mmm, snouts and entrails

March 25, 2009 9:29 AM

No more "can I eat it"-filter...

As amusing as the threads get, we've been made obsolete - Still Tasty

FAQ candidate?

posted by nomisxid to MetaFilter-Related at 9:29 AM (55 comments total)

We were talking about this yesterday, whether certain posting pages in AskMe should have a link to "did you try this?" pages such as

- what the font (what's this font?)
- stump the bookseller (what's this book?)
- tineye (what's this image?)
- adtunes (what was the song in this ad?)

what are other one-stop-shops for frequent question stuff?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:32 AM on March 25, 2009 [23 favorites]

- find a lawyer (what should I do about this legal issue?)

I think the "Hey did you try. . .?" idea is excellent by the way.
posted by ND¢ at 9:40 AM on March 25, 2009 [4 favorites]

Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to buy up shouldidumphim.com for a single-serving site.
posted by coryinabox at 9:41 AM on March 25, 2009 [2 favorites]

I did the site design for you.
posted by ND¢ at 9:44 AM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

what's that bug get cited a lot, it seems.
posted by neroli at 9:49 AM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Would there be the sibling site of shouldidumher.com?

And how much traffic does the FAQ get? Maybe there should be a new line of text, after the tips for Google use, simply stating:

Here are some resources you could try before posting a questions about identifying fonts, books, images, songs in advertisements, and a local lawyer.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:50 AM on March 25, 2009

"Can I eat it?" threads can be eliminated very easily. Just tell everyone to eat it.
posted by Krrrlson at 9:52 AM on March 25, 2009 [5 favorites]

I know it can get annoying when similar questions get asked over and over, especially when there's a search function, but isn't there something to be said for the trust people put in AskMe that they come here instead of finding whatthefont, etc?

If this winds up getting implemented, though, putting a link to its section of the FAQ on the AskMe sidebar for a while could exponentially increase its use among MeFites.
posted by sjuhawk31 at 9:52 AM on March 25, 2009

On a whim, I typed this, knowing somehow that the internets wouldn't let me down.
posted by Jofus at 9:54 AM on March 25, 2009 [26 favorites]

That is pretty funny Jofus...
posted by edgeways at 9:59 AM on March 25, 2009

ShouldIEatThis.com
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:09 AM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

If you can eat this, you can eat anything.
posted by Mister_A at 10:19 AM on March 25, 2009

- AskMe Archives (Virtually the same relationship question you were going to ask)
posted by dgaicun at 10:28 AM on March 25, 2009

On a whim, I typed this, knowing somehow that the internets wouldn't let me down.

I can't stop watching it. "I am truly sorry for your LOTS"
posted by jerseygirl at 10:29 AM on March 25, 2009

Is there a www.shouldideclawmycat.com?
posted by ob at 10:44 AM on March 25, 2009

I clicked Jofus' link while listening to "She Bop." The two go pretty well together.
posted by Metroid Baby at 10:51 AM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Quite the opposite: I think AskMe provides a much needed counterpoint to the super-strict requirements on the Still Tasty site. Even the hardcore "OMG, don't eat it!" crew isn't going to recommend against eating an apple that has been sitting out for more than the recommended 1-3 days.
posted by ssg at 10:53 AM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

On a whim, I typed this, knowing somehow that the internets wouldn't let me down.
posted by Jofus at 12:54 PM on March 25

I knew I shouldn't have clicked that at work. With the speakers on.
posted by twoporedomain at 10:54 AM on March 25, 2009

That reminds me, I really need to register doesthislookinfectedtoyou.com...

(And I think a "did you try" list is a great idea!)
posted by JoanArkham at 11:12 AM on March 25, 2009

Pointing people to those sites would be a major let-down for those of us that only browse AskMe via archive.org... What are we supposed to do after the apocalypse when it's the only website left?

Did they eat it? [403 PAGE UNAVAILABLE]
Are they still together? [403 PAGE UNAVAILABLE]
Will anyone ever love me? [NO]
posted by blue_beetle at 11:21 AM on March 25, 2009

I haven't gotten around to asking AskMe but:

I live in a place with a lot of wild chickens and a few weeks ago one laid an egg on the front seat of my Jeep. I wanted to fry up the egg and eat it seeing it as a gift, my wife said it wasn't safe and threw it out. We got into an argument over it. Who was right? Should I dump her?

I'd like to see Still Tasty handle that one.

True story by the way. ... Except for the part about dumping her over it.
posted by Bango Skank at 11:25 AM on March 25, 2009 [2 favorites]

dtmf.com is taken.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:40 AM on March 25, 2009

Question: Last night, I ordered in some pizza and then fell asleep for a few hours before I could put away the leftovers. The pizza was sitting on the counter for a total of about 6 hours before I put it in the fridge. It still smells fine — is it safe to eat?"

Answer: Sorry, but you're out of luck...

This site should not be in the FAQ because it is incorrect.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 11:42 AM on March 25, 2009 [2 favorites]

what are other one-stop-shops for frequent question stuff?

This eliminate roughly all of my best answers, but for a question of the form:
"What was that ancient video game I half remember from my childhood?"

The answer can usually be found using the category drill-down game browser on mobygames.
posted by juv3nal at 11:48 AM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Is it Christmas?

I'm sure that will stop a lot of unnecessary askme questions.
posted by quin at 11:55 AM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

What was the movie(s) where someone said....
posted by vacapinta at 12:00 PM on March 25, 2009

I have a simple math question...
posted by vacapinta at 12:02 PM on March 25, 2009

Where should I tithe?
posted by Meatbomb at 12:42 PM on March 25, 2009

How to spread the word about a high school party?
posted by Ian A.T. at 12:44 PM on March 25, 2009 [3 favorites]

Question: Last night, I ordered in some pizza and then fell asleep for a few hours before I could put away the leftovers. The pizza was sitting on the counter for a total of about 6 hours before I put it in the fridge. It still smells fine — is it safe to eat?"

Answer: Sorry, but you're out of luck...

What poltroons! Chomp away, good friend, for pizza is precious, and what's a few moments discomfort in a future that may never come compared to delicious, if by now somewhat dry and chewy, pizza?
posted by Bookhouse at 1:13 PM on March 25, 2009

and I was just about to ask whether i should eat some dried bananas that have started to develop some kind of moist, gooey 'sap'.

unfortunately, StillTasty only tells me how long they last when refrigerated.
posted by UbuRoivas at 1:59 PM on March 25, 2009

ShouldIsurprisemygirlfriendwithanal.com
posted by klangklangston at 1:59 PM on March 25, 2009 [3 favorites]

that one redirects to The Dumpster.
posted by UbuRoivas at 2:01 PM on March 25, 2009

Pfffff
posted by DU at 2:25 PM on March 25, 2009

Should I {dump|keep} {him|her}?
posted by bonehead at 2:26 PM on March 25, 2009

www.whyshouldigiveafuck.com

when "meh" is not meh enough.
posted by edgeways at 2:41 PM on March 25, 2009

ifyouhavetoaskthenthrowitaway.com
posted by Zambrano at 3:57 PM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

This hard candy lozenge was packed in October 1963, making it over 45 years old, and was intended to feed the survivors of nuclear apocalypse. I am eating it right now.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 4:01 PM on March 25, 2009

I love the idea of pointing out references to questioners, but adding too many sites would encourage people to seek out other resources and not use AskMe.

I think some helpful language would be effective here.

"It looks like your question is about X, and you're free to ask it here, but in the past many users have found that these [insert link] sites are great for finding answers about X."

Just something that encourages people to search a little more, but not to avoid asking a question here.
posted by Science! at 4:28 PM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

I've given up answering the "should I eat this" questions, at least from the point of offering "whether I would eat it" advice. I've concluded that the proper answer to such questions are dependent as much on both the constitution and risk tolerance of the poster as on the safety of the food itself. Since we generally don't know how tolerant the poster's digestive tract is of questionable foods, nor how risk averse the poster is, it's impossible to give an answer that's appropriate for the poster.

While it's true that there are foods which are obviously fine, or obviously bad, those rarely show up in the "should I eat this" questions, since most people don't have to ask random strangers on the internet about the obvious cases. It's only natural that it's mostly the borderline cases which show up here. But the borderline cases are exactly those where the poster's constitution and risk tolerance must be taken into account, in addition to the actual food safety.

Personally, I tend to fall well towards the "I'd eat it" end of the scale, both on gastrointestinal tolerance and on risk tolerance. Realizing that I was probably not typical in those respects is a good part of what led me to stop offering "what I would do" in those questions.

Or to summarize: I'd eat it, but that doesn't mean you should.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:29 PM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Yeah, I absolutely fall on the side of "eat it" as well. Most of the questions on the topic strike me as stupid. "That's delicious food you paid for, why wouldn't you eat it?" However, more than a few times I've thought about what I just ate and wait on the verge of panic for the proverbial, or not so proverbial, shit to hit the fan. The only illness I think I can trace to food came from eating a freshly cooked, mass produced fish entree. Other than that, I've eaten a lot of "beyond the borderline" stuff without any effects. But I also grew up on the woods and as a tyke chewed on found sticks and bark whenever I could get away with it, I also treated chickens as household pets, and more than once was found sitting in a neighbor's garden munching on vegetables still on the stem.

Gods, childhood was awesome.

Eat-Me questions are totally subjective.
posted by Science! at 6:25 PM on March 25, 2009

Wow, you're eating a candy as old as I am. Creepy and icky all in one bite.

I always thought my Should I Eat It question was different. I doubt that topic will get covered by many other sites, particularly food sites.
posted by Toekneesan at 6:32 PM on March 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

I once made a butterscotch and relish omelet. Yesterday, I ate half a stale, three-day-old doughnut which I found sitting on the coffee table, the other half having been consumed by my girlfriend's niece and nephew, both of whom had colds. I was unfazed by the occasionally chunky half-and-half in my coffee this morning (though I did dispose of the rest of the container). I, at one point, thought it would be a good idea to add oatmeal to a clam chowder I was making to "thicken it up".

Never, ever, ever trust my opinion in "should I eat this" threads.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 6:58 PM on March 25, 2009 [3 favorites]

I guess this is as good a place as any, and it would have been deleted as chatfilter in AskMe.

I recently started making my own English muffins, of which I am proud of, and many mornings I cook up and egg and add it to the muffin as a sandwich. A homemade "egg mcmuffin" if you must.

Anyway, I find these egg and English muffin sandwiches to be a many many times tastier with the addition of sour dill pickles. Has anyone else stumbled across this tasty delight?
posted by Science! at 7:13 PM on March 25, 2009 [2 favorites]

I'd eat it.
posted by not_on_display at 8:15 PM on March 25, 2009

So I have this chunk of pork that I've brined. I've been cutting slices of it to flavour soup on and off for about a week and forgot about it. Two weeks+ out, it looks identical to when I first dry brined it. Should I still make soup from the remaining brined pork?

PS - I cut off and discarded an obviously discoloured microbially contaminated portion off 6 days after brining and the discolouration hasn't come back. I've made soup from it post-excision and no intestinal problems have manifested.
posted by porpoise at 10:00 PM on March 25, 2009

Should have an auto reply that says "do you feel lucky, punk?".
posted by 6:1 at 11:31 PM on March 25, 2009

I'm often tempted to reply "It almost certainly won't kill you."
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 11:45 PM on March 25, 2009

http://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/ would be a good one.
posted by nitsuj at 8:07 AM on March 26, 2009

Here's someone who did eat it.
posted by cjets at 9:33 AM on March 26, 2009

cjets, that site grosses me out. Blech.

Also, I seem to be the leftovers queen. Yesterday for lunch I ate a bowl of shrimp pasta and some leftover fried ravioli that had been in the fridge since March 11. Dee-lish. I also ate some colby that had been at room temp for several weeks, even though the Still Tasty site says that was bad news bears. It tasted fine to me, though a bit dried and crumbly. Hard cheeses belong at room temp anyway, don't they?

Then again, I almost never throw out cheese. If it's moldy and not supposed to be, I just slice the mold off. If it's not moldy, I consider it safe.
posted by Night_owl at 11:41 AM on March 26, 2009

I'm not proud of this fact, but once, when I was very broke, jobless and hungry, I found an entire pizza sitting on the ground in its box in an alley. Not one piece missing, and not one bite taken out. Didn't look like anyone had touched it. It was still warm. I inspected it over and over, and decided to take it home. That was food for the next few days. I survived, as far as I'm aware anyway.

So, most of the time, my answer to "should I eat it" is yes. But I ate floor pizza.
posted by krinklyfig at 12:07 PM on March 26, 2009 [4 favorites]

krinklyfig: "I'm not proud of this fact, but once, when I was very broke, jobless and hungry, I found an entire pizza sitting on the ground in its box in an alley. Not one piece missing, and not one bite taken out. Didn't look like anyone had touched it. It was still warm. I inspected it over and over, and decided to take it home. That was food for the next few days. I survived, as far as I'm aware anyway.

So, most of the time, my answer to "should I eat it" is yes. But I ate floor pizza."

I haven't eaten alley pizza, but even when gainfully employed and building decent savings I've eaten pizza that was left in less than hygienic locales for longer than hygienic times. There's something magical and amazing about old pizza, and some people are drawn to it.

I have smoked alley cigarettes, unfiltered Lucky Strikes no less, there's something magical about them to.
posted by Science! at 9:06 PM on March 26, 2009

- stump the bookseller (what's this book?)

Jessamyn: thanks! Maybe now I will be able to find this short story!
posted by kandinski at 8:15 PM on March 29, 2009

You Say it How?: The Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Pronunciation Guide to Names of Public Figures

“You Say it How?” is an audio-enhanced version of “Say How?,” a pronunciation guide of the names of lesser known and contemporary public figures. The guide was created for and is maintained by Ray Hagen for the Library of Congress Talking Book Studios of the National Library Service (NLS). Ray Hagen is the voice of “You Say it How?” and the project was monitored by Laura Giannarelli.

posted by ocherdraco at 9:52 AM on March 30, 2009