May 2
What am I looking at?
I'm sure this makes sense, I'm just wondering how. Taken in Vancouver, BC if that helps.
Where's the new The Good Place??
I'm pretty sure nothing else like it exists, but if it does I feel like MetaFilter people are my best bet to find it! [more inside]
How to find the cheapest airfare
I want to go to Phoenix in the summer. I’m looking for a website that lets me compare flight information if am flexible on when exactly this happens. [more inside]
Live shows at movie theaters in the 1930s
What were the live shows called that used to play between movies in the silent/early sound era?
Too-narrow grab regions on MacOS
Mac users: for me, edges and separators for resizing windows (especially vertical separators between panels, but often also the outer edges of ordinary windows) are frustratingly narrow in width and difficult to grab. I've tried TinkerTool but doesn't seem to make any difference. Are there any other apps, extensions, setting, or something that would make the grab edges/response regions wider? [more inside]
email link in PDF I made not working on PC
on a pdf created from INDD, I've added several link-outs to web pages, there are also a few email addresses. On my Mac, upon click, those emails set up an outgoing email populated with that email address in Mail. Client is saying when he clicks it (on a PC) "just opens a browser". Is there a method to making the email links work on a PC?
Xfinity/Comcast internet term contract vs no-contract
I'm signing up as a new Xfinity/Comcast customer at a new address. I hate the tangled legalese that makes up customer contracts, and I want to know if I'm missing something about term contracts vs going no-contract. [more inside]
Help me understand this monitor. (No cat involved. Sorry.)
For work reasons, my home computer setup needs to get a bit more complex, and I'm getting into areas where I'm not familiar. I need to be able to switch my monitor between two PCs, and one is a laptop that I'm hoping to just dock and start using my own keyboard and mouse. I'm looking at this monitor, but I want to be sure I understand how it works before I pull the trigger. [more inside]
What is this thing?
Looks like a birdhouse but its not
Pick a new monitor for me (and cat-proof it this time)
Someone chewed on my monitor and cracked it, and now portions of the monitor are annoyingly distorted and unusable. (I don't sleepwalk and eat electronics, so process of elimination suggests the large floofy monster-child decided to have a midnight chomp session.) Help me pick a new affordable 27" monitor, and a protective monitor cover so this new one doesn't get eaten too? [more inside]
Unorthodox retail?
I run a shop that lets you browse online but you must pick up in person (I do not ship and have no in-store browsing). There used to be a Toronto restaurant called The Atlantic that allowed you to pay what you wanted. In addition to selling bags, Freitag has a Shop Without Any Payment website for their customers to trade their bags. What are some other companies / people that have unusual / unique / unorthodox ways of doing business?
What is the best process to print digital photos?
I would like to print, frame and hang some digital photos that I have taken (DSLR and iPhone). I would like to have 5 photos printed larger than 8"x10" and 5-10 photos printed between 4"x6" and 8"x10". What are the best practices for preparing and printing digital photos (cost effectively)? [more inside]
Exposed posts, and rafters. What type, and how are they finished?
I am envisioning a house with exposed posts, and rafters. But what type of wood, and how are they finished? Off-the-lot wood is rough, 2x6s great for support, but for exposed ceiling rafters?
And a couple of nice posts?
Etiquette of asking for money
I transferred a fairly expensive ticket to a friend-of-a-friend and am not sure how/if/when to ask them for the cost of it without being a jerk. Advice? [more inside]
Managing a sliding hiatal hernia
My mom (74 y/o) awoke in tremendous pain yesterday and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. It turns out to be "only" a sliding hiatal hernia. That's better than many of the other things it could have been, but the catch is, there isn't really a treatment.* We're told it can be managed, though. Have you (or someone you know) dealt with this? And what did you find that was helpful? [more inside]
Forgotten but good novels before about 1960
I have a book group. Members have some pretty specific preferences and are unfortunately well-read. I'm looking for lesser known classics that meet certain criteria: [more inside]
Plastic shelf support for utility cabinet - need help finding this part
Hi, so I did an image search without results. Basically I need a few of these bracket/shelf supports that hold the shelf to the inner wall of the cabinet. [more inside]
Too many carrots
For the last three months I've been receiving 1-2 kilos of carrots in my vegetable box. This week I've received 3kg of carrots, both red and purple. I'm out of ideas for carrot-based meals for two. Suggestions? Our preferences and what we're tried are below the fold. [more inside]
Sex offender being creepy but not breaking the law, what to do?
A car drives past our bus stop at least once every morning, sometimes up to three times. Four kindergarteners and their moms. The driver makes eye contact with us and licks his lips and rubs his hands together. Sometimes he points at the kids and gives a thumbs up. Lo and behold he’s a registered sex offender in the neighborhood with four counts of solicitation of a child. I have called the police and so have other parents. Is there anything else to do? [more inside]
How reasonable is it to delay investigating cancer diagnosis?
Waiting two weeks for a dying patient to improve before getting a closer look at their probable cancer seems risky. What has happened in your experiences with cancer diagnosis? [more inside]
Mailing books from London to US?
Is there any kind of "media mail" equivalent in the UK? This is for a student who wants to bring his textbooks back to the US after a semester abroad. Shipping speed isn't an issue; obviously the weight of (ahem) too many books is.
May 1
Weatherproof electrical floor box? Or similar?
I need a weatherproof electrical box, ideally a floor box, which can contain MALE plugs. Everything I've found thus far is for female GFCI outlets. I need the flip side version -- I'm thinking about running what is, effectively, an armored "extension cord" under a deck, to a remote point where it can power a piece of outdoor equipment (15A or less). [more inside]
what is an anti-inflammatory diet (esp. for long covid)?
I have long Covid and my doctor told me to eat an anti-inflammatory diet. What specific foods should I eat or avoid? What are some recipes for anti-inflammatory meals? Any chance that there's a meal delivery service that fits the bill? [more inside]
Recommended floor mats for protecting hardwood floors?
Want to protect hardwood floors in kitchen, bathroom, and under high chair and need recommendations. [more inside]
Most Recognizable Text Snippet
What is the most recognizable snippet of text in existence? [more inside]
Where can I find abundant seaweed in or near New York City?
For an art project, I'd like to look at and photograph a lot of seaweed, and take home a bit of it. Where can I find abundant seaweed washing up on the beach in June, in or near New York City? Ideally accessible by public transit, but it doesn't have to be.
Best noob-level 3D graphics program for kinky morph effects?
I'm a noob interested in making kinky 3D animated shorts where people transform into other people and things. I'm trying to find out which program would be best for this and I'm having trouble getting straight answers. CGI snowflakes within. [more inside]
How to keep a 12-year-old on crutches active?
My daughter is going to be on crutches for 6 weeks and in a boot for at least a month after that, if not more. How can I help keep her going insane from inactivity when she can only use 1 leg? [more inside]
Does a modern equivalent of HyperCard exist?
I remember being introduced to HyperCard in the late 80’s/early 90’s. Does a modern day equivalent exist? [more inside]
Aquarium Fans: Please help me kill someone (fictionally.)
Hi there! I'm revising my latest novel and I have a problem. I changed my killer from a fisherman to a teacher with aquariums (long story...) and now the murder weapon I have no longer makes sense. Are there any pieces of aquarium equipment that would be heavy enough (and sturdy enough) to use as a blunt force object? The only thing I can think of are the decorative castles and things like that, but I don't know how heavy they actually are. I'm hoping there's something unusual and specific I can use-- if there's not, could you please let me know? I'm already missing that gaff hook...
Storing wine in fridge?
Can I store unopened wine in the refrigerator? [more inside]
home equity loan after bankruptcy?
My husband and I had a chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2020 (discharged over three, but less than four years ago). We own our home outright, and I'd like to get a home equity loan or line of credit. I know banks differ on their exact policies about this kind of thing, but I'm wondering if anyone is aware of lending institutions with shorter timelines or more lenient policies...the bankruptcy was a direct result of Covid lockdown closing our business, so if there's any exception for extenuating circumstances, I think we would have a good chance.
Repair Almond Extract Spill
While baking, we recently spilled some almond extract on our kitchen island countertop. The countertop is finished wood, and now there's a big white splash where the spill happened. Wiping with water (which we did right after the spill) makes the white spot go away for a few minutes, but that's all. Help us fix it! [more inside]
Help finding DIY Art Framing Kits, Please
Can you help me find the extruded aluminum do-it-yourself art frame kits I used to be able to buy in brick-and-mortar stores? [more inside]
Cancer Forum Recommendation for Friend
My (non-US, English-speaking) friend has undergone 2 cancer-related surgeries, and is now frustrated that his doctor has suggested follow-up medication treatment - because he was told the purpose of the 2nd surgery was to avoid this - and he's also unsure about whether the side-effects will warrant the precautionary benefit. I suggested looking on cancer forums to find folks who have encountered similar choices, or have experience with the medication in question, but I realize specific recommendations would be much more helpful - can anyone help me with this? [more inside]
ELI5 : Getting a new SIM card abroad
Hello! I am wondering about the logisitics of getting a new sim card. [more inside]
Basic wristwatch with multi-hour stopwatch
Can you please suggest a cheap and cheerful watch that has a stopwatch function that measures in hours? [more inside]
Why does everyone hate Drake?
Can anyone provide a timeline of why all of rap-kind is dissing him? If there’s dunking to be done I want in on it.
2/3 Buried?
What does “Bury 2/3 of plant” mean? [more inside]
"Bee in the classroom!" poem
My children learnt a humorous short poem in primary school (UK) about the chaos that ensues when a bee enters the classroom. I'm unable to find it on the internet. [more inside]
April 30
laws about how early the trash can be picked up in Oakland, CA?
The garbage trucks are coming super early, multiple times a week, in my neighborhood in Oakland, CA. Is there a law that governs how early they're allowed to come? I heard 6am is the law but I can't find it on the books. A link to the law would be really helpful! Otherwise, who would be the point of contact to get the times moved later, and have you successfully done this?
Campy late 20th century movies with strong female characters
I’ve been on a campy movie kick (see also: FanFare). I’m realizing that I tend to prefer movies with women in leading roles - although I suspect it’s not about gender and is more about relational perspective.
Anyway, favorites include Heathers, But I’m A Cheerleader, Saved, and Earth Girls are Easy. Mars Attacks! was pretty good too.
I would very much appreciate your recommendations.
Course Building Follow Up: LMS allowing learner sign up with Twitter?
I’m building a business course for a client and looking for an LMS software recommendation. Following on from my most recent question, it would be very helpful if the course software would have students register / log on to take the course with their Twitter login. Suggestions gratefully received!
Time for a sea change
I've got an Australian passport, a modest inheritance, and psych meds. Where could I go for 2-3 months? [more inside]
Shingles after spouse got vaccine
Abour a week and a half ago, my spouse got his second dose of Shingrix. Today I have shingles. [more inside]
Help me with a verbally violent email thread?
I'm in the long address list of an email string that's trying to set up a dinner for an alumni event. I feel I need to stay on the thread because the same address list will be used again in the future, and because it might even contain pertinent messages about the dinner.
However, some of the alumni feel that this is the forum to verbally attack each other for their ideas, or their agnosticism, about what people in the Middle East should or shouldn't do, and what the university officers should or shouldn't do. [more inside]
Spectrum of views towards Israel and Gaza
In a comment to one of the Gaza-related posts, I (thought) I saw a great breakdown of the ideological spectrum, ranging from “Death to the opposition!” at each extreme to what I thought was a very reasonable spectrum of intermediate positions in 10-15 steps. [more inside]
The Community Garden Plot Thickens
I enjoy gardening mostly in containers at home, but have the opportunity to expand my reach to a community garden plot. Now for the pickiest of questions: which annual plants are suited to my conditions and especially gratifying to grow in-ground? [more inside]
earbuds for a serial earbud killer
I lose my Bluetooth earbuds all the time, which makes me feel like a failure as an adult. I also break the ones I don't lose (due to sweating too much or jamming them into tiny pockets/cases or putting them through the wash). Help me find the sweet spot in terms of reliability/sound/price - under $50 for sure but $25 would be ideal. [more inside]
What would happen to you if you were deported from US to Russia 1930
I just got a family mystery landed in my lap and I have to work and can't look this up - writing on a photo says "she was a Russian Jew and was deported back to Russia with her daughter in the early 30s" I have so many questions. [more inside]
Does the Fallout show get less gross?
I'm about 2/3 of the way through the first episode of Fallout (no prior knowledge about the games) and the story is interesting, but it's unbelievably violent. Is this a "brutal inception of the hero", or is it like this the whole way through?
I can handle some violence but the story has to be the main thing. For reference, I enjoyed the Last of Us but thought the final rampage was stupid, and I would have enjoyed something like Game of Thrones way more *without* the HBO sex and gore corporate mandate.
Is this show just for gun-totin' bros? Thanks!
What’s cool in ABQ and Santa Fe?
Visiting for a FAST four days May 10-13, we’ll go to Santa Fe for the Georgia O’Keefe museum (studio tour is sold out BOO, TOMATO, TOMATO). What else should we do? We both like shopping local and finding fantastic food, even if it comes from a gas station. I love art, letterpress, jewelry, museums, independent bookstores, you get the vibe. We’ll have a rental car. Grateful for advice!
Help me scratch a New Zealander's back - literally.
An old friend is laid up in a hospital in Dunedin, NZ. He offhandedly mentioned that he'd love to have a simple bamboo backscratcher, and I'd like to have one delivered to him. What's the most sensible way to do this, given that I'm in California? [more inside]
How do the Moon and Jupiter protect the Earth from meteorites?
I've read that the Moon and Jupiter protect the Earth by slinging space junk away from us. But naively, for every space rock that was heading towards us that gets slung away, isn't it equally likely there was a space rock that wasn't heading for us that now gets slung at us?
MS Word formatting mess - fix or start over
I have a 200-page doc that was created over 20 years ago and edited annually by different people with poor knowledge of MS Word. Should I try to fix it or start over? [more inside]
Converting groups of TIFFs to a single PDF/
I have sets of 10-20 individual TIFFs that I need to convert into single PDFs - so far, I'm stumped as to how to do this seemingly simple task. [more inside]
How to track medical data?
I want to track some simple medical data over time: cholesterol, blood pressure, AHI, PSA, and the like. Is a spreadsheet the simplest way to do this, or is there some purpose-built tool? [more inside]
More books like these, please
Four books have really opened my eyes to the details of exactly how capitalism and imperialism transformed parts of the world for the worse: Sweetness and Power, Coffeeland, Late Victorian Holocausts, and The Making of the English Working Class. What I appreciated about them was that they told a historical story about a specific place with lots of detail, but also tied it to larger actions being taken to transform the world economy. What should I add to that part of my bookshelf? [more inside]
men's shaver for women??
I'm a woman who's fed up with using disposable razors designed for women. I often don't bother with shaving for a while and then when I do it's an absolute nightmare - it takes forever and I get bad razor burn. So I'm looking for alternatives! [more inside]
April 29
How do I find someone online to rearrange my living room?
I want to send someone photographs and some pinboards and have them tell me how to rearrange or Ikea-budget improve my living room. We have the DIY skills but not the spatial spark to make the room feel cosy and colourful for us. I see a bunch of websites offering this and people on Etsy - recommendations and advice on how to choose someone? [more inside]