PosterWire has a nice write-up on the teaser poster for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Drew Struzan, poster artist extraordinaire, had another official release this week with his cover for the DVDs of BladeRunner: The Final Cut.

A cool gift idea or memento for yourself, the Fluid Earth Bowl is shaped based on the topology of the map location you choose.

The quiet pavement project along 520 didn’t just happen out of the blue. I now have a person to thank for advocating the Washington State Dept. of Transportion’s testing of different road surfaces to reduce noise. Walter Scott took on a grass roots effort six years ago to reduce the noise at his home near I-5. His coalition obtained Gov. Gregoire’s support in directing the DOT to test quieter pavements. We’re still enjoying a much improved environment in our home thanks to the test pavement. I hope one or more of the surfaces holds out through our wet winters. (my earlier Vox entry on the 520 paving)

If your everyday duct tape is boring the heck out of you, perhaps a version in plaid would perk you up. You have a choice of red with black or green with black. Or go crazy and buy both. (I can’t find it on the L.L. Bean website though, just their camo and wildlife prints.)

The Seattle Symphony’s dirty laundry has been aired out for all to see in a newspaper of record. The New York Times has run a detailed account of the politics, in-fighting, factions, favoritism, lawsuits, and reported verbal abuse during Gerard Schwarz’s tenure as music director. The drama even spilled over onto the Internet with a musician writing accusations against Schwarz on his weblog. This article also reveals the results of the orchestra committee survey which were not publicized. Players had voted 61 to 8 in favor of new artistic leadership and 61 to 12 in favor of forming a search committee for a new director. The national exposure is not likely to calm any of the still ongoing tensions. Meanwhile, Schwarz recently broke his leg skiing and will be conducting the remaining performances of the year while seated. (NYT article in Seattle PI)

When I give my cat pills I put them in some cream cheese. But these “pill pockets” look even better (and a lot less messy!). They’re treats for cats and dogs that you can hide a pill. Do they make them for kids too? (thanks Medley!)

Sur La Table is carrying a cute sterling silver charm bracelet with cooking-related charms such as a stand mixer, colander, whisk, and measuring cup. Other food & wine charms are available; I can see a wine themed bracelet all ready to be put together in that set. (via luxist)

Seattle Fun Forest, the small amusement park area next to the Space Needle has not been able to bring in enough money to pay its lease for a while. They’ve agreed with the city to close up shop at the end of 2009. Our toddler enjoys the surprisingly sufficient selection of rides suitable for tots, and two more years of those will be perfect for us.

Hackers at MIT added board games to various campus locations on Monday. The side of the Media Lab became a gigantic Scrabble game. Cranium, Mouse Trap, and of course chess made an appearance.

Blogger Anita Rowland brought people together sincerely, genuinely, and altruistically. She passed away yesterday and as her memorial page fills with the thoughts of those whose lives she touched it’s apparent that she not only gathered people together but also took the time to form an individual relationship with each person, whether through email or personal conversations at events she arranged. Our days are filled with often rushed prioritizations of the tasks we find most important. Some of us overlook the significance of maintaining and building the connections between people. Anita will be greatly missed.