MetaFilter

Phonetic alphabets have taken many forms across many languages. But why go with Alpha-Bravo-Charlie when you can choose Bread-Debt-Indictment , Abides-Bowling-Chinaman, Are-Beady-Cue, and Ackbar-BadgerBadgerBadger-Camwhore? What's the MetaFilter phonetic alphabet?
comment posted at 7:38 PM on Aug-16-07
comment posted at 9:14 PM on Aug-16-07
comment posted at 1:05 AM on Aug-17-07
comment posted at 1:40 AM on Aug-17-07

Why New Yorkers Last Longer. Interestingly, urban theorists believe it is not just the tightly packed nature of the city but also its social and economic density that has life-giving properties. When you’re jammed, sardinelike, up against your neighbors, it’s not hard to find a community of people who support you—friends or ethnic peers—and this strongly correlates with better health and a longer life. [New York Magazine article]
comment posted at 12:48 AM on Aug-16-07

Coffee Pot Meth. "I know enough now that whenever I go to a hotel, regardless of how nice it is, I'll never use a coffee pot."
comment posted at 9:04 AM on Feb-10-07

Over 1300 people have jumped to their deaths from the Golden Gate Bridge since it was built in 1937. Is it time to stop just filming them and install a net or fence-type "suicide barrier" to keep these people from killing themselves? Student-studies at Berkeley argue that barriers are effective. And Mary Zablotny, mother of a jumper, wants to know: "what kind of monster would stand there before me and tell me that aesthetics are more important than my son's life." Opponents argue that suicide is a public health issue that requires a holistic response, and is ill-addressed by simply blighting public landmarks, offering some - ahem - innovative alternatives. [some previous discussions]
comment posted at 9:58 PM on Feb-24-06

American Idol 5 on Popmatters. "There are two pre-audition selection rounds before contestants are allowed to meet the judges. Clearly then, the show's army of "talent" spotters deliberately sent Derek, Crystal and the others crashing and burning onto national television, in the sure and certain knowledge that humiliation means ratings." Some insights into the corporate machinery behind American Idol, as well as thoughts on the current season.
comment posted at 1:34 PM on Jan-25-06

Pork soup becomes political in France. Small groups linked to the extreme right are ladling pork soup to France's homeless. Critics and some officials denounce the charity as discriminatory: because it contains pork, the soup is off-limits for Muslims.
comment posted at 3:12 PM on Jan-25-06

Mike Jeffries, of Abercrombie and Fitch, (Salon, Premium Pass, Greasemonkey Script) comes across as an eccentric, vain, popularity-infatuated fashion industry genius you probably figured he was. "That's why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don't market to anyone other than that." An interview with the writer on Gawker. Think he'll stop at Midwestern frat boys? He's coming for you NYC (Ruehl).
comment posted at 2:06 PM on Jan-24-06
comment posted at 2:11 PM on Jan-24-06
comment posted at 2:14 PM on Jan-24-06
comment posted at 4:00 PM on Jan-24-06

Devo is back! But in kid form.
comment posted at 3:52 PM on Jan-23-06

KGB's secret UFO files finally made public Files comprising the famous Blue Folder have been declassified a while ago. The prominent Soviet cosmonaut Pavel Popovich got the folder from the KGB in 1991. These days Mr. Popovich holds the position of honorary president of the Academy of Informational and Applied Ufology. The folder contains numerous descriptions of UFO flights and reports on some (mostly failed) attempts taken by the military in order to catch the aliens.
comment posted at 6:59 AM on Jan-2-06
comment posted at 10:05 AM on Jan-2-06

Steve Martin has a posse. He's only made one post so far but Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin) is blogging for the Huffington Post.
comment posted at 11:49 AM on Dec-30-05

Mel Gibson on evolution, women, and political conspiracy theory. It's an old interview but includes some topical issues.
comment posted at 12:44 PM on Dec-29-05

Of all the Christmas cards I received this year from political action committees, this one from the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep & Bear arms best summed up the holiday spirit to me.
comment posted at 10:31 AM on Dec-29-05
comment posted at 10:41 AM on Dec-29-05

Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of Racism in America, by James Loewen (author's site; Dallas Morning News; Washington Post; Dallas Historical Society; Washington City Paper; Wikipedia)
comment posted at 10:16 AM on Dec-28-05
comment posted at 10:21 AM on Dec-28-05
comment posted at 10:23 AM on Dec-28-05
comment posted at 9:00 AM on Dec-29-05
comment posted at 9:25 AM on Dec-29-05

Hurra Torpedo has been to America and their tour has been documented. Did a metafilter email lead to, if not a world tour, an American tour? At least it brought joy to these children (video #3), the ecstatic witnesses to Hurra's first American gig. If you don't get a thrill from the performance, have no love for beards, or find that crack of ass does not so much smile at you as it much as it sneers, you can still try win an automobile.
comment posted at 12:28 PM on Dec-16-05
comment posted at 12:32 PM on Dec-16-05

This utterly stunning panorama of Paris by night (WARNING! 15000x520 image, 1.8mb) is almost too good to be true. You can see so many landmarks it's ridiculous - this version has them labelled for your convenience. I traced it back to Arnaud Friche's gallery of panoramic photographs of Paris, churches and cathedrals, and other cities. There are so many beautiful hi-res photographs here that I won't waste any more of your time talking about them.
comment posted at 8:42 AM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 9:51 AM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 11:13 AM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 4:31 PM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 4:42 PM on Dec-13-05

Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked - Henry Jenkins (previous discussed here) points out errors in the myths we here about videogames and those who play them. It's nice to hear intelligent commentary that doesn't run along the lines of the usual messages.
comment posted at 10:38 AM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 2:37 PM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 2:39 PM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 3:58 PM on Dec-13-05
comment posted at 4:11 PM on Dec-13-05

Tomorrow Stan "Tookie" Williams founder of the Crips gang is scheduled to die. Many feel that Tookie has turned has life around, he's written books about his life, and has had his story made into a movie and even been nominated for the Nobel Prize Some say he deserves clemency others do not this morning Tookie was denied an appeal to the California Supreme Court and is waiting on a federal appeal. Which begs the question Should Tookie Die?
comment posted at 11:48 AM on Dec-12-05
comment posted at 12:12 PM on Dec-12-05
comment posted at 12:13 PM on Dec-12-05
comment posted at 12:13 PM on Dec-12-05

Future handgun ban? Despite reassurances made during passage of C-68 that registration would not lead to confiscation, Paul Martin is promising to enable provinces to ban handguns if elected this January.
comment posted at 7:58 AM on Dec-9-05
comment posted at 8:39 AM on Dec-9-05
comment posted at 8:49 AM on Dec-9-05
comment posted at 4:27 PM on Dec-9-05

As seen on the Red Cross's website , a new symbol has been chosen for use along side of the Red Cross, or Red Crescent. This new symbol, dubbed the "Red Crystal" was developed specifically for situations where combatants may not understand or respect the implications of the Red Cross or Red Crescent. CBC in Canada has an article on the subject. The BBC has another that explains the desire for neutrality. More information is available on the Red Cross's emblem page.
comment posted at 8:26 AM on Dec-8-05

Got access to a daily satellite feed? Win $10 000. Not quite Sink the Bismarck, but the Sea Shepherds have offered a $10 000 reward for anyone who can tell them where the Japanese whaling fleet is this summer, as it prepares to scientifically study 950 minke and fin whales.
comment posted at 2:22 PM on Dec-8-05

Wait. What?
comment posted at 8:45 AM on Dec-7-05
comment posted at 8:58 AM on Dec-7-05

Sexy Furniture. "The shape of a woman, her organic architecture, combined with my passion for wood inspired me to sculpt these sexy designs." Passion for wood, indeed. NSFW.
comment posted at 3:19 PM on Dec-5-05