Maps: Finding our place in the world is an exhibit at the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, and it runs until this Sunday June 8. That page contains images of a few of the maps. One of the many great things included is an animated map of the US Civil War in 4 minutes (one week per second, timeline noted at bottom, casualty counter rolling in bottom right corner - info about this animation) The exhibition book was previously linked here; that site includes higher-resolution versions of some more of the maps. I was floored by all the stuff they have; in terms of the rarity of the stuff in it, and the geek-delight factor, I think it's probably the best gallery show I've ever seen.
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 9:48 PM on June 4, 2008 (24 comments)

I broke a compact fluorescent light bulb in my bedroom. Rudimentary cleanup, but I'm must go to bed, and my husband's already asleep in there. I saw the scary "leave the room for 15 minutes" mercury warnings on the government cleanup page. Anybody know the science? How bad is this?
posted to Ask Metafilter by LobsterMitten at 2:07 AM on February 27, 2008 (10 comments)

Seeking a word: Is there a term other than "euphemism" for couching an insult in fancy-sounding words, so your insult sounds less harsh to the inattentive ear?
posted to Ask Metafilter by LobsterMitten at 9:45 PM on December 12, 2007 (63 comments)

"In terms of language, it is also the most offensive official Major League baseball document that we have ever seen." An auction house obtains a one page letter sent to baseball players in 1898, outlining the league's new anti-cursing policy. Includes lots of examples of the kind of language that is not allowed. Nervous auctioneers not sure how to exhibit it. Purely of historical interest, naturally.
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 4:17 PM on December 2, 2007 (86 comments)

I need teaching resources about race: the biology of human "races"; why "race" is not biological but social; how racial categories have shifted over time and place; and related questions on teaching about race? This is as a supplement to reading The Mismeasure of Man in a university "Critical Thinking" class. I need more science and verifiable cross-cultural examples to back up my "there are no biological races" claim.
posted to Ask Metafilter by LobsterMitten at 3:22 PM on November 5, 2007 (38 comments)

Hannu's Boatyard is a site by a Finnish guy who offers free plans for two dozen simple plywood boats you can build, along with photos illustrating the build process of each. He also describes basic woodbending technique and some of the design process, in a pleasing writing style that makes me want to get off the internet and make things. My favorites: Portuguese style dinghy; tiny stubby halfpea; round, Welsh-style coracle -- if you click on no other link today, click on the coracle link and scroll down at least to the black and white photo.
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 11:19 PM on October 12, 2007 (31 comments)

Visiting San Diego this weekend: do we need a rental car, and is there anything secret and great near Seaworld that we should see? (esp. good coffeeshops for hanging around in?)
posted to Ask Metafilter by LobsterMitten at 9:30 AM on June 4, 2007 (24 comments)

Baseball fans heckle Vernon Wells, and he throws them a personally-inscribed baseball which reads "Here’s your ball, now please tell me what gas station you work at so I can come and yell at you when you’re working. Please sit down, shut up and enjoy the game. From your favorite centre fielder, Vernon Wells." (See the followups at the bottom of that article, with pictures of the ball.) This past weekend, Ken Griffey Jr. throws his jockstrap into the stands because a dude has been heckling him. (Everybody is laughing in both of these stories.)
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 7:31 PM on May 14, 2007 (28 comments)

Followup on Canadian spy coins. Today, an Associate Press FOIA request reveals that they were just the commemorative quarters we thought.
posted to MetaTalk by LobsterMitten at 3:29 PM on May 7, 2007 (4 comments)

Callout for awesomeness: Want to know about farming history? Well, ontic's dad will tell you about farming history.
posted to MetaTalk by LobsterMitten at 12:05 PM on May 3, 2007 (58 comments)

Catchy bitter ukulele break-up song by Duncan Pflaster. Video with song. Simple and excellent. Found via Cat and Girl.
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 3:54 PM on March 30, 2007 (27 comments)

Nice weekend places near or within 2 hrs' drive of Cincinnati OH, for small group getaway?
posted to Ask Metafilter by LobsterMitten at 2:44 PM on March 15, 2007 (10 comments)

22 basic suggested readings on the Middle East from history professor and informed commenter on Middle Eastern affairs Juan Cole.
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 2:41 PM on March 7, 2007 (37 comments)

Best opening (or closing) paragraphs of academic works, a discussion at Crooked Timber. (This is of course different from first lines of novels, as discussed here, there, and elsewhere.
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 12:21 AM on February 23, 2007 (39 comments)

100+ authoritative research sources that are available online. Various topics, real info. Think of it as a kind of do-it-yourself AskMe, or you know, a research library.(via Making Light)
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 12:17 PM on November 3, 2006 (19 comments)

For household first aid, should I use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide or witch hazel?
posted to Ask Metafilter by LobsterMitten at 7:57 PM on October 23, 2006 (23 comments)

I think it might be time to put this thread to bed. The poster has now said that the answers have helped her get what she was looking for. The only purpose that is served by keeping it open is to invite namecalling.
posted to MetaTalk by LobsterMitten at 4:47 PM on September 26, 2006 (261 comments)

Friend in trouble: bipolar, taking Zoloft, smoking huge amount of marijuana which exacerbates his mania. He's acting crazy. I'm far away -- how can I help? Especially, how can I support his girlfriend, and convince him to accept treatment and quit the pot? Other advice about treatment for bipolar disorder?
posted to Ask Metafilter by LobsterMitten at 7:22 PM on August 28, 2006 (14 comments)

Long .pdf paper on the state of mainstream "analytic" philosophy. In a recent thread, we discussed the current state of philosophy departments in English-speaking countries. Philosophers are often asked why we don't take Ayn Rand seriously as a philosopher, or why we aren't up on literary Theory or deconstruction, etc. The short answer is that most academic philosophers in universities in the English-speaking world are engaged in a broad consensus (about how to do philosophy, what counts as a good question, etc) that's called "analytic philosophy" for short. Here is a long, informative encyclopedia entry by Scott Soames describing the history and current state of play in analytic philosophy. If you want to understand the background of the currently dominant school of philosophy in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, this will explain it. Link goes directly to a 44-page .pdf file.

Here are a few bonus bits: Jerry Fodor on Why no one reads analytic philosophy. One of the Philosophy talk podcasts from the Stanford philosophy department, on The Future of Philosophy. Some answers at askphilosophers.org -- a site where you can ask questions directly of professional philosophers -- that say the distinction between analytic and continental philosophy should be retired. (In a way, I agree, but the terms are used so widely that it's useful to get a sense of what they're meant to describe.) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on what different philosophers have meant by "analysis".
posted to MetaFilter by LobsterMitten at 2:33 PM on August 24, 2006 (56 comments)

Is there a music video from the 1980s where a guy in a warehouse washes his face in a sinkful of worms?
posted to Ask Metafilter by LobsterMitten at 4:24 PM on August 6, 2006 (7 comments)