1) Wall-E. I seem to have enjoyed it more than most, but then having read dozens of opinions from folks about what the supposed message was, I was able to realize that as with the news, your objections or kudos to a given media product say more about where you stand than the actual message. Yes, there were one or two overt messages, largely about overconsumption and the need to get out and do something. They're not invalid messages, but they were so incredibly overt that they quickly became funny. As such, I immediately just got over it and simply enjoyed the movie. Anyway, no matter how much you might scowl, you'd have to be cold-hearted indeed not to be charmed by the, let's call it the "dancing" scene so as not to be spoilery.

2) This is probably only of use to folks in the LA area, but, the Americana at Brand is just as irritatingly pleasant as the Grove is. In fact, it's kind of better in its' use of space. The trolley (yes, they have a trolley here too) is completely useless except for cuteness' sake, as it doesn't take you anywhere except on a loop through the entire property, and there is only the one stop at the beginning, or end. At least at the Grove, you can theoretically use it to go from one end to the other. More problematically, there are far fewer shops, and *all* of the shops are upscale, as opposed to the Grove where a few of them are actually useful. And of course there is no Farmer's Market, or as my wife put it as we were getting ready to leave "But there's no meat shop! There should be a meat shop attached!" Which indeed there should always be. To date, we have found no better butchers than those located in the Farmer's Market. If you, whoever you are is reading this, know of a better butcher in the Los Angeles area, I am absolutely soliciting your advice. I'd prefer advice from folks who have actually purchased meat from these butchers, of course.

3) John Adams. Good book, good documentary on HBO. Read it, watch it. I never would have thought that I would find more respect for one of our founding fathers (and, for that matter, lose respect for one who I had largely considered a genius), but I did. Mr. Adams is sadly overlooked in our history. Our revolution would almost certainly not have happened if it were not for him... although perhaps it was inevitable.

There's an alternate history story, if anybody wants to write it: Boston, 1808. The cod fisheries are producing, industry is flourishing from Philadelphia to Boston, the cotton is flowing, and now the crown wants money to fight Napoleon - who steps to the fore? Come now, the British Isles are months away. We can and will have our own country! The sheep farmers of Australia had a revolution 20 years ago and the UTA (United Territories of Australia) is now a free and independent country! Will we sit idle and watch the pointless wars of Europe financed upon our backs? Nay, I say nay!