Red-locked
There are 20 American states which are land-locked; which do not border on an ocean, a gulf, or a Great Lake. Of these 20 states, only one (Vermont) is certain to vote for Kerry in November.
Steve Casburn
LIS
Wikipedia as an information resource
[My response to this article in the Syracuse Post-Standard: ] As a contributor to the Wikipedia and a librarian, I disagree with the general tone of the article titled "Librarian: Don't use Wikipedia as source" that appeared in the August 25 on-line Syracuse Post-Standard,
Life
Kirby Benton Gray
Kirby Benton Gray was born this evening at 9:07pm at Women's Hospital in Houston, weighing in at 6 lbs., 15 oz. Congratulations to Kirby's tired and relieved parents, Thomas and Lori Gray. I'd have a pitcher of frozen margaritas in the delivery room
Life
Sunday night at KTCU
I took a four-day weekend [*] to do a Tour de Tejas—to Austin to visit Spencer and Jenn and Rob and Maggie and Jim, to Fort Worth to visit Chris Bellomy, and finally to Dallas to meet a long-lost relative (my father's only Casburn cousin). All
Politics
Kansas: A second-world country?
Something I wrote for Usenet a couple of years ago: > That's like calling Kansas a 2nd world country! Let's not dismiss that idea so quickly, now... 2nd world: Communist Bloc (mainly, Soviet Union) Soviet Union: Mostly barren prairie Kansas: Mostly barren prairie Soviet Union: Hellish
Uncategorized
"Nostalgia or Nausea?"
Remember "The Newlywed Game"? The idea of that game show was to have one newlywed answer a series of questions, and then the other newlywed would have to guess how his or her spouse answered each question. I have an idea for a game show that would be
History
The British aristocracy
Did you know that the British hereditary aristocracy is still around? I had thought it had mostly died out, since the British government has handed out so few important hereditary titles during the last 75 years (and so few of any kind during the last 40). But, no, the hereditary
Music
Walking music: XTC
Tyler Cowen of Marginal Revolution asked a couple of weeks ago, "Does anyone listen to XTC anymore?" I do. I even take them walking every now and then: 1. Wrapped in Grey 2. Ballet for a Rainy Day / 1000 Umbrellas 3. Pale and Precious 4. Chalkhills and Children
Houston
Tuesday night at the Meridian
After years of being a They Might Be Giants fan, I finally saw them in concert this week. I wish I hadn't waited so long. The show was at the Meridian, a new club in an old warehouse on Chartres Street. About 500 fellow TMBG and/or Homestar
Life
Am I asking for too much?
I bought a new hair dryer this evening. My hope is that this one won't catch on fire.
Politics
The governing philosophy of the Bush administration
From The Tom Peters Seminar (1994), pgs. 109-110: I've long been offended by the whining middle managers and professional staffers who tell me how tough they've got it. They're bound to their desks by dictatorial bosses who might demand their presence at any
Houston
Another beautiful day
I never thought I would savor a July day in Houston. But there I was an hour ago, standing next to the Main Street Square fountains. Temperature: 84 degrees. Humidity: 50%. Sky: Sunny, but not glaring. Fountains: Doing the full 20-foot jet every few seconds. Doesn't get