lengths, five different cup volumes. All D Cups"). Most of these links contain photos and therefore may be NSFWish for some.
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 6:44 PM on May 31, 2012 (120 comments)

Where should we hold our family reunion?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by linettasky at 8:46 AM on May 26, 2012 (4 comments)

America's Test Kitchen Super Quick Video Tips: "Test Kitchen wisdom distilled into eminently watchable video clips" of no more than a minute or two long, including tips for meat (how to make the most perfect bacon ever - how to quickly defrost meat - how to dry-age steak at home) to coffee (how to make pour-over coffee - how to fake a latte at home) and wine (the fastest way to chill wine) to pizza (flattening dough and baking a perfect thin-crust pizza ) and general kitchen tips (is your knife sharp enough? - do you really need to buy regular olive oil? - how to quickly soften butter and soft cheese). And there's Ask the Test Kitchen quick video tips as well (what's the best way to peel eggs? - how do I store brown sugar?).
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 7:57 PM on May 23, 2012 (71 comments)

What do I need in order to start commuting by bike? Assume that I currently have 1) a bike, 2) there is no 2.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Scientist at 2:25 PM on May 17, 2012 (51 comments)

Parenting filter: I have two kids, 11 and 9. I'm a divorced dad trying to figure out a plan for their accountability for their chores when they're with me. The biggest stumbling block seems to be division of labor. On the one hand, assigning individual chores (Daughter, you wash the dishes. Son, you dry and put away) and rewarding for completion seems simple enough. But I want to teach them teamwork, negotiation, time management (who does what part first) and shared responsibility. So sometimes I say "Clean the kitchen, you figure out who does what". The latter seems better for a shared reward like a trip to the movies. Does anyone favor one approach over the other, and why? BTW they're coming from a household where their mom and I differed on how to handle chores, so they're a little used to coasting.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by punocchio at 1:42 PM on May 17, 2012 (22 comments)

In a recent episode of Mad Men titled "Lady Lazarus," Pete Campbell has an existential crisis when he sees a picture of the Earth from space, but were there color pictures of the whole Earth in October 1966? First some background...
posted to MetaFilter by quartzcity at 11:03 PM on May 10, 2012 (87 comments)

You made my house smell like (delicious, delicious) onions! Now please help me make it stop.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by range at 9:20 AM on May 10, 2012 (24 comments)

Can you recommend me some great nonfiction books by women authors?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by xenization at 8:13 AM on April 30, 2012 (55 comments)

Don't toss that celery base! Did you know you can use it to re-grow a new bunch of celery? The same thing works for romaine lettuce and bok choy. You can regrow scallions or leeks or any cooking onion. You can grow garlic. What about lemongrass or ginger? Try planting pepper seeds or key lime seeds; a leftover pineapple top or the classic avocado pit. You can eat the leaves from carrot tops or sweet potato vines or just keep them as houseplants. Seeds Straight From Your Fridge (NYT link)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 9:06 PM on April 25, 2012 (108 comments)

I want to become intimately familiar with Venezuelan politics; what should I read?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ke rose ne at 2:48 PM on April 15, 2012 (3 comments)

What are some recommended books for the general reader on why languages are so different. How come languages such as Thai, Mandarin, Hebrew or the Indo-European langauges have such hugely different alphabets, let alone such vast differences in pronunciation? Given that human societies share many common characteristics, how come we ended up speaking so differently from each other. As I say, I'd prefer books aimed at the general reader, rather than, say, linguistics specialists.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by vac2003 at 2:34 AM on April 22, 2012 (8 comments)

I'm seriously thinking of never riding a bike again, having just had my second serious crash in just over a year - despite it being my default mode of transport since I was 12 years old. I don't really want to stop, but I also don't want to end up a vegetable or dead. What are some non-obvious defensive (bicycle) riding techniques for an experienced rider to start using? How do you force yourself to learn and use them after 20+ years of habit?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by deadwax at 10:04 PM on April 20, 2012 (58 comments)

"The U.S. Geological Survey has just released more than 161,000 digitally scanned historical maps spanning in excess of 130 years and covering the lower 48 states. This Historical Topographic Map Collection provides a comprehensive repository of the landscape of our Nation..."
posted to MetaFilter by Miko at 12:01 PM on April 20, 2012 (19 comments)

For centuries, ships navigated by the stars. Thousands of ships' logs representing hundreds of thousands of position readings were diligently recorded by sailors for a future use they never could have imagined: 100 years of ocean travel 1750 to 1850.
posted to MetaFilter by stbalbach at 9:43 PM on April 15, 2012 (42 comments)

Fishbowl, live cam at the Blue Cavern, Aquarium of the Pacific. Live cams at explore.org: Moon jellyfish | tropical reef live cam.
posted to MetaFilter by nickyskye at 4:47 PM on April 14, 2012 (8 comments)

Current fitness and nutrition regime counterproductive - help. If you had this happen to you and have worked around it, I'd like to hear about it.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Currer Belfry at 6:41 AM on April 15, 2012 (22 comments)

The Pressure Cooker Makes A Comeback. "Pressure cookers are exploding—in a good way—into home and restaurant kitchens. I discovered the joys of pressure cooking last year while reviewing Modernist Cuisine, the 2,348-page encyclopedia of avant-garde cuisine by former Microsoft executive Nathan Myhrvold. He argues that pressure cookers are the perfect vessel for making stock, and he's right. Pressure cooking extracts more flavors from the primary materials and keeps them in the pot, where they condense back into a rich, full-bodied liquid. I was blown away by the chicken stock I made the first time I used a pressure cooker. But I didn't stop there. I followed a few of Myhrvold's other suggestions and soon discovered that pressure cookers make superior, stir-free risotto—cooked through, but with a pleasant hint of resistance—after just five-and-a-half minutes at pressure. Braised short ribs are similarly sublime, fork tender without being mushy, and bathed in a broth with an intense, concentrated beef flavor. They went from being a Sunday afternoon project to a supper I could prepare after work on weeknights. Emboldened by success, I even went so far as to pressure cook a surprisingly moist lemon-mascarpone cheesecake."
posted to MetaFilter by storybored at 10:46 AM on April 8, 2012 (92 comments)

My cellphone and laptop are reaching the end of their runs (a respectable 5 years for the laptop, and a measly two for the phone). In the next several months, I will need to get new devices. But what should I do? New awesome phone (Samsung Galaxy IIS or similar) and keep the current laptop pretty much only for typing and image editing? New basic phone + iPad + plug-in keyboard for the iPad? New basic phone + MacBook Air? More on what I do with my devices (and what I'd like to do with them) after the jump.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ocherdraco at 10:03 PM on April 4, 2012 (6 comments)

When John Carlos raised his fist in a black power salute at the 1968 Olympics, it changed 20th-century history – and his own life – for ever. How does he feel about it now?
posted to MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite at 1:44 AM on April 5, 2012 (46 comments)

Arrested drunk guy sings Bohemian Rhapsody.
posted to MetaFilter by cmoj at 12:09 PM on March 29, 2012 (87 comments)

Umm how do I put this? When I was younger, the trouser trumpet used to sound and feel crisp and fast but now that Im older its become more like a tuba - sort of full and airy and slow. What's happening back there? Should I be worried? (FYI it's only ever handled the usual one-way traffic.)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by zaebiz at 2:37 AM on October 18, 2006 (17 comments)

Having heard way to many similar stories, Dr. Kate Clancy, author of the popular Scientific American blog Context and Variation, has recently run two accounts written by graduate students about their experiences with sexual harassment in the hopes that they will spark a wider discussion. The comments in the second article are uncharacteristically amazing and include several more women sharing their experiences.
posted to MetaFilter by Blasdelb at 7:01 PM on March 13, 2012 (94 comments)

[recipe hunter for sugar free and splenda free sweets]: in search of recipes that are fun desserts but which contain no processed sugar or "artificial sweetners."
posted to Ask MetaFilter by anya32 at 10:05 AM on October 28, 2011 (16 comments)

Be gone, processed sugars! But I need some help, please.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by sucre at 3:58 PM on March 12, 2012 (36 comments)

How Corporations Corrupt Science at the Public's Expense: Report looks at methods of corporate abuse, suggests steps toward reform [Full Report (PDF)] [Executive Summary (PDF)]
posted to MetaFilter by Blasdelb at 11:17 AM on March 11, 2012 (27 comments)

Take Wikipedia: 87% of its contributors are male; a bigger discrepancy than Pinterest by any count. However, when discussing Wikipedia, it certainly is not the norm to go on and on about how male the site is. Instead, it is far more common for the site to be praised for its “neutral point of view.” Pinterest as a tool for analyzing difference vs. dominance feminism. Via The Beheld.
posted to MetaFilter by latkes at 8:48 PM on March 9, 2012 (125 comments)

Mary Brown, a 56-year-old Florida woman who owned a small auto repair shop but had no health insurance, became the lead plaintiff challenging President Obama's healthcare law because she was passionate about the issue. Brown "doesn't have insurance. She doesn't want to pay for it. And she doesn't want the government to tell her she has to have it," said Karen Harned, a lawyer for the National Federation of Independent Business. Brown is a plaintiff in the federation's case, which the Supreme Court plans to hear later this month. But court records reveal that Brown and her husband filed for bankruptcy last fall with $4,500 in unpaid medical bills. Those bills could change Brown from a symbol of proud independence into an example of exactly the problem the healthcare law was intended to address.
posted to MetaFilter by gerryblog at 8:38 AM on March 10, 2012 (189 comments)

Are there moisturizers similar to Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, but with sunscreen?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by catesbie at 6:26 AM on March 6, 2012 (13 comments)

My almost six-year-old son has fallen in love with the Step In Time (youtube) ensemble dance scene from Mary Poppins. What other movies should we get for him? Remember, he's not quite six years old.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by alms at 6:35 PM on February 25, 2012 (25 comments)

"I can tell you that the days of of white, wealthy, upper-class [Smith] students from prep schools in cashmere coats and pearls who marry Amherst men are over. This is unfortunate because it is this demographic that puts their name on buildings, donates great art and subsidizes scholarships." Anne Spurzem, Smith College '84, reacts to news about the increase in diversity at her alma mater during President Carol Christ's tenure while Christ prepares to step down in 2013. Unsurprisingly, Spurzem's comments have caused an uproar among students and alumnae, leading to the creation of the Pearls and Cashmere Tumblr, which celebrates the diversity feared by Spurzem. Meanwhile, President Christ has responded to Spurzem's allegations in an open letter to to the Smith community.
posted to MetaFilter by peripathetic at 7:17 PM on February 24, 2012 (143 comments)

I used to take pictures a ton, but I'm working all the time now. I want to try and go out and shoot photos during my lunch break & after work (near Montgomery St. Station). I'm looking for suggestions of good photogenic or interesting places in San Francisco to go that would help me jumpstart my old hobby.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ejfox at 11:34 AM on February 22, 2012 (17 comments)

"This is an attempt at recovery. This Essay hopes to call attention to then-Professor Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s 1972 merits brief in Struck v. Secretary of Defense. The brief has been underappreciated in part because the Supreme Court of the United States eventually declined to decide the case.” On the 40th anniversary of the brief's submission, read Reva Siegel's compelling essay [pdf] on this overlooked brief in which “Ginsburg and the women’s movement talked about pregnancy discrimination in a way that ties together pregnancy discrimination and women’s equality, and women’s equality and reproductive freedom, before the Court split them apart,” and imagine what might have been had the Supreme Court decided Struck v. Secretary of Defense in 1972.
posted to MetaFilter by ocherdraco at 2:34 PM on February 21, 2012 (3 comments)

Ana White shares hundreds of free furniture plans on her website, encouraging those who may have never built furniture before. Formerly known as "Knock Off Wood" since she had DIY versions of popular retail styles, she changed her name after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Williams-Sonoma (owner of Pottery Barn and West Elm). An audio interview with Ms. White and a Flickr pool of completed projects. (via Balancing Everything)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 5:30 PM on February 19, 2012 (24 comments)

What is the best way to get rid of belly fat, for a woman? Diet or exercise? What kind of exercise?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 1:57 AM on February 19, 2012 (24 comments)

The Top 100 Children's Books. Last week Scholastic's Parent & Child released a list of what they thought were the best children's books. The top three: Charlotte's Web, Goodnight Moon and a Wrinkle in Time. Also listed were special awards for: — Best Read-Aloud: Mo Willems’ Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! (#28). Most Beautifully Illustrated: Jerry Pinkney’s The Lion and the Mouse (#61). Most Relatable Character: Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid (#38). Most Side-Splitting Hilarious: Dav Pilkey’s The Adventures of Captain Underpants (#97)....
posted to MetaFilter by storybored at 9:40 PM on February 18, 2012 (88 comments)

Birthday party favour ideas for kids under 8? I’m planning a party for my 5-year-old daughter. There will be about 18 girls and boys ranging in age from 4-8. What can I give them as party favours? I like to give one useful item rather than a goody bag filled with trinkets. I don’t want to spend more than $4 per favour. In the past I’ve given jigsaw puzzles, jump ropes, balls, Hot Wheels, and Polly Pockets.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by yawper at 10:16 AM on August 6, 2009 (35 comments)

A brief video of a tornado on the surface of the sun posted by NPR, as seen by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (links to various sizes and qualities of downloads here). The tornado is larger than Earth itself and has gusts up to 300,000 miles per hour.
posted to MetaFilter by briank at 7:21 PM on February 17, 2012 (51 comments)

This is the perfect recipe for those of you who like to enjoy a big bowl of macaroni and cheese for dinner and absolutely nothing else. It’s beautifully flavored, creamy, cheesy, and with the smokey bite of crisp salty bacon on top?? Oh man, you guys are in for a treat — I’m not even kidding. It’s amazing. (previously)
posted to MetaFilter by Trurl at 7:48 PM on February 3, 2012 (111 comments)

I'm putting together a compilation of fun/cool/interesting/astonishing vids off youtube vimeo etc and etc to show to people, trying to give a little bit of a sense why I like the internet so much, why I get such a kick out of it, show to people who aren't as familiar with what is "out there" on the inter-tubes and/or aren't familiar with the net at all. So. Here's my question: What are your must-show videos, what do you share with friends and family, what video do you say to a good friend "Oh jesus, you've just got to see this!"
posted to Ask MetaFilter by dancestoblue at 12:34 AM on February 2, 2012 (32 comments)

This video will haunt your dreams (slyt). Ten tonnes of cement were pumped into a gigantic ant colony and carefully excavated, leaving the skeleton of an alien city and a billion dead ants. (via)
posted to MetaFilter by Joe in Australia at 8:52 PM on January 31, 2012 (199 comments)

Dutch royal railway waiting rooms The Dutch railway system has published 360 degree videos of the waiting rooms that were constructed for the royal family at the end of the 19th century.
posted to MetaFilter by joost de vries at 8:32 AM on January 28, 2012 (29 comments)