In Omaha (from NYC) for a day and a half. I am looking for fun things to do. I like thrift stores, eccentric shops, indy fashion, tool hunting, history, and good food. Any suggestions?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by catrae at 7:58 AM on March 7, 2011 (10 comments)

I cut out refined sugar for a week, and the results to my body have been rapid and dramatic. What could be metabolically going on here?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by JoannaC at 5:08 PM on May 28, 2013 (30 comments)

Stewart Brand's Whole Earth Catalog, the book that changed the world. Stewart Brand was at the heart of 60s counterculture and is now widely revered as the tech visionary whose book anticipated the web. We meet the man for whom big ideas are a way of life
posted to MetaFilter by Eekacat at 11:46 AM on May 5, 2013 (35 comments)

Let yourself be carried along, floating nice and easy down that slow, lazy river of American collective unconscious, when you hear Jack Owens singing Jack Ain't Had No Water.
posted to MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite at 6:53 AM on April 29, 2013 (7 comments)

In the 1950s, Club Hangover was the place to go in San Francisco to hear Dixieland and New Orleans jazz. Thanks to tapes from KCBS being preserved and passed on, you can now listen to 25 complete and unedited half-hour broadcasts from Club Hangover, with recordings of Louis Armstrong, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Kid Ory, Muggsy Spanier, Ralph Sutton, and Jack Teagarden, all from 1954-58.
posted to MetaFilter by fings at 8:09 AM on April 25, 2013 (6 comments)

It was fun while it lasted, but I think my days of breaking in pairs of $150+ Japanese denim are behind me. Help me find a readily available replacement at or below $50 a pair.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ndg at 10:13 AM on April 12, 2013 (10 comments)

"The enduring emptiness of our technology debates has one main cause, and his name is Tim O’Reilly." (Evgeny Morozov, for The Baffler)
posted to MetaFilter by box at 7:25 AM on April 1, 2013 (75 comments)

Google Reader is being retired in a few months. What web services (or conceivably software) would you recommend as a replacement?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by shenderson at 4:35 PM on March 13, 2013 (48 comments)

Wood Central is a long lived forum for woodworkers predating even young upstart Metafilter. Having been around for so long the forums are a source of immense knowledge of all things wood and some of that has been collected into posting archives and essays on their Articles and Reviews page. So if you ever wanted to know

• How to make a Double Twisted Dovetail joint
• How a totally blind wood worker manages his craft
• How to Age Cherry with NaOH
• How to construct a paddle
• How to safely use a chainsaw
• How to use electricity to remove rust from tools
• How to make a fancy bow saw
• How to make a Fibonacci Gauge and why you would want to.

Wood Central's article page has you covered.
posted to MetaFilter by Mitheral at 6:42 PM on February 15, 2013 (15 comments)

Watch Mefi's Own™ asavage create a carrying case for his Blade Runner Blaster in just a single day.
posted to MetaFilter by tocts at 11:47 AM on February 14, 2013 (26 comments)

On December 14, 2012, DJ Shadow, best-known for his genre-breaking Endtroducing... was booted off the stage in the middle of his set, later tweeting about the incident and his fit there. The venue, Mansion has since issued an an apology, but already has a bit of a reputation for kicking DJs off the stage, having done it to DJ Dennis Ferrer.

So what did Shadow get booted for? Well, why not give it a listen for yourself?
posted to MetaFilter by TheNewWazoo at 5:49 PM on January 19, 2013 (104 comments)

I think it is high time that MeFites meet Michael Forsberg, a Lincoln, Nebraska based Conservation Photographer who works primarily in the Great Plains of North America, once one of the greatest grassland ecosystems on Earth. (His bio.) His goal has been to try to capture the wild spirit that still survives in these wide-open spaces and put a face to the often overlooked native creatures and landscapes found there. His hope is that the images can build appreciation and go to work to inspire conservation efforts on the land far into the future. Here is a great 48 minute presentation that Michael gave at the California Academy of Sciences after completing his most recent book simply entitled "Great Plains". In the video he unselfishly shares not just his photographic images but also his equipment and techniques.
posted to MetaFilter by spock at 11:46 AM on January 10, 2013 (9 comments)

If true, why did German Intelligence pale so much in comparison to the British and Russians during WWII?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mousepad at 8:43 AM on October 13, 2012 (24 comments)

Look At This Instagram (Nickelback parody) (video, ~3 min.)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 9:22 AM on December 5, 2012 (45 comments)

A good naming scheme is scalable, unique, and easy to remember. The purpose of these naming schemes is to name networked servers, wireless access points or client computers, but it can also be used to name projects, products, variables, streets, pets, kids, or any other project where unique names and rememberable names are required.
posted to MetaFilter by TangerineGurl at 8:25 PM on October 24, 2012 (119 comments)

A colorful mural adorns Chao Tsung-song / Tibet House in Corvallis, Oregon. Commissioned by Corvallis businessman, David Lin, the 100 foot long mural depicts at one end, a cheerful Taiwanese countryside scene, and at the other, police beating Tibetan protesters and a Tibetan monk in the process of self-immolation. The Chinese government has requested that the mural be destroyed. Mr. Lin and Corvallis city mayor, Julie Manning, say, "no."
posted to MetaFilter by Phyllis Harmonic at 8:18 AM on September 20, 2012 (44 comments)

PSY (Park Jae Sang) is a Korean singer, previously graduating from Boston University and Berklee College of Music. His latest, Gangnam Style, parodies K-pop videos and features several singers from that genre, plus Korean tv stars. Gangnam itself is a wealthy region of Seoul. The lyrics are perhaps standard for pop songs, while reactions to the video [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] show that a visually engaging video and a catchy tune are often fun the world over, irrespective of the language.
posted to MetaFilter by Wordshore at 11:19 AM on July 24, 2012 (44 comments)

Paths to Graceland is a new mix from the Kleptones. Not bad listening for a BBQ.
posted to MetaFilter by gwint at 2:17 PM on July 4, 2012 (24 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)

vintage children's books my kid loves (a blog) & scans of vintage Little Golden Books (scroll down a bit) & The Children's Object Book (1880s) & if you want to read and look at even more vintage children's books online, you could start with browsing the Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature with almost 6000 classic books (some may be unsuitable for modern sensibilities)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 7:31 PM on June 11, 2012 (11 comments)

The Disappearing Double Chin Trick for Portrait Photography: "The key to looking good in photos? It's all about your jaw, as photographer Peter Hurley explains in this video." (YouTube, ~15 min.) Hurley's quick tips for better portraits in the NYT; Hurley's helpful headshot tips for actors. (~8 min.) Want more? FStoppers behind-the-scenes video (10 min.); an excerpt (from his DVD) of one headshot session (20 min.); a 2-hour seminar on "The Basic Headshot". An SLR Lounge interview with Hurley. (~40 min.) (main link via laughingsquid + lifehacker)
posted to MetaFilter by flex at 6:23 PM on May 22, 2012 (44 comments)

I've got a Canon 5D, an iPhone, and an iPad. What's a good on-the-go solution for uploading photos while bike touring?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mathowie at 3:15 PM on May 22, 2012 (9 comments)

I love the One Thing Well blog and the newish The Toolbox. Are there any other good link blogs similar in purpose (links to resources and webapps instead of news/articles)?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Memo at 8:45 AM on May 19, 2012 (7 comments)

Legendary architect-philosopher Christopher Alexander delivers a fascinating lecture at Berkeley, in which he criticizes "modular" design and offers a radical new vision of architecture's relation to nature. Alexander is best known for A Pattern Language, which aimed to make buildings and towns more "alive" through a series of pleasing and comfortable patterns (five sample patterns can be found here). His most recent work, the four-part The Nature of Order, theorizes that life, whether organic or inorganic, emerges from a single simple process, which can be found on page 4 of Amazon's preview of the third volume. In the first volume Alexander lists fifteen properties that make a structure whole. Also worth reading: Alexander's classic essay A City is not a Tree.
posted to MetaFilter by Rory Marinich at 4:46 PM on May 9, 2012 (28 comments)

Please recommend your favorite books on history that are a delight to read.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by grayber at 10:20 AM on April 14, 2012 (43 comments)

Fender Factory Tour 1959 - Leo Fender in the second shot. Freddie Tavares at 7:26. A day when "everything was done by hand... It is amazing to realize that every guitar made that year is now worth a small fortune." The 1959-63 era Stratocaster is called one of the 50 guitars to play before you die. (via the q-ster)
posted to MetaFilter by madamjujujive at 7:38 PM on March 27, 2012 (15 comments)

Take a tour of the solar system! Tonight, see the wonders of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn! There's only one catch: You'll need to actually step outside to do it.
posted to MetaFilter by bondcliff at 10:57 AM on March 5, 2012 (47 comments)

Tira o pé do chão! A non-samba mixtape for Carnaval 2012.
posted to MetaFilter by Tom-B at 11:30 AM on February 17, 2012 (21 comments)

We are putting up a black interstitial about SOPA/PIPA for the next 24hrs or so. If you click away from it, you'll get a cookie stored so you won't see it again in the same browser, but what follows is my reasons for doing it.
posted to MetaTalk by mathowie at 9:06 PM on January 17, 2012 (555 comments)

Wilco, Nick Lowe, and Mavis Staples rehearse "The Weight" backstage at the Civic Opera House in Chicago in December 2011.
posted to MetaFilter by nadawi at 1:52 PM on January 11, 2012 (68 comments)

William Wallace Cook, seeking to help mechanize the art of novel writing, came up with the 1462 possible plots for all stories. He then devised the Plotto system, whereby an author need only consult the book of plots to construct the next best seller.
posted to MetaFilter by reenum at 4:16 PM on January 8, 2012 (58 comments)

It's been five years since my last attempt at arranging Auld Lang Syne. I thought I might try to start a small fire under it this year.
posted to MeFi Music by The White Hat at 10:36 PM on December 29, 2011 (5 comments)

When you send people passwords and private links via email or chat, there are copies of that information stored in many places. If you use a one-time link instead, the information persists for a single viewing which means it can't be read by someone else later. This allows you to send sensitive information in a safe way knowing it's seen by one person only. Think of it like a self-destructing message, a One Time Secret.
posted to MetaFilter by netbros at 4:11 PM on December 16, 2011 (30 comments)

What are some gifts for pre-schoolers that will make them feel like grown-ups? I'm thinking along the lines of fancy snap change-purse for a girl, for example (what are those called anyway? the ones with a metal snap), and other things that children don't need but LOVE to have.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by midnightmoonlight at 3:02 PM on December 13, 2011 (36 comments)

Giftfilter: Teachers, tell me what gifts you most like to receive from your (elementary school) students at Christmas and the end of the year.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by looli at 9:45 AM on December 12, 2011 (21 comments)

Stanley Kubrick's New York and Chicago [ via ]
posted to MetaFilter by Blazecock Pileon at 10:35 PM on December 1, 2011 (10 comments)

While the nation's attention has been recently drawn to the student protests at UC-Davis after video showing UCPD pepper-spraying a group of peaceful students went viral, this is merely one incident in a wave of student activism over the last three years with the goal of "reclaiming" the University of California for students. Some place the beginning of this mass student movement around the 2009 decision to implement a 32% tuition hike, which led to protests that drew over 5,000 students and a damning expose and condemnation from the President of the UC Faculty Association. (Budget Cuts Previously)
posted to MetaFilter by Chipmazing at 1:45 PM on November 19, 2011 (606 comments)

So, four mefites collaborated on a Metafilter-themed panel last month at at the Association of Internet Researchers's 12th annual Internet Research conference, and we thought we'd go ahead and share our presentation notes and such. Come on in!
posted to MetaTalk by cortex at 3:55 PM on November 18, 2011 (57 comments)

So Google recently announced that changes are coming to Google Reader. One of the upcoming changes is that Reader is losing its own, loved by many, social sharing in favor of Google+: "They're also removing the ability to consume shared items in Reader, so you'll have to go to G+ to read them. I'm fine with G+ being the plumbing for all of Reader's social features, but to force you to go to G+ to comment and read shared items seems shortsighted."

This news has not fared well with many of Reader's users.
posted to MetaFilter by omegar at 9:28 AM on October 24, 2011 (118 comments)

Maybe once or twice a year for as long as I can remember, I've had a short-lived sharp pain at a certain spot in my ribs. It doesn't seem to be related to anything else going on with my body, once it stops I'm not sore, and I have no idea what it is or why it happens. Is this a thing people are familiar with?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by cortex at 7:46 AM on August 23, 2011 (35 comments)

Influential blog posts anyone? What are the 'classics' of the blogging era?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by letsgomendel at 3:59 AM on June 29, 2011 (33 comments)

It's a little known fact that wedding band and creepy stalker favorite "Every Breath You Take" is actually a cover of an old folk standard, as this recently discovered outtake from the "Another Side of Bob Dylan" sessions shows. The glossy adult contemporary arrangement popularized by Sting and the Police has unfortunately displaced the traditional arrangement in popular memory.
posted to MeFi Music by Et En Arcata Ego at 10:23 AM on May 17, 2011 (16 comments)

Kids know that the best toys are the ones you make from stuff that's lying around. Arvind Gupta's been doing this for three decades. Take a look at his Turbine bottle cap, Helicopter foam cup, Drinking straw flute, The CD hovercraft, Magic Paper Fan, Funny Fountain, Drinking Straw Centrifuge Pump, Climbing Butterfly. Or check out the rest of his 1000 videos(!). Go to his website and discover an armload of books and pamphlets describing more toys (some of them classic) along with science experiments, math activities and stories. A sample: The amazing Touching Slate, a drawing toy for blind children. Hands On - Science Sense, Hands On - Ideas and activities, Toy Joy, Little Science, The Toy Bag, Toy Treasures. Little Toys , Finally you can hear Arvind in person at TED.com giving career advice, showing off a dozen toy examples, demonstrating the structure of methane; telling a Large Hadron Collider joke and finishing with the wonderful "Captain's hat" story.
posted to MetaFilter by storybored at 10:09 PM on May 15, 2011 (30 comments)

Through purchasing Viagra, herbal remedies, and replica watches, computer scientists explain how modern spam works. The spam business model consists of three components: advertising, click support (i.e., delivering the customer to an actual website), and realization (i.e., receiving payment and delivering the product to the customer). Different firms located across the globe carry out the various tasks. For example, the website domains are registered in Russia, the credit card payments are handled by banks in Azerbaijan, and the pills are sent from manufacturers in India. The spam business infrastructure appears to be organized around a small number of affiliate programs that coordinate the activities among the different firms. Click Trajectories: End-to-End Analysis of the Spam Value Chain (A 16 page PDF). [via]
posted to MetaFilter by Jasper Friendly Bear at 9:42 AM on May 21, 2011 (30 comments)

Primary school gets out tomorrow. I know it is common for kids to have a "summer slide" where they forget a lot of what they've learned over the year. Recommend some fun math and science sites/projects/activities for elementary school age kids that will keep them refreshed and interested.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by dejah420 at 7:20 PM on June 2, 2011 (19 comments)

[NSFW: swear words galore] Hecklers, the bane of many a performance. Here you can watch a documentary about Hecklers [ part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 ] and other critics. Someone at the beginning of that "Heckler" movie says something like, "A show was never made better because of a heckler." If only all of the banter was as funny as when Matt Walsh was heckled at SXSW. More often, it's like how Kyle Kinane states right off the bat during his act: "Every trainwreck needs a fuckin’ caboose; let’s get it over with," before he launches into a semi-drunken 9-minute conversation/shoutfest. But every once in a while, you get the perfect "point, counterpoint" moment. Let's see how different stand-up comedians react when the social contract of audience/performer is broken.
posted to MetaFilter by not_on_display at 10:57 PM on May 16, 2011 (94 comments)

Has Spring sprung late? Where can I find data on variations from year to year as to the "starting dates" of certain regional climactic marker events--e.g., leaves fall off the trees; lilacs blooming; first frost? [Particularly looking for data arranged in a visually easy-to-digest way. Also, particularly New England; I ask because Spring in my area feels like it's been slow to come this year, and I don't know if it's just because the weather has been gray that I'm fooling myself, or if the leaves really did pop out later than usual.]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by not_on_display at 9:41 AM on May 12, 2011 (10 comments)

"Howe snapped more than 400 photographs in Moscow and St. Petersburg with his hand held Graflex camera, a state-of-the-art device that allowed its user to shoot without a tripod. His photographs of pedestrians, street vendors and aristocrats are rare glimpses of everyday life before the upheavals of World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution — and sparked huge interest in Russia among history buffs and local museums."
posted to MetaFilter by gman at 6:33 AM on May 10, 2011 (20 comments)

Ira Glass does an atypical bit of investigative reporting about an especially punitive drug court in rural Georgia.
posted to MetaFilter by jon1270 at 12:49 PM on March 31, 2011 (99 comments)

Beatles cover recorded with my 6 year old daughter a few years back. Voice is a bit pitchy throughout but give me a break, I was only 40 at the time.
posted to MeFi Music by gfrobe at 8:38 AM on August 9, 2009 (12 comments)