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Vanity Fair published a fascinating story this month about Monsanto, a company that sells genetically modified (G.M.) seeds.

As food costs rise, it makes more sense to pay attention to how food gets from the ground to the dinner table and to consider alternative production models.

I didn't know much about Monsanto and now realize why that's a problem:

You can always count on at least one surprise at a car show, even a local one where many of the rides are familiar sightings. Such was the case last Friday night when I drove by the monthly cruise night in the Lowe's parking lot on West Olive Avenue in North Merced. One glance and I was smitten!

One couldn't help but notice a bright yellow early 1960s Rambler American convertible. I've never seen that one before. The 1961-63 compact Ramblers were nearly identical and I didn't have time to get close enough to pinpoint the year or check it out in detail. The car appeared to be factory stock with whitewall tires. Starting in earnest in 1960, all the American automakers jumped on the bandwagon to offer a compact car. The first offerings in 1960 were the Ford Falcon, Mercury Comet, Plymouth Valiant and Chevrolet Corvair. Then in 1961 the Buick Special, Dodge Lancer, Oldsmobile Cutlass and Pontiac Le Mans joined the battle along with the totally restyled Rambler American. In 1962, the Chevrolet Nova and Mercury Meteor entered the ring. Gas was up to 32 cents a gallon about that time.