Best Of MetaFilter

nobody posted the beautifully minimalist Hirayama Fireworks' Illustrated Catalog of Night Bomb Shells from the 1890s, via the Yokohama City Library.

image via Evan Vander Stoep at airraidsirens.net

Rash linked an amazing deep dive post on the remaining mechanical Yamaha music sirens of Japan at airRaidSirens.net. The sirens have signaled the start of the working day at some locations, but "some were being removed or are going to run until they die and will not be repaired." And there's a playlist!

Tiny Japanese restaurants in 4K. "... there's a whole channel of these wholesome, calming and hunger-inducing videos"

Boarding by G.A.I.N (cc by)

In Ask Metafilter, some very interesting answers to Why do so many Japanese ferries still exist?

Boring by phoenixdailyphoto (cc by-nc)

Japan's Best Boring Halloween Costumes

Ghost Characters; Ghost Child; Ghost Letters; Ghost Ship; Ghost Planes; Ghost Jokes; Ghost Protocol; Ghost in the Dunes; Ghost in the Machine.

Beer Foam

Don't miss filthy light thief's post on Kasou Taishou, or 欽ちゃん＆香取慎吾の全日本仮装大賞 (translation: Kinchan and Katori Shingo's All Japan Costume Grand Prix), with many fun examples of "'faking' cinematic special effects on a live stage"

100 Cassettes by Marc Arsenault - Wow Cool (cc by-nd)

Some music posts lately huh?

Did you hear the newly-found clean recording of Louis Armstrong, 1929? Also check the comments for more clean recordings of stars from that era.

Get down with Indian disco and funk star Usha Uthup

A deep dive on the crazy-ass Japanese pop maestro Keiichi Suzuki of Moonriders; too much to sum up.

Up and coming Cuban jazz singer Daymé Arocena: her "vocal repertoire encompasses scatting, Afro-Cuban chanting, scratchy-throated whispers, and a deep, gusty laugh."

Backstage with Farida Khanum, the Pakistani elder stateswoman of classical ghazal poetry singing - "I don’t think she knew how popular she was with young people until I sat her down one day and placed a computer on her lap..."

Mark the passing of Papa Wemba, Congolese music legend - BlahLaLa remembers: "I picked up his music wherever I could find it, and it brought me such joy. When I came home I eagerly pushed those cassettes into friends' hands -- "You've got to listen to this!""

History of one-man bands

What are some pop songs that were big hits across Europe, but not in the US?

Where's the best classical and opera, streaming online? And while we're at it, how about some great eclectic radio, streaming online?

Recommendations! Intro to conscious hip-hop, or some new-ish soul-ish, or something dreamy, or "it'll be alright" comfort music, or turn up the upbeat mixes for working outdoors, or maybe dance music that always makes you happy.

inside elevation by parramitta (cc by)

Why does Wyoming have such a low population compared to neighboring states? barchan explains, jeb adds: "everything in the West comes back to water".

Ever wonder what a "nor'easter" is? Check out the great answers from Seymour Zamboni, plastic_animals, and weathergal in rules of thumb for weather patterns in the USA.

Lots of different places have unique colloquial weather terms too. (Gullywashers, the foxes' wedding, and lots of wind terms again from barchan.)

Also in language surveys: What are some antiquated place nicknames (like the Borscht Belt)? What do other languages call it when your foot "falls asleep"?

Different cultures also have their own languages of flower-meanings. Plus some cool info from sukeban on how new imported flowers like roses made their way into kimono designs in the late 19th century.

For geography/history detectives: How can I tell, just from clues in the document itself, when a world map was made or figure out when a photograph was taken?

Did you see the new photos from the formerly-hidden-from-visitors North Korean subway system?

Some great answers in travel threads recently: Italy: non-traditional but amazing?, and also Scotland: what not to miss.

Saydee by Ranger Robb

Grab bag time!

Got a cold? Folk remedies from around the world.

What's that thing embedded in the street? Why, it's a recycled cotton gin part.

Thinking of buying a Gudetama, the egg with ennui? Be sure to check the butt.

Want an earworm? Comedy group All India Bakchod offers this song about social media creeps.

Want to be weepy for pets? Mefites share their old dog stories and old cat stories (comic by Mefi's own Narrative Priorities).