Best Of MetaFilter

Posts from April 2012

Announcing the Best Of Blog

MeFi Portland, OR MeetupMeFi Portland, OR Meetup by mathowie (cc by-nc-sa)

For the past couple of weeks we've been working on this new Best Of blog for MetaFilter. Jessamyn has been doing a great job posting bits to our sideblog for several years and our favorite posts frequently show up in the podcast (and there's also the Popular page based on user favorites), but I realized hiding little one-sentence posts halfway down the front page of MetaFilter in a tiny sidebar wasn't doing them justice. It seems these days someone involved in a story or highly knowledgeable about a MeFi post or Ask MeFi question pops in to leave some incredible information and I've always wanted a place to better highlight those kinds of things and this is it.

This is the Best Of MetaFilter blog, where we'll continue to highlight everything on the sideblog automatically, but occasionally I'll expand those posts with additional background and photos/videos. Thanks to the Buzzfeed FWD blog for the inspiration and anildash for nudging me to build it. It should be fun, informative, and help you not miss the very best bits of the site, updated just a few times a day. Enjoy!

04/24/12
by mathowie

MeFi User Sites

Devil's Rancher shirts

Every few months I remember the MeFi User Sites blog and check it out. It's not updated super frequently, but it has been going on for a while so if you're new to it, be sure to check it out as there are deep archives of some really cool websites some MeFi members run.

originally spotted by pb
04/24/12
by mathowie

an anesthesiologist talks about his experience with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest operations
"Over the years I have done the anesthesia for a number of these operations... So on to my critique of the article."

04/23/12
by jessamyn

joints and end grains and dadoes

Over the weekend, the blog Regretsy took a break from making cracks about ugly stuff on Etsy in order to do a bit of detective work and produce a little expose on what appears to be someone importing pre-made items from Asia and claiming to design and build them in the US. There is some pretty compelling evidence but no complete smoking gun proving this to be the case.

To that end, MeFi member Kid Charlamagne is a bit of a wood working expert and breaks down the details of many pieces sold by the Etsy shop, pointing out that looking at technique and construction alone, the pieces appear to be using vastly different technologies and likely come from half a dozen different factories abroad.

originally spotted by jessamyn
04/24/12
by mathowie

You don't know what you've got til it's gone.
Has the gmail UI finally changed for you with no takebacks? This AskMe thread can help you adjust and modify it.

04/22/12
by jessamyn

Bringing the library to Lesotho

Ha Nqabeni schoolkidsHa Nqabeni schoolkids by Fihliwe (cc by)

A really great comment on what it means to have online courses, wikipedia, and universities moving towards universal access for the farthest flung villages filled with those that yearn for study:

The author may not see it, but we are living through a great renaissance right now. There are certain types of minds -- very creative, very determined, and very thirsty for knowledge -- that we as a race have wasted for years. A thousand Einsteins have lived and died in a thousand remote villages, far from the libraries they needed. They don't have to do that any more.

We finally brought the library to them.

originally spotted by jessamyn
04/20/12
by mathowie

Working for the Weekend

UntitledEl increíble SleeveFace Gaudério by Môsieur J. [version 7.0.1] (cc by) & El increíble SleeveFace Gaudério by mauren veras (cc by)

If you're looking for some classic music, look no further than this recent Ask MetaFilter question about "perfect albums". Hours of great music await.

04/20/12
by mathowie

Beef Stew Memories

Beef stew with small potato dumplings and carrotsBeef stew with small potato dumplings and carrots by vauvau (cc by)

In the thread about the six minutes of slow-mo stupidity, user Blasdelb remembers when a college friend tried to cook a can of beef stew on an electric cooktop like the video, and the aftermath:

Then the absolutely predictable happened. The can went off like a beef cannon, it detonated with aspects of the stew projectile breaking the sound barrier and everything.

04/19/12
by mathowie

the fox is in charge of the hen house
"We in the Gulf advocate for a Gulf RCAC (Regional Citizen's Advisory Council, like in Alaska post-Exxon. It's the cheapest insurance the industry can buy."

04/18/12
by jessamyn

Books on History that are fun to read

BooksBooks by shutterhacks (cc by)

Every few months there is an amazing book thread on Ask MetaFilter. This time it's books about History that are also fun to read. I agree with a few recommendations listed, especially Bill Bryson and Sarah Vowell's many books.

04/18/12
by mathowie

the fascinating arms race of software cracking
"Cracking is puzzle solving, though, which was kind of a fun way to think of it."

04/18/12
by jessamyn

Capitol Baths: a walkthrough

US Capital BathtubsUS Capital Bathtubs by brianp8592

Recently the 99% invisible design podcast covered the baths found in the basement of congress, dating back to before the widespread use of plumbing. User Atreides describes exactly how you find them, and how to ask nicely to get in to see this once-secret place.

04/17/12
by mathowie

digging out of the whirlpool of shame and hopelessness
"I do believe that food stamps saved the lives of my family."

04/17/12
by jessamyn

Learning how *not* to sail
Thankfully the propeller didn't hit his femoral artery, but it cut deep and he was losing a lot of blood. He was also right in the middle of the bay, with no rudder, no motor, and no way to call for help. This was bad.

04/17/12
by taz

Nerdfight;

Truly, the glue that's holding civilization together, however tenuouslyTruly, the glue that's holding civilization together, however tenuously by Saucy Salad (cc by)

The Twitter universe spent the weekend in a tizzy over the use of semicolons in javascript. If you hadn't heard or none of it makes much sense, this post by Deathalicious is a good backgrounder on the issues at play.

04/16/12
by mathowie

Highlighting the best bits from the MetaFilter universe

MetaFilter started as a community weblog in 1999, later added question and answers, then music by members, jobs, projects by members, a podcast, and finally an area dedicated to meetups.

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