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)

The year is 1989, the world of hip hop in mainstream America is dominated by the street hard, in your face West Coast Gangsta Rap genre headed by NWA. And an army of increasingly forgettable imitators as well as genuine ingenuity coming from the opposite coast The pop music market is dominated by the sugary sweet vaguely hip-hopish pop of The New Kids On The Block. And on the corner Crendshaw and Exposition in South Central Los Angeles a group of kids at a health food store called The Good Life Health Food And Resource Center take a weekly Open Mike and turn it into an ongoing hip hop workshop where lyrical prowess, performance, and positivity instead of battling and trash talking was encouraged. In fact, swearing was strictly disallowed at The Good Life.
posted to MetaFilter by mediocre at 9:05 AM on May 17, 2008 (36 comments)

"King Cotton" created a huge demand for land and (slave) labor that changed early America's borders, population, and economics. But just as cotton affected history, history affected cotton: the story of naturally colored cottons -- brown, green, yellow, mauve, and reddish cottons -- has almost been lost.
posted to MetaFilter by Asparagirl at 2:20 PM on May 9, 2008 (16 comments)

The Mammoth Cheese of Cheshire was the most unusual gift ever given to a President of the United States. In the aftermath of the "Revolution of 1800", the eccentric Baptist preacher John Leland decided to celebrate the presidency of Thomas Jefferson by convincing the predominantly Baptist farmers of Cheshire, Massachusetts to create a giant 1,235-pound block of cheese as a monument to small-"r" republicanism and religious freedom.
posted to MetaFilter by jonp72 at 1:39 PM on December 3, 2007 (29 comments)

NickCaveFilter: Fifty years ago this very day, Nicholas Edward Cave [previously] crawled from the womb and started to plot.  At 16 he formed his first band which evolved quickly into the Boys Next Door [Shivers].  This in turn mutated into the Birthday Party (1980) who terrorised the post-punk soundscape in Australia and the UK [Release the Bats | Nick the Stripper].  The Birthday Party relocated to England and in 1984 the band imploded in an orgy of drugs and booze.  Shortly after Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds were born [The Ship Song - video & solo live | The Mercy Seat - video & live | Where the Wild Roses Grow], and 23 years and 11 studio albums later (not to mention a best selling book, a great screenplay, some acting and several soundtrack projects) he is still going strong.  But, instead of sitting on his musical laurels he decided to get back to basics and, in 2006, grew a huge moustache and formed Grinderman – a four piece with a primeval hybrid Birthday Party/Bad Seeds sound [No Pussy Blues | Honey Bee].  Fellow Mefites, I ask you to raise a glass to Mr. Cave… And, especially if you are not familiar to his work, don’t forget to “look inside” for my primer on the enigma that is Nick Cave, one of the finest song-writers on the face of this miserable planet.
posted to MetaFilter by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 4:59 PM on September 22, 2007 (98 comments)

Between 1902 and 1905 representatives of five tribes in the Indian Territory of the southern United States lobbied for statehood. The tribes proposed creating a tribal state called Sequoyah (hi res image here). At the constiutional conference in 1905 a constitution was drafted and later forwarded to the federal Congress and President, but despite a successful ratification campaign, the effort died on the vine. The Indian Territory and Oklahoma were instead admitted to the Union two years later as one state.
posted to MetaFilter by salishsea at 7:35 PM on July 27, 2007 (19 comments)

The Learn List is attempting to become a comprehensive online resource for free tutorials in Flash, PhotoShop, Fireworks, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, ActionScript, PHP, CSS & XML.
posted to MetaFilter by jonson at 10:22 AM on July 7, 2007 (22 comments)

So MeFi user Brian B. has chosen to use the recent Scientology thread to spread a bit of good old-fashioned antisemitism, selective quotes from the Talmud styley, explaining why, apparently, Jews believe is it ok to murder non-Jews, something my own rabbi omitted to mention at any point, starting here and continuing through the thread. As I am relatively new to posting here, I would like to ask what is the MeFi etiquette for dealing with a fellow MeFite who wants to use the site to spread racist propaganda of this sort. Because right now I am breathing very slowly and deeply and still seeing everything through an extremely red mist and I would appreciate some suggestions.
posted to MetaTalk by motty at 3:18 PM on May 13, 2007 (1723 comments)

Get Hostile! - Inspired by the well-beloved Avalon Hill board game Acquire, Get Hostile! is a free, web-based board game that has already sucked up hours of my time. Check out the quick tutorial to get up to speed, then play against live opponents or AI's, forming corporations, buying stock, and doing hostile takeovers!
posted to MetaFilter by ikkyu2 at 9:34 PM on February 1, 2007 (11 comments)

One of the world's most expensive chocolates expertly debunked. (For maximum awesome, read all 10 parts)
posted to MetaFilter by hindmost at 5:50 PM on December 20, 2006 (204 comments)

I'd like to hire graphic designers for simple sketches and illustrations. I'm looking for decent quality work and I'm willing to pay fairly. How would one go about this? What should I budget?
posted to Ask Metafilter by brianvan at 2:34 PM on November 14, 2006 (9 comments)

Web programmers take note, gotAPI is an excellent collection of searchable programming references wrapped up into a customizable interface.
posted to MetaFilter by Roger Dodger at 6:59 AM on September 21, 2006 (17 comments)

"It is doubtful that the popular sport in Seattle can survive," wrote a Seattle sportswriter in 1966, after three of unlimited hydroplane racing's most popular drivers were killed in one horrific day in Washington, D.C. Forty years later, what was once the most popular sport in Seattle survives, if not thrives, and this weekend's Chevrolet Cup will feature boats with safety improvements that trace directly back to the events of "Black Sunday". But it's nothing like it used to be in the 60s and 70s, when "winning a hydro race was about the biggest thing a Seattle kid could do," and everyone in town, knew names like the boats Miss Bardahl, Miss Budweiser, and the drivers Bill Muncey, Chip Hanauer, and Dean Chenoweth -- and no one, but no one would miss the Seafair hydro races.
posted to MetaFilter by litlnemo at 3:00 AM on August 5, 2006 (18 comments)

Two goals worth a million words. In Arabic, English, Chinese, Portuguese and yes, German. Italy's 2 goals against Germany, from 8 different commentators, one of them being Diego Maradona. Heavy YouTube usage unfortunately, although the post links to the leading Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera.
posted to MetaFilter by keepoutofreach at 10:24 AM on July 6, 2006 (26 comments)

Great photography... critiqued by pros noobs. via MeCha and matteo.
posted to MetaFilter by loquacious at 9:33 AM on June 28, 2006 (40 comments)

Stevie Wonder performs his classic hit "Superstition" on Sesame Street in 1973, and turns it into an extended funk workout. He sticks around to perform his own killer theme for the show. [via YouTube]
posted to MetaFilter by New Frontier at 8:18 PM on June 24, 2006 (103 comments)

Made most popular to many Americans as the closing song for the Grand Ole Opry programs, Will The Circle Be Unbroken was written in 1907 by Ada Habershon, an intensely religious young woman and acquaintance of Dwight Moody and Ira David Sankey. The music was "composed" by Charles Gabriel, a popular songwriter and composer of the era who is often solely credited with the song, but while he may have put the notes down on paper, the tune itself already existed as the African-American spiritual Glory Glory / Since I Laid My Burden Down. [lots more inside]
posted to MetaFilter by luriete at 6:10 PM on May 26, 2006 (18 comments)

Hardrock Hallelujah Finland's entry for this year's Eurovision contest. It is indeed the day of Rockening.
posted to MetaFilter by EtJabberwock at 9:18 PM on May 15, 2006 (50 comments)