My wife and I always joke about the preponderance of shitty luck we have and how if our family had a crest part of it would be the words "Always an Ordeal" written in Latin. I'm thinking I'd like to actually design it as a gift but know nothing of Latin. Anyone out there know how "Always an Ordeal" would be written in Latin?
posted by Nyarlathotep at 9:39 PM - 17 answers

Is this Latin correct? or Perhaps: How incorrect is this Latin? [more inside]
posted by Tchad at 4:56 PM - 3 answers

In Chicago the standard term for bags of heroin sold on the street is "blows." I've also heard the word used as a verb, e.g. "You blow?" Does anyone have any clue as to the origin of the term?
posted by generalist at 12:09 PM - 8 answers

Oh, Inverted World! Where did your pages go (help me find them)? [more inside]
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:15 AM - 6 answers

I want to get a front-cover illustration for my children's book that I wrote during Nanowrimo. What's the cheapest/best way to get one done? One idea would be using the services of a website similar to 99designs but for book illustrators, anyone know of one?
posted by storybored at 2:00 PM - 9 answers

Are there any great book recommendation engines/websites out there? [more inside]
posted by ShootTheMoon at 1:38 PM - 6 answers

Quick grammar/usage question. Which is the preferred usage: "I'm buying this property on their behalf," or "I'm buying this property on their behalves." [more inside]
posted by crLLC at 1:17 PM - 17 answers

I love Bill Simmons' "The Book of Basketball". What should I read next? [more inside]
posted by reenum at 11:44 AM - 11 answers

In the sentence "President Obama created a program to help the poor", what is the grammatical term for the "a"? [more inside]
posted by tracert at 9:22 AM - 10 answers

I am learning English now. Well, please imagine.. I am with my American boyfriend,and there are two pieces of cake in front of us.He says,"Which one do you want?"And while I am hesitating ,he adds pointing at both of them,"You can have each one."Then I cut each pieces into two, for us to be able to taste both...,I think that he says that I can try both of them...do I misunderstand about what he says? And if it not correct,what would you say when you want to tell me that I can try both taste?Just"You can try both of them."?
posted by mizukko at 3:59 AM - 39 answers

How much should a freelance writer charge for a catalog essay? [more inside]
posted by serial_consign at 7:00 PM - 9 answers

What is this book? For kids, about a scientist's assistant who breaks into the lab safe one night and finds potions that he feeds to the lab rat. Hilarity and mayhem ensues. [more inside]
posted by phunniemee at 4:23 PM - 1 answers

I didn't say my first word until I was three years old. Does anyone know a probable cause? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 7:41 PM - 33 answers

MeFites, help! Need more books to read. /book-recommendation-filter [more inside]
posted by titantoppler at 11:36 PM - 23 answers

Is there a word for the phenomenon of finding faces in abstract shapes or patterns? (more inside) [more inside]
posted by Kensational at 6:30 PM - 4 answers

Poemfilter: Trying to remember a poem I memorized at the last second and almost instantly forgot for an assignment in 10th grade. [more inside]
posted by Dojie at 8:19 AM - 6 answers

Footnote filter: I am writing a non-fiction, non-academic book and need help determining what to include in my citations. [more inside]
posted by quidividi at 5:34 AM - 5 answers

Is there a legitimate, non-slang word for the need to go to the bathroom? By that I mean a singular adjective, i.e. "nauseous," but for, well, pooping. Attempts to Google yield only annoying links to Urban Dictionary, etc.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 6:05 PM - 34 answers

Linguisticsfilter: I'm looking for experiments that reveal something surprising or fascinating about the way we use and respond to language. [more inside]
posted by mossicle at 2:04 PM - 9 answers

Hive authors: help me publish a sci-fi story! [more inside]
posted by Salvor Hardin at 2:04 PM - 26 answers