Ask MetaFilter https://ask.metafilter.com/ The past 24 hours of questions at Ask MetaFilter Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:14:13 GMT Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:14:13 GMT en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 who fudged the numbers this year? https://ask.metafilter.com/390438/who-fudged-the-numbers-this-year tag:ask.metafilter.com,2026:site.390438 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 05:14:13 GMT skookumsaurus rex falsification lyingliars research https://ask.metafilter.com/390438/who-fudged-the-numbers-this-year/rss How does Mamdani do it? https://ask.metafilter.com/390437/How-does-Mamdani-do-it tag:ask.metafilter.com,2026:site.390437 Wed, 12 Aug 2026 03:58:44 GMT Selena777 mamdani Mamdaniadministration mayor News newyork NYC productivity https://ask.metafilter.com/390437/How-does-Mamdani-do-it/rss Replacing UPS battery. Do I care who makes it?
The APC brand replacement is $69.99, but I've found "compatible" batteries for as little as $9.99.

Does it matter which one?

This isn't high tech, it's sealed lead acid, they've been around for more than one hundred years.

Anyone have a preference?

Also, where do I dispose of the old one? I know I shouldn't just throw it in the trash.]]> https://ask.metafilter.com/390436/Replacing-UPS-battery-Do-I-care-who-makes-it tag:ask.metafilter.com,2026:site.390436 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:57:25 GMT Marky APC battery BE600M1 replacement UPS https://ask.metafilter.com/390436/Replacing-UPS-battery-Do-I-care-who-makes-it/rss Visiting chicago for couple days but can't drive Uber or taxi?
Couple years ago I drove in New Jersey and NY City way too
Much pressure. Nothing personal Chicago I have visited a long time ago. And Chicago is cool.
Please advise options for good hotel to stay in as a base To go to the museums.
We figure get picked up at the airport, driven to the hotel and taxi or Uber to the museums.
Is there a local app that works with taxis. Anyway I appreciate any help..
Driving at night is not an option for me and I have read you need to really be locked in to drive there
Thanks for any help and by the way looking forward to
Real Chicago dogs.]]> https://ask.metafilter.com/390435/Visiting-chicago-for-couple-days-but-cant-drive-Uber-or-taxi tag:ask.metafilter.com,2026:site.390435 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:22:19 GMT Upon Further Review Chicago museums https://ask.metafilter.com/390435/Visiting-chicago-for-couple-days-but-cant-drive-Uber-or-taxi/rss longer-term phone data across the US and Canada
These days I'm spending 3 months+ at a time in Canada. Mr. Dash and I, USians both, have a shared Google Fi plan for our US numbers that we must keep. Crucially, after 50 days of detecting our presence in Canada Fi shuts off international data until we spend a week or more back the US. We have Telus WiFi in our Canadian home, but need data for email and maps and such while we're out and about. Sofar it seems like our options are:

a) a new US plan with better international coverage / duration?
b) a separate Canadian plan/phone that we will share and only use out of the house here, for a few months of the year.

It's been a minute since we've plan-shopped, so I'm hoping the hive mind will have recommendations for us here both in terms of which way to go, and in terms of plans themselves.]]> https://ask.metafilter.com/390434/longer-term-phone-data-across-the-US-and-Canada tag:ask.metafilter.com,2026:site.390434 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 22:51:25 GMT Dashy CanadaUSA PhonePlan https://ask.metafilter.com/390434/longer-term-phone-data-across-the-US-and-Canada/rss mobile phone travel: eSIM questions from ignorance
I'm going to be in Britain for a month, so thinking of adding an eSIM (the P9 supports SIM+eSIM) but am utterly ignorant of what's possible. I want/need to keep my US number active while I'm in London, will need to make quite a lot of local (UK) calls but hope to avoid huge bills for international calling. At home my phone uses about 2 GB data and around 600 calls monthly, and maybe 200 texts; while away the call & txt valume should drop but data may not.

If i buy an eSIM for the UK does that get me a UK phone number? If not, how do i get one?

Keeping my Ting SIM plus a new eSIM, can I tell the phone when to use the new eSIM vs the existing Ting SIM? Can both be active at the same time, so an incoming call to either would work?

Would it be better to move to a different US carrier? I'm thinking of changing carrier anyway, to US Mobile who do support eSIMs i think (so Lebara mentioned below could be possible).

What happens if someone in the US calls my US number while I'm in the UK with a UK eSIM? How about text messages?

From a ten year old Ask, KnowRoaming lists a month use at $68 which seems costly (and it's unclear if that includes a phone number).

This Lebara seems like a good deal with 50GB for £15, and seems like it can do voice text and data, except they do not offer eSIMs. Maybe a reason to go to US Mobile, who do offer eSIMs (which Ting do not) so I can use Lebara on a physical SIM?

Saily's blurb says I can buy the service now and turn it on when i arrive in London. But this Reddit comment: "Get a local one [SIM]. Lots of stuff here requires a number to get verification codes etc (think Uber) and travel SIMs don't have them" .. is Saily a travel SIM? will it get verification codes?

There are probably other issues I don't know to ask about, so any and all advice will be helpful, even if it's just saying to go ask somewhere else. Thanks!]]> https://ask.metafilter.com/390433/mobile-phone-travel-eSIM-questions-from-ignorance tag:ask.metafilter.com,2026:site.390433 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:17:47 GMT anadem MobilePhone SIM travel https://ask.metafilter.com/390433/mobile-phone-travel-eSIM-questions-from-ignorance/rss A house without nails
I can find examples of a house that I am entranced by (The Ogimachi House by Tomoaki Uno, perhaps with some more windows) and a great paper on elements of how Otoshi-itakura is designed ("From Vernacular Architecture to Temporary Housing: A Case Study of Itakura Construction in Japan" by Jingying Wang, Chiho Ochiai, and Edward Ng), but I seek a more precise set of plans, books, and/or instructions on measurements and building technique. Are there Itakura homes in the US northeast that once can visit and measure? Is there a guidance somewhere that I am not finding?

(I am trying to build a cabin with a tiny footprint (10' x 10'), but 16' tall so I can have a loft space and a bed. No plumbing, no electricity. Pre-existing foundation.)

Thank You.]]> https://ask.metafilter.com/390432/A-house-without-nails tag:ask.metafilter.com,2026:site.390432 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:52:54 GMT history is a weapon architecture carpentry https://ask.metafilter.com/390432/A-house-without-nails/rss Is swapping brie for peanut butter likely to reduce cholesterol? https://ask.metafilter.com/390431/Is-swapping-brie-for-peanut-butter-likely-to-reduce-cholesterol tag:ask.metafilter.com,2026:site.390431 Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:06:21 GMT chariot pulled by cassowaries Cholesterol https://ask.metafilter.com/390431/Is-swapping-brie-for-peanut-butter-likely-to-reduce-cholesterol/rss