I've never read the Bible, and I'd like to. Which version should I read and what resources are good ones to help me understand and historically contextualize what I'm reading?
posted by arcticwoman on Oct 16, 2008 - 25 answers

I was wondering if anyone has explored the notions of alternate geological history, i.e. different continents to the ones we know, and the mechanisms by which they might have arisen? [more inside]
posted by Chairboy on Jul 14, 2008 - 11 answers

So Mrs Mutant purchased a BBC series , The Tudors, and watching it has raised lots of questions about the real events. [more inside]
posted by Mutant on Jun 10, 2008 - 15 answers

Allegedly, this is the original key to the choir loft of Mission San Luis Rey. A) How can I confirm its origins? B) What should I do with it? [more inside]
posted by miss lynnster on Jun 6, 2008 - 9 answers

Friends and I saw Darkon this weekend. Given that many of us (not me) are historians, the question was, "What happened next?" (spoilers) [more inside]
posted by kalessin on Apr 28, 2008 - 6 answers

Where could I find the exact dates of the last ten (1997-2007) Macworld keynotes by Steve Jobs, done in San Francisco? I thought some apple history sites would list it, but rampant googling has only turned up info on the last couple years of shows.
posted by mathowie on Dec 5, 2007 - 4 answers

How can I get my hands on a Vienna phonebook from circa 1938? I will be spending a weekend in Vienna next month, and I would love to see the apartment where my late grandfather lived before fleeing the Nazis. Unfortunately, nobody in the family knows the address, and there aren't any letters or other documents to provide it. Things are also complicated by the fact that I won't be visiting on a weekday, so any archives that might have this information will presumably be closed. Plus, I don't speak German. Am I out of luck, or is there any way to track this information down in the next few weeks?
posted by yankeefog on Oct 18, 2005 - 38 answers

I've got some Chinese paintings from my late grandfather, and I'm having trouble finding more information about them. Here's what he had to say about them (image, transcript inside) and here's a scan I made of one of them (image). I don't know enough about this subject to make educated guesses, and the information from my grandfather is either inaccurate or just a dead-end. So basically, I'd like to know anything that you know about this. I'd be happy to scan more of the prints as well if someone needs additional information. [more inside]
posted by j.edwards on Apr 19, 2005 - 6 answers