MetaFilter

Fascinating and informative. Thank you so much for sharing!
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 5:19 AM on May 28, 2024

What time period? Some rules have changed over time in some jurisdictions as to what qualifications are required in a judiciary candidate.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 3:42 PM on May 27, 2024

[A reminder to my fellow commenters:

This story is fiction, not an essay or memoir. Please keep that in mind while commenting; I write this because sometimes it's easy to slide into forgetting that, when an author writes a story this relatable, addressing hot political topics, in which some characters act imperfectly. I would like to make room for the probability that the author, while describing one particular set of characters grappling with a set of political issues,… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 11:05 AM on May 22, 2024

The author has specifically said:

"my favorite story I’ve ever written & also my most trans is out..... It’s about wanting history to affirm us & what happens when history refuses.

alternately: it’s about trying to crack Mary Renault’s egg & she says no"

and:

"someday I'll write a story about a trans guy who is not a sad little sack. today is not this day"
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 8:34 PM on May 22, 2024

I love John's drive for excellence as well as how he plays with Alex using a yes-and Taskmaster fan approach, like creating another task card.
posted to FanFare by brainwane at 9:04 AM on May 12, 2024

I agree that it would be a completely different show if everyone had the same approach, whether that approach was "clown" or "compete" or "faff about," and that it's pleasing to have the contrast!

I think it's interesting how much the show's executives and staff have to juggle, to simultaneously trade off the 3 levels of (1) making an entertaining TV show, (2) running and maintaining a workable system of games, and (3) taking adequate care… [more]
posted to FanFare by brainwane at 6:55 AM on May 13, 2024

You're using assessment words like "is"/"aren't" more than you're talking about your own subjective preferences, and I think you and I will simply have to agree to disagree about things like whether John's performance is endearing (I find it endearing and you don't) and whether it's fun to watch someone figure out something like an answer being written on the wall behind the contestants (you don't like it, I do).

Similarly, the derogatory slang term… [more]
posted to FanFare by brainwane at 12:16 PM on May 13, 2024

I enjoy John's performances, usually, umbrella, but I found his mannequin dance uninspiring. And I thought Greg ought to have given Sophie a much higher score for her beatboxing were-woman. Immediately after watching, I scrolled down to the YouTube comments to find where umbrella folks would be complaining of the injustice!

The Nick and Steve watermelon-on-table team task was AMAZING. And yeah, pwnguin, I agree, I think their multitasking caused them to fail to… [more]
posted to FanFare by brainwane at 11:12 AM on May 22, 2024

Thank you for bringing these to our attention and making my spouse laugh really hard several times this morning.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 8:28 AM on May 14, 2024

If you have been depending on an online system to check your pay records, and you will lose access to them after your last day, download those records and save them to your personal file storage. You may need to refer to them in the future to deal with tax records or for some other reason.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 10:23 AM on May 12, 2024

Wow, cool! Thanks for sharing this!

More behind-the-scenes info in this interview with the author.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 12:00 PM on May 9, 2024

I have taken a Wilderness First Aid class with NOLS and learned some criteria for how to handle serious head injuries and related stuff.

The guidelines said, regarding brain-related injuries:


Rapidly evacuate if the patient has:
....
Persistent vomiting, lethargy, excessive sleepiness, seizures, worsening headache, [or] vision disturbances

"Rapidly evacuate" means "call… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 5:06 PM on May 7, 2024

Jon Bois (previously on MeFi) makes a lot of narrative videos that use visuals of charts and maps to increase the sheer amount of information he can give the reader. 17776 and its sequel 20020 are multimedia science fiction pieces that use animated maps and charts, fictional sports trading cards, interviews, chat transcripts, and more to aid exposition.

The opening of the 2007 action movie The Kingdom uses… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 1:01 PM on May 6, 2024

People who appreciated this may also appreciate Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (which is however more unambiguously about a person who isn't Living Their Best Life).
posted to FanFare by brainwane at 9:05 AM on May 6, 2024

Wow! That's neat!
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 2:58 AM on May 6, 2024

I appreciate this post and explanation as context for jests I was noticing on social media - thanks!
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 7:10 AM on May 5, 2024

Some MeFites may not know that we have a kind of similar thing: the MeFi Mall where (for free) MetaFilter members can link to things we make and sell online. Just text and links (no graphics). We have often promoted it toward the end of the calendar year, when many users are shopping for gifts, but it's available year-round. More in MetaTalk.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 6:35 AM on May 3, 2024

By the way, logged-in Cohost users can also read ads within Artist Alley that are marked for people 18 years old or older (such as things involving nudity), and can filter whether we want to read them or not. (Cohost community guidelines, ad guidelines.) I think non-registered users can't access those ads.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 6:34 AM on May 4, 2024

Shout out to the Otherwise (formerly Tiptree) Award, mentioned in a few of those lists. Disclaimer: I'm on the board. Our mission: to celebrate science fiction, fantasy, and other forms of speculative narrative that expand and explore our understanding of gender. Our current pause and interim plans.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 1:34 PM on April 30, 2024

Excellent question.

"Seaview on Mars" by Katie Rathfelder, a short story available in the anthology Consolation Songs.

The short story "Sunlight" by Shauna Gordon-McKeon. (Direct link to story hosted on Medium.) I believe the author thinks this would be a better world - caution that at least one reader (per MeFi comments) thought it dystopic!

The short story "I'm with Muni --… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 1:34 AM on April 29, 2024

This was fun! Thanks for posting it.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 4:42 AM on April 28, 2024

Yay!

Also, I should have mentioned: audio version available.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 10:14 AM on April 26, 2024

jamjam: Clarkesworld is named after editor Neil Clarke, not Arthur C. Clarke.

If you can find Fiona Jones to ask her more about her inspirations for the story, I do hope you will do so and report back here! I have been having trouble finding contact information for her (especially as there is at least one other writer with that name) and hope she sets up a website soon. Maybe I'll ping the Clarion Foundation workshop folks, if only to get word to her that people here are enjoying the story.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 10:35 AM on April 26, 2024

I am middle-aged and I appreciate Swift's music although I have not heard all of it. The music video for "Blank Space" is very pretty.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 6:07 AM on April 26, 2024

Boston science museum, too.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 5:56 AM on April 26, 2024

genpfault, thanks, I'll ask the mods to fix those!
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 8:00 AM on April 25, 2024

I am regretting, right now, having used a "why don't they just" joke in any way, shape, or form in the beginning of this post. I hereby request that people consider reading and commenting on any of the links that I posted -- or lambasting me in the form of a checklist.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 8:03 AM on April 25, 2024

amtho, that's the kind of thing I'm talking about. Gold star.

I find the rhetorical form of this checklist template intriguing.

The format itself conveys: Your idea is not only bad, it is bad in a way that is a cliché. You are likely unaware of important considerations, and it behooves you to develop some humility and some appreciation of past efforts if you want to succeed in this field.… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 8:19 AM on April 25, 2024

Oh and the "approach to fighting spam" template I link to was written by MeFite lapsed.catholic in 2003 in a Slashdot comment thread. In that Ask thread, lapsed.catholic notes that one source of inspiration was a form letter disproving various proofs of Fermat's Last Theorem.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 8:32 AM on April 25, 2024

Some favorite glimpses from the checklists I linked to (and I would love links to others):

Here is why it won't work:
( ) It assumes that using the government to force abrogation of private contracts that were freely entered into by the participants won't have any negative side effects
( ) Many network users cannot afford to lose business or alienate potential employers
( ) Lots of things are polymers, but not everything is a polymer.… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 10:09 AM on April 25, 2024

My friend Zack wrote one a few years back:

Your post advocates a

□ software □ hardware □ cognitive □ two-factor □ other ___________

universal replacement for passwords.....

posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 3:31 PM on April 25, 2024

Seeing the calendar reform one reminds me that there is a sort of transformation one can apply to turn a "falsehoods [kinds of people] believe about [topic]" list into a rejection checklist, and vice versa.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 3:34 PM on April 25, 2024

There is a version of Oingo Boingo's "Only a Lad" that does this although I am not sure whether it is a version the band released or a sort of remix made by this fanvidder.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 5:15 AM on April 25, 2024

As I understand it, you're seeking soothing (personal/local stakes, low suspense) fictional movies or TV series starring protagonists who consistently demonstrate amazing competence.

I second the recommendation that you look into anime TV series where people make stuff or travel. And more generally, film/TV from outside the US, and/or film that was not intended to make big bucks via US theatrical distribution, is more likely to be willing to be low-key the way you want.… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 11:48 AM on April 22, 2024

Turns out I can't go on the 27th. If anyone wants to take over as host, please speak up by midnight the end of the day Saturday, April 20th. I'll leave this up till then. Otherwise I'll contact the mods to ask to delete it; I wouldn't want anyone to turn up on the day, expecting MeFi company, and find absolutely none, not even the host. Other NYC people: if you would like to set up an IRL event that isn't this, please do! Some ideas: Outdoor dining! (Recent recommendations from Ask: 1,… [more]
posted to MeFi IRL by brainwane at 11:35 AM on April 17, 2024

Thanks, ferret branca. I shall contact the mods now to ask them to close this up.
posted to MeFi IRL by brainwane at 3:15 AM on April 22, 2024

grouse, thank you for that! The specific wording, for those seeking it in that boilerplate Publisher Agreement:

the Archived Content is determined in good faith by the Board to be unavailable from any publisher for at least six consecutive months

Alicia Wise, Executive Director of the CLOCKSS Archive, told Chemistry World that:

the Japan Institute of Heterocyclic Chemistry is weighing up future… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 2:21 PM on April 16, 2024

Fediverse conversation includes:

"This 2019 document claimed that all triggered content thus far has been through publisher request. Which would explain why so many other cases were faster. http://documents.clockss.org/index.php/CLOCKSS:_Extracting_Triggered_Content" - Michael Hoffman

"It would be a lot of fun to create a chart demonstrating out of the 17,000+ vanished articles at Heterocycles, which ones were funded by e.g. NSF,… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 5:11 AM on April 17, 2024

I am an Indian-American woman and this article MADE ABSOLUTE COMPLETE SENSE TO ME and I empathized extremely thoroughly with it. As a person in my twenties I did know how to turn on a stove, boil water, make a few basic stovetop and oven and rice-cooker dishes, etc. But I one thousand percent empathize with how the author finds freedom, autonomy, in convenience food such as the device-boiled egg.

Right now I'm not going to get into the particulars of how my childhood… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 6:30 PM on April 15, 2024

Previously on the blue (March 30th). Quite a lot of discussion and useful links in that thread.

they did it by messing with autoconf and... nobody understands autoconf.

My friend Zack Weinberg and I did some work on autoconf a few years ago, leading to him writing up this analysis in January 2021 concerning (among other things) concerns that the GNU autotools probably needed to address. Zack recently wrote a Fediverse thread… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 1:18 PM on April 15, 2024

New thread on this topic.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 1:11 PM on April 15, 2024

You are not alone - it's a fundamental human thing to sort of subconsciously believe one is invincible. There is this moment in the Mahabharata called the yaksha-prashna -- a riddle contest with a disguised god. The punchline is: the final riddle is:

What is the most amazing thing in the universe?

Answer:

Every day, we all see people around us fall ill,… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 1:48 AM on April 14, 2024

[Please note that neither of these people is giving readers advice of the form "you should do this" -- they are each saying what they do.

Azz notes in their profile page: "You are the expert of your own situation. Advice given by others may be actively counterproductive, because they don't know your situation the way that you do. When you give advice, it's almost always appropriate to add qualifiers that make it… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 9:57 AM on April 11, 2024

Azz wrote a comment responding to many bits of the discussion here. Includes sleep maintenance tactics.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 3:52 AM on April 12, 2024

There is a subreddit for Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder and they have a Discord as well, by the way.
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 4:50 AM on April 12, 2024

I appreciated the link to the February 2023 thread by Mekka Okereke. Through it I found a link to "excerpts from the tapes and transcripts delivered to the Court by Laura Hart McKinny" with quotes by Fuhrman spanning 1985-1994 which I had not previously read. (Okereke says, "Please don't try to talk to any Black people, (especially me!), about the OJ trial, if you have not read this transcript in its entirety.") Repulsive stuff. Content note for lots of uses of the n-word;… [more]
posted to MetaFilter by brainwane at 9:38 AM on April 11, 2024

20 Questions has very few rules and is reasonably child-friendly.

Also, please consider whether the person who "doesn't like complicated games" enjoys games at all, and consider having a Plan B shared leisure activity in case they don't want to play any game.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 4:11 AM on April 7, 2024

eschatfische recommended Robot & Frank and I agree. Of the other films suggested in this thread that I have watched (which is not all of them), none actually fit the specifications laid out.

I don't know the anime world well but maybe there is some recent anime that would suit.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 2:19 AM on April 5, 2024

Question for clarification: do you only want fiction, or are you open to nonfiction as well?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 5:09 AM on April 3, 2024

azalea_chant, I asked about nonfiction because you hadn't actually specified in your question that you only wanted fiction, and there are a lot of well-written gripping nonfiction narratives out there. Glad you clarified!

I recommend:

Pat Barker's Regeneration: A main character, an anthropologist and psychologist, is counseling British veterans of trench warfare during World War I. So deeply observant about human… [more]
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brainwane at 7:44 AM on April 4, 2024