Barbara Hannigan performs György Ligeti's 'Le Grand Macabre' with the Gothenburg Symphony. [YouTube] [Wiki]
posted to MetaFilter by Fizz at 5:47 AM on November 8, 2014 (15 comments)

Possibly the best filmed example of game theory in action ever.
posted to MetaFilter by unSane at 7:11 PM on April 21, 2012 (111 comments)

The Economist wants to know: Are four new translations of Homer’s “Iliad” a bit much? After nearly 3,000 years, does the “Iliad” really need translating again?
posted to MetaFilter by Fizz at 5:29 AM on October 22, 2011 (70 comments)

A couple of Jehovah’s Witness' knocked on the door of secular parenting advocate Dale McGowan. What happened next is both funny and instructive, without being disrespectful or confrontational. Part 1 Part 2
posted to MetaFilter by COD at 9:00 AM on September 27, 2011 (180 comments)

My wife has been in New York City this week, and bought an unlimited weekly MetroCard. She's leaving NY tonight, and I'm arriving about 2 hours after she leaves (i.e. we won't be able to meet). Is there some clever way she can hand the card off to me?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by thumpasor at 9:31 AM on September 14, 2011 (26 comments)

Beautiful Swear Words
posted to MetaFilter by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:37 PM on July 28, 2011 (54 comments)

Over 143 episodes of audio, Mike Duncan has covered the founding of Rome through the Crisis of the Third Century in his History of Rome podcast [previously], having now reached the last pagan Emperor, Julian The Apostate. Enlivened by drawing on comparisons to popular culture, from The Empire Strikes Back (when Hannibal makes his appearance) to The Godfather (as a metaphor for Rome's social client system), Mr Duncan's work makes for fun, informative 25-minute sessions with the greatest empire of the ancient western world. If you're interested in more, the podcasts could be handily supplemented with...
posted to MetaFilter by Bora Horza Gobuchul at 2:32 PM on July 10, 2011 (42 comments)

How can I add more mystery to everyday life?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by brynna at 7:52 AM on May 10, 2011 (42 comments)

How do I stop saying, "D'oh" when I do something wrong?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Gringos Without Borders at 7:48 AM on January 30, 2011 (17 comments)

Science fiction - filter: I used to read and love Dick, Farmer, LeGuin, and others who coupled great writing with directly confronting sex, violence, and societal change. What contemporary authors might I like?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Forktine at 10:00 AM on May 28, 2009 (39 comments)

Please help me rename ~1300 image files in bash, en masse.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Asparagirl at 1:08 PM on December 12, 2010 (8 comments)

In remembrance of the Confederate and Union soldiers who served in the American Civil War, the Liljenquist Family recently donated their rare collection of almost 700 ambrotype and tintype photographs to the Library of Congress. These achingly poignant portraits speak volumes.
posted to MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite at 4:47 PM on December 5, 2010 (97 comments)

I want to listen to a good, persuasive argument. I'm looking for nonfiction audio books in which the author makes strong factual arguments for or against a certain point of view. Particulars inside.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Bookhouse at 11:56 AM on December 4, 2010 (13 comments)

I have an internet radio, a good pair of ears, and nostalgia. Help me NPR enthusiasts.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by uauage at 3:04 PM on November 25, 2010 (12 comments)

Charlie Rose: The Brain Series
posted to MetaFilter by cthuljew at 11:07 PM on November 23, 2010 (8 comments)

Podcasts have replaced TV as my relaxation method of choice and I need something to keep my eyes and hands occupied while I listen to them. I usually play tetris which works ok but I can't help thinking there must be something more interesting or creative I could be doing. It would have to require minimal concentration and be somewhat relaxing and it would be nice if I had a new skill to show for it. I've tried drawing but I'm a graphics student so it feels like work. My sister suggested knitting which doesn't interest me but it seems to have the right mix of creativity and repetitiveness.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Chenko at 12:35 PM on November 22, 2010 (21 comments)

always win.
posted to MeFi Music by chococat at 3:13 PM on November 15, 2010 (47 comments)

I'm almost finished with the audiobook version of A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century, and I'm not ready for it to be over. I want to learn more about the Middle Ages and Renaissance. What should I listen to next?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Knicke at 5:46 AM on November 18, 2010 (17 comments)

I want to turn my iPhone into a broadcast quality voice recorder (for radio). What's the ideal setup?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mooza at 11:48 PM on November 12, 2010 (6 comments)

What are the classics of interactive fiction--the canon, if there is one?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by IjonTichy at 9:34 AM on November 4, 2010 (19 comments)

MapCrunch.com Google Street View Randomizer. Try the slideshow.
posted to MetaFilter by blue_beetle at 7:55 AM on October 28, 2010 (29 comments)

My wife and I love to read books in bed, just before going to sleep. I usually use my iPhone 4 Kindle app. Lately, however, the biomechanics of semi sitting up in bed have been taking there toll on my already somewhat debilitated spine (mild degeneration). I would like to be able to lie flat and read by staring straight up (or at least give this a try). Unless you've tried it, you may not know that simply holding the device or book overhead with your arms simply doesn't work. Some kind of holder is needed. I am looking for anyone's suggestions on what might work, perhaps those who are, or know someone who is, quadriplegic, or otherwise disabled might have some good ideas.I'm not so much looking for something I could kludge together, but more interested in something that is already available; I'm not firm on this, however. All suggestions are welcome, though!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Rad_Boy at 9:27 AM on October 27, 2010 (13 comments)

For the life of me I cant find the This American Life tenth anniversary show on the TAL website where Ira Glass replays and comments on the first ever TAL, and google fails me. Any ideas?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by wheelieman at 5:31 PM on October 17, 2010 (3 comments)

Is there a good reason that we use (in the U.S.) porcelain toilets almost exclusively instead of another material, particularly stainless steel? Stainless steel is lighter than porcelain, isn't it? So I would think it would be cheaper to ship and easier to clean, making it a no-brainer green solution.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by pmed at 8:20 AM on October 3, 2010 (22 comments)

Tell me the most counterintuitive or surprising fact from your field or hobby.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by theodolite at 11:51 AM on September 22, 2010 (101 comments)

History and mystery wonderfully blended. Although doubtless well-known to UK Mefites, I was only recently directed to this marvelous and engaging TV series featuring Michael Kitchen as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle. It's a refreshing change from American fare, entirely adult, with crisp dialogue and meticulous attention to detail and historic accuracy. Speaking as a Yank weary of plasticity, it's also wonderful to see actors with real faces. The series can be seen on Youtube in pieces that can be viewed fairly seamlessly: Series One: The German Woman, The White Feather, Lesson in Murder, Eagle Day. Series Two: Fifty Ships, Among the Few, War Games, The Funk Hole. Series Three: The French Drop, Enemy Fire, They Fought in the Fields, War of Nerves. Series Four: Invasion, Bad Blood. Series Five: Bleak Midwinter, Casualties of War. Series Six: Plan of Attack, Broken Souls, All Clear.
posted to MetaFilter by kinnakeet at 12:13 PM on September 19, 2010 (25 comments)

Who came up with the "backpack metaphor" for writing fiction?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by MShades at 7:04 AM on September 12, 2010 (2 comments)

I'm looking for the chemistry version of A Brief History of Time. Does it exist?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by hiteleven at 4:38 PM on September 6, 2010 (9 comments)

I've recently realized that three books I've seriously enjoyed fall into a sort of common genre: The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson, The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester, and the Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. I am looking for more books like this to read.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kensington314 at 9:36 AM on September 5, 2010 (12 comments)

Please recommend any heist/con artist books.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by pleasebekind at 12:02 PM on September 4, 2010 (25 comments)

I'm looking for video sites like TED or Big Think that has researchers talking about their projects and areas of expertise. Any other similar sites out there you've liked? Preferably in the area of psychology/human nature
posted to Ask MetaFilter by gilsonal at 8:44 PM on August 30, 2010 (7 comments)

I was relieved to hear that they found the Chilean miners alive, and amazed that they will be trapped for four months until rescue. It also reminded me that I like reading books about people who are isolated somewhere for a long time. (I hope this doesn't sound morbid.) I'm not so much interested in tragedy and death; I'm more interested in the psychology and group dynamics of people who are forced to live closely together. Space station? Submarine? Post-apocalyptic abandoned museum?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by exceptinsects at 11:05 AM on August 23, 2010 (51 comments)

I'm getting crankier in my old age and I'd love to bust a gut and laugh so hard that I cry. Recommendations for short video clips that have made you go "HA!" aloud. Laugh-aloud stuff for me looks like the David Brent dance from "The Office," and Harvard Sailing Team. My kids and students thank you in advance.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by dzaz at 7:06 AM on August 22, 2010 (65 comments)

I find that Mutant's profile is full of useful information, about himself and his areas of expertise. Do you guys know of any other profiles with useful and interesting information, particularly about specialty subjects?
posted to MetaTalk by By The Grace of God at 2:12 AM on August 17, 2010 (69 comments)

I just read Sex at Dawn. It's a book that, as I understand it, questions an assumption that has held sway for most of recorded history. What other books or ideas question assumptions that span millennia? I'm looking for more well-argued cases that rock my reality and cause me to question and recontextualize, well, everything.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by zeek321 at 1:27 PM on August 5, 2010 (39 comments)

I like to ask my kids interesting, but age appropriate, ethical and epistemological questions while we sit around the dinner table. Help me think of some more.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by crapples at 2:01 PM on July 24, 2010 (52 comments)

Looking for enchanting, obscure works of classical music.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by resiny at 11:24 AM on July 19, 2010 (33 comments)

I recently read The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York and I realized how much I enjoy a certain subset of historical nonfiction -- basically, narratives set at a particular moment in a specific city as a way of exploring broader social-cultural history.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by scody at 2:36 PM on July 19, 2010 (31 comments)

I'm looking for books (or lengthy articles/blog posts) that fully explain a certain topic in a way that is interesting, easily digestible, and not too dry.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by rastapasta at 5:38 PM on June 28, 2010 (25 comments)

Cellist Zoë Keating describes her music as "the fusion of information architecture and classical music," and uses a traditional French cello and a foot-controlled MacBook to create lush, multi-layered cello music. From 2002 to 2006 she was a member of Rasputina, and more recently she played with Amanda Palmer. Keating has prospered online through iTunes and her website; her new album, Into the Trees, is streaming free and can be purchased on her website, and you can watch her perform some older pieces on her Youtube channel. [Via]
posted to MetaFilter by homunculus at 11:22 PM on June 25, 2010 (22 comments)

How should I safely sell my iPhone?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mercredi at 3:02 PM on June 14, 2010 (7 comments)

A gallery of scanned German children's books from the 18th and 19th centuries. Sounds dry, but the plates are high-resolution and gorgeous. Fans of old-school engraving, illustration, and Bibliodyssey-esque curiosities will not be disappointed. Highly extensive and bandwidth-intensive.
posted to MetaFilter by BlackLeotardFront at 5:59 PM on June 12, 2010 (18 comments)

I need to email a file that is too big for Gmail. Can you recommend a way to send it?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by meerkatty at 7:52 PM on June 9, 2010 (20 comments)

The Pee wee's Playhouse theme song...as performed by Cyndi Lauper (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pee-wee's_Playhouse#Soundtracks)...Cyndi's voice in that, to me, harkens back to music of the 20s. Is there a name for this sort of cutesy style of female singing? Is this a genre that I can actually seek out?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by swimming naked when the tide goes out at 6:52 PM on May 1, 2010 (18 comments)

What young adult novels (or chapter books for kids) are written in particularly elegant prose styles? (Bonus points if the story and characterization are good, of course, but I'm especially looking for books where the writing style itself is beautiful.) Examples include The Graveyard Book, Haroun & The Sea of Stories, and When You Reach Me.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by yankeefog at 2:04 PM on March 18, 2010 (45 comments)

What music will make me dance about like a pirate?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Rory Marinich at 6:23 PM on February 22, 2010 (42 comments)

I'm tired of bars. What things in New York can I do after work?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Unred at 2:14 PM on February 16, 2010 (15 comments)

What are the best word-related games for the iPhone?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Ike_Arumba at 7:13 AM on February 10, 2010 (25 comments)

You guys know about BBC Radio 4's In Our Time, right? Each week, the broadcaster Melvyn Bragg hosts a 45-minute discussion on some aspect of culture, history, philosophy, religion or science. His guests are always three academics with expert knowledge of the chosen subject, and the tone is serious and detailed but never inaccessible. By respecting his audience's intelligence, Bragg delivers a programme of unrivaled interest, depth and educational value. The topics covered this year alone include The Frankfurt School, The Glencoe Massacre, Silas Marner and Ibn Khaldun. Eclectic, yes, but never less than fascinating. The good news is that the programme has just redesigned its website, making all 440 episodes to date available for your listening pleasure in its eminently browsable archive. In the dumbed-down 21st Century, it's a miracle that a programme like this still exists, so let's all make the most of it while we can.
posted to MetaFilter by Paul Slade at 9:19 AM on February 4, 2010 (59 comments)

My daughter is looking for some plays to read. I'm looking for suggestions of plays that are interesting to an avid reader, but still appropriate for her age level (8 years old).
posted to Ask MetaFilter by mikepop at 6:25 AM on January 28, 2010 (28 comments)