I'm From Barcelona

'Let Me Introduce My Friends' by I'm From Barcelona is fun, catchy, and the perfect soundtrack to summertime. Full of songs about building tree houses, oversleeping, and stamp collecting, 'Let Me Introduce My Friends' is the sound of a group of friends hanging out and having fun. Is it a little too sugary at times? Perhaps, but if you overdose on it, you can always have a shot of Radiohead to cleanse your palate.

Teachers terrorizing students? Brilliant!

Elementary students being terrorized by their teachers while on a field trip? Fantastic. I actually think the teachers and school administrators involved showed remarkable restraint. If you thought this was a good idea, why wouldn't you also think it was a good idea to have the gunmen actually break into the room and then 'shoot' a teacher, who could be ready with fake blood, etc.? Then you could approach a kid, put the gun to his head and scream at him "YOU'RE NEXT!!! YOU'RE NEXT!!!" Sure, the kid is going to have trouble when you're trying to teach him long division next week, but what's more important: demonstrating the horror of a situation he has a minute chance of ever being in (statistically speaking) or creating an environment where he feels safe in which to learn? Ok, the latter is probably more important, but which is more fun (for the teachers, I mean)?

Teachers in Murfreesboro, Tennessee are facing a firing squad of their own today, as outraged parents react to a fake gunman shooting drill that Scales Elementary teachers -- with the principal's approval -- sprang on their 6th grade students unannounced.

A fake gunman, one of the teachers involved in what Assistant Principal Don Bartch, who was present, said was intended as a "learning experience" and "only lasted five minutes," disguised in a hooded sweat shirt pulled on a locked door and pretended to be a suspicious subject, reports FOX News.

The art of traveling light.

I've recently begun traveling much more for business than I ever have before. As I have usually traveled for vacations only, I've never forced myself to become disciplined in my packing choices. However, I'm quickly seeing the benefits of dropping to one carry-on bag and eliminating checked baggage. As a chronic heavy packer and one who doesn't like to reinvent the wheel, I've looked for some recommendations for how to lighten the load. One Bag is the best overall site I've found for a discussion about traveling with less stuff.

Buried in the site is a diagram of how to use 'bundle-wrapping' to not only decrease the amount of space your clothes take up, but also to keep them wrinkle-free. I've tried rolling my clothes, using plastic bags between them, etc. but nothing has worked like bundle-wrapping. I couldn't believe how little room my clothes took up, and how reasonably wrinkle free they were! If you travel much, it's worth it to pick up a nice bag like Tom Bihn's Aeronaut. Once you spend a trip or two lugging a poorly designed bag, you'll appreciate a decent bag, and it will make your travel experiences that much more enjoyable. And isn't it important to enjoy the journey as well as the destination?

Music Recommendation: Warren Zevon, Stand In The Fire

For those of you who enjoy live music, this is an absolute must-have. Recorded after Excitable Boy, this is a terrific listen. Zevon is almost manic at times, on the verge of being out of control, but knowing just when to pull himself back. Simply a fantastic live document of one of the most underrated artists of recent decades. If you're not sure who he is, he's most famous for 'Werewolves of London' but there is so much more. If you're not a big fan of live music, I'd start with Excitable Boy, one of my favorite albums ever.

Nice pick, Miami

SI.com - 2007 NFL Draft - Fins' Ginn unsure if he'll be ready for training camp - Sunday April 29, 2007
Top draft pick Ted Ginn Jr. says he's unsure whether he'll be healthy for the start of training camp. Ginn paid a visit to the Dolphins' complex Sunday and said his sprained left foot will be in a boot for about a month. Rehabilitation will follow, and Ginn said there's no guarantee he'll be ready to practice when camp begins in three months.