If you can't afford seats closer to the field, my favorite seats have always been upper deck, third base line, as close to the front row as possible. Not sure if this is still possible, but you used to be able to sneak down into the front row pretty easily -- for some reason the ticketholders for a lot of those seats never used to show up.

The great thing about old parks like Wrigley is the way the upper deck is stacked right on top of the lower deck -- it feels almost... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 11:26 PM on April 8, 2008

This sounds totally reasonable. Everyone has to take care of things like that once in a while, and she'll probably appreciate the advance notice. Regarding email vs. face-to-face etiquette, it almost certainly won't even make a difference. Don't sweat it.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 11:20 PM on April 8, 2008

The Golden Gate Bridge pedestrian walkway is closed after 6pm. It's a nice idea though.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 11:21 PM on December 30, 2007

As long as you're not trying to become a world-class speed cuber, the common Rubik's cubes you can get at, say, Toys-R-Us, are actually not bad. What's more important is what you do to it after you buy it.

If it's stiff, add lubrication of some kind. Some folks recommend silicon spray, though I don't recall having much success with that. After it's been lubricated and you've used it a lot, the plastic wears down and makes it much easier to use.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 1:13 AM on December 27, 2007

If you're actually trying to learn to play the cello correctly, stick to standard tuning.

(Note: I play the viola, and learned to play in school and with a private teacher when I was a little kid. I guess I find it kind of strange that anyone would want to learn in a non-standard way...)
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 5:04 PM on September 21, 2007

After one night of lots of drinking and dancing...

Alcohol can be a killer. If you're thinking that things might end up moving a little beyond the makeout point during the night, put your drink down the moment you realize it and stick to water.

A drink or two can be fine to loosen things up or lighten the mood, but if you're trying to make a move, do not get wasted.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 6:49 PM on July 21, 2007

Hmm, my last post might not have been very clear, so I'll spell it out: alcohol can severely affect the ability to maintain an erection. Add in some doubts and performance anxiety, and it's all downhill.

Stay sober, keep a clear head, and let your body do the rest.

Also, what LobsterMitten said. Take care of her, and it won't even be a big deal. She'll be totally patient and understanding. (And if she's not, she's not worth your time anyway.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 6:56 PM on July 21, 2007

No player in 40 years has had a batting average as high as .400.

It's actually been 66 years, but batting average isn't necessarily the most reliable measure of an ability like this one.

Hitting batting-practice quality pitches, many major leaguers could certainly hit the ball in the direction they choose. Many could also hit the ball to about the distance they would like as well. Watch batting practice before a ballgame --... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 11:17 PM on July 17, 2007 marked best answer

Are there large storehouses of unused street signs?

Having spent a bit of time in the City of Palo Alto sign shop, there are tons of signs sitting around, sorted by purpose, mostly (in one room -- wouldn't call it a large storehouse) for all different purposes. There's also a neat machine that spits out the reflective material and sticks it onto the metal. Not sure who orders them, but they can throw them together pretty quickly.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 8:34 PM on June 24, 2007

3 Feet Deep by DJ Format, featuring MC's Abdominal and D-Sisive.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 6:24 PM on June 15, 2007

Haven't done much with the new applications, but here's what it looks like to me:

"For Facebook" applications exist within the Facebook interface. You can play around with applications without leaving the site, add apps to your profile, etc.

"For the Web" utilize the API outside of the Facebook interface. The visualization and mapping applications are a clearer example -- it looks like the creators of these applications have... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 11:29 AM on May 30, 2007

"I Wish" by Skee-Lo.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 9:03 PM on May 21, 2007

I've got a rare double-a in my name -- I completely sympathize. I get "Issac" wayyyy more often than "Isaac". I even get spellings with e's and k's. About one person in twenty nails it on the first try.

I always figure that people just don't expect to see two a's next to each other, just like they don't expect to see "ae" either. It simply doesn't look like something that belongs in an English word.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 9:01 PM on May 21, 2007

Awesome question.

I agree re: the Holy Spirit theory. Even more strangely, I think they might be implying that Eazy-E is their Holy Spirit (note how he appears in the crystal ball in the first few seconds of the video). Just a theory, of course, but they certainly saw him as a mentor and an inspiration.

There are a bunch of bizarre, occultish things about that album (E. 1999 Eternal) -- crystal balls and tongues of flame are par for the course.... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 3:14 PM on May 16, 2007

I never really considered the Castro Shuttle as a Metro line proper, but I guess it does make sense as a letter designation.

I always though of it sort of like the mysterious J/N that hangs the turn at Duboce and Church and never makes it into the subway. Ain't on the maps, but it shows up on the rails. Weird.

Thanks for the links.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 4:31 PM on April 16, 2007

Agree with quadog. Maxfield's House of Caffeine, Dolores and 17th.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 1:40 PM on August 15, 2006

That's it! Thanks!
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 2:17 PM on June 7, 2006

You might give Pandora a shot at this. Plug in the name of the song, and it tries to identify songs that share similar characteristics.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 4:49 PM on June 5, 2006

One major reason is probably that Canada has no major soccer league. Until the inception of MLS, the United States was in a similar position to Canada's current situation. The growth of a major league has led to increasing popularity in the sport, as well as higher expectations in contintental and world competitions. (Hosting a World Cup didn't hurt, either!)

Toronto has been awarded an MLS franchise, so perhaps that will help.

Of course, there... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 1:39 PM on June 5, 2006

Soccer only seems to be played on big expensive fields that alot of communites don't have the funds for. By players all wearing matched uniforms and fancy shoes.

This sub-conversation is certainly something of a derail, but these comments are intriguing.

If we're comparing soccer with street hockey, worldwide, soccer is much more likely to be played on any given surface, with any given ball, with any given shoes (or none at all)... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 2:14 PM on June 5, 2006

"Just My Imagination" by the Temptations.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 2:08 PM on May 23, 2006

"Is this a fair interpretation? Also, if it is illegal, how come ESPN etc can run their fantasy leagues without recourse - do they have licenses to do so?"

Check out the Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act (S.627, 108th Cong.), notably section 5361 (I)(E)(viii)(III).

As defined by this, betting or wagering does NOT include "any participation in a simulation sports game, an educational game, or a contest, that offers... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 3:33 PM on May 22, 2006

When driving on the freeway, if someone makes a conscious effort to let you into their lane, wave a thank you. (Californians suck at this, I've found.)

Also, if a door is held open for you, say thank you.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 10:09 PM on May 18, 2006

Linotype Camellia, bold.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 4:37 PM on May 18, 2006 marked best answer

How is the scoring system set up? Goals, assists, what else? Also, how knowledgeable are your opponents? You might be able to get a lot of world-class players if the people you're up against just don't know any better.

Also, careful what you see in previous responses here. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar wasn't selected by the Dutch, and Cesc Fabregas is Spanish.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 1:10 PM on May 16, 2006

Actually, re-reading your question, I notice you'll have to pay more to get higher-profile players. Who are the most expensive to acquire? Do you have a list?
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 1:13 PM on May 16, 2006

Some solid recommendations here, especially the note about choosing players from teams that will get past the first round (obviously, Germany is a lock).

A few strikers you should take a look at:

David Villa (ESP)
Francisco Fonseca (MEX)
Miroslav Klose (GER)
Jan Koller (CZE)
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 2:08 PM on May 16, 2006

Harry Chapin, "Cat's in the Cradle".
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 12:48 PM on May 11, 2006

Try local targeting with Google AdWords. You can narrow down your target audience to extremely specific levels, and you'd be able to drive traffic directly to your site at bid prices you set. It can be a pretty inexpensive way to drive highly targeted traffic to your site.

Ask Sponsored Listings and Yahoo Search Marketing (and soon for small businesses, MSN AdCenter) are also good options, though you'll want to bid only on geo-targeted keywords. Their systems don't have... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 9:38 AM on May 11, 2006

(Note: Just so I don't come across as too much of a shill, no, I don't work for Google, Ask, Yahoo, or MSN. But I am a search advertising professional, and I manage campaigns on these engines.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 9:41 AM on May 11, 2006

How about this:

ECU 6 - 5 POL
GER 1 - 0 POL
COS 2 - 1 POL
GER 5 - 5 COS
GER 1 - 1 ECU
COS 0 - 0 ECU

GER - WXX (5 pts) 7 gf, 6 ga
COS - WXX (5 pts) 7 gf, 6 ga
ECU - WXX (5 pts) 7 gf, 6 ga
POL - LLL (0 pts) 6 gf, 9 ga

You end up with a three-way tie between Germany, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. It cannot be broken by Scenarios A, B,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 5:20 PM on May 8, 2006

I wear one because when I was a kid, my parents wouldn't start the car until my siblings and I were buckled in.

Now, it's both habit and common sense.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 4:07 PM on May 8, 2006

"In the Year 2525" by Zager and Evans. Can't believe no one mentioned it yet.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 5:21 PM on April 25, 2006

"Crabbuckit" by K-OS has the exact same bassline as "Love Cats". Not a sample, but it's startling how similar the two beats sound.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 2:11 PM on April 7, 2006

Oops, missed the note about the female lead singer. Disregard my suggestion, in that case. (Though it's still a fun song and worth a listen.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 2:16 PM on April 7, 2006

In the US, if you've spent $80k within the year, you qualify for their Platinum service and they'll give you an individual account manager.

It looks like you spend more than this, so assuming a similar setup exists in Europe, you should be able to get one Yahoo representative on the phone to discuss this situation.

I can't say whether they'll start combining all of your European spending, but at least you'll have one person looking into the issue... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 4:31 PM on March 23, 2006

To add to madajb: Avoid, avoid, avoid 101 in Silicon Valley. You'll get a fine view of a lot of office buildings, and horrible traffic if you're there on a weekday.

If you end up needing to move quickly up the Peninsula, take 280 North. Better view, better traffic.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 4:22 PM on March 23, 2006

"Fairy Tales" by the Grimm Brothers, which includes "Little Red-Cap" and "Hansel and Gretel", is listed and available on Authorama. Authorama is a public domain book site, so it looks like you're in the clear.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 10:22 AM on January 25, 2006

grumblebee is right about the "h" sound. It's not silent, it's just not the typical English "j" pronunication.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 7:46 PM on January 8, 2006

First, beware the conclusions of the Stanford Prison Experiment.

I'll stop short of calling Phil Zimbardo a hack (though he's a terrible lecturer and more self-promoter than valuable researcher these days), but the Stanford Prison Experiment is totally overblown. Don't believe the hype.

You may be familiar with the infamous Milgram experiment, in which hierarchical pressure causes perfectly normal people to knowingly (some even willingly) injure... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 12:10 AM on January 7, 2006

Sounds like an attributional bias, possibly self-serving bias.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 10:11 AM on January 5, 2006

Oops, here's a link to self-serving bias.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 10:13 AM on January 5, 2006

Google Adwords has an editorial team that looks through submitted sponsored links to check whether the advertiser meets certain guidelines. Some of these guidelines must be met immediately upon submission of the ad, such as punctuation and capitalization guidelines. Also, certain copyrighted brand names will be caught by the automatic filter.

Ads go live as soon as they pass through the initial editorial process, but the editorial team checks the ads within a few days to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 12:15 PM on January 1, 2006 marked best answer

(And no, I don't work at Google. I just have to use the Adwords interface on a daily basis.)
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 12:16 PM on January 1, 2006

Doesn't look like it's been released yet. Keep an eye on the Kitbag World Cup 2006 site. Kitbag is running nikefootball.com's shop, so my guess is that they'd be the first to have it in stock.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 2:55 PM on December 30, 2005 marked best answer

My siblings and I all have hyphenated last names, thanks to my dad.

My sister would love to have a four-name last name, but she's also pretty eccentric. I never liked having fifteen letters and a hyphen in the first place, so I'd never tack another name on there.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 9:26 AM on December 22, 2005

Exactly what storybored said.

One of my best friends from college has been immersed in Quixtar for a solid year and a half now. Every time he runs into any of his friends (including me, and I see him once or twice a month), he pulls out the sales pitch. It's awful.

People who knew us both well always ask me what happened to him, and how he went so crazy. The answer is Quixtar. Those of us who know him well are convinced it is a... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 10:40 PM on December 21, 2005

I attended an orthodox synagogue for most of my childhood, grown up with separate dish sets and two sinks, and steadfastly observing all shabbos rules. On the surface, this is bullshit. (Note: I no longer adhere strictly to orthodox rules.)

Were I still strictly orthodox and in your co-worker's position, I think I'd consider it an insult if I were being forced to disregard my beliefs to attend. If this is a party that interferes with her shabbos obligations as an... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 1:54 PM on November 23, 2005

Left, Right, Left by Drama.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 3:12 PM on November 22, 2005

Wall Drug of South Dakota, a legendary tourist trap but a fun place to stop. Don't worry about where exactly it is. You'll see plenty of signs on the way.
posted to Ask Metafilter by sellout at 7:47 PM on August 9, 2005