Ask MetaFilter

Making a soup and using two jars of store-bought chicken broth (Epic brand). One jar had a lid that made a popping sound, opened right up, all is normal. The other jar had a lid that didn't pop and went round and round, not opening, until it was finally accessed by stabbing the lid with scissors and shaking it out into the pot. Now, even though the soup is going at a good boil for 10+ minutes, I'm second guessing whether it will be safe to eat. [more inside]
posted by mediterranean spurge to Health & Fitness at 5:51 PM - 0 answers

Any recommendations for books of short stories where all of the stories feature the same protagonist (and/or group of recurring characters)? I love fantasy and science fiction, and am open to non-sf/f fiction recs, but don't really like mysteries unless they have a supernatural element. [more inside]
posted by fire, water, earth, air to Media & Arts at 4:16 PM - 9 answers

I’m going to northern Italy without my fourth grader. What should I bring back for her? [more inside]
posted by centrifugal to Travel & Transportation at 4:11 PM - 0 answers

I've noticed recently that my stress response seems to be more pronounced than it used to be, which is getting in the way of getting things done and enjoying them. I'd like to be able to better track that response so I understand it better and maybe can address it somehow. [more inside]
posted by snowymorninblues to Health & Fitness at 2:58 PM - 2 answers

What's a strong-tasting green herb that might be chopped into pork filling for wontons in NYC Chinatown? [more inside]
posted by serelliya to Food & Drink at 2:17 PM - 8 answers

In spring of 2022, I bought my first home (a condo). I hate it, I hate home ownership, and I want out. What are my options? [more inside]
posted by sugarbomb to Work & Money at 10:53 AM - 28 answers

Short version: I have to write a preview for an event. I have the official press release. Any tips? [more inside]
posted by dabadoo to Writing & Language at 10:37 AM - 4 answers

Where in New York City can I get a high visibility safety vest like Trump wore here. What shade of bronzer do you think this is? What iconic Trump lines should I use for my garbage man Trump Halloween costume?
posted by andoatnp to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion at 8:14 AM - 13 answers

I am in the USA, with fiber internet through Century Link. (It's pretty stable.) For reasons, I checked my external IP on my laptop. I clicked on the first site that came up and it gave me an IP from another country. [more inside]
posted by NailsTheCat to Computers & Internet at 8:05 AM - 8 answers

I am on the executive board (Treasurer, unpaid) of a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides community programs, including limited annual scholarships to local high school seniors. A large portion of our working budget comes from donations, while some comes from investment returns. A child of a parent on the advisory board submitted their application for our scholarship 2 years ago. As an award committee member, I got a bad feeling about awarding a scholarship to this child based their parent's role in the org and am wondering if it goes against IRS rules to permit an award to this child. And there is more.... [more inside]
posted by waving to Law & Government at 7:50 AM - 9 answers

I know two pre-teen girls (11 and 13) who are into eco adventure books. They live overseas and don’t have access to many English books. They aren’t into romance or horror. I don’t even know where to start! Thank you.
posted by Frenchy67 to Media & Arts at 3:51 AM - 11 answers

My sister wants to consolidate a couple credit cards into a lower interest personal loan. What is the best non-scammy online company for this? [more inside]
posted by stoneandstar to Work & Money at 6:34 PM - 5 answers

Lately, I've noticed that I don't take a shower in ~3 days, only if I don't have any social plans. I work from home full-time, and most of the time, stay at home all day, sometimes going out to quickly grab food to go. Other than that, no social interactions. Is this okay in the long run? I don't want to develop a permanent bad BO, for example. [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude to Health & Fitness at 4:22 PM - 42 answers

My family is visiting Chicago for the day tomorrow and we just realized a lot of what we want to do won't be open before 10 or 11. I'm sure we could easily find some ways to kill time, but it would be better if we could find something nicer than walking around Target :) [more inside]
posted by Eyelash to Travel & Transportation at 4:05 PM - 5 answers

How do I make my friend's buzzcut before chemo a little less horrible? [more inside]
posted by zinnia_ to Human Relations at 2:00 PM - 20 answers

Several years previous I found out that i was general partner of my family's farm and have been for 38 years. I was informed that as a GP, I was entitled to % of profits. My mother passed a way early '23. This has forced the issue and I am assuming the farm has to get their books in order. [more inside]
posted by goalyeehah to Work & Money at 1:42 PM - 3 answers

So, fancy kitchens these days have an additional faucet located directly above the cooktop. The alleged purpose is that a stockpot full of water is very heavy, and it sucks to carry that stockpot to the stove. That sounds handy! But. [more inside]
posted by bowbeacon to Home & Garden at 1:38 PM - 21 answers

Can this project be found anywhere on the internet anymore?? Halp me.
posted by latkes to Media & Arts at 10:12 AM - 2 answers

I'm looking at green screen backgrounds now, using iMovie for iOS, and I'm seeing that some of the backgrounds take up the whole screen, whereas others are too small --- they have a black border around them. [more inside]
posted by DMelanogaster to Media & Arts at 9:53 AM - 4 answers

Looking for suggestions for bigger baking projects such as croquembouches, princess tortas (spelling?), or Paris-Brest. [more inside]
posted by an octopus IRL to Food & Drink at 9:16 AM - 29 answers

Does the grammer fluidity of a language have an obvious affect on poetry and culture? English is famously fluid in its sentence structure, being a bit of a mutt. But being clever in verse is revered universally. Do certain languages present special challenges, and how does that shape art and culture? [more inside]
posted by es_de_bah to Writing & Language at 8:20 AM - 13 answers

My 13-year-old nephew, a reluctant reader, is looking for "books about teenage boys including romance, coming of age, etc. Ideally contemporary and with florid language (swears and sex)." What titles/authors might he like?
posted by picopebbles to Writing & Language at 7:43 AM - 16 answers

I live in a very small house primarily heated by this gas stove, which runs on natural gas (not propane). Is this is as bad for my health as a gas cookstove? It's vented directly to the outdoors. If I should be worried, is there a reasonable way to test for pollutants? I've always assumed it's probably no worse than a gas furnace but now I'm a little concerned.
posted by HotToddy to Home & Garden at 6:42 AM - 6 answers

Should I stop parking my car in a garage with a sinking foundation? [more inside]
posted by a sourceless light to Home & Garden at 5:42 PM - 7 answers

I'm looking to expand my horizons, so: What recipe sites do you follow? The ones where every recipe you've tried has been at least very good and most you've tried have made it into the regular rotation? The ones that absolutely nail the deliciousness-to-effort ratio? The ones that expose you to dishes you never knew about, or never thought you could make at home? [more inside]
posted by DrGail to Food & Drink at 3:24 PM - 45 answers

In each US state, who are the people with blogs, columns, or other web presence that report on politics from a position of deep and/or longstanding expertise? (State or Federal level politics coverage are equally appreciated.) [more inside]
posted by kensington314 to Media & Arts at 12:06 PM - 12 answers

Do you have experience with a relative who sank into a paranoid delusion or a conspiracy theory to the point that it impacted their life severely? What do you wish you had done differently? What are you glad you did? What would you recommend as general next steps? [more inside]
posted by warriorqueen to Human Relations at 11:20 AM - 26 answers

Desire paths are where people make a more convenient route than the one that has been made by town planners etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire_path I am familiar with this concept but I am absolutely sure there is another name for them but I can't remember it! Can anyone please help with this one?
posted by debord to Human Relations at 11:02 AM - 18 answers

The last time I rented an apartment, I didn't have a job but could show I had reasonable savings, which my landlord was fine with. This time around, two places so far have said I'd need a prepaid lease: 6 months rent up front. On one hand I'm ultimately going to pay that anyway, but on the other, it's a decent whack to cough up in one go. Is this a normal request for renters without jobs, or maybe I should I hold out for another landlord like my last one?
posted by my log does not judge to Work & Money at 10:52 AM - 10 answers

My husband’s (trauma-based?) anxiety runs to paranoia, and he occasionally makes angry and hurtful accusations at me. None of the accusations are true and are not really based in reality. Could this get better? [more inside]
posted by anonymous to Human Relations at 6:22 AM - 41 answers

My kid had a minor fender bender. Should I pay for the other car damage out of pocket or have it go through insurance? [more inside]
posted by Mid to Work & Money at 5:08 AM - 11 answers

I'm re-reading a book hoping for a different ending, but I'm pretty sure that's not how novels work, so I need a new fantasy queer romance with a wholly satisfying happy ending (pun not intended, but there it is.) [more inside]
posted by itesser to Media & Arts at 10:23 PM - 16 answers

I live and work in a tiny house with a laptop + portable monitor. Employer just replaced my 15" pc with a 13", which is great for travel but less great for daily use. Need more screen. What do you know about the portable screen extenders out there? [more inside]
posted by AnOrigamiLife to Computers & Internet at 5:23 PM - 11 answers

Please help me think through the whats and hows and whens of a 15-ish day solo cross-country drive from Atlanta to L.A. arriving around February 21. Please tell me about your experiences of similar drives, including places I should not miss for exploring and dining, and places and practices to avoid. Snowflakes inside. [more inside]
posted by conscious matter to Travel & Transportation at 2:40 PM - 10 answers

We have a ZONE950AC52ZA thermostat and a DHMC100ACV4VA...system. We bought this house 1.5 years ago and haven't had an issue until recently when the thermostat went black. As soon as I can afford to I will contact a professional, but for now, I'm hoping to at least exhaust things a semi-handy person can do themselves. Here are the steps I have taken so far. [more inside]
posted by lizjohn to Home & Garden at 2:35 PM - 3 answers

How do I find out when the opening arguments will be in the Daniel Penny trial? Ideally, I would like to know at least the day in advance, but the more notice the better. (Also, how do I find out what day closing arguments will be?)
posted by andoatnp to Law & Government at 1:09 PM - 9 answers

I'm in an ASN program right now and looking for a job I can hold during school (so part-time or per diem). My #1 priority is finding a job that will help me get a real RN job once I graduate. What are your recommendations? [more inside]
posted by miltthetank to Work & Money at 11:43 AM - 8 answers

I don't like having to ask this question, but here we are. Does anyone have any reliable sources or information about preparations for post-election unrest? Backstory inside, but that's the jist. [more inside]
posted by fiery.hogue to Travel & Transportation at 11:14 AM - 15 answers

Do you have a recommendation for wireless earbuds that can be used when exposed to the heat of a sauna for 15 min? [more inside]
posted by PardonMyFrench to Technology at 11:10 AM - 7 answers

Is there evidence that Picasso ever actually said or wrote 'If there were only one truth, you couldn't paint a hundred canvases on the same theme' (in Spanish, I presume)? My searches so far have mostly just turned up those awful quote sites. If it's not documented, do you know of any sayings with a similar sentiment that are?
posted by atlantica to Media & Arts at 10:48 AM - 6 answers

I am brand new to the world of glasses and I would love help finding (somewhat) indestructible ones! [more inside]
posted by bookworm4125 to Shopping at 10:28 AM - 18 answers

Please recommend to me books about drinking. [more inside]
posted by backseatpilot to Society & Culture at 9:50 AM - 27 answers

I am looking for recommendations for office furniture, mainly a desk and file cabinet or printer stand. [more inside]
posted by NotLost to Shopping at 9:47 AM - 4 answers

My company is interested in ordering pronoun pins for employees for Transgender Awareness Week. Most people work remotely, so we'd like to ship each person the pin of their choices to their home. Is it possible to make this affordable? [more inside]
posted by katieinshoes to Shopping at 9:39 AM - 5 answers

What books grapple seriously with the subject of suicide? I’m probably looking for non-fiction but fiction might work if suicide is thoroughly explored and isn’t just a plot point.
posted by Balthamos to Religion & Philosophy at 8:06 AM - 18 answers

I’m doing practice interviews for a bunch of of junior and senior college Embedded Systems majors. I’ve got the non-visual questions covered, but I’m looking for a collection of whiteboard exercises where they draw me a system. [more inside]
posted by Tell Me No Lies to Technology at 7:00 AM - 4 answers

We just got notified that our pet insurance is being discontinued in December. Our adored cat is 17, and while they cite their terms & conditions, it seems hugely unfair. Is there anything you’d do? [more inside]
posted by daisyace to Grab Bag at 5:11 AM - 16 answers

My beloved cat Heidi died recently and I'd like to make a keepsake from her fur that I can touch. Does anybody have experience with trying to set or mount a tuft of fur to something (something adhesive? poked through something?) so that it can be touched and still remain in place? [more inside]
posted by coolname to Pets & Animals at 8:36 PM - 7 answers

I am trying to separate data from a Jotform web form outputting to an excel sheet from a sign up list into a cleaner output. [more inside]
posted by roaring beast to Computers & Internet at 7:37 PM - 10 answers

Verizon is discontinuing their Message+ app soon, and suggesting all users switch to Google Messages. I'd rather not use Google - are there any good alternatives? (on Android) [more inside]
posted by equalpants to Technology at 7:30 PM - 6 answers

Hi there! I used to love making worksheets on Canva for the youth I coach and mentor. However, the Canva glow-up is a nightmare. Any luck on how i can remove it? If i cancel and create a new account will i still have to accept the glow up? thank you
posted by Boyd to Computers & Internet at 2:32 PM - 3 answers

Playing around with the idea of making backgrounds for my (solo) music performances. Is the idea to sing in front of a green screen, draw the background (or find one), then figure out how to size the picture/drawing properly to fit the green screen exactly? [more inside]
posted by DMelanogaster to Media & Arts at 1:30 PM - 8 answers

I was told my prescription was too high for Lasik, but that I should be an eligible candidate for ICL surgery instead. I’ve seen a range of mixed experiences online, so wanted to see if anyone here had ICL for their eyes, and if the procedure was successful or not? [more inside]
posted by dubious_dude to Health & Fitness at 8:03 AM - 7 answers

I love travel and can finally afford it and have people to travel with (spouse, kid). But with the climate emergency, traveling abroad once a year seems irresponsible. [more inside]
posted by Sophiaverde to Travel & Transportation at 8:02 AM - 33 answers

Is it possible to configure Calibre when using on a laptop to show two pages instead of one? [more inside]
posted by Frowner to Technology at 6:47 AM - 5 answers

How can I get the best deal on a car I am interested in? What processes should I follow or do to make this go well? [more inside]
posted by diode to Travel & Transportation at 6:28 AM - 7 answers

How do I avoid ending up with gummy sauceless pasta after a few days in the fridge/freezer? [more inside]
posted by MiraK to Food & Drink at 4:26 AM - 16 answers

I live in Toronto. I’m writing a blog post about a phenomenon I think I notice, where for a variety of reasons, people make claims about Toronto along the lines of “the movie industry here is comparable to what you find in LA” or “the tech scene here is poised to become the next Silicon Valley any minute now”. But it’s hard for me to exactly put a finger on visible examples of the thing I am naming. Ideas? [more inside]
posted by ManInSuit to Grab Bag at 7:00 PM - 37 answers

Asking anyone who is responsible for a piece of land (of any size, from windowbox to acreage and everything in-between). Would you like to improve how you take care of that land? If so, what information or support do you wish you had, that would help you do that? [more inside]
posted by marlys to Home & Garden at 6:55 PM - 23 answers

A friend of mine asked me recently about a book he saw at an airport shop around 2017. It seems to be a detective (possibly Gestapo) novel, set in Berlin during WWII, which was published probably in the early years of the last decade, and certainly not later than 2017. I now, this is vague and we do not have any more information, but I've seen great results among the Mefite Community. Do you think we can help him out? Thanks in advance!
posted by Matrod to Media & Arts at 5:36 PM - 11 answers