When I was in Chicago over the weekend, I took this photo of water in its solid state.
Which was less exotic once I realized that Austin is looking down the barrel of a hard freeze.
Then there was this Olmec head.
Which is just like the one at the LBJ school here in Austin. And come to think of it, that Julia standing next to it is also exactly like the one at the LBJ school.
Here I am with the monument that the people of Chicago erected to memorialize the "Dubya" administration.
Something that you only see in the big city is boxes and boxes of vermin.
This box was in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
For those of you who have never been to Navy Pier, don’t sweat it, it’s really dull. When we were there, the only really important attraction, the funnel cake stand, was closed. But they did have this photo commemorating the history of the Chicago police. It’s a little hard to see, but on the right you can see a whole bunch of thugs with tommy guns and fedoras. On the left, there’s an armored SUV, and cops with riot gear and shotguns.
Yup, the Chicago PD hasn’t changed much. I’m surprised the mural doesn’t show the cops with blood-stained hundred-dollar bills hanging out of their pockets.
Because we felt that we owed it to the ailing US economy, Julia and I spent some money on a ridiculous attraction, this hyrdaulic motion-simulator ride.
Inside it has a projection TV (using actual cathode ray tubes!) that’s about six feet across and has pixels the size of a baby’s fingernail. During the "ride" it displays the best CGI graphics 1996 had to offer.
Then we went to the Shedd aquarium. It takes a little while to notice that the entire building is decorated on a marine theme. Here’s an eel lintel.
This is a chandelier with crustaceans and mullusks.
Inside the aquarium it was total madhouse considering that it was a holiday weekend.
Very carefully, I identified all the fish. Like this moray eel.
Or this marine isopod.
One should note, while looking at this picture, that the isopod was about the size of a football.
They also had examples of walleye, a fish which I have frequently praised.
And remember, the fish hate it when you point at them.
