The cubs really enjoy The Order of the Stick but they miss a lot of the D&D based jokes. They've responded enthusiastically to their dad's suggestion that he run a campaign for them and I said I'd join in. It could be fun - the cubs' father is an excellent game-master - but I have to admit that role-playing just doesn't hold the appeal it once did. Eh well, should be interesting to see how the cubs cope with the somewhat restrictive rules: "No. You can't have that mega-twega death-dealing spell until you're nth level..." <g>

I saw in a documentary sometime ago that wolves (and dogs/foxes as well, I assume) can in some instances help their sense of smell by snorting out puffs of air through their noses. This apparently boosts the scent particles into the air so they can be snuffled up easier. Guess what - it works! I've been trying it with very faint smells and it does give a stronger trace. I've had some odd looks though; it's not everyday you see someone with something pressed right up against their nose, snuffling and snorting with a look of intense concentration... <smirk>

Speaking of dogs... I borrowed an Akira Kurosawa DVD from the library: "Nora inu (Stray Dog)" [1949]. I knew Samurai flicks weren't really my thing but I was curious to see how the Japanese handled a Film-noir, one of my favourite genres.
Bloody marvelous! <bounce> This may be one I end up buying. The story starts simply but gains layers of complexity as it progresses. Seeing the depiction of a post-war, post-occupation Japan was intriguing, especially the sometimes uncomfortable blending of East/West culture. Stylistically the film is wonderful with some breathtakingly elegant cinematography and staging that spoke volumes about Japanese artistic sensibility.
...Yes, the more I think about it the more decided I am to have my own copy. This definitely bears repeated watching.

And still on the subject of Japanese cinema - I picked up a copy of Dianna Wynne Jones' "Howl's Moving Castle" cos I thought it might give me some insight into some fuzzy bits of the movie. All I can say though is that the movie - gorgeous as it is - bears little resemblance to the book. They're both great, but ultimately not comparable. I haven't quite finished the book but I have to say that I got a little excited about it. Part-way through it took a left-turn which transformed it from an enjoyable but not particularly gripping story into something truly magical. There's quite a list of the author's other works - I'm going to see what else of hers my library has...