Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with pole

Elegant solution or jury-rigged joke?

longsleeves — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:49:57 -0800

Is it common to remove a utility pole but leave a small chunk of it still in use twenty feet up? This is all that's left of the utility pole that used to grace the corner my house sits on. Public Works re-did the street several months ago and the project included new sidewalks. The corner was reengineered while the workers and all the heavy equipment were tearing up the old and installing the new, the utility pole was removed and not replaced. At first we thought this slice of old pole would soon be replaced with either a new pole or at least a new connector or anchoring thingy, yet here it remains, looking a bit like it belongs on a joke picture blog. I've never seen this anywhere else.

It certainly appears secure enough but it sure looks a little weird. I've even heard passersby comment that it looks like a birthday cake caught in some wires. Will it be safe in the long term? Have you ever seen this? I'm also curious if there is electric power transmission involved.

Two n00bs walk into a strip club

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:49:21 -0800

What's the etiquette for a couple going to strip clubs in Australia? My boyfriend and I (I'm female) went to our first strip club, a classy gentleman's club (as opposed to a dodgy bar) in Brisbane last week. We had been curious about what happens in there for a while. Neither of us had done anything remotely sex-industry-related before, so we were awkward n00bs.

The experience turned out to be a lot of fun - some of the dancers were really good and we even had one of them feed us chocolate (yum!!). It's done wonders for our relationship and we're looking forward to returning to this club sometime in the future.

I think we could have done a bit better etiquette-wise though - we weren't sure what the rules are (aside from what the manager told us) and we did feel a bit "uh is this OK"? So we'd like to be a bit more prepared before our next trip.

1. I was the only non-working-girl in the club that night (it was a weekday night, so it was a bit slower than normal). From reading around, it seems that strippers sometimes avoid m/f couples because they think the girl's been dragged there and would be jealous. Is there any way I can indicate that not only am I cool with my boyfriend being there, that I actually find the whole thing fun and hot? (I'm pansexual and he's straight, if that matters.)

2. What's the policy on tipping? I tipped one of the dancers $5 (she eventually was our "chocolate feeder" girl) but I didn't see too many people doing the same.

3. The manager told us that when getting a private dance, touching anywhere but private parts was OK. We did ask our girl if she was cool with it and she laughed and said "Yes, sure." Even if there already is a long-standing policy, is it better to ask the girl first?

4. We're thinking of buying a lapdance the next time. What can we expect? What can we do/not do? My boyfriend thinks it would be hot for us (him and I) to make out a bit while getting the lapdance - is that actually OK or does that just show how lame we are?

5. Is it normal to ask for a specific girl if you've liked them the last time? Is it too stalkery?

6. We saw some girls that spent ages chatting to some customers, but we hardly had anyone come to our table (probably because of the "jealous girl" thing). How can we get the girls to come chat to us? Do we offer a drink? How do we approach them? We can both be shy at times so asking them directly can be a bit awkward!

Any other tips for strip/gentleman's club enjoyment? Share them our way. You'll be making a n00b geek couple very happy!

(please keep discussion about whether strip clubs are worth going to or not out of it. In Australia it's legal, and - at least in the club we were at - the girls went into it willingly and are well taken care of. I'm a feminist, but also pro-sexuality and pro-sex industry. But anyway, political discussions are offtopic.)

Pole dancing class in New York City

mylittlehipster — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:15:44 -0800

I'm looking for a good pole dancing class in New York City. I'm not interested in "cardio striptease" or any other aerobics class with a sexy name. I want to learn how to do cool tricks on a stripper pole, and I'd like to start learning those tricks in the very first class. Any suggestions?

Name that 10-foot pole!

Benjamin Nushmutt — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:17:22 -0800

CircusFilter: What is the name of the pole used to balance on a tightrope? My band mate wrote a 15 minute song with a lot of changes and complicated passages. Appropriately, he wants to name it after the long, flexible balancing pole that tightrope (particularly highwire) walkers occasionally use. Despite trying various combinations of words, my google skills just aren't what they used to be. I would appreciate any knowledge, research, or speculation the hive mind has to offer. Thanks!

Bonus points if it's poetic, archaic, and/or Portuguese.

Where can I find these metal things to hang a sign on a pole? Pic

austinlee — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 10:44:52 -0800

Where can I get these metal things to hang a sign on a pole? Picture included! I need help finding these metal things to hang my sign on a pole. You can see an image here. Someone suggested just making them but I would feel comfortable buying one? I tried home depot but had no luck!

Should I put my house up on poles or pilings?

wsg — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 12:42:09 -0800

I'm moving a pre-existing house onto a small lot in NW Florida. The lot is not waterfront. I'm thinking of putting the house 10' up on pilings so I'll have room to park the cars underneath, plus maybe a laundry/storage room. My questions are should I put the house up on poles or build concrete footings and block pilings? Which is best and why? Which is most cost efficient?

India's Antarctica

riffola — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 05:47:22 -0800

If Russia gets to claim the North Pole as its own based on geological origins, shouldn't India automatically get Antarctica? For the record I don't believe the North Pole or South Pole should belong to any single country, just like the moon. I am just asking this question based on Russia's reasoning behind their attempt to claim the North Pole as its own.

What is this thing?!

funkiwan — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:13:08 -0800

Does anyone know what this piece of nyc infrastructure is? I recently went away for three weeks and upon my return I noticed these popping up all over my neighborhood. So far I've seen them on 83rd, 84th and 85th, all between Broadway and West End. Aside from the hazard warning on top, I've seen no other marking or explanation.

Why bother with the fire pole?

flimjam — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 08:02:48 -0800

Why do firefighters slide down a pole? Wouldn't it be easier to just have them wait on the same floor as the fire trucks? Also, if the pole is so great, why don't they have them in Police stations, or hospitals? As undoubtedly cool as the pole is, does it really save that much time?

What are the black strip on the road?

JPigford — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 14:40:27 -0800

What are those black strips that stretch across the road and into a small gray box on the side of the road (and generally chained to a pole)? At many different places along the road I'll see one, sometimes two, black strips/wires that stretch across the street and into a gray box. Possibly some sort of traffic analyzer?