Traveler

It will be interesting to see if this makes any difference for holiday travelers.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Steppenwolf: "Caroline"

Build It Better

Anyone who's ever played the game Mousetrap will likely find this interesting. Even if you haven't played the game, you might find it amusing.

At least you don't have to collect any cardboard pieces of cheese.

Mood: Amused
Music: Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band: "Was"

Money Talks

It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Mood: Apprehensive
Music: Kansas: "Carry On Wayward Son"

Kicking Ass

It was a weekend full of things that kick ass.

Friday night I watched most of the Marx Brothers' movie A Night at the Opera. I say most because I wasn't able to stay awake for the whole thing. Aside from being very funny and entertaining, I was struck by the talent of the Marx Brothers themselves. In my opinion it's hard to find such multitalented people today, yet in this movie not only do they act, but Groucho sings and dances, Chico plays the piano beatifully, and Harpo whistles an accompanying part for his harp. It was kind of bittersweet to watch, knowing there aren't any (many) performers like that today. (Jennifer Lopez does not count!)

Saturday saw the Badgers win against the University of Michigan in Big Ten football. It wasn't an ass kicking in the strict sense of the term, as the Badgers very nearly let the Wolverines get back in the game. Still, it was a satisfying performance in an uneven season.

Saturday night VH1 Classic showed two hours of live Led Zeppelin performances. The performances were obviously edited, because some of the songs were only "Parts" -- but also because the versions of "We're Gonna Grove" and "I Can't Quit You, Babe" sounded almost identical to the versions on Coda. It was neat to see them perform songs I'd never heard live before, including "Kashmir," "Bring It On Home," and "In My Time of Dying" among others. To quote an acquaintance from a mailing list, it "kicked my lame ass all over the place."

The biggest kick ass thing of all was Sunday, for Maryanne had managed to get tickets for the Packers game against the Vikings. It was a beautiful day for football, and the drive up to Green Bay was capped by an exciting game. Not only did the Packers win, but they shut out the Vikings in a very decisive win. They still have some challenging games ahead, though.

Mood: Pleased
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Rain Song"

Ending Hunger

It's a long read, but this article about genetically-modified foods and some of their obstacles is interesting. I found the story at once fascinating and frustrating.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Jethro Tull: "Living in the Past"