Every dog I've ever known does that "putting their chin down on your knee/the nearest flat surface" thing when they decide they MUST have the tasty treat you're eating. It's ridiculously cute but ... where did it originate? No googling on wolfish or doggie traits I've done has mentioned it but I want to know more about it! [more inside]
posted by zeph on Oct 26, 2007 - 23 answers

How do I get the State Troopers to stop calling and begging for money? [more inside]
posted by BeerFilter on Mar 8, 2007 - 22 answers

If I'm nearly shameless and have a lot of free time, how can I make a few hundred dollars during December in a snow-covered urban area, or surrounding suburbs? [more inside]
posted by punishinglemur on Nov 5, 2006 - 20 answers

Do begging classifieds in magazines like Private Eye work? [more inside]
posted by randomination on Sep 5, 2006 - 8 answers

New York mefites, please give me some info about proselytizing / busking / begging in New York City. [more inside]
posted by Meatbomb on May 4, 2006 - 18 answers

More American urban sociology: I live in a city with a diverse mix of ethnicities and cultures. How come the only people I ever see begging for spare change are either white or black? Why do I never see asians or hispanics begging? Is this a real cultural phenomenon, or am I just making false conclusions based on a too-small sample size? [more inside]
posted by kenoshakid on Apr 21, 2006 - 13 answers

I ride the Paris metro every day to get around the city, and I've only recently noticed a strange phenomenon. At two different metro stops I've seen homeless people repeating the word "seven" in English over and over again at random intervals. I can't think of any French words it could be that I might be mishearing, especially since the 'n' is very pronounced and the vowels sound English enough. Can anyone explain what's going on here?
posted by themadjuggler on Apr 15, 2005 - 38 answers

How can I harness the power of the internet to get people I've never met to send me gifts?
posted by Grod on Oct 9, 2004 - 22 answers