Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 09

The Liberty Bell of the West

Posted on Wednesday, January 9, 2013, at 3:22 PM by Jeff

Kaskaskia, Illinois, Dec. 29 — There’s not much left in the first capital of Illinois. In the 2000s, it was the smallest city in the state. Although now in second place, it remains the only city in Illinois west of … Continue reading →

Posted in Trip Reports | Comments Off on The Liberty Bell of the West
Jan 09

The flip side of the eleventy billion sports channel universe

Posted on Wednesday, January 9, 2013, at 10:39 AM by Jeff

Tonight the Iowa State men play #6 Kansas. The game is on ESPNU. Tonight the #25 Iowa State women play #1 Baylor. The game is on Fox College Sports Central. Both teams are playing top-10 conference opponents and the games … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on The flip side of the eleventy billion sports channel universe
Jan 08

KCCI changed its graphics today

Posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2013, at 10:10 PM by Jeff

Noted for posterity. This is a timed post.

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on KCCI changed its graphics today
Jan 08

Max Morrison dies from plane crash injuries

Posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2013, at 2:47 PM by Jeff

The burns and strains of recovery were just too much. Please keep his family — my relatives — in your thoughts and prayers. UPDATE: The Marshalltown Times-Republican has a short obituary. The Cedar Rapids Gazette has a brief and a picture.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Max Morrison dies from plane crash injuries
Jan 08

Missouri’s state of confusion

Posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2013, at 9:55 AM by Jeff

This is a preliminary entry in a Liberty Bowl trip report. Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, Dec. 29 — If Missouri is supposed to be in the Southeastern Conference now, Mother Nature hasn’t gotten the memo. Heavy snow forced an early cutoff … Continue reading →

Posted in Trip Reports | Comments Off on Missouri’s state of confusion
Jan 07

US 63 construction in Black Hawk County

Posted on Monday, January 7, 2013, at 10:16 AM by Jeff

The DOT has redesigned its public-meetings page so that the project documents are now an additional page-click away. The text on the sub-pages is shown as a continuous string, with no breaks, which can make it difficult to read. So … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on US 63 construction in Black Hawk County
Jan 06

Iowa high on Senate seniority chart

Posted on Sunday, January 6, 2013, at 9:44 AM by Jeff

Roll Call has published a list of the 113th Congress organized by seniority for both the Senate and House. Chuck Grassley is in sixth place (up from 11th in 2009) and now the only senator left who was originally elected … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Iowa high on Senate seniority chart
Jan 05

N-flation

Posted on Saturday, January 5, 2013, at 1:58 PM by Jeff

This is what the Devaney Center basketball court looked like Jan. 26, 2011 (my picture): And here’s what it looks like now. (I originally had a screencap from CBS, but the link has a wider image.) Big Ten logos at … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | Comments Off on N-flation
Jan 02

My column on baby names

Posted on Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at 10:27 PM by Jeff

In the Register on New Year’s Day, in case you missed it.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on My column on baby names
Jan 02

Entering Year 13

Posted on Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The first Iowa license plates with the current background went into circulation Jan. 2, 1997. Plenty of things have changed: The metal got thinner and plates are no longer stamped The text went from blue to black Slashes were added … Continue reading →

Posted in License Plates | Comments Off on Entering Year 13