Monthly Archives: January 2013

Jan 31

They’re not ‘Basic Skills’ anymore

A longtime component of everybody’s schooling in Iowa changed last year. They’re no longer the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills or the Iowa Tests of Educational Development. They are now the “Iowa Assessments.” The change happened last school year, and … Continue reading

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on They’re not ‘Basic Skills’ anymore
Jan 30

Denver, Kansas?

Oops. That’s not Colorado. That dot is a little east of Salina, Kansas. NBC Nightly News podcast, Jan. 29.

Posted in Maps | Comments Off on Denver, Kansas?
Jan 28

Pages updated

IA 196 now has photos from its new north end at new US 20. IA 130 and IA 77 have new pictures as well. For IA 330, I’ve updated some of the text and have a placeholder for the new … Continue reading

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Pages updated
Jan 26

Liberty Bowl pictures

What more is there to say about the game? It was overcast, it rained during the second quarter, and ISU lost. (Then it really started raining about 30 minutes after the game.) Because of the dreary day, I had few … Continue reading

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on Liberty Bowl pictures
Jan 24

More IA 58 crashes

Three-car accident Tuesday. (KWWL) The problem with any studies about how to deal with the numerous crashes is that development is now too close for 58 to be expanded into a controlled-access freeway. The stretch between US 20 and University … Continue reading

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on More IA 58 crashes
Jan 22

The NICL bracket

The girls’ basketball pairings are out, and for the first time, North Tama is in the postseason as a 2A team. This is the only time of the year it matters, since the regular season is played in conferences and … Continue reading

Posted in Sports, Tama County | Comments Off on The NICL bracket
Jan 21

Liberty Bowl parade

Memphis, Tennessee, December 30 — Beale Street was packed with Cyclone fans the day before the Liberty Bowl for the parade. I’ve been through many an hour-and-a-half parade before, but never standing the whole time in wall-to-wall people while wearing … Continue reading

Posted in Trip Reports | Comments Off on Liberty Bowl parade
Jan 20

Interesting inauguration trivia

Assuming President Obama serves out his second term, two things will happen that are rare in presidential history: We’ll have three two-term presidents in a row for the second time in history, after Jefferson-Madison-Monroe at the beginning of the 19th … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Interesting inauguration trivia
Jan 19

Some sign photos from the Memphis area

Because of the freeway revolt that resulted in I-40 being routed around the north side of Memphis, the exit numbering convention is a little off. There are multiple lettered exits in “mile” 1 and 2, and then I-40’s exits around … Continue reading

Posted in Highway Miscellaneous, Trip Reports | Comments Off on Some sign photos from the Memphis area
Jan 18

A bad BBQ experience on Beale Street

This is slightly out of order. The roadgeek part of the day will follow later. Memphis, Tennessee, December 30 — We knew there would be a LOT of Iowa State fans on Beale Street Sunday, so getting there early was … Continue reading

Posted in Trip Reports | Comments Off on A bad BBQ experience on Beale Street