  When Lenz proposed a simple model for phase transitions in magnetism, he
couldn't have imagined that the "Ising model" was to become a jewel in field of
equilibrium statistical mechanics. Its role spans the spectrum, from a good
pedagogical example to a universality class in critical phenomena. A quarter
century ago, Katz, Lebowitz and Spohn found a similar treasure. By introducing
a seemingly trivial modification to the Ising lattice gas, they took it into
the vast realms of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. An abundant variety
of unexpected behavior emerged and caught many of us by surprise. We present a
brief review of some of the new insights garnered and some of the outstanding
puzzles, as well as speculate on the model's role in the future of
non-equilibrium statistical physics.
