Brooklyn has lost its most famous, Mongolian BBQ dome playground. Once a neighborhood hot spot, the NY Times reports the giant steel climbing domes have been replaced by run-of-the-mill playground equipment:Beneath the house and climbing gym, the circl...

The way I heard it--which seems not to be true--is that Berlinomat is an official city branding project in the form of a souvenir vending machine in the Hauptbahnhof, the main train station. Well, it's just a store that...

If you're a movie-buff dad (like me) you probably can't wait to take your little champ to the cinema for the first time. It's such an awesome experience (and relatively cheap compared to many other frills) that going to the cinema has got to be one of ...

I don't have any data, but I say "go for it." We've taught our son and are teaching our daughter sign language (I guess we could make the argument for whether that qualifies as bilingual or not), and the benefits are definitely tangible. To be able to modify my child's ...

This week I finished "The Whiskey Rebels" by David Liss and I wonder if I'm overhyping it to say that I'm not sure I've enjoyed a book more in the last five years. "The Whiskey Rebels" is a historical novel, set in the 1790s, that has authenticity and the ring of ...

@Daddy Clay Thanks. I'm lucky. We're in a recreational league so far, so the emphasis is definitely on "play" and not "compete." Mostly, it's an excuse for me to get out and be the biggest kid on the field. Plus, I consider it "exercise in disguise." ...

I am sure it will be taken down someday. But here is the Tom and Jerry video. The parachute is at minute 5:19 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=775i_ZD7tmQ

The sociology-themed blogs at Contexts.org are the gifts that keep on giving. Thanks to DT [and Contexts!] reader Marla for pointing out this most excellent headline and photo from Sociological Images: Man In Skirt Changes Diaper [contexts.org] Does th...

It does make you wonder why Volvo has never had an in-house or even semi-official tuner like BMW's M-works or Mercedes' AMG. Because it might be nice. Also, it might be less expensive than the EUR70,000 Swedish performance shop...

I'm sorry, did that last post about the esoterica of lead standards, and the Washington miasma of congressional lobbying not get my point across clearly? Let me try it another way: HOLY CRAP, PEOPLE! IF YOU DON'T CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES...