Matte Shot - A Tribute to Golden Era Special FX ...the inventiveness and ingenuity of the craft of the matte painter during Hollywood's Golden Era. Some of the shots will amaze in their grandeur and epic quality while others will surprise in their 'invisibility' to even the sophisticated viewer. I hope this collection will serve as an appreciation of the artform and both casual visitors and those with a specialist interest may benefit, enjoy and be amazed at skills largely unknown today.
posted to MetaFilter by cenoxo at 3:03 PM on August 10, 2013 (13 comments)

"Depression comix are simply a graphical representation of how depression and other related illnesses feel from a personal perspective." (about)
posted to MetaFilter by Memo at 9:14 AM on August 10, 2013 (22 comments)

"Folk Music in America" is a series of 15 LP records published by the Library of Congress between 1976 and 1978 to celebrate the bicentennial of the American Revolution. It was curated by librarian/collector-cum-discographer Richard K. Spottswood, and funded by a grant by the National Endowment for the Arts. It's absolutely fantastic. And here it is.
posted to MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite at 1:25 AM on August 10, 2013 (21 comments)

You know how a lot of non-fiction books get really tiresome after the first few chapters? Yeah, me too. Help me compile a list of non-fiction books that can keep my interest from the first to the last page. Challenge: no psych/neuro allowed. Other sciences okay.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by dino might at 10:39 PM on August 3, 2013 (45 comments)

A café worker in Osaka produces detailed coffee cup sculptures using milk and a toothpick at Twitter. Some more images, and a video.
posted to MetaFilter by Schroder at 5:05 AM on August 1, 2013 (23 comments)

"They pay a lot of attention to detail." A DIY miniature world made out of household scraps.
posted to MetaFilter by applemeat at 6:52 AM on July 21, 2013 (67 comments)

The Oscar nominees would be natural candidates, but as of '93, Ebert was complaining that the selection committee was completely unqualified: http://www.rogerebert.com/festivals-and-awards/oscarvoters-slight-best-documentaries . (As an aside: do his criticisms apply to the Academy Award documentary nominating committee today?) Where else should I look for credible lists of the best documentaries made recently?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by jtothes at 12:38 AM on July 18, 2013 (11 comments)

What are the best household items or life accessories from around the world that most Americans probably aren't familiar with?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by WidgetAlley at 12:17 PM on July 17, 2013 (51 comments)

I’m looking for books (fiction and non-fiction) about children dealing with narcissistic parents. The kind of parents I want to read about will present a perfect front to the outside world, but in private will emotionally abuse their children to serve their own needs. These parents are attention seekers, self-pitying, deny that hurtful incidents occurred (gaslighting), play family members off against each other, are infantile and manipulative, are obsessed by others having a positive view of them, undermine their children’s autonomy, disregarding their privacy and personal space (give their possessions away, denigrate them in public, eat food off their plates) – but ALWAYS claim that the abuse is for the child’s own good and are usually seen by other adults as very good parents. The abused offspring I want to read about – both children and adults – become compulsive caretakers, are frequently confused by their parent’s behaviour, learn not to trust their own feelings and experience overwhelming feelings of inadequacy. For a long time they may be duped into believing the myth that their parent is loving and that they (the child) are the cause of their own unhappiness. If possible I would like books that focus entirely on emotional abuse rather than it being part of a broader spectrum of abuse. Thank you!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by matthew.alexander at 11:00 AM on July 17, 2013 (37 comments)

I want to go about finding entertaining, engaging, intelligent things I can read about subjects I know nothing about. Ideally, I want a source of these things which will reliably send me off in directions I'm completely unfamiliar with, rather than just new sources which cover individual specific subjects. But it has to be enjoyable, even somewhat mindless reading – think Cracked or Buzzfeed. Does anything like this exist? Are there good places online for me to stimulate myself when I'm in that mindless time-killing mood?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Rory Marinich at 10:36 AM on July 9, 2013 (29 comments)

The meaning of life according to Boomhauer. (Original scene.)
posted to MetaFilter by MartinWisse at 3:07 AM on July 9, 2013 (33 comments)

It began with a special session called by Governor Rick Perry, who put abortion restrictions on the table. SB5 bans abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and requires facilities that perform them to conform to new restrictions. The practical effect would close most of the abortion facilities in Texas. Then came the People's Filibuster, a mass protest designed to run out the clock and prevent the bill from being passed. It didn't work. The bill passed the House and went to the Senate. But today, Texas Senator Wendy Davis began a 13-hour filibuster to stop the bill.
posted to MetaFilter by emjaybee at 10:22 AM on June 25, 2013 (1693 comments)

My 14-month-old Akita female,Bailey, is a champion chewer. Elk antlers seem to be the only thing she can chew on that lasts any amount of time. She likes them okay but I'd like to give her more variety.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by VTX at 12:28 PM on July 8, 2013 (20 comments)

Because you are familiar with internet, you have already guessed what Laser Frasier might be like before clicking it. And if you consider it a moment, you'll probably (and correctly) agree that someone, somewhere, must maintain a collection of fiercely imagined plot synopses to 'unproduced' episodes of the long-running Cheers spin-off. But can you explain why these comic strips are so wonderful? (I can -- it is because KC Green made them.)
posted to MetaFilter by damehex at 10:38 PM on July 3, 2013 (38 comments)

"This is a story, a picture story, of two very lucky people before whom was spread out the greatest of treasures, the planet Earth. We traveled aboard a magic carpet, the one with the yellow borders, National Geographic magazine. During four decades we wandered over all the continents and left wakes across the seven seas."
posted to MetaFilter by lazaruslong at 12:27 AM on July 1, 2013 (9 comments)

I've only today discovered the SCOTUS ruling of Salinas vs. Texas and want to ensure I understand it and know what to say if I'm ever talking (especially informally) to the police. As previously discussed, this ruling determined that unless a person specifically invokes the right to remain silent at any time when speaking with police, their silence can be used against them. YANAL, YANML, and I am not looking here to critique this ruling, what I'm looking for is an exact script to say to the police whenever I'm talking to them.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by kinetic at 4:51 AM on June 28, 2013 (19 comments)

I'm taking a 10 day driving trip from Atlanta to Cooperstown (and back) in about two weeks. I want to be able to connect multiple devices, so a hotspot is needed. Where is the sweet spot in terms of initial investment, bandwidth allowance and data rate with no contract?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by donpardo at 5:13 AM on June 28, 2013 (6 comments)

You've seen one university's annual Banished Words list posted here (mostly by me). And then there are Matt Groening's Forbidden Words from his dear departed Life in Hell comic. But do real journalistic entities have similar lists of words to avoid? Well, Journalism Journalist Jim Romenesko has received a list (leaked?) from the editor of the Washington Post Outlook section of Things We Do Not Say. And yes, it's growing.
posted to MetaFilter by oneswellfoop at 3:35 AM on June 28, 2013 (75 comments)

Please help me, Mefi!!! I have been looking for the perfect t-shirt for years, with little success. I want those t-shirts I see all the other women wearing - soft, lightweight but not completely see-through, baggy but not boxy, loose but still flows nice on one's curves. (Pictures Inside)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by carlypennylane at 4:33 PM on June 26, 2013 (36 comments)

"Meanwhile, the Ruffs are wondering, too. They want to solve the mystery. At the very least, they want to be able to tell Blake and Lori’s daughter who her mother was. Yet they worry they’ll find out something terrible, something they wish they had never known." An East Texas woman commits suicide. Her distraught former husband opens the strongbox she'd forbidden him from accessing. The contents, however, continue to baffle investigators (and the public) - who are now requesting help with identifying the woman formerly known as "Lori Ruff".
posted to MetaFilter by julthumbscrew at 10:33 AM on June 24, 2013 (23 comments)

Thank you, byanyothername.
posted to MetaTalk by yeoz at 5:45 AM on June 24, 2013 (29 comments)

I used to quite often feel love and warmth in my heart and body, in a natural way. Lately I do not feel this. I still act loving but I have been feeling somewhat cold; my "loving" comes from my head, not my heart. I want to get my heart back.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Clotilde at 9:01 PM on June 23, 2013 (11 comments)

Meet Holly Maniatty, the sign language interpreter who has brought the words of Wu-Tang Clan, Marilyn Manson, Killer Mike, Bruce Springsteen and the Beastie Boys to the deaf.
posted to MetaFilter by flapjax at midnite at 9:26 PM on June 22, 2013 (12 comments)

So if you look at an Ask thread on its own, best answers are marked with a distinct background. However, in Recent Activity, best answers are marked with a green check. That's because "my answers" are marked with a distinct background. I find this unnecessarily confusing and would appreciate some consistency. Ideas from the floor on the best solution are welcome!
posted to MetaTalk by seanmpuckett at 5:14 AM on June 17, 2013 (40 comments)

YouTube user LUXE37 makes awesome miniature car chase videos.
posted to MetaFilter by KokuRyu at 8:44 AM on June 14, 2013 (21 comments)

On June 11th, 2013, in the wee hours of an early summer night in Nebraska, the temperature shot from 73°F to 99°F in the space of minutes, accompanied by 50MPH winds. The cause of this weather oddity was the poorly understood Heat Burst, a phenomenon that sometimes occurs as thunderstorms die out, usually late at night. The temprature rise can be so extreme that it has been imaged from space, and there are unconfirmed stories of heat so extreme that crops were cooked in the fields where they grew, and paint blistered on houses and vehicles. Once believed to be a very rare event, with the advent of personal weather stations, science may find they are more frequent than was previously believed.
posted to MetaFilter by smoothvirus at 11:19 AM on June 12, 2013 (22 comments)

Today, I tried to get back into the swing of working out with the NYTimes seven minute workout. I made it until about Step 8 before I got light-headed and had to stop. I know I'm out of shape, but why did this workout zap me so badly, and what can I do to fix this?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by SNWidget at 5:27 PM on June 11, 2013 (27 comments)

sonder - n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own (from the dictionary of obscure sorrows)
posted to MetaFilter by desjardins at 5:21 PM on June 11, 2013 (79 comments)

So I'm sure this doesn't really exist, but in case it does and I've missed it, is there anywhere I can find Anthropologie-esque clothing more in the neighborhood of Forever21 prices? I'm a size 4/6. It doesn't have to be quite as cheap as Forever21, but no $200 tops please! I'm quite gentle on clothing and I can sew basic repairs, so super well made isn't *terribly* important. If their clothing is good for tall women and/or uses natural fabrics, that's a super bonus! I already know about eshakti. Thanks metafilter!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by skjønn at 5:13 PM on June 10, 2013 (16 comments)

Please suggest to me the best DRUGSTORE makeups and hair products that will look the best, last the longest, will look good in pictures, and will be the most likely to survive a long day where I kinda need to look good the whole time. I don't have access to fancy pants brands, so this needs to be more budget "found at your local Shoppers Drug Mart" products.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by PuppetMcSockerson at 7:04 AM on June 6, 2013 (36 comments)

"North Korea is a mythically strange land, an Absurdistan, where almost nothing is known about the people or, more important, their missile-launching leaders. There is, however, one man—a humble sushi chef from Japan—who infiltrated the inner sanctum, becoming the Dear Leader's cook, confidant, and court jester. What is life like serving Kim Jong-il and his heir? A strange and dangerous gig where the food and drink never stop, the girls are all virgins, and you're never really safe." (via @stevesilberman)
posted to MetaFilter by madamjujujive at 5:08 PM on June 3, 2013 (51 comments)

I have a lot of sleeveless summer dresses, mostly casual. It gets chilly in the evenings, and some things are too bare for offices. I'd like some shrugs, wraps, cardigans, whatever. I've scoured the stores and a: they are absurdly difficult to find (at least when you're looking for them) and b: what I have found tends to look cheap and matronly when actually worn on a body. Where can I find flattering cover-ups? And what are the secrets (when shopping online) of figuring out what might actually work in the real world? There are all different sorts of cuts (just covering the boobs, tie at the waist, shrunken cardigan, different sleeve lengths). I'm short-waisted and busty, for what it's worth. I looked through links in previous threads but didn't see anything ... my current go-to is a lightweight cropped denim jacket, and I'm getting kind of sick of it. Thanks!
posted to Ask MetaFilter by 2soxy4mypuppet at 4:24 PM on May 28, 2013 (21 comments)

My 9 month old cat cut through my screen window and crawled out onto the molding of my 7th story apartment. I don't know what to do.
posted to Ask MetaFilter by destronomics at 1:01 PM on May 26, 2013 (167 comments)

"I don't think the pronoun "it" can have "whoever you want to be" as an antecedent." The Pinterest Skeptics Board mocks widely shared inspirational quotes.
posted to MetaFilter by escabeche at 7:15 AM on May 26, 2013 (120 comments)

SLYT: "Earlier this evening [...], Will Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro (AKA Carlton) reunited on-air and took us on a stroll down memory lane. With DJ Jazzy Jeff behind the deck, watch as Smith raps The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song before he and Ribeiro dance along to 'It’s Not Unusual' and 'Jump On It'."
posted to MetaFilter by raihan_ at 9:57 PM on May 24, 2013 (36 comments)

I'm looking for examples of high impact organizational decisions based on faulty data that had long term negative impacts. (My use of the word "organizational" is meant to imply a "group of persons organized towards some end." Could be a corporation, or a not-for-profit, or a govt entity, etc.)
posted to Ask MetaFilter by jeanmari at 5:46 PM on May 21, 2013 (31 comments)

I'd love to fill my apartment with Eames chairs and Braun speakers, but the great icons of industrial design are almost all hilariously expensive. So, on to plan B: What are the greatest knockoffs of great design? Here, for example, are some pretty good fake Eames chairs. Here is a serviceable copy of the Mondaine railway clock. Do you own a great knockoff of an iconic object, or something beautiful and functional that's heavily inspired by one?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ecmendenhall at 5:39 PM on May 21, 2013 (9 comments)

In the wake of the impending loss of google reader on July 1 (Previously) it was perhaps inevitable that someone would come up with a suitible and bloat free replacement, meet CommaFeed
posted to MetaFilter by Blasdelb at 8:14 AM on May 21, 2013 (148 comments)

abandonedography.com is a seemingly-endless photo collection of abandoned places and things. Explore random sites, check out the favorites, see everything at once in the archive, or submit your own.
posted to MetaFilter by Room 641-A at 9:02 AM on May 11, 2013 (19 comments)

When your abuser or estranged relative dies - funerals, obituaries, & condolences. This is a practical, thoughtful and informative website created by two Christian women who are knowledgeable about dealing with pathological narcissists and sociopaths within a family context, in particular the topic of "Silent Partners".
posted to MetaFilter by nickyskye at 2:10 PM on May 4, 2013 (25 comments)

I've recently discovered that I love reading non-fiction about the Great Outdoors and the things that happen there. I'm talking about books like 'Touching the Void' by Joe Simpson, and Jon Krakauer's books 'Into Thin Air' and 'Into the Wild'. It doesn't necessarily have to be about disasters and tragedies: I really loved this recent FPP about the Alaskan Iditarod. I want to read (but haven't yet) 'Into the Silence: the Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest'. Please recommend me other books in this vein?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by meronym at 2:48 PM on May 2, 2013 (35 comments)

I've been listening to audiobooks for many years and would like to become an audio book narrator. I am not a professional actor and have never done any work like this. However my current job is creating elearning and whenever I record the narration, I get compliments from my customers for my reading voice. Any suggestions about how I might pursue this career?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by SallyHitMeOntheHead at 6:51 PM on May 3, 2013 (14 comments)

I'm 30 years old and I just saw Casablanca for the first time. All of a sudden I understand why so many people joke about "always having Paris." And all of those references to gin joints. Can you recommend some other movies to me that are equally important for understanding American pop culture?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by colfax at 3:45 AM on April 28, 2013 (98 comments)

I don't know how this guy got 8-12 perfectly harmonized versions of himself stuck in a Nintendo, or why, but the results are basically pretty amazing. with bonus intruding kitty!
posted to MetaFilter by TheNewWazoo at 10:30 PM on April 11, 2013 (35 comments)

The clean lines, the geometric decorative elements, the seamless blending of indoor and outdoor space… I sure do love mid-century modern architecture.

Do you know what I love more? My children. And that is why I will never live in my MCM dream home. Because mid-century modern architecture is designed to KILL YOUR CHILDREN. (Also, moderately clumsy or drunk adults).
posted to MetaFilter by MartinWisse at 5:01 AM on April 7, 2013 (163 comments)

Metafilter gets a shout-out in The Atlantic.
posted to MetaTalk by dfriedman at 6:02 AM on April 4, 2013 (55 comments)

I'm trying to brush up on my geology, a science that pretty much passed me by, which is frustrating when people I work with casually start talking about Cambrian this, and Triassic that. Where can I find a large poster / chart detailing all the geological epochs and periods? The chart produced by the Geological Society of America is a good start, but it would be more useful if it was, say, annotated with important events ("Angiosperms evolved here! Gondwana separated here!"), and it it had maps of the positions of continents on it at various times. Has anyone seen anything like this? My searches for geology posters have mostly turned up pictures of mountains, or "Geology Rocks!" logos...
posted to Ask MetaFilter by Jimbob at 2:38 AM on April 4, 2013 (8 comments)

I am looking for Spanish language documentaries (with English subtitles) that I can watch online, through Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, etc. What are your favorites?
posted to Ask MetaFilter by ocherdraco at 2:28 PM on April 3, 2013 (9 comments)

Early in the 19th century, gas lamps first illuminated city streets, not long after the potential for gas lighting was publicly demonstrated. Less than a century later, electricity was seen as the future of lighting public spaces, thanks in part to technology that was demonstrated around the time of gas lighting. Arc lamps, the predecessor to filament bulbs, were much too bright for lighting homes and businesses, but a single arc lamp could light a whole town.
posted to MetaFilter by filthy light thief at 6:00 PM on March 31, 2013 (30 comments)

A series of GIFs captures the difficult lives of people in infomercials.
posted to MetaFilter by Pope Guilty at 11:13 AM on March 31, 2013 (149 comments)