Every year I am at a loss of what to get my best friend for Christmas. He is a man who really has everything. He likes electronic gadgets but they are usually fairly expensive, and he usually wants something very specific that he ends up buying himself. When I ask him what he wants, he hems and haws and just says, “Nothing, I don’t need anything.” [more inside]
posted by batonthefueltank on Dec 1, 2009 - 46 answers

Please suggest books and films in which the antagonists are consistently clever, creating complex and elegant (evil?) plots-within-plots to befuddle the protagonist and audience! [more inside]
posted by metaBugs on Apr 6, 2009 - 28 answers

Why so few varieties of ketchup? [more inside]
posted by ryanrs on Mar 31, 2009 - 47 answers

Is there any factual basis to the idea that FDR knew the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor, and allowed it to happen to get the U.S. citizenry behind the war? [more inside]
posted by tzikeh on Mar 14, 2009 - 42 answers

A while ago I read about an artist, then recently deceased, whose works consisted of the names of entities in popular conspiracy theories connected with graceful arcs (according as they were held to be in cahoots). Maybe it wasn't only conspiracy theories but also more legitimate political connections. I can't find his name or examples of his work online, and I would like to. Only you can help!
posted by kenko on Dec 27, 2008 - 4 answers