Both an idea (for outreach/promotion) and a confession. The day before I was set to table at the local zine symposium, I was scrambling for another mini-zine idea, and ended up excerpting some of the answers to an Ask Me I made earlier this year"What's your random (but regular) act of public service?" Here's a link to the one-page mini zine (mod note: link removed, see this note).

In retrospect, this is very much of the "ask for forgiveness not permission" M.O. that I usually hate on. But also it seems like an idea for getting the word out about Metafilter to potential members. My tablemate at the zine fair was all (paraphrase) "oooh, I'll check that out. I love the idea that it is old school." People whose answers I used and MeFi mods, please forgive me for not asking in advance. I didn't use any usernames, but obviously if someone finds the original post there is only the usual level of anonymity. People in general, what do you think about making a Metafilter zine series? I think the DIY ethos of zines is very much in the spirit of MeFi, and zines also spans across the generations (aka gen x-ers, millennials, gen z-ers etc). It could be an internal fundraiser (like stickers and magnets) but I think it would be more fun if it was directed to non-members?

Congressional investigators are launching an inquiry into a handful of companies that landed government contracts related to COVID-19, calling the deals "suspicious" because the companies lacked experience and, in some cases, had political connections to the Trump administration. In a letter obtained by NPR, the chairman of the bipartisan Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis , Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., asked a roster of administration officials to account for how and why they selected particular companies to provide Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE. Many of the contracts were made without competition at the height of the coronavirus crisis. Seven letters also went out to individual companies asking for information related to those contracts. "The Administration awarded contracts to inexperienced suppliers," Clyburn wrote in a letter addressed to the heads of the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. "More than 445

Peri-menopause and menopause are still woefully understood phases of a woman's life. Here's a couple of recent Ask MetaFilter questions that delve into various aspects of these natural biological processes:

1. If hormones mess with you, what was peri/menopause like?

2. Menopause woes

In addition, here's the menopause tag for AskMetaFilter, and don't forget to see the Related Tags sidebar!

The day after the Trump election, the New York Times wrote: “America stands on the precipice of an authoritarian style of governance never before seen in its 248-year-old history.” For many, the […]

The post What Are We Going to Do? Naomi Klein Asks appeared first on KKFI.

Julian Barnes’ latest novel, Elizabeth Finch, asks the question, what if civilization took a wrong turn in the 4th Century, by choosing Christianity over Hellenistic and Roman paganism?

From playing to coaching, refereeing to teaching — this Lane Cove teen has shown she is an asset to basketball.

a 1% change in several swing states...

Judge Ken Jeong correctly guessed the person inside the Leaf Sheep costume.

Dear Readers: On Sept. 23, I published two letters from older adults struggling to find a connection (“Still Grieving” and “Wants a Connection”). I asked those of you who have successfully found friendship and romantic partnership at a later stage in life to write in.

Dear Eric: I am newly in love and engaged. My fiancé and I are both in our early 70s. Quite a few of my friends (not my close friends but others) have responded to the news with: how cute! Somehow the fact that we have fallen in love and plan to marry is "cute."

"I'm just bitter and fuming this time, instead of annoyed and amused like last time."

"Although I love him like a cousin, he can be a bit creepy, like he makes sexual comments out of the blue for no reason."

Viewers discuss asking for dates online.

Watch a sneak peek now!

Matt and Gloria Barnes go hard!

Although Colorado women’s basketball coach JR Payne knew she was going to have an almost completely new roster this year, she was encouraged by several qualities the group possessed.

The Avs captain has missed two consecutive seasons because of his right knee and recently had a setback in his rehabilitation that required him to stop skating.

“I always listen to my mom.”

Mason Peoples always listens to his mom.

The Migos member blocked a shot and stole the ball.

The CBS Sports basketball analyst remembers the competition.

He’s clarifying a comment he made about wearing masks.

ASK Bermuda announced the appointment of Lt Col [Ret] Benjamin Beasley as Principal Advisor. A spokesperson said, “With a distinguished career spanning leadership roles in the Royal Bermuda Regiment [RBR], Royal Air Force, and Bermuda Police Service, Ben brings a wealth of strategic insight, operational experience, and a proven ability to lead high-performance teams during […]

Three humpback whales were tagged some weeks ago on the Silver Bank, the humpbacks’ breeding grounds in the Caribbean between Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos. The satellite tags are on the right side of the whales, just below the dorsal fin on this female below. Satellite tracking suggests these whales are on their way […]

[Updated] Friday’s sitting of the House of Assembly saw a number of unusual “what if” questions posed, including queries pertaining to being kicked out of a church for stealing while committing adultery, being beaten up after sleeping with a neighbour’s wife and buying marijuana. This exchange followed a motion brought by Independent MP Terry Lister […]

King Alpha Productions is hosting “Masked Freedom,” a special event on African masquerade traditions as a key to freedom, featuring Professor Raphael Chijioke Njoku and Dr. David ‘Roots’ Chapman, on July 30 at St. Paul’s Centennial Hall during Emancipation Week 2024. Related Stories Gombey Documentary Special Edition The Beat Goes On For Our Gombeys Historical […]

FBI CIA NSA are not only spying on American citizens but also are illegally unmasking their identities to journalists who support our fascist government Continue reading →

REVIEW – Sleeping with a mask on may be the greatest thing I ever learned to do.  I sleep longer because there’s no light to wake me up and I fall asleep faster because it kind of “triggers” sleep.  I can fall asleep anywhere, and it’s so helpful that sometimes if I need a quick […]

When asking for a pledge, the fundraiser has many informational advantages over the donor. Simply asking for the proper amount ensures that a donor will consider giving at the level you request. Starting out with a sufficiently high donation request amount allows you to find your donors preferred level of giving as rather than targeting the amount which is the lowest possible amount that a donor can possibly give to your campaign.


If a donor could give more to their charity, they probably would. When donors who maintain a strict charitable budget and give a fixed amount annually hear requests for support that are above the amount which they are willing to give, they let fundraisers know just how much they are willing to give and when they intend to give it. In the rare event that a donor is offended by large or additional requests, a skilled fundraiser can apologize for the offense and leave the donor feeling good about the level of support which they do give.


There is no downside to “asking high”.




Becoming a better fundraiser is a continuing process. There is always more to learn and more skills to master.

The conclusion to this article will be posted here in the coming days.

Part of connecting with donors is tailoring your ask to the specific donor with whom you are speaking. Specific donor asks take many factors into account, but the most obvious ways of making a donor specific ask remain the same regardless of who
You are speaking with.

Some things to take into account are:

• Sex.

The differences between male and female donors has been extensively covered here. Suffice it to say that exceptional fundraisers will attempt to master these differences and make them a part of their fundraising asks.

• Age. Quite simply donors interest in an issue varies by age and experience level. Tailoring your ask to the interests of your donors age group ensures that at least your donor will listen.

• Interest Level

This subject has also been touched on in other posts. Some donors are more receptive than others. When soliciting telephone philanthropy, there is no need to to engage in a long, drawn out donation request if the donor has already indicated a deep interest. Additionally, it is unwise to attempt to ignore the negative signs given by donor expresses reluctance.

There are an endless number of potentially successful strategies to employ when making your donor ask. The keys to successful telephone fundraising are creativity and responsiveness.

Michael Irvin asks Deion Sanders about the possibility of coaching the Dallas Cowboys, sparking a funny moment and laughter.

Uncover the top cleaning tools for every kitchen task in our detailed guide. From scrub brushes to microfiber cloths, we outline the best ways to keep your kitchen spotless. Learn how to clean smarter, not harder, with these proven tips and tricks.

The post The Best Cleaning Tools for Every Kitchen Task: Your Ultimate Guide appeared first on Unclutterer.

By Leo Babauta Let’s imagine that there’s a big task you’ve been avoiding for weeks (or maybe a bunch of them!) … it just becomes this ball of dread that you don’t want to think about, but that you feel really bad that you’ve been putting off. Sound familiar? Everyone has something like this, whether […]

The post Turning Towards a Task You’ve Been Avoiding for Weeks appeared first on zen habits.

Here's a nice, heart-warming moment to help restore your faith in humanity.

At IWA Midsouth's "Big Ass Christmas Bash" last week in Indiana, wrestler Ace Perry had a surprise for his number one fan Amanda.

The high school junior who has autism, has been to every one of his matches and has even reached out to him on Facebook.

So when he asked her if she would go to prom with him, she was – of course – ecstatic.

Having the right questions can make all the difference when getting to know a guy, whether you’re building a friendship or exploring a romantic connection. Conversations are more than just words; they’re opportunities to spark curiosity, foster understanding, and build meaningful bonds. This guide provides questions that help you move beyond small talk and create ... Read more

The post The Ultimate Guide to Questions to Ask a Guy: From Flirty to Deep appeared first on LifeHack.

Change is definitely on the horizon. READ MORE...

A few years ago, I bought two orange traffic cones at a hardware store for twenty bucks. It was one of the best, most stress-relieving purchases I made. Parking space is scarce in big cities. In our car-centered culture, the rare days you absolutely need a large truck in a precise place can be a […]

Picture this. Walking down 135th street in Harlem, you spot a park in the distance. As you walk closer, you hear a basketball bouncing and kids yelling. It’s a small, outdoor court, well-maintained with fresh paint and a sturdy chain-link fence surrounding it. The ball is constantly in motion, being passed, dribbled, and shot from […]

Microsoft on Tuesday revealed that two security flaws impacting Windows NT LAN Manager (NTLM) and Task Scheduler have come under active exploitation in the wild. The security vulnerabilities are among the 90 security bugs the tech giant addressed as part of its Patch Tuesday update for November 2024. Of the 90 flaws, four are rated Critical, 85 are rated Important, and one is rated Moderate in

Social media users have spread a quote attributed to Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, claiming he said "we won’t be certifying the election" if former President Donald Trump wins. Raskin responded, saying the quote is "100% fabricated" and that "America is having a free and fair election and Congress will certify the winner." The origin of the posts appears to be a misleading account of Raskin's comments in February.

The post Raskin Didn’t Say He ‘Won’t Be Certifying the Election’ appeared first on FactCheck.org.

The new producing artistic director of the theater and music theater season at the arts center sat for an interview for our ‘What I think’ series.

Men's Basketball vs Nazareth

Men's Basketball vs Loyola Chicago

Women's Basketball vs Villanova

Your feedback matters to us, and we’ve been working hard on our Personal Feeds based on what you told us in our ongoing survey. We’re excited to show off a cleaner, user-friendly update – a straightforward, refreshed look that makes creating and editing personal feeds simple and efficient.   The feed title is now prominently […]

The post You asked – we listened: Personal Feeds interface update appeared first on RSSground.com.

The Solheim Cup is a revolutionary tournament born out of the success of a revolutionary putter.