Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with street

Help me find this Chris Brown song

pandabearjohnson — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:12:44 -0800

I want to find the "real" Chris Brown song that is the basis for the Chris Brown and Elmo Sesame Street duet called See the Signs. See the video here. My family loves this song and we want to hear the original song (if there is one). I've briefly looked through Chris Brown songs available on iTunes but didn't come across it. Video here:

Thanks!

What to do with a nice, fresh stretch of blacktop?

eamondaly — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:15:35 -0800

Our street in Chicago was just repaved, and in honor of The City that Works, we're closing it off on Saturday to throw a block party. We've got 100 feet of beautifully smooth black asphalt with a slight crown and a gradual west to east fall of about 3 feet or so, enough for things to slowly roll with a starter push. We don't have enough time to make soap box racers, but what else could we do with the street before it's ripped to shreds by snowplows?

Help calculate the calories in my favorite NYC street food: lamb over rice.

falameufilho — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:38:10 -0800

Help calculate the calories/fat in my favorite NYC street food: lamb over rice. So, I am watching what I eat, but there are certain things I'd like to indulge on once in a while, as long as I know the size of the crime I am committing, I think I am ok.

One of these things is lamb over rice. If you ever had it (and if you live in NYC you probably have) this is a styrofoam container filled with:

1) About 3-4 cups of cooked yellow rice
2) A good portion of what I think is chopped gyro meat, I cant really quantify it, but it looks like 1/2-1 cup
3) A very tiny lettuce salad
4) All this covered on a white sauce that's either Tzatziki or Tahini, but I think it's the former (it may be something else).

(I am talking about this)

First, I'm having a hard time quantify the amount of gyro meat that go into these things. Is the sauce really tzatziki? Also does anyone have any idea of the calorie/fat count of any of the meat and sauce?

Thanks!

Help me find the beautiful dancing napkin video!

wsg — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:28:55 -0800

Several years ago there was a captivating video on the web of a napkin or piece of paper wafting/dancing in the gentle breeze on a street sidewalk. It was caught in a little vortex. It was several minutes long and was quite beautiful. My google-fu has failed me and none of the search terms I can think of have turned up anything. Anybody remember this charming little video?

How do I act tough on the street?

wastelands — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:10:05 -0800

How do I reduce the amount I'm threatened on the street in an urban environment? I am a tall, young male, but about one a month on average, I get hassled by people on the street. No one has outright attacked me, but enough people "test" me by blocking my way, lunging at me (pretending to attack), yell at me and challenge me, etc. that it bothers me and makes me nervous.

I'm not so much interested in "how to defend my self"; there's plenty of that kind of material out there. I'm interested in how to not look so weak and nervous -- how to head off attacks before they even begin by projecting a tougher attitude.

For me personally:

* I definitely have some agoraphobia; I feel uneasy when first going out, especially after being cooped up for awhile. I tend to be a hermit on weekends and evenings unless I have something social planned or the weather's especially nice
* I wear glasses (i.e. nerd association)
* I dress nicely, yet sometimes walk through areas that have street people who probably resent the fact that I have money
* I enjoy walking fast, just naturally, but maybe that can be interpreted as being afraid.
* I'm bad at making eye contact

But I hope this thread is useful for people in general who live in rough areas, so please, any general tips are great too.

Things I'm doing or plan to do:

* I am trying to not look down at the ground so much, trying to look straight ahead more
* I really want to get into better shape and join an MMA gym (not just for self-defense, but because martial arts is fun for me, just haven't done it in ages)
* I'm trying to stand up taller and not slouch or hunch my shoulders so much
* Eventually want to get contacts, to look less nerdy and just because glasses are a PITA sometimes

Thanks!

Yeah, I wanna rock you, Chaka khan, but what with?

Rewind — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:50:33 -0800

What instrument is this, that I remember from my youth? I can't believe I'm asking this but... what instrument is producing the sound located between 0:33 and 0:47 of this Chaka Khan song (assuming, of course, that you can ignore the righteous scratchin' and breakin' long enough to pay attention to the actual song.)

I'm also fairly certain this same instrument was the primary one used in the instrumental version of the Sesame Street theme (run during the closing credits, when we discovered that that days episode had been brought to us by the letters E, B and the number 3.)

Just hearing the sound of that instrument in my youth was enough to conjure up warm fuzzy memories of various muppets. In later years, it reminded me of, well... the less warm and fuzzy Chaka Khan. Anyway, I'd initially assumed it was a harmonica, but now I'm not so sure. Anyone care to definitively state what instrument produced those glorious notes?

Photo elevation

lou — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:22:31 -0800

Help me find some images of street elevations composed with photography. I saw some work done by someone of entire city streets (at least several blocks worth) of buildings, where he'd have to take images every few feet apart down the street so that when it was stitched together the perspective didn't become distorted, but I don't remember where it was or what his name is. There may also be lots of people who've done the same thing if I can only find them.

Know any screenwriters trying to write the next Wall Street?

matthewstopheles — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:27:30 -0800

Screenwriters working on scripts related to current economy I'm doing a radio story on screenwriters writing scripts about Wall Street in light of the current recession. It doesn't even have to be Wall Street -- it can be any business related to the fall out and decline of the stock market. Business-y type stories are certainly preferable but anything along those lines is what I'm trying to find. Anyone working on anything themselves or have any friends or associates who might be? Anyone know of any projects underway that deal with those issues? Any MeFites want to just start working on something and I'll profile you?

Responses that want to go into detail can just use my MeFi email to get a hold of me.

Who is your favorite Street Fighter 4 character and why?

sorrenn — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:18:52 -0800

I'm loving Street Fighter IV on the Xbox 360. I've gotten quite good with Guile, though I need to branch out and work with a new character? Who do you think I should take-up as my new character. I'm reluctant to go with one of the big three (Ken, Ryu, Sagat) because they're so common. Some of the things I love about Guile are:
* His quick light punches and kicks
* His air throw
* Following up his slow sonic boom with a hit/throw
* There aren't that many Guile players out there

Some things I'd like in a new character are:
* Ability to combo into super/ultra
* Ability to effectively cancel special moves into more moves for extra damage

I might find it difficult to work with a character that doesn't have quick light punches or kicks.

What is this? And: Is it loud?

Henrik — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:33:46 -0800

Can you identify this strange interactive sound making device? The sound making device in question.

There seem to be multiple buttons and at least one speaker on this thing. It seems to be in public (on a street pole), as the german text says: "Please refrain from switching on this damn thing at night! This is an order! You are just upsetting the residents, here. Hopefully, this finally becomes clear. 'Respect' is demanded!"

I'm having a financial existentialist crisis

MrMulan — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:36:19 -0800

Have I been wrong on my financial core beliefs? I have had a worldview when comes to finances for over 15 years that I am now questioning.

1. I believed 8-12% return on your money over the long term was reasonable, conservative, and realistic.
2. I believed in No-load mutual funds.
3. I believed in dollar cost averaging.
4. I believed Technical Analysis does not work.
5. I believed in A Random Walk Down Wall Street.

First there was this segment from NPR(of all places!) that blew my mind: Technical Analysis actually works (at least for oil)
Then this article from Slate on Suzy Orman. The article disses No-load, and Dollar-Cost Averaging without any references.

Was NPR sinking to a major network level of reporting? Or does TA really work?
What is the mounting evidence against No-loads as part of a passive, long term strategy?

There is no other choice for me but to be an optimist for the long term health and prosperity of our country and by proxy, the stock market. Else, the best thing to do would be to stock up and canned food and guns, and that really isn't a nice way for me to live.
Why then is Dollar-cost averaging bad, if you are doing it in mutual funds, and doing it for the long term?

There are many books out know calling into question A Random Walk Down Wall Street. Is there any truth to them?

Don't Stop Believin

mwhybark — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:21:06 -0800

How common has it been in US history for a Presidential election to prompt celebrations in the streets across the country? I was bemused and pleased by the spontaneous street parties that erupted Tuesday night, and am now curious: how often do we run out into the street to cry with joy, hug one another, wave the American flag, and sing the national anthem (or Journey) as a spontaneous collective reaction to the victory of a Presidential candidate? Please note, I am not asking how often Presidential campaign workers engage in said behavior. I was thinking back through the elections in my lifetime and beyond; the only thing that I can think of that remotely relates is the out-of-hand celebrations associated with the inauguration of Andrew Jackson. Hope me, historians of MeFi!

identify this street symbol

deep_sea_diving_suit — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:57:42 -0800

Can you identify this symbol (http://h4xr.org/9rb2)? It's a diamond centered between two vertical lines with a dot in the middle. I've seen it on sidewalks and streets and presume it's used by electricians or other street/maintenance workers. What does it mean?

Bail them out? Or let them reap what they sow? Who wins and loses?

jeanmari — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:04:45 -0800

Who will the current bailout plan benefit and how? I've been trying for the last few days to untangle the implications of this crazy expensive plan.

As the rest of you have seen, it's daunting.

Any resources out there which can break it down for me? The pro's and con's of this bailout versus the pro's and con's for just telling Wall Street, "Sorry, you screwed up. You're on your own."

Trying to find a set of pro's and con's for each category of the players, like:

- Executives of the companies involved
- Investment bankers
- Investors in the companies involved
- Regular Main Street banks that hold deposits
- Taxpayers
- etc.

Pigeons and Cookies and Trash

Artw — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 12:56:30 -0800

What are the words to this Sesame Street Song? - We hear "Everybody loves [something], as sure as [something] loves [something], and googling for lyrics isn't helping fill in the blanks.

Vector street map of Columbus, OH suburb?

UnclePlayground — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:19:07 -0800

Can you help me locate editable vector street map of southeastern suburbs of Columbus, Ohio? Specifically something that I can open up in Adobe Illustrator, and change the typeface, colors, etc.
Also, that covers the areas of Reynoldsburg, Pickerington, and Canal Winchester.
There is some money in a budget to pay for the map, but not a lot.
Thanks in advance.

NYCFilter: Street name that sounds like hugo

karpet — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:15:29 -0800

I'm not from NYC, is there a street name that sounds like hugo? I got an address over the phone and clearly should have asked how to spell the name, anyone have an idea?

Where the streets have no name.

greta simone — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:51:58 -0800

Please help me find a map of Santiago Atitlan, Solola, Guatemala! I have been in Santiago for 4 days now, and getting around is pretty confusing. I haven't really been able to go outside of a four block radius, for fear of geting lost. I have asked many people, both natives and expats, where I could find a map, and no one seems to have a good answer for me. I have tried teh google, to no avail. I do realize that the streets don't really have any names, and that streets and alleys aren't really discernable from each other, and that everyone is directed to places according to their approximation to other places, but I need help! I am going to be here for another four weeks, and it would be helpful to have some sort of visual guide if I'm ever to explore safely.
Just to ward off certain answers:
I do not have much to time walk around and find my own way. I work all of the daytime hours, I am female and protective of my safety, and I have very little time before it gets dark to explore. I would like to use what little free time I have to get from point A to point B without getting lost.
Any kind of map, no matter how rough, would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

What is that building with the giant light up numbers?

activitystory — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:36:54 -0800

What is that building on Water Street at John street in downtown NYC (you can see it on street view on googlemaps)? What are those numbers for? Is it a clock or counter or something?

Secrets of NYC Revealed

Scram — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:41:59 -0800

Seeking charming and peculiar diversions in NYC and Brooklyn. In a few weeks, my best friend and I will be staying in Brooklyn (not sure which part) and exploring NY for four days. It's her first visit.

We're the sort of people who on a previous trip to Prague planned an entire morning around finding the mummified arm of a medieval thief in a church (finally spotted it way up in the rafters). Weird, secret, offbeat, beautiful, cheap, memorable, mysterious: these are our watchwords.

It's easy to research interesting museums, good restaurants and notable buildings, but harder to know the sort of minor wonders that would turn our days into a series of discoveries. So if you'd care to share your favorite secret, special spots in the NYC area, we'll include them on our rounds and raise a glass to you.

Examples of the kind of thing we'd love to see: Cobblestones, ghost signs, stores run by eccentrics with unique shelving methods, hidden buildings, tiny graveyards, private/unofficial museums, remarkable public spaces not visible from the street, alleys where if you squint it could be 1902, public restrooms equipped with archaic feminine hygiene displays, the prettiest or stangest subway stations, exceptional one-off shops of any sort, a bunny who lives under a certain shrub or a pet cheetah sometimes spotted in a particular window, environmental art/sound installations, bomb shelters, corporate cafeterias open to the public, magical spaces. We are grateful for any suggestions along these or similar lines. Send us home with our minds blown, please!

Why these mountains?

billtron — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:51:39 -0800

I'm sitting in North Clairemont, San Diego, watching the fires pass by on the north, east and south. Why are all the street names in my neighborhood named after mountain peaks? I know they are vaguely alphabetically distributed, but why mountains, and why these particular mountains? Did a developer choose their favorites, or is there some other pattern that I am unaware of?

Why is 9th ave called Broadway?

PercussivePaul — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 19:30:59 -0800

In Vancouver, BC, the avenues are numbered sequentially, except the street that should be 9th Ave is called Broadway. I thought nothing of this until noticing that the same is true in Eugene, OR. Is that a bizarre coincidence or is there more to it? I thought maybe it was the same in NYC but it doesn't look like it. What gives?

Washboards FTW

SirStan — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 06:53:01 -0800

Local Knowledge: Looking for an application that can tell me if a road is paved/dirt/unmaintained. I enjoy biking moderate distances (20-50 miles), but living in Vermont its common to come upon a dirt road. I try to scout out nice loops on Google Earth, but sometimes end up picking a connector road that is 5 miles of washboard dirt. My 700x23c tires aren't exactly setup for this, and while I could buy more appropriate cross tires, I would rather just avoid dirt.

So mefites -- Is there some way, or some application that works similar to any other mapping application, but will tell me a road is dirt?

What's the most amazing skateboard video?

felix — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:19:09 -0800

What skateboarding video is most likely to make my monocle pop out, my top hat fly off, and cause me to run around the room slapping my ass with both hands and declaiming a total lack of belief? I've never been much of a skater and couldn't tell the difference between a flipside nosegrind and a goofy suicide ollie if my life depended on it. But I enjoy good sports camera work, and since my 6 year old son's life now revolves around Tony Hawk (praise be unto him), I'd like to see and show him some really great street/bowl/ramp skating work. Highly dangerous is fine, but since the audience might include a 6 year old anything with dramatic failure involving compound fractures might be a bit much.

Mystery Girl

bru — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 08:36:33 -0800

Who did the original of this iconic girl? Ever since I photographed her in Montreal a few months ago, I thought that I would easily remember where the original source cam from. Obviously I didn't. And then, yesterday, I was contacted by a guy in Santiago, Chile, who found another version (flipped).
I know her. Who is she?