So Simple and Delicious!

Photo by Vegan Feast Catering, via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/veganfeast/) With apologies to the few that have an allergy to potatoes, please enjoy this post by cupcakeninja about How To Bake A Potato. Come for the novelty, stay for the recipes! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 5 months ago

What is the Tax On Second Breakfast?

Are there taxes in the Shire? Tolkien never got into those details, but luckily Nathan Goldwag has given some thought to these issues as pointed out in this excellent post by Kattullus! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 5 months ago

"One Of the Great, Near-lost Music Moments"

Video screen capture of the performance via Jaseroque on Bluesky chavenet links John Bull's (Mefi's own garius's) Bluesky post on the 1994 Pet Shop Boys Brit Awards appearance and their rendition of the Village People's "Go West," performed with 3 separate choirs of Welsh miners … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 5 months ago

Great Expectations

Bobby McFerrin at the World Science Festival That is one of my guaranteed happy-making videos: EmpressCallipygos links to a very cool short vid of Bobby McFerrin demonstrating the Power of the Pentatonic Scale in storybored's post on The Secret Code of Melody, and now we're happy … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 5 months ago

Was It A Bomb?

Photo via the OP lianove3 recently came home to a suspicious Amazon package with no label and a threatening aura. Was it a bomb? What to do? Should the movie version of this thread star Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman? Was it all worth it just for this pun? Find out in the comments! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 5 months ago

Help Mecran01 Trashtalk His Friends!

Virtual poker game at Puzzmo mecran01 wants to know about your favorite online social puzzles. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 5 months ago

The Legacy Of KMT's "Lost Army" After Losing China

Wartime portrait of Chiang Kai-shek, 1943 Would you know more about Chiang Kai-shek, his "lost" KMT army and modern Chinese history? If so, then kschang has got you very well covered in an informative post! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 5 months ago

Decades Of Ham

Photo by Ellen Klages This is a sort of follow up to the post about how people are handling possessions in their twilight years. But this post is about a single possession, a ham. It had been hanging in a basement for 20 years and with the passing of the "owner", decisions had to … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 5 months ago

The Punkiest Of PUNK

Photo by Mayumi Hirata How's your love of punk music going? 'Cause if it needs a boost or refresh, then say hello to Otoboke Beaver, a Kyoto quartet with an abundance of energy and talent, as illustrated in mikeand1's incredibly informative post | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

I Bet You're Wondering How I Knew

Marvin Gaye "In a two part podcast series, scholar Andrew Hickey traces the convoluted history of a song that the label never thought would be a hit, and the lives of the many performers that shaped it": a juicy post on "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," from How the runs scored | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Failure is Not An Option

Scene from Apollo 13 Smart people working together to solve problems? I bet a collection of Mefites could assemble to hammer out a proper list for TimHare's Ask Metafilter question about recommendations for more movies featuring collective "competency porn." | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Death Cleaning

Photo by Kevin Krejci on Flickr With the long lives most people lead in the 21st century, we manage to accumulate a lot of possessions. But what how should we handle that collection in our twilight years? Kitteh posted an article from The Walrus that looks at the question of what … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

A Short Line

Detail from Consider the Consequences book cover And on THIS branching path, it turns out Mefi's own "professional enthusiast" gee_the_riot is the character who creates the Twine game featured in Rhaomi's fantastic post on reviving "Consider the Consequences!," the world's very f … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Wait, Why is That Thing Called THAT?!

Photograph by Justin Taylor, via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/bludgeoner86/) Things that make you go hmm: Uncle was doing a project and realized they had no idea 'why washers are called washers". So he poked the hive mind at AskMetafilter and various explanations flew ou … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

"You Do Not Know Me..but Be Forewarned Dear Reader, I Certainly Know You"

Engraving by George Vertue, 1725 The perspective of an angry green parrot was used by Eliza Haywood back in 1746 to point out problematic elements of 18th century. Now, as ShooBoo's post highlights, those writings (originally published as The Parrot)are being re-released. If you' … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

The Best Reason To Make Popcorn

Photo by Bill Smith, via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/byzantiumbooks/) Take a look at Rhaomi's post about Criterion's Closet Picks! It's a guide for some of the most interesting films in the overall Collection, narrated by various stars and artists as they discuss their … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Pet This Post

Glinn posted Animal Companions (esp. dogs) of Metafilter in Metatalk, and they are all good companions, Brent. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Crash Course, Theatre Edition

Boom, asked and answered — within 2 minutes! randlesc asked about finding a remembered Youtube channel about various theatre traditions, and Iris Gambol was zippy AF with the answer: Crash Course Theatre, featuring a lot of interesting vids (with fun titles such as "Pee Jokes, th … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

There Are So Many Seams Everywhere

Photo by Kübra Arslaner "This was not only an aesthetic issue, cracks are where the light gets in, but also where moisture, dirt, cold air and pests get in ...": mumimor has a fantastic comment discussing the architectural history of ornamentation – practical, industrial, and soc … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

"Ear Wax As A Sports Drink Flavor"

DirtyOldTown on the taste of dishwasher rinse additives in St. Peepsburg's question about dishwasher detergent recommendations for the sensitive stomach, in which we also learn to hand wash your travel mug (now and forever!), and "unscented" ≠ "fragrance-free," among other things … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Welcome To Midway

Photo by Arvell Dorsey Jr., via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/chicagofd1996/with/44650379712/) Chicago, USA is a city known by several names and vibes. But to photographer Paul D'Amato it's the working class neighborhoods near Midway Airport that show a unique and wonderf … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Look, emojis are art ok? If you don't believe that, then check out this post by ambrosen, which highlights recreations of classic art, using emojis. Come see a fun bit of culture and art! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Finding the Location Between Humor and Education

Wait, wait, wait, you mean it’s possible to do comedy and cartography at the same?! As pointed out in this post by rory about the Map Men YouTube series, it is not only possible, the results are... | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Classics Done, Well, Not So Well

Yes, this does exist. The best book covers show a visual personification of the book, matching its mood in a compelling way. But this collection of public domain book covers, posted by hurdy gurdy girl, do not do that and the results are mesmerizing in a hilarious way! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

"Everything is So Expensive"

Ben Browne letter to his father via smithsonianmag.com chariot pulled by cassowaries posted This Is What Being in Your Twenties Was Like in 18th-Century London, a collection of letters describing a 27-year-old's office job, social life and financial concerns beginning in 1719. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

"Peace and Connection"

Photo by manuel m. v. on Flickr nouvelle-personne has an extremely helpful and in-depth answer to the question of how to talk with kids about the end-of-life stage of an elder loved one. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

I Heard It Through the Grapevine Or That One Blog

Photo by Mark Morgan, via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/markmorgantrinidad/) If you like Motown then Kattullus has a helluva good post for you! it's about the Motown Junkies blog, where Steve Devereux is reviewing the entire Motown singles discography in sequential order … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Intelligence is Everywhere!

Photo by Chris, via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/1967chevrolet/) The orangutans have been learning, as noted in this post by chariot pulled by cassowaries. One in particular was seen using a medicinal plant to heal a wound. No word on when they'll be starting medical sch … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Kendrick Lamar Vs Drake

Photo by Kenny Sun, via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kennyysun/) The recent flare up of a feud between hip-hop stars Kendrick Lamar and Drake has been stunning for the sheer amount of lyrical artistry between the two creators, as highlighted in this post by ndr! Come lea … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

"The Word For World is Forest"

Photo by Sergey Nikolaev on Unsplash Interesting conversation on Kitteh's post We Need to Rewild the Internet, about the desiccating corporate "pathology of command and control" that has choked, flattened and ravaged the once-lush sprawl of online diversity. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Where's the New the Good Place?

Eyelash would like recs for funny shows with a similar vibe, especially if they have philosophy as a central theme. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

It's All Basque To Me

chased by a Hartz? chavenet's post on I Understand Thee, and Can Speak Thy Tongue: California Unlocks Shakespeare's Gibberish, is not only a cool theory about the mystery language in "All's Well That Ends Well," it also sets the stage (the STAGE, get it?) for the official winner … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

"The World Needs More Writers"

Detail from a cover of Paul Auster's The New York Trilogy In the Paul Auster obit thread, Kattullus commented with a lovely personal remembrance of the author, and the enduring resonance Auster has had in his life. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

A Way To Live and A Way To Build

Have you ever heard of the book, "The Anarchist's Tool Chest" ? Part philosophy, part woodworking guide, it's about building an ethical life by creating furniture that will last for generations. It is now free to download, as noted in this post by slogger! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Always Follow Your Heart Unless Your Heart is Bad With Directions.

It's been 25 years since SpongeBob SquarePants first appeared and Rhaomi made a fantastic megapost in celebration! Come check out all the various origins of characters, behind the scenes information and more about everyone's favorite sponge! Photo by Paul Wilkinson via Flickr (ht … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Recommendations Wanted and Shared!

Photo by Anthony Kelly via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/62337512@N00/) Oh sure, you come to MetaFilter looking for links to interesting things, but it's not the only place for compelling information! So hop on over to Ask MetaFilter, where missjenny is asking for other s … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Vibing Tendrils Of Goodness

Hello! We express most joyful salutations and wish to bring you much pleasants from this post by brainwane! Come! Express delight in this sharing of a short story by Fiona Jones! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Ad Maiorem Gloriam Concreti

Chiesa di San Nicolao della Flue in Milan, Italy via dezeen.com "All of these look like first-person shooter levels" (– egypturnash): kaibutsu posted Brutalist Churches, and opinions amble the gamut. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 6 months ago

Lost-and-found-wave

Nextplay Glitz and Glitter Boombox For more than two years, the world of lost media has been flummoxed by 17 seconds of grainy audio uploaded to a small name-that-song site ... until now. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

Recipe ROI

Photo of lemon couscous and cheese by Lisa Fotios on pexels.com NotLost is looking for recipes with high return on investment, where the taste, appearance or "wow factor" is much more than the effort, time or money put into the dish. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

"My Heart Has Joined the Thousand, For My Friend Stopped Running Today"

Hydropsyche created a post about life after running and how athletes cope with age. In the comments, gmatom shared the moving story of her and her wife and how they fell in love with running through the course of their marriage. This love continued through the awful arrival of ca … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

This Intensity Does Not Seem Not-pleasant

Hubble Monitors Supernova In Nearby Galaxy M82 from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Mefites are expressing joy that their seeking-tendrils have encountered the short science fiction story "Hello! Hello! Hello!" by Fiona Jones ... plus general vibrating gratitude at brainwane for … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

What A View!

When you're parked about a million miles from Earth, just observing the planet, there's not a lot going on. But as pointed out in a post by Tell Me No Lies, sometimes you do get Mooned. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

Don't Be Evil?

Image by Casey Fleser, via Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/somegeekintn/) When and why did Google search get so bad? Zenon's post has an answer! It's about Edward Zitron, who pinpoints the date and reasons to February of 2019, click to read the details! | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

What's In A (British) Name

Check out this neat tool made by MeFite robintw: the British Placename Mapper and it lets you search for British place names that match certain queries. So you can find all places named 'churchill' or 'royal' in their name. Sadly, nothing seems to be named 'biscuit'. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

Egypt: Dendera, the Cosmos Of Hathor

Lions and snakes on astronomical ceiling at Dendera Rhaomi has a fabulous in-depth post on the very fabulous Dendera temple complex, home to "some of the most superbly-preserved ancient Egyptian art known, ranging from early Roman times back to the Middle Kingdom period over 4,00 … | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

Something Up Your Sleeve

Photo by Artem Maltsev on Unsplash.com jasondigitized wants to know your magic work phrase that helps you better communicate, frame, set expectations, lead, or work with your colleagues. | Continue reading


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago

Vintage Japanese Fireworks Archive

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


@bestof.metafilter.com | 7 months ago