These are a few of our favorite things this week:
U2's "Under a Blood Red Sky: Live" (Island/Universal) -- Following the double-disc reissues of the first three U2 studio sets earlier this year, Island released a two-disc version of the band's 1983 live mini LP recorded at Red Rocks in Colorado.
If the eight-song "Under a Blood Red Sky" was never entirely essential, it was enjoyable for great live versions of hits like "I Will Follow" and "New Year's Day" and more unexpected choices like the b-side "Party Girl," the band's first U.K. single, "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" and "The Electric Co," a deep album track from the studio debut "Boy."
A more fulsome version of the concert was released on VHS and appears here on DVD as the second disc of the set. The advance copy I received has no artwork beyond the front cover art, so I can't tell you if the booklet or packaging has anything interesting. But even if not, this is a solid reissue for U2 fans but likely still non-essential for the casual Bonophile. --Bobby Tanzilo
Amazon Green -- Whether you are a "get off the grid" zealot or someone who wants to do his part to help the environment, you'll find some useful products at a decent price thanks to Amazon Green. Check it out here. --Drew Olson
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant -- For years, countless friends and female family members gushed, "you MUST read this." Finally, I cracked it open, and it instantly became an obsession. "The Red Tent" retells the Biblical story of Jacob and his 11 sons -- including Joseph who wore that colorful coat -- through the eyes of Dinah, their sister, who was a midwife and feminist.
It's a story about women's lives many moons ago and how they struggled and celebrated births, deaths and rites of passage within the confines of a red tent. The writing is extremely poetic, yet accessible, and the story ranges from unbelievably romantic to tragically gruesome. Most interesting is the realization that "back then" women retreated to the aforementioned tents during menstruation for camaraderie, massage, henna adornment and comfort food from their mothers, sisters, aunts and friends. I think this ancient monthly ritual is one that many of us -- men and women alike -- wish was still in practice. --Molly Snyder Edler
The Milwaukee River Challenge -- Saturday marks the eighth annual Milwaukee River Challenge as dozens of teams race up and down the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers. This is a great free event and I'm proud to say that OnMilwaukee.com has helped promote it since its inception. Get Downtown on Saturday, do Al's Run (Brigg's and Al's Run to be official) and then stay for the River Challenge. Watch from a bridge, a Riverwalk restaurant or just camp out at Pere Marquette Park. --Jeff Sherman
Free shots after touchdowns -- Welcome to Packers season in Milwaukee. Our TV antenna went the way of the curb a few months ago, leaving my house network-less for the time being. With an active Netflix account, it hasn't really been a problem...until football started.
To catch the game now, we're forced to journey to the nearest bar, or a friend's house with a properly working television. If you read the header to this paragraph, you understand why we're siding with the bar. Week one found us at Palomino, where the barkeep offered a sweet Raspberry Stoli and lemonade concoction after each score. Last Sunday we wandered over to the Bomb Shelter where Tom the ‘tender could barely pour his special "apple pie" shots fast enough to keep up with the Packers' fourth quarter blitz. I'm new to this, sports fans. Do all bars do this? Or just the best ones? --Julie Lawrence
WSJ.com sports section -- Nothing against our fine sports coverage, but when I crave some different takes and solid national reporting, I love the reads inside the Wall Street Journal's sports section. I love it enough to pay for the content, which is always solid. A recent story on Packers veteran Al Harris was an interesting personality profile that offered unique insight into the game and the cornerback position. Check it out and add to your daily reads. It was newly redesigned this week, too. --J.S.
Beating the Halloween rush -- Procrastination is epidemic in this multi-tasking world, so advance planning often slides down the priority scale. Halloween is approaching. (I know this because I just drove by the giant inflatable pumpkin outside State Fair Park.) If you're going to wow your friends with a witty costume, it's time to start thinking about it now. If you want to go through the motions and just slap something together, well, you can do that two hours before the party. --D.O.
