Category Archives: Geography

Mar 08

While we’re on the subject of time

Posted on Sunday, March 8, 2015, at 10:57 AM by Jeff

July 15, 2013: Michigan Highway 28 at the westernmost ETZ/CTZ highway crossing in the nation. This line of longitude on the globe is less than 30 miles east of Clinton, Iowa. Have you noticed that for years now, maybe even … Continue reading →

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Feb 19

Fort Brule, South Dakota

Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2015, at 10:19 AM by Jeff

Just a few miles from the Big Sioux River and Iowa’s westernmost point lies a marker recalling the late American frontier. (Photo taken July 20, 2012. That’s not a color problem, it’s a drought problem.) Fort Brule was established in … Continue reading →

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Jan 09

“Oregon Trail” now available as online game

Posted on Friday, January 9, 2015, at 11:39 AM by Jeff

Technically, it’s the MS-DOS version, not the Apple IIGS, but the emulator appears to work on a Mac so… The real Oregon Trail from MECC is back! (Washington Post) (link to game page) And so is Carmen Sandiego! (But neither work … Continue reading →

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Nov 25

That one weird Texas Tech statistic

Posted on Tuesday, November 25, 2014, at 10:41 AM by Jeff

(Clickbait headline alert!) A geographic note in the Iowa State-Texas Tech game appears to have been misconstrued. During the game Saturday, a Fox Sports graphic (possibly running off this AP game preview) indicated that Tech has only played four “November games … Continue reading →

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Aug 17

Tipping sacred cows in Illinois

Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2014, at 2:44 PM by Jeff

And we’ll have pun, pun, pun ’til our daddy takes the keyboard away… Chicago Tribune (bonus points for using the word ‘kerfuffle’): Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn is milking an Upstate-Downstate kerfuffle with Republican Bruce Rauner’s running mate over an udderly … Continue reading →

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Jul 10

CIML split all about Des Moines vs. suburbs

Posted on Thursday, July 10, 2014, at 10:22 AM by Jeff

The news of a potential split in the 19-team Central Iowa Metro League* bears some similarities to what went on in college sports the past half-decade. This time, though, it’s the have-nots taking the initiative and separating from the haves. … Continue reading →

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Jun 30

O BeeOneGee, O BeeOneGee, how lovely are thy fullbacks

Posted on Monday, June 30, 2014, at 6:00 PM by Jeff

The Big Ten’s addition of Maryland tomorrow means the conference will have both states with official state songs, and another with an unofficial state song, sung to the tune of “O Tannenbaum/O Christmas Tree”. The other official-song state? Why, Iowa, … Continue reading →

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May 19

Dubois?

Posted on Monday, May 19, 2014, at 4:10 PM by Jeff

An odd result in my search for school news comes from New Mexico: Petty said the board had hired Streib because he reportedly took the two previous school districts where he was superintendant in Dubois, Iowa and Sundance, Wyom., to number-one … Continue reading →

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May 09

A township that needs to be put out of its misery, but probably can’t

Posted on Friday, May 9, 2014, at 9:58 AM by Jeff

This corner is all that’s left of Bloomfield Township in Polk County (2013 map). Polk County’s Bloomfield Township has been gradually shrinking since it was created. In 1875, the township had boundaries of the Raccoon River, the section line that … Continue reading →

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Sep 20

Sports blogger’s Midwest trip

Posted on Friday, September 20, 2013, at 1:43 PM by Jeff

Iowa City was among Bill Connelly’s stops in “a journey through football’s heartland.” It gives you a good taste for the area, but two things stand out: The link writer needs more familiarity with the area. It says “Michigan Notre … Continue reading →

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