Please describe the best and/or the worst first date you've ever gone on.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by EatTheWeek at 2:37 PM on July 9, 2009 (59 comments)

The New Kaldor Facts: Ideas, Institutions, Population, and Human Capital [pdf] - "For now, we think that progress is likely to be most rapid if we follow the example of the neoclassical model and treat institutions the way the neoclassical model treated technology... Further out on the horizon, one may hope for a successful conclusion to the ongoing hunt for a simple model [1] of institutional evolution. Combining that with the unified approach to growth outlined here would surely constitute the economics equivalent of a grand unified theory..." [2, viz. previously] This might, as it were, be a subset of collective cognition (or, possibly, autism [3]).
posted to MetaFilter by kliuless at 2:00 AM on July 14, 2009 (9 comments)

i dream of a world without you: death notices for the nonexistent.
posted to MetaFilter by Iridic at 10:23 AM on July 13, 2009 (12 comments)

A quiet revolution is taking place in the multiple sclerosis community. Long thought of as purely an autoimmune disease, possibly secondary to Epstein-Barr virus infection or even an STI, MS has never been pinned down to a single cause. Now things are changing, in a big and bloody way: MS appears to be related to abnormalities in veins.
posted to MetaFilter by greatgefilte at 7:34 PM on July 12, 2009 (48 comments)

Demo of the first track from a dumbass pop concept album I'm working on.
posted to MeFi Music by frenetic at 6:17 PM on April 24, 2009 (8 comments)

I wrote this for a buddy who proposed to his girlfriend via Songfight this past weekend. I couldn't write anything serious so I wrote this instead.
posted to MeFi Music by frenetic at 1:10 PM on March 17, 2009 (21 comments)

MMORPG Griefing ... for Science! Twixt fought his fellow players in City Of Heroes to win. But he used methods that, despite being legal within the rules of the game, the rest of the community hated. Then the player behind the hero unmasked as Loyola University media professor David Myers, author of "The Sad & Curious Tale of Twixt" (.doc), a sociological study of the unwritten rules in MMORPG's. Not entirely unlike the epic tale of Fansy The Famous Bard.
posted to MetaFilter by waraw at 11:28 AM on July 8, 2009 (204 comments)

You will be Riveted when you read this riveting first page of the new rivetting book Moon People by Dale Courtney! If that doesn't convince you, maybe the overwhelmingly glowing Amazon reviews will.
posted to MetaFilter by captnkurt at 6:08 AM on July 8, 2009 (83 comments)

There is a subgenre of single-themed tumblelogs that aim for hagiography—they want to celebrate rather than tear down the subject at hand. These often go by the prefix "Fuck Yeah"—as in, among others, Fuck Yeah Rachel Maddow,Fuck Yeah Skinny Bitch, Fuck Yeah Puppies.

Slate article on single-theme blogs. Some of the better ones: look at this fucking hipster, it's lovely i'll take it, Owl Tattoos, fuck you penguin, happiest people ever, stfu marrieds.
posted to MetaFilter by Lutoslawski at 3:18 PM on July 2, 2009 (46 comments)

If you're tired of boring twee t-shirts with birds and swirly stuff and junk on them, maybe it's time you started running with the Big Dogs. From "Fart Now Loading" to "Talk Slower - I don't speak STUPID", Big Dogs brand graphic tees are a great way to communicate your hip, in-your-face, modern attitude.
posted to MetaFilter by Optimus Chyme at 12:30 PM on June 30, 2009 (132 comments)

Melody Gardot was a New York fashion student, until a hit-and-run driver left her disabled and in need of therapy—musical therapy.
posted to MetaFilter by Mr. Anthropomorphism at 11:34 AM on June 29, 2009 (32 comments)

The Free Will Theorem - "If there exist experimenters with (some) free will, then elementary particles also have (some) free will." (previously)
posted to MetaFilter by kliuless at 7:11 PM on June 28, 2009 (229 comments)

Claiming to have invented a perpetual motion machine in 2006, Steorn Inc. (previously on Metafilter here and here) challenged a team of 22 international scientists and engineers to "verify" their apparently impossible device. Last week the scientific jury announced their results: “The unanimous verdict of the jury is that Steorn’s attempts to demonstrate the claim have not shown the production of energy,” it stated. “The jury is therefore ceasing work.”
posted to MetaFilter by Avenger at 1:29 PM on June 28, 2009 (73 comments)

Great '90s grunge songs EXCLUDING Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, STP, and early Radiohead?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Jaltcoh at 7:18 AM on June 27, 2008 (90 comments)

I contend this house-swaying performace at the Apollo Theater earlier this year, purporting to feature soulful everyman Brad Prowley ("real life homeless man . . . who makes a living singing classic R&B songs on the streets of major cities not just to get by, but out of a true, life-long passion for music"), actually showcases this man in disguise. You be the judge.
posted to MetaFilter by azaner at 11:58 PM on July 15, 2007 (71 comments)

A rap education for an picky atheist feminist weaned on indie, punk and new wave - primarily music but books/essays would be good too.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by carbide at 3:45 AM on April 25, 2008 (76 comments)

Do you know of any old books which predicted (correctly or incorrectly) 'future' advances and applications of emergent technology?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Pennyblack at 8:46 AM on June 25, 2009 (19 comments)

What are some other uses for my moleskine besides the normal sketching/writing stories?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Deflagro at 10:44 AM on June 25, 2009 (25 comments)

The Situationist International (this is a punk rock introduction from 1984, published in Maximum Rock 'n' Roll), a group of artists, writers and filmmakers from Europe, were active as a group from 1957-1968. Their influence extended beyond those confines, though, as Greil Marcus outlined in Lipstick Traces: A Secret History of the 20th Century. Ken Knabb has released online his indispensable Situationist International Anthology, and has collected many other crucial texts, including many about San Francisco Situationist groups, at The Bureau of Public Secrets. A more recent appropriation of Situationist rhetoric and strategies can be found in Ulysses Speaks (previous MeFi link here), the organ of the DC punk rock band Nation of Ulysses. More information and Situationist repositories here and (including a detailed timeline) here.
posted to MetaFilter by OmieWise at 6:11 AM on July 19, 2005 (27 comments)

The Truth Rundown: High-ranking defectors provide an unprecedented inside look at the Church of Scientology, its leader David Miscavige, and the Lisa McPherson case. Expose from the newpaper in Clearwater, Florida, the "worldwide spiritual headquarters" of Scientology, in three parts.
posted to MetaFilter by mosessis at 5:51 AM on June 24, 2009 (83 comments)

Two 78 sides by Gabriel Brown (yt)
posted to MetaFilter by 1f2frfbf at 11:00 AM on June 23, 2009 (4 comments)

Pug Fight — An animated short that explores the unbelievably cruel but really adorable world of underground pug fighting.
posted to MetaFilter by blasdelf at 8:17 PM on June 22, 2009 (22 comments)

Is Dexter Romweber about to finally get his due? One of the great underground geniuses of rock, in the late 1980s and early 90s Romweber fronted The Flat Duo Jets. Their brand of raw, pared-down rockabilly proved cathartic and influential, if never commercially viable. Now Jack White, who has always acknowledged his musical indebtedness to Romweber, has produced a new 7" EP (in addition, a new album, not produced by White, features Exene Cervenka, Chan Marshall, and Neko Case). Romweber seems poised to receive some long overdue recognition. It's about time.
posted to MetaFilter by ornate insect at 1:22 AM on June 19, 2009 (21 comments)

Have you heard of the Feminine Empire of Aristasia? It seems to be "an alternative reality that is really lived by girls today." Whether this is fact or elaborate fiction, there is a crowd of websites out there devoted to this subject. There is a glossary, a pinup area of ideal Aristasians, even types of people. Is this Lesbian role playing? Is it real? You be the judge: Google it.
posted to MetaFilter by ashbury at 6:14 AM on May 8, 2002 (29 comments)

The cat organ. The mouse organ. The human organ. Another human organ.
posted to MetaFilter by Brian Lux at 5:25 AM on June 16, 2009 (18 comments)

Three frames. And then three frames again. And repeat.
posted to MetaFilter by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:57 AM on June 14, 2009 (39 comments)

Mind-Melting Demo Disasters. An independent record label posts some of its more....interesting submissions.
posted to MetaFilter by Dr-Baa at 4:33 AM on June 11, 2009 (62 comments)

In a fascinating, still-ongoing conference on The inkWell, Richie Unterberger talks about the process of researching and writing about the Velvet Underground, for his recently published day by day chronicle of the group. (book excerpts here)
posted to MetaFilter by anazgnos at 2:40 PM on June 10, 2009 (9 comments)

Why, in video games, am I moving through an endless variety of environments but killing the same enemies over and over?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by straight at 9:49 AM on June 9, 2009 (17 comments)

CHATFILTER: Looking for games of the 'exquisite corpse' variety that can be played by adults and require nothing more than creativity and intelligence. Ideally, we'd even dispense with pen and paper.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by anotherpanacea at 4:36 PM on June 8, 2009 (23 comments)

I've ordered my first I-phone. What are the must have apps?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Ponderance at 5:06 AM on June 9, 2009 (31 comments)

My Milk Toof
posted to MetaFilter by Lord_Pall at 3:04 PM on June 7, 2009 (36 comments)

Followup-filter: Previously, we discussed the strange case of After Last Season, the strange, deadpan trailer for a film that provoked curiosity around the 'net. Hoax? Comedy? Performance art? After Last Season has just made its (4 city) premier and the first reactions are in ...
posted to MetaFilter by outlier at 12:16 PM on June 7, 2009 (75 comments)

Ryan Trecartin is what happens when John Waters meets David Lynch meets Atom Egoyan meets Harmony Korine.... Try I-Be Area first. More here. A quick review of I-Be Area. Trecartin in the Times. Enjoy.
posted to MetaFilter by Lipstick Thespian at 6:57 AM on February 1, 2009 (28 comments)

The bar for utterly ironic chorus lyrics has possibly been out of the reach of normal people for now. Hard Place show considerable, erm, 'flair' as well as awareness of, erm....well. Um. This is too hard to describe. Justice can only be done by watching it. (SLYT + 1) via
posted to MetaFilter by Brockles at 2:34 PM on June 6, 2009 (34 comments)

Anyone know any active writing forums they would recommend?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Ugh at 1:57 PM on April 12, 2009 (5 comments)

I've never heard of James Kochalka until a weblog pointed at his stuff. His comics look pretty funny, but I'm really enjoying his music, especially the stuff from the Monkey vs. Robot disc. This guy rocks.
posted to MetaFilter by mathowie at 10:57 PM on September 29, 1999

I'm interested in finding more upbeat-sounding synthpop or alt/pop singles with electronic elements for my music library.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mccarty.tim at 6:47 PM on May 31, 2009 (40 comments)

Hollywood Bloopers: 1936-1947 A couple of the years won't load for me, but the ones I can watch are fun.
posted to MetaFilter by grumblebee at 12:21 PM on May 29, 2009 (14 comments)

The performer Reggie Watts(wiki) is truly sui generis: comedian, musician, stream-of-consciousness performance artist, he rolls his talents and laid-back, slightly stoner persona together into something quite unlike anything you've seen or heard before (that's a long-ish video, but well worth it, BTW). Imagine Spalding Gray mixed with Andy Kaufman, channeling a hiphop Sly Stone while reading Gertrude Stein on LSD, and you still won't get what it is that makes Watts so great.
posted to MetaFilter by ornate insect at 9:42 PM on April 30, 2008 (31 comments)

You've probably seen (and heard) his version of Alice in Wonderland, but have you seen The King and I, Harry Potter, The Sword in the Stone, or Mary Poppins?
posted to MetaFilter by flatluigi at 11:54 AM on May 26, 2009 (32 comments)

Dubfx and Flower Fairy play an amazing 40 minute set ( Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4), at the Wedding of Mathew* and Jes Bevans.
posted to MetaFilter by Lord_Pall at 8:22 AM on May 21, 2009 (8 comments)

Help me convince a snob that comics are worth reading.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by BitterOldPunk at 2:28 PM on May 18, 2009 (64 comments)

I'm a snob. What graphic novels should I read?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by grumblebee at 1:31 PM on April 25, 2005 (67 comments)

What's your version of Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around? Miss Susie had a steamboat? Cinderella dressed in yella?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by librarylis at 2:10 AM on May 19, 2009 (73 comments)

Danielle Ate The Sandwich plays the ukelele and sings.
posted to MetaFilter by hapticactionnetwork at 6:13 AM on May 10, 2009 (26 comments)

Daft Punk revealed in bootleg video at the 1996 Even Further festival.
posted to MetaFilter by loquacious at 6:07 PM on May 10, 2009 (30 comments)

Chris "Disco" Hayes is a relief pitcher at the AA level in the Kansas City Royals organization. As a submarine pitcher, his unorthodox delivery is easy to spot. He's developed quite the following-as much for his blogging as his pitching. It all started when he was selected as a blogger in the Arizona Fall League, and blogged an 'interview' with Uber-Prospect Matt Wieters.
posted to MetaFilter by HighTechUnderpants at 1:49 PM on May 8, 2009 (18 comments)

Ladies, you need to know how to flirtext. -- The authors of flirtexting give "the 411" to the hipsters at CNN on how to text your way to a man's heart.
posted to MetaFilter by empath at 8:23 AM on May 8, 2009 (164 comments)

Lie to Me is a fairly new US drama series based on the work of Paul Ekman (previously) who studied facial movements and what they reveal about the emotional state of a person (see Malcolm Gladwell's "The Naked Face", also previously, for more background). No doubt inspired by the show, Gisela, a sixth grader at Mesa Grande Elementary School, decided for her science project to see whether she could tell if a person was lying based on their facial expressions. Here is the result: part 1, part 2 (youtube videos).
posted to MetaFilter by Deathalicious at 11:13 PM on May 7, 2009 (56 comments)