Eighth-grader David S. Dixon–along with his dad David G. Dixon–has built a street-legal quadricycle powered by a solar-charged electric motor. The bike not only carries his dog and three friends, but it has also has an iPod dock and GPS.

Somebody needs to make this kid the CEO of Chrysler.

Teach your kids the ABC’s with Star Wars.

(via Daring Fireball).

We flew American Airlines out of O’Hare and had a good flight there. Poker star Chris Ferguson was on our flight, sitting in first class, of course. Unfortunately he was off the plane and gone before I could hand him my wallet and tell him to triple my money.

We arrived at McCarran International Airport at about 9:30 Las Vegas time and were greeted with the familiar ringing of slot machines as soon as we got off the plane. We picked up our bags and headed for the Venetian where we would be staying for the rest of the trip. We had a hard choice between the Venetian and the Bellagio but decided on the Venetian as it’s a bit of a younger crowd there.

We weren’t disappointed as it was great. The Venetian is a great resort and our room was fantastic. They have a dropped living area in all their rooms which is a nice touch that makes the room feel even larger than it is.

We walked all the way down Flamingo to an Indian buffet that my wife wanted to try. It was quite a haul and took us about thirty minutes to get there but it was worth it. After that we walked all the way over to MGM to pick up our tickets to KA, a Cirque du Soleil show we were seeing that night. Once we had our tickets, we headed on over to Bally’s to check out the live stage show version of ‘The Price Is Right’. It was a lot of fun even though neither of us got picked to be on the show.

After the show we went back to the room and relaxed before heading out to dinner at Dos Caminos in the Palazzo. The food was great but the service was pretty poor. As usual we ordered way too much but all of it was good.

After we were done we headed all the way back to the MGM Grand on foot to see KA. The theatre itself was incredible and a feat of engineering. As per all Cirque du Soleil shows, this one didn’t disappoint. The story was a bit hard to follow at times but you didn’t mind as the action and acrobatics were incredible. Well worth the price of admission.

The next day we hit the famous Bellagio buffet for Mother’s Day brunch. It was the first time both of us had been there and we weren’t prepared for how good it was. Everything was top notch and we both left there barely able to walk we ate so much.

After relaxing in the afternoon we went to eat at an Italian place called Lavo. The food was pretty good but a little on the pricey side for what we got. As with all Italian places, they gave us huge portions and we had to have some wrapped up to take with us. I ordered a Ceaser salad before my meal and was presented with about five pounds of salad on a dish that was about four square feet in size.

After gambling for a while we went back to Lavo as they have a night club upstairs from the restaurant. We got right in as we had complimentary line passes from the Venetian so that was nice. The club was really small and it was pretty packed so it was difficult to dance. The DJ there was not very good as well which was disappointing as apparently they hype him as one of the best DJ’s in Vegas.

We hit the Bellagio buffet again the next day and showed a little more restraint that time. It was just as good as the day before and half the price as going on Mother’s Day drew an increased admission. After some more relaxing, shopping, and gambling we got ready to see The Phantom at the Venetian theatre. I didn’t think I would enjoy it but I actually thought it was phenomenal. A great set plus great music and all the actors had impeccable voices. Really a great show all around and I’m glad we went.

I have been to Vegas before three or four times but always to play in hockey tournaments – never to just relax and spend time with my wife. It was almost a whole new world in that previously I’d basically drink, gamble, and play hockey and then go home where on this trip I was able to enjoy more of what Vegas had to offer. Throw in that I got to spend some quality time with my lovely wife and it was a great trip all around.

Hilarious collection of educational movies shown in public schools. The titles alone are good for a few laughs. How about “Am I Normal” or “Are You Popular” for starters?

I’ve got to say that I’ve been pretty impressed by Comcast so far. I spoke to salespeople a couple times before ordering and both were extremely pleasant and helpful. I didn’t have any wait time and they answered every question I had. My fear was that this was typical of prospective customers but I figured that once I signed up I’d get different treatment. Not so. I called and ordered this Monday and the gentleman taking my call was great. The order process went very smoothly.

The self-install kit showed up a couple days later and to get the internet service running you need to call and activate it. I set up the modem and our router and got everything as it needed to be and prepared myself for a painful experience with their tech support. Again, they came through with flying colors. The support guy on the other line quickly ran through his tests and activations and we were up and running in a matter of minutes. He also answered a few questions I had about a couple different issues.

We had previously been with a small local ISP and the reason I stayed with them for so long was because of the personalized service I got every time I needed to call. My fears of switching to a larger provider and getting shoddy support were unfounded, I guess. Hopefully Comcast will continue the good service I’ve seen so far.

Obviously his main nemesis would be Nasonex Man.

Magic and the Brain: Teller Reveals the Neuroscience of Illusion

(via kottke.org)

Rands In Repose: Keynote Kung-fu Two

The story’s subtleties delve into the hard situation the father is put into when it seems that giving up to death would be a better option than spending another day in a hellish environment. The father, however, does not give up hope and despite the terrible things they witness, he encourages the boy that good people are indeed left in the world, despite all they’ve seen.

I won’t spoil the ending but it is truly powerful as it is heart breaking and uplifting all at once. I’ve read other books by McCarthy and all were good but The Road is his best work to date.

How to Write Like an Architect

Beautiful.