Why are there so many Chinese restaurants in America that serve really cheap, low quality food, compared to, say, Thai restaurants, which seem to always have fresher ingredients? I've seen what really good, genuine Chinese food looks like from shows like Iron Chef, and I'd love to try some, but every restaurant I eat at always seems like they serve reheated food out of vats. How can you find the good Chinese restaurants in your town? I know they must be out there.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by empath at 7:04 AM on February 11, 2011 (62 comments)

Suggestions for an Italian Family Vacation?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by silsurf at 4:09 PM on February 4, 2011 (3 comments)

In preparation for massive protests after Friday prayers, it's being reported that Egypt has completely shut down access to the internet and most text and MMS messaging.
posted to MetaFilter by notion at 5:55 PM on January 27, 2011 (2594 comments)

Your kitchen implements that aren't meant for kitchen: tell me of them.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Brent Parker at 4:11 PM on January 21, 2011 (39 comments)

Mefites who have successfully lost weight and kept it off: How did you stop yourself from obsessing about food everyday?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Ziggy500 at 3:02 AM on January 19, 2011 (29 comments)

What are some new uses for common objects?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by HeyAllie at 8:13 PM on December 28, 2010 (14 comments)

A map of the world drawn entirely through Facebook connections. "All of the country borders are entirely drawn using Facebook friend connections."
posted to MetaFilter by Rory Marinich at 3:17 PM on December 14, 2010 (57 comments)

James Burke's popular television show Connections is available in its entirety online. Connections, which ran in 1978, was a unique take on the question of historical and scientific advancement. From wikipedia: "The series traced paths of invention and discovery through their interrelationships in history, with each episode chronicling a particular path, usually in chronological order. ... It was followed by the 20-part Connections2 (1994) and then the 10-part Connections3 (1997) series. Later, it was shown in more than 50 countries and appeared in about 350 university and college curricula. Additionally, the book that followed the series was also a best seller."
posted to MetaFilter by SpacemanStix at 9:59 AM on December 9, 2010 (76 comments)

Elizabeth Warren on setting up the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection - lecture starts here, but really starts getting good here: "I feel like this is a boring speech." stay for the Q&A.
posted to MetaFilter by kliuless at 1:23 PM on November 15, 2010 (27 comments)

What's the cheapest way to organize all of my books? I've got a small apartment, more books than bookshelves, and an extremely low budget.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ejfox at 4:35 PM on October 31, 2010 (16 comments)

"You know, for a second there I thought maybe this would turn out different than every other time a woman has said anything on the internet about sexism." A comic about the seemingly inevitable trajectory of internet discussions of sexism by Gabby Shulz.
posted to MetaFilter by ocherdraco at 7:13 PM on October 29, 2010 (254 comments)

What are your favorite prime lenses for a Canon EOS body?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by atayah at 10:53 AM on October 29, 2010 (16 comments)

What's a good atheist substitute for the Bible? I'm looking for something I can read periodically that encourages me to step back from all of the hecticness, and to think about how to lead a good life and how to be a good person. It doesn't have to be infallible, just something that helps me to think about what's important. Accumulated wisdom, explained simply, is a bonus.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by surenoproblem at 3:59 AM on October 17, 2010 (83 comments)

What exactly happens during a bra fitting? Is it awkward? Did getting a proper bra fitting change your life?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by sickinthehead at 7:23 PM on October 15, 2010 (74 comments)

"Eschatology" is, generally speaking, the study of the end of the world, but when most people in the US hear the term, they generally think of Christian eschatology.

Specifically, they tend to think of the barrels of ink and that one movie (previously) which have been devoted to the subject over the past couple of decades. Neither seems to have contributed to a wider understanding of the actual theology involved.
posted to MetaFilter by valkyryn at 6:45 AM on October 12, 2010 (93 comments)

My desk is a mess. Help?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by serazin at 6:26 PM on October 9, 2010 (11 comments)

What do you make for dinner on those nights when it comes down to a choice between something that can be made fast, or takeout? I'm the mother of a newborn, so every night is one of those nights.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kitcat at 7:20 AM on October 1, 2010 (85 comments)

Does etiquette require me to replace the shawl of a dinner party guest that she ruined while out walking our property?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Nickel Pickle at 8:40 AM on September 27, 2010 (157 comments)

What are some great traditions I can start with myself or with my family? Growing up, outside of your standard holidays, my family never had traditions like taking a yearly vacation, making cookies on Sundays, or going to all Notre Dame home games. Now that I am older, I want my own traditions. What traditions did you, your family, or friends have that I should be envious about?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by jasondigitized at 4:12 AM on September 24, 2010 (92 comments)

Children's movies with no scary parts that a parent can stand to watch?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by The corpse in the library at 7:13 PM on June 6, 2009 (58 comments)

What are some engaging films for both younger kids and adults that are mostly free of scary tension or evil villians?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by lisa g at 4:34 PM on September 21, 2010 (63 comments)

How segregated is your city? Eric Fischer maps the top 40 US cities by race, using 2000 census data. Each color-coded dot represents 25 people: Red is White, Blue is Black, Green is Asian, and Orange is Hispanic. The maps are oddly pretty, and revealing. Compare, for example, Detroit and San Antonio. via
posted to MetaFilter by CunningLinguist at 2:53 PM on September 20, 2010 (173 comments)

My boyfriend and I would like to improve our photography skills. I'd like to get a list going of daily/weekly assignments or friendly competitions we can give ourselves to have some fun with this. Any ideas? Does something self-directed like this already exist elsewhere on the internets?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by logic vs love at 9:55 AM on August 26, 2010 (15 comments)

100 Helpful Photography Tutorials for Beginners and Professionals. Photography as both a profession and a hobby is an expansive topic that covers a vast range of subjects from science and art. No matter where you lie on the spectrum, there is always more to learn. From the folks at Tuts+.
posted to MetaFilter by netbros at 7:34 AM on August 22, 2010 (15 comments)

Anyone know of a really good tutorial for fixing the glare in animal eyes in Photoshop?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Caravantea at 11:21 AM on August 21, 2010 (2 comments)

Astro Zombie's words, my music, Steven Slater's epic flight-attendant flameout.
posted to MeFi Music by cortex at 1:06 PM on August 10, 2010 (121 comments)

Please tell me alllllllll about potty training.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by A Terrible Llama at 2:43 PM on August 5, 2010 (37 comments)

Can you recommend some great educational media for my nearly two year old daughter? I am looking for good DVD's, computer / iPhone software, or websites that I can load up for 30-60 minutes a day. I would like something she can learn from, but if she is having fun, that is cool as well. Right now she is a Dora and Diego addict. I just got her a few LeapFrog preschool DVD's that she loves. She can sing her ABC's and can count to 10 in English and Spanish. She is just starting to be able to answer "How does the letter A, B, C, etc. go?' She knows how to flip pages and push buttons on the iPhone. Are there any computer learning games that a two year old could handle. Flash games? iPhone games? Answers to this question do not involve telling me to take my daughter outside. I am familiar with the debunking of Baby Einstein. I would just like to find some good stuff for her to watch, play or interact with. General toy recommendations are good as well.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by jasondigitized at 10:21 AM on August 2, 2010 (23 comments)

Bruce Bartlett, senior policy analyst in the Reagan White House, speaks out against Republicans - The monumental hypocrisy of the Republican Party is something amazing to behold. And their dimwitted accomplices in the tea-party movement are not much better. They know that Republicans, far more than Democrats, are responsible for our fiscal mess, but they won't say so. And they adamantly refuse to put on the table any meaningful programme that would actually reduce spending. Judging by polls, most of them seem to think that all we have to do is cut foreign aid, which represents well less than 1% of the budget.
posted to MetaFilter by kliuless at 11:22 AM on July 26, 2010 (156 comments)

What are some great, informative TV series? Carl Sagan's Cosmos, Ken Burns's Jazz, Matthew Colling's This Is Modern Art, Robert Winston's The Human Body--what else is in this vein? I'd much rather a recommendation of a series, as opposed to a single one-off documentary. What should I watch that is captivating and teaches me something?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by surenoproblem at 10:38 AM on July 26, 2010 (70 comments)

Why having the facts sometimes isn't enough, and what that means for politics and society.
posted to MetaFilter by jhandey at 9:24 AM on July 12, 2010 (61 comments)

I need a sewing machine; how much should I budget, where should I look, and what features should I be looking for?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:53 AM on July 3, 2010 (19 comments)

I need a new diaper bag, I'm open to any and all suggestions.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by grrlaction at 10:15 AM on July 3, 2010 (19 comments)

Starting today, Starbucks is offering free wifi in all of their US and Canadian stores. This has computer security folks a little edgy, since it could allow hackers and computer miscreants new opportunities to steal the data of unsuspecting computer users, and prompted Steve Gibson, computer security guru, to advise people to "just be afraid. Be very afraid." This applies to people who use laptops, wifi enabled cellphones and pdas. But there are ways to protect yourself.
posted to MetaFilter by crunchland at 4:40 PM on July 1, 2010 (92 comments)

Update on K & S (and the effects of your support).
posted to MetaTalk by fake at 4:35 PM on June 11, 2010 (244 comments)

Thought I found the perfect preschool for my son. Then I learned the preschool has accepted a couple of not-fully-vaccinated kids. We will have a newborn in the house this fall. Is that a dealbreaker?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Anonymous at 6:42 AM on May 17, 2010 (41 comments)

asking-for-a-friend-filter: i need help coming up with a cute, safe-for-work poem, verse or rhyming couplet that can hang on the wall in the bathroom.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by janepanic at 11:13 AM on February 13, 2010 (29 comments)

I want to perk up my popcorn. What toppings that are probably sitting around the house, or are easily found at a typical grocery store, do you all find the yummiest? Wet, dry, shake, stir, good-for-you, bad-for-you (real butter!!), I don't care, just suggest anything that tastes good and is readily available.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by luvmywife at 10:55 AM on April 20, 2010 (103 comments)

I've been trying to eat more raw vegetables, but I don't want to get tired of them. How can I spruce them up a bit and add some variety?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by SpacemanStix at 9:52 AM on April 19, 2010 (35 comments)

"This is how it really works." I'm looking for things you know that work differently than people assume they do. For instance, people usually assume that school textbooks are chosen strictly on merit, when actually it is Texas book events that end up controlling textbook sales. Or like the comment that said "what the FBI does is collect evidence for prosecution. They rarely solve crimes on their own and they rarely prevent them." Before payola was widely talked about in recent years, most people thought songs on the radio got there solely because of popularity. I'm looking for other examples where widely common perceptions about how something operates are not accurate.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by cashman at 7:18 AM on March 23, 2010 (100 comments)

We love Thai food! What's your favorite Thai cookbook?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by teragram at 4:13 AM on March 17, 2010 (17 comments)

Please walk me through the process of getting t-shirts and mugs printed, so that my nonprofit gets good swag at a good price.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kwaller at 6:23 AM on March 6, 2010 (2 comments)

What kind of tree can I plant in southern California that will provide shade (please!) and not annoy my landlord?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by arnicae at 2:36 PM on February 16, 2010 (9 comments)

Other than behind false fireplaces and bookshelves, what are some clever camouflage ideas for a secret passageway?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by np312 at 6:29 PM on January 11, 2010 (47 comments)

Surviving the winter with toddlers: What are your top tips for entertaining kids indoors or outdoors when subzero temps are in effect?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by SueDenim at 12:43 PM on January 3, 2010 (19 comments)

Next Thursday, I'm going to be forced to throw a Halloween party for about 15-20 second graders. Most, but not all, will be boys. We have a small house, and I have no freaking idea of what to do besides pump them full of sugar and hope that they don't break anything. I'd like to have some alternate plans.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by bibliowench at 10:24 AM on October 23, 2009 (19 comments)

What can I expect (mostly financially) from raising hens as pets?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by middleclasstool at 11:22 AM on October 21, 2009 (65 comments)

I need advice on a 'walking-around' lens on a sub-frame Canon DSLR.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by WinnipegDragon at 11:49 AM on September 24, 2009 (33 comments)

What should my wife and sister-in-law know before going to the funeral home to make arrangements for their father?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kortez at 9:03 AM on September 21, 2009 (22 comments)

Are there other graduated exercise programs like the Couch to 5K? I hate running, but I like the specificity, and the feeling of "leveling up" it gives me.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hishtafel at 7:59 PM on September 5, 2009 (12 comments)