Monthly Archives: August 2011

Aug 31

Conferencepocalypse II: The Guns of August

Posted on Wednesday, August 31, 2011, at 9:39 PM by Jeff

Texas offered a Big 12 Network; Texas A&M refused. Texas reportedly offered a Lone Star Network; A&M refused. Texas created the Longhorn Network, just like everyone expected, and now A&M has gone off the deep end. Austin American-Statesman: Texas A&M … Continue reading →

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Aug 26

Two important school-year PSAs

Posted on Friday, August 26, 2011, at 1:28 PM by Jeff

We interrupt our small-school/conferencepocalypse/post-office panic for some announcements: 1. Comic Sans is not an acceptable font for student handbooks. This means you, West Central Valley. (PDF) 2. Football season is here!!

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Aug 24

Corning-Villisca: Squeezing out Stanton?

Posted on Wednesday, August 24, 2011, at 6:54 PM by Jeff

School districts in southwest and north-central Iowa are feeling the most pressure from the continued decline of student enrollment. As districts explore their options, we get reports with numbers that will make your eyes either glaze over or tear up, … Continue reading →

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Aug 23

License Plate Countdown – YNZ

Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2011, at 3:01 PM by Jeff

YMJ through YNR assigned outside of Polk County, then another stack back to Polk. Assuming the continued omission of U and V but the inclusion of all other letters in second and third positions, that leaves 816 combinations.

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Aug 20

Idaho vs. “I-State”

Posted on Saturday, August 20, 2011, at 12:34 PM by Jeff

Desktop pictures for Texas A&M’s 2011 football schedule put the opponents’ logos in a strip across the bottom. (Full collection is here.) Take a quick look at this one in particular. Is A&M playing the Cyclones twice? Now look closer. … Continue reading →

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Aug 20

Lansing bridge closed a week

Posted on Saturday, August 20, 2011, at 1:09 AM by Jeff

WXOW (with video): A bridge over the Mississippi river between Lansing, Iowa and De Soto, Wisconsin remains closed — due to a crack in the floor beam under the bridge deck. The Iowa Department of Transportation says the bridge on … Continue reading →

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Aug 19

946

Posted on Friday, August 19, 2011, at 12:05 PM by Jeff

February: Searsboro, population 148, finds out that its post office is among the first mentioned in what will become of a wave of potential closures. July 24: The New York Times runs a blog post with a Searsboro dateline related … Continue reading →

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Aug 18

Iowa State Fair, 2011

Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2011, at 11:41 PM by Jeff

Possibly my shortest time there ever (for varied reasons). Observations: The Shenaniguns Wild West Show may have been around a while, but bad puns are still funny. The Hot Beef Sundae is five years old! Cattlemen groups in some northern … Continue reading →

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Aug 16

Conferencepocalypse II: Here we go again

Posted on Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at 1:02 AM by Jeff

Texas A&M has decided it would rather be seventh place in heaven than second or third in hell. The Aggies appear intent on filing for divorce from the Big 12, citing irreconcilable differences and sibling rivalry. Houston Chronicle: COLLEGE STATION … Continue reading →

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Aug 15

Iowa 2010 population breakdown

Posted on Monday, August 15, 2011, at 1:17 PM by Jeff

This is the beginning of what will turn into more charts and graphs, but these stand alone and are worth posting now. In the 2010 census, Iowa’s 947 incorporated places break down like this: Population 0-499, 490; 500-999, 174; 1000-4999, … Continue reading →

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