The Palermo stone is the largest known fragment of an ancient Egyptian stele containing the earliest extant historic annals. It was engraved around the 25th century BCE and includes a hieroglyphic listing of the kings of ancient Egypt, the years of their reigns, notations of historic events, and information pertaining to the flooding of the Nile. The stone was so named because it is housed in a museum in Palermo, Italy, but small pieces of it are held in what other cities? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Parker was one of the most audacious con men in US history. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Parker sold and resold many of New York’s landmarks to unwitting tourists. His most popular sales pitch was for the Brooklyn Bridge, a structure he sold on a regular basis. On a number of occasions, police were called to intervene as naïve “owners” attempted to erect tollbooths on the span. Imprisoned in 1928, Parker easily charmed the inmates and guards. What other landmarks did he sell? 
Ayahuasca, or “vine of the soul,” is a South American hallucinogenic brew made from the bark and stems of a tropical vine, generally Banisteriopsis caapi, mixed with other psychotropic plants. Many indigenous Amazonian peoples use the brew in their folk medicines and shamanistic rituals. In addition to its hallucinogenic properties, ayahuasca helps protect the body from tropical parasites and worms by inducing vomiting and diarrhea. What dietary restrictions surround ayahuasca use? 
Bedbugs are small, nocturnal, reddish-brown insects that infest dwellings and bedding and feed on human blood. They emit an unpleasant-smelling oily secretion from two glands on their undersurface; but more unpleasant than a bedbug’s odor is its bite, which can cause irritation, itching, welts, and swelling. Contrary to popular belief, poor housekeeping does not invite bedbugs; they are attracted by body heat and carbon dioxide. What should be done to combat an infestation? 
Aviophobia, also called aviatophobia, is the fear of flying or being on an airplane while it is in flight. Because air travel is difficult to avoid, this fear can be crippling both professionally as well as personally. While a significant portion of the population experiences anxiety related to air travel, the fear only becomes aviophobia when it significantly interferes with a person’s ability to travel by air. What are some techniques a person with aviophobia can use to conquer this fear? 
The axis mundi, or world axis, is a symbolic representation of the point of connection between heaven and earth and offers a means of travel and communication between the two realms. The concept of a central world axis appears in many cultures and takes many forms, both natural and man-made. This connection point can be a high mountain, a plant, an altar, or even a person’s home. Which religious disciplines explore the concept of the human form as world axis? 
Jeanne Louise Calment, who died at 122 years and 164 days of age, lived to be the oldest person on record. Though her parents and siblings also lived to an advanced age, she outlived them all. An active woman, Calment continued to ride a bicycle until she was 100 years old and lived independently until she was nearly 110. At 114, she became the world’s oldest actress, appearing as herself in the family film Vincent and Me. Calment attributed her longevity to what food product? 
In a lucid dream, the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming while the dream is in progress. During lucid dreams, it is often possible to exert conscious control over characters and environments, as well as to perform otherwise physically impossible feats. Children tend to enter such dream states more easily than adults, but there are techniques one can learn to intentionally induce a lucid dream. Lucid dreaming is sometimes suggested as a remedy for what disorder? 
The US Federal Reserve was created in response to the Bank Panic of 1907, a financial crisis in the US during which the stock market crashed and the economy entered a recession. “The Fed” is a central banking system and note-issuing authority that regulates the country’s credit and monetary policy. It is comprised of 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks located throughout the US, various member banks, and a supervisory Federal Reserve Board. What are some criticisms of the Federal Reserve System? 
The gallbladder is a small sac that stores and concentrates bile, a bitter fluid that aids in the emulsification of fats. In some people, small, pebble-like masses composed chiefly of cholesterol, calcium salts, and bile pigments form in the gallbladder or bile ducts. The presence of gallstones can lead to painful obstruction or infection and is sometimes treated with cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder. How does a procedure called lithotripsy break up gallstones?