In time for Thanksgiving, the TSA is adding a family lane to most airport security checkpoints. This line, while slower, will allow families with children to relax and take things at their own pace. Travelers with “medically necessary liquids” above the 3 ounce limit will also use the lanes. Our son became such an expert at removing his own shoes and listening to directions that we’d probably stick to the regular line, but multiply him by 2 or 3 at various ages and the line would be a huge relief.

There was an actual, working farm close to our house in Mountain View, California. A relic in Silicon Valley’s Santa Clara County, where at most you’ll find a few acres of fruit trees retained for historical reasons, the farm on Grant Road was held in fond regard by locals. I used to stop by their fruit and veggie stand. Seth told me last week that the farm is now a vacant field. The owners sold it a couple years ago and it will likely become another cluster of too-close-together houses. The good news is that the farm’s shiny windmill was dismantled and put back together at the Rengstorff House in Shoreline Park. It stands next to the replica tank house, providing an accurate picture of how water used to be stored for farm irrigation.

The ‘Studio of Exhaustion From Diligent Service’ is the fancy name for the retirement home the Qianlong Emperor built within the Forbidden City, but never used much, preferring to keep close watch over his son’s rule. The quarters were shut off and neglected when the City became a museum and the artwork within deteriorated over the years. A $3 million restoration, run jointly by the Palace Museum in Beijing and the World Monuments Fund, is now complete and will soon be open to the public. It reveals intricate craftsmanship, amazing both for its antiquity and its handiwork by present day artists who were brought in to recreate almost lost techniques.

The Star-Spangled Banner, the large flag that reportedly inspired Francis Scott Key to write what became our national anthem, underwent a preservation project that began in 1998. Extensive and painstaking, including the hand removal of 1.7 million stitches to get rid of a linen backing, the restoration concluded in 2005. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History, home of the flag, closed in 2006 for major renovations including the creation of a new gallery to display the flag in an environment that will continue to preserve it. The flag has such historical value that the museum was originally designed with it as its centerpiece, and the renovations maintain the flag’s role as the primary attraction. Mary Pickersgill, her daughter, and two nieces created the 30 by 42 feet flag which flew at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. 400 yards of cloth were used, each stripe being two feet wide, and Pickersgill pieced it together on the floor of a brewery. The U.S. Army paid her $405.90. Unlike today’s respectful flag keeping, portions of it, including a star and full swath of the fly edge, were clipped off for souvenirs so it’s now smaller.

Asphalt, the sticky stuff used to pave roads, comes from the “bottom of the barrel” of crude oil, what remains after gasoline and other substances are removed. There’s currently an asphalt shortage that has delayed road repairs across the U.S. Two factors are cited. One is oil refineries installing cokers which can refine lower grade crude oil into gas and diesel, bringing in more profits than asphalt leftovers. Second, refineries have also cut back production of a polymer that’s added to asphalt to increase durability. Concrete producers may find their pricier alternative becoming more in demand for roads.

Winterizing becomes a daunting challenge when you’re in charge of 1,600 towers that carry high-voltage power to customers in New York. Con Edison workers inspect each tower for damage, pilfered grounding wire, damaged ceramic insulators (sometimes shot by frustrated deer hunters), and bird nests. Winter’s snow, ice, and wind add extra stress. With the help of Lidar they track the distance between cables and trees and remove any that may take down a line.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma aced his appearance on the Colbert Report. Doesn’t everyone know that most classical musicians have a much better sense of humor than your average pop/rock star?

Liberal Seattle wasn’t an American flag-displaying kind of city — until now. “With newfound patriotism, Seattleites want to wave the flag, hang it from their homes and stick it on their cars.” It’s everyone’s flag again.

Coming soon to the U.S. Iron Chef Wine. It’s all about the branding y’know.

Next year, King County Superior Court will file all legal paperwork electronically. The already dwindling bike courier profession is likely to shrink even further. When the federal courts eliminated paper documents, courier services were not longer used. However as a specialization, the few remaining bike courier companies may be able to charge more for this special service.